Slum - Make Rainbow In Your Slum (ELF Music 2005) CD

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Slum – Make Rainbow In Your Slum

elfcd0106xn.jpg


Hi-res cover: front

Artist: Slum (Japan)
Title: Make Rainbow In Your Slum
Format: CD (jewel case)
Label: ELF Music (Japan)
Cat. #: ELFCD 010
Distribution: QQS/Wirikuta
Date: December 2005 (Japan), February 2006 (Worldwide)

Track listing:

01. 06’53†Future Is Ours
02. 06’25†I Can Eat All Of Earth
03. 09’09†Make Rainbow In Your Slum
04. 06’04†Emog
05. 06’33†Never Runaway Never
06. 06’56†Why You Have My Beer? No Problem
07. 07’00†Sneak, Beneath My Notice
08. 07’05†Follow Me
09. 08’58†Trust Youth Days
10. 07’50†Over The Revolution

Review:

Multi-flavoured Engrish psytrance…

In the wake of the tragic death of Phi member Shinnosuke Masuo, it gives me great pleasure to know that his musical heritage will always live on… The Phinalizer album was nothing short of amazing and it still gives me chills listening to it… An album that will shine for all eternity! The other member of Phi is Shuji Ichimura which now operates under the Slum moniker… His debut album as a solo-artist is the funnily named Make Rainbow In Your Slum released by the Japanese trance-dance label ELF Music… Whereas the last couple of ELF releases have been cheddar-like, this one looks like it’s gonna recapture some of the old Phi-magic… Let’s find out…

Let me take you thru the tracks…

#01: Future Is Ours [143 BPM]
The opening track starts with an old-school sample similar to the sound of The Avalanches – it’s soon accompanied by a banging bassline and some subtle guitar-riffs… And we have lift-off! Cruising at a comfortable 143 beats per minutes, this is fun, bubbling-with-joy full-power psytrance… Melodic to the bone and generally pretty damn uplifting… A tasty track to start the album with…

#02: I Can Eat All Of Earth [145 BPM]
Wow, that’s a pretty bold statement there Shuji… Are you sure about that? After a brief intro, we’re soon exposed to some serious sushi-trance… Action-packed, floating, relentless psytrance with just enough melodies to qualify as neo full-on… But don’t get me wrong, this is far from boring, formulated full-on… This is packed to the rim with countless acid-lines, guitar-riffs and some hardcore knob adjustment… Just like where Phi left off… Oh yes, this is a brilliant track – especially the multi-fragmented middle part… Even the guitars work! Sweet track!

#03: Make Rainbow In Your Slum [145 BPM]
And now for title track, which is not only a classic piece of Engrish, but also a pretty damn fine piece of electronic music... Those interlocked, intervened, twirling melodies are nothing short of perfect… It’s very Japanese in structure with its weird, yet strangely appealing ambience... And that’s ambience blasting away at 145 beats per minute, mind you… Pretty damn impressive!

#04: Emog [144 BPM]
On this track Shuji takes us on a trip to the deepest, darkest recesses of the Tokyo underground… It starts out pretty straight-forward, but soon the track evolves into a murky, haunting and deeply hypnotic piece of psytrance… We’re definitely way off the beaten path here with metallic cuts and industrial bridges – and it works wonders… A fine track!

#05: Never Runaway Never [144 BPM]
Whereas the previous track was a venture into murky, misty alleyways, this track is a venture into acid-ridden, multi-twirling guitar-psytrance… The strings didn’t really bother me on the previous tracks, but in this track they’ve pretty much taken over completely… And that’s overkill! But hey, there are several long parts without guitars and they rock – so to speak! Not a bad track, just not as good as the previous ones…

#06: Why You Have My Beer? No Problem [144 BPM]
This track has the worst title ever – it’s so bad that it’s actually good… Anyway, what we have here is propane-injected, energetic full-on psytrance… Bursting with oomph, this is less underground than the two previous tracks… Twirling melodies and acid all over the place… And that’s one hell of a climax… I also like the clever use of stereo FX here… A nice little track

#07: Sneak, Beneath My Notice [145 BPM]
Another cryptic title here – I’ve given up figuring out what the hell it means… What I have figured out though, is that on this track we head right back for the underground… This is a highly experimental tune that ventures well into hard house, acid and teKk-trance… I like experimentation like that and this is definitely one of the most original tracks on this album… The final wall-of-sound rundown is pretty fucking amazing – and will kick the shit out of most full-on tracks… Brilliant!

#08: Follow Me [146 BPM]
“Okay. Before we get started, nobody's on the line here yet. What I'm about to propose to you is both highly lucrative and highly dangerous. If that doesn't seem like your particular brand of vodka, help yourself to as much food as you like and have a safe journey. No hard feelings. Otherwise, come with me†The next track continues in the same vein: A full, wall-to-wall sound spectre in the most crucial parts of the track… That’s right, you really get your money’s worth here – this is banging, kicking, relentless psytrance which requires a lethal dose of pharmaceuticals to keep up with on the dancefloor… Dancefloor napalm!

