Set 4

Fourth in the Set series of compilations, this release primarily showcases an Israeli spin on the progressive psychedelic sound. Yuli Fershtat of BLT fame has compiled a nice assortment of clean progressive tracks for mid-morning and early evening without sounding hackneyed or overdone. A release with this particular approach is the first for Iboga Records, who have previously kept close to their Danish roots.

Ace Ventura opens the compilation with Cardiac Arrest, featuring an introduction that sets the mood with the sound of a pulsing heart. Here we are taken into the clean plastic sound of Israeli progressive as conjured by Yoni Oshrat, one half of Psysex. The lingering echoed and delayed atmospheres are nicely done, and there are a few simple yet edgy acidic melodies to be found scattered throughout the song. I find it rather dull overall, but it serves as a decent opening track here.

Yuli Fershtat debuts his new project Perfect Stranger with Nobody’s Perfect. I’ll admit I preferred the more progressive-leaning material from his BLT project, but this is all right. Yuli’s mastery of rhythm is largely evident, and the tribal touch is appreciated, but something is missing. I suppose the thing I miss the most is a deeper kick and bass combination—while this is nicely produced it seems to lack some bite.

FREq delivers another solid tune with Lifeline, once again exposing his incredibly rich trademark sound. If you’re like me, pretty much every song from Aren is either good or great. This one is more of the former, though some DJs will find this song particularly useful. In my collection it is one of the very few quality tunes in A# minor, so it becomes useful as a transition track in a harmonically mixed set. Otherwise it isn’t so notable – just the same sort of goodness you should expect from FREq – lush and delicious sounds served over crispy synthetic beats with a great melodic flow.

Yotopia’s Believe is another pumping progressive tune from the Israeli duo – slightly darker and more mysterious than some of their other material, with occasional bursts of light sounds and pleasant melodies. Much like the other songs that have appeared thus far, there is little to impress one’s ears here but the quality of the composition is evident. More decent Israeli progressive that fails to excite without inspiring any concrete dislike.

Sunseek’s Jet Lag is the first peak-time shocker of the compilation. The beats are rough, raw, and dirty; a throbbing bass line is lost amidst the grinding low-end smacks of kick after kick. The atmosphere carries a distinct psychedelic flavour, with plenty of small details for the ear to latch on to. The sound of a jet taking off is well-integrated in many sequences, pushing the track up a level each time it plays through. Sneaky subtle melodies find their way in, and the whole story builds to a wicked understated climax in the very heart of the song. A second build-up later on keeps it rocking, though this latter half isn’t quite as good as the drive of the material in the very middle. Jet Lag is a solid floor-burning progressive psychedelic hit, without a doubt!

Cubica is one half of Frogacult, and Red Out sounds very similar to that group’s work. Lazy beats that are softer and lacking a punch languidly groove along while muddy chords evoke the Danish sound of progressive psy. I’m not the biggest fan of Frogacult on a good day, and this particular song fails to capture my imagination. It sounds like an older song of theirs that I question the wisdom of commercially releasing. If you enjoy minimal sounds perhaps this would appeal.

Aerospace is GuyShanti from Evil Drug Lords, and the song Scatter is an interesting slice of laid-back grooves. The title is a humorous play on the nonsense syllables of the scat singing found at various points in the song. Beat-wise this is quite static and, like all of the Israeli material here, has something of a plastic sound to it. The arrangement of Scatter lends this story a great deal of depth however… light tones form the distinct melody with a sort of film noir feel to them: melancholy and mysterious. The languid themes plays over a sparse percussive arrangement while selectively chosen sounds and noises reverberate into the gloomy distance. Distinct and strangely alluring.

Next up – Pixel vs Ran Shani provide Disco Nection, the most plastic offering of the bunch. The production here is very clean and light, with a focus on the groovy bass line, tribal percussion, and mild electro-influenced atmospheres. Much like the opening track, this one seems to lope along with disinterested grace, never quite reaching a stellar moment. One nice thing can be said about Pixel however – this artist has quite an engaging production style. All the sounds are fresh and come through the speakers loud and clear. I’m sure some readers will like this a lot more than I do.

Saving the best for last, Ground Control from Holland’s Zen Mechanics is a real beauty of a morning anthem. The song opens without an ambient prelude, immediately introducing an irresistible deep kick and some enticing percussive elements with some tribal touches. Floating pads and sinuous melodies are alluded to briefly, then the track drops down to invite the bass line out to play. Two minutes pass as the artist masterfully weaves the first powerful build towards a lovely breakbeat-laden drop. The title sample comes into play now, and it’s actually pilfered from David Bowie’s Space Oddity. Some have disliked this, but I say it sounds great in context, providing the kind of vocal hook that any big anthem needs to reach such status. I’d argue this is one of the finest productions of this style – so very smooth and powerful that it is bound to affect dance floors in a powerful way, while at the same time making for luxurious home listening.

Overall, it’s a competent release showcasing a groovy progressive style that sits somewhere between psychedelic trance and the deeper sounds of groups like Antix. While several of the tracks failed to make much of an impression with me after repeated listening, I suspect this is more to do with taste than the presence of too much filler. The style of some of these tracks was perhaps a little too clean and sterile for my liking. Cubica’s song is the only one I’d actually say is bad – the rest is part of a complete listening experience that should leave one nicely relaxed. Zen Mechanics and Sun Seek steal the show on this compilation – both tracks are excellent, though Ground Control is particularly stunning, as noted. While it isn’t an incredibly great release, it certainly is quality stuff, and every progressive fan should give this one a listen.

Release Data

Title: Set 4
Label: Iboga Records
Format: CD compilation
Released: 2005

Share This

Transmit a Comment

Name (required)

Email (required; never published or spammed)

Web Link/URL (optional)

Check this box to subscribe to the Ektoplazm newsletter for infrequent updates, special promotions, and more.

Check this box to receive an email whenever additional comments are made.