Quality Relaxation

Quality Relaxation
    CHILL TRIBE RECORDS
    Compilation
    Quality Relaxation
    2005

      1. Walk On Air
      ENTHEOGENIC
      2. Fairytale
      ELYSIUM
      3. The Unexpected Visitor (CBL rmx)
      SHULMAN
      4. En Soph
      ISHQ
      5. Missing
      JAIA
      6. Secret Wedding
      CELL
      7. Unpronounced Numbers
      PHASEPHOUR
      8. Dub Connection
      ELYSIUM VS. SPACE CAT
      9. Altitude 1
      ALTITUDES
      10. Wild City
      BLUE PLANET CORPORATION

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When some time ago I began my adventure with the Chill Tribe Records (inter alia from the compilation RELAXED JOURNEYS published in 2006, or EAR PLEASURE from 2007), I did not even think that I would omit probably the best and ironically the first material presented by Norwegian label, dealing with such species as: chillout, dub, downtempo and ambient. Of course I mention the compilation QUALITY RELAXATION from 2005, to which the musical material gathered Per Kristian Slagsvold, better known as PKS, and what’s more – the founder and owner of Chill Tribe Records label.

Broadly speaking, QUALITY RELAXATION in numbers is: 10 tracks, 76 minutes and 48 seconds of music and countless hours of QUALITY RELAXATION. Given the idea and the title of the person compiling the entire album, once again we get a portion of relaxation, as well as in the case of RELAXED JOURNEYS and EAR PLEASURE. It seems to me that with the creation of this CD, PKS has set itself the target of another proposal that each of his record label represented a similar musical and ideological level. I think he meant to relax, unwind, soothe pretentious listener, not allowing him for a moment with the boredom, irritability, feeling sleepy. Relax as an PKS issue is not sleepy, boring tracks and not very interesting artists, it really is resting in full concentration. It’s a bit strange, but the relaxation does not actually allow to rest . For how can I relax when I hear the first seconds of WALK ON AIR Entheogenic, which does not allow me to sit in peace? Probably it’s not proper not to enjoy walking in the air, through the clouds, since I have this opportunity, and the guide is probably one of the most characteristic tracks of Entheogenic? This track I most associate with lush grass, walking in the meadow with my head in the clouds. Elysium FAIRYTALE moves in a fairytale, enchanted, slightly unreal world, with mesmerizing, male vocal at the forefront. And then comes a real rarity, cream of this compilation – a truly masterful duo (well more than a duo). Shulman and Carbon Based Lifeforms – a combination that must give birth to a delicious fruit to eat. Although UNEXPECTED VISITOR is the original track of the group Shulman, in the remix we can hear clearly that the CBL dipped their fingers in it and the track is teeming with Carbon Based Lifeforms’ life. A brilliant track, really UNEXPECTED VISITOR, whose story you can listen for hours. Ishq somewhat reassured by the atmosphere and EN SOPH moves to a place where birds can be heard, and the sun gently warms the cold water flowing in a mountain stream. Jaia introduces a little bit of uncertainty, longing, melancholy, which enhances in the track MISSING a feminine, not intrusive and clear voice with a clear and raised beat. We see that the next stage of this journey is coming with some tension – SECRET WEDDING, which is the leading idea of Cell’s work. When the voltage drops, there are some moments of relaxation, and this is due to the sound, which in turn serve: PhasePhour, Elysium and Space Cat, Altitudes (Blue Planet Corporation and Jaia collaboration) and the Blue Planet Corporation. UNPRONOUNCED NUMBERS is the ideal track for dancing in the chillroom, the melody itself is moving our hips. DUB CONNECTION, ALTITUDE 1 do not draw us out of the dancing state, they even deepen it more so. Blue Planet Corporation WILD CITY is an excellent closure of the entire compilation, here are a huge round of applause for a brilliant sense of PKS in matching tracks to each other, in choosing what will be together comprised a coherent and engaging whole.

At the end, looking at the cover of QUALITY RELAXATION, I see an analogy between its graphics and a state in which the sounds of this compilation bring us. It seems to me that listening to all the material, which PKS has prepared, our emotions decrease a little, they „melt” like ice on the cover. New states, feelings, thoughts that have arisen under the influence of soothing properties of music, reminiscent of awakening a new life, which symbolize the greenish beetle glittering in the sun.
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8.5 / 10
Kasia
English / Polish version