Customer Reviews

Nothing Lasts...But Nothing Is Lost

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...the result would sound something like Shpongle.

This wondrous (mostly) instrumental work is allegedly meant to simulate a series of dreams - if there is a theme, it's the random stream of ebbs and flows between one segment and the next, culminating in the gently peaceful guitar that carries "Falling Awake" at the end. But beyond that theme, the music itself actually *feels* like a dream. It's wild. It's vivid. It's colorful. It's trippy. It can probably be good for mind-altering experiences since there's a definite stoner vibe (the samples of Terrence McKenna give that away), but there's so much more. Shpongle is one of the most original musical projects I've ever heard. It would be cheapening to even call it electronic; even if you think you've heard it all in the techno world, you haven't heard anything like this.

I don't even know where to begin. Nothing Lasts... has got elements of ambient, techno/trance, world-beat, dub, Latin music, jazz, prog and psychedelia, but it's much more than any and all of those. It's earthy and immediate enough to love immediately. It's trippy and far-fetched enough to suggest a hyperspace warp through the cosmos. It's got some of the best production/engineering I've EVER heard. It's heady and a touch cerebral, but connects with the emotions (and yes, the soul) in an immediate way that few pieces of music are capable of. Simon Posford puts as much impeccable care into the recording & sound mix as a virtuoso does into their instrument, while Raja Ram adds earthy tones and textures that span the globe.. or maybe the universe.

In other words it's utterly unclassifiable. If you've got a good stereo you'll be astounded at the breadth and depth of sounds coming out of this little piece of plastic. When people talk about music being not just sound but an overall experience, this is the kind of thing they mean. "Botanical Dimensions" is the sound of an alien bio-dome garden coming to life. "Schnitzled in the Negev" is the music of the deep subconscious. "Molecular Superstructure" goes from spacey radio waves to shaman techno drums. Basically, the disc is pure imagination brought to life.

If you like any or all of those genres - if you seriously like music at all and enjoy expanding some horizons - you'll enjoy Shpongle. Your ears will never be the same.

Okay, first of all, before you can understand Shpongle, you have to understand what they represent. They are one of the greatest psychedelic bands in the world. They tour extensively in Asia and Europe, where they have a much stronger following than they could ever develop in America. They are strong proponents of the DMT movement, expansion of consciousness, and psychedelia in general. If you aren't into tripping, you will probably find something ignorantly to complain about when listening to them. This music was written by psychonauts, for psychonauts. It is NOT for everyone. They create vast and complex soundscapes that will only fully make sense to someone who's experienced what they have. Every song is an esoteric masterpiece, and in my opinion they are the very best at what they do. There is not another band in the world that sounds even close to Shpongle. They are one of the few electronic bands that incorporates piano and guitar so often and so beautifully into their music. So if you are into electronic music, and the psychedelic movement at all, you need to hear this album ASAP! It will give you so many ear-gasms you'll be dripping wet and loving it. Listen to this album first, before you hear their others. It is the most diverse and beautiful. HAVE FUN GETTING SHPONGLED!

Mind-boggling and delicious, myraid stylistic forms, beauty, grace, smooth transitions. Beyond most anything currently on the electronica market. Listen again and again, you will not get bored. Unrivaled genius with a taste for the unfathomable.

Electronic/dance/trance/ambient/psytrance/... these are just labels. What they've created is (again) uniquely Sphongle.

"Nothing Lasts, But Nothing is Lost" is a syncretic blend of traditional and creative styles. It is the product of nothing short of genius.

I had obtained this CD a few months ago, and had enjoyed greatly a few songs here and there that reminded me to some extent of older shpongle/posford tunes. BUT, having just listened to this CD all the way though, I felt the need to write something up.

The beauty of this CD comes from listening to it as a whole, not skipping track by track. From beginning to end, it takes you on a mental journey that frankly, is hard to parallel without hallucinogenics.

But seriously, the ups, the downs, the subtle sound bytes, the world music mixed in with sometimes vaguely danceable beats blew my mind. Really, if you own this CD, but don't enjoy it, try listening to it all the way through, just once. If your opinion doesn't change, I would be surprised. If you don't own it, seriously consider it - as a whole it is nothing short of a masterpiece that will take you on a journey that will open your mind's eye.

I have the previous two Shpongle Albums, as well as numerous other psytrance albums, and I have NEVER heard anything like this! I don't think there is anything similar even in existence! It really does seem as revoluntionary as Pink Floyd, and I definitely agree with "Dark side of the Moon for the 21st century". After only hearing this album a few times all the way through, I'm confident in putting it right next to "Bible of Dreams" by Juno Reactor, as being the best electronic album of this decade.

