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Music reviews
Reviews by Deathposture, Scobbah & Psytones
New chillout label based in Oslo, Norway, is out with a compilation full of big names...
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Artist: Various
Title: Quality Relaxation
Format: CD (jewel case)
Label: Chill Tribe Records (Norway)
Cat. #: CTRCD01
Distribution: Arabesque
Date: 27 June 2005
Track listing:
01. 06’54” Entheogenic – Walk On Air
02. 07’38” Elysium - Fairytale
03. 07’02” Shulman – The Unexpected Visitor (CBL Carbonator Rmx)
04. 09’56” Ishq – En Soph
05. 08’11” Jaïa - Missing
06. 09’15” Cell – Secret Wedding
07. 06’53” PhasePhour – Unpronounced Numbers
08. 09’30” Elysium vs. Space Cat – Dub Connection
09. 06’40” Altitudes – Altitude 1
10. 06’49” Blue Planet Corporation – Wild City
Review by Deathposture (Denmark):
Luxurious chill…
Chill Tribe Records is a newly established label based in Oslo, Norway. It’s the brainchild of the well-known trance/chill reviewer, music-collector and party-organiser PKS (Per Kristian Slagsvold). A guy that does everything to the fullest: He’s got one of the most extensive collections of trance/chill music I’ve ever seen in my life – he’s one a walking, talking review-machine – and he organises parties with bigger and bigger names in Norway… A productive guy for sure! And daaaaaaaamn – what a track list he’s flashing on this debut release! I mean - it’s one living legend after another… From trance pioneers to chillage royalty – does it get much better? I think not, and I’ve been excited about this ever since the tracklist was announced… So let’s get comfy and chill out PKS style…
Let me take you thru the tracks…
#01: Entheogenic – Walk On Air
When France-based chill producers Piers Oak-Rhind & Helmut Glavar released their self-entitled debut album in 2002 on 3D Vision Records I fell in love immediately… An album that still holds a very special place in my heart… The second album Spontaneous Illumination was released on C.O.R.N. Recordings in 2003 and the third album is coming soon on Chillcode Records… This track is floating, dubby, ethno-ambient – in the typical Entheogenic style… Subtle beats, floating synths and ethnic chants… And an overall very organic feeling here… All very nicely done…
#02: Elysium – Fairytale
Danish producer Kristian Thinning Andersen is on of the true godfathers of goa trance and tribal chill-out… He’s been in the game forever and has released three albums as Elysium and one as Elysium Project + countless tracks on compilations, etc… He’s also part of the progressive cross-over duo Holm & Andersen… This is peaceful, harmonic downbeat – with rich world music influences… An ethno-tribal fairytale sung in a native tongue… Very soothing and very relaxing…
#03: Shulman – The Unexpected Visitor (CBL Carbonator Rmx)
Yahiv Shulman from Israel is another one of the modern chill heavy-weights… I absolutely adore his two albums: The debut Soundscapes and Modern Tales released on Shaffel in 2002 + In Search of a Meaningful Moment released on his own label Aleph Zero in 2003… Both are modern chill classics – and now Carbon Based Lifeforms from Sweden are remixing one of the gems from the second album…. CBL are Ultimae regulars Daniel Ringström & Johannes Hedberg and they bring us a soothing, melancholy, ambient remix of this track… The flute-lines are particularly nicely done and the first part of the track has a very cool dreamy atmosphere…
#04: Ishq – En Soph
And now we’re really, really, really chilling-out… Matt Hillier from the UK heads the Ishq-collective most famous for the album Orchid released both on Interchill and Daikini Records + countless appearances on chill compilations… This is beatless ambient – complete with running water, singing birds and not a beat in sight… So this is as chilled as it gets and has already sent me to sleep a couple of times… My only gripe here is the odd placement of this track… I would have put it either as the very first track or the very last to ensure an even smoother flow… But don’t get me wrong, this is still a very good dreamy track…
#05: Jaïa – Missing
Yannis Kamarinos is another living trance/chill legend… Based in France, Yannis has been responsible for some of the most important trance/chill releases in our scene… The album Blue Energy has been a fav’e since it was released in 1998 and the new 2005 album Fiction has been getting rave reviews already… The track starts out as a digital ambient but later it evolves into faster downbeat… The harmonic pads in the beginning are nothing less than outstanding in their majestic, orchestral beauty… One of my fav’e tracks here… Essential!
