PKS – Quality Relaxation

Don't be afraid by this compilation title, it is not some sort of crappy newage rip-off, it is a very high quality ambient- and dub-related set of well chosen excellent psychill tracks.

To start with I´m not very keen on this psybient-stuff. I find it quite boring infact. Chill Tribe on the other hand deliever something else, every cd is an adventure of itself. And particular this, the first on the label.

Its variying cd going in diffrent directions, some bloody fine dubby stuff, some floating epic 4/4 beat tracks, as well as nice downtempobeats and even a beatless track.

I can´t find a single weak track on this compilation. Its sweet nectar for my senses. All really tracks is very good, but there is a few that stands out even more.
The second track,Elysium nice and deep, a bit tribal feel; everytime I listen to this one, I get a feeling that i´m in an oasis in the middle of the desert.

And Track nr 5 by Jaïa, I found it the best on the compilation, and one of the most beautiful tracks I´ve ever heard.
Damn fine multilayered melodies swirling around, cleaver used vocals and very emotional pads and builds up to a magnificent masterpiece. Gives me goosebumps every single time !

All in all a really really superb story telled by PKS and I dare to say; This is one of the absolutely finest moments within the entire psybient-genre

Various - Quality Relaxation

Overall.. 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 a quality relaxation. The compilation itself is also perfect for DJ’s and people who likes to have an album filled with remarkable chilled tracks. I would like to check out one of I’ve 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 it except good line-up and a lot of unreleased tracks. But after experiencing it in multiple levels of mood and fantasy, I feel now that this is a release that I can give all of my recommendations on. All the tracks are beautiful and relaxing, there are 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 PKSPKS’s chill sets with mixing and such because I know his taste and choices will secure me a pleasant trip. Also a very nice detail about the release is the booklet with a picture of an 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 yet beautiful since it reflex this release in a sensible 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!

Total Score: 7.82 / 10

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).

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!

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…

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!

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