The Mellowtrons: "Evacuate"
1996, Chill Out - London - cat# chillcd009
www.kleber.co.uk/carrot/
chillout@obsolete.com
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Track Listing:
1. Ordio - 2:37
- A trance/ambient like intro, with distorted "evacuate" sample. The ending
of this tune is undefinable to me, but i know i've heard it in a film which
doesn't ring any bells (yet). The guitar lick is quite interesting - and
mesmerizing. "We're going to have to learn to live together, and love each
other". An excellent slip into the next track.
2. Take the Weight - 4:41
- Trip(hip)hop/breakbeat, with subtle undertones of ambience. The collage
of beats is wrapped around the bass line with ease. It flows directly, and
accurately. The 1:45 mark sounds exactly like a sample from an absolete
ColecoVision video game called "River Raid". Great drums here. The last
sample sounds like a continuation of "Radio Mellotron" on Meat Beat
Manifesto's Subliminal Sandwich release.
3. Boom (shang and lang) - 6:33
- A mellow trip hop beat which quickly evolves into a super fast elektronik
dub. The bassline here seems to flow endlessly throughout. Then we're sent
into orbit with some sort of evacuation siren similar to Star Trek's 'red
alert' warning system, the beat slows down...and a sense of fear is
instilled within us. Original theme presents itself again in the end.
4. Depth Gauge - 3:33
- If you enjoy Meat Beat Manifesto's raggae/dub/trance/trip-hop sounds,
then you're sure to love this pulsating rhythm. Vapourspace's "Theme's From
Vapourspace" seems to be sampled here, the elongated ambient element.
Wonderful, and powerful.
5. We Can? - 4:58
- Breakbeat/elektronik sounding cosmikal phunk here. "We can work it out"
sample throughout the tune, with a "yaaaa" attached to it is absolutly
necessary. This track is the experiment which seeks to make you bounce back
and forth gently until nothing is left of your mind. Elements of reggae
sounds/voices throughout as well. One of my favorite tracks.
6. Rhythmwide - 6:52
- Experimental trance/ambient sounds at the beginning of this tune, very
similar to that used on the second disk of Jack Danger's Subliminal
Sandwich. A subtle beat interlaced and looped to define atmospheres of
wonderful sounds. A piano melody takes over and the beat, bass, and
cracking cause a stir. Rhythm are the Mellowtrons: Direct, accurate, and
advanced sounds of the next millennium.
7. I Want Ya (domestos mix) - 5:19
- Electronik breakbeat phunk-hop. Let's just say that if your eyes were
closed you could still dance, dream, relax and enjoy this tune all at the
same time. 'I Want Ya' is incomparable to anything I've heard; it stands
alone, without peer. A harmonica sounding anthem is looped ambiently
throughout, with an ever growing elektro-scratching beat. EXCELLENT!!!!
8. Resolution 9 - 6:35
- We're sent into outer-space, then lead into a heavily drenched sonic
hip-hop beat, which vibrates within the minds of those involved in the
awesome sound. The theme here will definitly take you to Disneyland - if
not it'll leave you wondering where you are. The beat continues, with the
sounds of a NASA space-station present, and we're lead into the historical
journey of Meat Beat Manifesto's "Kneel & Buzz" sounds of the early 1989
era.
9. Overload - 6:22
- An ambient texture here, with subtle sampling beneath the ever present
elektronik phunk-hop, trip-hop, whatever you want to call it beat. Imagine
yourself floating a few inches above the desert, looking around and hearing
someone whisper "EVACUATE!". That sample is the same one used in the first
track. The last 56 seconds is an entirely new tune (so it seems to me),
which is a jazzy/blues sound, with an audience clapping and whistling all
around. The voice(s) here sound like those at the end of trak one. Great
ending to a great album.
Track Notes: - Written and Produced by Lee Walker. Assisted: Paul Wilmott
(3,6,8) Andy James (7) Ross Diamond, Paul Axe (9).
Album Notes: - Edited by John Moreish. *Lee Walker plays Jupiter 8, and
Jupiter 4 on tracks 4 & 7 of Meat Beat Manifesto's Subliminal Sandwich.
Overall Sound Composition (1-10): 8.5
Overall Percussion Composition (1-10): 9
Overall Rhythm Composition (1-10): 9.5
Album Rating (1-30): 27
Lee walker has a firm grip on the future of
Trip-Hop/Regae/Dub/Trance/Breakbeat. Some day we'll be able to accuratly
define which genre this album actually belongs with, but for now it'll have
to be noted as one of the best I've heard, reminiscent of Meat Beat
Manifesto's fury of ultra-sounding heavily laid down basslines and
break-beats. Buy this album NOW!.
Pietro Da Sacco - (mbm@netcore.ca)
Copyright: The Circular Cosmic Spot -Archive Section
http://www.sdriver.com/spot
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