RTP

YES

As strange as it might sound, I loved electronic music/sounds ever since. Couldn't get myself to like rock or pop, it had to be electronic stuff, even if it was cheesy eurodance because that was the only stuff that got played on the radio back then. Scooter was part of that too ... I liked Scooter. But they didn't really TRIGGER the love for electronic music, you know... The track where it could be said of that it triggered the love for trance music in me was Disco Citizens - Footprint ('97 revamp edit). It was on Dream Dance 5, I remember. Actually the whole CD triggered my venturing into trance music. And I then bought some used Dream Dance and later on some Future Trance compilations, haha. Nearly all of them used though, couldn't afford new ones. That's how I came to gems like Dream Dance vol. 2 or Future Trance vol. 4 ... these can nowadays actually be considered as some contemporary documents of old commercial trance music I'd say. That's how it started ... and then at some point in 2001 I went over to psy (fortunately ... I'd nearly have become one of the techno chavs ).

Will it seriously be that bad? No, I can't believe it! Are all you guys that say it's going to get worse serious? I mean ... if really all things constantly go down the drain as so many people always say, why do we keep on going? Why do we keep staying in the scene? Why would we sit out another 5 years if it's all so shit? Is it only hope that drives us? Nah, I don't think so. For me it's not like that. Granted, it's not really what I would call perfect, but it's not sooo bad. There still is good stuff, there must be, otherwise you or me wouldn't be here!

please do, then I'll feel younger... I know I'm only 23 now and having age panick at that time is not normal, but I'm serious!

Haha, so far everybody agrees with: "the percentage of shit will rise" Is that the only definite thing? That it will be worse in 5 years than it is now? I guess yes

Yes, that sounds reasonable ... I'm counting on this since some time already. I think also the fact of the new way to release things (mp3s on the net) will be a factor in this ... that the people with short attention span don't have the nerve to dig deep and thus miss much of the good stuff, get bored and venture elsewhere... Yep ... it's already the case that they make big parties with one psy floor, one techno floor and so on... and about music change ... I don't think the kind of sound itself will change that much, but I think there will be a shift in focus. The first signs are alreday here.

1. Do you download music from the web? Any kind of music. How much? How often? I did it moderately (at average) in the past. It got less and less and less. Back in Audiogalaxy times I downloaded a lot. Then they closed it ... and I was finally occupied to actually listen to all the stuff. Then I got Kazaa and then eDonkey and eMule, which also went down the drain after some time for me. Then I switched to Soulseek ... that was three years ago, actually quite precise since it was in winter 2004. And since I got Soulseek the downloads have really gone low. In the whole three years I downloaded maybe 5 GB of data ... that's not much. 2. Do you download specifically Psytrance releases? Mmh, yes. Specific tracks. Compilation tracks of Matenda for example, where I don't wanna pay 15 Euros for the CD when it's only 1 track that interests me... 3. Do you think that downloading (and any other forms of piracy) really hurt the music industry? Not at all. These bastards have 1001 backup plans and cross-financing with copyrights from film soundtracks to radio stations ... every MTV song played cashes in at the company and every radio song as well. These bastards deserve to roast in hell. I don't buy CDs of the big ones. I don't even listen to mp3s of them, doesn't interest me at all. And if I really wanted something I get it used so that the industry doesn't see a cent ... popular music you get thrown after you at CD markets and all that... 4. Do you think that downloading (and any other forms of piracy) really hurt the Psytrance industry? Totally. It's the reason why I finally hardly download anymore and buy stuff instead. In the last 3 years I bought five times as much stuff as the size of my releases collection was before (yes, it was VERY small, I assure you). I really want to support now. Even if I don't have much money. 5. Would you like a world that every new album/comp would be released only in the web? No, I wouldn't ... I'd whine after the good old CD. Actually I already whine more after the good old vinyl, but that one is practically nearly dead anyway

I'm just wondering... How will the scene be like in 5 years from now? Will you still be into it? What labels will cease to exist? Which new ones will come up? How will artists develop? What new technologies will come? Do you give a damn? I have this kind of 5 years plan, you know ... wrote down where I wanna stand in 5 years - as far as I can influence it. But I never said anything about where I wanna stand music-wise in it. And so I was wondering... Personally I think that I'll still be into psy music in 5 years. It has become a part of me, almost can't get rid of it anymore. So I'll still be into the music. But I don't know if I still will be part of the scene ... I think that if I would still be in the scene then I won't be a bystander anymore, I'd contribute in some form to it. Either that or I wouldn't go to parties anymore except some very very few times ... that's what I think. Music-wise I think that there will come more newskool and more commercial stuff. Maybe some "big ones" - artists or others - will get bored of it eventually. And I think there's lots of new artists to come. And more progressive house. Maybe a few new styles too, some new terms. But nothing really fundamental. Labels? I hope Ultimae will still release stuff as magical as nowadays in 5 years. I actually think they will. Apart from that I don't know. There might be some changes in the artists I think. Big ones will either go or get into background a little ... or they'll venture so far into the foreground that they aren't part of our scene anymore. New artists will come up. Even more focus on the little ones that have almost no releases and only make lives on parties. That's what I guess. Techniques? CD will probably be produced less. More mp3/wav releases. Maybe even for free. That's why I say many new artists will come up - they will come, with no label but a free mp3 release. The process has already begun... That's about what I think. I think this will be so great fun when we look in here in 5 years again

Awww, sad... Your album was good. The world needs more people like you who do it with their heart instead of their purse... I can only wish you good luck on your way.

hey, that's actually quite interesting I'll put that on my to-do list when I'm bored...

