Diffusion [Import]

Diffusion [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Full title 'Classical Renaissance Diffusion Vol. 1.' The brainchild of two of London's leading remixers and the team behind the massively successful Introspective and Retrospective of House compilation series. Being the first credible fusion of classical and dance music, this superbly executed project has garnered a wealth of accolades from the likes of Pete Tong, Judge Jules and other famous DJs. This groundbreaking package has enormous crossover potential, as an essential piece of quality home listening as well as a powerhouse of potential cl

Tracks:

Lands Of Fire
It Generates
Imposter
Appetite
Guide On Raging Stars
68
No One Left TO Lose
Hell's Coming With Me
Intercede Light
You're The Delivered One

Product Description

Taking elements of rock, glitch, retro-flavored-synth music, and coloring it with a decidedly melodic worldview, Iris is a band that's hard to classify. The new album, "Wrath", is the latest signpost in the Iris story - a record which is energetic, complex, and emotional.

Customer Reviews:

disappointing!.......2007-07-08

Disconnect is one of my fave albums ever, so hopes were extremely high for this one, which is why I m all the more disappointed with Wrath- it just sounds so generic, like a million other Depeche Mode wannabes. The production has nothing of the shimmering quality of their Debut, it sounds clunky and heavy, and it is not helped by the unmemorable songs; like other people said in their reviews, I m hard pressed to find even one song that I like.
I wish Iris all the success in the world, they have the potential to be an amazing band, and an important one to boot, but this direction just seems wrong- they went from being really special and unique to "just another synthrock band" in the space of an album.

Very good album.......2006-05-31

After waiting about 2 years for a new album , it does not disappoint! After listening to this album I have to say that it continues right where Awakening left off. Wrath is more edgier with added guitars to the music. I would love to see a re-mix album of Wrath done by Iris , however with SYNTHS ONLY PLEASE!

Excellent........2006-04-18

The dymanic dual deliver the gods for the 3 time. After their last album (awakening), i fell in love with them . I really couldn't wait for them to release this one , and they didn't disappoint. I have to admit that I needed a couple of good listenings before realising how good this album is , but finally it hit me. These guys are really good. Highly recommended to anyone who appriciates good music.

Getting a bit too familiar, though the guitars help.......2006-04-10

I was wondering where Iris were going to go after writing what seemed like most of the songs that could be written within their basic formula. Where they went was to add a lot more guitar to the mix -- thereby annoying a few synth purists, but I think it works for them. I'm rounding my 3 1/2 star impression up on that basis.

On the downside, just as an Everclear song is instantly recognizable as an Everclear song, an Iris song remains instantly identifiable as an Iris song. If you were to strip out the lyrics, you'd never know that "No One Left To Lose" wasn't a remix of "Hell's Coming With Me," or vice versa. Iris have their hands firmly wrapped around the throats of a select few chord changes and apparently can't be pried away from them for love or money. This is not necessarily a bad thing: if you like those chord changes, as I do, this album will be pleasant to your ears, and maybe a very good thing to crank up and sing along with on a late-night drive. What it isn't is groundbreaking, especially compared to what, say, Mesh are doing these days.

wrong direction.......2006-03-17

This album is trapped somewhere between angry rock and dance synthpop, and it really doesn't work. The songs blend too much, with none really standing out when it's all over. It lacks any standout singles as well. It's like Iris is trying to remake Songs of Faith and Devotion.

Average customer rating:

very techno, but really good
Great production, but the songwriting needs work.
This is your awakening call !
synth music lover
Good Stuff!

Awakening
Iris
Manufacturer: Diffusion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Disconnect
Wrath
Reconnect
Subkutan
Compuphonic

ASIN: B00009KDLA
Release Date: 2003-05-01

Tracks:

Whatever
When I'm Not Around
Sentimental Scar
Sorrow Expert
You're the Answer
In Spite
Vacant
Wait Move On
Island

Album Description

After almost 4 years since their last album, IRIS finally returns in 2003 with their new record, "Awakening". The first full-length release from the band since 1999's "Disconnect", "Awakening" showcases the band's evolution into a modern electro-pop force. Vocalist/songwriter Reagan Jones has created a work of passionate, intense songs that recall the heyday of synth-driven pop. New member Andrew Sega (The Alpha Conspiracy) takes over production duties for this record, and brings elements of IDM and electro to the pop mix, creating an evocative, modern sound. Instrumentally, the record covers diverse ground, ranging from pulsing beat-driven anthems to dreamlike, textured ballads. The disc also includes an electrifying version of the Seven Red Seven classic, "You're the Answer".

Customer Reviews:

very techno, but really good.......2007-06-08

I'm not a techno music fan generally speaking, but this has some really good music. I don't know what to compare it to, but it's good stuff.

Great production, but the songwriting needs work........2007-02-10

One day, vocalist Reagan Jones replaced all the other members of his band Iris with electronica producer Andrew Sega. It was a brilliant move. Sega might be the most talented producer working today. In the mid-to-late nineties, under the name of Necros, he composed some of the best, most creative electronic music of all time. In 2001, he opened his own label, Diffusion Records, and released two albums under the name The Alpha Conspiracy. Awakening is the second Iris album, but it's the first to be recorded after Sega joined.

Sega's work on this album is excellent. In some ways, it's a dream come true for fans of his earliest work who dreamed that Necros would one day join a full-fledged band and break into the mainstream. In fact, the music in Awakening is similar to his sound in those days: strong and energetic, but very clean, without dissonance. The opening chords of "Whatever" could have come from any one of his MODs. That song and many others begin with a gentle, slow part that suddenly bursts into a big, expansive, melodic rush. In "Sorrow Expert," for instance, the rush is created using many fast, droning electronic keyboard notes, which seem to shimmer as they ring against one another. Sega also uses guitars sometimes, creating the right dramatic tension in the chorus of "Whatever."

