Chemically Imbalanced



I will start with a proper review of the artwork.



Cover: robotmx did a great job with the cover design. Very cute, very stylized take on the Vegetable Visionaries robots, a nice nod to the Brothers and a testement as to why we are even here in the first place.



Inner sleeve: nice and bright color scheme without being overly eye popping, simple, to the point. We did it guys!!



Back: It may be strange but there's a lot of movement in this one little picture. Reminiscent of an extraterrestrial spine, it bends and curves across the back and the swirling, cursive font blends into that movement. This could be on the back sleeve of a NIN album - nice work, iggy!



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Now for the songs. I will not review my own songs, but I do like Darkstarexodus' "space gospel" description. So I'll leave my tunes at that.



Csar - Microcosm : This song has a fantastic atmospheric intro that leads you right in. I am proud to have my song lead into this! There's jovial bouncy synths and panning bloops that are very Kraftwerkian, great work with the drum programming and the funky bass lines add the right needed touch of darkness. Love as it's sliding into the outtro! Nice and crunchy, lots of echo and it slips right into...



Mippio - Golf Sale In Wisconsin : I think I may have heard this before... maybe the song by design has a relaed familiar feel to it. Anyway, I dig this tune a lot, I like how it is loungey without feeling kitchy or overly campy. I like the way it's structured, I like the key changes, I like chilled out approach and some of the retro-sounding keys. The drums have a bit of conga which I am always fond of. The title... I'm sure there's a story to go along with how mippio came up with Golf Sale In Wisconsin!



Neon Disease - Take Two : So this is what it's like to take a trip inside the creative mind of chemicalfan! I don't want to draw comparisons, but I can definitely hear a lot of chemical influence in this tune. Clever use of sounds, lots of panning to keep the ears entertained and I like the break at 2:05 with the sweeping synth and the high pitched squiggle that lifts off before the funky bassline. There are a lot of ideas flowing in and out of this song and I can tell it took a lot of work to bring it all together. Nice work!



soundertow - A Peasant Journey : The first time I heard this was so perfect. I was on my way to work and next to the highway a train was going by, people inside making the morning journey to wherever the railroad track was leading them. This song, being one of the more chilled out tracks, has a lot of texture and movement which I like. The sweeping undulating synths move everything along as the bass keeps things rooted and the overlying melodies create the right amount of texture without being overly bombastic.



Neon Disease - Destiny Dude : More samplings from chemicalfan's brain (love the chemically induced intro, by the way!). This track has a chilled out flavor. A bit less sporadic and more minimal from Take Two and there's definitely a Neon Disease style that's evident, like a fingerprint. I like how te song takes a dark turn toward the end which is a fantastic lead into...



Reaction - Level 1 : I love the darkness of this song! I am a texture and layer whore and I love songs that have subtle build ups, and Level 1 delivers. The beat and how it works with the bass and almost bell-like synth has a hypnotic feel, and as the musical layers are dropped in you can feel the song is building up to explode. The almost harp sounding synth in the break before the tune takes a steady deep turn around the 4:00 mark is a great crescendo and a big nod to the mixers because this sets the tone for what is, imo, where the album reaches a peak. Dig it, dig it a lot!



Chrisman - Substance, Maelstrom and Subject : This one is slamming. Hands down, this one's got what it takes to make it on a dancefloor. This one transports me to a dark club somewhere where the speakerhumpers are getting their groove on and the e-tards got their lolling baby heads nodding in unison. This tune is a well crafted booty shaker, lots of texture, just enough frenzy in the drum and I hate to box it into a dancefloor, but man, take it as a compliment! Seriously. Is the reason why Chrisman isn't here so much is because he's busy working on that record deal?



Slipvin - Irrational behavior : His behavior here is pretty consistant but we all know that. ;) As stash said when we were listening to this tune "Now I know why he can be an ass, and it's because he's good enough to have earned that right!" I am really impressed with this track, really impressed. The drums are top notch and really drive this song along. This is an excellent choice and excellent placement of music on this album. What I dig is the overall energy this track has to offer, and I love the wah wah guitar placement in this song, especially the break. Nice!! When's can we expect a full album, Slipvin?



