Trance2MoveU

It's not often I disagree with Jon, but this album doesn't seem to hold up IMO. Perhaps it's the choice of sounds (like the lead in Dancing Shiva) or the lack of evolution in tracks like the closing Ambient Sun. Other tracks are all over the place like Spider's Lullaby and Hoffman's Delivery. They seemed more like a bunch of sketches that they attempted to tie together. Clinical Experiment is the only one that stuck with me. It's a face melter with driving melodies that will leave you gasping for air. Damn near a perfect track IMO and the only track that hits all the sweet spots. The tracks are decent, but other than the opener I wouldn't feel the need to play them again.

If you're in the mood for mellow, soul searching goa then just get to stepping. Hit the road. This is not that. This is just blistering, kick down the door goa trance. There is nothing subtle about it. It's cosmic, melodic, and hits with a furious pace. I've enjoyed everything Sergey has done and this is no exception. Track after track of hurtling through the cosmos at ludicrous speed. He channels his inner Astral on Measurements X and that bass that sneaks into Devil Fish? Yes please. The melody sequence in Deep Dive? Orgasmic insanity. It's fire and scorches everything it touches. However...the problem with making a balls to the wall album of face melters is that you're constantly trying to outdo yourself. Perhaps it's a problem with track order, but if two tracks in a row annihilate everything, then the next one is fighting to say, "Hey me too, I can kick ass!" To me this is a minor gripe as I can order them anyway I want. So yes it can be overwhelming if you try and do this in one go, and I'll even concede that the whole album sounds similar, but that shouldn't diminish the quality of the tracks on their own. This is a great album of high powered goa trance. Good job!

Man, remember when Corelle first came out? Suntrip was just a baby, but they released this iconic gem that was met with universal acclaim. Fast forward 16 years and Matthieu Chamoux picks up right where he left of. This guy from France has such a complete understanding of melody and paints his art with delicate touches. Nothing is abrasive and all is welcoming. Every track is full of spiraling melodies and liquid layers creating a living, breathing entity. Notes: Admonition- Slowly unfolding beginning that oozes sunlight and mysticism. Ziggurat- Who doesn't love a good tabla? And that bouncy melody? So. Much. Rapture. Grey Kitty in the Box- You can feel and hear the constant exhalation as melodies dance above and below. Super duper. Gather Your Herds- Gentle, interwoven melodies bring sunshine at every turn. Acide Forme- Pure goa brilliance. Like surfing on an endless ray of sunlight. Pavane- Delicious from start to finish, but especially the finish with the violin. A World of Outmoded Ideas- More of a trancey sound, but his ability to mix his layers with just the right amount of dynamism is impressive. Didge Voices- Forlorn, melancholic, and deeply entrancing with a lovely tribal touch. One of my faves. Ealitas Ex Nihilo- This one didn't grab me like EVERYTHING ELSE did. Bravo to Khetzal for making an album that gets better and better with repeated listens. It's almost perfect in my eyes and a worthy sequel to cement your goa trance legacy! And kudos to Suntrip for delivering this wonderful music and not being afraid to release different types of goa. This type will always be welcome.

Hey everyone! How are you guys doing? It's been awhile since I commented on a release. Realizing that I'm middle aged and have been on here since 2005? Yikes. Catching up on my music and I thought I'd give this a go. I suppose one could say that it does sound "like one long track" and "like neogoa" with power, intensity and melodies, but that needn't be a bad thing. I found the production to be of extremely high quality and while the melodies may not be superb, the layers and breaks make up for it. He absolutely slays it with Coral Tails, Different Species, Altar of Wisdom, Beyond the Darklight, Transcendence, and Radioactive Atoms. Funny how tastes differ as I felt Fabric of Creation while good was the weakest track. Anyhoo, good job and am glad I have this in the collection.

I don't find myself around these parts much any longer, but I will lurk from time to time. I decided to throw this on and give it a listen all the way through. 3 Cds is quite the endeavor and it certainly can get taxing. As most have said the first two CDs are some of the most mind-blowing, melodic, high intensity and epic goa trance you will hear. Point blank. Just track after track of powerful bliss with no filler to be found. This alone is worth the price. The third disc mixes psytrance and goa and isn't my favorite. The variety is a plus and the psytrance isn't bad, but when you compare it to the music found on the first two discs it's more of a throw in. That said, it's still pretty good and I would love to hear what a dark ambient album from this artist would sound like.