It makes me wish there were more. The album contains few instrumental stretches, and thus few powerful riffs like in "Martian Lovesong" from the first Alpha Conspiracy album or "Wishing Never" from the second. Sega is mostly relegated to providing a rhythmic backing favourable to the voice of Reagan Jones. He does a superb job of it. For instance, when Jones carries a long note in "You're The Answer," Sega cushions his vocals in droning distortion and echo, creating the energetic feel that Jones was undoubtedly going for.

But Jones is meant to be the star. He's a competent singer. He doesn't strain his voice too much, and displays some theatrical charisma. Most of the songs have some inventive rhythmic structure for the lyrics, along with big choruses that are repeated many times for the full radio-friendly effect. They could have easily released four or five singles off the album; in particular "Whatever," "Sorrow Expert" or even "When I'm Not Around" could have been huge successes.

The problem lies in Jones's lyrics, which consist of sincere, earnest and impenetrably vague exhortations. Anyone can write an Iris song. All you need to do is come up with some combination of emotive general phrases like "I," "you," "pain," "everything," "meaning," "this way," "this life," and then abuse the pronoun "it" without explaining what you're referring to, e.g. "find a way to make it better."

Jones also writes awkward things in order to make his lyrics fit the rhythm. In "Whatever," he says, "Last night I had a once-in-a-life understanding of all / I'd tell you but it doesn't mean a thing." Indeed it doesn't, and furthermore, "once-in-a-life" and "understanding of all" sound clumsy. In "Sentimental Scars," he says, "Pain is a wonderful emotion." It's odd to describe pain as an emotion. "Sensation" would have been more accurate, though it wouldn't have rhymed. The opening lines of "Unknown" are "I understand but I don't listen / Too perfect school for this tuition," which is so garbled that I can't tell what he's trying to say. And so on.

The word "pain" occurs frequently in Iris lyrics. Jones is forthright about his pain. In "Sorrow Expert," he announces, "I'm just a sorrow expert now / The more I love, the more I drown." It's a great pop chorus, made even better by Sega's terrific instrumentation. It's also very self-obsessed. But his lyrics are like that, focused exclusively on himself and his feelings, though occasionally addressed to some nebulous, faceless "you." In "Sentimental Scars," he concludes his discourse on pain with the modest admission, "I can tell you I've been there, man / And pain is a wonderful emotion." And in "You're The Answer," he professes sympathy towards "you," on the grounds that "it's hard for you to breathe" and "you don't know what you need." He then offers the following utterly vacuous counsel: "Don't let them take away your dreams / You're the answer."

He delivers these lines with perfect sincerity. His voice sighs, trembles in all the right places. It goes to lower notes in order to affect a tone of world-weary resignation, like in "Whatever" when he says, "I hesitate to ask / A second of your time to tell you how / I came to be so hard on all of us." He's simultaneously wise, worldly, and sensitive. In a way, it's impressive.

Consider "Island," the last song. With Sega's subtle, detailed rhythm track in the background, Jones implores "you" to accompany him to the titular island so he can show you something. Of course he doesn't say what it is. It's just "my dream" and "something you might like." Then, in the chorus, he emotes, "I can feel it now / Oh the place I pray you'll see," with a breathy falsetto on "pray you'll see." There is nothing in these romantic effusions that remotely resembles any kind of real interaction between people. Nothing sensual, nothing carnal or dangerous, not a trace of anything so realistic. If you know a dreamy high-school girl who writes poetry in her notebook, buy this album for her. She'll love it.

You get the point. The album sounds great. It's very enjoyable to listen to, but it's also somewhat superficial. If you're able to ignore the lyrics while enjoying the sound, by all means buy it. If not, maybe Aura by The Alpha Conspiracy would be a better choice.

This is your awakening call !.......2005-10-28

To all you synthpop fans out there , who haven't hearded yet of "Iris". this album offers a different sound from their debut album (disconnect) , a more mature one. they've also addes few guitars riffs th this one - and made this one even better than
"disconnect". all the songs here are very good.

synth music lover.......2005-10-21

I absolutely love this album. Im so glad their is music out there like iris. If you like cause & effect you should buy anything by Iris. This album Is one of my favorite new albums. Iris is the best new synth band out there. Some of the new synth music has horrible voices. This guy can sing. The music is awesome.The song Island is beautiful. Also some of the new synth music that people are lumping into this category with iris is just plain horrible. I put these guys up with de/vision mesh and old school synth like depeche mode camouflage..

Good Stuff!.......2005-10-09

I'll make this simple. Do you like Cause & Effect? Depeche Mode? Toad the Wet Sprocket? Then this is the band for you! The lead singer has a sexy deep voice, not unlike Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode and the guys from Cause & Effect. This is a great album - it makes you want to get up and dance! Every song is great and has catchy hooks. I am a big fan of Seven Red Seven and purchased this album from Amazon because Iris does a fantastic cover of "You're the Answer." Go ahead and buy this album - I know you will enjoy it!

Average customer rating:

-+-
We'll be waiting with bated breath...
Quality Production
Good but not his best work
One-man electronic experiment

Aura
The Alpha Conspiracy
Manufacturer: Diffusion Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Forward Rewind
Cipher
Awakening
Wrath

ASIN: B0001M1KM4
Release Date: 2004-03-15

Tracks:

Wishing Never
Close
Crush Terminology
Defend Yourself
Accelerating (feat. J Ned Kirby)
Awake
72 Hours
Waterfall
Bip Neuro
Rtyu
Scarlet

Album Description

2004 brings us the second release from the electronica project The Alpha Conspiracy. "Aura" is a complex, textured record, which combines elements of many electronica styles (IDM, trip-hop, nu-breaks, industrial) into a moody, powerful whole. Following the path laid down by such bands as Underworld, Plaid, and Meat Beat Manifesto, "Aura" is an exploration of the boundary between pop structure and abstract, rhythmic, soundscapes.

