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Music reviews
Review by PKS
Altöm is out with their second album on Neurobiotic Records...
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Neurobiotic Records has become one of the leading labels when it comes to melodic full on trance these days. Now they are out with the second album by Altöm (Alexis Cornet and Thomas Dubreuil) from France. Their first album was called Hologram, and they have released a lot of full on tracks on various compilations on several different labels. They have also been performing live around the world lately.
Altöm "Groove Control" Neurobiotic Records 2004 ( NBRCD011)
1. Appetizer
2. Not For Children
3. Spray
4. Groove Control
5. Interactive
6. Serotönine
7. Hologram Rmx
8. Regulate
9. The Cöde
10. Beat Breakers
First out is some kind of short intro song, with a floating mystic vibe, a female voice humming and some dubby break beats. Nice relaxing start on the album. Track 2 starts with a deep, floating vibe, before some really groovy beats start pushing. We get some tribal drums above too, and it sounds really nice and trippy. Full on melodic trance, but far away from any cheese. Definitely a track we will hear in the morning on festivals around the world this summer. Totally drifting all the way through and it reminds me a bit of Silicon Sound. Track 3 starts also with a floating, atmospheric vibe. Then the bass line works its way slowly into the track. Perfect for listening to at home, or for your working out on the dance floor, because of the melodic, drifting vibe. These tracks are surprisingly varied and melodic, compared to a lot of their earlier works you can find on various compilations. Definitely a positive surprise! Track 4 starts deep and beautiful again, before they throw us back into the full on galaxy. This track is pretty different from most other full on you hear these days. First of all, it’s pretty varied, with crispy sounds and tribal drums, but the different part is the little rest we get in the middle of the track, where we get some break beats changing speed to a very chilled, melodic vibe. You also get a lot of voice samples in this one. Track 5 goes back to a massive, totally trippy morning vibe. Very drifting, massive sounds and melodies, which makes it to a nice little journey. One of my favourite tracks on this album.
Track 6 is really nice. It starts with some sort of mystic, weird, but happy melody, before a really pushing, stumpy bass line hits in. This track is really melodic all the way through, but keeps away from the cheesiness. The melodies are really intense, and again we get that massive feeling we get in many tracks by Altöm. The first time I saw Altöm live, was one week ago, at the Full Moon Festival 2004 in Germany. At that live set, they played most of these tracks, and it sure hit the dancing crowd really well! All their tracks made people go nuts on the dance floor in the middle of the day… Track 7 goes a bit darker. This is a remix of the track Hologram that probably a lot of you have heard before. This version is in my opinion really great. Totally massive bass line and some totally twisted, mad melodies, going a bit darker than the other tracks on this album. Track 8 goes back to a trippy morning vibe again. This sound reminds me of the Silicon Sound style again. Perfect if you like that style. Altöm manages to make this full on melodic trance, without falling over to the cheesy, simple side. Track 9 is the last trance track we get on this album. It starts, slow and floating again. Then we are back in the full on soundscape, full of intense melodies and crispy sounds. Pure, drifting morning trance. The last track we get here is a chilled track, and it seems like Altöm handle this style pretty well too. This track has a very relaxing, jazzy vibe with some trumpet, relaxed dubby break beats and spacey guitar sounds. Perfect track to calm us down after the full on journey.
This album came as a big surprise to me, since I’m not used to hear such varied, melodic trance from Altöm. Seems like they are getting better and better at this, and they sure proved that they can move the dance floor at the Full Moon Festival. Recommended for those who like the melodic side of full on trance.
PK (shivapks@hotmail.com)
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