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Astral Projection Let There Be Light (12", 33 ⅓ RPM, EP) SUNCDEP02 Tracks: Filteria–Filtertraces (Astral Projection Remix)10:08 Astral Projection–Let There Be Light (Filteria Remix)8:55 Astral Projection–Enlightened Evolution (Morphic Resonance Remix)10:21 Astral Projection–Another World (2017 Remix)9:21 I'm reviewing the vinyl 12" edition of this fine ep. Really excellent sound on this 12" courtesy of the masterful mastering of Tim Schuldt. A good quality pressing. Filteria–Filtertraces (Astral Projection Remix)10:08 Astral Projection's remix of Filteria's "Filtertraces" sounds so classically AP that Filteria seems neither here nor there - a very sweet epic track that hovers on the edge of the saccharine towards the end, but in the right mood is a bomb. The masters of melody do not fail to deliver. Astral Projection–Let There Be Light (Filteria Remix)8:55 Filteria returns the favour with a remix of "Let There be Light": this is altogether tougher and faster with the bigger bass of nu skool Goa. The lead melody is perhaps a bit forward in the mix, making it strident - this spoils part of this remix, which I can't fully rate. Astral Projection–Enlightened Evolution (Morphic Resonance Remix)10:21 The Morphic Resonance remix of AP's "Enlightened Evolution" doesn't have shrill leads or cheesy modulations, but it can't really be said to add much, if anything, to the original, which I prefer. Two not such great remixes from the nu skool guys then. I notice that neither of them has the perfect sound that Astral manage; their production is just not as subtle. Astral Projection–Another World (2017 Remix)9:21 Then it is the turn of Astral to remix their own track "Another World" from the album of that name. Ahhh, sweet bliss. This is almost indescribably awesome: pure spirituality in aural form. I felt my body dissolving into a sea of pulsating pixels to this track. For me "Dancing Galaxy" and "Another World" are their best albums, and that this track seems to attain another level of beauty in this remix seems miraculous to me. Wow! I'm afraid I have no choice but to conclude that the old school masters showed these Johnny-come-latelies a thing or two. I am not suggesting at all that Filteria and Morphic Resonance are less than very good, but I am suggesting that Astral Projection's production values are on another level of mind-bending subtlety. Two great remixes from Astral Projection, the other two are not as memorable. ~*~

Moon Beasts – Unexpected Turn Of Events 2022 Alexandre Cohen & Jerome Lesterps Real Externality La Petite Porte Escaping The Plague Walking A Tightrope Towards The Unknown A silvery ray of darker Goa from Moon Beasts (I'm not too convinced by this name), which features Jerome Lesterps of Proxeeus. The mastering and pressing are solid on this white vinyl issue and the sound is generally excellent (unsurprising since the mastering is from Tim Schuldt). I'm tempted to pronounce some pretentious nonsense about this ep being appropriate to our darker times, but I will avoid that (largely). Real Externality There's Goa psychedelia on offer in the storming track "Real Externality", which has enough sawtooth and 303 madness to get any dancefloor moving to its screeching hectic intensity. Good track. Make that a very good track. I appreciated the vocal sample from Lovecraft, which really set the mood. La Petite Porte "La Petite Porte" has a stomping techno beat and some spooky synth lines; there's a bit of haunted forest flavour in this track, which again features some 303 madness towards the end. A darker track, though it is a bit spoilt by the knees-up faster beat at the very end - it seems that the musicians did not know how to progress or end this track. Basically, I thought it a good track that should carry on for another few minutes and found it ended prematurely. Escaping The Plague The darker vibes continue on "Escaping the Plague", which may be a reference to coronavirus? This track features wailing siren synth work which works well, but again I feel that this track could have been developed further and gone on for longer. Nevertheless, I enjoy the crossover with darkpsy and darkwave/ebm in this track, which does succeed in conjuring an apocalyptic ambience and feeling. Walking A Tightrope Towards The Unknown The last track "Walking a Tightrope Towards the Unknown" is downtempo and has a head-nodding beat that is infectious. There's a "Bladerunner" style moody Moog ripping sound that gives a dystopian quality to this track, but yet again it seems still-born and ends too quickly. Super track nevertheless, probably my favourite on the ep. My take away: one dancefloor stormer and three good tracks that seem unfinished to me. What this suggests is that I was really enjoying the tracks and didn't want them to end! A promising ep and it would be great to see more by these guys, especially if pressed to vinyl, not to mention Proxeeus on vinyl - I would love to see Proxeeus on vinyl! ~*~

People might be starting to learn that an endless supply of music streaming hasn't made them more excited for music but rather some background noise that they don't need to think about. Vinyl feels more real as far as a listening experience goes. I still like digital. But need to force myself to listen to an album through and through without skipping to some other new release halfway through. AP really do nail it in their subtlety you got that right. Filteria and Morphic just seem like the least subtle artists in the genre and aren't known for their delicate touch. You would think you could get some synergy there, a new approach rather than someone else with a soft touch coming to do what AP has already done. But it's hard to move past such a classic sound.