<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Son Kite - Colours</span>
Format: CD
Artist: Son Kite
Title: Colours
Label: Digital Structures, Sweden
Cat. #
IGCD015
Year: 2004
Track listing:
01. 09’37†Other Side
02. 08’58†Focus
03. 09’36†On Air
04. 08’03†Game & Watch
05. 07’38†Let Us Be
06. 07’43†The Stars Within Us
07. 09’48†Jukebox
08. 09’06†Made To Move
09. 08’05†Colours
Review:
Step two of a four-stage rocket!
Finally it’s out… The album we’ve all been waiting for. The release of the “On Air Remixes†EP last month gave us a mouth-watering foretaste of what was coming… A full album from the talented wizards behind Sweden’s biggest trance-export: Marcus Henriksson & Sebastian Muellart a.k.a. Son Kite. They’ve moved into release-concept territory with their ambitious “Colours†project, consisting of one album, two singles and a live-DVD... Very impressive! So, let’s see what the hype was all about…
Let me take you thru the tracks…
#01: Let’s start… Pay close attention to that Son Kite whistle – it’s the first and last thing you’ll hear on this album… The whole album is one big loop! ;o) The intro is long and lukewarm… Slowly it progresses, FX are added… Water, wind, violin, percussion, calm voice samples… and then bam! The smooth, groovy, crispy Son Kite baseline… Fast kicks and hi-hats are added creating chunky grooves leading to pure bliss… Amazing track!
#02: The album is mixed, so we slip almost unnoticed into track two… The progressive groove continues here – the intro is sweet as candy… And then, an almost exploding bass grabs you… The bass is just so deep and brutal, but at the same time sweet and almost sexy! @ 6’00 the pace quickens and all hell brakes loose – A dark, mean, wall of bass-groove rips the track in half and slowly builds it up again… Holy phuck, this is good… Overwhelming track!
#03: Pheeew, time to chill for a short while with the intro from last year’s summer-bash “On Airâ€. Allow me to copy/paste from my previous EP review: A very cool, floating, dream-like intro sets the mood… Someone hits a piano-key about 5-6 times, low voice-muttering samples in the back-ground, someone talking about radio – basically we’re just chilling out, having a good time… And then, at 2:22 the infamous Swedish progressive baseline cuts thru the silence like a scythe… This is the true essence of trance; razor-sharp percussion, beautiful synths, wonderful melody… And a build-up @ 5:15 that’ll annoy the hell out of you the first time you hear it, but after a few listens you’ll give in to the sheer genius that is On Air! So get your damn hands up in the air – this is a magic track!
#04: “Let’s go back upstairs†… We mix smoothly into Game & Watch… But something’s changed here; it appears the kicks are harder and the bass is less polished… What gives? For a second you want to sound the cheddar-alarm, but no worries… Although this is the most full on sounding track on the album, it’s a sweet track that in no way compromises the groove… Hypnotic morning trance ala Son Kite! Nice track!
#05: Ahh let’s take a trip back in time… Somewhat distorted melodies accompanied by a melancholy feel… Plus we get lyrics & vocals by C. Brink and M. Kratz… It’s not Michele Adamson standard, but very nice nevertheless… Also good use of stereo here… Nice track!
#06: Go fly a kite – into the world of electro crash! Is progressive electro psy even invented? Well, it is now… We get the best of both worlds here… Old school kitschy computer sounds and classic robot voice box – combined with massive progressive rhythm patterns… Look forward to the sweet, sweet build-up part – can’t wait to hear that at a party… Electro acid flash! Lovely track!
#07: Put another dime in the jukebox baby… Ambient intro … Just relax and float downstream… A subtle drum pattern is introduced… More delicate effects are added… The beat is slightly cut… The old Chicago warehouse techno atmosphere is present… And then: “Rhythm… rhythm… rhythm…!†A repetitive, simple voice reminds us that this is rhythm… Thanks! This is a very minimal track – and even a tad too minimal for my taste. It is funky however, especially for the last 3 minutes… Ok track!
#08: After a long fade we progress into “Made to Moveâ€â€¦ And this is a bouncy piece for sure… Focus has shifted back to percussion now, and we are treated to some cool steel oil drum beats… And yes the rumours were true; there is a definite Trommelmaschine influence here… And it sounds great! It’s a very danceable, tribal, progressive tune… Nice track!
#09: The last track starts and ends exactly like the first track… The infamous whistle or whatever it is… What a nifty feature! This is a slightly slower track, but still so unbelievably groovy… All kinds of psychedelic bleeps and blops, birds whistling, water dripping… Beautiful melodies mixed with a distinctive wiggle-your-toe Son Kite beat… Sweet track!
Woow, what a trip! This album is truly an experience… Epic trance at its best! A true journey showcasing the immense talent of the Son Kite guys… As I’ve said before they continue to distance themselves from the vast majority of traNce labels – both production-wise and concept-wise! As always with Digital Structures the visual art is striking – great, tasteful cover art…However, I dislike the cardboard wrapper around the jewel case – what’s the point with those?
Style wise this album embrace several electronic genres… It ranges from old school techno and house to cutting edge modern electronica… I like most of it, though there are tracks which doesn’t really scratch my itch… It is however miles ahead of the bulk of electronic releases nowadays…I’d even go as far as calling this a milestone album – instant classic! Get this or be left out!
9/10
Favourites: 1(!), 2(!!), 3(!!), 6, 9
DeathPosture
:sun:
External links:
Son Kite:
www.sonkite.com
Digital Structures:
www.mpdqx.com/digitalstructures (Audio samples available!)
Psyshop:
www.psyshop.com
Saiko Sounds:
www.saikosounds.com
Chaos Unlimited:
www.chaosunlimited.co.uk
Trance-shop:
www.trance-shop.com
For info on the vinyl release check out the Digital Structures site…
<span style='color:purple'>Oh, and finally... Guess which Psy-trance.co.uk regular has his name mentioned in the covernotes no less than twice!? ;o) </span>
gets repeated alot in my player! love the intros and that second from last tune is just killer!!