A Magical Journey

Various

A Magical Journey

Ajana (Germany)

There’s a sort of bizarre justice, that feels perfect, here – Ajana is a sub label of Trishula records, and I’m loving the way that a crew so bangin’ can also release something so mulled and easygoing as this. Capsula’s World Of Information starts out okay, the Terance McKenna samples are a bit of a turnoff for me but the reggae-d groove going on underneath is tight and the sounds all fluid. Ovnimoon’s Jabarei is gorgeous, a blissful run if ever there was one. Sounds come out by themselves, smooth up and down the spectrum and ease themselves around you. Dejan’s Error is a tad moodier, sounding a little more like ambient movie or game music. Machine-like noises waffle in and out, and the muted and industrial approach to progression through the song is refreshing. Derango – yes Derango – has a crack with An Ancient Tale, built around a sea of organic drums and pads but set apart with its tricky squidges of noise. By the time it evolves enough to break into something melodic, the pads are simply wonderful and give the track a deep, jewelled texture that’s very rare in music. Terra Nine’s Axiom (The Omm Squad In Dub Mix) is very far out, the drums are so slow they’re almost not there and you get this wafting sensation from the music like opium smoke filling the room. Kukan Dub Lagan’s Psychedelic Mind sticks out like a sore thumb: it’s 4-4 and it’s not very good. The patterns are all very basic, and the lead melody lines sound more random than anything else. Yuck. Cell’s Asian Morning is a lesson in how chilled 4-4 should, conversely, be approached. It eases in, rather than crashes in, establishing themes and moods before it sets off… and once it does, it’s in no hurry to get anywhere. The final section is great: very deep, and almost reminds me of a slower Chi-AD. Electrypnose’s Perce Oreille is a gem… we’re instantly back in the realms of the beatless, and all the better for it. Taking a wonderful full three minutes to build its patterns, it’s all about big and emotive chord changes, done the best here since Carbon Based Lifeforms a couple fo years back. The production here is streets ahead, very very impressive stuff. Our chum Psyfactor steps up next, another of Trishula’s growly roster having a pop at chillout and… well, doing extremely well as it goes. It’s fluid, floaty and laid back, with just a hint of nastiness about it, bubbling in the scifi background. Finally Capsula are back with one of the better moments on the album. The percussion has such a nice feel to it, very deep and tribal ambient going on here and with sensitive, attentive musicianship over the top easing it along nicely.. until an inexplicable 4-4 comes in at the end to take that great atmosphere away. If you programme this CD to avoid about four tracks, you really have got a magical journey on you hands – as is, and despite the shining moments (which, ironically, aren’t from names you’d associate with this type of music), there’s something unfortunately lacking about this album.