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Freq "Strange Attractors"
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Top level
Music reviews
Review by PKS
More quality progressive music from Iboga Records...
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The Danish label Iboga Records keeps releasing good quality progressive trance. Now they are out with a new summer hit for the progressive dance floors worldwide, which is the second album by Freq from New Zealand. Freq has been making electronic music since 1990, and has lately made big success with their massive progressive sound. Freq is now based in Melbourne, Australia.
Freq "Strange Attractors" Iboga Records 2004 (IBOGACD022)
1. Carbon-Based Lifeform
2. Dreambody (Progressive Mix)
3. Nurbs
4. Strange Attractors
5. Spacechanger
6. Return To The Masters
7. Awaken (Materialize)
8. Bliss
9. Freqtal (Zero One Edit)
The first track starts nice and floating with an atmospheric vibe. Then a twisted voice sample jumps in, before the groovy, progressive bass line starts stumping. The voice sample comes back into the track several times. Nice and drifting track, with a trippy vibe above the bass line. It builds up slow and easy. Nice one. Track 2 starts with another voice sample, before the pumping beats starts pushing. The voice follows the track through. It builds up and it is a nice, drifting progressive track. Still, it sounds really massive, and the sound is great. By the way, it’s mastered by Swedish Son Kite... The sounds we get here are really trippy. Track 3 is a really drifting, massive progressive track. Heavy, rolling bass line and the sounds are a bit more full on. Some of the sounds we get in this one actually remind me a bit of Logic Bomb! Track 4 starts with a bit fluffy synth sound, but then some really groovy, stumpy beats jumps in, and several trippy sounds starts floating and jumping above the groove. This track has some kind of mystic vibe.
Track 5 starts with a groovy, pumping beat. Then it floats over to a totally trippy, drifting vibe. Slow, mystic sounds floating in and out. Pretty dark, but also light at the same time. One of many favourites on this album. I really like the way it builds up. Track 6 starts with a beautiful, atmospheric vibe. Then the groovy, stumping beats hit back. This track is really floating and is as drifting as it can get. Nice one. Track 7 is another stumpy progressive track. Building up slowly, with playful drums above the bass line and atmospheric sounds floating in and out now and then. Track 8 is sort of the last track on this album, if we didn’t get a bonus track as number 9. This is a chill out track. A really nice one too, with dubby vibes, beautiful melodies and relaxing sounds. A track I will for sure play several times in my chill out sessions this summer. Track 9 is as mentioned above, the bonus track on this album. Freq has made this track together with Fractal Glider (Paul McCosh). I haven’t liked much of the latest works by Fractal Glider, but when he works with Freq here, things get better. This is a pumping, heavy track. More full on than the previous tracks on this album, but still progressive trance.
This is one of the best progressive trance albums I have heard lately. Tracks by Freq will for sure get played by most progressive trance dj’s worldwide this year. With the Antix album last year, and now this, Iboga Records should be doing well on the prog marked.
PK (shivapks@hotmail.com)
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Death Posture
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24.05.2004 23:13
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FREq – Strange Attractors
Format: CD
Artist: FREq
Title: Strange Atractors
Label: Iboga Records, Denmark
Cat. #: Iboga CD22
Year: 2004
Track listing:
01. 08’42” Carbon-based Lifeform
02. 10’11” Dreambody (Progressive Mix)
03. 08’06” Nurbs
04. 07’58” Strange Attractor
05. 09’09” Spacechanger
06. 08’32” Return to the Masters
07. 08’40” Awaken (Materialize)
08. 05’54” Bliss
09. 08’50” FREqTal (Zero One Edit)
Review:
“Full-on is fucking dead as... dead. Progressive, it's coming back in a big fucking way!”
Oh yes, slightly rewritten Pulp Fiction sample… I know full-on isn’t dead – far from it…In fact, I luv full on! But damn, it’s been a good couple of months for progressive; Son Kite “Colours”, Kooler “Open” and now this… Native-Kiwi-now-Aussie Aran Gallagher has been in the music biz for years making sweet little, progressive gems…And now Danish quality label Iboga Records has the honour of releasing his much awaited album... The hype leading up to this, his debut album release, was immense, so let’s find out if it was worth the hype…
Let me take you thru the tracks…
#01: First up is Carbon-Based Lifeform… A subtle, peaceful intro is quickly interrupted by a “lifeform” sample that is repeated numerous times throughout the track… More FX are added, and off we go… A very smooth, deep progressive bass leads the way of what turns out to be a sweet track! There is something very mellow about this track – The repeated samples and the Gregorian chanting just adds to the mellowness… Smooth!
