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Music reviews
Atmos (Thomas Balicki) from Sweden is finally back with his second album, also this time on Spiral Trax Records. He got well known in the entire psy/progressive trance scene worldwide, when he released his debut album Headcleaner on Spiral Trax in 2000. It was a new way of making trippy progressive trance, that many artists has tried to follow years after. He has also released another album (Overlap) on Flying Rhino Records in 2001, together with Echö-Lab, but that was a more experimental project. He has also been playing live all over the world for several years now.
Atmos "2nd Brigade" Spiral trax Records 2004 (SPITCD020)
1. Raumwelt Signal
2. Al Bummer
3. KNS
4. Metro Deluxe
5. Umbau
6. Scent Of A Tunnel
7. Transmission in Vain
8. Ordinary Weekend
The first track starts really slow and beautiful. We get an atmospheric floating vibe and some relaxing sounds. After a couple of minutes, the beats start drifting. It builds up slowly, and after a while we get thrown into a rolling, progressive bass line. Slow, drifting progressive trance, pleasant for home listening and at the progressive dance floor. He has made this track together with Henrik Jonsson (Echö-Lab). Track 2 reminds me a lot of the style he had on the Headcleaner album, but with a more housy touch. Not much variation, but it doesn’t use to be much variation in tracks by Atmos. Things build up really slow. Pretty slow, stumping beats, with some floating mystic sounds going in and out of the track. Track 3 is much more melodic. Nice, drifting progressive trance for the morning, with a touch of house influences. Some atmospheric sounds and more variation than in the previous tracks on this album. Track 4 was originally released last year on a CD single (Metro Deluxe). This is a totally drifting track that builds up nice and easy.
Track 5 reminds me a bit of the Son-Kite style. Pretty pumping bass line and sort of minimal, but drifting with a trancey vibe. Not among my favourites on this album. Track 6 sounds more interesting. Here you get a more trippy vibe, with some jumpy sounds, nice floating breaks and a bass line that sounds a bit more full on than most of the other tracks on this album. It is also quite melodic. Track 7 has also some kind of Son-Kite vibe. Stumpy progressive beats, with some nice drums in between. You also get the typical Atmos sounds in there, that makes it to a more trippy ride. In the middle of the track we get a break with some voice samples, and the track takes a slightly different direction with some 80’s electro vibes, which has become modern again… The last track we get here is one of my favourites on this album. A stumpy progressive track with some really nice floating atmospheric sounds. You also get some light, fluffy guitar sounds in there, played by someone named Michele Antonino. Totally drifting track.
You get some nice progressive tracks on this album, but it could never beat the classic Headcleaner album. He has gone to a bit more housy sound since his last album, but I’m sure most progressive lovers will enjoy this album too.
PK (shivapks@hotmail.com)
