DJ Tomtron & Timm Liesegang come from very different backgrounds. Tomtron has started DJing when he was 20 and has made quite a reputation for himself, compiling 8 compilations for the German label Nova Tekk. Timm Liesegang has a very wide musical background. Going from classical to metal and all the way, he finally settled on Irish folk music. It wasn’t until he 2002 when he met Tomtron and they started working together on trance music.
It starts with Blue One, yet another track with a sample from the matrix. At least this time the sample is put to good use. The track itself starts with an easy-going rhythm, which gets more intense as the tracks progresses. The soft guitar sounds (which are present most of the album) add to the already-chilled atmosphere. Moving on smoothly to the next track (Under the Sun), which begins with a soft guitar part and features some other matrix samples (they must like this movie). All the other sounds are also very gentle. This is not ‘bomb da floor’ music. Neotom (T3) is a slow minimal track with powerful percussion loops and night time vocals. Reminds me of the good old 2001 minimal music. A favorite. Next is Electric Tandem, the title track. Aside from having a good name, it’s a complete rock and roll trance ballad. The distorted guitar, the repetitive rhythm section and most of all- the feeling of riding on a real tandem, going forward all the time. Luna (T5) is another minimal piece with tight layers of percussion and twisted, psychedelic vocals. Positive Mind follows. It’s full of dreamy synths and affective vocals saying: “open your mind”, on top of the usual carefully structured percussion and deep groove. Take A Look (T7) is a bit different than the rest at first. Putting a greater emphasis on the percussive elements, which are much more diverse this time. But this is only the beginning. The second part of the track features soft, emotional melodies, with a meditative effect. La Buta has a more hollow sound, which clear space for the strong vocal that comes right after: “And the light is from you.” Annihilating Rhythm is much heavier. Assuming we’re riding on a car (or a tandem, for that matter), it feels like pretty soon we’ll have to get out and push because the track can’t sustain itself. Annihilating. Bhang (T10) is a proper dubby closure to the album.
The bonus CD contains seven remixes, recorded and mixed live. All the remixes are very good and much more dancefloor oriented, more rock and roll (Electric Tandem, Luna), more jumpy (Annihilating Rhythm), persuasively enhanced (Under the Sun) and other spicy treats (La Buta, Take a Look). I recommend listening to it after having listened to the first CD a couple of times. I wish every album would contain a “bonus” |
