Various - Rabtu Gawa - Paradise Trance download free

Along with its downtempo counterpart "V/A Mahasiddhi - Paradise Ambient & Tribal Journey", "V/A Rabtu Gawa - Paradise Trance" was conceived as a compilation aimed at helping the Tibetan people in their ongoing struggle against the Chinese opressors. Now, as noble and praiseworthy as the idea and the initiative may be (and I do regret that I didn't buy this back in the day when I could have contributed a little something), at this point in time I am mainly focused on the music, which isn't all that to be honest. A combination between more established names on the scene (Shiva Chandra, Cybersnack and Akasha Project) and some one time contributors is not bad per se, but it won't stick with you in any particular way. Dare I say it, most of these tracks sound as if they were hastily gathered to fill a CD surface, even though there is nothing to complain about as far as the flow goes here. Most tracks have a tribal touch to them, none of them are crazy, explosive with insane, wall to wall climaxes, so do not buy this expecting to hear some fast & furious party material. The music all tends to follow the same pattern here; relatively layed back tracks with avreage melodies occassionally getting dipped in acid. Production vaults are pretty low, even for 1996 standards, and a vast majority of material here, if not all of it, has not aged with grace, somethings that cannot be said for some contemporary releases from the same era. Thing is, nine very similar tracks in a row can get tiresome, especially because not a single one displays that something extra which would differentiate it from the next. The unknown artists deliver tracks which are by no means good enough to place them on the map, and producers with plenty albums tucked under their belts like Shiva Chandra and Akasha Project don't bring anything that would up their game. I don't mind repetition and monotony, if what is being repeated is really excellent and captivating, and unfortunately, few things here, if any, can be described as catchy or memorable. This whole compilation never really picks up in pace or ideas, but then again then it never slows down or decreases in intensity either. It ends in the same way it started in, but I can vaguely remember anything I've heard in between. That said, this is, plain and simple, an average compilation. Nothing extravagant, nothing dull. Just one of the many. Personally, I think it makes good background music when you're doing something that requires quite a bit of your attention. "Rabtu Gawa", despite fighting for a great cause through music, has a few setbacks which make me reluctant to recommend it with two thumbs up. One other thing to keep in mind is just how damn nearly impossible this one is to track down and purchase in its original form. Never mind it being expensive, first you have to find somebody somewhere willing to sell it! The way things are, this is an extremely rare compilation, with music I wouldn't say does justice to the cause, but then again you can't have it all, can you? If you are a casual listener, cross this one from your wantlist, like now. If you are just eager to get a firm grip on old school goa trance, steer clear from "Rabtu Gawa" and head straight for the classics and torrents of still widely available various artists compilations with tunes far more rewarding than the ones offered here. Bottom line: send some money to the red cross in order to support the struggling tibetan people, but if quality goa trance is your primary interest, may I suggest carefully listening to this one over before making the purchase. But yes, I know, that is far easier said than done. Trust me, I know...