#06: Cell – Secret Wedding
French producer Alexandre Scheffer has really impressed me with his many high-quality compilation tracks… Earlier this year he released his debut album Phonic Peace on Indica Music, but I have yet to fully explore that album… Anyway, this track here is similar to the Jaïa track in the sense that it also evolves from chill to downbeat… Just like you’d expect from Cell… As with many of the other tracks we get some cool ethnic vocals here – also the percussion section is pretty damn suave… Another top choon!
#07: PhasePhour – Unpronounced Numbers
Norwegian producers Eldar Von Essen & John Robert Egeland released their debut album ...Boiing & Zipp on Freetransform Records in 2004… This is melodic chill – with a very cool, distinct synth-line accompanied by breakz and subtle percussion… Actually it’s very simple, but somehow also very intoxicating… Works wonders in my living room. Brilliant track!
#08: Elysium vs. Space Cat – Dub Connection
You might confuse this track with the Liquid Dub Connection track that was released on the 2000 BNE/Yoyo compilation Life Is… But it’s not the same! This track was made simultaneously by Kristian Thinning Andersen and Avi Algranati – and only surfaces now… Finally! What we get here is a deep, dubby, dreamy masterpiece – made with the combined talents of Space Cat and Elysium each bringing their trademark talents into the mix… From the rich, tribal percussion section of Elysium – to the melodic antics of Space Cat… Add a lazy, dubby beat and we’ve got a winner… Beautiful in all it’s simplistic glory! This is a brilliant track!
#09: Altitudes – Altitude 1
The promotional text dubs this track ‘the dream team track’ – and yeah that’s not far from the truth. Whilst the Altitudes name might not sound familiar, I’m sure the producers behind it will: Yannis Kamarinos & Gabriel Masurel… That’s right – Jaïa and Blue Planet Corporation!! I dunno how the hell PKS got these people working together, but it sure is a constellation that I wouldn’t have dared even dreaming about earlier… But it is reality now… Sweet! This here is a highly experimental upbeat tune… The construction is deeply original, and this will turn some heads for sure… A cross-over tune if there ever was one: Breakz, electro, tribal, melodic trance, ethno-dub – and more! I’m digging this a lot, a fine track for sure!
#10: Blue Planet Corporation – Wild City
Wild city indeed! We end this compilation with another track by Frenchman Gabriel Masurel – this time working on his own as Blue Planet Corporation… BPC is another legendary producer with one timeless album, loads and loads of EPs and countless compilation tracks… This track is similar to the Altitudes track in its oddball, crossover appearance… A highly original blend of various styles all keeping within experimental downtempo… DJs with guts will love this track – it can be dropped successfully in the beginning of most sets… So yeah, this compilation ends with a head-turner… Nice!
Yikes! This is without a doubt one of the most impressive track-lists I’ve seen on a label’s debut release… You can really tell that PKS’ many years of musical digging has paid off – he knew exactly where to look and he’s managed to put together one hell of an impressive chill-out compilation… The big names did what they were hired to do – delivered outstanding chill tunes… This quality level here is close to perfection – there isn’t a single bad or mediocre track here, and despite the order of tracks I wouldn’t want this any other way…
Another big fat plus in my cool-book is the very cool cover art + the extensive booklet that holds information on all tracks… That’s the way to do it Chill Tribe! This is already a benchmark compilation and this disc has found its well-deserved place on my CD shelf right besides my Ultimae, Interchill and Aleph Zero CDs… Any fan of soothing, relaxing ambient, chill and downbeat must check this out… Really! I will not hesitate to give this my highest recommendations… Enjoy!
Favourites: 1, 3(!), 5(!!), 6(!), 7, 8(!), 9, 10
DeathPosture
External links:
Chill Tribe Records: http://www.chilltriberecords.com
Saiko Sounds: http://tinyurl.com/862y3
TranceShop: http://tinyurl.com/adx7m
Amboworld: http://tinyurl.com/dyhsp
Psyshop: http://tinyurl.com/arjm6
PsySale: http://tinyurl.com/cga2c
Chaos: http://tinyurl.com/dg4a9
Review by Scobbah (Sweden):
From our beautiful country neighbour Norway comes the debut release from Chill Tribe Records, a label dedicated to chillout music and who's run by the diligent reviewer, DJ and promoter Per Kristian Slagsvold (a.k.a. PKS). The debut release comes with a 8 page booklet who carries an outstanding design directed by Marmelade, and all this together with ten musical deliveries from well-established wide geographical spreaded artists. Worth to mention is the swedish representation on track three, where Daniel and Johannes from the Gothenburg-based project Carbon Based Lifeforms remixes one of the best tracks in my opinion from the second album by Shulman, In Search Of A Meaningful Moment (Aleph Zero, 2003).