#02: Kicks off with a sonic manipulated voice sample “dreambody”… And soon the smooth, smooth FREq groove takes over, slowly developing this into a groove bomb! @ 2.25 there’s a break that continues to put my speakers to the test – it’s just so damn awesome that I have to come back to it again and again… After the super-sweet “climax” that track really takes off and it’s time to drink some magic monkey juice and take a trip to space-land… Superb!
#03: We launch straight into the groove on Nurbs (whatever the hell that is…) …At first it’s darker, heavier repeated beats, but it evolves into a lighter, more joyful piece towards the end… As many ppl have pointed out, FREq is a genius when it comes to having the melodies “communicate” and it really comes on strong in this track… Check it out, it’s so invigorating… Very lovely track, both for the dance floor and for trancing out at home with headphones… Brilliant!
#04: Ahhh, more instant FREq! The groove is present from the get-go on this title-track and you start bobbing your head instantly… Check out the very trippy digital drops + the HUGE build-up/break part @ 2.20 … Damn, I can’t wait until I get to hear that at a party on a big-ass sound system… The crowd will freak out to the phat, phat grooves! This shit is dope!
#05: Time for Spacechanger! After 3 blasting tracks, it’s time to chill out just a little bit… The pace is slower and the overall groove is somewhat more laid-back… But make no mistake about it; this is still very much a progressive trance track… I dig the tribal percussion work and the spaced out children’s samples well-hidden in the background… Nice track!
#06: ‘Return to the Masters’ was on the Iboga compilation “Puzzled” earlier this year, so chances are that you’ve heard it… Well, you should’ve ‘cause it’s a sweet track… Again FREq shows us how to make the different musical pieces ‘communicate’ in an intelligent way… Such a sophisticated use of stereo FX… I just luv how those tribal percussions ‘talk’ to each other… It’s deep, it’s mellow, it’s funky – it’s FREq!
#07: Why waste time with long, boring intros? FREq instantly hits the spot with this spacey tune… There is so much going on in this progressive stomper – the trademark ‘communication’ is again used wisely and the groove is phatter than ever… A succulent beat and the well-placed robot-samples and exquisite melodies just add to the lovely flavour that is Awaken… Yummy!
#08: And now we enter dub country… Strip off the beats, and you are left with FREq in its purest form… Deep, eerie atmospheric ambient with lovely little melodies, laid-back percussion and a sip of tribal world music… Lovely - pass the spliff!
#09: And now for the bonus track, made with Mr. Fractal Glider… Progressive meets psytrance… Oh yes, on this track we get the best of both, and it should convert even the most hardened prog-sceptic… Check out the sweet melodies, the twisted psychedelia and the overall groove created by two of the most talented trance producers on the southern hemisphere! ;o)
9/10
Pop-quiz: In which studio was this mastered? High-hat studios or Abbey Road? *sS* You guessed it – this has Son Kite written ALL over it – and that’s without looking in the liner notes! At no time does the BPM exceed 140, but I still can’t stop moving… The production is flawless (as always when Son Kite is turning the knobs), the sound is crispy and the cover is very nice and informative… Kudos to Iboga Records for releasing such a jewel! As mentioned above, this has been a great year for progressive trance and I really think that this album completes the Holy Progressive Trinity with Son Kite “Colours” and Kooler “Open”… If you liked those two, you do not want to be without this one! Stellar release, that was definitely worth the hype!
Damn, I look forward to seeing FREq live next Saturday in Løkken, Denmark… ;o)
Favourites: 1, 2(!), 3(!!), 4(!!), 5, 7(!), 9
DeathPosture
External links:
FREq: http://www.freqsounds.com
Iboga: http://www.iboga.dk
Psyshop: http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/ibo/ibo1cd022.html (Audio samples available!)
Saiko Sounds: http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=4062
Chaos Unlimited: http://www.chaosunlimited.co.uk/cgi-bin/product.asp?LR=IBOGACD22
Trance-shop: http://www.trance-shop.com/de/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=3762
[Note: For info on the LP version, check out the Iboga website!]
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