Track 5, "Accelerating", features a collaboration, with J. Ned Kirby of the industrial/hip-hop collective Stromkern providing vocals.

Customer Reviews:

-+-.......2006-03-18

From the amazing entrance of Wishing Never followed closely by the Pop addiction of close, the alpha conspiracy has created an almost masterpiece. From my personal view the cd should of stopped at city of ruin for everything past makes the whole album seems like it could drag.
The songs that are strangly addictive make the entire purchase worthwhile, definatly something that needs to emerge from the underground

We'll be waiting with bated breath..........2005-03-23

"Wishing Never" reminds me of Necros' old days, although I'm not sure why, because I can't think of any specific songs that I could compare it to. Maybe it's the atmosphere; the song starts in a subdued tone, uncertain and plaintive, and then charges into the most anthemic keyboard riff anyone's written in the last ten years. It has all the energy of a rock song, it's as danceable as any techno track, and it has a powerful, yearning feel. The Alpha Conspiracy's second album couldn't possibly be off to a better start.

"Close," the first vocal track, opens with another terrific keyboard riff, with a sweeping, panoramic air. I'd release it as the album's first single, if I were in charge of such matters. Comparisons to "Winter," from the band's first album Cipher, practically write themselves here; the vocals are similarly distorted, but, although I personally like "Winter" more, Necros' singing style - his flow, if you will - is more original on "Close," and I wouldn't mind hearing him sing through a whole album that way. I thought, strangely enough, that he sounds kind of like Tim Skold from KMFDM in the chorus, but in the verses, his voice is more powerful (or just better produced) than Skold's.

"Accelerating" is the only other vocal track, but the vocals there are by one J. Ned Kirby, of a band called Stromkern, which I am unfamiliar with. It's even more reminiscent of KMFDM, because Kirby seems to be trying to sound like En Esch, and uses a similar style of hoarse shout-singing. This approach has two drawbacks. First, En Esch actually doesn't try that hard; his laid-back drawl enables him to sound menacing without yelling. Second, The Alpha Conspiracy is a far less musically aggressive band than KMFDM, and the instrumental backing of "Accelerating" consists of melodic keyboard lines, cushioned in distortion, that don't really fit Kirby's voice. So, the song sounds really weird, and sticks out on the album, but hey, it's all in good fun.

The production on Aura is very impressive. Instead of turning up the speed of the drums to its maximum level, Necros uses recognizable electronica and rock rhythms, but adds in lots of flourishes in between the main kick-snare patterns. He does a similar thing with the melodies; "72 Hours" plays the same basic guitar riff for its entire duration, but, when necessary, a counter-melody comes in in between repetitions of the riff, and new layers are added onto the riff itself. The percussion has a tough, gritty sort of sound (the snares are loud, the high-hats hiss sharply), but with deliberately mechanical fuzz and drone. Nonetheless, the melodies are as clean and beautiful as ever, though they're imbued with more energy. Unfortunately, if you play the album on a stereo with powerful subwoofers, the best melodic parts can get stifled by the already prominent rhythm section.

The problem with the album is that, like on Cipher, the songs still don't comprise a coherent theme; "Wishing Never" creates dramatic tension and establishes feelings of motion and anxiety, and "Close" amplifies them further, but then they just stop short, because the next track is an unhurried, mid-tempo groove without the same kind of intense emotion. Likewise, the bluster of "Accelerating" is followed by "Awake," a formless sort of track that sounds pleasant enough but interrupts the dramatic progression. "City of Ruin" and "Defend Yourself" pretty much stay in place, too.

Despite all that, though, even the weaker tracks have something going for them. Tell me, who among Necros' contemporaries, what new bands of this decade, can use glitches to turn a simple synthesizer drone into a catchy melody, using abrupt stops for rhythm, like in "Crush Terminology"? Or heavily distort vocal samples until the words are unintelligible, then use them to evoke a tender, wistful atmosphere, like in "Waterfall"? Or produce a generic jangly guitar as an electronic instrument, giving it an alien, ringing sound, like in "Accelerating"? What about that swelling orchestral murmur in the background of "City of Ruin," which begs to take the lead, but never does? And those are the lesser songs. "Bip Neuro" is a superb bit of machine-funk, in which catchy, even playful-sounding rhythms are matched with bass that has a cold, artificial snarl. "Scarlet" is a short vignette, in which the album quiets down to a low, worried drone, while a woman's voice whispers something in Japanese; it sounds very enigmatic and alluring.

So, this isn't a perfect album, but it is an edgy and inventive one, and it's quite a step up from Cipher. If this trend continues, the next album will be the masterpiece that I've always dreamed Necros would make. The Alpha Conspiracy is poised to become the first great electronic band of this decade. When that happens, remember, you read it here first.

Quality Production.......2004-09-01

I wasn't sure how to approach this album based on the previous reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good it is. It really is a highly polished, quality production with great attention to detail.

The experimental electronic sounds with non pop/rock voicings and progressions are inlaid over some nice breaks making it fairly easy to understand from a "groove" standpoint. The compositions are very technical, intricate, and detailed, yet quite harmonic with some fairly emotive progressions and phrasings (I guess that has been Andy Sega's trademark all along since the early days). This album is something that needs a few listens to pick up all the details.

Couldn't disagree with the first reviewer more on "Accelerating." It took a bit to get into it because it is a departure from the other songs, but the hard, angsty singing in the pop structure really grabs you by the second half. The song is pretty wicked.

The progression from the last album is very evident and almost all the songs are fully developed in a thematic sense. If you want to branch out a little, this album is not just something different....it's something really good!

