Shamen - Axis Mutatis - Arbor Bona, Arbor Mala - 1995

And so the fun continues!!!!

After Shamen's awesome Boss Drum album, they followed it up with Axis Mutatis.  Although, IMHO, it wasn't as good as Boss Drum, it was an incredible album with even more mixes by the Beatmasters and a host of talented mixers.  We had four incredible singles, and a wonderful mix disc called Arbor Bona, Arbor Mala.

This album came out the year before I got married, and I spent the better part of a year really soaking these guys in.  By the time I got married, my wife was sick of them, I played them so much.  They were trying to follow on the success they had with Boss Drum, but I think they missed the boat by switching their female vocalist.  Jhelisa should have stayed with them, as her vocals accounted for more on Boss Drum than Colin's vocals did, again, IMHO.  Of course, Mr.C's raps were great, and I would have been happy with more of them, in fact.

The first half of the album was pop hit after pop hit, while the second half was a little more grounded and album based, where they could focus on writing music rather than hits.  I personally am not a fan of Transamazonia, as it was TOO pop, and it makes the first half of the album seem like a greatest hits album, and somewhat disjointed.  But, Persephone's Quest, Axis Mundi, and even Moment really stole the show for me.

Although, I'll still dance my ass off whenever Destination Eschaton or MK2A plays...

I think I have all the mixes here, so build that collection, boys and girls!  This only comes along once in a lifetime!

Destination Eschaton

Heal (the Separation) 

MK2A 

 Transamazonia

 Axis Mutatis

Arbor Bona Arbor Mala