Trance2MoveU

Artist: Atati Title: The Full Spectrum EP's - Yellow Label: Blue Hour Sounds Date: December, 2011 1. Bana Moyi 2. Fluorospherical Pressure 3. The Molecula of Sacred Water Italian label Blue Hour Sounds is a relatively new player with a handful of comps and artist releases. Ianuaria's Beware of the Fish was a baseball bat to the head surprise forest release that I didn't see coming. So they focus on the details, and as the devil says... I've been snatching up their colorful artist EP's because I'm compulsive, but also because they are pretty damn good. But like potato chips, you can't eat just one so I am fully invested in expanding my girth with these differently hued little nuggets. They're an Italian label, so calling them drug dealers might be offensive, but they know how to hook somebody. Look at the pretty colors! Look at them!!! Bana Moyi- With a nice descriptive long intro full of electric throat clearing he explores some futuristic Blade Runner territory. A tone rings consistently in the background giving it pace and this has the feel of a sterile environment not unlike that of Gattaca. Huh...two science fiction films mentioned in one track. If you called this downtempo space goa, I wouldn't punch you in the face and take your lunch money. Superb atmospheric track that almost churns for 10 minutes. Fluorospherical Pressure- Twisted pads join some electronic synthery in a faster pace. It's midtempo with varying textures...some flutes, computer twiddlings, and the like with the same dark feel. It reeks of old school sound complete with a tribal like sample. The Molecula of Sacred Water- Water is the most precious resource we have on this planet so ya damn right it's sacred. With another 2 minute intro he's back with a beat bigger than the sandwich I just had for lunch. Stings are strummed, pads float ethereally through the sky and the beat just drops the hammer. Squiggles, blips and blops, and computer effects give this a lush, layered experience. At the break the skittering and jumbled effects really hit home as the melody unwinds. Very good. This is a great mix of big beat, psy, and of course downtempo. Intricate and layered providing a very involving listening experience. Keep making music this good and I'll continue to collect your colored narcotics. Beatport Mdk

Done, but I realized that I have never been to a party, never plan on going, don't take drugs and am probably considerably older than the intended audience. I am that test score that gets thrown out. Mdk

Artist: Cosmic Tone Title: Overwhelming Label: Trancelucent Productions Date: April, 2003 01. Hard To Open 02. Total Lust 03. Mukambaru 04. Human 05. Cosmic Tone 06. Love Expression 07. Stress Pill 08. Not Like That At All Before this label began to put women's vaginas on the album cover, they were a pretty well respected bunch. Cosmic Tone (at this point were a duo) released this cracker that was like nothing else at the time. Like others have said it's a clever mix of minimal (but not boring you to tears) and dark atmosphere punctuated with effects. It crawls, slithers, and at times growls. But deep it is my friend as they began to creep out of the dark melody free ages. This is 9 years old and still sounds very fresh to my ears seeming to evolve and twist at every turn. It's like one extended dream sequence that will take your emotions from one end of the spectrum to the other. Supremely recommended. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Intergalactic Title: Area 51 Label: Agitato Records Date: May, 2011 1. Butterfly Effect 2. Area 51 3. Invisible Skyline 4. Red Alert 5. Speaker Dust 6. No Sin in the Scene 7. Set Your Mind 8. Landing Ground 9. Epic Saga (feat. Counter Point) In a continuing saga of an artist whose best days seem to be behind him, Vik Shefi has been the mind behind a variety of full-on-a-palooza projects from Cyber Cartel to groups like Vik On Injection, Viktan, Opium of the Masses, and Space Buddha. Don't really understand why the same two people formed two different projects in exactly the same style, but whatever...it all adds up to fast bass lines and supermodel thin depth. Last time he came out with an album for this project was waaay back in 05. So obviously he's been cooking up some good stuff, ready to waylay the psytrance community with clever breaks and nuclear acidic power. Right? I mean what are the odds that this album sounds like it's 2005? Whatever. This is like a sugar free cookie. So bland and tasteless. Might as well be elevator music. On it's face it isn't terrible, but just as I had feared his music hasn't evolved and is stuck in the past. This is stuff he did on his last album. Which is a shame because I really liked his 2008 Cyber Cartel release Who Needs To Sleep Anyway. Thought he was moving in the right direction. First clue I suppose should've been that this was released on Agitato, a label so immersed in the generic production of full-on that their ringtone is a full-on bassline. 2nd clue should've been the pic of Alien Project on the cover. I don't wanna slight the guy because he's obviously doing something right for someone being in the game as long as he has. But if deep, evolving psytrance is a 16 oz Porterhouse this is a two day old White Castle burger. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Dynamic Title: Return of the Source Label: Planet B.E.N Records Date: November, 2011 1. Funky Stuff 2. Impossible 3. Go Back - Dynamic and Melicia 4. Return of the source 5. Release your self (Dynamic rmx) 6. Tripple Mode 7. Rock It - Dynamic and Waio 8. Make Me (Dynamic ReMake) - Dynamic and Space Cat 9. Do it again - Dynamic and Automack Really, do I need to elaborate? First of all, I hate to be mean. I do. This is obviously someones work that they put a lot of time in to create. But since I am a sarcastic bastard substitute "work" with half assery and replace "lot of " with zero and I think what we have is a more accurate picture of this album. This is Ben Avital and Shay Elmakaies with their sixth (how the f*ck does that happen?) album and I'm sorry to say one of their worst efforts. I was there for Dynamix which wasn't bad. Sure it was full-on , but it was also one of my first introductions to this music. And yes, the quality (don't laugh) began to dip with Dynamic Sound and by the time Acid Beat came around, their soul had been sold 5 times over. Their remixes album wasn't that bad, but I propose that was because other artists cleaned up their mess and polished a turd. So why is this suckalicious? Ridiculous samples, incessant buildups, stops and starts, guitar...the list of generic full-on cliche's is long. Is psytrance so deep and complex that this team feels the need to dumb it down? A shame really, because they clearly have the talent to make good music but instead choose to take the easy way out and appeal to the least common denominator. If you liked this, then I am sorry you are that denominator. I was hoping they would shock the world and come out with a dark twilight ripper, but I guess I might as well have hoped for a free iPad. It gets my vote for one of the worst albums I've heard in quite some time. House music is embarrassed to listen to this. Not linking to it. It's the least I can do for the well being of the genre. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Shaltu Label: Suntrip Records Date: March, 2012 1. Ra - Lifethread (09:30) 2. Crossing Mind - Hydrophobic Visions (08:48) 3. Nebula Meltdown - Mindstream Continuum (07:40) 4. Shakta & Deedrah - Lepton Head (Part III) (Filteria's Z-Particle Remix) (07:52) 5. InnerSpace - InnerSpace (11:16) 6. Ephedra & Imba - Emergency Acid System (07:58) 7. Shani Yantra - Fractal Memories (09:05) 8. Ra - Time Current (E-Mantra Remix) (08:34) 9. Sirius - Universe (07:24) Good God is this f*cking winter over yet? I saw a squirrel give me the finger the other day cause I wouldn't let him in the house. Now I realize I don't have a lot of room to complain considering the winter Europe has suffered through, but I'm ready for the warm weather. I haven't been hiking in almost 6 months and I'm getting kinda pissy. But a little ray of sunshine arrived in my mailbox and it seems that the long battle with Old Man Winter is almost at it's end. See ya b*tch. Yep, I received my copy of the latest Suntrip compilation and it couldn't have come at a better time. Hard to believe that a young label with a dream of bringing back the warm days of a golden era is now on their 24th release. But 8 years ago that's just what Mars and Anoebis did. Shaltu is an ancient American Indian word for the helping spirits of dancing shamans. Seems like they could've used some more help, cause the white man took their land and gave them the driest, most soil poor areas of the country. Thanks for nothin' paleface. But let's focus on the positive. Have you seen the casinos? Itls like a f*cking palace! Good for them. Taking back what America one nickel slot at a time. So here we go with another compilation of melodic goa sunshine. As far as the cover goes...I like it. That is to say I don't dislike it. It's what I expect from Suntrip and has that abstract, warm and colorful feel that Opus Iridium had. People nitpicking about the font? Whatever, that's like b*tching because rain is too wet. Sure I thought it said Shakta, but who cares? Yeah, but Blanche...what the f*ck is on the inside? Lifethread- Ra tracks to me always had gravitas... the power and authority of the kings of Egypt long ago. No exception here as pads stand proudly like hundred foot stone columns and a lead metamorphoses into a snakey acid rattler. It spends most of its time twisting and turning in a mystical bliss spiral. The vibe is that of a big budget Hollywood period piece where you can almost feel the sand blowing in the wind or seeing the caravan trek across the hot desert. Brilliant. Ra is back baby! Hydrophobic Visions- Now that Ra has your attention, how do you go about following that? With a more subdued churning and bubbling that Stéphane Bèze wields. He has layers of melody, some pinpoint some like the crack of a whip. It's pure sunshine that just settles into your insides like your favorite frozen beverage on a hot summer's day. Mindstream Continuum- "The river tells no lies. Though standing on the shore...the dishonest man still here's them." Kristian Aro had a solid effort on the Temple of Chaos disc and the best way I could describe this was...hypnotizing. I looked up and it was over. No problem, just hit the repeat button and...Damnit! It happened again. Very melodic with I felt some Filteria influences. Not in power or insanity, but in melody. It's another deep track the oozes atmosphere. Picture it raining but it isn't cloudy, and instead of, you know...rain, it's raining sundrops. See what I did there? Lepton Head (Filteria's Z-Particle Remix)- This is one of the banner tracks in the goa era for me. It's unmistakeable when you hear it and I find it perfect in every way. So to remix such a track takes some huge testicles. There is that unmistakeable Filteria Sky Input sound with twirling melodies and raw power. To me remixes should be different, and he hits the nail on the head. Sure he includes the smart ass kid sample ( I would punch that kid in the face and say he fell when he complained) and modifies the signature melody, but it's sufficiently different to be a new school stormer with his stamp on it. Better than the original? Never, but a kick ass track in its own right. Innerspace- "What secrets do you have for us?" So Suntrip likes to sprinkle some newcomers on it's compilations like a pizza toppings and they have found themselves the heir to Filteria. I called my buddy Howie and he was like I know right? Ok I get it. That's, that's enough Howie. Geez...look at him. Just goes on and on. So does this but I will gladly indulge in this more than 11 minutes of raw membrane shredding goa trance power! Layers so rich you'd think your grandma spent all day baking. I look up and there is still 5 minutes of solar ass kicking in store. This reminded me a lot of Portamento's stuff, just unbridled concussive force. Definitely one of my favorites. Emergency Acid System- "Patience...don't do anything stupid." Sir, that sounds like an invitation to do something stupid. So with the last track in the books, you would think who the f*ck would want to follow that? Imba, that's who. Here he is trying out his costume for the next festival. Imba...we can see your junk. So he teams up with Ephedra and they beat the 303 like those guys f*cked up that copier in Office Space. It's squelchy with a mean growl and all systems are go. Looking for deep hidden meaning and spiritual guidance? Not in this track. This is like a car without a steering wheel. It only goes straight. Just a blistering anthem that will definitely leave a mark. Fractal Memories- Shani Yantra is used to propitiate an afflicted Saturn and achieve Rajayoga through complete blessings of Sani. What? Lemme dig a little deeper. When Saturn is malefic in a horoscope, in transit or causes Sadesati, use of Shani Yantra is very Beneficial. Could you please explain it to me like I'm a six year old eating a giant slice of pizza? Obvilously I'm not well versed on Indian mythology, but I don't understand how billions of people can be entertained by Bollywood either. Ever watch it? I don't think they intended to make every film a comedy, but it's some funny sh*t. To me this was the weakest track on the disc. Not terrible, but not that interesting and no where near as involving as the rest of the stuff here. Time Current (E-mantra Remix)- Emmanuel Carpus is the king of the hill for new school goa. If you haven't heard his latest Pathfinder, get ye to the internet and order it Nancy. But Ra is....well, Yep, an old master that is still holding it down. One of his tracks from 9th gets da bizness in this old meets new battle royalle. Right off the bat you can tell this is an E-mantra production. He's got this style that is hypnotic and melodic allowing for maximal dream creativity as you hurtle through space. He maintains the soul of the original while plunging it farther into the reaches of the known galaxy. It's out of this world dreamscapes that are as delicate as a fingertip massage. Universe- Last track and Suntrip decide to go out with a bang. Forget the downtempo cliche, this new artist weaves a melodic sunsword that hacks away with precision. Like a poker player it doesn't show its hand all at once. It's more pure sunshine but extremely well done. Formulaic? I dunno, I failed calculus the first time I took it. I do know one formula it has though. A winning one. So once again Suntrip lead the way and show who's top dog. There is sunshine in bunches here along with great melodic layers to captivate the mind. Like Richpa said, it's doesn't copy the darkness of Temple of Chaos nor does it mimic the very positive Energy Waves. Saying I recommend this would be an understatement. Great job Suntrip. Suntrip Psyshop Saikosounds Goastore Beatspace Mdk

Where's the motherf*ckin' like button on this thing? Mdk

Artist: Carbon Based Lifeforms Title: Twentythree Label: Ultimae Records Date: July, 2011 1. Arecibo 2. System 3. Somewhere In Russia 4. Terpene 5. Inertia 6. VLA (Edit) 7. Kensington Gardens 8. Held Together By Gravity Like Iono to progressive, Ultimae is to chill out and one of the heavy hitters of the genre is here with their fourth album. Swedish duo Daniel Segerstad and Johannes Hedberg have cemented their place in emotional chillout, but something is different here. They left the beat machine at home. So to honor them...I left my gifs at home. Arecibo is a huge beatless ambient undertaking with filtered pads slowly cycling in waves. This is seeing the reflected sun on the largest desert on Earth...only this one is of the frozen variety. Where the polar bear is top of the food chain and all you can see it white in every direction. No trees, no lakes...just flat ice. System has slowly churning pad turnover with more effects which help me focus on what's happening. This defines the coldness that is space and the lonliness and isolation one must feel as they walk upon the space stations hull. It's eerie and just how I imagine what the soundtrack of Earth would be miles above its surface. Somewhere in Russia- To me Russia could be like space. Have you ever f*cking looked at a map and seen how vast that country is? The biggest thing we got here is Alaska and I think we could fit 3 or 4 of those in there. They've got 9 different time zones...more