Good but not his best work.......2004-07-06

I have been listening to Andrew Saga (aka Alpha Conspiracy) for 10 years and I definetly consider him one of the top people to emerge from the underground "demoscene" to CD produced work. I can say he has something that very few musicians has when it comes to making electro music, he has a style that feels like soaring and often writes interesting chords and melodies. While this CD is very well made, there isn't many tracks I would considered memorable. If you're a Alpha Conspiracy fan than the album and am very picky about your music than the album is barely worth checking out. If you're not as picky and just would like some good IDM style stuff to listen to then this album is a good buy. I will give a song by song review.

1. Wishing Never [3:44] - This is by far the best track on the album as it has the most interesting composition and something that my ears really like to follow. It is an instrumental and very upbeat. Perhaps Andrew is aware of the quality of the track and put it first to give a good first impression, unfortunately the rest of the album doesn't really hold a candle up to this and the next track.

2. Close [3:36] - This is also a decent track and it also has good singing. Another complex tune my ears like following and I could easily give both this tune, and the previous track 5 stars.

3. Crush Terminology [5:03] - This instrumental has a dancy beat and various trippy synths popping in as well as some soaring type synths that I really enjoy. Easily a 4 star song.

4. Defend Yourself [4:46] - This song has a harder edge than his other tunes that really gives me a side to side feeling. There is some voxed vocal work in this tune that works well here and stays right on the line of audible enough to understand what is being said and so voxed you can't understand it.

5. Accelerating [4:40] - I put this tune as the lowest point of the album. It's well made but mildly interesting IDM type beats and synth with some kind of attempt at industrial-like singing. I guess you can say it's something out of KMFDM although not as good both in effect work on the voice and it's lack of simply being interesting. Hopefully Andy does not attempt to use vocal work like this again as I wasn't impressed.

6. Awake [5:31] - Another upbeat song but this time instrumental. Some dreaming chords roll down at you with some quick drum hit percussion work. A decent song but compared to some of Andy's previous work (both on this album and his history) this song is good but nothing amazing.

7. 72 Hours [4:16] - An upbeat song that doesn't go anywhere nor change throughout the tune. Well made but yet, very boring.

8. Waterfall [4:36] - A song with drum tracks a bit on the experimental side which is refreshing as the album has a bit of a cookie cutter feel to it. I can definitely see Andy is using the same formula to concoct all his tracks. While it's a very good formula it also means that many of the songs sound too similar, style wise, at times. Otherwise nothing memorable about this track either.

9. City of Rain [4:53] - Another track with synths that kind of rain down on you in a relaxing kind of way. Some minor changes throughout the song but nothing special here either.

10. Bip Neuro [3:26] - Well at least this is a song offering something different to this album. A very low bassy synth comes in and gives you an urge to move. A decent track but for Andy, I would consider this track a minimal for his work but compared to a couple of the other songs, it's unfortunately one of the better ones for the album.

11. RTYU [3:04] - Another cookie cutter tune here but it does have some cut up vocal work with echoes adding a dreamier effect than some of the other tunes have. IT's a decent track overall as I feel this is the better part of his dreamy work, but still nothing so special in it that you'll be itching to hear it later.

12. Scarlet [2:24] - A very mild and slower tune which lacks any percussion work. Near the start there are some Japanese (?) vocal work. Nothing you'll itch to hear later but not a bad track either.

One-man electronic experiment.......2004-04-13

Compared to Alpha Conspiracy's previous album, the debut album "Cipher", "Aura" is a lot easier to aproach. This is mainly because the songs are a lot more alike and they form the whole better. Aura knows where it's headed but still suprises you and leaves mysterious blank areas to be thinked over.
Anyway,it takes a bit more time to get into the music than with many other electro-pop artists, but the emotions that you might get are definedly worth it. Aura is a positive but not carefree album. It consists of light and crisp arrangements, newageish but upbeat pop melodies and breaked drums (thanks to them by the way, the music is now also a lot more groovy than on previous AC-release). The way Andrew Sega aka Alpha Conspiracy uses vocals might not please everyone - there's no dsp-free vocal on this album, although the vocals are mainly brought up clearer than on Cipher. Especially on Accelerating, where Ned Kirby of Stromkern feats., overuse of effects bothers a bit. But only few tracks have vocals at all. This is mainly a synth-instrumental album, with exelent production that has weird & naive charm without being careless or unprofessional. Altough when thinking commercially, AC:s arrangements truly suck - but for many people today, this might be just a positive thing. Wanna hear a new way to produce pop? Here it is.
Aura is very welcome electronic experiment indeed where electro, breaks & pop collide in a dreamy, yet fresh way. Recommended for the friends of electronic, more melody orientated music in general. For moments where you just want to float arround, chill a bit but not too much in order to be ready for any challenge ahead. Emotional and inspiring album.

Average customer rating:

The best Villa Lobos available
Historic
It was okay in the early days when V-L was unrecorded
For Villalobos Fans Only

Villa-Lobos par lui-même
Heitor Villa-Lobos , Orchestre National de la Radio diffusion Française , French Radio Choir , Fernand Benedetti , Victoria de Los Angeles , René Alix , Louis Martini , Maria Kareska , Manoel Braune , Fernand Dufrene , Orchestre de la Radio France , Rene Plessier , Maurice Cliquennois , Aline Van Barentzen , Henri Branschwak , Magda Tagliaferro , and Felicia Blumental
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Octets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Villa-Lobos: Choros 1-7
Villa-Lobos: Forest of the Amazon

ASIN: B000002SBL
Release Date: 1991-04-05

Tracks:

Descobrimento do Brasil: Premiere Suite: Introducao - Alegria
Descobrimento do Brasil: Deuxieme Suite: Impressao Moura (Cancao)
Descobrimento do Brasil: Deuxieme Suite: Adagio sentimental
Descobrimento do Brasil: Deuxieme Suite: Cascavel
Descobrimento do Brasil: Troisieme Suite: Impressao Iberica
Descobrimento do Brasil: Troiseme Suite: Festa nas selvas
Descobrimento do Brasil: Troiseme Suite: Ualaloce
Descobrimento do Brasil: Quatrieme Suite: Procissao da Cruz (Visao dos Navegantes)
Descobrimento do Brasil: Quatrieme Suite: Primeira Missa no Brazil
Invocacao em defesa da Patria

