Ananda Shake - Re-Start

The first song is over average, quite good actually. It has a little different begining and the ending is good too.

The second song is very good. Very easy to listen to and reminds a lot of Vibe Tribe's previous productions, which is why I like it. A melody that works and some great mixing really does it. Possibly the best song on this CD.

The third track has a smooth start and continues with class. An all through steady track, no real melody but still it never gets boring.

The fourth track is by Vibe Tribe, one of my favourite groups. It has written Vibe Tribe all over it, but it does not reach the same level as they usually do. At least not the first one or two minutes, then it improves.

The fifth song is performed by Freaked Freaquenzy, and starts with some spooky strings and lines. It intensifies a little bit, and then it calms down. Another track that doesn't get boring. It's over before you know it.

Track number six has a changing begining. First I think it's simple and ordinary. Then after a few seconds it's cool, and attracting. Then a little boring after just another few seconds, then it's just great. Some sounds that reminds of Infected Mushroom. The further the song continues, the more I love it. The melody, the bass that changes with it, and the vocals in the middle of the song, it's just perfect. Then it seems that it's near the end, but there is more. Then it ends in a rather nice way.

The following track, the seventh, starts hard. A few strings then an unsuspected kick and then it's pure bass and kick, with some background sounds that really fits the picture. Not much of a melody, but still extremely good. This track brings a few suprises. After that the most of the song has passed, suddenly a melody comes. It's not complicated or rare, quite simple actually, but it's the right one. It completes the song. Very good at the end.

We have come to the eighth track, which I think is a little darker than the other songs. It gets stronger as the time goes, it feels very special, I like it. A melody appears, but disappears again, but that keeps me listening, now I know that there could be more to come. Close to the end a breakbeat is served, and it's genius. My ears are really enjoying it. Then it accelerates and ends shortly after.

The last track has an intro that in some way puts my mind of Psy-Trance, it sounds more like a Trance/Dance melody. Then it speeds up, with cool bass sounds. Then a short paus where-after it gets a little bit boring. But that is history after a few seconds, when it really starts again. At the later part of the middle there is a melody that really shouts Infected Mushroom. Then an abrupt end.

Over all this CD was very good. It has a good feeling about it, and the sounds are not to dark and boring, nor to bright and happy. It's just like Psy-Trance should be. Easy to listen to, you never have the urge to change song. I would certainly recommend this CD. (Btw, this was the first time I took the time to really listen to this CD and I wrote everything down as I listened to it.)

Utopia Records is out with their fourth release this year. They follow the modern, uplifting side of trance. It is a compilation compiled by Ananda Shake, who plays as a dj on a lot of parties in Israel these days, but also produces music, including an album (Emotion In Motion) on Utopia Records earlier this year.

Uplifting trance is the right word to use for the style we get on this label these days. Here we get very typical Israeli full on from beginning to end, done by mostly quite fresh artists. But, we also get a couple of veterans here, including one of the biggest surprises in a long time, a new track by Passenger (Guy Zukrel) who is a pioneer in the Israeli trance scene. He was one half of the super duo called MFG. Passenger is his solo project, and the last I heard from this project was the album called For All Man Kind released in 1999 on Phonokol. So, how does this artist sound today? Actually not even a tiny bit different from all the other Israeli full on artists these days! So, I have to admit that it is a quite big dissappointment. Another interesting sight on this track list is a remix of the classic Self Oscillation track by Deedrah. Well, I totally prefer the original, instead of this clubby version, but it might fit better into the modern full on sets that the djs play these days.

Psychedelic trance can hardly become any more clubby than this. This is for sure the style the masses wants these days, especially in Israel. For me, most of it sounds pretty dull compared to psytrance made a few years ago, but if you are into uplifting melodies and easy digestible soundpictures, you might find this interesting.