Trance2MoveU

Of course it is...and don't call me Shirley! "We have to get this man to a hospital!" "A hospital?!? What is it?" It's a large building with patients, but that's not important now!" He will be missed. Most people don't know that he was a dramatic actor long before he was a comic. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Freshly Cut Tomato Label: Cronomi Records Date: July, 2008 Sometimes in life you have to take a step back and revisit things to gain a clearer perspective. When this first came out over 2 years ago, I wasn't that impressed. Cronomi was just starting out and at that time there wasn't really too much out there that could hold a candle to Suntrip and their brand of sunshine melodic goa trance. Fast forward to today and I will tell you that this label took quite the chance. Now that we are fully surfing the new school goa wave it is understandable that there are various forms of goa and this compilation explores those. And there are audiences who appreciate it. 1 Pandemonium! - A Mad Scientist's Night (Subra Vs Felis Remix) (8:10) 2 Anakoluth - Orbiting The Earth (9:36) 3 Jikkenteki With 11 - Super Power Mustard (7:35) 4 Alt Anesis and 5Meo-Geo - Ficus (8:10) 5 Subra and Har-El Prusky - Freakagnux (7:48) 6 K.O.B. - Pitch & Chips (A Fairytale About A Chip) (7:31) 7 Merr0w - Pixelized Sight (8:45) 8 Radical Distortion - Unchristened (6:49) 9 Astrancer - Ashram (11:21) A Mad Scientist's Night (Subra Vs Felis Remix)- This is Michael Anenburg the man behind Felis & Subra. The bass groove in this is just nasty! It is an interesting progressive take on the melodic insanity that is the original. The sound quality is so clear and warm that moving to this is not hard at all. The overall feel is a grittier more underground movement that sounds super crisp. Awesome way to put a fresh and different face on a track. I still love Filipe's original, but this was pretty damn cool. Orbiting The Earth - This is what I would loosely term a minimalist approach to psytrance. I cannot call it goa (at least not in the melodic sense) as this sounds like it could be from 2001. It is dark and fairly monotonous. However, it is also atmospheric. And that has a lot to do with the production. Very warm and accessible. Whereas minimal trance bored me to tears, I can appreciate a varying style. Not my favorite by a longshot, but some of the sounds here are pretty cool as well. Super Power Mustard- This is US born Rennis Buchner and Keri Watanabe. Jikkentekki has released 3 albums (one for free) and has been all over compilations. He is very versatile, able to switch between goa trance and downtempo with great sounding results. Take this for what it is...psytrance. The leads that echo ominously sound super thick, like super powered mustard. Dirty, and along with the growling 303, pretty inventive. Also not my favorite on a goa trance compilation, but you can tell that they are building towards something. Ficus- This is Boris Mor and Philip Khripkov who have released a few tracks, more towards the Suomi side of things. Love the beginning of this...industrial beats that are distorted amidst a leery pad. It builds up and becomes a nice mover with a strong lead. Not a lot of variation, but we are beginning to get a little deeper into the waters of goa. Freakagnux- Mr. California Sunshine and Michael Anenburg put together a nice tune. The kick is huge and synth lines grumble underneath. It isn't long until the 303s enter, but not overbearingly so. The break has some nice percussion to enjoy. I wasn't a big fan of California Sunshine and this track didn't change that. Not bad, but not great either. Pitch & Chips (A Fairytale About A Chip)- This is Filteria's side project, one with a harder edge. The lead is a gurgling sound with skittering effects that remind me of darkpsy tunes. To my ears it sounds jumbled and discordant. A lot of noise that I don't enjoy listening to. Yuck. Pixelized Sight- This is Brice Fruyt who released his wonderful debut Born Underwater in 2009. His style is goa trance all the way with multiple layers of melody. It is very noisy at the outset, but after 3 minutes a furious goa melody takes shape and more layers are added to it. It is punishing, insistent, and very in your face. The quasi break switches leads, but it is no less aggressive. An old school feel is present and he rides it for all it is worth. Out.Standing. Unchristened- The Greeks are coming! This is Nikolaos Politaridis & Spanos Ioannis who have been around for awhile releasing quality goa trance. Their 2009 effort Psychedelic dreams was another smash for Suntrip. This track was a grower for me. The groove and the leads kept me bouncing right into the break. Again the climax is the shining moment here when all the leads combine to create a melodic gem. I wish there was some more atmosphere to the track, but it still sounded powerful. Very good track! Ashram- his is Bruno Filizola who doesn't make bad tracks. He just doesn't. This one has a very atmospheric feel with outer space pads. The break is nice as an Indian style melody begins and he runs with it. It bounces nicely along and switches melody and creates a very dreamy sensation. The end is where this track shines however, as it all culminates in a furthering of the atmosphere. Great track to close. Well, what can I say? The first experience I had with this didn't really impress me. I even said so on Psynews. But here is an example of a label back in 2008 taking a chance to present a alternate view of what goa trance is. Now as I mentioned not all of the tracks can be labeled as goa trance, but really that is in the ear of the listener isn't it? Colin (Oood) did a wonderful job with the mastering. Everything sounds so clear and warm that even the tracks I wasn't that fond of were enjoyable listening. That shows you how important mastering is. While I found the compilation to be weak in the beginning, they rebounded nicely with the final 3 tracks. The first track even grew on me! Congratulations Cronomi for this compilation and showing me that great music need not fit into a constrained box. I should've listened to you earlier. Even though this is not my favorite goa compilation it does have something for everyone. I would say download the last three tracks as they make the compilation and listen to the samples to see if you are interested in the rest. Mdk

I guess the label that has the Psynews member with an avatar that stole a boobie! Mdk

