The Chillout Project: House Sessions 2
Mar 09 2005 Wed
6:16 am PHT
As I mentioned before, I’m going to do a review of Anton Ramos’ The Chillout Project: House Sessions 2. I’ve seen this album months before but it was only two weekends ago that I finally decided to buy it, thus formally starting my CD collection. (Heh.)
The album contains 14 tracks of chillout music, house style. But they’re not really separate tracks as this is a DJ compiled mix. This means that you essentially have one very long track with individual sub-tracks faded in and out, DJ style. What’s good about the mixing here is that I think the the original tracks were preserved as is and the essential parts are included, unlike in other DJ mixes where the original tracks are mangled, sometimes beyond recognition.
What I don’t like about the album is that it contains far too many latin music. I’m not really a fan of latin house/trance. I would, however, like to give a special mention to Espirito’s “Canto de Orfeo” the only latin track on the CD that I really like.
My most favorite track on the CD is definitely Bonnie Bailey’s “Ever After,” which I’ve heard in some clubs here in Manila. And apparently, a lot of other people like it too (I term this the Orion effect). “Ever After” was the most requested track during last Saturday’s David’s House show on 99.5 RT, according to DJ David Ardiente.
Most of the other music on the CD are quite good too. In particular, I liked “Kiss, Kiss, Kiss” by the Ananda Project, Demon Ritchie’s “La Plage,” and “Rainwater” by Astrid Suryanto.
Is the album worth the 455 pesos I paid for it? Not really. I’d be much, much happier if the price were 300–350 pesos. But it’s good enough to keep. (And the minimalist design of the album is the best!)
Update: Here’s a recent (April 2005) article from the Manila Bulletin which tells about the story behind this particular album by Anton Ramos. And I didn’t know that Anton Ramos is the president of Music One Corporation, the operators of Music One and Tower Records in the Philippines. And he’s just 30! Lucky guy. His family owns the widely successful and ubiquitous chain of National Bookstores. (Hmmmm… I wouldn’t be surprised if he studied in Colegio de San Agustin.)
Comments
Comment times are in Philippine time (+0800).
1
On 8:56 a.m., 10 Mar 2005, drei wrote:
hmm. i should listen to this album again.
first albums ko nung high school mga pop, rock, at rnb. hehe.
2
On 2:15 p.m., 15 Mar 2005, joyce wrote:
proudly my first bought album (cassette pa) was jon secada ’if you go’.
3
On 10:04 a.m., 24 Mar 2005, tasha b. wrote:
gosh! i love fckin this cd!! haha. i have one already….
tash <3
4
On 10:07 a.m., 24 Mar 2005, tasha b. wrote:
yeah!! bonnie bailey—ever after!! fck. i love that song!!!!!!!!!!!
5
On 3:31 p.m., 4 Apr 2005, serene wrote:
i looooooove ever after!! been listening to it 24/7.
6
On 8:22 p.m., 5 Apr 2005, abbee wrote:
I bought the CD sometime February, & I’m glad I’m not the only one who appreciates it! I also love Jazzy Eyewear’s Find The Way & the excruciatingly short The Sign track.
7
On 10:04 p.m., 9 Apr 2005, seav wrote:
I’ve updated the post with links to more info about the album and Anton Ramos himself.
8
On 7:14 p.m., 10 Apr 2005, johannangel wrote:
same as you…the album made me a big fan of songs under that genre…i am working for a call center as a team manager and in the wee hours of the morning or if i go home which in contrast as everyone is just starting to head to the office , i play that CD. i plan to have a collection of chillout albums….wish me luck…
9
On 1:08 p.m., 12 Apr 2005, louise wrote:
i bought all 5 anton ramos compilations last dec 2004 in a frenzy! my fave tracks in the album are kiss, kiss, kiss, ever after, rainwater and everywhere. i think you’d like house sessions 1 better. it doesn’t have as much latin tracks.
10
On 11:24 p.m., 12 Apr 2005, seav wrote:
johannangel, good luck on your collection. I plan to increase my collection too.
louise, all 5 compilations? Whoa, that must’ve brought your pocket to the emergency room! Yeah, I scanned the list of tracks on the first house sessions album and there’s a noticeable lack of latin tracks. I’m thinking of buying it, too.
11
On 3:14 a.m., 18 Apr 2005, typacs wrote:
Im listening it to it right now.. i love the album!
12
On 9:58 p.m., 30 May 2005, eshma wrote:
i love the song from Bonnie Bailey (ever after)… i really really love it!..
13
On 11:44 a.m., 12 Jun 2005, Alec D. wrote:
What are the 5 compilations of Anton Ramos?? I only have the two chillout project house sessions… and i know of the first chillout project “soundtrack to..” something? what are the other two?