Who knows? After a few more listens perhaps I'll be closer to your POV. People's taste can be all over the place and for that we should be thankful. Bottom line the album is still worth picking up and it leaves me hopeful for the next release. And the next...

Listening to this again and I have to say some of the shine has come off the diamond. Still very good, but it might not be as great as I once thought. Also, with the exception of Goalien, Agneton, and Travma it seems most of these artists have vanished. Shame, I had such high hopes for Hypnotic Signal.

"Turns out this thing goes deeper than I imagined!" Does it though? I haven't done one of these for a while so...here goes! Suntrip has been the gold standard for goa trance since 2004 and with this compilation they are merging the very compatible styles of goa trance and forest psytrance. Two projects that should immediately come to mind are Ka-Sol and Battle of the Future Buddhas and they are indeed represented here. First thing to take note of is the very nice cover art. On that front Suntrip rarely disappoints. Deeper Reality opens things up with a rather benign and timid entry that is easily forgettable. Smuds's marriage of their bassline and kick instantly make for a groovy situation, but aside from some juicy sound effects there really isn't much to grapple with. Another long effort without much direction. While the first two tracks barely scratched the goa surface Eating Crow is a more detailed affair. It builds, screams with a very Buddha-esqe lead, and had plenty of bubbling sound effects. The eerie night time forest walk vibe is maintained. While not perfect it's head and shoulders above the first two tracks. Omnium's Omnipresence does a good job of hitting hard with a lot of juicy, and bubbly effects along with some nice goa melodies. Liked it. Proxeeus has been busy lately with compilations, his own albums, and even his own offerings of downtempo and ambient. This track wastes no time hitting the ground running. There's swirling effects, gurgling goa leads, and layers of madness. Another thing in this track's favor is it allows itself to re-emerge with a different focus even though the kick never stops. It's darker and heavier than his usual fare, but it's super good. Xenomorph had THE track of the previous Suntrip compilation Gamma Draconis with Dying Sun, but this is different. It's spooky and dark with lots of sound effects. Decent. Never liked Ka-Sol. Sorry if that offends, but I just never did. Hey I don't like kale or lentils either, but that doesn't make me a bad person. However, Dance of the Locusts is hands down my favorite track by this project. It's intricate layers encapsulate what a dark, Nordic forest would be and just hit me right. That deep groovy bass? I'm telling you. Even though there aren't a lot of surprises it's length makes it more appealing. No goa/forest hybrid would be complete without the Buddhas. This style is what they do. I've always been on the fence with them. Some tracks I've loved and some...I haven't. Pitchbend is a thumping track meant to wear down your defenses until you succumb to their forest wishes. Unfortunately it's rather boring without a lot of evolution, but the difference here is that it goes on for over 9 minutes. Hada made some waves with his Once Upon A Time Release last year which was a sublime mixture of forest and goa trance. Seems like he would fit right in here and it does, sounding spooky and playful at the same time. He does a good job of combining the two genres and while I preferred his album this was a decent track. Flashbacks is a storming and eerie industrial sounding goa trance track! DId he use the well known sound by Prodigy in FIrestarter? Bravo! This sounds like something Tim Schuldt or Syb Unity Nettwerk would have dreamed. Bottom line? Perhaps the mixing of the two genres isn't as easy or compatible as I thought. This is a decent compilation with mixed results. The good tracks are really good, but the weaker ones all follow the same pattern. Too long without any direction. I think combining these genres can be explosive and descriptive when done well. Suntrip did a decent job putting this together, but I have to believe there are better tracks out there that can take this genre mix to higher levels. P.S. I just read the review above mine and it's amazing how points of view can differ. And I love it.

I don't post much anymore, but still lurk from time to time. I've amassed quite the collection over the years and it's just sitting in storage in the basement. Boxes and boxes of CDs that I am in the process of ripping to hard drives. I want to keep collecting CDs, but it gets expensive when they have to be shipped from another continent. Also it's just sitting in the basement. What's the point? So I think I will go digital from now on (even though I love Global Sect's presentation). I have no pattern when listening to music, just what strikes me at the time. Also like anyone I have varied music tastes that go from goa and psy to hip-hop and jazz piano and industrial. For example yesterday I listened to so old school goa, but today I've gone thru hours of Front Line Assembly. So I listen to music while ripping, but also when taking the dog for a walk or working out. One thing I do know over the 15 or so years I've listened to our type of music is that I have no time or patience for poor quality. I'm sure I dumped many gigs of music when I used to find things on the net.

