Label: Chill Tribe Records
Released: 2007

01. Robert Leiner - Beginning Of The End
02. Blue Planet Corporation - Gengis Khan's Reverie
03. Kris Kylven And Syb-Sonic - Forgotten Souls
04. Cosmosis - The Himalaya
05. Digital Mystery Tour - Nemo
06. Slot Machine - Quick And The Dead (Snake Thing Dub Remix)
07. Kiwa - Inside
08. Highpersonic Whomen - Free Space
09. Bluetech - Embrace
10. Zen Lemonade - Island Of Forgotten Dreams

In 2005 the world welcomed "Quality Relaxation". In 2006 the world welcomed "Relaxed Journeys". In 2007 the world welcomed "Ear Pleasure". Chill Tribe Records, in its first three releases, decided to get close our attention to the sounds of very different artists from the chillout scene - at this moment we will check the third compilation by the boss of label, Per Kristian Slagsvold (aka PKS). At the beginning, traditionally in Chill Tribe's compilations case, a words of congratulations must be sent for a level of release's work. We have a conception cover (though weird this time, presenting the middle of ear; but after all it's a pleasure to see the continuation of the one idea), cover-booklet with the message from PKS and biographies of the artists who transfered their compositions to this CD (eight pages). Ten tracks gives us 75 minutes of not mixed music. While the tracklist, its first impression, is not so intriguing, as it was in the previous good cases, but of course not after the cover (the first impression) we get to know the book, but after its content (the soul) we see what it is about.

Robert Leiner is a recognized person of the techno scene. His Source Experience delivered many nice experiences with its innovative sounds. But the start of "Ear Pleasure" presents of course his chillout side in form of "Beginning Of The End". I didn't heard this kind of Robert's music yet, so I was very pleasantly surprised, not only because he composed a suggestive ambient horizon, but also because it's explicitly phenomenal. We have classically floating ambient first plan with a background percussion and fast tempo - as you only can endearingly imagine this, that happiness gives this truly watery sounds. The next track is "Gengis Khan's Reverie" by Blue Planet Corporation (Gabriel Masurel + participation of four other musicians). I still don't know what is the new musical concept of this well-deserved project for the goa scene. Gabriel, conductor of just this discussed symphony (behind Blue Planet Corporation exceptionally not only he), seems to create simply free chillout sounds. And those are in "Gengis Khan's Reverie" many times better, than in "Wild City" from "Quality Relaxation" compilation. The track is oriental, also floating (mainly because of synth line that accompanying the depth) - what efficiently extend the beginning track of Robert Leiner. A lot of percussions is here, but also in general the arrangement is filled with many interesting sounds (f.e. sitar, electric guitar); although its kind of trance-ambient expression in the best way sink into the memory. The track number three is "Forgotten Souls" made by Kris Kylven and Syb-Sonic. (But Kris Kylven is in fact the only one creator of this piece). This composition, that lasts twelve minutes, deepen the oriental direction. Many Eastern, mysterious, tribal motives we have here. Two minuses. The main synth melody (which, by the way, reminds of melodies' type of old Elysium) is, in my opinion, too simple as for the scenery we have. Moreover, I have unsatisfied feeling after the track's final: we have there just what was before, nothing new. For sure this isn't a bad composition; its best points are the atmosphere and the crawling goa lines that speak to us once in a while. The fourth track is "The Himalaya" by the goa/psytrance/full-on act Cosmosis (Bill Halsey). Many artists of uptempo music have also a gift to create that more light variant which is inclinated for the soul. William also this gift have, though "The Himalaya" didn't face up to my dreams; from the great musicians I always expect greatness. The track is very melodic, fast, have completely chillout formula and emotionally continue the Eastern atmosphere. Interesting bass, acid goa-background, guitar, chorus, samples of male's vocal. The only problem here in my eyes is a lack of the depth. It's always very enjoyable to listen to this composition, but only listen to, besides nothing is happen. I think we can expect more from Bill. The next composition is "Nemo" of Digital Mystery Tour (Stephan Holweck; to DMT belong more persons, but this one track was builded only by Stephan). Solid and strong kick on 4/4 is its main characteristic. I don't know, what is its genre: I would describe it as chillout uptempo, because by those kicks, jaunty kicks, everything is going on. "Nemo" have its vision, it's underwater and dynamically diving: all the time kick is with us, while another motives come in and come out from this plain. It's like watching in fast tempo the colourful, though a little sad space. This is interesting composition, which atmosphere from the beginning of the CD change to completely different one, what is worth do underline.

Up to this moment of the CD it can be described as titled ear pleasure. But from this moment the music is going on weird direction. Before we go to the diagnosis, we examine the patient with details to the end. "Quick And The Dead" is originally a composition done by Slot Machine (Nick Taylor + Sean Candy + Melaine Knight), on the track number six we have its "Snake Thing Dub Remix" (by Nick Taylor). The atmosphere here is difficult to define and very difficult to consume after consuming previous ones. I will focus on the technical aspect: this is a funky, energetic chillout. But this composition seems to be too expressive, too effusive. There is no expected depth, we have only a good, melodic chillout. Similiar, unfortunately - unfortunately, because we clearly changed not only the type of music, but also the level of the music's depth - is a direction presented on the track called "Inside", made by Kiwa (Markku Louhio + Matti Elsinen). The track begin with a very unpleasant, disharmony way. In the first moment blow a noise of kick and synth. The essence of this one is also too extroverted, isn't very deep, rest on other mechanisms than outermosted tracks from the disc. But this case of energetic, funky chillout I can describe as more optimitic, cheerful, what seemingly eliminate expectation for a music's double bottom. "Free Space" is the third in a row stylistic similiar composition; the author of this track is Highpersonic Whomen (Tommi Sirkia + Markko Louhio). From these three energetic shots, this one is probably the most psychedelic (especially the beginning is beautiful in this aspect; smells like Entheogenic). This is equally dynamically and efficiently arranged, and also as the whole is good, but I can't judge from the point where I see only one track, but from the point where I see that track as the part of the whole. Looking from the distance, this is why I clearly feel a lack of cohesion of this three with the others. But let's go on, two tracks we have; we dive into the depth and completely change the styles. The ninth chapter of "Ear Pleasure" is "Embrace" by Bluetech (Evan Marc). This is a typical example of untypical music by this artist: quite minimal, very melodious, shy. On the good level of this uncommon musician. For the end we have "Island Of Forgotten Dreams" by Zen Lemonade (Gus Till + Super Cozi). This is a nice, optimistic ambient composition in emotional as well as technical style of "Dreamfish" CD of the legendary duo Mixmaster Morris - Pete Namlook.

"Ear Pleasure" is disappointing, because the music contained don't have the one plain, the common denominator. The whole is incomplete. This is a normal set of tracks, which had the germ of an idea only in the first phaze of three-four, maybe five (depending on listenings) compositions. With a time the concept disappear, disappear also the pleasure, sometimes irritation is born and listening to this compilation ends in any moments before its real end. The disappointment is all the bigger, that PKS shows in "Relaxed Journeys" that his compilation can be fully successful. Meanwhile we received a set of compositions even more diversity than in "Quality Relaxation". But that debut Chill Tribe's release contained a huge virtue in the form of many deliciousness, while "Ear Pleasure" those deliciousness have definitely not too many due to just this case name this third Chill Tribe's CD as measured up to expectations. Although the tracks' order is in this situation good, then unfortunately the act of containing this type of individuality's cluster on one CD - absolutely no. There is no bad tracks here, the bad is their all compiling together on one CD.