I guess the best way I could classify this is as downtempo IDM Psytrance, but that really doesn't begin to do it justice. First, I'll say that this really is a unique sound, even from their last album, "Tales of the Inexpressible", its almost totally different (although still a familiar Shpongle style). It has alot of contrasting layers, not quite as melodic, more punctuated sound effects. I say this seems IDM, because at times it sounds like its wandering into squarepusher country, although not too heavily. (Don't worry, your brain won't rip in half from beeps and screeches)

This album is very emotional, at times playful, certainly spiritual and almost messianic at times; other times high energy with almost like a latin pop riding a flowing current of psytrance. The list keeps going, I recommend checking other reviewers. (very hard to explain)

If you are looking for quite possibly the wierdest and most amazingly put together album put out since Bible of Dreams, here it is!

From project to project he continues to surprise me. Shpongle is nothing like Hallucinogen and Younger Brother is nothing like Shpongle. Its unfair someone can skip genre's so... effortlessly.

Anyway, this album is epic. When I bought it I listened to it almost exclusively for a month straight. The sound production is incredible and the flow of the album (it really should be listened to start to finish) takes you on a ride through Simon's brain as well as a trip across the world as he mixes elements from different world styles. At times ambient, other times chaotic, some times it makes you want to dance, others to just meditate all in the course of an hour CD. The transition from Levitation Nation into Periscopes of Perception transports me to the desert charging into battle atop an elephant geared for war and the tones just hit this certain place in my head that causes a shortness of breath, almost like an adrenaline surge.

Another interesting thing about this and all Simon's work is the album's are almost completely different pieces of music depending on volume. When its quiet it makes it nice to fall asleep to, when its midrange it makes good background music when you need to concentrate and when its turned all the way up it takes over your body and starts kicking a series of emotions into overdrive.

Do not buy this expecting an album from Hallucinogen. I wouldn't even really call this trance in the generally accepted ideas of the genre. It has elements of trance, ambient, breaks, a movie score and a video game.

This is one of those records, like Art of Noise - In Visible Silence, or Eno/Byrne - My Life...it suggests new possibilities and approaches that have not yet been explored fully. It is also very good music. All in all - a well-composed, manic, psychedelia-tinged global acid-house mashup of epic staying power.
Fantastic acoustic playing and dreamstate vocals collide with custom digital manipulations, and are whipped up together into a luscious storm of sound and groove.
It's not a bunch of great 'songs'. There's plenty of those already. What we have here is a series of intoxicating rhythms and harmonies in complementary modes of energy.
Highly Recommended for the musical adventurer in you.

Quite simply, this album is the ultimate evolution of psychedelic trance and ambient electronica - an experience akin to an aural "vision quest". Long live Shpongle!

itz about friggin time, iv owned this a week before it even came out in late 2005 on an internet special.
this is a little different, instead of long songs in the 16 min mark simon descided to chop all the long tracks that he had to make them verry short, longest song at 4:47min. the vocals are amazing on when shall i be free, in a way explaning to all their fans why they are leaving in a way or to give them hope for this is said to be their last record. a shame for i think that raja ram is getting quite old, im not sure if that has anything to do with their letting shpongle go. but they will be missed as 1 of the greatest electronic fusion group ever. their other 2 albums also showcase their amazing blend of music from around the world, such as tablas an indian percussion instrument, raja's various flutes, ghantoms from morroco, & manny others. im not really a fan of trance or techno, even hallucinogen getts a bit to techno-y for me, but shpongle's new breed of dub reggae influinced trance. cause their rythms to all follow the standard techno repetative rythm, they feel it always fresh with x-tremelly rythmic patterns, from hip hop style to reggae to rock to india. their stuff never gets old or borring.
their isnt a single space of downtime on this album, each song goes to the next with the same energy that the next carried. the beginning is more electronic beated flowing into more rock & eastern influince. anyway i know youll enjoy this album if your looking for the perfect trip to take you on a ride through electronic fields of psychodelic wonderland. long live shpongle, nothing does last, but simon will be back so nothing is lost yet.
the following is from the twisted records website.

Shpongle is back, with a new album, 'Nothing Lasts' a reference to Terence Mckenna and one of their many influences, the imitable audio pioneers, Simon Posford & Raja Ram remind us not only the about the impermenance of life but also how to rewrite the ambient agenda with yet more spell binding music from their outer cosmos that is 'Shpongle'. With sonic waves in a sea of synths, battalions of brazilian batucada beats, flamenco solo's, piano solo's, vocal soarings from Hari Om and trancey dubs this really is more music from the otherworld. A place of undefinable and indescribable beauty where all cultures collide, genres are rode over roughshot, and nothing is outlawed. For those that know them these will be sentiments they recognise and welcome as further evidence of Shongle's reputation. To those that don't, welcome to a new universe one with it's own language and musical map, a place of beauty and impermenance.