Search - Shakatura :: Galactivation

Points deducted for lucidity

Beau | St. Louis, MO USA | 12/30/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This album is a good effort, with some nice spacey beats and interesting samples. I especially like the song "Parachute". There is definitely some good stuff here. But the problem is, the album doesn't have that DREAMY feel that seems to make the best IDM what it is. It's a little restless in general, a little anxious. If you prefer a more lucid style though, by all means pick this up. But if you enjoy the dreaminess of omnimotion, sounds from the ground, etc., you could do fine to pass this up."

Smooth Electronica, Occasionally Outstanding

Mark Lee | Woodruff, UT USA | 10/12/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Galen Butler - as Shakatura - has come up with some great slow techno/earth sound-y stuff here. It's his hope, as he says in the liner note to connect the listener "to a peculiarly long-lived, far-flung and well-travelled heritage of fallen angels, cosmic bards, artists, activists, witches and shamen concerned with bringing healing, wisdom, and love to their local universal theatre." Whether the artist feels like he's channelling this healing, wisdom and love or just creatively participating is beyond me, but I feel better when I listen to his work.



The title song (Galactivation) is a moderate beat driven piece with lilting higher sounds and synth bells. Once the female voice comes in, you're already a part of the movement, and she just adds to it. Solar Cell combines electronica with sythesized tribal drum riffs for a great mood setter. Later, we hear some wild, primitive flute sounds. These same wind instrument noises come back in more savage, sampled form in my favorite track, Parachute. In Parachute we have a funky walking bass line that drives the song with subdued mission control type radio traffic in the background (something like "we may have seen a red and white parachute!"). Midheaven is one of the more quickly-tempoed pieces, again with synth tribal drums and more controlled fluting - sort of far Eastern sounds - which near the end shifts into a sort of Vince Guaraldi/Peanuts type of keyboard sound. It sounds silly and uneven, but it works fairly well. Lucid Dreaming slows it down again. The beat is light and the keyboard sounds are staccatto and bright. In Copal which is probably my second favorite track we again have a catchy beat with the keyboarding and the syth lines playing off of the beat funk. Again, the haunting, echoed female voice comes in and adds her part to the ambience. In case you drifted off during the relaxing Lavatube, Earsocket wakes you up with a quicker tempo and another attractive base line. African sounding group vocals participate for a bit. Then back to the funk, yeah. Finally, the disc closes with Telemetry. This slower piece - another of my favorites - enjoys a minimal drum track, low keyboarded chords and interesting supporting base. The high keyboarding picks it up about halfway through and works it doubletime without getting too amped up. Then back to the original Telemetry theme.



When you're in the mood for it, Shakatura fills the need."

Totally Mellow

Timothy Gentry | Edwardsville, IL United States | 11/08/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Shakatura brings together some great beats and bass lines to produce an intoxicating sound. Very easy to get lost in. Great for meditation or just relaxation, but not "danceable" if that's what your looking for."