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Optokoppler "Replugged"

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Author: Per Kristian Slagsvold

Publishing date: 08.06.2005 17:32

Optokoppler (Oliver Schmidt & Tim Rüsken) is a fresh new psytrance duo based is Hamburg, Germany. They are now out with their debut album on Usta Records in Israel.

Optokoppler "Replugged" Usta Records 2005 (3502-2)

1. Clean
2. Straight
3. Tool Time
4. Persia
5. Conqueror
6. Into The System
7. Intergalactic
8. Traditions

As you probably have allready guessed, this duo goes the full on direction. The first track is a massive, pumping track with some echoing, trippy sounds above. I really like some of the sounds they have put in here. We also get some intense melodies and uplifting vibes. Something for those who wants it really melodic in the morning. Track 2 goes darker, with a bassline that reminds me of darkpsy. But, we get some pretty light melodies in this one too. Trippy full on with more variation and creativity than I am used to hear these days. Something for the morning... Track 3 starts nice and floating, before a stumping beat starts working. We get a voice sample and swirling sounds above the groovy vibe. The melody that comes into the track in the middle is a little bit too fluffy and simple for my taste. Track 4 is a bit darker and more intense again. Quite trippy vibe all the way through, and far away as clubby as most other full on being released these days. At the end here we get a very intense melody that reminds me a bit of old school goa trance.

Track 5 is a pumping monster with some really fresh, trippy sounds. Very melodic full on, but not in a cheesy way. They have also sampled a beautiful female vocal which some of you will recognise for sure. Great variety all the way. Track 6 has some really cool echoing, trippy sounds. Very groovy, with cool drums and some swirling vibes above. After a while we also get some of those guitar sounds that people use so much in full on these days, which ruins the track a little bit for me. Track 7 goes really pumping again. Still very melodic full on for the morning. This one might be a little bit too fluffy for some of you, including me. The melody in the end here reminds me too much of euro trance... The last track on this album gets better. Intense, totally full on trance, with some light melodies in between all the madness. We also get some beautiful ethnic vocals here.

I was positive surprised to hear this full on album by a duo that was almost totally new to me. Some of these tracks are too fluffy for my taste, but they manage to put more creativity and variation into their tracks, which is a big pluss. So watch out for these guys on the full on scene in the future...
PKS (shivapks@hotmail.com)

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