Trance2MoveU

Jon and Mr. Mustache covered this ground in depth so I'm won't to go into the same detail that was clearly explained. Here's the way it made me feel. You're out late, it's last call and the lights come on everyone is looking for someone to take home that won't incur the ridicule of your boys. Then you see her. Long black hair, deep blue eyes, and sexy legs that seem to go on forever. And she's looking at you. Only you. You approach each other and after a minute she says, "Wanna get outta here?" Back at your place the lights are low and you're naked in the bed getting ready to watch her come to you. She pulls off the blouse and it's starting to get hot in here. Then she removes the wig and what was long luxurious hair is replaced by receding hairline. She reaches for a glass on the nightstand and promptly removes her teeth. Just when you can't take it anymore, she pulls off her right wooden leg and braces it in the corner. I mean how do you escape? It's your f*cking house. You could kick her out and throw the leg out the door after her, but that seems kind of dickish. So you just do it and never. Speak. Of. It. Again. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit. I would love to hear from the artists themselves about why the album took the turn that it did. The good news was of course that they made a complete goa album in 2009 called Psychedelic Dreams with Suntrip and a slew of great compilation tracks so, you know, they got that going for them. Mdk

Artist: Ominus Title: Psychic Race / Saucer Dip EP Label: Koyote Records Date: May, 1998 1. Psychic Race 2. Saucer Dip I came across this a little while ago and it's hard to believe it's from the same people. Gone are the goa trance melodies and all that are in place is boring psytrance. Not even evolving psytrance. Seems 1998 was the end of the line for this project. I shall express my disapproval by not putting a pic of the EP in the review. Yeah, that'll show 'em. Mdk

Nice interview. Funny that he doesn't follow todays goa scene yet has 4 albums of goa trance ready to go. Not that I'm complaining. Mdk

Thank you very much. It means a lot to know that people enjoy the little blurbs that I write. Mdk

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 wish you the best of luck Filipe. You make great music and I wish great things for your new label. So what happens to ACP? Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Overdose Part 01 EP Label: Dropland Recordings Date: July, 2012 1. Overdose - Absolum & Ex-Gen 2. Open This Shit - Zinx & Wired 3. Asteroide - Terraformers Dropland Recordings have been releasing several EP's in the twilight psytrance genre that have been well worth the dough. This one is a mixed bag though. Only 3 tracks, so...uh, a small bag. Overdose- "The dead have highways. Highways that lead to intersections. And intersections that spill into our world. And if you find yourself at one of these intersection you should stop and you should listen cause the dead have stories to tell." My love affair for Absolum's music has been going on for quite awhile. Wow. That uh, that's...coming off a little bit gay. Better dial it down. But truth be told he doesn't make bad tracks. Ex-Gen is one of the newer twilight warriors that lays it down in the same fashion. Overdose is fast and frenetic with membrane slicing leads and a dark theme. Is the sample a little cheesy? Sure, but when the pizza is this good, I don't mind some extra cheese. Open This Sh*t- "You think you're better than me? I'll tell you what you are...you're zero!" Zinx is another newbie in the twilight realm that marries movie samples with intense music. A few EP's in and his style is pretty clear. Unfortunately I remember him more for his Unclean EP cover than for any of his music. It's hard, but nowhere near as good as the opener. Asteroide- Does a speech by MLK belong in psytrance? Terraformers seem to think so. This track is another sample heavy effort that has it's own unique groove. He strays from it, but always comes back to it. It's kind of all over the place. Worth it? You'd have to ask Cartman, they gave him an anal probe. For me the Absolum track rules and the Terraformers one comes in a distant second. Zinx? Meh. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Koan Title: Argonautica Label: Section Records Date: October, 2012 1. Orpheus and Eurydice 2. Lost Lyre 3. Peleus and Thetis 4. Irida falls to Morpheus' pits 5. Crying Prozerpine (Blue mix) 6. Pegasus 7. In the garden of the Hesperides (Golden apples mix) 8. Seven mirrors of Atlas 9. Ladon (Serpent mix) Holy crap this sh*ts rainbows. I was gonna say it was hopeful in feeling but we're way past that. Like Yanni meets OMD type stuff. It is tremendously grand and beautiful no question, but my refrigerator is more psychedelic. Were you trying to impress a girl? Cause I would totally put this on if I was trying to get some. Once I got the green light then the Ginuwine comes out. "If your horny, Let's do it, Ride it, My Pony" You can't hump to this, but you can certainly lay the groundwork. Floating pads, heavenly strings and melodies so sweet you'll get diabetes. It's sparkling electronica that manufactures smiles and is superbly well done. There are layers upon layers of delicious ear candy. I just didn't see it coming from this Russian duo. I think it's less downtempo and more new age, although I don't think the new age guys could make something this good. Beautiful music that you should listen to if you're looking to be in a good mood. Psyshop GoaStore Mdk

Artist: Itsu Title: Sublimate Label: Ektoplazm released Date: August, 2012 01 - Monsoon (77.5 BPM) 02 - Drizzle (95 BPM) 03 - Don't Dance To This (130 BPM) 04 - Top Harmonic (90 BPM) "In the beginning there was nothing. No space, no time...just nothing." I love taking a look at music that is unknown to me. Life is like a box of chocolates you know. Well the candy store that is Ektoplazm is open for business. And that business is providing great music for free. Itsu is Ben Jancovich and this EP is a genre buster. There are elements of dubstep, downtempo, drum n bass, glitch and so on packaged in easily digestible chunks to appreciate. From gentle tracks like Monsoon to the more upbeat and aggressive Don't Dance To This. It's nod your head good beat music in an electronic free for all. Ordered chaos if you will. Top Harmonic combines the soft melodies with the hard edge of punchy beats in maximum overdrive. Ektoplazm does such an incredible service to the psychedelic community providing quality music for all palettes. There truly is something for everyone here, exposing the listener to great music like this that cannot be easily classified. This is a good EP full of creativity that has me wondering if I;ll ever buy music again. Nah, of course I will. But this is a great place to explore what music moves you. Highly recommended. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Globular Title: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Label: Gliese 518C & Omnitropic Date: March, 2012 1 - Feeding Back Forwards 2 - A Singular Synergy 3 - Subversion 4 - This, Here, Now 5 - The Loon 6 - A Highly Sprung Spring 7 - To The Other Side Of Fractal Phase Space 8 - From Mind, There Spills Forth Light Ektoplazm is a great resource for discovering new music. No matter what you're into (and I would keep what you're into locked away...you nasty). This is Morrison Bennett with his full length debut and it's a treat to be sure. Like Dub? Well come on over f*cknut! Like slow grooves? Don't just stand there with a confused look on your face! Real world instruments can be found here with ethnic (is that politically correct or did I just offend a hemisphere) melodies aplenty. It's like walking through a crowded Indian bazaar without the smell. Don't touch me. Funny that an Englishman can get what I perceive to be the Indian essence right. What's that? Oh, really...for that long. He loves long tracks and intros which is great because details are a strong point of this album. A Singular Synergy made me feel like I was amongst African tribesmen (f*ck did I get off on the wrong continent?) He also likes layers so there is plenty to pick through. Of course I prefer to listen to all my music with headphones sos I can isolate all the wonderful sounds, but also because I live in the South. Blast the foreign language chanting and singing at high volume and you run the risk of the redneck brigade stringing you up and complaining you're what's wrong with 'Merica. yes this happens. Subversion has a water theme and you might as well put a Jamaican with a bong right next to me. No f*cking way. Anoebis? What the hell are you doing at Paul Mitchell? Dubby reggae in style it's smooth and "Hey are you gonna pass that over or what you unemployed motherf*cker?!? Yeah, Irie, mon." How do you not bob your head to This, Here, Now? "Come let's mix where Rockefellers walk with sticks or umberellas in the mix"...surely this was his intention. The Loon is a series of jumbled sounds and voices thrown in a food chopper over a dubby beat, but still has that ethnic shine. It moves very slowly making it seem twice as long as it is. A Highly Sprung Spring is very psychedelic with more manipulation of Indian song. Like a third world auto tune. "Girls back in 45 minutes!" An Indian pimp? Score. I'll stop making fun of you when you stop gang raping women (pssst...no I won't) And the rest is more of the same. The drawback to having a series of long, lush tracks in the same style is that it can be laborious to get through the entire album. And it is. Maybe a series of EP's would've been better. Ironic since there is such a relaxed vibe throughout. Mostly. But it can be tough so I recommend carving out some time to give it the attention it deserves. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Glitch Title: Higher Definition Label: Psybliminal Records / Ritual Records Date: November, 2011 01 - The Beginning Of The End (148 BPM) 02 - Hallucinogenic Gas (146 BPM) 03 - Killer Chemicals (147 BPM) 04 - The Fallen (148 BPM) 05 - Sacred Geometry (147 BPM) 06 - Metamorphasys (148 BPM) 07 - Broken (148 BPM) 08 - Wordclock (148 BPM) 09 - Puff (152 BPM) "I've been trying to explain it to you all along...you just can't seem to grasp it." Dash Hawkins sounds like a superhero. In truth he is from South Africa and if he was a superhero he would clear out all the sharks so a brother can surf without getting eaten. Yeah like I would be able to visit South Africa. Or surf. But I digress. He is from South Africa and it's been too long since we've discussed South African psytrance. Well that ends today. He brings dark melodies, eerie atmospheres, and that frenetic pace that aficionados of that part of our genre love. Killer Chemicals is a metallic rattler and The Fallen takes some darkpsy inspiration with some crazy sounds. Pffft....x. You're not even f*cking trying anymore. The South African Goodness continues with Sacred Geometry and its punchy bass line and ricocheting sounds. Metamorphasys and Broken have it all, (with Broken a little less so) spooky intro, twilight style effects, and a thumping bass line. It wasn't bad. Think of it like a sHiFt starter kit or one of the artists that Timecode or Nexus Media could take under their wing. It had all the elements, but it lacks a little polish. Some more variation would've been nice and of course what self respecting South African trancer doesn't push the acid envelope. There is promise here young Paduan. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Galactic Mantra Title: Wings of Time EP Label: ACP Records Date: February, 2012 1. Dance With The Ancient 2. Gate of Light Spirits 3. Illusionary Rock 4. Lost Planet 5. Wings of Time Eden Azulay is the mind behind this project released by Filipe Santos and his ACP Records label. I could bullsh*t you and say that this great goa trance, that the melodies twist amongst each other bringing you to nirvana while weaving an intricate story. But I would be lying. And I only lie to girls. This is pretty boring and more of a notepad of ideas that seems unfinished. The 2 minute Illusionary Rock interlude? It has promise, but flesh that thing out and make a full track. The first two tracks were typical full-on that has been done 8 million times before. Which is surprising because Filipe (runs label) constantly preaches doing something different. The whole thing sounds rather generic. Lost Planet isn't bad but it's length to idea ratio is way too high. Gotta trim the fat so to speak. Wings of Time is the best for me here as it approaches some Astral Projection greatness without reaching it. Melodic trance for sure. But as always judge for yourselves, they were nice to make it a free release. Free at ACP Records Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Goa Trance Volume Four Label: Rumour Records Date: 1996 01. 07'24" Mantra : Mandala Moon 02. 07'47" Vaporum : Xtaz 03. 06'14" Semsis : Pile 04. 09'00" Shamanic Tribes On Acid : Fractal Splash 05. 08'26" Nada : Abyss 06. 06'47" Pablo Gargano : The Stranger 07. 08'27" Moonwed And Squid : Sonic Shower 08. 06'59" Cosmosis : Alien Disco 09. 07'36" Transfinite : Funkyspice 10. 