The release looks very interesting by judging the paper, so why wait any longer? Let's take a deep dive and see what's hiding on the disc.
01 – Entheogenic – Walk On Air (06:54)
The compilation boots with a swingy and melodical track who's a product by the co-operational work of Piers Oak-Rhind and Helmut Glavar. Piers is originally from the UK and Helmut is from Austria, but they both resides these days in the southern countryside of France. Walk On Air is a moody journey who gives and marks a good start on the CD, and there's a bunch of beautiful elements well woven into this package. All though I do not connect too well with the voices in the track, but lucky me - they are not harming the journey itself.
02 – Elysium - Fairytale (07:38)
It's time for more mystical atmospheres and the amount of melodies gets stripped a bit when it is time for Kristian Thinning Andersen to try to charm the ears of the listener. Kristian is originally from Denmark, but resides nowdays in Malmö. The tempo is a bit pitched down during these seven and a half minute, and I think I do sense some eastern vibrations here from time to time from this track. A decent trip worthy to be enjoyed in the sweet warmth of the summer.
03 – Shulman – The Unexpected Visitor (CBL Carbonator Remix) (07:02)
Here comes one of the tracks who really captured my attention when I first got to hear about this release. Yaniv Shulman from Israel, one of my absolute favorite artists when it comes to first class psychedelic chillout and with two albums released and one forthcoming, do let himself get remixed here by the Gothenburg duo with a royal acidinspired sound, Carbon Based Lifeforms. The result turns out to be a floaty and dreamy psychedelic journey in a joging tempo who's definitely worth to consider as an 'passed' grade A remix from making it out of a such wonderful original. Mystic twists, playful pans and atmospherical soundscapes spiced up with happy melodies waits for your ear to just dive into here and digest.
04 – Ishq – En Soph (09:56)
In the middle of all sweeps and bleeps comes Matt Hillier with a floaty ambient journey who carries an english signature. I have to admit that I'm a bit surprised that being this far on the total journey - I'm already brought face to face with a pure ambient journey and this after previously being served three tracks with some funk and rhythm. Anyhow, the listener gets to meet pads of patience, purling water and a dose of birds. I may sometimes have a bit too little to spare for pure ambient trips, but this track does have actuall a quite cosy character and it grows onto the lsitener after a few sessions in the soundsystem.
05 – Jaïa - Missing (08:11)
We've reached the mid of the disc, and psychedelic excursions are served with Yannis Kamarinos as the master behind the gear. This is absolutely one of my favorite tracks on the CD! The track is a very dreamy one and at times it does feel a bit like music suited for movies being exposed at the cinema. These eight minutes are extremely magnificient, filled with melodies, atmospherical and deep-going sounds and despite that the trip is a bit of the more ambient character there's a lot of sweet sounds to interprate and percept every here and there in this track. Warning! Gold nuggets here!
06 – Cell – Secret Wedding (09:15)
It's time to climb the mountain called climax, and we climb it together with Alexandre Scheffer from France. After a quite long intro the track power up's, and it greatly increases the tempo. A sort of very groovy progressive trance is offered with a lot of atmosphere and it is a fresh wind for sure! We're closing in a bit during the last two minutes and pitchin' down tempowise, and the track devleops once again to become more sophisticated grand chillout filled with a bit eastern styled and mystic elements.
07 – PhasePhour – Unpronounced Numbers (06:53)
Norway does find its own representation on this disc as well, and this in the shape of Eldar Von Essen's and John Robert Egeland's musical co-operation. PhasePhour, who has one album released and a couple of releases in shapes of 12"'s and presence on compilations, does enrich us a lot here with their superb skills of production. The track is a bit experimental and it differs greatly from the more softened side of PhasePhour we had the pleasure to experience on their debut album ...Boing & Zipp (Freetransform, 2004). Many beautiful melodies streams out from the speakers, and this project never stops surprising me. If chilled joggy beats and deeep atmospheres works as a g-spot for you, you should definitely check out this track.
