Various – Platipus Records Volume Five

I understand some of the other review comments about track repetition across this series but I really enjoyed this album even though I already have the rest of the series. The tracks that are repeated are alternate remixes. Also take a look at the track lengths on some of these tracks; Calling Your Name is over 10 minutes and Two Full Moons & A Trout is almost 12 minutes. Two Full Moons is one of my favourite tracks of all time so to get the Casper Pound mix with this track length makes the album worth buying for this alone! This track comes with 3 minutes of piano and beat intro and a haunting trance 4 minute melodic wind down with vocals (based on a Bulgarian folk song according to Wikipedia!).

I. The Context

This is by no means the strongest edition of the Platipus Records compilations, but it’s not the weakest either. The art work and visual design on this album is stunning: perhaps my favorite in the series. There is also a very robust vinyl edition.
As an album, Platipus 5 sits somewhere in between the first and second waves of Platipus records, on the trailing edge of the older acid inspired sounds. Visually, volume 4 followed the design themes of volume 3, and volume 6 is the first of the series to adopt the new logo. 3 and 4 have virtually the same aesthetic layout with different colors and natural themes, with 5 being a unique variation of the design of 3 and 4; with rounded boxes (replacing the older square designs), new logo locations, etc. Instead of following this form, as 2 followed 1 and 3 followed 4, volume 6 will be the first to adopt the newer design scheme for the 2000’s.
Platipus Records makes a compilation the way a bride dresses for her wedding: something old, something new, something borrowed, and something… well almost like a bride dresses for her wedding! As such, the track list of volume 5 shares certain similarities with the form of its predecessors: a track from Oliver Lieb (S.O.L), a little work from P.O.B, a little from their friends like Ferry Corsten and AMbassador , an I-ching collaboration, a showcase of some new artists like Moogwai, of course some Art of Trance, and a little Union Jack to finish off strong, and some version of a classic track like calling your name.

II. Some Criticism

The most significant thing detracting from the quality of this album is the amount of overlap it has with many of their other releases. Easter Island and Madagascar are featured very prominently wherever Art of Trance is played, and of course there are good remixes here, but it doesn’t provide anything significantly different from what you get on Voice of Earth, or the Cygnus X mix of Madagascar from volume 4. Two full moons and a trout, and calling your name are done to death in the Platipus catalog, but the mixes here are decent enough. Viola also makes its way onto a number of Platipus records releases, and this exact version of Soul Storm is on both volume 5 and volume 6, although perhaps it’s more of a problem for volume 6, since it’s used here first. Volume 5 features the mix of Easter Island that is used on DJ Tiesto’s Magik volume 4; which is great if you’re looking for an umixed version of it on cd, not so great if you listen to Magik 4 regularly and are tired of hearing the song.
Easter Island, Madagascar, two full moons and a trout, calling your name, and viola are very strong tracks, for sure. The issue is only that they’re very strong tracks on a lot of other albums as well. There are some good mixes of the tracks with new material here, so that’s a plus. If you only had Platipus 5, the album might seem way better than if you find half of it to just be another mix of songs you already know.
The other weak point for me is the Yellow vs. Hardfloor track Vicious Games. The 303 in the track is superb, and it creates the perfect vibe for the Plat.5 concept at times, but the vocals and the style of the track clash with the overall aesthetic and theme of the rest of the album. I can usually tolerate the vocals, but sometimes it’s just too much. In some ways volume 6 fixes some of the problems of volume 5, including a similar track, but with not so cringy vocals, and it works better IMO. The vocals on Souls Storm are also not the strongest, depending on how dissonant you like your vocals. Sometimes a clash works, and sometimes it doesn’t, and for these two examples I feel the contrasting elements do not work all that well.

III. Highlights

By far the star of the show on Platipus 5 is the AMbassador track. The melody really stands out, and reminds me of songs like The Quest C#, or Quench Dreams, but with on originality and aesthetic presence that fits the vibe and concept of Platipus 5. It’s also something that this album seems to offer that is distinctive to Platipus 5 against the other releases in the series and from the label. Other strong points include Northern lights, which reminds me of the original version of Sea dog, and of course the S.O.L track Quantensprung (which means quantum leap). Northern lights could be at home on Platipus 4, and Quantensprung could be at home on the L.S.G album The Hive, which wouldn’t come out for a few years, and also shares some similarities with the ambush track that makes it’s way onto Tiesto’s Nyana.

IV. Reflection

Overall, I found my initial impressions of this album to be a little bit lacking, but after about 10 years or so, I really enjoy it. The tracks do a good job of working with the artwork on the album to give the listener a strong and unified aesthetic experience. I think if you know what you’re getting into, and have an open mind, this is an underdog in the series that doesn’t disappoint, and the artwork is just so excellent. The beauty of nature is timeless; and the sun, leaves, tropical frogs and geckos, and the orange disc all give the album a sunny, exotic, tropical feel.
This album is probably better for those who already know they like the style of Platipus Records, and who understand what to expect from an album of this vintage, and especially for those who are seeking it! Interestingly, this might even be better for those who are new to Platipus records, since it features so many of their flagship tracks, but expect to see those songs appear elsewhere! If I were new to collecting from Platipus records, I would probably start with vol. 3, vol. 1, vol. 9 for the later years, or many of the artist albums from Quetman Art of Trance, Terra Firma, Union Jack, etc. Instead. But as a fan, I enjoy coming back to this album along with the others in the series.

The times are a'changing, as the old classic goes. I bought this cd back in 1999 when I had period for melodic club trance and border trance/techno music. Since then my style went (back) to trance and it's funny now rehearing this music 6 years down the road. I can hear what I fell for back then, and I can hear why it could only be a short lasting fling.

Boy, this is melodic, catchy, friendly, formula techno / trance music. We start off with Art Of Trance and 2:48 minutes into their Madagascar, the lead melody kicking in leaves no doubt as to what this baby is about; Hands in the air, wave the light sticks & start flashing those UV pants. Banging happy techno / club trance.

But my favourite on this album, The Fade by Ambassador, I must say, still holds. This a great great track with a kick-ass lead melody. Yeah, it can sound happy, but get into it deep (it's possible) and it's not happy anymore. While many goa trance followers dislikes this type of music with a vengeance, I certainly can understand why it has a big crowd. And, well ... that lead synth is just awesome.

It wouldn't be fair to go through these tracks one by one. Like I said, my style has changed and I would mostly be able to note what I don't like. Trying to be objective about it, though, and ing my feelings 6-7 years ago I can say that all the trax here are very well put together with the obligatory catchy synth leads, rhythm, and with some head on basses that will meet any and all fan of techno / trance border music.

And it's with this album, as the club trance genre as a whole, there are no surprise here. You hear one track, you hear them all, and then each of us pick a favourite. Mine's track 2 and my favourite hate track track 5, that sounds like 2-unlimited on a bad day.