Ok. Absolute classics Goaway, Born Again, Spiritus, and Time Began With The Universe are the backbones of this compilation. These are in your pocket, but what else ya got? Helium by Transwave is decent, but isn't one of their best. Plasmatik is that gritty, experimentally psychedelic goa that Matsuri is known for, but it's an acquired taste. Elevator shows flashes yet doesn't reach its potential. Quirk is...well, Quirk. As someone who is into anthemic and melodic goa his music just doesn't fit the bill and just sounds noisy. So the hidden gem for me is the Total Eclipse remix of Starchild. You will always have me with wobbly 303 madness and with this remix they put their stamp on it. It's always nice when a remix improves on the track and I believe this one did. So yeah, another cool comp from Matsuri. Recommended.

This best of Matsuri from 95-97 is exactly that. A lot of heavy hitters here. Right out of the gate the techno and breakbeat Geomantik from Prana is delicious with it's percussive rhythms. Next is an underrated Doof track that shimmers brilliantly as he twists that cutoff knob. It doesn't go in a lot of directions, but it hits pretty hard. The Black Thunder Mix of the Rezwalker is an absolute classic combining power, mystery, and nimble leads perfect for twirling. Great evolution also. Witchcraft (Chakra & Sandman) only made a few tracks and I think this is perhaps the best one. It's rapid and jerks you by the collar with nary a slowdown. I never cared for the lead in the track Overture so I skip it and move right to on to Joy to accrue some...joy. Another classic beginning with that tell tale breakbeat and then establishing dominance after the break. Powerful climax. And let's face it those are the best kind. The last two are nowhere near as good as the others and it leaves me wondering how they made it on this disc. Perhaps to showcase their variety as a label. Who knows, but irregardless this is a wonderful compilation of goa trance that I highly recommend picking up. Matsuri had so many great tracks so I would've replaced a few, but hey that's personal preference. By the way the artwork on the inside and the outside of the Japanese version is top notch.

Median Project- Constellation

[img]https://i.imgur.com/ENq3TmD.jpg[/img] Artist: Atomas Title: Cartesian Space Label: Classic Goa Trax Date: May, 2020 1. Conclusion 2. Cartesian Space 3. Goodbye Domingo 4. Transistor 5. The Ultimate Experience 6. Cartesian Space (Sagittarius Remix) 7. Wake Up 8. Angst 9. Skybar Suntrip continues to be a ray of sunshine when it comes to goa music. Besides the physical CDs they are releasing they also created this sublabel where they release old classic albums to make sure the artists get some money. Nice gesture. As far as the music goes, I've never heard of this Swedish project. But I have to say this is a GEM! If you love that silver little box and are a goa fan you have to get this. Their style is not layer intensive, but one where they create acid lines and tweak the hell out of them. Unlike a lot of acid trance that takes forever to get to its destination these tracks get to the point. There is real evolution on the fly. The first time I listened to this I had to do it again immediately. That 303 is in almost every track and they aren't shy with it. The whole album is like that. Sounds great and not a bad track in the bunch. Definitely a surprise and worth your time. Classic Goa Trax Bandcamp

