Review by:
Jannick Andersen // DJ pr0fane (Dance N Dust Records)
www.sunrisesupplies.com



Artist: Various
Title: Floating Point 3 - compiled by Michael Banel
Label: Sofa Beats/Iboga
Format: CD (Jewelcase with standard 4-page inlay)
Released: February, 2006
Cover: http://217.160.138.169/pic_b/sfb1cd003_b.jpg


Review:

After establishing themselves as one of the most important labels on the progressive psytrance scene, Iboga Records last year launched a new chillout/ambient sidelabel called Sofa Beats. Over the years, Iboga had already released a number of chilled releases, like the infamous \"New Entry\", and the first two chapters in the \"Floating Point\" series - but where Iboga was mainly focusing on the trancier side of the scene the new sidelabel is strictly downbeat.

The 2nd release from Sofa Beats (the catalogue-number says it\'s the 3rd, but number 2, the Oliver Jones album, hasn\'t been released yet) is the 3rd chapter in the \"Floating Point\" saga. Let\'s give it a spin.


01. Bluetech - Wilderness
First track is from North Americas Bluetech, who recently released his new album \"Sines and Singularities\". The overall atmosphere in \"Wilderness\" is quite cold, the track is well-produced, and I really like some of the rather weird twists and effects. That being said, I don\'t consider it among Bluetechs strongest releases.

02. Koan - Sirens
Koan is the chillout-sideproject of the Russian duo Vacuum Stalkers, and an act whose underground releases I\'ve been following quite closely lately. Their recent \"When Invisible Becomes Visible\" MP3-EP was of really high quality, and \"Sirens\" is pretty good as well. The atmosphere is pretty close to the cold breeze in the first track by Bluetech, but with stronger melodies, really lush pads and waves and more distinct asian influences. Really nice.

03. Crowd Control - Little Haiti
\"Little Haiti\" is a somewhat Reggae-influenced dubby tune with somewhat strange female vocals and deep male voice-samples. It\'s made by Crowd Control from Denmark, and just like their appearance on second \"Floating Point\" compilation, I consider this the weakest track on the compilation. It\'s not downright bad, but to me it does sound rather messy - like they had to put too many ideas into the pot.

04. Aural Planet - Sunfruits Avenue (Sundial Remix)
Sundial is a new act by Alex Kochman from Poland, and he\'s up next with a remix of \"Sunfruits Avenue\", that appeared on Ultimaes \"Fahrenheit Project Part Five\" compilation - originally made by himself as part of Aural Planet. I haven\'t heard the original, but this version is right down my alley - with silky smooth, larger-than-life trancy pads, gentle breaks and subtle teasing melodies. Very enjoyable.

05. Alex Scheffer - Under Your Mind
French Alex Scheffer, perhaps better known as Cell, is up next with \"Under Your Mind\", and in mood it continue down the same road as the \"Sunfruits Avenue\" remix, although maybe a bit deeper, reminiscent of an underwater journey. The atmosphere is quite laidback, with only a few 4/4 kicks and simple, yet stunningly effective melodies pushing the track forward. Definitely one of the best tracks I\'ve ever heard by Alex Scheffer/Cell.

06. Shen - Cloud Theory
Shen is the chilled sideproject by the widely acclaimed Canadian techno-producer Noah Pred, and \"Cloud Theory\" is the first downbeat release I\'ve heard from him. While it perhaps isn\'t the most catchy of the tracks here, it certainly doesn\'t fail either - without an abundance of pads, he still manages to make a very mysterious and gloomy atmosphere, and I consider it one of the most interesting tunes here, although not among the very best.

07. Seahorse Transform - Paradime Warp
Seahorse Transform is, to me, a completely unknown act - behind the project is Danish Simon Jagd, and he\'s already signed for an album on Sofa Beats later this year. With \"Paradime Warp\" he leads the compilation in a direction more towards ethnic chillout, and it\'s generally an ok track, with a cosy oriental market-atmosphere.

08. Sundial - Azure Aquarings
\"Azure Aquarings\" is the compilations 2nd offering from Polish Alex Kochmans new Sundial project, and although it doesn\'t quite match the first one, it\'s a very good tune. While the melodies perhaps aren\'t as strong as in the first one, the mood is quite optimistic, and it is surely another very enjoyable track.

09. Alex Scheffer - Sparkley Area
Alex Scheffer aka Cell is up next with his 2nd track on the compilation, the nicely sounding \"Sparkley Area\". Like \"Under Your Mind\", it is also built on steady, yet never forceful 4/4 beats, and the atmosphere is deep and dreamy in a not-too bright way. A very good track, although not as aesthetic as \"Under Your Mind\", and my expectations are now pretty high for the upcoming Cell and Alex Scheffer albums.

10. True To Nature - Ghetto
The Danish house-duo True To Nature, consisting of some of the Danish scenes, most well-known DJ\'s, Jokke Ilsøe and Tom Von Rosen, provide a somewhat surprising dancefloor-oriented track, \"Ghetto\". I was expecting something a bit more chilled, but I can\'t deny that this is a deep, emotional and utterly beautiful progressive house track - it runs at 125 BPM, and is both dancefriendly, as well as loaded with magnificent soundscapes for the chillout. Just delicious.

11. True To Nature Feat. Tusnelda - Subside
True To Nature carry on with housey beats in the last track as well, this time teaming up with Tusnelda, who some might remember for her brilliant collaboration with Rumpistol on \"Floating Point 2\". \"Subside\" also runs at approximately 125, and is even deeper than the previous track, with a deeper groove, huge melancholic pads and some amazing vocals by Tusnelda - what a voice! Some might consider the vocals cheesy, but I find them very suitable for the overall atmosphere of track, and made in good taste. Great track, although I could have wished it was a bit longer than 5? minutes.


Bottom line:

Wow. I liked the first two chapters in the \"Floating Point\" series, but the 3rd chapter is by far the best chapter yet. The standard throughout the compilation is really high, with only one track, Crowd Controls \"Little Haiti\" not fitting to my liking, and there are some really outstanding gems to be found here. The compilation is quite varied, and the flow is pretty consistent and well-thought, starting with the two deep and rather cold tunes by Bluetech and Koan, moving over more traditional chillout and a hint of ethnic flavours before finishing with the master stroke - the two delicious groovers by True To Nature.

Like I said earlier, \"Floating Point 3\" is my favourite chapter in the series, and in my opinion also the best chillout release by Sofa Beats and Iboga Records so far. Great job.


Favourites:

2, 4 (!!), 5 (!!), 6, 8, 9, 10 (!!!), 11 (!)


Verdict:

9/10


Link:

Iboga Records: www.iboga.dk