Tracks:

Bachianas Brasileiras No. 1, pour ensemble de violoncelles: I. Introduction (Embolada)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 1, pour ensemble de violoncelles: II. Prelude (Modinha)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 1, pour ensemble de violoncelles: III. Fugue (Conversa)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2, pour orchestre: I. Prelude (Canto do capadocio)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2, pour orchestre: II. Aria (Canto da nossa terra)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2, pour orchestre: III. Danse (Lembranca do Sertao)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2, pour orchestre: IV. Toccata (O Trenzinho do Caipira)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 3 pour piano et orchestre: I. Prelude (Ponteio)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 3 pour piano et orchestre: II. Fantaisie (Devaneio)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 3 pour piano et orchestre: III. Aria (Modinha)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 3 pour piano et orchestre: IV. Toccata (Picapau)

Tracks:

Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4, pour orchestre: I. Prelude (Introducao)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4, pour orchestre: II. Choral (Canto do Sertao)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4, pour orchestre: III. Aria (Cantiga)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4, pour orchestre: IV. Danse (Miudinho)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 pour soprano et 8 violoncelles: I. Aria (Cantilena)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 pour soprano et 8 violoncelles: II. Danse (Martelo)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 6 pour flute et basson: I. Aria (Choro)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 6 pour flute et basson: II. Fantaise
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 7 pour orchestre: I. Prelude (Ponteio)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 7 pour orchestre: II. Gigue (Quadrilha Caipira)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 7 pour orchestre: III. Toccata (Desafio)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 7 pour orchestre: IV. Fugue (Conversa)

Tracks:

Bachianas Brasileiras No. 8, pour orchestre: I. Prelude
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 8, pour orchestre: II. Aria (Modinha)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 8, pour orchestre: III. Toccata (Catira Batida)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 8, pour orchestre: IV. Fugue
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 9, pour archestre a cordes: Prelude (vagaroso e mistico) et fugue (poco apressado)
Choros No. 2, pour flute et clarinette
Choros No. 5, pour piano 'Alma Brasileira'
Choros No. 10 'Rasga o coracao', pour choeur et orchestre
2 Choros (bis), pour violon et violoncelle: I. Modere
2 Choros (bis), pour violon et violoncelle: II. Lent

Tracks:

Choros No. 11, pour piano et orchestre: I. Premiere partie
Choros No. 11, pour piano et orchestre: II. Deuxieme partie
Choros No. 11, pour piano et orchestre: III. Troisieme partie
Qu'est-ce qu'um Choros? (Villa-Lobos parle)

Tracks:

Momoprecoce, Fantasia pour piano et orchestre sur le carnaval des enfants bresiliens
Concerto No. 5, pour piano et orchestre: Allegro non troppo
Concerto No. 5, pour piano et orchestre: II. Poco adagio
Concerto No. 5, pour piano et orchestre: III. Allegretto scherzando
Concerto No. 5, pour piano et orchestre: IV. Allegro
Symphonie No. 4 'A Victoria': I. Allegro impetuoso
Symphonie No. 4 'A Victoria': II. Andante
Symphonie No. 4 'A Victoria': III. Lento
Symphonie No. 4 'A Victoria': IV. Allegro (avec fanfare)

Customer Reviews:

The best Villa Lobos available.......2006-03-24

About the album : this is the best recording available in the market. Conducted by the own Villa , this is a historic recording , plent of brightness. Perfect remasterized.

About Amazon.con : fast and reliable mail service. stuffs have arrived good packaged and factory sealed. Great service

Historic.......2004-01-31

Opposite Rio de Janeiro's small Villa Lobos museum -- in what was his last home -- is a modern apartment building. Its name is Edificio Sebastiao Bach. VL would have loved it: he adored Bach above all other composers. Hence the 'Bachianas Brasilieras' (which, however, owe little to Bach beyond their joy in sound and intricacy in structure).

What previous reviewers have said is true. The sound on these disks is abominable. A much better job could be done -- and should have been done -- of remastering the originals. That won't happen unless there's a sudden renewal of interest in the music of this Brazilian master.

Further, the the performances -- and the composer's conducting -- are generally lackluster. Still, any VL lover should not be without this set. Toscanini no doubt did a better job with Brahms's symphonies. But who wouldn't give his soul for a recording of Brahms himself conducting the four of them?

One special recommendation: the 'Choros' stand close to the summit of VL's art, more so than the BBs. A dance not a choral form, the 'choro' is both universally appealing and quintessentially Brazilian.

It was okay in the early days when V-L was unrecorded.......2003-09-25

This set comprises a huge array of Villa-Lobos' works conducted by himself and, sorry to say, none too well. He seems to lack the sensitivity other interpreters can bring to his work - he's far from alone in this situation - many composers have fallen into the same trap. The textures are thick, the sound cluttered (mono it might be but surely the engineers could have done better?) and the music simply lacks the excitement of which it is capable to no small degree. In part, the orcehstra is barely capable of performing such music. Stravinsky was one thing - Villa-Lobos' internal rhythmic complexity and stubbornly awkward manuscript writing is something aside. He did not always notate in the simplest way.

Probably the best item in the set is the "Discovery of Brazil Suite". At least it received an audience and was not re-recorded until very recently. Some of the Bachianas have been handled better by others but at least this recording was a first complete set. Only the No. 5 was otherwise known.

I have to confess that if I'd encountered Villa-Lobos through these performances I doubt I'd have followed through. Thankfully I came in via the accomplished and brilliant performance of his Quintette en forme de Choros by the New York Wind Quintet. Later, I encountered the LPs of the "Discovery of Brazil Suite", credible but flat, compared with other recordings appearing around the same time. Compare, for instance, his own 1958 recording of Forest of the Amazon in which he shows how well he can conduct if he tries, not to forget the superb hi-fi stereo recording that really let light and air into the performance.