Mittelstandskinder Ohne Strom! The best name ever IMO Eat Static is a genious name as well other than that I like the names: Prisoners Of The Sun Battle Of The Future Buddhas Pope Of Gegga Shiva Chandra Magnetrixx Klangstrahler Projekt Green Nuns Of The Revolution Box Of Frox 1200 Micrograms

...what Mike says. I as a consumer would think four times about buying an album that is avaliable for free via download. And I won't do it even at the first time ... okay, there are exceptions (the S-Range release, which is in a way in that same situation, hehe), but not many. You won't get big support off the consumer side except selling maybe 50 copies to poeple who really are behind it, maaaybe 100 if you are good. I would not count on more, I'd rather count less. Does this justify costs and effort? Nah, forget it IMO. There is no real point in releasing stuff available for free, you won't even play in the pressing costs from the factory. The customer wants and needs something more, something that he/she doesn't have yet and what he/she can not just download and burn. Don't say cover artwork or mastering now, I'm talking about more. To really get the money back that you throw out to press the discs (and nothing more, don't ever expect real profit!) you have to give them new and previously unreleased tracks, because only that will persuade them to buy it. Although not the whole disc needs to be new tracks, but about half of it ... everything below wouldn't be good. Unreleased tracks, special fresh remastered hand numbered limited digipak edition with extra amount of artwork, that would be it! This way you'll attract both people who have the release already in digital form and people that have never heard of it likewise ... and when you're lucky and the music is good you'll eventually really get rid of the huge amount of pressings you made and step out of it without red digits. That's the road to success in my eyes. And I have no clue of that release, it's only what I think

Let me give you a suggestion... Make a music evening for yourself. Get some beers, relax and start browsing through threads here and see what people suggest here and there, maybe check out the reviews section as well. Check out well and if any release sounds interesting for you, go over to Saikosounds and listen through the samples. Saikosounds really is good for that, I find. And while listening samples browse more and more, here and there ... you'll find some really good stuff, I bet. And of that stuff, make a list and rank it, see what you really would like to own and what you can afford and then go buy it! No matter what it is - oldschool, prog, dark, ambient ... listen through and see what you like. You really can do that well at Saikosounds I think. If I had 100 dollars to spend on CDs and wouldn't know which ones to get, I'd definitely do that. I also like to do something like that before an order, even if I know what to order already, maybe I come across some other jewel and get it alongside, you never know. And then I sit until late at night with my list, the music and the beer until I finally place the order. But the purchase I'd make at Wirikuta, although that's only because they're in my country... I think that's the true spirit of placing an order. Many people are just hurrying with it. I do it with heart and soul and I love it, it gets part of the enjoyment for me, so I already get something for my money while I don't have even paid ... it's wonderful and I pity everybody who doesn't have the time to do it like that

I order at Wirikuta. Wirikuta and nothing else. Once I did a Saikosounds order. Paid a horribly high fee for transfering money onto their UK bank account. Terrible memories. Will never do it again. Ever. Wirikuta is in my country and thus offers C.O.D. for a low fee (for me ), what do I want more?

I could listen to almost everything psy. Oldschool, Full On, Dark, Progressive, Chill, Ambient. My CD & vinyl collection contains titles from Hallucinogen's Lone Deranger over Quantum State's Subatomic Travellers across Mutant Star's Demimonde via Shiva Chandra's Auricular over S-Range's Space up to Massimo Santucci's Al Dente or Peter Gun's Firendly Fire even across Fluke's Risotto and further up to Carbon Based Lifeform's World Of Sleepers and Bluetech's double album and Jean Michel Jarre's Oxygene, just to pick some representative titles for the styles I like. My taste is quite broad (I'd say) and I can enjoy almost everything that is psychedelic in some way ... or even beyond that. Recently I got Paul Van Dyk's Seven Ways and I like it as well. Or Enigma ... I enjoy that as well. Besides psy I also like Industrial, Dark Ambient and Viking Metal as well as some undefinable stuff (Attwenger )...