that twice my country. Huge. It's more evolving pads in a simple melody with some clutter in the background. Pretty big and a slow mover. Like a fat guy going up the steps. Terpene- With the shortest track they have a small melody that crawls amid wide open space. Almost like an interlude. Inertia- From the shortest to the longest Inertia balances the cold of the desert in Arecibo with the canines of your dogsled. The dripping of water off icicles taller than buildings give you hope that life can be sustained out in the middle of nowhere. More pads and a mournful voice wrap around you like a frozen blanket. If I had to pick one word...barren. VLA (Edit)- Very Large Array is pure drone to me. 10 minutes of this non altering pad can be looked at in two ways. One, you gotta be kidding me 10 minutes?!? Two, it's so utterly hypnotizing, like a blank canvas on which you can create your own horror movie. I choose two...cause I'm an optimist. Kensington Gardens- It begins with soft garden chimes as a breeze blows, but the ominous pad underneath threatens to take the innocence of child hood and throw it in a dark dungeon where nobody could find it. But thankfully that never happens. Didn't like it. Nope, sure didn't. I could go to home depot and ring their chimes for 6 and a half minutes and maybe it would sound the same. Cmon, let's be honest...you reaaaallllly have to like beatless to get anything out of this. Held Together by Gravity- They saved the most positive and uplifting track for last. It's another pad heavy twirl through the great cosmos. But now think of it as a tour of duty that is almost over and your family is waiting for you to come home. First thing I'm gonna say is if you plan on getting the most out of this album block off an hour and 10 minutes of uninterrupted time. No phone, friends, internet, porn...And if you could be outside I believe it would also help. This is different than their other stuff. Beatless ambient and drone are acquired tastes. Some think it's dull as insurance while some get totally lost in it. Kudos to them for trying something new and having the courage to make an entire album out of it. They added another feather in their cap as far as I'm concerned. Yeah it's tough to get through this album if you're not a fan of the genre and VLA and Kensington Gardens can stretch a brother's patience. But you cannot get more chilled out than this and still be breathing. It's cold, melancholy, and becomes the perfect backdrop to let your imagination take over and paint your own picture. Just look at the cover...they sent out the signal. Now we just have to find out who's listening. Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Invisible Reality Title: Doors of Soul EP Label: Iono Music Date: January, 2012 1. Cybernetic Evolution 2. Doors of Soul 3. Alice Dream (Remake 2012) People ask me (no they don't, I don't get to talk to any adults. I asked my three year old, but every answer I got had something to do with Lightning McQueen) if I ever get tired of listening to progressive trance. Sure I do. As I would if I listened to one genre over and over again. Thanks to a Facebook friend, I've been getting back into Front Line Assembly. Not to mention Ice Cube's 1992 masterpiece Death Certificate is never far from reach. Headphones only. Last thing I need is my wife to come home and hear my kid singing about the nappy dugout. So yeah, I have to take breaks every now and then. This is a project that I have been following for a little while. The duo released their 2nd album Parallel Fantasy (reviewed here) which I thought was superb. This is their latest effort a 3 track EP which I hope continues down the same road. Cybernetic Evolution- Huge washes and a thumping beat compliment the oscillating synth waves. It's a dark ride through space with a good bottom end. The last break sees meteoric debris float by the glass panel and light reflects off the hull of the ship. Very atmospheric. Loved it. Doors of Soul- There's more of a house shuffle here but since I don't hear the crooning, I think we're ok. The break has a nice growling bass pad as synth leads dance through the soul door above. Nice groove, but there is a long stretch before the 2nd break where it seems like they were on autopilot. The melody at the end is nice, but the whole thing lacks the grandeur of the first track. Alice Dream (Remake 2012)- "Alice...wake up!" This is a remake of their 2009 track on the Spiritual Ritual EP. First thing I noticed is they chopped a minute off the track. The original was a churning slowly evolving track. Totally opposite here as these guys are beating this kick drum like it got their sister pregnant. More aggressive surely with eerie background noises and filtered pads. Yeah, I liked it better. Good little EP. My favorite was easily the first track, but they're all pretty good. Melodic progressive with some thumping kicks. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Concept Vs. Smashed Title: Dead Star EP Label: Timecode Records Date: February, 2012 1. Shut the Fuck Up 2. Dead Star "It's my job to get your sh*t in order...it's your job to shut the f*ck up." What do you get when you mix an iconic South African psytrance label and two twilight warriors? And....boom goes the dynamite. Arnaud Levasseur (Concept) has put out three albums of the good stuff and Smashed is an up and coming 3D artist that is gaining some serious momentum. This is exactly what you think it is. Acidic insanity that keeps coming after you like Joe Pesci in Casino. High-tech hyper trance that levels all standing and washes over you in waves of fluorescent energy. Timecode of course has a pedigree that is unmatched, but even I was beginning to question whether they still had the boom stick. Well wonder no longer. These two just put your lights out. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Protoactive Title: Spiritual Reaction EP Label: Freakuency Records Date: February, 2012 1. Here Comes The Sun 2. Spiritual Reaction 3. See The Connection 4. Music Memories (Erotic Dream Remix) Protoactive is Allan Feytor from Brazil with a 4 track EP. Here Comes the Sun- "The only way that we can save this planet..." This is a smooth afternoon at the beach that has good bounce and blends nice percussive touches with the churning electronics. The pads are warm like the rays of the sun peaking from behind that stubborn cloud. Spiritual Reaction- My reaction to this track was not spiritual. More like... See The Connection- "Your brain doesn't know the difference between what's taking place out there and what's taking place in here." Is that an insult? Weak. The song was all right. Floaty. Music Memories (Erotic Dream Remix)- "No mix of words or music or memories." Another floaty track with some very descriptive effects. Wispy like smoke from a campfire that manages to have a nice melodic groove. Not bad. As I mentioned, floaty and groovy progressive with some smooth melodic transitions. But let's discuss the price. 8 bucks? Are you out of your f*cking mind? But maybe you will like it so much that that won't matter to you. Maybe you don't care about money. Really? Maybe you would be interested in being my best friend. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Timeless: Re Run EP Label: Digital Nature Records Date: January, 2012 1. Run Away (Invisible Reality rmx) 2. Run Away (Monolock rmx) 3. Attention (Solaris Vibe rmx) 4. Run Away (Helber Gun rmx) 5. Run Away (Disco Junks rmx) Digital Nature is a new Israeli label founded by Mr. Etic and Mr. Aerospace with the intention of producing music up and down the electronic spectrum. In the promo for Psyshop the words brilliant, superb, hottest, and unique were used to describe this EP. I'm sure that I am not the only one who feels that our hyperbolic use of these terms are a little out of control. Frequently we find some dumb redneck jumping off the roof of his singlewide labelled as awesome or some wailing depressive hipster crap being called brilliant. Let's be honest this is f*cking brilliant. By the way, how do I get on that game show? So when reading these oftentimes grammatically challenged blurbs you have to take it with a grain of salt. I haven't heard the original so the 4 remixes for me can be judged on their own. Is this going to make you throw away that new Nerso album? Is it going to make you stop listening to goa trance? Uh, no. No it won't. Hell I don't even think it is that unique. It's groovy progressive with some great melodies and atmosphere. But I can get that anywhere. This was good but far from the end all and be all of electronic music. And at $7.50 for 4 remixes of the same song and one original track, well I think my money can be better spent elsewhere. If I had to pick my faves, it would be the last two. Really liked the nasty bass in the Disco Junks. Funky. Goes well with that chick's booty motion as well. But that's just me. Maybe you've been dying for the Disco Junks remix of Run Away. I like that name. If I got another dog I think I would name it Disco. Beatport Psyshop Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Dancing In The Dark Label: Push Records Date: December, 2011 1. Dancing in the dark - Tube 2. Golden Axe - Super Evil 3. I Robot - Anomalia 4. Human Race - Crazy Tone 5. No Name - Exaile 6. Rize - Metal Wizard 7. Razzes from hell - Tube Vs. Anomalia 8. Nothing can stop us - Iliuchina 9. Standby4action - Sidhartha Vs. Alienn 10. Brilliant Colours - Magneto From the label that brought you the eagerly anticipated Tube remixes (no it wasn't) comes their 3rd release Dancing In The Dark. Plenty of names of which I am less familiar, but as a twilight music enthusiast I am drawn to any track that Alienn participates. I have a feeling I know what I am in for, but that is why I do this. I take the bullet...so you don't have to. snikety snik! Dancing In The Dark- "It's a dark, dangerous world." Work it Courtney...use what yo momma gave you. There was a very famous video on MTV (back when that meant something) for Bruce Springsteen song of the same title that featured a pre-friends Courtney Cox dancing with Bruce on stage. Ironically it was in a way that only a white girl in the eighties could shake it and is exactly how you dance to dubstep today. Wait...that's not true. Nobody knows how to dance to dubstep. Which is convenient because he starts this with some awesome mechanical dubstep with the choir pad on high. Soon enough he gets to the 4/4 and that beat is a stomping one. And everything was going well until the buildup, but thankfully it was brief. He's really going the SynSun/old Talpa cinematic route as this really becomes a noisy track. You can't say it doesn't have a little bit of everything. Golden Axe- I ripped their track on the Digital Breed EP for being everything that could be wrong with psy, but this...Hide the kids because they made a rocking good tune with a nod towards 80's heavy metal and the classical stylings of Yngwie Malmsteen. Is it psytrance? Maybe, but if music is supposed to elicit emotions then this makes me want to bang my head and rock out with my c*ck out. I Robot- A Transformers sample? What are you 12? Hold up, let me check... *Muzak sample plays Girl From Ipanema* Ok, you're not 12. So there is no excuse. Buildups, stupid samples...I was wrong about Super Evil. This is what's wrong with psytrance. Human Race- "You could end up wiping out the whole human race." Can we start with this track? So the guitar is going to be a featured instrument on these tracks? Build ups too I suppose? More stops and starts than my father typing on the keyboard. Excuse me a sec... watch that gif for over 9 minutes and you'll understand what we're dealing with. It's like dry heaving when there's nothing left to come up. Just painful. No Name- I threw dirt on the coffin of this project long ago and while it wasn't as craptacular as the previous abomination, they proved that 6 feet of dirt is tough to get through. Rise- Metal Wizard? Commence guitars in 3..2..1..yep just a c*nt hair over 2 minutes. But Mike...is there gonna be some build ups to nowhere, stops and starts, and maybe some stupid vampire sample? She figured it out and she's an idiot who wouldn't know if she was on fire. This is getting excruciating. Razes From Hell- So there is a deep voice speaking menacingly under the music, probably intending to be powerful and scary, but alas it accomplishes neither. Uninteresting synth runs with of course some guitar plucking out a melody (the bright spot for me) and what would a track be on this disc if it didn't have a build up. It gets really loud at the end. Proves that electronic music can be just as effective as metal to piss your parents off. Nothing Can Stop- God, this music makes my head hurt. Three excedrin in and I don't know how much more I can take. But this I like. Metal meets psy in a twilight power grab that uses symphonic elements and some good guitar licks. Reminds me a little of FLA...minus the goofy buildups they would never use. Standby 4 Action- "Standby for action." Finally two projects you might be able to hang your hat on. Nuno is like the Godfather of twilight and Alienn continues to kick ass and chew bubble gum. And right now they're all out of gum. A torrent of lasers and acid give you shower like Jennifer Beals in Flashdance. Relentless. A break? Not until 5 and a half minutes. Great track that would've been perfect without the small build ups. How did this make it on the comp? Talk about being in the wrong room. It's like I walked into the ladies room and some big dyke screams, "Hey! You with the tree trunk....get the f*ck outta here!" Refreshing. Brilliant Colours- Magneto recently released his debut Scope which was some more twilight goodness. He's very liberal with the acid giving you more than you need. It's very high tech, with pulsating rhythms and an aggressive attitude. Too many short build ups for me though, and the some of the lead sounds were too abrasive to be enjoyed. You know the kind that teeter on the generic side? Still miles above the middle of this mess though. Wow what a sh*t sandwich that was. The first and last two tracks were the winners for me. Seriously, if you would have told me that Super Evil would have one of the best tracks here, I would've laughed in your face. Think about that and let that be your measuring stick. I don't tell people what to like and what to buy, that's your own decision. But if you buy this know that you are encouraging labels and artists to make more of this crap. Psyshop Beatspace SaikoSounds Goastore Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Christiania Selection Label: Iono Music Date: December, 2011 1. I got to - TIME IN MOTION AND FLEXUS 2. Sexofrenic - XSHADE 3. Offbeat Meeting - LIQUID SPACE 4. Red Zone - SONIC SENSE VS TIME IN MOTION 5. Atlantic Spirit - STATIC MOVEMENT VS IMPACT 6. Maximum Overdrive - ACE VENTURA 7. Keep Walking - INFINITY 8. The last Jedi - MOTION DRIVE 9. Cometic - YOTOPIA When you're the king, you run sh*t. Nobody at the ad agency thought this might be a little creepy? Ghetto crown...you know they give away free crowns at Mr. The King up there. King of Christiania That's just the way it is. Iono has long been providing hungry trancers like me with quality progressive for years. Their style is melodic layers and danceable rhythms. Wide open and massive. Which brings me to this release dedicated the ahem...state of Christiania in Copenhagen, Denmark. So let me get this straight. The homeless hopped a fence of an abandoned military facility and claimed dibs. They decided to start a society from scratch on land they didn't own? And the government was ok with this and let it happen? F*ck let me run down to the local YMCA and plant a flag and say that it's now called big titty town and only girls with big titties are allowed. Think they won't come? Well then like Christiania we'll legalize marijuana and the chicks will beat down my door. But no hard drugs you degenerates. Take that sh*t to Philly. Ever been there? What a f*cking cesspool. Go south on Broad St...it's like District 9 at that point. SO now all the hippies, homeless, artists, immigrants, and drug pushers live in the area. Sounds lovely. Of course the most famous part is Pusher Street where the weed trade thrives openly and they have had issues with violence. Go figure. They have their own businesses and even their own flag (album cover...red background and three yellow dots to signify the dots above the three i's. Apparently when they took over there was a lot of red and yellow