IDM Mailing Archive

Hello... I realize right off the bat that I may be far behind many of you in finding out what is good, due to my locale and the tendency of my local record store's inability to get what is good...or for that matter, anything anyone wants at all...but I must put my two cents in on a compilation that is new to me...actually a couple of them. This weekend I bought some new discs since I was sick of all my old stuff. I decided to not wait to go to a city and I went to my local store (the aforementioned)...I looked through their recent addition (Dance music section)...I bought a compilation called DRAGONFLY, one called HARTHOUSE, an album from a group...DEEP FOREST...and the 777 collaboration. Here are my opinions. DRAGONFLY... This is probably the best compilation of hard trance I have ever heard. I could not believe it when i put it in the player. If I had the disc with me I would tell you the individual tracks and why they are good, but I dont so I will repeat that this is the best I have ever heard. The samples are unique...the beats are on the whole derivatives of hip hop standards...or they are evolved house grooves...the sounds are not annoying as they are on some of the more popular rave compilations. Before this, I thought of the technomancer series as being the most reliable as far as consistent quality was concerned. Maybe that makes me ignorant...but hey...im in mississippi. Hypp and Crimson have nothing on Youth.....next. HARTHOUSE... This is another hard trance collection with which I was similarly pleased. One group I was interseted by was Spicelab. They have about three tracks on the disc...(By the way if anyone knows where to get their singles or full discs, I would be very happy to hear that) The harthouse disc seems to feature three tracks at the most from about five to sevn artists. I have not had time to look at who is doing what cause I am too busy listening to it. I would reccomend it. I think there is also a second volume or at least a single release...the name was familiar to me when i saw it in the store... (Also, the dragonfly was a volume 2) DEEP FOREST this is an album release, i think. The sounds are almost like canned techno...like some newage artist geting into the music for thrills. It is mellow. Samples from african chants and strange choruses and rainforest sounds. It is a good one to chill to. 777 This one is a coolaboration by a number of big name techno/ambient artists... I think it was overhyped to tell you the truth. They made a mistake in blending in actual vocals to some of the tracks..they also ruined the best track by adding disco piano...itt was a trace track with whale sample but underneath was that cheesy piano...that made me mad...they also make these mad attempts to blend in guitar music with the ambient tracks. It is an album that is going to have to grow on me I can tell. The style is quite atypical. I think I wiill end this now, for I dont know the protocol of this list and there may be a limit on the length of the mail we can send...I would appreciate any feedback and any reccomendations that are parallel to these discs. I will also write again on indidual tracks as soon as the initial euphoria wears off and i can actually learn what group is doing which track. later.

quoted 10 lines 777

> 777 > > This one is a coolaboration by a number of big name techno/ambient artists... > I think it was overhyped to tell you the truth. They made a mistake in > blending in actual vocals to some of the tracks..they also ruined the > best track by adding disco piano...itt was a trace track with whale > sample but underneath was that cheesy piano...that made me mad...they > also make these mad attempts to blend in guitar music with the ambient > tracks. It is an album that is going to have to grow on me I can tell. > The style is quite atypical.

One of the main men of 777 is Steve Hillage, who is a long-term progressive rock guitarist (which explains why he's blending the guitar music into the ambient tracks). He was originally in Gong (Daevid Allen's version) and then put out a great number of solo records. He also was an early experimenter in ambient music with his Rainbow Dome (I think that's the name) record. His cross-over into the dance world suprised me, and I think he's better off in his own world... The System 7 12" is a pretty nice record, but I find 777 to be awkward sounding and kind of stiff, sort of sounding pasted together. Unfortunate, because Hillage has been involved in some really great music over the years, if you're into the progressive thing... Phil Z

quoted 11 lines HARTHOUSE...

> HARTHOUSE... > > This is another hard trance collection with which I was similarly pleased. > One group I was interseted by was Spicelab. They have about three > tracks on the disc...(By the way if anyone knows where to get their > singles or full discs, I would be very happy to hear that) The harthouse > disc seems to feature three tracks at the most from about five to sevn > artists. I have not had time to look at who is doing what cause I am too > busy listening to it. I would reccomend it. I think there is also a > second volume or at least a single release...the name was familiar to me > when i saw it in the store...

