Squaremeat -Astronomical Coffee Break [Exogenic]

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-- Squaremeat -Astronomical Coffee Break [Exogenic]

Posted by Le Lotus Bleu on Sep-19-2005 19:33:

Squaremeat -Astronomical Coffee Break [Exogenic]

Squaremeat � Astronomical Coffee Break [Exogenic]

Tracklist :

1. Platypus
2. Liukutaklaus
3. Front Side Rock�n�Roll
4. Static Traffic
5. Evaporator
6. 2 2 Tango
7. Shinkansen Rmx
8. Pure Caffein
9. Go Away
10. Queen Of The Night

Squaremeat (Pepe Kosminen & Fran�oise ******) delivers with Astronomical Coffee Break their 4th album : a journey into finnish funky psytrance.

1 Platypus opens on a groovy bassline embellished with an imitative bird singing synth. There are weird grunt samples around 1�10. Then it�s time for the metallic synth to appear, followed soon by a funky bass. The tune evolves shortly through a quick hacked fx part. You�ll notice too discret percussions in the rythmic background , some strident tones for a swift break at 4�50 & also an etheral lead (from 5�15)which brings more depth in the harmonic sound contrast. Last remark, the tune gets more psychedelic, twisted through sounds on the end after 6�15. Personnally, i wouldn�t have placed it in first position, it would have been resulted better if situated in the middle/second half part, in order not to begin with something too much mental according to me for a start; but of course we can listen the album in a random order if we prefer.

2 Liukutaklaus goes directly into punchy & energic horizons with an uncontrollable funky bassline, coppled with a special pushed rythmic environment : sharpy metallic hithat�s profusion & euphoric high claps. From 3�07 percussions start to resonnate, few later on some bleeps make their appearance. You�ve got a sympathic practical joke ghost atmosphere with the melody from 5�10, with a echo-ping pong effect trick based on 2 leads on it that takes you up to the end. This one results matching much more my taste compared to the previous one.

3 In Front Side Ronck�n�Roll , the first evident impress you�ll feel is how warm & deep is the bassline. The second one, funny this time is a little birdy whirling sound kinda canary indeed. At 1�34 a typical funkadelic lead takes you away accompanied by the bleepy singing canary sound that remains contrarily to the funkadelic lead. Actually it is replaced from 2�20 by a completly distorted devasted lead, and then this last one at its turn by a pretty climbing effect on a waving layer (from 2�45) , at its turn again replaced by a funkadelic guitar riffs trying to imitate the canary bleep (from 3�12). At 4�32 the bassline changes into a more grumeling way, like if it was wanting to become more serious but it�s without counting onthe mischievous canary bleep which is still active.
At 5�33 an unexpectd good & funny tumbling down break occurs & I�m afraid that this canary finally succeeded in escaping from his cage for rediscovering freedom just after this, with an evident unconceal pleasure (6�36).
A very entertaining & funny tune to listen.

4 Static Traffic is, at first, about a very nervous atmosphere b ased on an hacked, angry repetitive synth at 0�30. Then at the minute a more classic funkadelic tone comes. After there�s a focus on the rythmic , a new lead arrives but i don�t like it (sort of dark psyfunky atmosphere was probably wished to be create). This part doesn�t catch me though, too long. At 4�20, things back to normal for my eardrums with a more classic trancey funkadelic surroundings but it doesn�t last a long time as at 5�40 we come back a bit to this attempt of darker psyfunk previously mentionned. But that�s not finished, the final cut is particularly raw consequently awful to me.
I really think Squaremeat could have put additionnal efforts on this one, dissapointing ; probably with a remix something decent could come out from this tune.

5 Kinda electric oscillation in guise of backsynth is present in Evaporator all along, amplified & multilayered at 2�20. You can add 303 lines from 1�30 too in the ingredients, as same as a global rocking atmosphere & some softly muted electric guitar tense/dry riffs from 0�35 & appearing at several others occasions during the tune. After 5�00 it�s time for a weirdo climax rupture with little raving sounds & a short very klonk sample nearly understandable but so freaky.The whole thing obviously, is sustained by a funkadelic groove, quite fat.

6 Squaremeat keep going with loud tones here in 2 2 Tango indeed we�got here a latin rythmic but not Tango. At 2�17 a luminous,sparkling organ arrives & delivers a will-o�-the wisp melody. Then at 2�45 soft indus & robotic tones are intregrated in the background.
From 4�15 you can feel some E.B.M influences, more rigity through sounds & pachydermic atmosphere. 6�35 the tune pushes a step forward into a robotic-funky feeling.

7 Nice sweet happy carillon as intro, that obligatory puts you in a good mood. Otherwise Shinkansen Rmx is a step higher in psychedelism compared the other tracks, very trippy with a bouncing bass, synths that remind Texas ******�s work. The tones here are rougher, more unpolished. The funky spirit is still present but more discret & difficult to catch ; furthermore the harmony is more agressive than the global album content with the use of many acid, shrill sounds. Nevertheless it�s not a bad tune, at contrary it permits to offer a diversity in the album which is welcome.

8 Pure Caffein is one of the gem in the album thanks to a nice floating flute melody that confers also a goa touch to the track. The tones employed are very enlightened, quite psychedelic, energizing and at the same time very relaxing. The whole thing delivers a lightness impress. Definitivly it�s a very good & interesting musical construction.

9 Go Away is different with a fat groove plus percussions sounding a bit housey & kinda weird jungle cries samples all along like at 2�25. From 5�25 some more twisted sounds are appearing & the harmony starts to be much layered conferring an hypnotic touch to the groove. With Squaremeat you can expect at a moment things to get funky, that�s what happen at 6�33. At 9�00 an additionnal lead is incorporated to the already very rich sound texture of the tune, more goaish but it also announces a soon finish.

10 For Queen Of The Night you have effective metallic funky guitar riffs from 1�10 from which you can�t resist at least to move if not dancing, a muffled organ speechless at 1�48, a mewing synth at 2�25 typical from funkadelic and then elements will intermix together and of course some voice samples that are repeated several times among them the weird �you got milk�, of course �Queen of the night�. It�s a positive, happy disco-funk trancey tune that ends the album.

Climaxs :3,5,8,10
Alernative choices :6,7,9
Mention to the inventilvely raving artwork cover.
Last but not least don�t forget that the cd gives you also the opportunity with a link of downloading 8 bonus tracks.

You like finnish psytrance? you like funky influences?
if you got 2 yes, you're ready to spend an Astronomical Coffe Break with Squaremeat.
8/10

Posted by DiMethGuy on Sep-20-2005 00:38:

Jesus Christ, that's the best review I've ever read from a n00b. Hopefully a sign of things to come.