Introducing trip-hop influenced, psychedelic world fusion as a definitive new genre of music, San Francisco Bay Area DJ and producer Galen Butler, aka Shakatura, draws upon his legendary background as a techno-shamanic conductor and takes his trippy techno-organic fusion of downtempo breaks, trip-hop, dub, and world rhythms global with his hypnotic Cyberoctave debut. Blending trance, tribal, dub and downtempo groove, this project fits the trance dancefloor perfectly with its cool shades of The Orb, Thievery Corporation, and Banco de Gaia embracing Shakatura’s funky basslines, lush atmospheres, and solid beats. A prolific studio producer, Butler — who grew up playing guitar in rock bands in his native Philly — is currently the resident chillroom DJ at the long-running Groove Garden, a club in the North Bay Area where his DJ sets have gained a reputation as deep, positive, and uplifting ambient journeys. Galactivation’s 70-minute musical tapestry is comprised of 12 tracks, many of whose foundations were originally formed in these club settings. The title track sets the tone with its mix of mystical percussion, spacey techno effects, trippy trance grooves, and exotic, wailing female vocals. Tribal colors wash over the sitar sound and Eastern vibe of “Solar Cell 2,” before “Geko” ushers in a cool synthesis of soulful crunch grooves and windblown chillout vibes. “Midheaven” is a flute-drenched ambient journey that was originally released on the Canadian Interchill Records compilation Earth Octave Lounge in 2002. – Jonathan Widran
more »