Thanks! Please e-mail me if you know!
14
On 9:56 a.m., 13 Jun 2005, Alec D. wrote:
There is a new cd by anton ramos, entitled “The Chillout Project Acid Jazz”… it’s a different blend of chillout, but still hits the sweet spot
15
On 9:38 a.m., 25 Jun 2005, aoshi wrote:
i really like listening to ever after again and again
16
On 6:39 p.m., 27 Jun 2005, maverick seneris wrote:
All those albums are ASTIG!!! especially “The Chillout Project Acid Jazz”!! must have one..
17
On 11:00 a.m., 6 Jul 2005, mikeshumacher wrote:
minimal = more
18
On 1:51 p.m., 7 Jul 2005, m0nti wrote:
shit..i simply love ever after.my crush has just sung it to me last nyt..waha!feel like sharin to the world!
19
On 2:43 p.m., 12 Jul 2005, Dj David Ardiente wrote:
hey alvin,
looks like you’re a house fan just like myself. I have the cd myself. Nice to know that you keep track of my show on rt (considering you knew that ever after was a favorite in my show)! Bow to that. Im tasked to spread the genre to everyone and make them enjoy what WE have been enjoying ever since. Keep up the good work and hope that everyone wo visits your page starts to listen to My weekly Saturday night live show called On the Decks—David’s House 10pm-2am. To you and everyone here… Cheers to more ever after hits to come.
20
On 11:38 p.m., 3 Aug 2005, Shiftee wrote:
To DJ DAVID ARDIENTE: Ei there! Im a big fan of yours and your bro, Slyde! You guys are the coolest radio dudes ever! He knows me, by the way. We’re acquaintances. And i love the Bonnie Bailey track, i could not just get my hands on the cd itself. I heard you’re a resident on Club Halo, i’ma troop there soon. On the Decks is one satisfying venue for house addicts like me! its so damn cool! so guys, listen to ON THE DECKS, every SATURDAY, 10p-2a, on YOUR MOST HIT MUSIC, 99.5RT… and also, not forgetting, THE SLYDE SHOW, DAILY 12mn-3a on the same frequency.
21
On 8:35 p.m., 23 Sep 2005, louise wrote:
just answering the question of one of the posts <a href="http://vaes9.aswalk.net/posts/chillout_project_house_2#comment_13">above</a>: the anton ramos compilations are: (in order of release)
The Chill Out Project (the orange and blue cover with the sunset image)—2000 The Lounge Story (pink sofa, actually comes in different colors)—2002 A Soundtrack To Modern City Life—2002 House Sessions—2003 House Sessions 02–2004 Acid Jazz—2005 and I bought the latest one just last week: Sisters Of The Sun
22
This comment has been eliminated.
23
On 4:02 p.m., 28 Oct 2005, joe wrote:
if you like the chillout project then you’d definitely love the Hed Kandi albums. Most of the stuff that’s included in anton ramos’ compilation were leeched off from Hed Kandi.
24
On 6:29 a.m., 29 Oct 2005, seav wrote:
But the Hed Kandi albums are very expensive; the cheapest I’ve found is PhP 1350. I do plan on buying at least one of the unmixed Summer compilations though.
27
On 5:14 p.m., 18 Mar 2006, carla wrote:
wer can i buy compilation of this awesome house songs??? i like ever after but its kinda mainstream na..before i just heared it in bars… i also like DOVE—moony, just the way you are —by ministry of sound ba? im not sure… i really want to collect this songs help me….
and wait have u guys check out the 89.9 party on weekend album?…
pls email me at lala_rabina@yahoo.com
28
On 12:20 p.m., 21 Jun 2006, cabrera wrote:
sobrang mahal. hindi naman import cd to eh. tho‘ the tracks are imported but i dunno how come it ended up 400+ the cd is great but again expensive. and the mixing style is very basic.i aint see high paying skills for this cd. im not a hater. i love the tracks. but then i think its expensive because of his resourcefulness of the tracks? heheh
29
On 8:59 p.m., 21 Jun 2006, seav wrote:
@cabrera:
i think it’s expensive precisely because the tracks are imported. but yes, after listening to many other types of mixed CDs, the mixing here is actually pretty basic and is usually masked by the seashore sounds. well, a good thing about this kind of mixing is that the tracks can stand on their own; it won’t sound too weird when played in shuffle mode.
37
On 3:34 p.m., 4 May 2007, STEFANO wrote:
Hi guys, I’m italian and I spent in the last november a nice holiday in Boracay island listening everyday to Anton Ramos Chillout Project House Sessions. In Europe these cds are not available, can anybody suggest me for an on-line Philipino dealer? Thanks.
Stefano
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