This is fabulous news. My most anticipated album along with Artifact303 and Midnight Storm 4. 2010 has been awesome for goa. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Protozoa Label: Sita Records Date: July, 2010 1. Arid Sand (Nitzhonic Mix) PHARAOM 2. Julia's Wings PERSISTENT AURA 3. De Wereldoverbrugger AGNETON 4. Galactic Treatment THE GREY GUY 5. Impulse VOX 6. Honor By The Sword GOALIEN 7. Karisma RAMA 8. E-law E-LAW 9. Endless Height JBC ARKADII Sita Records was formed by Filipe Santos in 2009 and is now run by Elias Gits (Agneton) and Boris Huskic (Goalien). They have released one compilation prior to this one called "Nitz-Ho-Goa" and it was fantastic. The style represented here is the same as before; goa melodies with the playfulness of Nitzhonot sans cheese. As usual they bring a couple of artists to the table that I haven't heard of, but with their solid track record, I am not concerned. The cover is comprised of striking colors of a mountain landscape with a hidden lake. Arid Sand (nitzhonic mix)- This is French goa trance producer Oswald Pfeiffer to begin the compilation. With a quick tap of the tabla and some middle eastern melodies, this track takes off. Rapid fire melodies make you feel as if you yourself were traversing the never ending desert. I like the layers right up to the break as a mysterious sample (can't make it out) heralds a key change. It changes direction several times but it does have a palpable nitzho feel with speed as the constant. Great track! Julia's Wings- Ewoud Vandenberghen from Belgium starts off with a bouncy melody which is playing a cat and mouse game with another swirling lead. An interesting application is the "shuffling" of the melodies into a rapid sequence. Pretty groovy with a tasty Israeli feel. Good track. De Wereldoverbrugger- Elias Gits (who runs the label with Goalien) along with Filipe Santos is the undisputed king of Nitzhogoa, and it is now time to lay down some serious sounds. At least that's what the sample told me. More middle eastern goodness with a pretty thick bassline. I like his short key change as it gives the track wings. Was that a classic 1970's Battlestar Galactica sample? Nice. The break has a nice breakbeat as the melodies continue to pile up. And for me if you can vary the break it keeps the track interesting. Great job! Galactic Treatment- "As you know the Earth and it's inhabitants are protected by the Galactic Truce." This is Patrick Cameron and he was all over Pure Planet Vol. 4. This track starts with a very fast bassline...stop me if you've heard that before. And a whole truckload of melodies that keep the metronome moving. This has a definite outer space feel which I assume he was going for. Well, he nailed it. Great track! Impulse- This is Tomislav Crncic from Zagreb who released his album Innerpolarity in 2007 to a lot of acclaim. It has a big snare hit, and rampaging leads. Loaded with an old school feel. The familiar nitzho kick is there with racing melodies and a nice key change. One of my favorites. Honor By The Sword- Label co-head Boris Huskic drops a blistering track that is quite speedy. Melodies swirl and it feels darker than some of the others. Now I am really looking forward to his album. There seems to be a sample that runs almost the entire length of the track. Don't worry, it doesn't interfere with the fury and doesn't get in the way. This one was intense. Great track. Karisma- I can see a Filipe Santos track a mile away. IMO one of the most important figures in the new school revival, his style is very vivid and this track is no different. Quick-step melodies fade in and out of each other like crashing waves. The break is vey fluid with a touch of a tribal tabla and breakbeat. Liked it a lot. E-Law- I have no idea who E-law is but there is a definite future for this individual. Screaming 303s, machine gun kicks, and massive melodies. Detuned leads trickle in amidst all of the above to give the track a dreamy quality. This reminds me of Sky Input Filteria so much with the hard edge it has. Awesome track. Endless Height- This is Arkadii Tronets and that is all I know, but...that's the best artist name you could come up with? Doesn't matter because the track is loaded with talent. Delicate tones sprinkle high above a thunderous kick and more roaming undercurrents. The middle eastern feel is there if not a little too overdone, but all of the little touches show the depth this track has. Smooth, soft pads that seem mysterious and the rolling synth lines. Not mellow by any means but a suitable way to glide to the end of this compilation. Well, there you go. This is 4/4 time with undulating melodies and nice atmosphere. There isn't that much to say about it really. I liked it a lot and it is full speed ahead for the whole disc. While I think the previous compilation from Sita was better, this was still pretty damn good. And let's face it, you're not going to reinvent the wheel with every release. Highly recommended. Psyshop Beatspace Saiko Sounds Mdk

Wow. You think of a website as an entity that isn't run by real people. It will be here forever. I understand that life's turns make you refocus and priorities are shifted. I visit this site several times everyday. It is the unparalleled review section that got me into psytrance and why I do so many reviews. Remember all the ones that DeathPosture, did? If I can reach people and tell them how great this music is then maybe the community can grow and then they can do the same. I have no IT skills and I myself have a wife and a child (soon to be 2). I would really like to continue writing reviews for this site and really do not want to make the switch to the supersized Walmart of psy, Isra. Mdk

