Otto Matta

Hey brotha! Well I think it's much more listenable, but I would've thought you'd like Derango more because it has lots of crazy Hux Flux sounds in there. Anyway, I doubt you'd like the Ka-Sol album much if you're not interested in pedal-to-the-metal. Honestly.

Yes. Nice review, Jon. I agree with most of that.

Battle of the Future Buddhas - Tigerhill Space tigers!

I gave the album several new listens recently (within the last two weeks or so), and...nothing. I TRIED, though! I really did! This is another example for me of some seriously technologically advanced music, but that only gets me off to a point, after which I need some musicality to really bring it home and make me want to keep listening to it. Like with Talpa, there's just too much going on here. And yeah, I'm sure if I were stoned I'd enjoy this more - but honestly, doesn't weed help pretty much all music sound interesting? Come on. Doesn't pass the sober test, my most important test. *puts Ka-Sol back in the CD player*

I find this album boring. Nothing stands out, nothing grabs me and makes me listen. I appreciate it for its technical aspects, but music-wise (home/car listening) it falls flat for me. Into the sell stack it goes.

Great track. I didn't like it much at first, but it grew on me. Agree.

Push Button Objects - Missing

Sounds like a remix of their track, T8. I'm more familiar with the original version from Goa-Head 10. They have a version of it on their Paranormal CD, but I don't remember it sounding like your sample. You'll notice that the main Goa-ish melody in your sample is similar, note-wise but not sound-wise, to both versions. That's all I got. Good luck.

I'm ready for "HUGE!" I thought I wanted something all-inclusive, which is why I got Reason, but it didn't take long to notice all the things it didn't include that I really needed. nemo and Colin: You've both worked with Cubase and Reason. In your opinions, is there anything Reason has that you wish Cubase had? And is there another comparable PC-friendly program in a similar price range you'd currently choose over Cubase?

Yeah, Reason got limited quickly. I mean, it's a powerful program, but it has some major flaws, like not being able to record vocals, not accepting VSTis, one of its two synths sucks, and not being very good for overall production. So yeah, it was fun, but time to move on. It also appears Cubase has included some Ableton Live-like elements in version 4. Smart. Here's a link to Cubase 4.

Yeah, but if the onboard synths on Cubase 4 are better than Subtractor (which I really like) and Maelstrom (which I don't like much at all), then I would just get rid of Reason altogether.

Wow, a 32-minute intro?

AHAHAAAA. Lame! Golf Trance is next.

Thanks for the info, Colin. I'm not altogether familiar with SX3, but what struck me as interesting about version 4 is the inclusion of lots of nice plug-ins and some tasty looking synths. Does SX3 have some really solid onboard synths? I don't want to be forced to look for 3rd party synths, effects and sounds if I don't have to. Also, they claim they've really cleaned up some of the main sections, like the mixer section. Your opinion, Master?

What's the word? I'm excited - it looks like the one for me, my graduation from Reason.

Extrawelt?

The boy is talented! We may have to figure out a way to get your art in the hands of the people, Symph.

Heard a bunch of Juno samples recently in the movie For All Mankind, about the Apollo mission to the moon. Not to mention that Genesis quote, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the universe...", or however it goes, that's been heavily [over-]used by artists over the years.

I'm with ya, bro.

Mmm, not from my experience. To my ears early X-Dream is sort of cheesy, largely simplistic, happy music more associated with straight-up trance rather than Goa or more experimental stuff like early Juno Reactor. I think what makes an album like Transmissions so great is its uniqueness. But the downside is that there really isn't much like it, at least not conistently by any one group. If I were to give a recommendation, I'd say take a listen to early Total Eclipse, especially the double-CD Violent Relaxation album which has some laid-back, moody as well as playful tracks like Transmissions. If not entirely similar, at least an undisputed classic of the early genre.

William Christiansen - The Conduit Fuckin' fuckin' A.

Good question. In my opinion one of the more interesting acts in recent years.

I'll sell my copy to you unless you have Thomas Koner's Permafrost and Teimo for trade.

Is it bigger than a breadbox?

Battle of the Future Buddhas - Amor & Psyche Great name of a great track by a great artist with a great name.