08 – Elysium vs. Space Cat – Dub Connection (09:30)
On track eight Denmark unites with Israel through a co-operation between Kristian (Elysium) and Avi Algranati (Space Cat). Kristian did spend some time in Israel and then he met Avi, and the result came out to be two chillout tracks. One of the tracks got released on the israeli label BNE and this track is the other trip they made. During these minutes we get the pleasure to experience dubby ingrediences, soft melodies and mystic drumgames. Playful and beautiful, just like it is supposed to be.
09 – Altitudes – Altitude 1 (06:40)
Altitudes is a project between Yannis Kamarinos (Jaïa) and Gabriel Masurel (Blue Planet Corporation), both having France as their homebase. This is the first track who gets released of this collaboration, and we're tempted with playful beats and magnificient soundscapes. It does feel like everything and nothing at the same time, incredibly wide and incredibly deep. This track contains a bunch of elements who should make any ear to score doubleflips and soften the brain activity a bit. Relaxation and joy is the keywords of track nine.
10 – Blue Planet Corporation – Wild City (06:49)
The compilation ends with a french signature in the shape of previously mentioned Gabriel Masurel. The listener is allowed to view spcied up soundpictures of hapiness who are igniting moodrockets all over. It all grows to become a serene finish of this compilation, and those warm melodies and elements are definitely of rare quality.
Summary
It's easy to observe and to conclude that PKS has ears to sense quality, and this is an incredibly impressive debut release from this norwegian label who has Oslo has its homebase. The music is not just only first class, it's all being delivered together with the previously mentioned eight-paged booklet - now that is something I really find as a huge positive detail who just have to be mentioned! If there's anything who deserves a soft-booty comment, it might be the development of the tracklist on the CD, but despite that the total journey might turn out a bit clumsy here and there the music is always of top notch quality.
Thumbs up for PKS' work and for Chill Tribe Records first vibration on the record market! I'm already looking forward for the forthcoming releases!
More information
– http://www.chilltriberecords.com
Review by Psytones (Norway):
From the deep forests and mountains of Norway, we are presented with a new quality compilation from a brand new Norwegian label, named “Chill Tribe Records”.
“Chill Tribe Records” is a label based in Oslo, Norway. It’s the proud creation of the known reviewer (www.trance.net), music-collector and chill DJ, PKS (Per Kristian Slagsvold).
This virgin release of PKS, has since the track listing was announced been highly anticipated. And no wonder. PKS has really used all of his best connections to put up a very respected compilation filled with great names as Cell, Shulman, ISHq and Elysium. Let the relaxation begin…
1. As we find our self in peace, walking to a bright light of fresh air, we will hear whispers of secret angels. They know something that we don’t know, what do they know? Entheogenic introduces this chill album with his masterpiece of a fresh dub track. This is really a beautiful floating downbeat track with electronic dub influences. The track continues with soothing African voices and a knife sharp synth. Back to the whispers and we walk away, knowing something that we don’t know that we know. It’s from a different world.
Score: 8.6
2. In a fast mood change, we enter the new world of Elysium’s tribal vision. Hypnotizing drums lead us into the track while voices talk. Elysium is a living legend of our Goa scene, and it’s very interesting to see which musical turn mister Thinning is taking. I like his new chilled tribal style, it’s incredible soothing and peaceful. This is a track that hungers for good speakers with massive base, because the baseline fx’s are pretty nice and trippy. Oh, and this track has the sweetest synth I’ve heard in a long time. Brilliant track by Elysium! It’s almost as I can see Elysium’s soul throe this track. It seems like a very personal track. One of this albums finest releases. Looking forward for more quality releases from this person.
Score: 9.1
3. Shulman, one of our time best psychedelic chill-out producers, presents to us his track “The Unexpected Visitor” from the praised album “in Search Of A Meaningful Moment”. Combined with “Carbon Based Lifeforms” skills. This release should get people on their tip-toes. CBL is a small but huge star within the ambient scene. CBL gives us a very floating ambient mix with a nice beat and base line. Kind of dub influenced, but not completely. … *Putting on the original Shulman track* … I personally like the original track better, but of course, both tracks are beautiful psychedelic masterpieces. Great track!
Score: 8.8
4. ISHq. One can not help but to feel deep respect for this legendary psy-ambient producer. ISHq produces some of the best modern ambient tunes, and this track is no exception! This time PKS serves us a brilliant and innocent track by ISHq. It’s magical and pure as a new born child. Brilliant! ISHq is planning to release around 12 albums. If this is true or not, I don’t know, but people cant wait to get a hold of them. I can understand why. Great dreamy beat less ambient track indeed.