Artist: Concept Title: Vicious Cycle Label: Digital Psionics Date: October, 2010 1. Switch Mode Concept vs CPU 2. Marty Mc Gravy Concept vs Scorb 3. Under My Control 4. Alternate Rotation 5. Parallel Universe 6. Post Modern Concept vs Lost and Found 7. People In Power 8. Magnetic Fields 9. Contaminate Concept vs Tryon This is Arnaud Levasseur with his 3rd release after the mindblowing Paranormal in 2007. He most recently teamed up with Scorb to form Prism for a track on the Abre Macabre compilation that was quite good. His style is high energy, acid heavy melodies with groovy beats. Digital Psionics is a label that excels in this area; all you have to do is look at their Psionic series of releases. I can remember some not really caring for his style saying it was too repetitive, and while I didn't think so I've noticed a change in this release and it is for the better. The first thing I noticed is that he has several collaborations with the likes of CPU, Tryon, Lost & Found, and Scorb. I always wondered how tracks were made in this fashion. Does one artist make a part of a track and then send the next couple of measures to the other artist? Are they even in the same studio? Anyway, I have pretty much given up on CPU. Since his Computer Error album he has been nothing but a commercial disappointment. Well, maybe this is the beginning of a resurgence. Switch Mode is a pumping track that takes the less is more approach. There are no ridiculous build-ups or break downs, just good old fashioned lasers and acid. Maybe Arnaud rubbed off on him. The track contains ebbs and flows and the gives you a taste of what to expect. Scorb had a nice sophomore effort with Ipso Facto and continues his good work on compilations. With Marty Mc Gravy the team puts out another dark themed gem with great rhythm and the typical Scorb chaos. The crescendo in the final minute is quite exciting. Under My Control builds slowly with a spooky intro but still hits hard. Moving. I love the little sounds coming out of the break, they're...eerie. The lead sounds he uses here sound like extensions of a car hitting the brakes and he manipulates them well. More ebb and flow giving you a little but not too much. Good track. "Record sales and things like that, it..it really doesn't matter you know? I mean.. it keeps a roof over your head... and keeps.. money and all, in these folks pockets. It basically stems from music and I'm just hoping that people understand that..." Alternate Rotation makes me feel like I am in Sleepy Hollow at midnight with the strings and Emily Rose choir rising in volume. The leads kick in shortly after with some nice effects in the background. Massive stabs and a wobbly synth gets this track going. Groovy as hell and very powerful. Just the way I like it. The break is short as the next beating grumbles underneath the sample above. Great track! "We think we understand reality. But our universe is only one of many. The unknown truth of the way to travel between them has already been discovered. By beings...much like us...with a history slightly ahead of our own. The negative aspects of such visitations will be irreversible both to our world and to theirs. It will begin with a series of unnatural occurances... difficult to notice at first..but growing...not unlike a cancer. Until a simple fact becomes undeniable..." Parallel Universes has got this groovy shuffle down pat and it makes me want to move. He combines leads, fades one in favor of another and what you are left with is mayhem. He breaks it down to its components and then delivers a tour de force at the end. An acid lovers paradise! Great track! Postmodern- There isn't an album I am eagerly awaiting more than Gerhard Olivier's. Well, maybe Artifact303 or Antares. But that's goa. Lost & Found is the definition of hyper nighttime trance. It isn't long before the beat makes with the groove, rising, and then vanishing keeping the kick going. It's like a tease; you know the madness is coming and they partition it out to you. True to form the last 1/4 of the track brings the business and it is quite good. Nice development. "When you've got...organizations which bring together the most influential people in power from around the world...who meet in secret...who try as much as they can to keep knowledge of the event quiet...and then their polocies become policy... in fact in the world then you start to..surely ask very serious questions." People in Power begins with falling detuned sounds and a short piercing sound that makes you wonder how far down the hole you fell. He has the talent to put in a short phrase right when the measure is about to end that shows a great attention to detail and keeps the track fresh and interesting. So it's not just full steam ahead but intelligent music creation. What a great sample put to music...love it. He comes out of the break with a fury and it don't stop!! "There is a little known analogy between electromagnetism and gravity...which is derived from the fact that they are both vector field functions." Magnetic Fields- Egghead scientist sample gives way to big beat. Lasers skid and give way to acidic leads and a funky beat. Another lead thickens out and joins the battle. After a very short respite the track picks up speed again with a new melody. This time the break actually allows you to catch your breath, but the action soon builds again. Nice structure and good times ahead!. Tryon had a superb debut album with The Twilight Solution that didn't get the attention it deserved. These guys share the same style so this should be a good collaboration for the final track. With a post apocalyptic start of metal grinding on metal the beat booms forward. The acid washes quickly follow creating quite the stormer. The break has a nice echoing to it as the final crescendo begins. It gurgles, growing louder and then softer until it just rules the last part of the track. Great. Stuff. Something that one will notice with this album is the attention to atmosphere creation. The details make this more than just an all out stormer even though it has those characteristics as well. This is definitely in the night-time psy category and also one where the sum is greater than the singular tracks. You can pick out tracks to listen to but it is best enjoyed as an entire listening experience. He maintains a dark vibe all while making you want to get up and dance. To be honest it can't be helped. I definitely believe that while his sound hasn't really changed his approach to track development and evolution has. His tracks used to be ones that you could blast out of the speaker (and still can) but now you can put on the headphones and pick out the tasty nuances as well. Highly recommended. Psyshop Beatspace Saiko Sounds Juno Download Mdk

