Kromak – Trance It (CD Album – SkyQode)
Genre/Influences: Techno-trance.
Content: Behind this new project is hiding a rather surprising name. I could never have imagined the front-man of C-Lekktor (Markko B) setting up a techno-trance project. We already discovered the electro-industrial side-project Circuito Cerrado, which sounds more related to C-Lekktor, but Kromak is something totally different.
I don’t know if Markko did it just for fun, but I suspect this Mexican genius really likes trance music. Kromak sounds like the right sonic canvas to exorcise different techno-inspired ideas. I personally prefer the more psy-trance orientated cuts, which are more elaborated and intelligent wise. “Trance It” is a great title track with a goa-driven kick and astral electronic effects. It becomes clear on this song that Markko must have listened to psy-trance productions.
Other tracks mix elements of trance and dance music while I also noticed elements of hard-trance. “Beating” even reveals an exploration of dance music. The production is well-crafted and I here have to recognize the professionalism of this artist although some of the ‘dance-minded tracks are sometimes a bit ‘cheap’ when it comes to their melody line.
I definitely prefer the harder passages, which come through on “Tempus Fugit”, “Synthphonia (In F Minor)” and the pumping “Sagittarius”. All these cuts are pretty hard-beating and sometimes a bit into dark-trance. It’s the total opposite of a more happy-sounding track like “Fading Memories”. There’s not exactly what I should call coherence between all cuts and that’s one of the only regrets about this work. Kromak is a quite well-crafted and mature production (mastered by Jan L) revealing the diversity and creativity of Markko B.
Conclusion: If you like techno and trance-driven electronics you for sure will find interesting cuts at this debut work of Kromak. “Trance It” clearly sounds as an antidote for the heavy dark and doom electronics of C-Lekktor and Circuito Cerrado. I like artists with different sources of inspiration, which ultimately result in different projects.
Best songs: “Trance It”, “Tempus Fugit”, “Synthphonia (In F Minor)”, “Sagittarius”.
Rate: (DP:7)DP.
Band: www.facebook.com/KROMAKsideproject
Label: http://skyqode.com / www.facebook.com/skyqode
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