Score: 8.8
5. Next we have a track from Jaïa, Jaïa starts off this track with ambient floating feelings until it turns over to a more progressive downbeat ambient track with some beats here and there. It’s a space ambient track until the trance strings kick in. Deep baselines makes the room pulsate while colours change. Angels hymns a protective tune. A track full of wisdom and motherly vibes. One can also feel sadness of missing someone special Who, what or where is up to the listener. Emotional track indeed. To be honest, this release sounds very much like a chill/ambient mix of a late 90th (Euro)-Trance track. Not a minus at all. Excellent emotional track!
Score: 9.1
6. Cell provides us with a wonderful uprising track. Cell is French, and Cell is one of the most respected spiritual chill producer.. In the beginning of 2005, cell released his spiritual album Phonic Peace. If you liked his album, your going to love this track. Pure bliss, and one can feel magic happening while listening to this track. No words, just listen!
Score: 9.2
7. Time to wake up a little bit more now. I’m listening to a Norwegian compilation, the Record Label is Norwegian, the compiler (PKS) him self is Norwegian and me, the reviewer is Norwegian. What’s missing? Yes, a Norwegian track. And what a track! PhasePhour gives us a nice synth play, sugar cute but firm and trippy melodies. This is to me a very similar track to their album “...Boiing & Zipp” which is worth a listen. Just in slow motion, and boy does it work! Amazing jazz drum ending to a magnificent downbeat track by PhasePhour.
PhasePhour’s music is best viewed in phase phour, just so you know, he he.
Score: 8.6
8. Yet another track by Elysium, but this time in a collaboration with Space Cat. The track “Dub Connection” is the brother of their release on the compilation “Life Is…”, “Liquid Dub Connection”. These two tracks are both beautifully made, but it’s not completely my cup of tea. I really do enjoy “Liquid dub Connection”, but this release seems a tad boring in my ears. Nothing wrong with it, just doesn’t appeal that much to me. Elysium delivers us on this compilation a very strong track, maybe one of the best on this album. But in a collaboration with Space Cat, he delivers also one of the weakest releases. Not bad, but not excellent.
The track on “Life Is…” suits me better.
Score: 8.3
9. Wide, awake! … Each time I listen to this compilation, this track just wakes me up! If I’m in my bed at night, sleeping while listening to this compilation, this track. Yes, wakes me up! The first 5 times I heard this track, I got goose bumps of the intro voice, telling me to be wide awake. Altitudes, a co-operation between the legends Jaïa and Blue Planet Corporation (Impressive co-op btw.) gives us this compilations most trippy track. It blends in many elements from different genres. And it works out well! It’s playfully serious and psychedelic in the more playful trippy term. Beautiful track, impressive and magical. Best trippy track on this release!
Score: 9.7
10. Last but not least, we have “Blue Planet Corporation” and his track “Wild City” .
This track really impresses me in it’s professionalism, production and experimentalism. It’s more leftfieldish then the rest with great downbeat drums and mood. A bit café feelings, but that’s ok. Because this track is good, and it’s a nice way to Finish off a superb compilation.
Score: 9
I have had this release for one month before I wrote this review, just to be really sure about my feelings towards it. And I must say that it was a vice decision. At first listen I couldn’t really see anything special about this release except good line up and a lot of unreleased tracks. But after experiencing this album in multiple levels. I feel now that this is a release that I can give all of my recommendations on. All of the tracks are beautiful and relaxing, there is no bad tracks on it at all. One might feel that the order of the tracks are wrong, but once you listen to it well, and try to feel the emotion changes happening each time PKS takes a turn. It makes sense. I’m really glad it isn’t the “normal” start slow, finish strong sets. This is more of an adventure as it is quality relaxation. The compilation it self is also perfect for DJ’s and people who likes to have a album filled with remarkable chill tracks. I would like to check out one of PKS’s chill sets with mixing and such. Because I know his taste will and choices will secure me a pleasant trip. Also a very nice detail about this release is the booklet with a picture of a ice glacier. PKS has done the booklet in a very personal and nice way. Adding his own comments to each track, and the cover art is simple but beautiful, it reflex this release in a good way. This is not just a great compilation, it’s a quality compilation.
I’m not a nationalistic person, but right now, I’m very proud to be Norwegian! Recommended!
Check out for more information:
http://www.myspace.com/chilltriberecords
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