#09: Trust Youth Days [147 BPM]
And if you thought the last track was hardcore, wait until you hear this monster… The fastest track here and also one of the longest… A healthy dose of melodies to get you in the mood + a driving, paranoiac build-up that goes on forever and ever… The Ocean’s 11 sample from the previous track also makes a guest appearance in this eclectic track… It keeps building and building, adding layers until we finally reach the exploding climax @ 6’33… The last awesome track of the album!

#10: Over The Revolution [135 BPM]
After that intense aural bombardment, it’s time to chill out a little and come down off the trip… As the BPM count reveals, this is not exactly chill-out – it’s more like experimental downbeat-slash-progressive… The general atmosphere is dark and murky – and I sorry to say, I don’t get much pleasure from listening to this… Sure it’s well-produced, but also a little too depressing for my taste… Anyway, I’m sure it’ll find its audience among musical deviants… Hehe!

This is a marvellous album – with no bad tracks and more than a handful of really awesome tracks… The obvious comparison to this album is the Phi album Phinalizer… And in a sense it’s very similar, but also very different… The first part is full-blown nu-skool goa-like psytrance a la Phi, whereas the last part is much more hardcore and experimental… New and refreshing stuff + enough twirling, melodic passages that trace back to Phi… So, the legacy of Phinalizer is beautifully maintained on this sweet album and this is the best ELF Music release since then. Well done Shuji!

The cover art is pretty classy and the thick paper is neat… The Engrish track titles also have their charm, and I also like the whole philosophy of making a rainbow in your slum… So yeah, this is indeed a great package – which I will not hesitate to give my recommendation… Phi-fans should definitely check it out, as should fans of experimental, uplifting, energetic nu-skool psytrance… It’ll make rainbows in your slum! … Enjoy!

Favourites: 2, 3(!), 6, 7(!), 8, 9(!)

DeathPosture
emshodan0ne.gif


External links:
Slum: http://www.slum-rainbow.com
ELF Music: http://www.elf-music.net
Discogs: http://www.discogs.com/release/593859
Saiko Sounds: http://tinyurl.com/e39xt
Amazon.jp: http://tinyurl.com/cau8r
Beatspace: http://tinyurl.com/7wp4j
Wirikuta: http://tinyurl.com/7z5n2
Wakyo: http://tinyurl.com/d734s
Chaos: http://tinyurl.com/cpgnb
Cisco: http://tinyurl.com/btara
 
DeathPosture said:

In the wake of the tragic death of Phi member Shinnosuke Masuo

what?? how? I just thought they decided to split nothing sort like that

that's so sad

looking forward to this album goes without saying
 
Le Lotus Bleu said:
not available yet.

*Yawn* here we go again... Hey Lotus, how's your saturday evening so far? Done anything productive today? Are long over due getting laid or WTF is your problem?

You know as well as I do, that this has been available in Japan for two months - and worldwide release is just around the corner... So I'm reviewing an album that's pending release - that's pretty obvious to anyone! Throughout the history of reviwing that's the way it's been done... Please, please, PLEASE show me the universal rule set that prohibits reviews prior to release date... Please! I'd like to see it!

WHY oh WHY must you continue your pointless bickering? Why don't you use all your energy on something constructive instead of harrasing me?

At first I didn't understand why you'd continue making yourself look like a fool, but now I've realized that you actually get off on it... I'm kinda flattered that you give me so much attention, but still - how about we call it a truce from now on? You stay the phuck out of my business and I stay out of yours... Sounds pretty good, eh? Fine, great, wonderful...

Let's shake hands - and move on!

Have a lush weekend!

/DP
 
now now guys, kiss and make up......


.....cant wait for this release by the way, really enjoyed the Phi album
 
This is an outstanding album imo. Just listening to it now and as you say in ya review DP....a little overkill on geeeetaarrs in places but generally a wicked album of groovy, dancefloor shaking psychedelic mayhem. :Grin:
 
Red five said:
i

please do not bring your beef with death posture here, he is a regular contributor, and many folks value his input.

:dito:

the dude writes useful and insightful reviews, which isnt always an easy thing to do!

Death Posture - YOU ROCK

keep up the great reviews - they are appreciated :Smile3:
 
The first two tracks arn't to my taste, bit too guitary, but the rest of the album realy rocks!
 
Ozric said:
what?? how? I just thought they decided to split nothing sort like that

that's so sad

looking forward to this album goes without saying

Super late replay here but....
Actually Phi had split up around the beginning of 2005 and they were working on their own separate projects (Slum and Symphonics) when Symphonics had his accident. There will be some Symphonics releases this and next year.

As for the Slum album, I dig it as well. Nice storming stuff for hitting the dancefloor with!
 
Doesnt have as many repeat listens as I'd hoped for but still pretty damn good.....very acidic, nowhere to hide thats for sure!
 
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