LSG - The Hive

Oliver Lieb is back. His sound, his elements, and his ideas are different from most and once again he shares his orchestrated sound with us. Following on from the widely acclaimed downtempo album, 'In To Deep', he's back with a new album that lays down his familiar techno beats, along with some incredible synth work. Using Native Instruments products on this album, such as the Absynth, FM7, and the Spectral Delay, he has corelessed his analog sound, with new software based technology and expanded his sound further. This album is once again another ride through his textures, and sound scapes journey, sequenced by Mr. Lieb himself.


Starting off with a trippy gated effect, a warm pad, and his signature sprinkle of beauty, the sounds start colliding with the drums, as the high hats come in, and push you into a hard kick. This is 'Loose Ends'. Layers of sound grow and the clap hits, a bit distorted with a crunchy feel. Flowing out into a brassy pad, which rolls over you and captures the song. Breaking out of the pads, we go into straight up beats, and what is similar to a dolphins high pitch squeal, as we enter 'Down To Earth'. A driving textured rhythm starts, and a cute hook comes in. This is a very percussive song. A lot of the synths are hitting, and there's just a nice melody in the background to keep the song full. Swirling sounds carry the song, as we move into a dramatic break. It's a very sci fi sound, something straight out of a b-movie or Star Trek. We kick back into the drums, and mix into 'Saviour'. The techy drums are joined by toms and wood percussion. The bass is huge, and gains momentum as the pad sweeps under you. The synths are moving up and down, and finally at the break, we go into a bit of a sitar sounding string. Three-part harmony creates the depth. A very intense song, as this was also chosen as a single for the album.


Into another break, airy sounds with some distortion walk us into a break beat. It's watery, and very deep. This is 'Black Currant'. The background is thick with sparkling sounds, and a growing synth. The lush pads add so much emotion and depth, and as the song fades away, you feel a tingle down your back, and into 'Goddess'. Filtered drums hide underneath a spooky floating sound. The pulsing undertone catches you, and you feel held in. The drums are techy and hard, and a cute swirling sound floats up above. A tortured flute arrives becoming the melody of the song. This is another single off the album. Mixing into 'The Hive', we break into the bassline, yet again another single. All the metallic swirling sounds moving around with each other, and into the heavy drums. The high hats go back and forth in each speaker, and the kick is hard and is also joined in with delayed hand drums of some sort. A lovely high synth sound comes in along with a washing guitar sound.


Rolling into 'Infectious #1' we get so many different drums kits it's hard to keep up with it. A gun sound fires off every few beats, and weird falling sounds cascade and move back and forth threw your ears. An 808 bass kick falls, as the muted guitar sound and synths come into the mix. A bug sound passes, and teases you, coming in and out, and getting louder and softer. The low bass is rapid and moves the song into 'Infectious #2'. With claps, and more techno drums, we get more drive out of #2. A signal sound enters the mix, along with a spooky synth, and flows straight into 'Brainwash'. The piercing sounds create a scary vibe. Something a bit eerie, something a bit pretty, you can hear Absynth at work. It's a world like no other. A percussive slightly electro hook comes out of the darkness, and into 'Everon' we go. A kick lays into you, with a high hat from space. The claps, and all things twisted comes out in this song. Things are being sliced, and severely warped.


Enter 'Chieftain'. Hard kicks, a gated silly sound rises above, and we delve deep in some dirty bass. The high hats are twisted, weird, and the smooth pads form behind everything. Lazer sounds whip past you. Slowing down, we fade into 'Liquid'. The texture is watery, and the beautiful sounds slow and fall into the dark. Oliver Lieb has done it again. His pads, his washes, his sounds, his synths, his drums, his kicks, his high hats, and his melody's are all so rich you can only think of who could have created it. Another masterpiece.


This review makes me wanna buy it so bad!
Germans any idea in aachen or so?

Summerbreeze 2 and the hive, 2 albums to look forward too, I CANT WAIT!

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Best of the best:
Laurent Garnier - sambu

Last edited by TranceSeeker on Oct-29-2002 at 17:38