Nonetheless, I bought this set on the strength of price and to have the "Discovery" Suite on CD, along with a couple of his Bachianas. I would not recommend these discs as an introduction to the composer. Do not be tempted by its modest price!

For Villalobos Fans Only.......2000-05-01

There is one reason and one reason only to buy this box set of historical recordings made by Villalobos himself in the 1950s: a fanatic admiration for the works of this composer. But you should know that if you love this music, you should be prepared to buy other, more recent, recordings of these works. These are mono recordings, and the sound textures you expect from this composer are therefore muddled and flattened (the beautiful Choros No. 2 is the biggest victim here, which sounds so flat that you will miss the playful contrasts between the flute and the clarinet). You should also know that Villalobos is not a great conductor, but the lack of precision in the playing is often compensated by the emotional weigth he gives to his performances (he appears to have been a crowd pleaser). There are many pleasures, however, and I listen to disc number 3, which includes the Bachianas Brasileiras 4-7 so often that it has become a soundtrack to my life. Bachianas 4 and 7 deserve more listeners. The famous Bachiana Brasileira No. 5 included in this set, is sung by Victoria de los Angeles beautifully, but this performance is also available in a single CD anthology. I am giving this set three stars: one for the historic importance of these EMI records, one for the affordability and completeness of the box set itself (it is a bargain at $6 per CD), and one for the emotional significance of hearing these performances conducted by Villalobos (I am a Latin American and this music fills me with both pleasure and pride).

Average customer rating:

Not the best Arabic compilation
Arabesque

London Global Connection: Arabesque
MC Sultan , Tranquility Bass , Natacha Atlas , Stereo MC's , Omar Faruk Tekbilek , Gnawa Diffusion , Hamid Baroudi , Radar , Cheb Mami , and Khaled
Manufacturer: Restless Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

World Dance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00006J3ZG
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Tracks:

Der Bauch - MC Sultan
Cantamilla - Tranquility Bass
Kidda - Natacha Atlas
Fever (Steve Hillage Remix) - Stereo MC's
Shashkin (Hefner Remix) - Omar Faruk Tekbilek
Istikhbar (Prelude) & Ombre Elle - Gnawa Diffusion
Ya Rayah (Bi Polar Remix) - Dahmane El Harrachi
Valencia - Rachid Taha
Sirocco - Christophe Goze
Shashkin - Omar Faruk Tekbilek
Caravane - Radar
Parisien Du Nord - Cheb Mami
Wahrane - Khaled
Desert Roots - Hamid Baroudi

Customer Reviews:

Not the best Arabic compilation.......2004-11-28

I like this album significantly less than the other Arabic compilations I have, such as Indestructible Arabian Beats, Arabic Groove, Arabian Travels 2, and Bellylicious. There are some good tracks on here, but some of the tracks have a flavor I don't care for, although I'm not sure how to describe why. Some seem to have a kind of jazz sound that I don't like very much, others just don't seem to jump out at me much. And the songs I like the best, I also have on other albums; in fact, the songs even sound better on the other albums because of the sequencing (which emphasizes the importance of sequencing!). For example, this album has "Kidda" by Natacha Atlas, possibly my favorite Middle Eastern song, but the song is much better surrounded by the tracks it is on Putumayo Records' compilation entitled Arabic Groove. The song "Ya Rayah" is included on here, as well as being included on probably four other compilation albums I have. At least this one is a remixed version I've not heard anywhere else, but it's not a particularly compelling remix.

The overall sound of this album is definitely different from the other Arabic music compilations I have. The compiler of this album runs a restaurant and club in London, and this music sounds like a kind of club music. In fact, the album has more of a club feel than an Arabic feel, but not a dance-beat club feel. I don't know how else to describe it. It doesn't hit me like the other albums do, but when I want to hear some Middle Eastern flavored club music different from what I normally listen to, it fits the bill.

By the way, Amazon.com also sells the import version of this for twice the price, with the only difference being that the import version has one more song.

Arabesque.......2004-09-28

I love this CD. You won't be able to stop dancing. Sexy and exciting. A must for music lovers, bellydancers and DJ types.

Average customer rating:

Melted Skies and Lucid Dreams
Pretty Damn Good.
A classic little gem for this decade of glitch kids

Rawq
Kilowatts , and Vanek
Manufacturer: Diffusion Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Routes
Problem/Solving

ASIN: B0008EJZ0O
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

Lies
End of Time
Kaleidoscopean Eyes
Move Erratic
Conviction
Nighthawks
Silver Screen (Director's Cut)
Tumblin Down
Waiting Room
Salt
Gone

Product Description

Rawq is the first album from the unlikely collaboration of Belgian singer/songwriter Peter Vanek and experienced IDM wizard Jamie Watts (KILOWATTS). Licensed from Holophon (Germany) for North American release, Rawq is a cutting-edge mixture of glitch-pop, guitar virtuosity, and enchanting songs. Connected by mutual friends, and separated by an ocean, KILOWATTS AND VANEK set out to create on Rawq entirely by trading files over the internet. Amazingly, they succeeded and brilliantly. While Vanek is mostly influenced by artists such as Nick Drake, Ryan Adams, and LAMB, KILOWATTS brings elements reminiscent of AUTECHRE, DNTEL, and STYROFOAM. Full of candid daydreaming, enigmatic confessions, and fairytale-like romanticism, Rawq could very well be the perfect Poptronica album. Solid beats, smeared granular textures, and haunting melodies all effortlessly combine with Vaneks guitar compositions to produce a profoundly listenable mixture. Presented in a 6-panel digipak, newly remastered for perfect audio clarity, with artwork by Kari Altmann. Released on Diffusion Records - http://www.diffusionrecords.com.