my top 5 for 2007 are: Matenda - Natural Development (Global Phonehead Rec.) Solar Fields - EarthShine (Ultimae Rec.) Vibrasphere - Exploring the Tributaries (Tribal Vision Rec.) Protonica - Search (AP Rec.) Sync24 - Source (Ultimae Rec.) Matenda clearly won it for me. Definitely the album of the year... edit: okay, since it's seperated into psytrance and ambient/chill now, here it goes: PSYTRANCE: 1. Matenda - Natural Development (Global Phonehead Rec.) 2. Solar Fields - EarthShine (Ultimae Rec.) 3. Vibrasphere - Exploring the Tributaries (Tribal Vision Rec.) 4. Protonica - Search (AP Rec.) 5. Funky Dragon - Massive (Iono Music) AMBIENT: 1. Sync24 - Source (I don't own more ambient from this year ... give it the 5 points please, it's a good album )

genious

I can't complain, I practically can't afford to complain ... I don't have much money and thus every album purchase needs to be well thought through. I almost only buy stuff I'm really eager to own - and for me that's of course never any bad stuff. I can hardly ever bring myself to pick something random, I don't want to throw out money for nothing ... although when it happens and the piece is good, the joy is the double. I actually can not really complain about any single psy album I own. Maybe one or two are not that good, but I don't own any bad ones, I simply can't afford that. I own some crap metal music stuff. But I can afford it, those CDs never were above 5 Euros...

hey, Jok, try this: V/A - Chilling Goddess (Peak Rec.) You won't regret buying that one, I'm sure The other Peak Records chill compilations are probably equally good, but I don't own them...

genious title

okay, meanwhile I have listened to it often enough to say something definite. I really was waiting for this one eagerly, counted the days until Wirikuta finally had it. Had high expectations ... and I'm happy they got met at least partly. EarthShine is a good, solid album. But it could be better! The first track is awesomely perfect, it grabbed me by the balls from start on and didn't let me go. And after many listenings it's still as wonderful as it was at the beginning ... a perfect progressive trance track. Second track as well ... more club atmosphere in that one and even more progression - I like it a lot! But then it begins, sneaks in. Slowly. What follows is actually good music, that's positive, but it kinda doesn't have so many highlights anymore, which is not that positive. I mean, yeah, it's really good when I listen to three of the six remaining tracks, but when I listen to all of them it becomes kinda monotonous, you know? It's good that a certain atmosphere is present throughout the album, I actually am a sucker for just this scandinavian trance atmosphere which is not present in many albums, closest artists to this style being 12 Moons and Matenda ... but I would have wished to have more (and less) drive in the one or the other track, more variation, even if that would have gone on costs of the atmosphere. Black Arrow is still cool, good track with good finish. Brainbow stands out a bit as being the best one of the six, but it's a bit too long. Spectral Nation is much too long as well, it wouldn't need 12 minutes to bring its point across. But track 7 is the weakest one, I occasionally skip it (!!! - SKIPPING in an Ultimae album, something I NEVER did before!). The last one, Cruise, is better again, fortunately. A quite good closer, I like the the calm part with the melody in the middle ... after being through the impression that lasts is satisfaction... Well, what does this mean now? I think the album is good, certainly one of the better releases that comes out these days. But it also leaves me with a bit of hunger after being through ... I was expecting it to be kinda as awesome as Magnus' Ambient works. I was expecting it to be THE album of the year! But sorry, the top, that's a point it can't reach Bonus points for the first two tracks though, they're absolutely awesome! I really like to put the album in the player for just those two! Conclusio: not the best, but one of the better albums this year I'm happy that the next Solar Fields release will be ambient again ... the only downside is that we need to wait until November next year for it. But a new H.U.V.A. Network album will come as well YES, DAMN YES! I was shocked to see this as well. They really could have made a booklet for this one, I was thinking it to be Ultimae standard... Edit: but you know, the EarthShine album is really suitable to write thesis during listening to it. Just a suggestion. I'm serious!

To psy parties I mostly wear a shirt with this motive - the only "psywear" I have apart from a blue dyed shirt: I painted it myself. So if you see a guy with this shirt, it's me

this sums up pretty well also what I'm thinking... but the main fact is, that psy music is just music made for me... I can be happy to it. I can dance to it. I can arrange my thoughts to it. I can dance and think. My whole mass of thoughts and memories is accessible to me, just like a library. I can think of things, think them through ... and be totally free. I can't do this in any other situation. Everyday noises and stuff distract me, lead the thoughts on other paths and in the end I come out with everything but a solution. It's like I have some sort of process in my brain that's producing thoughts and all that stuff continuously that interfere with the thought (or thing) I actually want to do through. And just this process is kinda switched off when I listen to psy, I can finally do and think without interference and that makes me somehow more free... weird, huh?

Haldolium - One Of These Days (Pink Floyd cover) ... but that's hard to get

Concerning really beatless stuff I only know drone ambient ... and that's mostly dark and I don't think she'll like that. Carbon Based Lifeforms - Rise To Tomorrow might be something