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Artist: Etnica Title: Live In Athens 1996 Label: DAT Records Date: December, 2012 1. Intro 2. Plastic 3. Floating Universe 4. Antidote (Etnica rmx) - Blue Planet Corporation 5. Nice Toys 6. Vimana 7. Lunar Civilization (Etnica rmx) - Crop Circles 8. Time Dilation (Etnica Morning mix) - Pleiadians 9. Mankind 10. Electric Shower 11. Rotating Fields 12. Fluorophilia Camps Bay 13. Blinded Moon 14. Jungle Trax (Etnica rmx) - Pleiadians 15. Mental Puzzle 16. Phthalic Vibes You said Key. Where do I start with this one? This is a release that thanks to label head Draeke had every goa trance fan salivating. Whether you call them Etnica, Pleiadians, or Crop Circles these Italians are legendary in this genre and arguably responsible for the greatest goa trance tracks ever. I.F.O...classic. Alien Protein...classic. Tetrahedron...you guessed it, classic. So thanks to an act of theft (some guy actually recorded their live set to DAT) we have one CD of their performance in Athens. So what do you get? You have one disc with the recording of their live set in Athens in 1996 and another of unreleased goodies. The booklet contains a bunch of cool info about how this release came about and also the stories of the unreleased tracks. Highlights? They had to carry all their equipment with them to every show. Everything. What a pain in the ass. Now a pimply faced kid only needs to bring his Sony Vaio loaded with ProTools and he thinks he's Paul Van Dyk. Oh how the times have changed. As far as the artwork goes, I can take it or leave it, but one things for certain...you know it's Etnica when you see it. Live In Athens 1996 Intro- This monumental release begins with an intro that they played during all their sets. Maybe to set the mood or to f*ck with the seriously stoned, I cannot say. It is what it is...a slow percussive intro. Now on to the good stuff. Plastic- Plastic... Ewww. I wonder if silicone comes out when she blows her nose. First thing I noticed when comparing it with the EP is that this version is almost 2 and a half minutes shorter. Seeing how this disc is partially mixed perhaps they took out the bits that might've slowed the momentum. Again, I wasn't in the room, but you've got that signature melody that builds like a tsunami so no worries. With a constant thump the sparkling acid flickers like they were using a blowtorch. I wasn't a fan of the transition into Floating Universe, but that's minor. Floating Universe- Just an absolute stormer. Leads that are searching like the dendrites of an axon with lightning fingertips. There is no respite as it backs down in places and then regroups. You get the entire track that sounds great with the energy of a live wire. Antidote (Etnica Remix)- We've all heard the Pleiadians remix of the BPC classic, but I've never heard this one before. It's got a nice bottom end complete with a growl that's just waiting to erupt. Let the knob twisting commence! And boy do they. Guttural and squelchy at times this one leaves scorch marks when the leads aren't getting all twisted up like a nasty DNA strand. At almost 11 minutes this one is quite the ride. Nice Toys- This is another one I've never heard before. There is a reason this was released in time for the holidays. Ouch. Santa needs another AA meeting. Rest assured mine made it in time, so that above must've been the afterparty. More cloud bursting leads that twist and turn making the people below look like ants. Feel like the Silver Surfer as that bass growl is my surfboard. I wouldn't recognize the melody, but I sure do love the ride. Vimana- Oh boy we're in the meat of things now aren't we? And that melody is like getting wrapped with barbed wire. So sparkly and spacious, my twisting controls have been on auto pilot for a good while now. Lunar Civilization (Etnica Remix)- With a smooth transition we're onto the Etnica remix of a classic Crop Circles track and it doesn't take long for the twirling to begin again. THE melody comes in at 4 and a half minutes and the smile that you had to start has just been widened. A happy smile doofus. Not like somebody just cornholed you. It's a cluster of melodies from space thrown together in a shower of stardust. This is the holy grail people, this is what goa heads have been searching for. Time Dilation (Etnica Morning Mix)- According to the booklet this track was built around a beautiful sample and you hear it right from the get go. At over 15 minutes I don't have to tell you this is the longer version and it's worth every second. That voice is heavenly and makes me think of an ethereal Lord of the Rings wispy vocal. But in space. It's a softer track (their words) and was only played during morning sets. Takes a while to get going and it builds along the way. Like the booklet said even though this one is not as aggressive, you can tell it is form the minds of Etnica. Best of Unreleased Mankind- The bass and pads make this seem other worldy and like all their tracks it builds with each measure. Halfway through Mankind takes a storming posture as if daring you to look at it. The shimmering wall of color is there, probing, showing you the way. I like this one because while it's also big, it reveals the guts in places. Know what I mean? Like that drum n bass rhythm? So did they because they built the track around that. Electric Shower- That would electrocute you...right? Might as well throw a toaster in the bathtub. Whoa whoa...don't do it yet. You gonna eat those pop tarts? From 1998 this track marked a time when the way they