Customer Reviews:

Melted Skies and Lucid Dreams.......2006-10-22

Rawq creates melodies with edgy textures you can fall into and still remain fully awake and intrigued with the lyrics. You can lose yourself in poetic daydreams or stand amazed on the shore of this album.

I like the heartfelt honesty in "End of Time" where Jamie Watts' artistic electronica blends effortlessly with Peter van Ewijk's lyrics. "Silver Screen" seems to be a mirror of the lyrics in "lies."

The entire album is an inner journey that seems born of opposing forces and longings to solve the unsolvable mysteries of existence. One force seems to be calling you inside and the other leading you to escape the silence.

"Gone" is stunning and Vanek's intoxicating voice invites you to lose yourself in his lucid dreams. Vanek has a mysterious presence that inspires you to desire more albums, more albums! I could listen to him singing forever...

~The Rebecca Review

Pretty Damn Good........2005-05-07

I'm not much of a fan for "synth pop", but this release stands out. I am somewhat familiar with KiloWatts hearing some of his remixes. I knew he was good, but I had no clue about this Vanek individual... Well needless to say the 2 make one pretty awesome synth pop group.

I'm now considering getting KiloWatts new album, Problem/Solving. This CD won't dissapoint you if you're a fan of such acts as Iris, Basic Pleasure Model, Widebrand Network, Intuition, etc...

A classic little gem for this decade of glitch kids.......2005-04-27

Glitchpop for the masses, IDM for your girlfriend and your Dad.

I might be a bit biased since KiloWatts is my best friend, and I make all his artwork, but this album was special since the day it came into conception. Two boys, Jamie and Peter, across the world, make a song called "Lies" and before they know it people all over the internet are listening and begging for more. Within a year they have an entire album of songs that grow into something deeper, more involved, and more connected. By the time the last two songs were made they had finally met in real life in Augsburg and given their first performance, and the internet response was stronger than either of them had ever imagined.

People go crazy for the K&V stuff, why?
It has the idm/glitchish elements of modern and progressive electronic music with the emotional strength and easiness of folk and pop. They've poured themselves into this, learning along the way, and damn.
Some of the songs are just plain catchy!

My top track recommendations: Silver Screen, Salt

Average customer rating:

Lose The Image
CTRL
Manufacturer: Diffusion Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0001ZJL9A
Release Date: 2004-04-15

Tracks:

Transition One
Truth
Departure
Transition Two
Recognition
Left To Find
Transition Three
Resurrect
We Hope
Transition Four
Stars Headlight
Going Going
Escapist
Transition Five
Aether

Album Description

The third studio album from Austin-based electro act CTRL, "Lose The Image" is a powerful mixture of EBM-styled beats, atmospheric guitars, and evocative lyrics.

Tracks:

Madanga
Ouvrez les stores
Kabariou
Bab El Oued Kingston
H'moum Zawalia
Syndikaina
Chara'Allah
Daka Bambara
Sabrina/Gaz naturel
Gazel au fond de la nuit

Customer Reviews:

Rolling in Rai and Ragga.......2000-08-04

Not your run-of-the-mill Algerian Rai. This is more of a project in brining the Rai and other mediums together -- particularly that of the Ragga (or Raga, depending on which continent you're reading this from). The eclectic fusion of carribean rap & rhythms and the sensual Algerian vocals create a genre that is separate from simply just the one or the other. Amazigh Kateb, Gnawa Diffusion's leader, tries to bring his two backgrounds together -- His Arab heritage and his exposure on multicultural levels living in France. You may not understand the lyrics but his voice evokes very basic and solid emotions. The music also differs from the modernized Rai, which recently have a tendency to be overproduced. This album, Gnawa Diffusion's most recent release, once again reaches back to roots of both the Rai and Ragga genres and brings them together.

Diffusion: Classical Renaissance, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

luscious...

Diffusion: Classical Renaissance, Vol. 1
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Diffusion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Trip Hop | Compilations | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music

Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000009LRT
Release Date: 2001-02-06

Tracks:

Miserere
Pachelbel
Springtime
Morning
Carnival
Saucy
Adajio
Satie
Fugue
Jerusalem [Extended]

Tracks:

Satie [Gat Decor Mix]
Pachelbel [Gat Decor Mix]
Carnival [Gat Decor Mix]
Morning [Gat Decor Mix]
Miserere [Gat Decor Mix]
Adajio [Gat Decor Mix]
Rodajio [Gat Decor Mix]
Springtime [Gat Decor Mix]
Jerusalem [Gat Decor Mix]
Ubiquiem [Gat Decor Mix]
Fugue [Gat Decor Mix]
Gregorio [Gat Decor Mix]
Saucy [Gat Decor Mix]

Customer Reviews:

luscious..........2002-11-16

have just been introduced to this cd and cannot fault it. some gorgeous chilled songs. can mix well with any mood. LUSH...

Average customer rating:

Two brilliant songs, but not much else.
A must have
different, but nice
A Gifted Artist
good stuff

Cipher
The Alpha Conspiracy
Manufacturer: Diffusion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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Aura
Forward Rewind

ASIN: B00005A0TU
Release Date: 2007-07-16

Tracks:

cross product
martian lovesong
black sunrise
winter
skeptopotamus
glass
ubik
morphic
nonsense
spiral effect
further

Customer Reviews:

Two brilliant songs, but not much else........2005-05-23

I've been listening to Necros since 1998, long before he embarked on his professional career in the music industry. Even in those days, I knew he was going to make his mark sooner or later; despite his limited equipment, despite the primitive recording techniques he had to use, he still wrote at least half a dozen songs that could easily stand up to any mainstream dance hit and beat it at its own game. Necros had an ear for melody like nobody does anymore, and I still listen to his old songs to this very day. When I learned (a bit late) that he had finally opened his own label, Diffusion Records, and started releasing albums under the name The Alpha Conspiracy, it was like a dream come true. I immediately bought both his albums, of which Cipher is the first.