That one is in the review pipeline my friend! Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Dimensional Gateway Label: Neogoa.tk Date: December, 2010 1. PharaOm: Cellar Door (144) 2. Astrancer: Tetragrammaton (138) 3. Sky Technology: Cosmic Space (146) 4. Screw Loose: From Fear To Eternity (144) 5. Antares: Xibalba (144) 6. Arronax & Somnesia: Black Hole (144) 7. Mindsphere: To Infinity (2010 Remix) (146) 8. Blackstarrfinale: Bonetti Defense (148) 9. Perfect Blind: Exosphere (Spaced Out Mix) (108) Unless you have lived on the Falklands with no internet then you must be aware of the tremendous resurgence of goa trance. It is highly melodic, hypnotic and when produced well can tell a story like no other music can. While labels such as Suntrip, DAT, and Kagdila have gotten the ball rolling, netlabels have begun to fill in the gaps, thus fulfilling my almost constant need for high quality goa trance. One such "label" is the brand new upstart Neogoa.tk website. Run by our very own Ivan Parić (Richpa), he has been busting his ass to create the headquarters for all things new school. Not only does it provide a comprehensive list of releases, artists, and labels, but it also latest news, Youtube and social network links and a radio feature for goa listening. Ivan was kind enough to float me a promo copy to listen to so that I could provide a review. He either likes my reviews or understands that especially in this genre that it is all about promotion. Hey, for a guy that has worked so hard for this community, I am only too happy to help. The cover is very nice with purples and greens including an eye inside a triangle right smack dab in the middle. Inside is a list of the artists with short info on what they have released and where. I didn't get the back cover as it wasn't ready yet. Cellar Door- "A wormhole may be able to provide a shortcut between two distant regions in space." French producer Oswald Pfeiffer has released a couple of tracks as well as his debut EP Awakening Bodhisattva on UAF (another netlabel that has released super high quality goa FOR FREE!) This track begins with a definite outer space vibe which is maintained throughout the entire album. The sample sets the stage and is joined by a rambling synth and floating pads. At around the 5 minute mark the track asserts its goa identity with a very spacey lead leading to a crescendo and then drifting away. Smooth, not overpowering and a great way to begin. If I had one minor gripe, it would be that the samples sound a little muddled, but maybe that was the effect he was shooting for. As a side note, this one got better with repeated listens. Tetragrammaton- Bruno Filizola from Brazil is what we call a serious up and comer in the game with strong tracks on compilations like Energy Waves, Freshly Cut Tomato, and Jelly Marbles. Dzog Chen from Pyramidal Trancendence is one of the strongest efforts you will hear. This track is bubbly and sounds a little like E-mantra with its sounds. Not a lot of variation and I found it kind of plain. Disappointing because he has done much better. Average track. Cosmic Space- Dmitriy Kolosovskiy from the Ukraine released Time and Space one of the greatest EP's on the UAF label that is chock full of melodic insanity. This one starts off more abrasive, but not in a bad way. The lead gets twisted this way and that and a new one finds its way to the front. The break allows for some reorganization and you can feel the tension building. Another good track. From Fear To Eternity- This is Sasa Dukic, better known as Psilocybian. Where the previous tracks guided you through space, this one sets you adrift. Right from the get go with the echoing melody you are on your own. Ice cold synths scream and the break is interesting as it introduces what I think are Egyptian melodies amidst the vastness of space. This would be the perfect soundtrack for The 5th Element. I really like this one. Xibalba- Belgian Simon Felix in my opinion is one of the top producers of melodic goa trance. His tracks unfold in sections revealing the beauty within. With this track you really have to work to hear that sample clearly but the beginning is so visceral. His style is evident from the jump as we are traveling through the stars at a great rate of speed. The melodies soar and twist and it makes this quite the track. Not much to say here, just a good high energy ride. Black Hole (Extended Trip)- It seems like Arronax has been around forever and here he teams up with newcomer Somnesia, fresh off his release on UAF called Rainbow Source EP. I would have to say this is the most aggressive of the tracks. The melodies begin right away with a laser-like kick and scrambling bassline. The break is tangible, with a lovely breakbeat while the pads continue. This is high tempo and unrelenting. Which isn't that easy to maintain for a track over 10 minutes long. Very good track. To Infinity (2010 Remix)- Ali Akgun had one of the most impressive new school goa releases Inner Cyclone in 2007 and remixes a track from the album here. I had to go back and listen to the original to see what the differences are between the two. And I'll be honest, the tracks are so long that I cannot keep track of the differences, so I will just speak on this new version. Awe.Some. Period. Great goa melodies, wonderful evolving break, and squirty, filtered leads. I had heard that he wasn't into making goa trance any longer and it is good to see those rumors are false. He's still got it. Bonetti Defense- What are we, in court now? This is Luis Pabon from the UK who has released two great tracks on Goa Overdose and Goatronika before this one. The melody starts outright against a Princess Bride sample and suddenly the track name makes sense. Effects scream from behind the melodies, and this is just nonstop. The beat eventually changes tempo but the track continues to maintain the same chaotic feeling. I felt it lost a little steam near the end but still a good track. Exosphere (Spaced Out Mix)- This is Igor Ceranic with an absolute gem of a closing downtempo goa track. Groovy and mellow while still capturing the ride home in the space shuttle after a long journey. The synths apply pressure delicately and then float wistfully away. Great stuff. I would say that this compilation has a laser light focus on the outer space area of goa trance. At times you can feel like you are adrift and alone in the great void or you are rocketing past comets and other galaxies from your spacecraft. It never wavers and is never too in your face. Sometimes you will get a group of tracks that put too many melodies or sounds in place and it gets tiresome. This one concentrates on melodies of course, but isn't heavy. While a couple of the tracks could've shown more development or evolution this compilation gets the job done. So hats off to you Richpa, this is a very good compilation for your first release. The fact that it is freely given is just icing on the cake. Here is where you can check out the samples! Mdk

Artist: Chynacid Title: Tofu EP Label: Acid Chemical Plant Records Date: April, 2010 1. Tofu 2. Tianlong Well, here we go again. Producing at a high rate Filipe Santos and his many aliases bring you his latest. I love his music and believe him to be a driving force in the new school goa revolution. He is currently involved in the more acidic type of psytrance and while not my favorite he is certainly prodigious. This artist shows his talent with new school goa, acid, old school, nitzogoa...His current netlabel is Acid Chemical Plant Records, but I also remember an Extinct Records which appears to still be active. With this release he goes back to the old school goa sound that the purists are sure to love. This EP is a free download so there is no excuse not to give it a listen. Wow, this drips of the old school sound. The basslines are crafty and the 303's scream at you like you stole something. This could easily have been something from the likes of UX. It's energetic, melodic and aggressive. Most importantly it is entrancing. I missed out on the golden age of goa so the only way for me to live it is through this awesome music. IF you are new to goa or just like that sweet sound of the past, this is a can't miss. And it's free you cheap bastards!!!! Highly recommended. Acid Chemical Plant Records - Free Download!!! Mdk