Consumer - Machines In Danger : This is the perfect song to taper down the album and ease you down gently. This one is breath taking, beautiful - it takes you to another place... I love the intro, I love the buildups, the breaky drum beat that the overall use of sound has me impressed. I love how it sweeps upward around 3:50, a gentle crescendo. This is such a lovely track and I could listen to an entire album of tracks like this. Nice work Consumer, don't ever stop making tunes!



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And I have to mention the little octave cat Tom nod going on - it's cute!!



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8)

THANK YOU (!) :D



That review must have taken ages to write! 8O



(about my track ... I took a more mellow approach for two reasons:

1. I guessed that most of the other entrants would try to upstage each other with big beats

and

2. my beats suck ;-))

wow!! ace review whirly :D



thanks for taking the time to write it, thats really cool, im sure all the artists appreciate the feedback :)



as for golf sale in wisconsin hahaha well i thought the little acid line sounded like a golf ball going into a hole, as for wisconsin i just had an imge of the guy on oxford street in london holding the 'golf sale' sign up stod in the middle of erm.. wisconsin :-// X-D



dont ask me, i wrote that tune in 2 nights in 6.00am finish sessions ;)

Thanks so much whirly! Your words of encouragement have been taken to heart. :D



I love this CD from start to finish. The cover even smells good. It's very humbling to be included among such quality music. Kudos to all involved!



I love the line on the inside cover "We did it guys!!". 8)

Well, this afternoon I was playing "chemically imbalanced" in my room (at a pretty loud volume....as i always do when im listening to music :P )....But anyways...while the first track was playing, (whirlygirl's "Back To Womb") my mom heard it blasting out of my bedroom. And while I expect her to come and tell me to turn it down, she actually comes into the room and asks "Is this the Chemical Brothers Rob? Because this is just beatiful." I was totally suprised :o . I then explained to her that no it wasnt the chemical brothers, it was actually a song made by an artist who is inspired by the chemical brothers(Mia aka Whirlygirl) And from there I explained to her about the "forum cd" which the song (back to womb) is from.



so long story short whirlygirl.... my mom is a fan of your music ;-) :P :D



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by the way, im really digging chemicalreactions "Level 1" right now...i love the part after the break, where the hard hitting beats kick in.....so sweet 8)



Chemically Imbalanced is still the best album of 2006 so far (IMO)!!!....and i dont see that changing :) you guys did a incredible job! :D

:-// Oh my! I'm really flattered - what a sweet thing for your mom to say!

That reminds me, I still have to get me a creditcard so I can send some dosh over to whoever sent me the cd. It's coming, just hold on to yer mits.

:-| I dont have credit card.

I just got this from the postman... :o

currently playing Mippio - Golf Sale in Wisconsin



the mix betwen tracks is excellent!!!!

mX. Escribi�:

I just got this from the postman... :o

currently playing Mippio - Golf Sale in Wisconsin



the mix betwen tracks is excellent!!!!

yup i love this cd!



why is the topic not a sticky anymore? :?



I was hoping we could get a volume 2 in the works!

volume 2. i am up for it ofcourse. i have some tight beats up my sleeve. :)

And i would still like to know what Ed has to say about the cd!

I'm in for Vol2, unless we want people that didn't get up for Vol1 on there instead? I'd like to go the 4/4 route this time as all the tracks I've been working on for the past four months fit into the acid/tech house genre.

yeah didn't he mentioned that he was gonna listen to it. C'mon miloco2forum we review your shit all the time, i think it's time you return us a favor. :)

Consumer Escribi�:

I'm in for Vol2, unless we want people that didn't get up for Vol1 on there instead? I'd like to go the 4/4 route this time as all the tracks I've been working on for the past four months fit into the acid/tech house genre.

i dont mind repeat artists

I think we need a Vol.2 with more tracks so i�m in! :)

If I get off my duff and actually write anything new, I'd be up for submitting something.



Or another song I submitted that didn't make the vol. 1 cut could be used - whichever, whatever or nothing at all. I'm down. Maybe get some new blood in the mix, newer folks who weren't here the first time around.

WHOHA!

There were a load of people on the original list when this project first came about that fell by the way-side as time went on. In the end it was almost a struggle to get enough contribution, I'd expect a second volume to go the same way.



I'd be up for it, btw - it was such a great thing to be involved in!

Im going to hopefully start useing reason more often, so hopefully i can chip in. Im still up for a jam sometime chemicalfan, r speak soon.