paint lying around.) If nothing else it is a very interesting story. Sexofrenic- A quick trip to the smartest guy I know (Google) and I discovered that sexophrenic means: "An individual suffering from a sexual disorder involving several naughty personalities with insatiable libidos and absolutely no shame.” What the f*ck just happened? I remember looking up the definition of sexophrenic and then next thing I know my computer is full of porn and the track is on it's fifteenth play. Thank God I wasn't near any water. Yeah, f*ck you Pinnochio, I'm not fallin' for it. Yes, yes...I've heard it a million times...you've got wood. Never gets old. This is a grower. It's got lots of effects and moves along so smoothly you would swear it was in slow motion. Damn if this track doesn't make time stop. Offbeat Meeting- I recently reviewed his Looking Forward EP and thought it was all right. Nothing special. Now this track changes direction very early on and I like it way better than that EP. Very full sounding with lots of echoing sounds and then he gets busy with the 303. Any time you do that you have my undivided attention. Red Zone- Love this track because every space is filled with sound. It slinks around corners with short ethereal melodies that evaporate like steam. I was gonna say smoke, but weed smoke hangs around so long you could get high the day after. Not showy or powerful, just...mellow. Atlantic Spirit- These two may just have the track of the compilation. It's full of echoing sounds, spiritual vocals, and layers that go together like peanut butter and jelly. Cloud busting atmosphere and melodies that cannot help but put a smile on your face. Well done! Oftentimes a young jedi's training is filled with...missteps. Maximum Overdrive- Yoni wields the 303 like he's E-Mantra. And while I liked that bit, I felt the track was a bit unfocused. Stops and starts and too much time with not a lot going on. Keep Walking- "It's time for a commercial break." You really want me to sh*t all over this track don't you? Nikos Karamalakis from Greece seems to have made a good track with effects and lead stabs, but for some reason he put cheesy vocal samples in it. Check the ladies? Ugh. Musically it has some giddy up in its step with twisted bass sounds, but the break is my favorite part with its twinkling sounds and fat pads. Makes up for the gouda. The Last Jedi- "So this is the last of the Jedi." These are not the Happy Meals you're looking for.... Philip Guillaume from Switzerland produced a pretty good album with 2010's In The Dirt and on comps he's had a pretty good track record with me. He makes another track that makes you wonder where the time went. It's a bouncer with good effects and several layers. Good one. Cometic- Israeli duo Tomer Dayan and Yonatan Rimon close things out with a nice underground funker bigger than all outside. The light percussion has a bit of a jiggle and Lord knows I loves me some jiggle "Hi there, my name's Mike, wanna get a cup of coffee?" The melodies soar like they have jetpacks as the track bounces playfully along. Just a smooth way to bring the journey to a close. So another Iono compilation that doesn't disappoint. After the first track I thought it would be like Chinese food. Sure it's filling now, but you know you're gonna be hungry again in 20 minutes. But true to form they continued to make progressive trance with huge breaks and wide open atmospheres. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to get some lunch at my favorite spot. Try the dumplings! Psyshop Beatspace Saikosounds GoaStore Mdk

Artist: Various Title: United Nations of Trance Russia Label: Underground Sound of Tel Aviv Date: October, 2005 1. Dance of the morning sun (Bukara rmx vs G-Light) - G-LIGHT 2. Under Glass - Sulima 3. Story - Biolink 4. Solar System part2 - Zirrex 5. Fullomatic Motions - Hologram 6. Syndrom - Manifold 7. What's Inside Me - Ultratech 8. Neosphere - Neospherix Project 9. Funkadelic - Secret Trick Russia...home of the supreme emperor. And part time balloon animal enthusiast. Defender of the rich he rockets across Russia on a custom built cracker keeping the homeland safe from invasion foreign and domestic. "No commrade...f*ck you." But Russia is more than just Putin's plaything, oh no, it has a lot of good trance to offer. So is this compilation worth your time? Can they put down the vodka long enough to make some good tracks? Dance of the morning sun (Bukara rmx vs G-Light)- We begin with the full-on effort from G-light, who shows a talent for mixing the electronic and acoustic. There's plenty of lasers to go around, so no need to shove. High speed and lots of layers. I liked it, but there was no subtlety...it just kinda all came out at once. Under glass- Alexander used to part of Manifold but now he does his own thing. This was an awesome twilight track with deep rumbling bass and eerie pads. Bubbling and changes of direction are well received. Dare I call this a stormer? Story- This is the guys from Neospherix Project who were boring the crap outta me until around the 4 minute mark when they laid down a nice synth arpeggio. It's a little ravey though. Solar System Part 2- His album Lost In Time is one of the greatest moments in goa trance history. Yeah, I said it. It was recently re-released so I hope you got a chance to check it out. This isn't goa, but twilight. Pretty good too with a bunch of power, acid, and lasers. Another winner. Fullomatic Motions- Never heard of this project but I bet their last names en in ov. More twilight music with metallic leads and a rumbling bass line. It's not bad, but it does this stop thing and then gradually increases the speed. Not for me. Syndrom- "He's got one inside of him...I can smell it." Edward is now running this project solo and he combines horror movie samples with searing leads. He relies heavily on the "what's inside me" sample...maybe too much. Sounds like late 90's industrial EBM at times, but not bad. Dark. What's Inside Me- Shouldn't this have been the name of the last track? This guy hasn't released anything for a while and it's a shame because this is some powerful stuff. Nonstop and unrelenting twilight intensity. Loved it. I did not know you had it like that! Neosphere- What the f*ck are you hanging out on a farm in rural Mississippi? Pigs, chickens, southern black man talking. Then it breaks into a boogie woogie shuffle and I'm thinking this has to be a joke. I like jokes. But this is unlistenable. Funkadelic- Whoever this is could take a dump and record it and it would already be better than the last track. Luckily they didn't have to go that far and just made a track with rampaging synths and layers. Not bad. Some of these tracks are worth checking out. It's definitely in the twilight style. And they seem to hold up pretty well. Saikosounds Beatspace Psyshop P.S. I don't know what's going on with the tracklist at Psyshop. The one I got was from Discogs. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Universe Label: Mandala Records Date: September, 2004 1. Colour pulse - WIZZY NOISE 2. Insomny - TETRAKTYS 3. Anticlockwise - SKULPTOR VS SPECTRAL SKUNK 4. Sharing bacterias - ORACLE 5. Scopes - C.P.U 6. Black Jack rmx - PSYCHAOS 7. Divine prophecy - SKULPTOR 8. Replicant - POLARIS 9. The galaxys protection - SIGNS This was the first release from French label Mandala Records. Mastered by Triptych...Wonder what happened to him? I heard he lost his eyes in a terrible motorcycle accident and they had to do some experimental surgery. Probably not true though. Colour Pulse- Say what you want about these guys, they sure have hung around. The track is a full steam ahead slug fest without any of that twist and turn crap. There's a metallic hard edge to it with an eensy bit of sunshine. Good opener. Insomny- With some deep pumping bass and metallic attacks the atmosphere is well created. You can hear some manipulated vocals, but can't make them out. Probably cries for help. Washes rise and fall and eerie pads speak of a dark forest. Nothing spectacular but a clever moody bastard it is. Anticlockwise- This comp is really shaping up to be a dark, brooding piece of work! Aliens skitter across the ground as the beat pumps in the background. Gritty and scratchy leads scrape the air and the break adds to