Damn, that is pretty good. Mdk

OOoooohhh...This looks promising! Mdk

Artist: Tripswitch Title: Geometry Label: Section Records Date: September, 2010 1. Circularity 2. Concentric Circles 3. Goldbach's Conjecture 4. Floating Point 5. Strange Parallels 6. Tesselation 7. Harmonic Mean 8. Stereogram 9. Glide Reflection This is Nick Brennan with his second release on new label Section Records. His first, Circuit Breaker, turned a lot of heads in the downtempo community and he has made the rounds on numerous compilations. If I had to pick a favorite track by him, I would go with Deer Park. What Nick is quite skilled at is not being pigeon holed into one specific genre. While proficient in the slower downtempo stuff he can just as easily craft a nice breakbeat tune or an ambient floater. Fair to say I looked forward to his follow up album. Circularity- I like the muted trip-hop beat with the soft pad in the background. It has a nice groove. More synths combine to create a loungey type feel with more tribal percussion. A nice intro track. Concentric Circles- There is a dubby quality here with ice cold pads on the horizon. More tribal percussion heightens the groove with the whisper of a female voice. The guitar accompaniment is well placed and I like the attention to detail. Good stuff. Goldbach's Conjecture- Such a groove! The dubby bass and clanging in the background bely a afternoon summer rest after surfing all day. The soft keystrokes dance lithely above the groove recalling a certain subway ride in Chicago a la Risky Business. Great track! Floating Point- I'm sorry did I accidentally switch to my Yanni CD? This is a cheesy piano melody that is so full of sugar and spice that I think I became diabetic. Watch your step...that was my lunch there. Maybe it was just me, but I don't think this track fits here at all. Or in this genre. This is new age corn for the masses. Strange Parallels- Cool percussion work again with a tribal feel. The soft piano melody is joined with some seriously liquid effects. When the guitar comes in I have to admit it is very pretty with a lot less cheese than the last track. The tone is a little more dark and a slight bit hopeful, just the way I like it. This is a very pretty song. Tesselation- This breakbeat track is kind of dreamy. It makes me think of the album cover, high tech future music. It continues on and I get lost in it, but not in a good way. Seemed boring. Harmonic Mean- This one is a floating track with acoustic guitar, twinkling synths and a nice breakbeat. My God I got the sense that this was similar to a track I heard by Cause and Effect. Poppy, yet appealing. Again it feels dreamy. It's sunset music after a long, fun day at the beach. I seem to be saying that a lot. Well, if the shoe fits... Stereogram- I really liked this one. It is deep with a nice breakbeat to it. The synths are not overpowering allowing the track to take hold and manipulate. Very spacious. My favorite for sure. Glide Reflection- Looped strings and piano make this feel like it is the last track. It continues to build and becomes a progressive bouncer. Surprisingly catchy and although not groundbreaking in its complexity it pulls itself together to be quite rhythmic. This was a good listen. If I had to sum up what this album made me feel I would do it this way. After a long day of surfing and sunbathing, close friends gather at the edge of the beach and watch the sunset with a few Coronas. It is a reflection of the good time had while also allowing you to be introspective. The beats were funky and groovy, and the synths and guitar allowed for deep meditation. If you throw away the cotton candy Floating Point and the dull Tesselation than this is a great album. As I mentioned in some track descriptions this had a dreamy quality and is very well put together. Recommended. Psyshop Beatspace GoaStore Juno Mdk

I'm sorry. I was on the fence about that. I learned French by reading and interacting with people and that character was on of the books my ex girlfriend gave me. I love Belgium! Cutest town I ever visited was Brugges. Mdk

Sorry guys I didn't even see it. Jon's was first so if the mods can merge the two it would make sense. Mdk

Artist: Asura Title: 360 Label: Ultimae Records Date: October, 2010 Chapter I - Before 1. El-Hai (Featuring Ayten) 2. Regenesis 3. Altered State (Album Edit) 4. Atlantis Child (feat. Charles Farewell) 5. Erase Chapter II - After 6. Halley Road 7. Longing For Silence 8. Getsemani 9. Le Dernier Voyage 10. Virgin Delight Is there anything more beautiful than that signature letterbox album cover? When dealing with this label you know you're going to get quality. The French have given the world so much...art, pastry, Gerrard Depardieu, Tin-Tin... Now this label which has released some of the best ambient to date shares their latest gem. Asura is Charles Farewell and this is his 4th solo release. Mr. Aes Dana (Vincent Villuis) who used to be part of this project isn't far away as he mastered this release and is responsible for the breathtaking artwork. A little girl spinning circles in a pool of water with a stick...cool. Charles has set the bar so high with his previous releases that the masses have come to expect nothing but the best from him. And I am here to tell you that the rating on Discogs might even be a little low... El-Hai- I didn't like this the first time I heard it. Upon further listens the voice of Ayten was captivating. Her voice is beautiful floating above the tribal percussion. The strings and pads thicken the track up and you get a sense of how massive this disc is going to be. Not my favorite, but merely a fraction of what is in store. Regenesis- Slow and steady win the race, as this spacious track unfolds. There is an outer space quality to it, but the effects keep it grounded. After the break smoldering melodies speak of a rebirth, the proverbial phoenix from the ashes. It changes the whole tone of the track. Outstanding. Altered State (Album Edit)- This is the track with the highest tempo, I guess you could call it...ambient trance? Did I invent a genre name? Very spacious beginning with a forlorn flute amidst stratospheric pads. The pace picks up quickly with a sneaky lead right into the break. This could've easily ruined the flow, but that didn't happen. Instead it underscored how vivid and massive this story is. Well done. Atlantis Child- Another slow mover with a kick and a string bass. It's an insistent thumping that soon is joined by soaring synths and sad voices. When the fast breakbeat comes in delicately it shows how Charles can turn a track into different directions without losing the overall feel. Gone quickly the melody weeps for what has happened or is about to. Lot to listen to here and it's well worth the effort. Erase- This was the only track that didn't impress. Compared to his other ones here, this one showed little imagination and direction. There wasn't much variation or anything interesting per se, but perhaps it is used as a segue to the 2nd half of the tale. It's not bad, in fact it's quite listenable. Just not as good as the rest of the bunch. Halley Road - This is a beautiful piece of ambinet. I love his use of the far away booming kick and the organic nature of the sounds. This is the dawn of a new age of prosperity or a quantum leap forward in space technology. So atmospheric further driven home by the samples. The strings soar skyward as the deliberate beat kicks in. Longing For Silence- Whisper soft tapping of electricity brings in a slow beat and a soft hum of machinery. This is being adrift in space....alone. Melancholy and beautiful at the same time. Computers monitor my every life function and it is so cold. More melodies cascade along with a flute (?) that sings a song of regret. Absolutely engaging. Getsemani- Melancholy pads and strings weave together a cinematic vision that becomes fuller with the passage of time. Booming kicks in the distance elicit far away feelings as heavenly angels sing from on high. The last part of this track could've been a soundtrack to the discover of America. I felt the vast openess of the sea as well as the plight of the Native Americans confronted with this terrible arrival. A wonderful piece of ambient. Le Dernier Voyage- With a seamless transition, the waves crashing in the background, tribal percussion and strings paint a dreamy vision. Atmospheric twinklings are balanced with deeper effects to create such a rich, vivid environment. With the beat in place, guitar-like effects take the track in a direction I was not expecting, but fear not, it works out very well. Another superb track. Virgin Delight- The final downtempo delight. Rich pads, little bits of synthesized heaven, drops of sound. Far away choirs mixed with computer bytes bring visions of an ancient religious service. I love the reverb and the echoing of sounds as it adds to the thickness of the track. Congratulations Charles you have bid farewell to the competition. Remember when you first heard Golgatha? Charles took the scope and the vast possibilities of that track and created an entire disc with the same passion and strength. This album is amazing. It is so tightly packed with emotion, evoking such feelings of sadness and joy. He shows his skill in combining electronic and acoustic instruments painting a marvelous tapestry of sound and imagery. Some music in this genre can be taken at face value and you're done with it. With this effort there is so much to hear and experience that is never gets tired. This is Asura at his peak. If you are a fan of ambient or downtempo or music in general and want it to make you feel a certain way, then this is an absolute must. Psyshop Beatspace GoaStore Juno Download Mdk

