VA - Utopeak (Peak Records, 2006)

UTOPEAK

1. The Peaking Goddess Collective – Arcadia 1:13 (Intro)
2. Yab Yum – Tits On A Bwwwarhog 8:05 (147 BPM)
3. Shotu Vs Suddha – Osiris 7:49 (146 BPM)
4. Hyper Frequencies – 4 Peak 7:36 (145 BPM)
5. Naked N3xu5 – Mashinen 7:41 (147 BPM)
6. Electrypnose – Defasoul 5:55 (147 BPM)
7. Phonic Request Vs Akhoa – Speed Freak Battle 7:29 (146 BPM)
8. Drumatik – Vampire Empire 6:18 (148 BPM)
9. Digitalist – Jackpot 7:04 (148 BPM)
10. Phobium – Touched By the Glitch 7:38 (146 BPM)
11. Yab Yum – Yabyumski 7:35 (146 BPM)
12. Master Marguerita – Life (Outro)




Almost 2 years have passed since this release; it is an old review, but since I have become a fan of Peak Records music, I decided to review this compilation also.
The artwork (made by Ajja and Tanina Munchkina) is has always very good, in fact a “trademark”, that characterizes this label – something that much labels are abandoning – but Peak keeps high standards in all it’s releases, and it really shows the effort they make to be a successful label; and they are collecting the dividends of the work they make. For sure Peak seems a label to be continuing releasing psychedelic music with great quality, in all aspects.
The 1st track of this compilation, the intro track is by The Peaking Goddess Collective – Arcadia - is its name. It has the following sample:

“Travelling dreamscapes with open eyes
Catching fragments of potential
Behind lids of programmed consciousness
Non-ordinary reality illuminates
The path of understanding
Utopia
Waking to the unchanged
Still believing
Life is more than illusion”

This is also the message you find in the booklet of the CD, and it is always a pleasure to open it, such is the beautifulness you find in there.
Next we move into Tits On A Bwwwarhog, from Yab Yum, the “child” of Ajja Bleu and Dj Gaspard. This track is typical from this project, interesting leads, very nice for warm up sets, it has lots of dynamism; in the overall it is a great opening track for the CD (if we except the 1st track that it is chill-out).
Track nr. º 3 is Osiris, it is a vs. track, between Shotu and Suddha, it doesn’t have many aggressive sounds, or to much twisted ness, it is a rather calm track, simple, without any outstanding moment, but it is very appellative for a dance floor. I liked it very much!
4 Peak is the track by HyperGill, who has released dozens of tracks in dozens of labels, this one totally orientated to night time, acid lines, twisted leads, some hypnotic elements, make this beauty. Another of my favourites! Excellent work by Gilles Beraud.
Track nr. º 5, is another vs. track, this time by the Naked (duo) Tourist and N3xu5. The tune starts with some Portuguese samples, saying “Vocês são todos máquinas”, which basically means “you are all machines” or “mashinen” if you wish. Interesting track, but could have a little bit of more leads to get more effect on the listener.
Vince Le Barde, brings us Defasoul, starts with some spooky notes, and some twilight acid lines, the 1st part of the track remains “calm”, till at 3:30, we have a sudden change of sonorities, and we get this one more pumping, with sounds everywhere. At 4:10, it goes down, letting all the “anger” go, and then at this time, also enters a melody along the effects, to give an interesting mood to the track.
Speed Freak Battle (interesting name for a dance floor), is another vs. track, but now it is between Phonic Request and Akhoa, and once again we have the example that a simple track, with the certain leads and effects, can produce an amazing track. Just love the leads and the “water effect” (drops falling in water) in here. Lots of leads make it very dynamic and not at all boring track! Another favourite.
The Vampire Empire is track nr. º 8.Drumatik who is a regular on Peak releases deliver once again a pumping track, twist, and turn, and module, is everything there, and being 148 bpms makes it one of the fastest tracks on the compilation. It also has some female chanting, not cheesy, and I find it to fit the track very well, gives a friendly atmosphere.
And then we go to another 148 bpms track, Digitalist, with Jackpot, another great track in this compilation, and if I am not mistaken this was the debut from him. And what a hell of a debut track, it doesn’t let you stop for a minute, with lots of layers, very well architectured track! Favourite track of this compilation.
Touched by glitch, is Phobium´s track. We start this one with some metallic voices, and we get this party started, I mean, it doesn’t take long to kick and bass arrive. Only a few months ago I discovered what glitch was, and it is something lot’s of artists use, it is an effect capable of making small brakes in sounds, and you can modulate it with almost infinite variations, I only find boring is the abuse some artist make of it, but in here everything seems very balanced, not to much, not to less. The sounds used are Phobium´s trademark, and I bet if you know his work, you almost automatically would associate this track with him. Nice track.
And we are almost in the end of the CD, the 10th track is another by Yab Yum, and this one is called Yabyumski. Calmer than Tits track, and more hypnotic, then it’s predecessor. The leads are typical Yab Yum, which I really enjoy this formulae of them.
And now we reach the final/outro track, Master Marguerita who released an album this year also in Peak Records. An excellent way to end this CD.
To conclude this review I just want to say, it is a pleasure to review music released by Peak records, take this review for example, the CD has almost 2 years and I still find fresh and interesting music in it. It really shows Peak choose very well its artists and music. Once again if you are Peak fan, get this oldie.
Ps: in the booklet Peak wrote the following message to all freaks out there: “Utopeak is dedicated to peace warriors and lovers – past, living, unborn – whom against all odds wake up to the dream”.

A3