System 7
Encantado
g-wave AAWCD009 (2004)Encantado in Spanish means 'enchanted' - I think you will be.
- tracks
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personnel
- All tracks written by Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy, except track 1 written by Steve Hillage, Miquette Giraudy and Sander Kleinberg and track 5 written by Steve Hillage, Miquette Giraudy and Alex Patterson.
- Planet 7 - From a dreamy and mysterious start this coalesces into one of the phattest and most infectious bass grooves we've ever succeeded in getting on record. Illustrating our position on the 2004 techno genre map in a space between prog-house and psy-trance the track is enriched with our trademark echo guitar and psychedelic keyboard loops. Planet 7 also employs a sample from Sander Kleinenberg's "My Lexicon" to emotional effect, and it is was released as a 12-inch single with remixes by James Holden and Son Kite.
- Bewitched - A track we are particularly proud of. This builds from a cinematic intro into another giant techno/trance groove that gets to an intense filtered peak with screaming guitars and then drops over the edge into a lush breakdown. Bewitched was inspired by our visits to the Mexican pyramids of Coba and also has some tongue-in-cheek references to the popular 60s TV series.
- Back To Reality - In some ways this track is the closest on the album to psy-trance, but not typical psy-trance in the same way that System 7 are definitely not typical psy-trance producers. Starting with strange and warped vocal samples that sound a bit like psychedelic reptiles this builds to an intense acid climax before relaxing into a mysterious and dreamy end groove.
- Octopussy - This started as an electro track but soon became invaded by strange aquatic creatures, and so "Octopussy" was born. System 007 - license to chill!
- Bassrock - This track uses some sounds first heard on the first System 7 album in 1991 in collaboration with Alex Paterson, who is credited here as a co-writer. Another exploration of the interesting territory between prog house and psy-trance, this track also has an openly old school bleepy rave feel to it that pays homage to the original acid-house explosion of the late 80s. "A revolution in attitude - a revolution in consciousness." - a concept that is ever more needed today in this time of senseless wars and global stupidity.
- Kupuri - 'Kupuri' is a word from the language of the Mexican Huichol Indians, meaning the power to to follow your heart path to completion. The groove of this song is inspired by the ragga "Diwali riddim" mixed with Middle Eastern percussion. Rather than an ambient track we see this track as a slow spacey techno track.
- Gazed and Diffused - Featuring a major slice of Steve's unique echo loop guitar style this track develops into a full-on trancy groove. An earlier version of this track has been part of our live set for the last couple of years.
- Dance of the Deer - This is the most house influenced track on the album, with a chunky beat and funky guitar and keyboard riffs and a shimmering spacey keybard sequence that dives in and out. The title is influenced by Huichol Indian imagery, for whom the deer is a very special animal.
- Europa (Blue) - This is reworking of a composition that first appeared on the Power of Seven. Although it starts like an ambient track it slowly builds into an emotional melodic groove monster, ending up with a full-on lead guitar solo. Another genre-defying moment.