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Alien Artifakts
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The CD is broken down into
25 sections, which vary in length from 1 to 11 tracks each, most of course just
have a track or two of samples to them. In many cases though one feels that because
the source material is so abstract that any tight organisation of the samples
is quite difficult. The samples within each section are listed alphabetically,
though as the sounds and the names in the main bear no resemblance this is of
little importance.
I'm quite sure that users
will get most out of the collection if they treat the collection as a big palette
of sounds. For example I couldn't find any particular difference between samples
in the sections Atmoscapes, Soundtrakz, Themes or Save the Environment. Perhaps
there is some pattern but isn't obvious as it is with many sample CD's.
High So Lows (2 tracks),
the CD kicks off with a few gentle machine like rhythms, wild horn like riffs
and junk Japanese like bells, before drifting off into a noise like shears of
sounds interspersed with distorted vocal like effects over the top, and that's
just the first two tracks....start off as you mean to continue ! We're quickly
onto Machines (2), vaguely machine like sounds, more synth engine than
actual engine based.
Ominuss (2) (not
my spellings !) as you might expect is dark synth textures that would work well
in a "suspense" or "mystery" type setting, several very good
samples here. Atmoscapes (5) is the first of the really long samples,
throughout the samples are quite long, but here we have some at over a minute
mark. All manner of slowly evolving soundscapes of synth and ambient type sounds.
Dark, sinister and alien, to weird sub sonic burblings and echoes. Some very
good examples of creating an atmosphere here.
Soundtraks (2) again
is long samples evolve and mutate through their duration, perhaps about as musical
as the collection gets, there are some vaguely instrumental sounds mixed in here,
though effected well beyond their normal use. Themes (4) carries this
motif on, longer samples, that evolve and move through their duration, quite
complex in places, the first track contains some excellent examples, walls of
sound the move and shimmer as they evolve, though some of the "Twinke"
samples are the first examples of real sonic madness that are real speaker busters,
sonic meanderings with some nasty buzz synth like effects in places.!
Swirlers (2) wizz
around the stereo spectrum, more so than other samples perhaps, though the whole
collection does make very effective use of the stereo effects, hard panned sounds
that evolve and move around the sound stage. Escapers (1) feature some
vaguely siren sounding effects, heavily effected to beat little resemblance to
their original source I am sure, clouded with burbles and washes of sound. Save
the Environment (2) are sounds that bear the faintest similarity to rain,
earth quakes, nature etc, though totally synthetic and effected. More nice "soundscape"
type samples here, probably my favourite section.
Riffers (2) contains
short riffs of sounds and a few chime shimmers, while Basses (2), give
some bass substitutes, some vocal in origin, others the usual abstract digital
synth sounding effects. Slices (1) contain some unusually spartan washes
of sounds and effects and Inspire (1) contains some almost musical little
rhythms/riffs.
Clodhoppers (2) are
more rhythmic samples, arpeggio type effects with industrial type percussive
effects mixed with a few synthetic elements, very good. The shortest section
is Alley (1) just three short spot effects. Nature (1) gives us
some synthetic burblings and shimmers, whist Pads (2) gives a kind of
similar effects but in a more robust manner, perhaps the only part of the collection
that could be played in chords, though very odd ones at that. Scuba (2)
carries on the burbling theme with some bubbling sounds and mysterious sorts
of aquatic sounding tones, some excellent examples as well.
Ri Them Loops (5)
contain fairly simple in structure rhythm loops, though many of the sounds are
synth in origin rather than percussive in nature, with a few vocal effects mixed
in for good measure. Rythems (4) is similar, perhaps contain even more
synthetic elements and even less structure towards a normal loop. Many of both
of these sections would be ideal for layering with more traditional loop elements,
many of them being quite light in sound compared to the walls of sound in some
sections, producing original and usual loops for sure.
Suite F1(1), if you
can imagine an alien orchestra then this is what it might sound like, very good
synthetic orchestral type arrangement. Decrescendoes (1) as you might
expect a few fade out effects.
The last three sections
Huumans (2), Voice (11) & Voicebeat (6) contain voice
like effects distorted and processed to varying degrees, some are spoken words
that one can place quite clearly, others are distorted and mixed with other elements
beyond any form of recognition. Certainly a mixed bag that you might use as pad
like effects or loop elements, down to real weirdness I couldn't possibly think
of a use for !
The overall impression one
gets is of a very well crafted original collection of sounds, sounding very digital
in nature, lots of "Crystal" and "Glass" like synth sounds
and none of the typical analogue synth effects. There is a good balance to the
sounds, a lot of complexity and depth in places, and quite simple structures
in others, quite light sounding "top layers" to dense walls of sound.
Summary & Overall...

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