(Dub Techno, Ambient, Drone) VA - Mr. Cloudy Serenity (SSCD05) - 2009, MP3 (tracks), VBR 128-256 kbps

Artist  : VA
Title   : Mr. Cloudy Serenity
Genre   : Electronic
Year    : 2009
Date    : 01/2010
Bitrate : VBR kbps
Tracks  : 08
Label   : Silent Season
Source  : CDDA
Encoder : Lame 3.97
Length  : 72:30 min
Size    : 95,4 MB
Tracklist:
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01.Mr. Cloudy - Serenity                  09:41
02.Sraunus - Serenity                     11:12
03.Grad_U - Serenity                      12:20
04.Kabana - Serenity                      07:47
05.Leksha - Serenity                      08:32
06.Mikrokristal - Serenity                07:34
07.Xoki & Hieronymus - Serenity           08:48
08.Mr. Cloudy - Serenity                  06:36
(Cold Night Version)
                                         -------
                                          72:30 min
There are several good reasons as to why
I think this is a *most* excellent
release. First of all it’s on Silent
Season and as a label I think it’s just
about bang on the nail. Releasing small
quantities of exciting music and purely
for the love of it is something that I
admire a great deal. It also has to be
added that I’m thrilled to be working
with Jamie on bringing these discs to
Europe – I’m sure you can understand
exactly why. The second reason I think
this is awesome is that it brings
together a selection of relatively
unknown (I stress relatively) artists
from the net scene and gives them free
reign to reinterpret Mr. Cloudy’s deep
and delicious original. The CD begins
with his version and it’s a totally
stripped back slice of dub techno purity
that rolls out in the finest style.
Lovely chords and minimal rhythms
collide to make a really well realised
track that has mutant funk in abundance
but remains reserved at all times.
Class. Sraunus’s offering takes it into
more layered and dreamy territory with
gorgeous Detroit-esque string melody
elements and nary a beat in sight. It
suits the original really nicely and
provides a great counterpoint for the
first track. Grad_U delivers an off-
kilter version which sets out to make
the rhythm bumpier and somehow
unpredictable (even though essentially
it’s still a 4/4) but keeps the reduced
tone to the chord structure. Fresh, long
and utterly hypnotic. Kabana
concentrates on expanding the chords
into a more ethereal and static-laced
vibe with acres of reverb and delay as
well as added flourishes. The beat is
totally reduced here and is there purely
to stress the spaciousness of the
atmospheres. Leksha’s mix follows on
from that perfectly by once again
opening up the chords seemingly into a
massive echo chamber whilst slowing the
beats right down. It gives it a head-
nodding flavour that remains true to the
idea of dub all the way. Mikrokristal
gives it a completely different feel by
adding in an almost jazzy / Farben-style
vibe. The original chord is intact but
backed up by some seriously nice melodic
chords and tones as well as a
surprisingly funky rhythmic element.
Unusual and really nicely done. Xoki
Hieronomous provides the most overtly
uptempo version with some subtle conga
edits and a strong analogue bass tone.
The rhythm is definitely a little
punchier than the other tracks and it’s
got a more deliberately groovy feel.
Again, it works really nicely with the
tracks that sit around it and give you
even more variety. Finally we arrive at
Mr. Cloudy’s own ‘Cold Night Version’
which takes his original down a notch
tempo-wise while upping the echo quote.
It’s a subtle, sublime and all round
lush piece of reduced dub techno and
forms a perfect ending. So, all in all
this is another absolutely fabulous
release for Silent Season and a great
collection of varied tracks from the
artists. Limited, as I’m sure you know,
to 100 copies, so don’t hesitate!
[url=http://www.silentseason.com/]http://www.silentseason.com/[/url]