06'47" Universal State Of Mind : All Because of You (Mindsweeper Mix) Rumour Records is responsible for a plethora of dance music releases that were all over the electronic map. I don't believe they are currently active, but they brought a lot of the sounds I was looking for to my country at a time when electronic music was all but ignored. This is fourth installment in their goa trance series that actually features...wait for it...goa trance. Not like today's misleading crap that is as far from goa as I am to sainthood. They open with the delightfully ethnic Mandala Moon and flow into the nicely detailed and aggressive Xtaz. Next comes a thumper that most in the goa community should be familiar, Pile by Semsis. Dark and driving there is a reason this one is on a bunch of compilations. Fractal Splash is the noisiest track here, but isn't that what the Shamanics do? Their brand of goa is an acquired taste to be sure as they combine long and drifting synth lines with powerful leads. Hard to describe really, but like that politician said, "I can't describe pornography, but I know it when I see it." There is no mistaking the sound of STOA. Then comes the obligatory lull in the compilation. While the Nada tracks wasn't a train wreck it certainly isn't going to be something you remember. The Stranger also falls into filler territory asking me what my destination is. The skip button? They get back on track with Moonweed & Squid delivering a fairly well known effort. Not great but acceptable. Alien Disco is easily they greatest track here, if you like powerful melody laden goa that is. It just never gets old, an adrenaline thrill ride all the way. Funkyspice calms the listener down with what is the equivalent of a nap. Nice mellow bit of business that does get a little sharp around the edges. But let's be clear...it is neither funky or spicy. The last track is a bit of happy trance filler. And that's how a lot of these "off label" compilations go. A few really good to great tracks and then the rest. Essential? Hardly. Unless you think putting 28 inch rims on Mom's minivan is essential. And if that's you you're a douchebag who needs to get out of your parents basement. Mdk

Artist: Frogacult Title: Sky Rocketeers Label: Spiral Trax Date: January, 2012 1. Found but lost 2. Waiting so long 3. Night Breeder 4. Mebo Circuit 5. Con Filtro 6. Sun Zoom Spark 7. Pre Phase rmx 8. Brickwall Limit "You think you can get me to cooperate?" Frogacult is a Danish tandem that only had one album prior to this one way back in 2004 called Something For Sundays. Not being familiar with their work means I have no preconceived notions of what's gonna happen here. Discogs says it's psy with progressive, but that is a ton of ground to cover. So what's it like? Believe it or not the above description is accurate as this is a blend of psytrance and progressive with ominous and well placed samples. Now wide open progressive like you would find with Iono Music, but don't mistake it as dull and repetitive. Far from it, there are eerie atmospheres and alien sounds to go along with some nice beats. Night Breeder makes me think of a deserted space station in need of exploration. Not by me though, those sounds are too f*cking creepy. Con Filtro with its bubbly slap bass was funky and discordant enough to be different. Even Sun Zoom Spark with its oft repeated sample had an isolating vibe going for it. My favorite though was was the pre phase remix that just bled I don't wanna be next to the guy about to get eaten by an alien tension. Such depth is tasty! Womp, womp, womp...shake that thing. Before he gets eaten. And that's what you get. A very space themed album that was a complete surprise to me. Good sounds that put you in the cold blackness making the hair on the back of your neck stand up. There are some minimal leanings and areas where they try and milk it for a bit to long methinks. They also seem to be quite competent at layering sounds without a loss in quality so everything sounds very clear. It's nice. Not something I would listen to regularly though, but nice. Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Hinkstep Title: Sunrise From The Treetops Label: Omnitropic Date: October, 2011 1 - Sunrise From The Treetops (126 BPM; 9/4) 2 - Moonwalk On Mushroom Street (80 BPM) 3 - Dreamland Dub (120 BPM; 6/4) 4 - Medusa (67.2 BPM) 5 - Aldrig Mer (130 BPM; 6/4) 6 - So Beautiful So Strange (75 BPM) 7 - Sleep Again (120 BPM) Good God Beyonce is hot. Oh, are we on? I'm always on the hunt for great music and boy did I stumble onto a winner here. Are you bored with 4/4 music? Would you love to hear an artist stretch some boundaries without making the music unlistenable? How about spending an evening alone with Sasha Fierce? Yeah me too. But I can help with two of those. Hinkstep is Jonas Tegenfeldt from Sweden and he fucking knocks it out of the park with his debut. It's brimming with excellent musicianship bringing psychedelia together with spiritual and tribal elements. When was the last time you heard a trombone in psychedelic music that didn't seem out of place? I'll tell you...never. Uncountable gentle melodies take you over the mountaintop in a slow glide, never rushing. Vast as a Montana sky it sometimes reminds me of the path taken by Kitaro on the Silk Road with more ethnic variables. I cannot choose a favorite because they are all awesome tracks. I even liked the cheesy vocal in So Beautiful when he got all auto tuney. This is a stairway to heaven created by the sun's ultimate warmth perfect for relaxing or embarking on a journey of self discovery. And it's free. Spectacularly epic. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Gaudium Title: Session of Progression Label: Iboga Trance Date: August, 2011 1. Undercover 2. High on life 3. I've got something 4. In Between 5. When the sun rises 6. Blue Lights 7. Searching 8. Tekknobonk 9. A smile on your face makes you more beautiful 10. Chasing Shadows "And now for our feature presentation." Gaudium is Andreas Wennersköld and this is the third album of this project. Used to be a duo but I guess the other guy went for sandwiches and never came back. Another Subway tragedy. That's usually how it goes right? Like one of the previous reviewers I had all but given up on Iboga. When other labels are making much grander stuff, I don't have time to sift through your boring music. Well, surprise surprise. Sure, he opens with Undercover which we have all heard 78 times before and I almost shut it off right there. But I'm glad I didn't because he just had to get warmed up. High on Life sees him reach into his bag of tricks as it accumulated momentum as the track went on with maximum groove and effect placement. He starts to get a little frisky with I've Got Something... "Oh God, Oh God that was a dude? No...no, no, no, no....What? Yeah I know she peed standing up I thought she didn't wanna sit on the dirty seat! Oh God I'm gonna be sick." Good bounce to that one and I really liked the chopped up acoustic guitar strum near the middle. It's a sunshine smile. In Between is a psy-gressive stormer that doesn't forget the details or the 303. Yep right about here is where he kicked the door in. When the Sun Rises... Make sure you have your goat. F*ck cafeteria milk I'll just bring mine from home. ...gets back to the wide open reverberating progressive style that I like with a little bit of growl. It's 10 minutes long so like a frat boy with a bad hangover, it takes a little bit to wake up. It's smooth and dreamy that bordered on dream trance. Almost felt guilty listening to it. Almost. Blue Lights was ok and Searching had an interesting percussive backdrop with some nastiness frothing just beneath the surface while ethereal melodies floated above the fray. Different to say the least. Tekknobonk is chunky like your last girlfriend that you didn't think we knew about. Echoing trails of sound like she did crumbs. Like 303? Of course you do. Some here for ya. Wait here comes your "girl" Look we were all sad when Food Lion ran out of twinkies, but you do know there is a convenience store 300 yards down the road right? A Smile On Your Face Makes You More Beautiful No it doesn't. It makes me move my kids across the street away from you. Did you register? The beginning is delightfully evil and there he goes again with the 303. You would think Filipe Santos was up in this motherf*cker. The break is evil and has me thinking that Herman Cain was the perfect gif for this track. Hide yo kids. Chasing Shadows is the last track and it is a mixture of Iono and Iboga styles. Not bad, but nothing special. Now that I think about it, he kinda went out like a b*tch. Pretty good album. Nah, more than that. It's f*cking solid. Intelligent and smooth with some aggressive areas, I would put this in the psy-gressive box. Eerie at times while at others, being quite dreamy. Very melodic and well worth your time. Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Blue Lunar Monkey Title: Here & Now Label: Tycho Records Date: April, 2011 1. Anahatha 2. Oneness 3. Guerreros Arcoirirs (feat. Deva Sofia, Rupesh Anand) 4. Two Vines (Ayahuasca) 5. We are connected (feat. Wendy Stock) 6. Metta 7. You're not alone (feat. Wendy Stock) 8. Dissolution 9. Here and Now (Ethernal rmx) "You see we all know what reality is, but we cannot describe it." Reality is two kids that want your attention 24-7. A Jeep that works when it wants to and a dryer that doesn't. Reality is having me and my daughter puke our guts out and then next night having my wife and son take their turn. When the dryer doesn't work and kids are puking things get real. I could use a little unreality. Now here's one that probably flew under a lot of people's radar. Daniel Gradilla from Mexico has released one of the most relaxing albums I've heard in a while. This is chock full of soft melodies and gentle percussion. Dubby bass and real world instruments are all over this thing while samples speak of the mind and reality. This is sit on the beach and watch the tide roll in type music. It's slow pace and head nodding goodness will give you that Calgon take me away feeling. Most of the tracks are fairly long allowing plenty of new leads and melodies to take shape. The light strum of a guitar and sounds of nature are extremely calming. Recommended. Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Aes Dana Title: Pollen Label: Ultimae Date: December, 2012 1. Jetlag Corporation 2. Borderline 3. Conditioned (Album Edit) 4. Tree.Some 5. A carmine day 6. 101 Clouds 7. Riven 8. The meeting point 9. Horizontal Rain 10. Low tide explorations "I am, for the first time...optimistic." Some people just know how to get it right. Consistently. Vincent Villuis is the mind behind this project and he has left a string of superb albums in his wake. Dude's like King Midas. Founding member of Asura, part of H.U.V.A. Network...the guy just pumps out quality. I wonder when he pees in the toilet if you hear the sound of gold ingots sprinkling the bowl. I think he runs his software through a solid gold laptop. I've seen it. His latest effort deals with pollen, a decidedly springtime endeavor, but right now it's freezing outside with snow on the ground. And that works perfectly. He starts with Jetlag Corporation which drops the dub bass as it slogs through quicksand. Perfect for a walk in the snow. Borderline is a cold, dark track with dubby bass and industrial sounds that weeps with regret. The fact that he can maintain that when the kick comes in is remarkable. Conditioned is a thumping progressive house track that is like watching traffic go by in a perpetual drizzle. Gloomy with pulsing electronica the ending pads gleam like foreign ice fields. I told you it was cold. You would think you couldn't be disappointed with a Tree Some, but here we are. It's another moody progressive trance track that felt kind of empty to me. So yes I wasn't thrilled with this Tree Some. But at least I ain't that guy. It's like Shallow Hal but with grandmothers. Where the hell was the wingman on this one? A Carmine Day has frequent knocking percussion and a hard kick and if there was any filler it would be this track. But because the whole is greater than the individual parts it kinda works. He gets back on track with the wide open 101 Clouds. They float slowly by taking their time, forming and reforming countless shapes, speaking just to me. "God what does this mean? So...am I gay now? Or are you telling me to stop playing with myself?" Riven has a bass that reverberates through your chest as the world slowly loses itself. Long pads stretch across an unforgiving sky as I watch the snow continue to fall, wrapped tightly in my heavy jacket. The Meeting Point bubbles and slowly makes it's sad melody known. It's not the deepest track, but it serves as a guide to some Horizontal Rain. And n*gga if you see horizontal rain you're standing in a hurricane. But this doesn't have the force of a hurricane...more of a soft drizzle. It's the type of rain that will force you to look back on a maybe questionable decision. The glitchy melody fits like a glove with the freezing pads. Oh look...it's snowing again. The final track Low Tide Explorations is a long story that moves through ambient textures and dubby breakbeats. Like a lot of fans I was prepared to give this the rubber stamp of approval. I mean, it's Aes Dana. But after several listens I didn't think it was as good as Leylines or Perimeters. So I went for a walk in the snow at dusk. And I began to smile. This is a wonderful album with perpetually overcast skies. There is a foot of snow on the ground with no end in sight. The music is cold and dark with sounds that wouldn't be out of place on a Depeche Mode or NIN album. He traverses boundaries frequently, often within the same track, but never loses his melancholic flow. Glacial pads hover above glitchy electronica as a kick thunders below. So do you have to go out into the elements to enjoy this? Nah, but it certainly helped me. It's a glorious journey of mournful tones that is best appreciated listening all the way through. Congratulations you magnificent bastard, you've done it again. Mood altered. Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Smashed - Remix - Ed Pt. 2 EP Label: Dropland Recordings Date: December, 2012 1. Damage (A-Mush Remix) 2. Physical Matters (Magneto Remix) 3. Physical Matters (Brain Driver Remix) So this is part 2 eh? Smashed gets other twilight artists to remix his tracks and puts them on an EP. The first one was outstanding so the bar is pretty high for number two. Let's see...Damage was on the Synthetic Alchemy and Another Dimension compilations whilst Physical Matters...hell I don't know where that track came from, but the two remixes here make a total of three that I know of. The A-Mush remix is such a bad ass acid banger that I don't even mind the very cliched build up. C'mon man, use your imagination. You were this close to detonation. Magneto had an album called Scope that was another acid ripper and he continues that trend. Layer upon layer of the sticky icky whilst the bass line pounds away like a relentless migraine. Brain Driver tackles Physical Matters as well with a good break and sounds that make you think you're walking through a hallucination. Good acid monkey poo flinging with thumping bass lines. Couple that with dark atmospheres and you've got a nice EP on your hands. Yes I used whilst twice in this short review. I don't know if it's correct English. I'm not from England. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Mindwave Title: Enlightenment EP Label: Iono Music Date: October, 2012 1. Enlightenment 2. Surreal 3. Somnium The geniuses at Iono very rarely stumble so it was with pleasure that I picked this up. Mindwave is Israeli Anton Maiko who has released 3 albums. Haven't heard a one, but that's going to change. Enlightenment is a smooth progressive rumbler with an ethereal vocal touch and long, distant melodies. Surreal doesn't present anything flashy, just a quality dream experience that is very relaxing. Somnium borrows that same vocal from the opening track and adds a nice break producing more mellow vibes. While not as melodic and deep as some of their releases, this one shouldn't disappoint progressive heads looking for a little downtime without dropping the bpm's below 130. Give it a try. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Mindblaster Title: The Collapse EP Label: Pyrethrum Records Date: December, 2011 1. The Fall of Empire 2. Other Worlds 3. Disorder I've neglected the releases from our friend over at Ektoplasm lately so since he performs a vital service for our community I thought I would put a few of his offerings under the microscope. Mindblaster is Ukrainian Andriy Tykhonov and I was quite impressed with this 3 track EP. It's powerful with punchy bass and orchestral touches that are very evident during the breaks. The atmosphere is dark (looking at the track titles will tell you that) and the melodies will have you thinking of warring clans from the dark ages. Some spots were a little sparse and maybe went on a little long, but there is most assuredly talent here. My favorite was Disorder with its swagger had me be-bopping all over the place. Recommended. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: EsP Title: Mystical Revelation EP Label: Space Tribe Music Date: November, 2012 1. Mystical Revelation 2. Mutant Genes "They want to create a new species...a better species." The sum is greater than the individual parts. Peanut butter is great. So is chocolate. But together is awesome. Just like this. I like EU. I like Space Tribe. But together they strike an acidic chord within me that never fails. They've released two albums Electric Space Phenomenon and Sensory Overload both of which were really good. While I wonder sometimes (f*ck it, oftentimes) if Boris still has the knack for psytrance I know that with Olli watching his back things will be ok. At least I think he'll be watching the sequencer to make sure Boris doesn't throw any cheesy sh*t in there. While they haven't outgrown their need for drug samples I don't mind it here. Boris can't help himself as there is some guitar, but it's really well done. Bucket loads of acid are on the docket with some of their patented groove. This type of music makes you want to drive very fast. Personally I liked the ordered chaos of Mutant Genes better with its darker tone, but they're both pretty damn good. If you liked their previous albums then this will fit in nicely. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Bell Size Park Title: The Truth is There Label: YoYo Records Date: 1996 1. Aqua Darkness 2. The Bell Files 3. Spiritual Evolution 4. The Roswell Factor 5. Horizon 6. Mission Accomplished (Part 1) 7. Moonlight Abduction 8. The North Sun 9. Warp 16 10. Dive In Blue 11. Mission Accomplished (Part 2) "In three centuries of space travel we have only charted 11% of our galaxy." That's Val Kilmer?!? What the f*ck man, you're one happy meal away from needing an intervention. Show some f*cking pride Iceman! And did you know you have a flacid penis on your shirt? What happened to you bro? Speaking of things that didn't age well this is the first (and last) full album by thus project which is actually still current, but down from a trio to a solo act. The production sounds extremely dated and the melodies are not very inspiring. Goa trance? Hardly. There are loads of recycled sounds and everything sounds so...clinical. No emotion. Well, I did like the breakbeat in Warp 16, like the sample said it's got a funky beat. But most of it reminds me of that generic trance stuff that you would see on ZYX records. "Aw right 2 Cds for 5 bucks? Awesome!" After listening to the first disc "Why the hell does all this sh*t sound the same?" Pass. Mdk

