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Total Eclipse "Udate Files"
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Top level
Music reviews
Review by PKS
French Total Eclipse releases another album, this time on Japanese Arcadia Music...
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As a big surprise, Total Eclipse released a new album this year on the Japanese label Arcadia Music. Total Eclipse has always been one of my favourite psytrance groups. They were originally three guys, Stephane Holweck, Loic Vanpoucke and Serge Souque, but Serge left the band a couple of years ago. They have instead got a little help from a few other guys on some of these tracks.
Total Eclipse "Update Files" Arcadia Records 2004 (ARCCD-004)
1. None Of This
2. Jadran Temple
3. On The Road
4. Time
5. Distorted Soul
6. Totally Biodegradable
7. Multivers
8. The 11th Dimension
9. Chewbaka
10. Aguas Blancas
I have always thought that Serge was the master mind behind this group, and it seems that I’m a bit right on that. I have seen these guys live a couple of times lately, and their music has definitely become much more minimal and less interesting for home listening than before. First out is a really stumpy track, with marching rhythms and a few psychedelic sounds jumping in and out of the track. We also get a few voice samples. Perfect for a big sound system, but it easily get boring at home. Track 2 is slightly better, with a funny little melody and more psychedelic sounds. Good one. Track 3 is more rocking, still very stumping. Here they have added some tribal drums too. Not bad at all, but could have been a bit more varied. Track 4 is a hard, pumping track. Pretty dark, but with a nice little melody jumping around. It sounds a bit like tracks by The Antidote, which is Serge’s other project. Track 5 goes over to more deep, groovy rhythms. Really heavy beats and some dark, twisted sounds. Pure night time music.
Track 6 continues the night time style, with more pumping beats. They have made this track together with Biodegradable from San Francisco. Not very varied, but drifting. This one also sounds a bit like The Antidote. Track 7 is a totally fast pumping track, with a really deep bass line. Something for those who wants their music dark at night… Track 8 is a bit more melodic, but still dark. It sounds almost evil! Track 9 starts surprisingly with guitar, before the heavy rhythm drift starts pushing. The first time I heard this track was in the dessert at sunrise in Morocco at Morocco 2001 festival, when they performed live down there. This one is one of the darkest, hard tracks I have heard! Pretty cool, but recommended for the night, not at sunrise… The last track on this album was also played in Morocco. This one is my absolute favourite track on this album. A great track, with a lot of cool sounds and melodies. Perfect for the morning! Why not make an entire album with music like this one? Reminds me of the fantastic old Total Eclipse style, but with a new twist!
Good to hear some music from these veterans again. Not brand new tracks, but unreleased. I think several of their tracks could have been a bit more varied, but the two last tracks on the album saves them. Let’s hope they will continue make good chill out and tracks like the last one in the future.
PK (shivapks@hotmail.com)
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