Bought it on Tuesday morning, having resisted all temptation to download the promo in the days and weeks leading up to its official release. Went out on the Tuesday night, stayed the night at some random chick's place with my mate (wayhey!) then slept all day yesterday, so I didn't get the chance to listen to it until last night.

I know a lot of you aren't into progressive music, but as someone who lives and breathes it I have been waiting patiently for this album since the last record was played on Jan 12th (shame that Billie Jean didn't make it into the final release though ). I didn't really know what to expect, having heard several different conclusions about the album, so I just stuck it into my CD player at about 1am, put my headphones on and let it play without any preconceptions about what it would sound like.

Let me tell you right now that from the very first track on the first CD (Our House - who are Australian yeah?) I was taken right in by it. The first few tracks are replete with these sweeping, purging synths and sub-tropical samples that took me right back to the balmy summer's night in question. The music takes a surreal turn from there, with Mindstake (which I'm fairly certain I remember him playing on the night) using this incredibly haunting synth loop over a drilling beat, before breaking down, building up and launching into a sublime, breakbeat reprise. Lying there, in the darkness, it's a very moving track.

The CD keeps on building with the full bodied prog-trance that seems to be the overall theme of the CD, with at times warm, at other times disconcerting, synth sweeps and distored samples that are difficult not to get entirely absorbed by.

The second CD presents a slightly more generic view of progressive music, with Glitterball representing a pumping departure from the first CD, followed by tracks from our own Infusion and prog-icon Bill Hamel that lead beautifully into Sean Cusick's very disturbing "Consider the Ravens". That staticky, griding synth is a good example of just how dark and disturbing progressive music can be despite being incredibly simple and minimal in itself.

From there the CD briefly recaptures the warm feeling of the first CD for the next few tracks, before Infusion's dirty vocal track "Star Water" brings back the progressive feeling once more. The CD builds to a brief climax before ending with some superb examples of vocal-breakbeat with Ashland and some remix of grunge band "Lamb" before finishing with the warm guitar sampling "Frakkar" that finishes the whole experience off very nicely.

I think the key word here is diverse: the CDs cross over so many different sounds and ideas in such a small time, yet they all blend together so perfectly, which a credit to the GU sound engineers more than anything else I suppose. I'm not sure how the rest of you feel, but to me this is a brillant example of how electronic music should be, and represents a positive direction for both the GU series and progressive music in general. If you have a spare $45, go out and buy this CD. It's not the sort of CD you can just have on in the background, or on winamp while you're writing e-mails, it's the type of CD you have to sit-down with and really devote your attention to, concentrating on everything that's going on (and there is a lot going on - 5 or 6 layers of music at times I'd say).

I'm not saying you're all going to like it, but if you have even a passive interest in progressive music, then, as per usual, the GU crew have come up with the goods yet again. I was just happy to be a part of it.

Anyway, that's just my perspective. Any thoughts?

yeah im pissed off that the recording party was totally diff to the cd.....he said he put tracks on that got the best response which is bollocks..cos these were fu man choo-outlaw praha mix and new order-something like you-james holden remix...and the set was very trance unlike this cd

Yes indeed its a good album for the proggie fans not my type though.
To be honest I didn't like it. Never the less Good review Renegade. Have u ever considered to be a music critic in a mag?hehehe
I would be suprised if any editor reads this and wouldn't offer a job to you

I have an amazing progressive set from Twotribes you might want Renegade its gavin kitel not sure on spelling.. hes from melbourne.. but i love that damm set its so progressive and just builds and builds.

might up it one time,,

___________________
sig edited: image is too big. can't be bigger that 500 by 150. please refer to the sig guidelines.

quote:

Originally posted by stipsy yeah im pissed off that the recording party was totally diff to the cd.....he said he put tracks on that got the best response which is bollocks..cos these were fu man choo-outlaw praha mix and new order-something like you-james holden remix...and the set was very trance unlike this cd

Yeah, I'll agree with that. I think the CD has a similar "flavour" to the set, but a lot of the tracks that were the highlights of the night didn't make it onto the CD, plus there were lots of tracks on the CD that I'm certain weren't played on the night (i.e. the first two on CD 1). For me the track that tore the place down was the Floppy Sounds remix of La La Land. That build up sent everyone nuts.....