Yeah I don't believe this to have aged so well. Not so much the sounds, but the lack of ideas in which to take the tracks. He seemed to find one lane and stayed on it.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/HIQthSI.jpg[/img] Artist: Athena Title- Single Collection Label: Classic Goa Trax Date: October, 2019 1. Human Vox (Slave Labour Mix) 2. Croctopus 3. Xshattriy (Female Remix) 4. Human Vox 5. Future Space Travellers (feat. Prana) 6. U Are Alone 7. Woodwalking [img]https://i.imgur.com/HLloxlw.gif[/img] Man I loved the 90's. That was my decade. The beginning of the internet, cell phones, playstation...Super great. And the music? Awesome. I love what this sub label of Suntrip is doing here. Releasing classic goa trance that maybe only made it to vinyl eps or obscure compilations, but doing it digitally so that the artists can recoup some well deserved income. Everyone knows Miranda and her stellar work, well this was her side hustle. The first two tracks could be found on the compilation Goa Vibes 3 and they hold up well. Melodic goa trance to the fullest. If you wanted to hear Xshattriy (Female Remix) you either had to go to a party or own a turntable cause this baby was vinyl only. And you should hear it because it is bouncy good goa with liquid bass. The original version of Human Vox (actually the first four tracks came from the Human Vox Ep) doesn't appeal to me as much as the remix. Everyone knows Future Travellers made with Prana and that track is still a beast. It's on a bunch of comps so no real discovery here. U Are Alone has a techno feel, but doesn't really go anywhere. The final track Woodwalking is a mid-tempo goa track with some barking 303's. It has groove and saunter with squelchy leads and was my favorite track here. All in all some really good Athena tracks in one place that perhaps you haven't heard. The sound quality is also top notch. Bravo! Classic Goa Trax Bandcamp

Hmmm....I liked the deep growling of The Crane. Kraftpacket is bombastic and for me the best track on the album. The title track is pretty good. Bouncy melody, shimmery acid sound... Tenderloin is also pure goa goodness. But the rest? Meh. Gone is the raw, unbridled assault that we are used to from this project. The pace is also slower which in itself is fine. I consider this Buddha lite and perhaps that's just a side effect of getting older. Can't be balls to the wall your entire life. In the end it's a decent album without being great.

Wow, Concerta. Whew! This is a quality old-schoolish realease. Pure power and acid with so many layers. Delicious!

[img]https://i.imgur.com/5FYPoY1.jpg[/img] Artist: Sundial Aeon Title: Vulcanosis Label: Impact Studio Records Date: March, 2017 1. Startup- Sequence 2. Message From the Parallel World 3. Gintaria 4. Norse Constellations 5. Diamond Trail 6. 5 Ways to Nowhere 7. Lunar Eclipse 8. Characters From the Parallel World 9. Perception of Madness 10. Landscape Transmitter 11. Stratospheric Polar Clouds (Zero Cult Remix) 12. Lunatic Visions (Chronos Remix) 13. Vernal Equinox (Suduaya Remix) 14. Drifting Radio Frequencies (E-Mantra Remix) 15. Blue Flame (Psysutra Remix) I didn't know a lot about this project, suffice it to say that I was aware and that's about it. This is their eighth album and with it they have earned a fan. The music found within is firmly ensconced in the chill-gressive subgenre of downtempo. Sometimes trancey, other times dreamy and lush ambient it has a crystal clear sound that invites you to become lost in their cosmic journey. I don't see any mention that it is mixed, but the tracks flow seamlessly into each other and makes me feel like I"m turning the pages of a book. It really is engaging with wonderful melodic phrases and deep, articulate breaks that can stretch for miles. One of the cool things is the remix portion of the album by some very well known names in our small corner of the universe. This has been on my playlist for awhile and gets better with every listen. One downside? I fail to accomplish things with this on in the background because I'm drawn to it. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen. Beatspace Impact Studio Bandcamp

Oftentimes it is great to jump out of your comfort zone and discover what artists are doing. This tech-trance hits me just right. Dark, brooding, mysterious...whatever you want to call it. All backed up with some very danceable rhythms. Wild Tuba...wow.

Looking back on what I wrote over a decade ago could've been more accurately summed up this way: Hell yeah let's go back and listen to that full-on acid sound! Still good man! It's a party! But, can I get another hit? I, I think the drugs are wearing off. You said the blue ones right? Why is the DJ repeating every song? Can we go home now? I've got a Google meet in a few hours! My conclusion is the same riiiiight up to the part were I questioned whether it sounded "samey" or not. It does and it is. Good, intense psy with nice acidic melodies, but a bit of a rough road if you take it all in one go.

