From: pashdown@javelin.sim.es.com (Pete Ashdown)
Subject: XDZebra Review #14
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 18:52:10 GMT


XDZebra Review #14

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The number next to the index is the "dance factor". 5 = high, 1 = low

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------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Review #14 Contents:
(Artificial Intelligence)
Give Peace A Dance Volume 3d: Psychotic Reactions
Opus III: Mind Fruit
The Orb: Adventures... : Patterns & Textures Version The Soundtrack
Kaos Theory 3


(Artificial Intelligence)
WARP: CD6
1   3   05:12 The Dice Man: Polygon Window
2   2   04:10 Musicology: Telefone 529
3   4   04:38 Autochre: Crystel
4   3   05:08 I.A.O: The Clan
5   4   06:13 Speedy J: De-Orbit
6   3   04:04 Musicology: Preminition
7   3   07:42 UP!: Spiritual High
8   3   07:34 Autochre: The Egg
9   2   03:43 Speedy J: Fill 3
10  2   04:00 Dr Alex Paterson: Loving You Live

Comments: Smoothly packaged trance and ambience from one of the best dance
labels.  Most tracks are very much like what was collected for the "Logic
Trance" compilation, melodic but with a light beat than will sometimes deepen
into something slightly harder.  Personal favorites are the Autochre tracks.
There is nothing special about the final Orb track.  It is just a snippet of
"Ever Growing Brain", in fact it is the same "Transcentral" version that was
on the "DFC - Ambient House" collection.

Summary: 8/10.  WARP is really good at finding fresh talent.  This compilation
is no exception.


Give Peace A Dance Volume 3d: Psychotic Reactions
CND Communications: DISARM 5 CD
CD 1:
1   3   07:01 Pied Piper: Kinetic (Orbital Remix)
2   2   06:26 Orbital: Open Mind (F.A. Mix)
3   4   06:13 Ubik: The Truth Vibration/Rise
4   3   05:28 Hi-Ryze: JP233
5   4   04:23 C/R/2: Madness
6   5   06:13 Doc Scott: Surgery (Midnight Mix)
7   4   04:24 400 Blows: Tension Release (Exclusive Mix)
8   5   06:00 Turntable Symphony: It'll Make You Go Ooh! (Original Mix)
9   5   03:18 Holy Ghost, Inc.: Jihad
10  2   07:10 Nightmares on Wax: Fun
11  5   06:40 Hoodlum Priest: Capital of Pain (Apollo 440 Remix)
12  4   05:27 Carl Cox: I Want You (Skin 2 Mix)
CD 2:
1   4   07:24 The Irresistible Force: Underground (Fuck Off Mix)
2   4   06:04 The Hypnotist: The Ride
3   4   05:03 A Homeboy, A Hippie, Funki Dredd: Start The Panic (Top Buzz Mix)
4   5   05:19 Moby: Go (Rainforest Mix)
5   5   06:18 Psycho Slaphead: Psycho Slaphead (Asylum Mix)
6   3   05:51 Sheep on Drugs: Drug Music
7   5   04:12 Vinyl Vandals: Don't Be So Serious (Rasta Mayhem Mix)
8   4   06:31 Toxic: Original Style (X-Clusive Remix)
9   5   06:16 Satin Storm: Call in the Hard Core
10  4   05:05 Set Up System: Fairy Dust (Saga Mix)
11  5   06:13 Apollo 440: Blackout (Digital Hardcore Instrumental Remix)
12  2   05:39 Meat Beat Manifesto: Paradise Now

Comments: Return to the double disc format after the excellent "Volume 2"
reveals a lot of filler with a few gems.  Tracks by Pied Piper, Orbital,
Hypnotist, Apollo 440, and Meat Beat Manifesto deliver great music without
question.  Nightmares on Wax comes in surprisingly ambient, yet not very
interesting.  Overall, this is a better than average comp, but has some tracks
that are high on the loser scale.  Probably would have made an excellent
single CD if CND would have been slightly more frugal.

Summary: 6/10.  The bad tracks outnumber the good ones.  BASE remastering
sounds fantastic though.