When I got the album, the first thing I noticed was that it contains "Martian Lovesong." This is one of Necros' old tracks, recorded anew especially for the album. It isn't one of my all-time favourite songs by him, and I didn't even like it that much when I had first heard it long ago, but this new version is astounding. It's clearly an electronic track, but it's impossible to categorize into any of the numerous styles of electronic music. Nothing else sounds like this: a dense swirl of mournful synthesizer notes, a flickering keyboard lead immediately followed by a harsh, distorted guitar counter-melody, and a powerful, varied rhythm that generally follows one of the standard techno patterns, but adds numerous fills and details in between the beats. These days, when it seems like electronica has just about given up on memorable hooks and riffs, this song sounds even more fresh and vital than when it was first recorded.

The other big standout is "Winter," a new track. Here, Necros uses his expanded recording opportunities to add vocals, which were previously lacking in his songs. Three songs on the album feature his voice, but "Winter" is by far the best. A distorted, airy vocal sample introduces the propulsive beat and the fast but serene melody, which break to make way for the singing. In the lyrics, a conversation with some girl is used as an occasion to meditate about the prospect of growing old and the fear of wasting one's life on useless pursuits. Necros puts his voice through numerous filters and produces it with a harsh distortion that is extremely reminiscent of Underworld's single "Pearls Girl." In fact, Necros' singing style is almost a perfect replica of Karl Hyde's vocals on that same track; you could fit Hyde's "White room, sun room, shadow room, night transmitting cars across the room" into "Winter" without breaking up the flow of the words. Even so, I think I actually like the imitation more than the original, due to the lovely music and the more comprehensible subject matter. If only it had been released as a single, I'm sure it could have gotten significant airplay and greatly increased The Alpha Conspiracy's following.

"Cross Product" also deserves some recognition. It's another vocal track, similar to "Winter" in style, with distorted vocals over a pretty melody. Here, though, the singing alternates between a dissonant, very heavily produced sound, and a softer, more vulnerable tone, which is a nice touch. After the second verse, there's a cool instrumental break with an acid-style synthesizer sound, before a return to the main keyboard line. Someone ought to play this in a club sometime and see what happens.

Unfortunately, that's about it. The other tracks sound like aimless sketches that were never developed into full-fledged songs. For example, "Ubik" sounds pretty good while it's playing, but doesn't linger in the mind afterwards. It's got some moody keyboards in the style of "Martian Lovesong," but without any distinct riffs. Apparently, Necros claims that this was supposed to be an attempt to merge garage rock with ambient techno. I get the second part, but not the first; he's probably referring to the prominent drums, but they are much more reminiscent of some formless trip-hop song than of the energetic, ramshackle feel of garage rock. Other songs are similar in nature; they aren't bad listening, but they don't stay in one's head for hours afterwards. Only "Glass" makes a sort of lasting impression, and that's not because it's a good song, but because it's much more stripped down than the rest of the album, and thus sounds different from the other tracks.

The production on this album is less elaborate than, say, on The Alpha Conspiracy's own second album, Aura. That's not a bad thing, but it has the effect of centering the listener's attention on melodies and songwriting, which are unfortunately under-developed on most of the songs. The gothic-techno arrangement of "Morphic," the third and final vocal track on the album, may have made for good dance-floor material, but unfortunately, the lyrics are ridiculous, containing such embarrassing lines as "you're in disguise / wait for days / it's a surprise" and "once is never / it multiplies / the darkness coming for you." They're placed up front in the song, too, so it's hard to get past them.

In the end, Cipher isn't the masterpiece I've been hoping for. Still, despite the weakness of most of the tracks, "Martian Lovesong" and "Winter" are the two best electronic tracks of this decade, which may make the album worth your while anyway. But if you haven't heard anything by Necros yet, I'd recommend Aura, which is a much stronger album overall.

A must have.......2003-07-16

To put it short, I got this CD one and a half years ago,and it is still the best record I ever bought. If you thought electronic music was boring and repetitive, listen to this record. It's quite experimental, going from experimental to progressive to synthpop and even some demo tracker style songs. If you're a fan of electronic music, or just plain good music, get this record.

different, but nice.......2003-04-19

This CD is the first from Andrew Sega. Scrapping his old name "Necros," he decided to move on from tracker-style drum 'n bass to abstract, experimental stuff. Creative, but it would have been nicer if he included a bit of information about the songs and where he was coming from. For example, ..., he tells us the meaning behind Ubik: "The experiment: genetically merge a garage band with electronic atmospherica. I'm very pleased with the results." Cool track, now that I know that.

A good experimental album, but I must say, track 8 sounds just like a song from Fluke.

A Gifted Artist.......2001-11-08

I can't put it any more bluntly than this: andrew sega, the man behind the alpha conspiracy, moreso than any other artist, makes electronic music I want to listen to.

In his debut CD, andrew brings together all of the technical proficiency that longtime fans of his underground work have come to expect, and marries it to a new level of complexity brought about by a combination of increasing artistic maturity, more powerful tools, and better samples.

The product of this union? An intricate presentation that never lets its machinations get in the way of inherent catchiness. On first listen, you'll find yourself tapping along with the beat. A second playing, and you're beginning to notice just how well these songs are put together. A third time, and you're hooked.

the alpha conspiracy brings to electronica the same promise that Orbital did a decade ago. Easily acessable from the first, it nonetheless displays competent layering sure to keep afficianados interested. It represents the growth of the genre as a whole, from obscurity to broad appeal. cipher is "Intelligent Techno", indeed.

good stuff.......2001-06-15

Definitely an album worth having. A nice blend of electronic, synthpop, and experimental that is interesting, but not obtrusive, and passionate, but not excesive. I especially like 'winter'.

Music:

Music

music

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