made music had changed. They took a bunch of samples (From the first ever sample CDs) and put them together and well, manipulated the hell out of them. Hence, electric shower. It's noisy and not their usual layers of melody and probably my least favorite of both discs. Rotating Fields- "Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? I ask that of all my prey?" Made entirely by Maurizio in Milan in 1998 after their first trip together in Brazil it's an acidic chunky b*tch. Groovy with lots of effects he dedicated it to someone special at the time. Very psychedelic with the six million dollar man effect when he does something bionic. Remember that? Remember, remember when that was... *sigh* you kids weren't even alive. It started off strongly, but lost steam on the way down. He mentioned that he wanted to make some changes but never got around to it. Fluorophilia Camps Bay- Made in 1997 by Carlo and Maurizio in South Africa after they released I.F.O. it bubbles with intensity and finds its legs halfway through. Forest sounds or effects made to sound like the forest are present throughout. There is a lot going on while it surges and recedes. Pretty good track with numerous melody changes. Blinded Moon- Well no wonder it's a blinded moon, there's a f*cking muppet dancing on it. Based on a techno track (Trans Pact) back in 1997 this one is of a darker nature. But that said, it's very melodic to my ears with several leads and a true outer space vibe. This is great Etnica stuff with more shimmering synths and unfriendly extra terrestrial life. If this was on Alien Protein it wouldn't be out of place in my opinion. Jungle Trax (Etnica Remix)- Ah a remix of the Pleiadians classic. According to the insert they used to make a bunch of different versions of a track (which probably means there is more gold in them thar hills!) and the main thing I notice about this one is that it doesn't have that key change found on the original. Which is good cause I didn't like that. Otherwise it's a churning track that seems to go on for awhile, wrapping you up in its spin. Sparks fly after 5 minutes culminating with a solid finish. Mental Puzzle- Quite possibly the rarest of the rare this track was heavily damaged and required some serious restoration. Like if you peed all over the Mona Lisa I guess. Not quite, but kid's got a future. Made back in 95 it crushes the competition with its relentless pace and varied melodies while keeping true to the bubbling goa sound. 15 minutes. That's f*cking insane. Do you have any idea how many galaxies you can visit at light speed in 15 minutes? Like...3 I guess. Sparkling, intense, and an old school gem to be sure. It seems unending with it's many spirals of sound and if I had to put it in layman's terms. This track is a Labrador retriever plowing a kid over in a flooded field. What? Phthalic Vibes- Ah the final track in this unbelievable journey. And what a f*cking track it is. The last one composed by Etnica as a quartet it was meant to be released on a Fluorophilia album that never was. It's a killer with more bounce than a chick with double D's. Forceful and a fabulous way to end this trip. Holy f*cking Cow. That was something else. I imagine this review is going to read more like a promo with correct English than a review, but what do you expect? It's Etnica from their golden goa period. Did you think Draeke was gonna waste his time uncovering turds? Work his ass off for something mediocre? I could've written this review in one word. Awesome. The vast majority of the tracks are stellar and what goa trance should be. Melodic, driving, trip inducing...It sounds great and a perfect way to close a chapter in goa history. Unless they have even more gems that they are waiting to release at a later date. Congratulations to these pioneers of the genre and congratulations to Draeke and his label for bringing these wonderful tracks to light. DAT Records Psyshop Beatspace Saikosounds GoaStore Mdk

I too had the pleasure of giving this a spin already. Here is what's going to be the cover art: This (in my opinion fabulous!) cover painting sums up the release pretty well for me, because what we get here is something rather organic or "natural" in its way of entrancing the listener - I mean this in contrast to much of the other stuff that is released today which is "engineered to death" sound-wise and having all computer-generated covers... Anyway, my first impression: All that the release is actually about is practically one "theme", the tracks carry the same theme and melody elements, they're only different versions of it. The original mix is a really, really long track, over 15 minutes. I can see there's a lot of work that has gone into it. I percieve it as a nice and uncomplicated piece with good progression in "older style" (not to be confused with old school, that's different!) as I would say. Bassline and kick remind me of the "past" ... well, it's certainly a few years ago as I last heard such sounds. Also the track length is something from the past ... nowadays the pieces are usually shorter. The melody starting after 8 minutes is pleasant. Entrancing is what comes to mind, yes. And although it gets stronger there are no bad surprises. It kinda evolves naturally. Yes, I probably would dance to this if it was played at a party, because it's very pleasant to just go sway to it. This is what psytrance has always given me: this "autopilot" mode. In today's music you hardly find it, because there's more unpredictable things happening. This track is something that I happily