Opus III: Mind Fruit
EastWest/Atlantic: 7 92160-2
1   3   05:28 It's a Fine Day
2   4   05:35 It Talk to the Wind
3   1   02:05 Flow
4   2   03:01 Stars in My Pocket
5   3   05:40 Sea People
6   4   06:12 Evolution Rush
7   1   03:37 Into This Universe
8   3   03:18 Up
9   2   02:55 Alzir
10      00:31 Outro

Comments: Higher than high soprano vocals topple Kate Bush and Liz Frazier,
but doesn't knock them over.  The lead (who's name isn't clear) does have a
nice voice, but it is so high it almost sounds processed.  The three boys
behind her cranking out the music brings to mind the idea of what would have
happened if Bjork would have stayed with 808.  They are certainly all capable,
but unfortunately this is a boring album.  Incredibly silly lyrics, with a
voice you can't decide whether you like or not.  It can be quite danceable at
times, but is usually overridden with an attempt at being something outside of
the dance scene.

Summary: 5/10. This album initially excited me, but now just leaves me rather
bored.  Submission of a few of the tracks at a recent rave drew the same
audience reaction.


The Orb: Adventures... : Patterns & Textures Version The Soundtrack
Big Life/Wau! Mr. Modo: ORB FREE CD1
1       00:00 Little Fluffy Clouds
2       08:55 Earth (Gaia)
3       18:21 Towers of Dub
4       27:54 Perpetual Dawn
5       36:11 Star 6 & 7 8 9
6       40:30 Outlands
7       47:15 Outro

Comments: It really isn't fair to review this CD without reviewing the video it
came with.  The video itself is astounding to watch.  Absolute eye-candy that
is of the same level as The Orb's brilliant musical work.  My only
disappointment in this "live" recording is that there wasn't any mixing of
Puccini's "Madamme Butterfly" into Little Fluffy Clouds as was done so well
when I saw The Orb live.  Otherwise, this is a must for any Orb or ambience
fan to purchase.  Even though the video is NTSC, this is still a pricey
import from Big Life.  I don't know if there are plans to bring this out
domestically or not.

Summary: 9/10.  I wish the CD would have been tracked properly.  Instead it is
all one track (the times listed are the approximate starting points).  Other
than that, the video and "music was fantastic."


Kaos Theory 3
Telstar: TCD - 2593
1   3   04:28 Manix: Try To Love Me
2   4   03:30 Altern8: Hypnotic St8 (St8 of Art Edit)
3   3   03:31 Smart-E's: Sesame's Treat
4   4   04:21 Praga Khan: Rave Alert (Full Alert Mix)
5   5   05:13 Acen: Trip II The Moon (Darkside)
6   5   03:59 A/Sides: Burn Cali Weed
7   4   04:47 Nino: The Gun
8   4   04:14 F/O/A/O: Work It Out "The Redemption Remake"
9   3   05:08 Krome & Time: This is the Sound of the Underground
10  5   04:14 Xenophobia: The Wobbler
11  3   04:31 Barrington Levy featuring Rebel MC: Under Mi Sensi (Legalize Mix)
12  3   05:23 The Ratpack: Searchin' For My Rizla
13  4   05:00 Ruffige Cru: Krisp Biscuit
14  3   04:46 Brainstorm: Brainstorm
15  5   05:05 Danse City: Braineater (I Need My Hardcore)
16  4   06:13 Earth Leakage Trip: The Ice Cream Van From Hell (Neopolitan EP)

Comments: Gut wrenching chipmunk techno in the style I've grown to hate.
"Sesame's Treat" and "Rave Alert" may fly at a rave, but they drop dead with
me personally.  This disc was a real disappointment in the usually good Kaos
series.  Even the ACEN track is lame.  What was amazing to me was the "Earth
Leakage Trip" track is very good in the spooky style of Coil's "The Snow".  It
is about the only saving grace of this disc which took me about three days to
listen to in it's entirety.

Summary: 2/10.  This would be a zero if it wasn't for the last track.  Thank
God it wasn't edited to 4.5 minutes like the rest.
-- 
			  orb be in u, orb be out u

DISCLAIMER: My writings have NOTHING to do with my employer.  Keep it that way.
Pete Ashdown    pashdown@slack.sim.es.com    ...uunet!slack.sim.es.com!pashdown