Man I shouldn't spend the dough, but...what can you do? Mdk

Artist: Persistent Aura Title: The Great Timestream Bifrucation EP Label: Underground Alien Factory Records Date: November, 2010 1. Greco-Mayan Civilisation 2. Trance Plant 3. I've Met Cats And Dogs Smarter Than Cory And Trevor UAF have been impressing me as of late. Not only has the netlabel run by our very own Imba released quality EPs but they have been doing it for free. He has a stable of artists that have very different ideas where goa trance should tread and how it should sound. Because of that there is something for everyone who enjoys this genre. Persistent Aura is Ewoud Vandenberghen from Belgium and he has appeared on a couple of comps. My favorite track by him was the no holds barred House of Sun on the Nitz-Ho-Goa compilation. This EP was mastered by our good friend Tommy (Wizack Twizack) and the cover art (which is beautiful) was done by Imba himself, proving that he has further talents than releasing great tunes. Current photo below: Greco-Mayan Civilisation- Wow what can I say? This bounces along with melody after melody intertwining with a nod in the Nitzho direction. 10 and a half minutes of fast paced leads with nary a break. Intense, but a great track. Trance Plant- This begins with a heavier beat and a more middle eastern flair. The melodies cascade across each other with another wink to the nitzho crowd. He just builds layers upon layers, sounds wonderful. I've Met Cats And Dogs Smarter Than Cory And Trevor- I don't think Cory and Trevor are going to take to kindly to that. Unless they are dumber than cats and dogs. More spiraling melodies treat the ears with this last track and while I don't like it as much as the previous two it is still good. This is one of my favorite releases from UAF. Melodic as hell with seamless lead introduction. Not so much that it is cluttered and chaotic, just enough so that it can take you away. This is a great EP and I will be listening to it for a looooong time. I still can't believe that this was free. Keep doing what you do UAF! Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Killer B Title: The Lost But Not Forgotten Label: Amoeba Records Date: November, 2010 1. Fantazee 2. Funny Farm 3. Creative Native 4. Twister 5. One40Eight I love free stuff. And thank goodness this came along as my checkbook is taking an absolute beating. It's a misnomer that you cannot get anything of value for nothing. See Ektoplazm's site if you disagree. That has been the portal to provide consistently quality music for zero shekels. Killer B is Bennie Koorts from South Africa that manages this label. Apparently there was a break in and this small EP which was going to be on his upcoming debut album was salvaged. Now we are all the beneficiaries! The style is twilight full-on, the kind that South African artists are well known for. The basslines rumble and pace is fast. Fantazee has samples from Weird Science (a movie that is dear to my youth) all over it. "I mean, I'm not talking candlewax on the nipples or witchcraft or anything like that." Classic! The tune unfortunately is rather hum drum and lacking punch. Funny Farm has the same bassline and could be part of the first track. Not a lot of difference there. Creative Native has some interesting leads along with chopped up chants, but it's nothing spectacular. Twister doesn't bring much to the table and is more than a little boring to me. One40Eight is the final track and my favorite of the bunch. Good percussion and nicer sound placement. All in all this was an average release. The problem here is that there isn't enough variation in sounds or song structure. This could've been one long song and that shouldn't happen. Also, the power was a little on the weak side with the tracks sounding too thin. Of course I am a layer junkie so take that to heart. Compare this to other South African stalwarts and you will see what I mean. He is talented, I just think he has to hone his craft a little longer. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Gappeq Title: Made of Clay Label: Parvati Records Date: November, 2010 1 Fallen Angel 2 Maximillian Hollow 3 Made of clay 4 Iron 5 King Rat 6 Carousel 7 Mobius Strip rmx 8 Nag Champa 9 E pur si muove rmx 10 Presence of reality Gappeq is Jiri Tomasek from the Czech Republic and this is his 2nd album. His first Speaker Seeker was a very powerful night-psy ride that had some very good tracks. This one is released on Denmark's own Parvati Records and their specialty is dark music. They call it hyper trance. Well, it is late and I am in the mood for something dark and scary. Fallen Angel- Gritty, downtempo beginning. Warning of things to come from this post-apocalyptic world where we have been forced underground. Haunting strings create a symphonic undercurrent as a dark choir reveals prayer as the only hope. Very melancholy. Maximillian Hollow- Eerie noises surround you as this track has a rolling bassline from the get go. This is very dark, walking through sleepy hollow at midnight and your torch is beginning to falter. No melodies until almost 5 minutes and even then it is only slight; just a pinprick of light amidst overwhelming darkness...If you like Darkpsy, this is a great one as the atmosphere is rich. Made of Clay- Title Track. A piercing whistle is eventually strangled as a deep thumping bassline appears. Horror movie strings lurk just beyound sight. More scary effects are inserted as the break approaches. This has a well done combination of power and atmosphere, making you feel like you are deep in the lair of a creature that you really don't want to meet. Very alien. Iron- How can one create a bassline so deep? More industrial effects, metallic and cold. His breaks are short and to the point with no annoying buildups. Always a plus. If the previous track only had a miniscule amount of light, this is complete darkness. Man each track is darker than the next. King Rat- Have we finally made it to the evil one's lair? Satanic sounding chants (I want to say that is the evil wizard from LOTR) and more nether worldly effects compliment that punishing, always present bassline. The break swirls with grimy tentacles, short though it is. This is like being buried miles underground with your air running out. Verrrrry dark. Carousel- See now this is just crazy. Distorted leads, scary effects...now he is just toying with us. So far this is the most melodic (comparitively) track yet, but no less powerful or menacing. His work in the breaks continues to impress. I think aside from the intro this is the track that people not used to darkpsy can find the most accessible. Mobius Strip(remix)- This is a remix off of his first album and is pretty varied. The sounds are great, the bassline keeps hammering away and that dark environment is still present. There are a lot of layers here, and that keeps it fresh. Plenty of abrasive leads and screeching effects, but not painful to the ear. It just goes from one intense refrain to the next. Nag Champa- Nag Champa is an incense with a mood altering chemical. Oh yeah, I can see it. Speed. Intense. Dark and cold but rhythmic as hell. More clever break work that other artists could learn from. I like how he sneaks little melodies amongst the darkness. Little pinpricks of light. They go by so quickly they make you say, "That was cool how he did that!" E Pur Si Muove (remix)- Another remix to a track I haven't heard. This one has lasers and seems a little slower. The darkness continues to reign, and I'll be honest I am a bit worn down by the intensity of this album. I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this at least a little bit though. Presence of Reality- If I didn't know any better the beginning of this track could sound like something Depeche Mode put together. It is a breakbeat with electro influences. Much less intense and dark as if I am emerging from the deep hole I fell into. The leads are still eerie, but slightly more friendly. But make no mistake, this track lets you know that if you decide to come back, you might not make it out alive. Very juicy. Whoa. Let me catch my breath. Ok...I'm good. There is an intelligence here and an ability to create such a vivid atmosphere. First off let me just say that this is without a doubt the most creative darkpsy I have ever heard. The effects always make a track for me and he crafts them in such a way as to immerse the listener in what he is trying to explore. This disc tells a story, a dark, demented story where almost no light can enter. If you are looking for melodies there are precious few to soothe the nerves. Normally that would put me off as I find darkpsy to be noisy and boring after a few minutes. He doesn't let that happen. This music is full of tension and power and will leave you wondering where he will lead you next. The first and last tracks are delicious downtempo treats that just add to the journey. Like all music this heavy you have to be in the mood for it. I mean, can you really dance to this without punching someone in the face? But once you realize where your head is at, this is a scary ride. While I can't say I would reach for this regularly I would recommend this for darkpsy fans. Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Parvati Records Mdk