Harthouse is a leading Frankfurt techno label. As with most techno, most of their releases are 12" singles -- in fact to my knowledge they've only released one album. They've put out two compilations, though. Harthouse: The point of no return Chapter 1 and Harthouse Chapter 2: Dedicated to the Omen Strangely enough, Chapter one is not on Harthouse records, but on Eye-Q. (But then Harthouse and Eye-Q are both Frankfurt labels run by Sven Vath, so it makes little difference....) As for Spicelab, there's the Spicelab EP (though I have a feeling that several of the tracks from that are on the compilation) and a double EP called "Lost in Spice" which I'd recommed if you manage to find a copy. All on Harthouse -- dunno how hard they are to find now.... Actually, while I'm here, I might as well pose the question to the list: What other releases have spicelab had.....? Thanks, Cosmic

quoted 2 lines One of the main men of 777 is Steve Hillage, who is a long-term

>One of the main men of 777 is Steve Hillage, who is a long-term >progressive rock guitarist

[...]

quoted 2 lines early experimenter in ambient music with his Rainbow Dome (I think that's

>early experimenter in ambient music with his Rainbow Dome (I think that's >the name) record.

Rainbow Dome Musick on Virgin... one of the best ambient records ever. The Orb nicked a lot of their good ideas from this.

quoted 6 lines His cross-over into the dance world suprised me, and I

>His cross-over into the dance world suprised me, and I >think he's better off in his own world... The System 7 12" is a pretty >nice record, but I find 777 to be awkward sounding and kind of stiff, >sort of sounding pasted together. Unfortunate, because Hillage has >been involved in some really great music over the years, if you're into >the progressive thing...

Search out the newer System 7 items. Particularly the album "777" (not the one you have - this is a British CD with a green-tinted cover. First track is "7:7 Expansion".) - an excellent trance record with many echoes of Rainbow Dome to be found within. Also, the single for "Sinbad/Quest" is quite excellent. Jon Drukman jdrukman%dlsun87@oracle.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This calls for a very special blend of psychology and extreme violence.

quoted 2 lines DRAGONFLY... [compilation]

> DRAGONFLY... [compilation] > DEEP FOREST [album]

Anyone else care to comment on these -- I haven't seen either of them, and I'd be interested to know whether they're worth searching out. Also, slightly more detailed references would be useful -- ie artist (except for compilations), title, and label

quoted 10 lines 777

> 777 > > This one is a coolaboration by a number of big name techno/ambient artists... > I think it was overhyped to tell you the truth. They made a mistake in > blending in actual vocals to some of the tracks..they also ruined the > best track by adding disco piano...itt was a trace track with whale > sample but underneath was that cheesy piano...that made me mad...they > also make these mad attempts to blend in guitar music with the ambient > tracks. It is an album that is going to have to grow on me I can tell. > The style is quite atypical.

The band is called System 7 and it consists of Alex Paterson and Steve Hillage (and other collaborators, at times). They've had two album releases. The first release was called System 7, but in the US they had legal problems with the name, so they changed the name of both the band and the album to 777 for the US release. To add to the confusion, though, System 7's second album (which hasn't had a US release) really is called 777. I don't know either album well enough to know which you're describing, though. I'm sure someone else will tell you. Cosmic

quoted 2 lines The band is called System 7 and it consists of Alex Paterson and Steve

> The band is called System 7 and it consists of Alex Paterson and Steve > Hillage (and other collaborators, at times).

Bzzt. System 7 is Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy, who have been collaborating since the seventies...

quoted 5 lines They've had two album releases.

> They've had two album releases. > > The first release was called System 7, but in the US they had legal > problems with the name, so they changed the name of both the band > and the album to 777 for the US release.