the spookiness. Awesome track. Sharing Bacterias- Full on with sqirty effects and echoing synths should sum this up. Although I'm still trying to decipher what the previous reviewer was saying. Digital farts, push button phone sounds, and a latin song sample? This is a weird motherf*cker. Scopes- Back before CPU sold his soul to the devil, he made good music like this. Good percussion, good leads, and a dark atmosphere. I don't think he even knew what a buildup was at this time. Not his best, but miles away from the swill he's producing now. So....how much will it take for you to step into this time machine I made in the basement? Black Jack Remix- When Joti was into goa it was the crazy insane type of stuff that made you say....Damn! But this doesn't make me want to say that. It makes me want to say where's the beef? Straight ahead without any insanity. Get back off your meds! Divine Prophecy- Delightfully alien beginning with some tribal elements. He's got scratchy sounds, some lasers, and a thumping beat. The acid leads are fat and juicy like a thick T-bone. Probably my favorite here. Replicant- "Replicants are like any other machine. They're either a benefit or a hazard. If they're a benefit it's not my problem" Ah, quoting blade runner will get you everywhere. It's smooth integrating several samples into the mix very well. Good motion and one of my favorites from him. Sure it's full on but that whole decade is full-on. Let it go. The galaxys protection- How can we protect the galaxy when Chewie can't use a toilet? It's a mid tempo romp with some nice percussion but the crazy bit is the Hawaiian guitar at the break. Where the f*ck did that come from? The rest is ok. When listening to older tracks you have to take it with a grain of salt. But this was a compilation that held up very well. Psyshop Beatspace Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Vaporize 2 Label: Vaporvent Records Date: February, 2007 1. Echo Ghetto - EARTHLING, MEKKANIKKA, CHROMATONE 2. Instru-Mental - MEKKANIKKA 3. Out of Phase rmx - JIRAH 4. Revolution - AUDIALIZE 5. Paganoize - ELECTRYPNOSE, CHROMATONE 6. Restart - PURE PRESSURE 7. Chronophasia - 4 WINDS CIRCLE, CHROMATONE 8. Blue Hole - PURE PRESSURE 9. Connected - POLARIS 10. This is the exit - IBOJIMA, CHROMOSOME More stuff I've had hanging around for a while. I know most of the artists and have heard good tracks from all of them so let's see where this goes... Echo Ghetto- As soon as I hear the word bass, I've got one foot on the ledge. The vocoded sample that rises in pitch puts two feet there. Shame really because it's really pumping in a don't tell mom I'm out this late you won't will you type of way. It's aimed at that market right? Instru-Mental- I don't know what's been going on with this guy. Having six albums on six different labels can't be a good sign. You want people to look forward to your music? Make them miss you. Full-on to the bone at least it's well produced full-on. It's an epic trance type of track that has a nice break and a piano. Slight buildups and twisting of the pitch, but not as horrible as it could've been. Out of Phase Remix- I really liked his Fluorogenic EP from 2009 but this is before that. There are loads of effects that add to the atmosphere but that doesn't make it any less full-oney. Well, let me...yeah I guess I could dance to this... That's not awkward, is it? I like the leads and it's constant change of direction. This guy's got talent. Revolution- Always liked this project as they tend toward the twilight side and are great with putting all the pieces together. Acidic flashes and eerie melodies float over a machine gun bass line and I guess this was live because there's a bunch a people cheering. Sounds full to these ears, but 3 separate times with the cheering crowd? It's ok, but with a track named revolution it should sound, I dunno...revolutionary? Ok, ok...that's all I can take. I guess when you compile something you can put as many of your tracks on it as you would like, right Chromatone? You know how you shouldn't judge a book by its cover? Sure he looks ridiculous and while you might think that this lion looks gay with his perm, he can still eat you. Well it's ok in this situation. This is an example of one of the many compilations that have gotten lost in the tidal wave of full-on. It's not terrible and it's not great. It just is. And Electypnose, what the f*ck are you doing on this thing? Was rent due, needed some quick cash? The full-on bass line is well represented here and I like to think I'm more tolerant than most, I only lasted 4 tracks. Psyshop Beatspace Saikosounds Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Zen 2 Label: Deja Vu Records Date: March, 2004 1. Kicks - KRUMELUR 2. Mayday - KIN DZA DZA 3. Feelings - FUNGUS FUNK 4. Genki - N3XU5 5. Over Game - OSOM 6. Wooden Child - PSYKOVSKY 7. Gone with the wind - PENTA 8. Crucifiction - PSYCHOTIC MICRO VS TOXIC 9. Can't Stop - DAMAGE 10. Earth in Trance set - SURIA Sometimes you have to jump off the known road and find your way through the wilderness. "Excuse me sir, I seem to have lost my way, can you help me find the corner of progressive and goa avenue? Sheesh, no need to have a hissy fit...and would a tic-tac kill you?" I've been reviewing the most recent stuff out there for a while but sometimes you have to look back. 2004 is a long time ago and that's a mighty long time but I'm here to tell ya, there's something else...Deja Vu. Now this Russian label specializes in the dark side of things, a sound I don't normally get into, but you can only listen to so much progressive and goa. Gotta shake things up a bit. I've had this on the ol hard drive for a while and thought I would give it a fresh listen. Kicks- This is a dark and gritty journey with echoing sounds and a bubbling cauldron of forest deliciousness. When I heard this long ago I hated it. But nowadays I dig deeper into music and this is pretty thick. You won't find any glow sticks here, it's meant to scare the sh*t out of you. Very atmospheric with ripping leads and hallucinogenic visions at a moderate pace. Total Alice and Wonderland vibe. Yeah, that's got it May Day- I'm not really familiar with Leo's work, but giving it a fresh listen has opened my eyes. I mean it's everything you want in a darkpsy track. Modulated leads tear through the dark night, but he adds layers of ghoulish fun with a bouncy beat and filthy atmospherics. The lead at 5 and a half minutes really gets me and Lord help me I'm starting to like where this is going. So I'm 8 years late to the party...you ain't never been late? Feelings- "It's just a feeling." I got a feeling this is how the bird flu started. KFC with a big f*ck you to all my canines! Less impressed with this as it's just "that" modulated, fuzzy darkpsy lead over a deep bass line. I'ts scary dark, with effects whizzing all over the place. Sounds like a lot of stuff I've heard from those guys across the tracks. Yeah you stay over there...where I can see you. Genki- "When you cut the power you unlocked the doors, you let them out." And there they go! Horrible...simply terrifying. B*tch hit every f*cking hurdle. Luis began as a darkpsy kind of guy and then morphed into...whatever he's doing these days. No money in darkpsy and the chicks all have tatts and piercings in places that look like it would really hurt. I get it buddy, just upgrading your choice of tail. Can't hate. I liked the scary sample, but there wasn't anything that stood out on this track. It's your typical make noise over a horror movie. So if you're gonna do that...I'm gonna make fun of it. Over Game- "Shut that Goddamn thing off!" You said it not me. Kindzadza and Psykovsky. Together. Well this should be a ray of sunshine shouldn't it? I hear laughing...are you mocking me? Sounds like they sampled some farts and twisted them over a bass line. That's cool, I like a good fart joke as much as the next guy. But that high pitched screeching lead has zero value whatsoever. Except to make me angry. Don't make me angry...you wouldn't like me when I'm angry. You know how some say that darkpsy can just be loud noise? Your honor I would like to present exhibit A. Wooden Child- Keep f*cking that chicken sir. Whew this descended into the weird and unlistenable quickly, eh? But