Artist: Galaxy Title: Everlasting Tone Label: Chillcode Music Date: September, 2010 1. Everlasting Tone 2. Introspection 3. Where the elements meet 4. Including This 5. Flight of the phoenix 6. Subharmonic 7. Toksin 8. Insine 9. Walking on clouds 10. Highlight Diver 11. Wavemode Boris Blenn. Electric Universe. Paradise Connection. Jupiter 8000. I don't care what moniker he is producing music under he is class. Having been in the game for so long (did he start the "game?") everything he produces shows an exceptional attention to detail and mood. While some may say that his EU project is becoming stale (not me) his music under the Galaxy name has always been top notch. This is his 4th release as Galaxy and it is on Chillcode, a label that is no stranger to quality downtempo releases. Everlasting Tone- Smooth and gentle downtempo with a consistent melody throughout. Very thought provoking. Great start. Introspection- This one has a dubby feel with nice effects to thicken the track. The melodies are very sweet and contrast well with the bass. Super. Where The Elements Meet- The tempo picks up and the effects give this track a watery vibe with reverberating, almost Himalayan melodies. I see a monk with flowing robes looking over the vast mountain ranges of the region. I would say this started off strong, but kind of lost steam as the almost 9 and half minutes played out. Including This- This track has a lot of layers to sort through. Boris proves that he is skilled in tying everything together. Dubby bass, electric piano, laser kicks, percussion...this is perfect for a rainy afternoon. Flight of the Phoenix- This is one of my favorites, with a slow searching melody and deep reverberating bass. Pensive and deep, very tasty. Subharmonic- Short track with rich sounds that gradually add melodies, becoming louder as if something wicked this way comes! Very dark. Toksin- This one also seems sad but with very pretty melodies. Again, I like it as it seems to bring a "hope for the future feel". The only thing I didn't like was the very end as it didn't seem like it belonged, just put there to transition into the next track. Insine- Bubbly sounds amidst a breakbeat and a drudging stab characterize this track. It's nice, but there wasn't enough to keep me interested. Seemed like an interlude. An interlude of almost 6 minutes. Walking On Clouds- More sound drops join an ambient trance beat, and that makes the track for me. Not a whole lot going on, but those "drops" sounded great almost like one was walking on rainclouds! Highlight Diver- The tribal percussion takes center stage then it switches to an electronic melody. It thickens up adding a nice piano riff, and then slowly decreases in scope back to the original percussive sound. Well done. Wavemode- The closing track has more of the sad feel, and short, delicate electronic ministrations that float and undulate. Slow and steady. An awesome close to a terrific ride. This reminds me a little of Soil Festivities by Vangelis, but more melodic. There is an earthy organic feel that resides in all the tracks. I like that the tracks are gently mixed which seems to work best with this type of music to keep the flow going. This is a slightly melancholy and pensive collection of downtempo, ambient, and dub which seamlessly connect with each other. Someone once said that the most creative art is when the artist experienced some type of pain in their lives. Maybe that's what happened here? Purely speculation, but this was a great trip with beautiful melodies and downtempo beats. One of my favorite things is that this album never lost its focus. The sad theme remained throughout with effects complimenting the melodies and giving it a liquid feel. Very nice. Highly recommended. Psyshop Beatspace GoaStore Mdk