But, the US release has different mixes of Sunburst and Miracle, as well as two extra tracks. David S. Cowen (David Eschatfische) ------------------------------------------ 2609cowend@vms.csd.mu.edu eschat@solaria.mil.wi.us

DEEP FOREST when i was in the UK this summer, i picked up a compilation on the street in brixton. it had some shitty stuff, but the deep forest song mentioned below was on it. then, i heard it at a club and i guess that the dj's who went to africa to make it were the one's spinning...i can't remember thier names...but anyhow, a friend of mine picked up the album and i really like it. i'm not sure why a couple of other ppl really don't like it, but i'm totally into it. it's great trip music, and good for everything else from studying to .... well, that's my opinion... *kiss* holly ============================================================================== ___ ___ / /_/ / Holly C. MacDonald-Korth / __ / hcmk@umich.edu /__/ /__/CMK "I think I'm starting to peak now Al..." --Beastie Boys ============================================================================= On Mon, 24 Jan 1994, Jon Drukman wrote:

quoted 16 lines DEEP FOREST [album]

> >> DEEP FOREST [album] > > > >Anyone else care to comment on these -- I haven't seen either of them, > >and I'd be interested to know whether they're worth searching out. > > Deep Forest sounds like Enigma with African chants instead of > Gregorian chants. I liked bits of it but it got tiring after a while. > Same problem I have with Enigma in fact - they used the same lead sound > for the whole album. > > Anecdote; I did hear the Deep Forest track "Sweet Lullaby" (which was > the single) at a rave once while I was on really good ecstasy and I > nearly burst into tears because it was so beautiful. > > /jon >

Spicelab also has a song out on the "Secret Life of Trance" Compilation. The compilation is an import from Rising High Records. I forget, right now, what exactly the name of the song is. Overall, though, it is a GREAT compilation, having in containment stuff from Harthouse, Pod communications, and Black Dog productions. Sven Vath even has his own "Barbarella" on it. 7-10 songs on it in all (not much of a good memory have I right now). And all the songs are around 7 minutes long on the average........

DEEP FOREST is a great "chill out" CD as has been mentioned. It contains many rainforest sounds and the "weird" choruses are pygmy chants. It is really good stuff. Has that other-wordly flava'.

quoted 4 lines They've put out two compilations, though.

> They've put out two compilations, though. > > Harthouse: The point of no return Chapter 1 > and Harthouse Chapter 2: Dedicated to the Omen

Although not put out by Harthouse, I'd add the following: Harthouse America -- A Taste of Hard Trance (US Moonshine M 50085-2) 1. Arpeggiators "The Spirit Makes you Move" 2. Hardfloor "Acperience III" 3. Futurhythm "Red Heart" 4. Barbarella "Barbarella I" 5. Arpeggiators "Trancemission" 6. Spicelab "Weirdo" *sound of running feet* Andrew -- Andrew Bennett "They entered the vortex and abennett@phoenix.aps.muohio.edu their dreams became reality"

quoted 4 lines DEEP FOREST [album]

> >> DEEP FOREST [album] > > > >Anyone else care to comment on these -- I haven't seen either of them, > >and I'd be interested to know whether they're worth searching out.

quoted 4 lines Deep Forest sounds like Enigma with African chants instead of

> Deep Forest sounds like Enigma with African chants instead of > Gregorian chants. I liked bits of it but it got tiring after a while. > Same problem I have with Enigma in fact - they used the same lead sound > for the whole album.

quoted 3 lines Anecdote; I did hear the Deep Forest track "Sweet Lullaby" (which was

> Anecdote; I did hear the Deep Forest track "Sweet Lullaby" (which was > the single) at a rave once while I was on really good ecstasy and I > nearly burst into tears because it was so beautiful.

I've heard "Sweet Lullaby" at the Whirl-Y-Gig, where it seems to be a great rave theme. But, just who are Deep Forest and where do they come from ? Does anyone have any background on them ? Thanx, Steve (T-maker) +----------------------------------------------------------------- | /----+ --+-- +---- + + +---- | +____ I I__ I I I__ | I I I \ / I | +----+ I +---- \/ +---- | ==+++++++++++++++++++++++||||++++++++++++++++++++++++++== | /|+ +|\ =+++m+++= ++ "An ambience is defined as an | || \ / || + ++ atmosphere, or a surrounding | || \ / || + ++ influence: a tint. ......." | ++ ++ ++ AKES + HE ++ BRIAN ENO, September 1978. | ++ ++ w ++ +-----------------------------------------------------------------