leave the steering wheel to because I'm confident it won't let me go into a tree. And I needed multiple listens to grab more details ... and I am still not fully through. Provides a good listen for several sessions. And in this sense it's a really good track! There may be little impurities audible to the perfectionist, in the sound or mastering, they are there a bit ... however, I don't care at all about them, it's a sign of honesty for me, that this was not constructed with whole track pieces "out of the can" or anything. I prefer "not 100% polished but had fun while creating" all the way compared to sounds out of the can ... they got no soul ... which this piece has The Radio Edit falls a bit short, but it's still a good move to make a shorter song. Only the ending might come quite abruptly if you are used to the long version, In the long one this doesn't matter ... I mean, if you skip to the end, you hear it's done in the same way, but when you "took the trip" through the song before, you don't care. The live version is interesting, if you make the effort to listen to it despite the really not perfect sound (at least on the release I got). I can see where this is going and agree it's a little bit better arranged than the original, but the sound is not doing it justice ... however, it's enough to make me say I will be looking forward to catch this liveact if they come to Vienna at any day ... but for listening at home I prefer the original version. PS on this: unusual ending by the way Cheers for the release I can only second the link ... and don't mind the cover, it should be changed to the pic above sooner or later: https://kaliearth.bandcamp.com/album/love-magic-master-xxpsy-systems

Etnica: Live In Athens 1996 DAT Records 2012 1. Intro 2. Plastic A 3. Floating Universe A 4. Antidote (Etnica rmx) - Blue Planet Corporation A 5. Nice Toys A 6. Vimana (Etnica Remix?) A 7. Lunar Civilization (Etnica rmx) - Crop Circles A 8. Time Dilation (Etnica Morning mix) - Pleiadians A- 9. Mankind A- 10. Electric Shower A- 11. Rotating Fields A- 12. Fluorophilia Camps Bay A 13. Blinded Moon A- 14. Jungle Trax (Etnica rmx) - Pleiadians B+ 15. Mental Puzzle B+ 16. Phthalic Vibes A Etnica: Live In Athens 1996 is an outstanding release. Nearly every song I'd give an A- or an A to. This is one of the best releases of all time, and one of the biggest surprises in the history of Goatrance. I wish that this group still made music like this! Initially unreleased (how is that even possible?!), this double album was recorded live in the mid to late 90's. It showcases many wonderful tracks that I had not heard prior to this release. Sold yet? Some of the best songs in electronic music are on this two-disc compilation from when Etnica A.K.A. Pleiadians were in their prime. Gripes / Questions / Feedback - My question regards Vimana which is different from the Vimana song I have by Etnica on their EP 3 track here: http://www.discogs.com/Etnica-Plastic/release/76593 Did Etnica make two versions of Vimana? I suppose so. I like the other version more. Also, the second half of the album features less amazing work than the first half IMO, but it's still strong. Several tracks I find grow less desirable, somewhat repetitive, impressive. These songs include: Jungle Trax and Mental Puzzle that at least include some solid elements. To Dreake/DAT Records and Etnica/Pleiadians: Thank you so much for releasing this amazing, underrated gem in Goatrance. We love it. Pleiadian's earlier sound was (and still is) delicious and absorbing, at times the level of imagination, sound selection, arrangement, mixing, and overall direction and addictive sound produced in the brain is unparalleled (for many!). Personally, I think the artists should make a real GOA sequel to Etnica or Pleiadians if they have the vision, passion, and interest. There are numerous labels who would release it. Dat Records. Suntrip. The impression I get though is that these guys have moved on from Goa and are no longer a group, save the few Etnica guys who remained. These artists raised the bar on the most elaborate genre in uptempo music. Creating songs like this is a spiritual gift. You don't just lose it. It's inherent. I wish somehow the artist(s) most influential with this work would say YES out of passion, excitement and heart, for all the fans. Whether we see that day or never, this is a fantastic album. There are tracks here that top several songs on I.F.O. and vice-versa. Etnica/Pleiadians best albums in Goa-Trance are I.F.O. and LIVE IN ATHENS. I also realize this is subjective, but there's only around 5 Goatrance albums I've ever given a solid A to, to date. Many have come close (to me) of course, and many I consider classics not listed below. - Pleiadians: I.F.O. - Hallucinogen: Twisted - Etnica: Live In Athens 1996 - Filteria: Daze Of Our Lives - Hallucinogen: The Lone Deranger Etnica: Live In Athens 1996 is highly recommended! For Goa fans this is a must! Favorite tracks: Are you serious? This is a must buy album for every Goa Trance fan out there. A Samples http://www.datrecords.it/dat/releases/etnica.html http://www.beatspace.com/7304/Dat+Records/ETNICA/Live+In+Athens+1996/detail.aspx http://www.goastore.ch/etnica-live-in-athens-1996-2cd.html http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/dat/dat2cd004.html

The Vimana remix is out of this world! The only problem is that the bass somehow dissapears during the intense moments and I miss the extra punch. Otherwise the synths are not created by humans. Etnica>any other music ever made