When that drops, they needn't make any more psy....ever. Hell. Yeah. Mdk

Artist: Astrix Title: Red Means Distortion Label: HOMmega Productions Date: September, 2010 1. Acid Rocker Astrix 2. Mir Astrix 3. Take A Shot Astrix 4. Lepton Head - (Astrix Remix) Shakta 5. Antiwar Astrix 6. Dharma Astrix 7. Sparks Astrix 8. Silver Sky - (Astrix Remix) Delirious 9. Harbour Candy - (Astrix Remix) Emok & NDSA 10. Killing Time - (Astrix Remix) Infected Mushroom feat. Perry Farrell Oh no he didn't! Yeah, I'm gonna. There are a lot of opinions about this individual. Astrix is Avi Shmailov and he has been in the game for a very long time. He has certainly become more commercial ranking # 18 in DJ Mag's Top 100 DJ's in 2007. His first album Eye To Eye holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the albums that introduced me to this genre. Good beats, soaring melodies...there wasn't a lot to dislike. As time went on he began to really ride the cheesy full-on wave. Sure he still had a couple of solid gems like Poison and Tweaky but most of his tracks got lost in the shuffle of mediocrity. Every time I tried to take him seriously pictures like this began to surface: With the internet it has to be really tough to make it with this type of music. So can one really hate on Avi if he decided to take his music to that "other" level? The Mushroom seemed to have done well, why can't he have a piece of the pie? If he has the opportunity to put his music into commercials, video games and movies shouldn't he be applauded? I think most people wouldn't have a problem with his music if he just stopped calling it psytrance and just became the next Tiesto or Paul Van Dyk. This was put out on once proud label HOMmega or "Help Our Music" Productions so I have a good guess at who this is trying to target. Nonetheless I wanted to see how his new sound has evolved. The cover is sweet looking; not very psy but the visuals are striking. The only problem I have with it is the girl in the water seems to be a little young to be featured on an album with just an flowing orange covering. One cannot accuse him of not going big. Acid Rocker is epic trance with great attention to detail. The break is beautiful with sounds echoing all around and reverberated screams. With the second break a new melody arrives that also brings a typical trance buildup. Still, I'm liking this. Mir is more of the same with characteristic melodies intertwining over big beats with an "Out here we is stoned" sample. The break is another beautiful, euphoric example of how massive the scope of this track is. Love it. More rich, full pads begin Take A Shot with a slowed sample that I cannot interpret. The rising 303 is a great touch and the break brings sparkling touches with a return of that delicious 303. If you are going to remix a classic like Shakta's Lepton Head you better know what you are doing. Luckily he does. This remix is fuller but still captures that goa sound. It starts off as another epic trance tune but morphs into a goa track at about 3 and a half minutes only to return to its epic trance beginnings. Some purists may hate it, but I thought he did an ok job. Antiwar is that generic full-on track that I was anticipating. Not much to say about this filler, but I did enjoy the larger than life break. Dharma is another full-on track that didn't blow me away, but it had its moments. I can pick up on some house influences, but once again his mastery of the break makes an ok track into a more listenable affair. Sparks is the next track in the full-on parade that seems to veer way into the cheesy direction. And that was before the singing. I'll stop right there. The Silver Sky remix is another epic tune. Big strings, wailing, and progressive style rushes. The break is nice yet again, but the backbone is pure full-on however. The remix of Harbour Candy is a big production that would be very suited for the clubs of Ibiza. It's bouncy and catchy, but also very detailed. This isn't psy, but it is good sunshine trance. I liked it. House alert! House alert! The beat reveals all. The Killing Time remix is more of a mid tempo groover. But as soon as IM starts to sing on it, you cannot really take it seriously. That guy needs some auto-tune. Nah, scratch that, it would be more annoying. You know what you are going to get with an Astrix production. Crystal clear sound, soaring melodies and a big beat. Is it psytrance? I think some of it is, but I will leave that up to the listener as definitions vary. While the album started off strong, it did unfortunately nosedive into cheesy full-on and pop trance. Listen, this isn't Derango or sHift, but it isn't trying to be. I do know this. Some tracks sound wonderful. I think he did some good work and it should be appreciated for what it is. Melodic, epic, genre crossing trance that is beautiful in its sound. Yeah there is some filler here but be honest: didn't you expect the whole disc to be filler? Psyshop Beatspace Saiko Sounds GoaStore Juno Downloads Beatport Mdk

Artist: Mantis Title: Dark Planet EP Label: Nexus Media Date: April, 2010 1. Dark Planet 2. A Devil's Moon This label was started in 2004 by Shift and Slug (aka Chris Hoy and Liam Gibbs) or together as Pitch Hikers if you please. They have released some of the best South African psytrance. Period. High energy, groovy, melodic deliciousness that never fails to please. Mantis is Chris Hoy who is bringing some night psy without the cliche's of Darkpsy according to the Nexus Media homepage. Hey Chris, I am on board, but would it kill you to update the motherf%#*ing website? Dark Planet is just what you would expect from Chris, with an ominous melody at the break above a post apocalyptic sample. The sample is kind of cheesy, but the track is powerful enough to carry it along. The crescendo at the end is typical madness. And it is groovy. A Devil's Moon is a track I like better. I get the old Shift feel here. Tension building, driving beat... The leads drip of acid work and that detuned quality that marks a Nexus Media effort. It keeps bouncing along and then... it gets totally violated with a terrible sample. Stop it. Just stop it. Let the music tell the story. I don't need your narrative. You're better than this. Nonetheless the sample is brief and otherwise the track is damn near perfect. This would've been a perfect EP if not for the samples. Corny and momentum killers. The music behind it continues to be strong however. It's cheap enough to get, but if you had to choose one, get the 2nd track. Beatport Juno Downloads Mdk