Artist: Aural Planet Title: Part: Second Label: Planet Rec. Date: 2000 1. Secret Garden 2. Samadhi 3. Reminiscenter Incorporated 4. Lunarplanetarium 5. Trip To Nowhere 6. Psi Generator 7. Semirotation 8. Eternal Totem 9. Prayp 10. Polar Valves When you say Poland to me three things come to mind. "Get your hand of my sau...no, no...that's good, that's good. Keep it there...yeah, just like that." "Yeah I'm looking for a size 9 extra wide?" Good God I need boundaries. "Here you go father, take this...Nah, go ahead take it. Get yourself a new gym at the Vatican." But ladies and gentlemen I'm here to tell you there is something else. Goa trance. You may know some of these fine Polish gentlemen as the project Sundial Aeon making all that nice floaty downtempo smoothness, but with their second album they stuck you with a hot poker that you'll not soon forget. If you heard it that is. This is very underrated goa album that isn't mentioned often. It's got some bark starting with the Secret Garden. Sharp and snappy that cut up vocal is the stuff of angels. Reminiscenter is full of bubbling sounds and good goa flavor. Semirotation has some nifty knob twisting that reminds me of my teen years with that chick when I thought I knew what I was doing. Drifting with some great melody work away from the beat. Prayp...*sigh* You best take that 4 minute weak sh*t somewhere else son. Call me when it's finished. They end with Polar Valves (also on their Chilling Cuts Vol. 1 album) which is a futuristic downtempo piece with some dnb influences. Very metallic, but doesn't really fit with the rest of the album at all. Dude on the cover is really shiny. Made of gold or rubbed it down with a few sticks of butter? Your call. Far from being a perfect album, they do manage to put some stormers in there. The last few tracks though made me think they were bored with the whole thing and went back to doing what they do best. The shorter track times also reinforce that thought. Not to sound like a bad Blues Brothers take, but I wouldn't mind if they tried to get the band back together. Mdk

Artist: Psygone Title: Organique Label: Rebeat Date: August, 2011 1. Slammer 2. Kashmir 3. Kothoga 4. Unborn Destiny 5. Organique 6. Monotomic Master 7. Mentism 8. The Drill 9. Rising Hearts 10. Exstatica Michael Kjeldgaard is a name that all goa trancers should know as he was the mind behind the Psygone project which gave us Optimystique, one of the best hyper goa trance albums of all time. Many were sour that he only produced one album, but then there was some light at the end of the tunnel with his 2nd effort A Second Breath. Indifference was rampant. At least from me. It was ok, but surely a letdown after the long wait. Then following some internet snooping I discovered that he actually released an album after Optimystique called Organique. It was ready to go in 1998, but for whatever reason it never saw the light of day. Until recently. This might as well be called Optimystique 2 as you will recognize all the same sounds that he used before. His knack for putting the groove in goa trance was still there (where would it go, this was only made a year later) as was his layering of melodies and that distinct Psygone sound. Now most of these tracks were all released on compilations as he like a lot of you creative people liked to use different names. For example, DJ Driller (that's him) made the track The Drill, which can be found on the compilation This is Goa Trance. This compilation is where you will find 70% of the tracks released on Organique. Hell, this guy went so far as to release the same track under a different name on different compilations. Several f*cking times. Now normally I would call bullsh*t and label it for the obvious cash grab it was, but with Organique you actually get the full track (not some bizarrely abbreviated crap) and it is remastered. That alone is worth it to me. If you loved his debut you'll really enjoy this with its racing melodies funky ability. Beatport Mdk