Charlie

Let's try and keep this friendly and free from personal jibes. It's better that way.

I disagree. I probably appreciate and respect Posford as much as you (I'm just a bit quieter about it) but don't feel it was his melodies that made the Hallucinogen Remix album great. On the contrary I feel it was Ott's own signature that made the album stand out, the plethora of original sounds, samples and layers that lie between and over the classic Hallucinogen melodies.

Indeed, couldn't have put it better myself.

I quite liked Spiritual Healing. My only criticism is that it had a pretty cold and technical sound to it, not at all warm or organic.

I presume you didn't like Spiritual Healing?

I usually don't like non-psy trance but quite liked the Green House Effect album. Anoebis, is You anything like Spiritual Healing?

Interviewer: "Moving on to Shpongle. we heard somewhere that the latest album, 'Nothing Lasts.. but Nothing is Lost', was to be the last album by Shpongle. Please tell us this isn't true!?" Simon: "It was always a trilogy. It was conceived this way. The title describes the journey and we thank Terrance for the inspiration. We did a remix and we have alternative unreleased versions. this could conceivable turn into other releases. I think it is safe to say that it was the last shpongle studio album."

Pleiadians - Seven Sisters

I agree with GSH, it belongs in a General sub forum. Also, as mixing isn't actually making music it has no place in the 'music making' section which is really for those who create music, for artists.

What did you make of his last album, Substance? I couldn't get into it myself.

You may as well ask why do people like to praise everything? Opinions, be they in accord or in contrast, are just that, opinions. There is no right and wrong and the sooner people come to terms with this the better it will be for all of us. I'm getting sick of this "if you don't have anything positive to say then don't say anything at all" attitude.

I appreciate you prefer Shulman to Ott but hoped you would recognise talent and innovation when you heard it even if it wasn't to your tatse. As for the closed mind comment...

To call Ott's dub 'standard' is plain ridiculous.

Consider it done.

Krell, an interesting and strong argument. You made some very good points.

Well, what can I say... I had no idea my opinions would cause such a backlash. I actually thought I was being quite tactful when I posted what I did, stating that mixing is indeed a skill, clearly that's not enough for some people. In an effort to both rectify the situation and seek your forgiveness I shall build a small shrine in my sitting room in honour of all DJs and will endeavour to sacrifice small animals thrice daily in the hope their surrendered lives will provide eternal sustenance to the great and mighty DJs. In response to a selection of posts... I come from the UK. I'm not saying DJ's shouldn't be paid to mix, I'm not saying they are irrelevant or superfluous. I'm saying I feel mixing and DJing is overrated, that it is not an art form. Yes, I've been to psy parties, large and small, legitimate and underground, in clubs and in forests, at home and abroad and I've never thought "wow this DJ's good" but have often thought "wow, this tune's good". A most intelligent post. This is a public forum and consequently when you post something it is up for praise, criticism or indifference. If you want only praise I suggest you open a thread and clearly label it 'For Sycophants Only'. I promise not to reply to such a thread.

I don't agree that DJs are artists. An artist is someone who creates something new from scratch. DJ's use existing material and blend them together, it might well be a skill to blend tracks together in the way you described but it's in no way an art form.

Hallucinogen - Spike

Yeah, I appreciate it's sometimes nice not to have a break in between tracks, especially if you're clubbing, but ordinarily I like to listen to tracks in their entirety. I often find the beginning and ending of tracks are the best parts and mixes always drown these out or cut them off completely.

I don't mean to sound negative, but what's the fascination with mixes? I've never understood why they're so popular, it's just tracks that are alreay out there but mixed together. For that reason I don't have much respect for DJ's either, they don't create the music, they're not artists, yet people go crazy over them. Why? It's weird.

I got an email from Twisted today. I've copied all the interesting bits below. Our main News items for December are the arrival of the Flexitones in the shops on CD as of the 5th of December. For those of you that read the previous newsletter, you will know that the MP3/Wav store is now up on the Twisted Website and has been offering the Flexitones two weeks earlier than the external release date. We think that the Mp3/Wav stall is a great way for you to fill out the rough edges of your Twisted music collections. Releases Prometheus has taken the gold medal amongst Twisted trance artists for getting his 'Corridor of Mirrors' album finished and it will be hitting the shelves early next year. We are collecting artwork ideas as we speak. Benji is laying low till January when he is gonna start playing gigs to showcase his new material! Sadly the Shpongle Box Set is not going to be ready in time for Twistmas... this is a great shame as it would have made a marvellous gift for my mum and dad. We don't want to rush what could be the final chapter in the Gospel according to Shpongle. Backroom Beats 3 is coming along nicely but with several of our artists gigging at the far end of the planet, enjoying the Australian sunshine, collecting the tracks is proving a bit tricky. However, we expect it to be ready to go early next year. Tristan is in the process of giving himself cabin fever whilst completing his album which should be musically ready to go by Christmas so will be released in Spring 2006. Definitely in time for the summer stomping. We've heard a few of the tracks and the big man isn't letting standards slip, thats for sure. Younger Brother, Metal Sharon and Ott are still working on their respective albums which will all be ready to go next year sometime. You can catch some of their new stuff at our party in March, see below for details. There is some office banter about an Unusual Suspects 3 and maybe a downtempo compilation which will showcase some of the new work being done by Younger Brother, Ott, Metal Sharon, Prometheus, Tristan and Merv. PARTY PARTY PARTY! Twisted Records @ SE-One on Friday 3rd March 2006 At last we are doing another Twisted Records Label party. The venue has been booked, the artists are confirmed and we're pretty excited about it we have to say. Keep an eye out for flyers that will be going out over the Twistmas period. Confirmed in the line up we have: Hallucinogen, Prometheus, Tristan, Ott, Younger Brother, Flexitones, Western Rebel Alliance, Toires, Dickster, Pogo, Henry Seligman, Simon H, Simon B & Tom B, Ed Bigland, Organismic & Slack Baba. Yet to be confirmed are Youth, Tom Fu, Tom Anteater and a few other very special guests... this is promising to be a stonker with all five main rooms of the SE-One open and filled with the Twisted vibe. Keep the date free, and watch this space for more details. GIGS 09.12.05 Hallucinogen live prince band room, melbourne, australia 10.12.05 Hallucinogen live sydney, australia 31.12.05 - 01.01.06 Hallucinogen live ipanema beach, rio, brazil 31.12.05 - 01.01.06 Tristan live Universo Paralello, Brazil Tristan will be playing out in Brazil over the Twistmas period and in Goa over the beginning of 2006. He will be looking for gigs as of April so if you want to book him then check our website for details. On the 27th of March 2006, there is the Soulclipse Festival in Turkey to celebrate the solar eclipse. Our friend Mr Posford will be perfoming Hallucinogen Live and a Shpongle Dj Set. We are telling you this now as you should really book your flights sooner rather than later as they are getting quite expensive.

I'll always hold a candle for Astral Projection as they were one of the main groups to introduce me to psy trance during the mid 90's. I think their first 3 albums are excellent and their fourth album, Another World, had a few good tracks too. Admittedly, since the turn of the millenium I haven't liked a single thing they've released but they'll always have a place in my heart. Many of their melodies are forever seared in to my mind.

Yeah, it is somewhat disheartening that Nothing Lasts... is the last Shpongle album but looking on the bright side he's now free to concentrate his great talent on new developments and who's to say it won't top his Hallucinogen and Shpongle projects?

Astral Projection by a country mile.