VA – Trash Art

1 : Romain Rai – Disco on the Mothership
2 : Nick Hogendoorn & Eelke Klein – Rabbit Whole
3 : Fitalic – Atomic Atmosphere (Thomas Penton rmx)
4 : Brisker and Magitman – Single Shot
5 : Tegma – David’s Song
6 : Duca – Dirty Mind
7 : Phoney Orphants – Monkey Business
8 : Flowjob – Run Baby Run (Antix rmx)
9 : Fitalic & Jaan – Voice of Istanbul
10: Jaia & Silicon Sound A.K.A. Even 11 – Like This

Tribal Vision and DJ Slater are back with there 12th release in less than 3 years as they are taking the progressive market by storm. All hail to what has become one of the most renown labels of our time. Lets see what they have to offer this time around.

Romain Rai is no regular to the Tribal Vision team, as he seems to be featured on almost every release from the label these days. Now its time to find out why. The track starts off with a funky tribal groove that is different that your usual tamtam sound pattern. This track takes no time to lift off and peak as the bassline shortly smacks you in the face. Romain is very fidel to his style as this track is a nice blend of tribal house with a very joyful atmosphere. Disco on the Mothership maybe isn’t the best name but we should not let that get in the way of the music. This one is not my favorite track from Rai as it is rather simple as a whole, yet it still deserves some attention as it might just be his “hardest” tune to date. This is surly something to raise the moral on a cloudy day or to refresh a crowd in the morning.

Nick Hogendoorn & Eelke Klein are new to both myself and to the TV roster as they bring a more systematic prog house groove to the table. I really love the groove that kick starts this track and I am very glad that it is exploited throughout this track. This one is a little similar to the Rai tune, as it continues towards very joyful progressive trance with house’ish basslines. There is no real melody in this one, but yet there is always an interesting atmosphere present. This one is very dancefloor friendly track as it even has a more tech feel at times. I really like this one.

After release of his debut album on Tribal Vision, we now have the honor to hear a remix of the album cover from Fitalic’s “Atomic Atmosphere” album. The remixer is no noobie to our scene, after many successful remixes, TV offers yet another new name to the roster as Thomas Penton gives us his view on things. This one starts off kicking and quicky comes to a breakdown as energy builds up and explodes in our face. Thomas does a very nice job remixing this one, as it still has a similar feel to the original version. I was expecting something a lot more electro at first, but then relalised that this release is following a pattern of basslines, moving apart from the electro-wave we were hit with in 2006. Now its 2007 and the age of progressive music rises. This tune fits very well with the previous two.

B + M are back once again after there appearance on “Lime Light 2”. So far, this is the most electro influences track of them all if we consider the sound of the bassline. It is also more housy, as there is less melody and a lot more “Dirtyness” in this one. I have not really been into there music that much, but this tune is defiantly something interesting. I am very happy that this duo has decided to focus more on prog than there more full-on act known as Elec3, whom’s debut album was released on Turbo Trance Records in early 2006 (if I am not mistaken). This track is defiantly the best I’ve heard from the guys and I hope they continue to release tunes this phat !

Bomb after Bomb, Tegma has been stealing the show on Tribal Vision since there 3rd album that was released on the label, as they have been redefining progressive music. It must be hard to take your audience by surprise when every track you release is always better than the previous. This track is rather different than all of those, as it is a lot smoother and less intense. This one would have fit perfectly right next to “I am a Robostar” on there album. I like the glitchy feel this one has and the bass is better than ever. Its not as much of a bomb as 50,000 watts, but its great near the end of a set and it is of course very dancefloor efficient. Not my favorite from the guys but very original and you have to love the electro enfluences here.

Duca, to me, is one of those artists that everyone is talking about but that I haven’t really had the chance to listen to yet. When Dirty Mind starts off, I clearly understand why everyone is talking about him and I will surly go purchase many more of his creations. Both the melody and the bassline follow the same patterns in this one, making for a very enjoyable overall sound. This one is a little slower than the previous tracks (at least it feels slower) but the bassline is stronger than them all as well. Although it sounds better in the first half since the track seems to turn around in circles for a little bit, it is still very sweet and it will defiantly find its way into a few of my sets.

Next up is Phoney Orphants, whom also are new to the TV line-up. I don’t understand why TV hasn’t been releasing more of there music as Monkey Business is by far the most entertaining track on this compilation. It reminds me a lot of there new album (well, new, there last album) but the production is a lot cleaner and so is the overall mix. This one is a little dryer and also more technoish, as the bassline does all the work, driving the track and making your ass shake. I defiantly hope to see more of PO on TV !!

Run Baby Run says it all for this one, as you will want to avoid this one as much as possible. There is absolutely nothing happening in this one as we wounder where the groove went… I have to say that I am not the biggest Antix fan nor do I really enjoy listening to Flowjob’s music, so put both of them together and you get THIS. This one is a lot deeper than the rest and very very progressive. It is not a bad sounding track, but it sounds rather dull in this line-up.

Fitalic is back up on this one, this time teaming up with Jaan (??) as the most housy track of the compilation makes face. I could listen to the first 30 second of this track in loop for a whole day. I love every part of it up until the melody kicks in. I honestly think that is Fitalic’s biggest weakpoint. His tracks always sound great until his melodies kick in and kinda make a “Right turn” towards the direction the listener expects the track to take. Its not particularly bad, but I am sure that if he focuses more on the techy’er side of things his tracks would kickass. Voice of Istanbul is still something fun to kick-start a set and it follows up nicely to the Antix Remix.

Last but not least, we have two of full-on’s best melodic producers teaming up to form a prog band known as Even11. They do not have many releases so far but are known to be the best new artist of 2006. Honestly I think it is all hype because there is really nothing special to this one besides high production quality. The bassline is very “Jaia” sounding and nothing really new to any style of music. I didn’t particularly like there previous release’s either and I don’t think I will be paying much attention to this one. I really wish Silicon Sound would release a new album in the near future instead of focusing on this one, as only the melodies appeal to me in this tune.

In Conclusion, I think this is the most balances release from Tribal Vision as there aren’t really any stand out tracks, yet they are all great in there own little way. It is hard to point out highlights as the first three tracks sound similar, then the next three blend well together, then there is Phony Orphants doing there thing, then the last three tracks that don’t really appeal to me. I would have to say that tracks 1, 2, 4,5 and 7 are the most interesting to my tastes, with the 3rd and 6th not far away either.

Great job with the artwork too as it is very different (as usual) than the previous releases. Thanks also for the DJ sleeve insert and the lengthy booklet. This should defiantly be on your “to get” list if you have been following the great compilations released by this very fidel Progressive label.

Review by Dj Clown @ www.jesterrecords.ca

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