Album Description: Since the release of "Shango" in 2000, Juno Reactor has been involved in many projects including the production of several tracks for "Matrix: Reloaded" and "Matrix: Revolutions", as well as a greatest hits comp, "Odyssey 1992-2002". "Labyrinth" has nine tracks, two of which are songs from the Matrix movies. It'll rule the dance floor with its trance style elements and hard hitting beats.
One of my favorite Juno Reactor albums I read most of the reviews, and interestingly, I think every single song was mentioned as favorite of someone, which is testimony to the great versatility of the album. You know it's a truly awesome album when 9 people can each pick a favorite track that is different from the others.
With that said, I'm disappointed I based the order of my JR purchases on the average rating each album received on amazon. I listened to a good amount of Beyond the Infinite, so I decided to first get Shango, then Bible of Dreams, then Gods and Monsters, and now Labyrinth. While I like all the others, thus far, I am liking Labyrinth the most.
I'd just like to point out a couple things. Several people don't like the song, Giant, but I love the way it sounds. It is a bit repetitive, but it sounds really cool in my opinion. I also like every single track a lot other than Angels and Men. It's not that bad of a song, but it just doesn't do much for me.
So, definitely go and get this album because you're bound to find something you really like on here, and there's a good chance you'll really enjoy this entire album as I do.
Fantastic Album! This album is EPIC, and by far one of my favorites! It starts off with a quiet, haunting melody with some very impressive spanish guitar, and then crescendoes into the second track, and that explodes with energy!
The percussion for Giant (track 3) is absolutely fantastic, and sounds like the basis for the Burley Brawl track on the matrix soundtrack.
Wardogs is also very good.
Mona Lisa Overdrive is the infamous "Highway Scene" music from Matrix Reloaded, without the mix by Don Davis.
Zwara is easily my favorite track on the CD. It starts off with a compelling percussion track, then the bass line fills in, and the intermittent chanting of "Zwara!" gets the adrenaline flowing.
Mutant Message is a little weird, but still neat if you give it a good listen. Angels and Men is another quiet song, but very soothing. It is something one could meditate to.
Navras is the "Super Burley Brawl" music from Matrix Revolutions (again, without the addition by Don Davis). This is the longest, most epic track on the CD, but there is about three minutes of a quiet lull in an otherwise thrilling song.
Overall, a great CD, I highly recommend to all!
Flawed, but nice. I hate writing reviews. I feel like a review should include some high-brow philosophy that blows people's minds, becoming an art in itself. For me, I either like music or I don't. Simple as that. An album is either worth my money, or it isn't.
What makes this review even harder to write is Labyrinth borrows characteristics from many genres: Heavy metal, drum and bass, trance, ambient, tribal... It's hard to compare Labyrinth to anything. So here's a brief rundown:
Flaw: Angels and Men. The whole song. The vocals are interesting, the mood is interesting, but it sounds like a friggin' Blue Man Group tune. Lowes probably wants half its plumbing aisle back.
Flaw: Conquistador I. It's okay, but drags on forever. Clamp it down some.
Now, I can't be a legit reviewer if I don't point out what Labyrinth does right. Let's see...
Giant. The whole song. Brilliant as hell. Reminds me of the wonderful times I spent listening to Dieselboy's projectHUMAN, AND those angsty years of Stabbing Westward (it's the drums). It's even a bit soulful (the vocals), but not in a silly gospel way.
Navras. Yes, the song is too long, yes the song has iffy tribal marshmallows in its otherwise delicious cereal of music, but it's cool. I love the piano riff, and the "tribal bits" are good, but out of place--unless you look at it as the Juno Reactor "remix."
Conquistador II. Makes me want to start up Unreal Tournament and scrawl a legacy in bullets. Enough said.
Well, I think that about covers it. Four stars.
He's still got it... After all these years Juno Reactor is still able to bring something new to the trance plate and not repeat himself. Labyrinth is full of tribal beats, ethnic vocals and oddly enough - a touch of rock and drum & bass. Throw in the unmistakable Juno Reactor trance beats from time to time and you've got one damn good CD.
You'll notice this album has a much more cinematic and epic feel to it then previous albums... Ben Watkins truly is a master at what he does and continues to evolve and change.
Juno Reactor goes hollywood Where Bible of Dreams was subtle and enjoyable, Labyrinth sounds much more like a movie soundtrack, which seems to be the goal. The old downtempo/trance style has turned into a aggressive sound designed as sci-fi action movie background music. While it seems a lot of people like this, I feel like Bible of Dreams was more inspired and original. The music is still enjoyable and polished, and the guitar work is great, but seems over-the-top at times and a bit "hollywood." Congratulations to JR for the work on the Matrix soundtrack, but I wasn't planning on a soundtrack disc when I bought this. Matrix itself was an excellent hard cyberpunk sci-fi theme taken to similar "hollywood" levels which made it more appealing to the masses.
I guess they've been moving in the direction for a while, as Shango still had some subtle trance elements of BoD but introduced songs like "Masters of the Universe" which had the hollywood soundtrack feel. So its probably just my fault for not really liking the direction that Juno has gone with this album. I'm still a fan and enjoy the disc.
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