what's this? An eerie pad. Yeah you can definitely hear it if you sort out all the clamoring noise. Faint, but there. He's got this robotic speak and spell voice, an elephant trumpeting...all in all it's a bit of an unfocused mess, really. Gone With the Wind- Tornado humor? Yeah, I get it. Like white noise? Me neither. But this has a lot more going for it. Bubbling synths and a dark melody for starters. Sounds like we're deep within a dungeon where nobody will find us. All this needs is a few tortured screams and some alien overlord and you've got the soundtrack for despair. Crucifiction- These guys seem to be running a tighter ship with less entropy and chaos. Looking at the remaining tracklist that's the way it seems to be heading. Still dark? Oh yeah, but you can actually detect some melody. With a stomping beat the leads fire at will. It's a swirling tornado of frightening samples and effects, but well done. Can't Stop- "If you can't stop him...he ain't gonna stop himself." If I lost 3 fingers in a horrific frostbite accident, I could count on 1 hand how many tracks of his I have enjoyed. He's got this chunky style with distorted hi-hats and leads that always came off as loud and abrasive. But f*ck a duck now I'm gonna have to regrow a finger cause this has some character. It's intense with dancing leads and groove. He's always been able to make to booties wiggle. Yeah, can I get a Triple Whopper Combo go large? What's that? Uh....no, better make it to go. Earth In Trance Set- I wore Logical Evolution out...if you can wear out a CD. Loved it. But I ain't heard much from him and it looks like Discogs says he hasn't been active in over 3 years. Sad, because he that album was a great twilight experience. You can hear some of his lead work with this one but there isn't much to talk about. I think he left the sequencer running. Any idea when he's coming back? I was surprised by this. Especially how lush the first two tracks were. After that it turned into punch my grandmother music and then softened up a little bit. It's eight years old so cut 'em some slack. Far from essential, but it was worth giving this another go. Psyshop Beatspace Saikosounds Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Goa-Tel Aviv Label: NMC Records Date: 1997 CD 1 01. In Trance : Over Seas 02. Indoor : Vertigo 03. Oforia : Dimensional Exploration 04. Adrenalin Drum : Desert Fly 05. In Trance : Kashmir 06. Indoor : Camel 07. Adrenalinndrum : God Mountain CD 2 01. Indoor : The Key 02. Adrenalin Drum : Behind The Hills 03. Indoor : Shiva 04. In Trance : Sorceress Fete 05. P Cok : J.P 06. Amir Dagan : Silver Angel 07. Guy Sebbag : Reality Values 1997. What was I doing waaay back then? Lessee...Got kicked out of optometry school the year prior so I was living in a trailer and still getting high. Goa Trance? What the f*ck is that? Tell you what, try matching your clothes and take a shower then we can talk. By the way...you're white...what's with the dreadlocks? What's that you say? Music comes from Israel? How do they find the time in between the bombings? That was me back then knowing nothing of goa, thinking that trance ended and began with Oakenfold and Van Dyk. My how time and perceptions have changed. Now I'm married with 2 kids, haven't had a drink or gotten high in over a decade, and finally came to the realization that this music was a cinematic experience for the ears. This 2-disc set contains Israeli old school goa anthems that are considered classics today. But upon further inspection, the comp came out in 97 and 4 of the tracks from Indoor (which are on the Progressive Trance disc) were made in 95 and the Adrenalin Drum tracks are from their album X-Perimental Goa. Guy Sebbag is a member of In Trance along with Gal Carmy, so the tracks Sorceress Fete and Kashmir are on the In Trance album. So as is the case with a lot of compilations from back in the day, these tracks are found elsewhere making this not essential. Having said that though, if you don't have those albums and you find this...get it. The Indoor tracks are blistering journeys alone and the InTrance tracks are good in their own right. Sorceress Fete is a pumping track that I'm sure had the dance floors jumping. It's pure old school. J.P. is a twisting journey with tumbling melodies and hypnotic sounds, but the last two...I can take 'em or leave 'em. Never noticed this before, but there's a lot of "in's" here. INdoor, IN trance, AdrenalIN drum...and I just noticed the pic on the cover is of a face smoking the wacky tabacci. Wonder why our music is always associated with drugs? I think it's also funny that Mars gave it an average rating because it's too old school. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Dancing Mavka Label: Lookinglook Records Date: July, 2011 01 - Pandemicus - Out Of Space (142 BPM) 02 - Jyotish - 1000 Little Indians (150 BPM) 03 - Celestial Consciousness - Astral Dance (148 BPM) 04 - Ufomatka - Vega (139 BPM) 05 - Spirit Medicine - In The Brain Machines (150 BPM) 06 - Sky Technology - Reactor Of Life (145 BPM) 07 -Zelur Project - The New Creature (145 BPM) 08 - ShizoLizer Gin - Pony Ponyslas (145 BPM) 09 - Space Vibes System - Space Energy (145 BPM) Finally getting to give this the attention it deserves. First of all good review Penzo, I don't think there was one stone that was left unturned. Love the artwork but the music is just as good. Pandemicus opens with a blistering aural assault and then Jyotish and Ufomatika follow suit. Definitely three artists to keep an eye on. The latter's track is so bad ass I think MFG actually was on the phone to their layer with all intents to sue. Astral Dance is balls to the wall intense and at 10 minutes it'll wear you out. The first four tracks are very impressive indeed. When I first heard In the Brain Machines I didn't care for it, but it definitely grew on me. Like Penzo said the sample is on the cheesy side, but the rest of it is so gritty and bubbly and filthy like you threw a diaper against the wall and it stuck. Not that I've done that, but kids...they'll make you wanna sometimes. It's another long one, so make sure you pee. Which brings me to the Sky Technology track. I think I'm totally crushing on you. Uncomfortable yet? Arabic melodies cascade down amidst the wall of force and it's just relentless. Loud twirling melodies, in your face pummeling music. This is what it would sound like if you put Filteria and E-Mantra in a blender and then were somehow able to reassemble the parts into one all powerful super goa producer. Like the Fly with umm, less tooth loss. Like the rest of you I enjoyed the goa albums that SynSun made and here's hoping that they hop back on that train. This track shows they still have it with frenzied leads and blistering bass. So stop with the full-on and come back where you're appreciated. Pony Ponyslas is an eerie deviation from the other tracks. Very melodic and rich but without the power and aggressive tone. Another impressive debut. The comp closes with an atmospheric and powerful tour de force that I'll be honest didn't think he had in him. Everything you could want in your goa is represented here. Melodies that float above the fray, guitar that doesn't sound cheesy, and changes in direction that keep you focused. It was a nice surprise. Wasn't sure at first, but then Hats of to these Ukrainian aliens for bringing the house down. A superb compilation that is a worthy addition to any goa trance lover's collection. The fact that it is free leaves no excuse. So just clear your schedule, get your favorite tube of lipstick, and let this wash over you. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Art From The Heart Chapter II Label: Old Is Gold Date: August, 2011 01 - Jayex & The Wonderboy - Witchcraft Night (145 BPM) 02 - Radical Distortion - Evil Machine (142 BPM) 03 - Jikooha - Riot Here! Riot Now! (144 BPM) 04 - Qlipadelic Rythm - Ganesh Soul (140 BPM) 05 - The Wonderboy - Kings of Camouflage (145 BPM) 06 - Snag The Sunshepherd - Aura (146 BPM) 07 - NK-47 - Know No Silence (145 BPM) 08 - Hybrid FX - Shamar (148 BPM) 09 - Afgin - Cleopatra (143 BPM) 10 - ArmagedDance - Sun And Snow (136 BPM) 11 - ArmagedDance - Away From Eden (113 BPM) God Awful. Have you ever seen something and said that? Nope that's just terrifying. I've never actually vomited spontaneously, but perhaps here... Hey I"m a dog person, but this...f*ck where would you begin to try and pet this...abomination. "Ok...I'll come peacefully. Let me get my fur coat." Need a lawnmower to shave that thatch. He is every cab driver I have ever had in NYC. That's how I felt when I saw this cover. So ugly. So we've got flowers (opium maybe?) mountains, crazy colored clouds, the Earth I guess, and then...what the f*ck is that? Riiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnggggg...yes, it's attention. I craves it. Aw f*ck it, if that's his way of expressing himself more power to him. It's a free country, but good luck finding a job that doesn't involve circus tents and cotton candy. And how does getting laid work? Can't imagine they're lining up for some reptile lovin. How bout that first visit to the girlfriends parents? Actually he's been married for almost 10 years so if that doesn't prove there is someone for everyone....and no she isn't a turtle. Guy's actually really smart. So yeah, this cover is ugly. Maria, no offense but uh...I wouldn't put this on the resume. Less is more, and there is just too much "more" going on. But file this in the don't judge a book by its cover drawer, because there are some seriously good tunes to be found. As you can see this is the 2nd chapter in the Art From the Heart series and like its predecessor it is also free. It's a who's who in the genre of today's goa trance with some names I am sure you will recognize. And some not. But surely if you've been following this music, then you know of the label. They have released the 3 Golden Vibes goa trance compilations and of course the album when the world became aware of Uber-talent Afgin. Witchcraft Night- I swear I've heard that tribal chanting sample, but I cannot put my finger on it. Hmmm...notice it's over 9 minutes and that gives me pause because normally I cannot take 3 minutes of Wonderboy tracks. Just my preference, but I feel he is a better compiler. But this one isn't bad. Flutes, bass sweeps and a general happy vibe until it shifts after 4 minutes. The break sees a return of the chanting sample and I have to admit the flow is very enjoyable. Good job. Evil Machine- Civil servants mistakenly believe they can save Sarah Connor by beating the sh*t out of one of HP's budget models. Alas the blows struck weren't fatal...and laser printers hold a grudge. It's full steam ahead with power and multiple waves of melody. Gotta like the energy in this one. Riot Here! Riot Now!- "No more naps! I mean it...and get that f*cking cauliflower off my plate!" Japanese badasses Jun Iwai & Masakazu Shimodi win the title of don't f*ck around track with a straight out of the box stormer that oozes with intensity. Layers of melody and the presence of some crunchy guitar that doesn't seem out of place. Boom. Ganesh Soul- Very good track by this newcomer with yep you guessed it more layers of melody. He strangles one lead like I want to strangle those baloonheads on Fox News. Wipe that f*cking smirk off your face Steve Doocy! It loses the initial power it had, but it's still good for what appears to be the first release from this project. Kings of Camouflage- nothing to see here, keep it moving people. Aura- I didn't hear his album. Was it good? This was a little too...full-oney for my liking. Pass. Know No Silence- 18 year old (you sonofab*tch wipe that smile off your face!) Israeli Nadav Kahanowich makes some awesome goa trance. Melody + Power = wish I was 18 again. This is not your 4 on the floor type stuff. I mean yeah it gets to that, but it also has other interesting rhythms. He starts tacking on the layers for a pretty good track. Shamar- Kinda has a simple bass line, a bunch of Indian(?) chants or vocal, especially the break. I think if I was bumping this in my car, they would think I was a terrorist. Then I would be brought in for questioning, they'd check my internet history (and I definitely don't want that) and then put on the no fly list...it's a whole thing. It's a little on the thin side, but still enjoyable and pumping. Cleopatra- This gentleman needs no introduction and the soft Indian vocal means the promised land of bollywood can't be far away. Man, he shows us how it's done. Bubbling synths and bass lines, layers of 303 madness, and just smooth as silk flow. It twinkles and then growls for a great ride. One of my favorites. Sun and Snow- Artur Mataryan from Mother Russia has released several albums that are worth checking out. Here he brings rising and falling synths and layers of sound. It's got an outer space feel and is floaty. Good one. Away From Eden- Artur again to close the compilation with a short downtempo track. Big pads and percussion form the foundation with a nice flute melody. Good way to end. So it is what it is. Please overlook the cover and give this a try. Several styles of goa are represented with some good results. It's free so you have nothing to lose but time. Ektoplazm Mdk

Nice review Richpa. Mdk

I use Picasa and Photobucket. Picasa for personal stuff and Photobucket for other crap. The only thing to be careful about Photobucket is that if you go over your monthly free limit, then you lose all the pics. I think. Mdk

Artist: Psilocybian Title: The Act of Conspiring EP Label: Diggarama Date: December, 2006 1. Theory To Conspire 2. When Fiction Becomes Science 3. Pancake Time (bonus) Somehow I came upon this and it's been sitting on my hard drive for months. Saša Dukić is a guy with the talent to make great psytrance tracks. He seems to be able to combine melody and power without any cheese, all while keeping it psychedelic. 2010's Wry Figments was an example of that. Nothing exemplary just good solid work. So I must've downloaded this after I heard his album, but who knows? My life is a jumble of Team Umizoomi and diaper changing so it's hard to tell. Even though this was made 5 years ago, it still sounds fresh. It's psy with some goa touches all well placed in some great alien atmosphere. Theory To Conspire has that outer space sheen on it with several synth layers and a nicely manipulated sample. When Fiction... shimmers with motion and shows he ain't afraid to use the cutoff knob. It's a high speed track to be sure. Lastly comes the ever perplexing bonus track. Anybody who is anybody loves pancakes and if you say you don't you're a zombie. And damn if it doesn't sound like he put some zombies in there...along with a rampaging bass line and some chunky distorted synths. Not bad. Click Here, it's free! Mdk

Artist: Funky Dragon Title: Modern Emotions EP Label: Iono Music Date: February, 2012 1. Day of Insomnia 2. Modern Emotions 3. Sundown Answers Because Iono has an outstanding track record with me, I feel that whatever they release is worth checking out. This is Serbian Igor Zuzulovic with a short 3 track digital EP. He has released 2 previous albums The Algol and Massive, but I have never heard them. Now Iono is known for their layers of melody and deep atmosphere creation, but this is different. First of all it's not subtle. Day of Insomnia is a post apocalyptic ripper of a track that also shows it's funky percussive side. This is a high speed chase in a tank that doesn't try to avoid cars...it crushes them. The beat is a pumping closed fist punch instead of the smooth transitions usually found from their artists. Second, while there are melodies, they take a back seat to the effects and storming nature of the beat. Modern Emotions is another track that is thick with dark atmosphere and bigger than Shaq beats. Like looking into the grand canyon, but instead of rock it's the remains of a ravaged city. The break really drives that point home for me. The final track begins with a staggered feel, but then after the cinematic break returns to 4/4 time. Same powerful dark vibe with maybe a little more melody. One of the reasons I love this music is that you can dig as deep as you want to go to find things that you may have missed. There are loads of effects to sort through...layers upon layers of sound. Different than most Iono releases, it is a fresh change of pace that can be enjoyed if you're a fan of electronic music. Igor didn't knock on the door here...he blew it off it's hinges. Psyshop Beatport Mdk