Artist: Todra Title: Dust From The Past Label: Unreleased Goa Records Date: July, 2020 1. Liquid Sun 2. Sacred Whisper 3. Halloween 4. Heavy Ride 2 5. Dead End 6. Viber 7. Escaping Spirit 8. Dreamatic 9. Spanish Fly Releasing music from the past has been around well, since there was a past. Sometimes it's done to capitalize on a moment, drop in for a quick cash grab, and then there is that awesome unearthing of something great. DAT Records has been instrumental in bringing back the past with numerous high profile releases that are damn near legendary now. Thanks to the pandemic a lot of labels are focusing on their digital side of operations. Todra was an Israeli duo who flew under my radar certainly. I knew of their debut album Figure of Sound however it didn't blow me away and I didn't give it much thought. But this is pure gold. This was to be their second album (unreleased) that was literally left in a drawer gathering dust. Thankfully it is now free to be heard. I find this to be a wonderful mixture of late 90's psytrance while still hanging on to the goa flavor of the mid 90's. It's electric with a futuristic feel with a full, rich sound. It's thumps along with driving rhythms, assorted squelches and screeches that appear to come from every direction, and well timed breaks that allow the music to breathe. It's extremely psychedelic music that then surprises with nimble goa melodies sacrificing nothing. The attention to detail is great and even though I knew it was something special when I first heard it, repeated listens only confirmed it. Like 1998 Krembo style psytrance? They got you. A fan of futuristic GMS weirdness? They got you. Guitars that don't sound like a hunk of annoying cheese? They got you. This release is part Eon Project, part Four Carry Nuts, part GMS, and part Tim Schuldt. Highly recommended! Unreleased Goa Records Bandcamp

Still Psychedelic goa trance that holds up well.

Artist: Aes Dana Title: Inks Label: Ultimae Date: December, 2019 1. Inks 2. Untold 3. Nuphar Log 4. Peace Corrosion 5. Otherness (Album Edit) 6. Transparency Syndrome 7. Akacie 8. Ashen 9. The Gradual District 10. Alep Offset 11. Juniper Vincent Villuis whose name sounds more like a cartoon villain than a master of the downtempo genre has released his first album under the Aes Dana name in 7 years. He did a collaborative effort with Miktek (Far & Off which was brilliant by the way) in 2016, but he's back to producing music. And we are all the better for it. This is some cold and oftentimes dark stuff most suitable for a rainy day (surprise, surprise). The sound is off the charts amazing and moves deftly between minimal, glitch, techno, dub, and downtempo, oftentimes within the same track. It's very emotional with stratospheric pads and audible clicks and pops that will welcome your grey mood. The basses though...thunderous and encompassing. This is the kind of album where you sift through the layers to hear new sounds no matter how loud or soft they may be. Like a lot of his music there isn't one track that stands out above the rest, but as a whole package it really is an excellent listen. And I'll agree with the Discogs reviewer that it is one of his best albums to date. Ultimae Bandcamp

Still holds up well. A stunningly strong goa album even with the sound issues. I for one would love for an artist like Morphic Resonance to remix this.

Artist: Xenofish Title: Decoder Label: Self-Released Date: October, 2013 01 - Rise Against Myself (90 BPM) 02 - Broken Interface (120 BPM) 03 - Spectral Edges (180 BPM) 04 - Forward (180 BPM) 05 - Sanctus (176 BPM) 06 - Rea (176 BPM) 07 - Arashi (176 BPM) This is the sophomore effort of Christian Becker and I like to think it's the companion album to his debut the same year Encoder. Rise Against Myself brings rich electronic hums and a hard beat. What a great downtempo intro that is clearly not taking it easy. Broken Interface is the sound of artificial intelligence coming online and becoming aware. If this wasn't part of the cyber-futuristic theme this would come off as just noise. It still might, but it fits and it helps illuminate the type of world he wants to place you in. The machines are back, and...they don't seem happy. 3rd track BOOM! Drum n Bass. The bpm's are very high, but the breaks still rule! And out of this one comes a nice, groovy rhythm and then almost imperceptibly it became a dnb track again. Well done. Forward and Rea are a brutal assault that will pin you back with their rapid fire arpeggiated leads and thundering percussion. The break in Rea is so welcome, I can almost hear myself panting with the faded drums in the background. Where as Encoder ended with a soft ambient closer Arashi is more in your face carnage, but softened slightly by the ethereal vocals of Hatsune Miku. I love futuristic music and if your thing is electronic mayhem with a science fiction theme then this is your guy, The production is out of this world and I applaud him for not just making an empty drum n bass album with little variety. It is an intense, almost too much voyage, but the skill he employs is amazing. It's like...electronic surgery. Free at Ektoplazm