But still, I think he captured the overall sound of the set pretty well. Certainly brought back a few (hazy) memories anyway.

quote:

Never the less Good review Renegade. Have u ever considered to be a music critic in a mag?hehehe I would be suprised if any editor reads this and wouldn't offer a job to you

Haha, well if they're still reading the answer is yes, I'll take it.

quote:

I have an amazing progressive set from Twotribes you might want Renegade its gavin kitel not sure on spelling.. hes from melbourne.. but i love that damm set its so progressive and just builds and builds. might up it one time,,

Which Two Tribes? Was Gavin Keitel (I think that's how you spell it) at the last one? I've heard of him, just don't remember seeing his name on the last Two Tribes dj list.

Ah well. Yeah, if you could be fucked upping it then, I wouldn't mind giving it a listen.

Man... thats a fucken mad review!. makes me want it even more. Im gonna head into Rhythm & Soul tomorrow and buy .. i hope there's some longbox's left.. Renegade, did you get the long box or have they basically sold out?


Pointy

Well it was meant to be released on the Monday, but went into Sanity and HMV before uni (nearly missing out on my com law test in the process) and there was nothing there.

Went into Sanity on the Tuesday morning, and there was still nothing there. Since Sanity are usually pretty reliable with these sorts of things I figured I must have gotten the release date wrong or something, but decided to have a look in HMV just in case and, sure enough, there it was. And yeah, picked up the long-box copy, and there were plenty left at the time, but whether they've sold out or not by now I'm not too sure. I went into the Doncaster Dance Arena today to pick up Subliminal Sessions 2 (mad CD for anyone interested ) and could see, behind the counter, that there were at least a dozen of the long box copies in there on reserve, so I think a lot of the stock the stores are purchasing are gonna go straight into fulfilling all the pre-orders they would've had. Having said that though, I'm pretty sure that all CD stores would've ordered a shitload of them in anticipation of the demand (number 1 dance album in the state already) so if you're going to the Bourke st. R&S then pop into Sanity and HMV on the way to see if you can find it there (probably cheaper too).

So, in other words, NFI mate.

Cheers bro

I dont give a stuff about the prices... i hate Sanity Dance Arena n HMV.. thats why i shop at R&S, i mean $2 more is shit all, plus ya paying extra for the service n better information heheheh


Pointy

You're probly more likely to find it at Mighty music or gaslight or some little store on greville st. My mate couldn't find a copy at Virgin, HMV or Sanity, but there were several copies at Mighty Music.

___________________
"my son will be a gienues(sp?)" - Originally posted by Googooly
"many species of bear give blowjobs." - Originally posted by Sunsnail.. NOW CONFIRMED BY PHOTO EVIDENCE!
"astroboy is brave and gentle and wise." - Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
"ew! i wouldn't go anywhere near a homeless dudes butthole... not even if i was sodomizing him with a poison ivy cactus dildo" - Originally posted by lücid
"also can someone post the link to my mom's forum, thank you!" - Originally posted by miamitrance04
"dude man its not me its what the world does to me. Trust me I'm a normal person people just constantly fuck with me." Originally posted by ********
"I can see Lira getting a hard-on already. And believe me, Brazilian ass rape is the worst." - Originally posted by Meat187

Alrighty i just got my copy (longbox n all) for $42, was $46 at Sanity

I listened to the first disc on the train home.. wicked stuff, although i was tempted to hit the skip button the first two tracks. Highlights of Disc 1 are Cass & Slide - Mind Rewind, Orbital - Illuminate, Slacker - Looky Thing and Digital Mind Control - Mindstake. Pretty cool shit although it's nothing like Capetown or Beunos Aires. But overall it's sweet.. im looking forward to listening to Disc 2, im interested in the breakbeats that are supposably on this album, but weren't on Disc 1


Pointy

Ha. Too bad to those of you who payed $45. I;m getting it on Monday for $32 from Dick Smith. Al the GU's are $32. OH YEH! But it would definately be worth $45. And I hate sanity but whats wrong with HMV. It's the only place in Sydney that sells most of the stuff I'm looking for! Not even Central Station Records does. Everytime I go to HMV they have more stuff that I have never seen before but there! Sure it may be a bit more expensive but a much wider range especially of imports!

___________________