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I've mentioned this in the other thread, but here it is again: Cave of Medusa For me it's the ultimate Cosmosis track, the pinnacle of psy-trance.

Label: Cosmicleaf Records Country: Greece Released: 15 Feb 2019 Style: Ambient, Downtempo, Trip Hop Bandcamp Tracklist: 1. That Beautiful Somewhere feat Kerensa Stephens (Eguana Piano Remix) 04:50 2. No Vember 08:09 3. 56 07:59 4. Maluns - Bloodline Hunter (Side Liner Remix) 07:49 5. Edge 07:13 6. Cosmic Tone 06:40 7. Denside (with Dense) 06:47 8. Enigma 06:09 9. Dreamer feat Kerensa Stephens (Eguana Piano Remix) 06:32 Side Liner is Nick Miamis, a well established producer from Greece. This is Nick's 16th artist album, just think about it for the moment. This definitely makes him one of the most hard-working producers on the scene right now. At the same time he manages two labels, which deserves nothing but praise. No Vember mostly consists of slow progressive tracks with varying moods. People who are well familiar with Nick's sound will find no surprises here. The production is great as always, and if you're into slower melodic kind of trance, then I urge you to check it out. REVIEW 1. That Beautiful Somewhere feat Kerensa Stephens (Eguana Piano Remix) 04:50 The intro track has very soft and sad vocals. It's a full-fledged song with orchstral strings and piano that could fit the end-credits of a drama movie. It's actually unexpected to hear such a sentimental track in the very beginning of the album, but I can't deny its beauty. 4/5 2. No Vember 08:09 Now this is where the album actually starts for me. No Vember is filled with slow beats and cosmic melodies. This is the music you want to hear in the dusk, when the darkness settles and the stars start to appear in the nightsky. It has a very distinctive atmosphere that is simply unforgettable. No Vember is a fantastic track that warms my heart. 5/5 3. 56 07:59 I have no idea what the title refers to, but I like this track. It's very simple yet charming, and it has a very calming effect on me despite technically being a progressive dance track. 4/5 4. Maluns - Bloodline Hunter (Side Liner Remix) 07:49 This is a rather boring remix by Nick, which doesn't have that same spark as his original productions. It's very minimal in composition, and it left me completely unsatisfied. There is some intriguing bassline work going on in the second half, but it ain't enough. 2/5 5. Edge 07:13 Here's another minimal stomper, and this time it's a bit better than the previous track. It carries over several sweeping, lush sound effects throughout the course of the whole track that reminded me of the early Jean-Michel Jarre productions. This is a nice little number. 3/5 6. Cosmic Tone 06:40 Not much is happening in the first half of the track, but then Nick introduces a gorgeous melody that took me completely by surprise. I really like these pleasant unexpected twists. 3/5 7.Denside (with Dense) 06:47 This track has a very smooth melodic intro, and the beat is a lot softer and slower this time. Sveral new instruments add more flavor to an already excellent track in the second half that instantly hook me. Definitely one of the best tracks on the album. 4/5 8. Enigma 06:09 I guess the title of the track refrences the 90's New Age band Enigma, because the beats are terribly similar to what Michael Cretu had been using back in the days. As for the track itself it's a decent chill-out piece with no particularly strong lead melody, but some nice atmospheric sounds are present, so all-in-all it's pretty nice for what it is and does. 3/5 9. Dreamer feat Kerensa Stephens (Eguana Piano Remix) 06:32 The sad piano and Kerensa Stephens' vocals return in the final track. It's very similar in mood to the opening track, and it's just as beautiful... 4/5 --- There are no terribly complicated productions on the album, most of the tracks are rather simple and most of them achieve everything they need to be. This is not the best album Side Liner has produced, but it's totally decent and it deserves to be heard. The best track on the album is the title track No Vember. It has an excellent melody that immediately sets that special mood. I wish there were more bright tracks like that on the album, but Im still happy with the experience. 3.5/5

Label: Biijah Records Country: Guatemala Released: 08 Feb 2019 Style: Psy-Trance Bandcamp Tracklist: 1. Ritualtool - RustyBass 08:18 2. Propagul - Alien Seeds 08:44 3. Full Face - Coconutrees 07:00 4. Mubali - Fu, Interrupted 07:26 5. Smuds - Turn A Sphere Inside Out 07:33 6. Ohmpapa - Mutchi Swutchi 08:48 7. Shivattva - Samurai Lifestyle 07:45 8. NoizeBug - Underground Religion 10:37 9. Scope vs PsyVader - Bluemoon 07:54 Biijah Records, although a relatively unknown label from Guatemala, is a long-running imprint that has been releasing some fantastic darkpsy material since 2010. This is the second compilation titled Alien Seeds that gathers some very talented producers that deliver real goods. It takes a lot to make me enjoy darkpsy, as it isn't my favorote branch of psy-trance, but Alien Seeds 2 has some amazing productions and I've eventually decided to write a full track-by-track review. REVIEW 1. Ritualtool - RustyBass 08:18 The opening track of the compilation is quite good. In the first half it plays with some spooky voices, and then switches gears to more traditional psy-tools. What I like about it is that it always stays subdued, which kind of works here pretty well. 4/5 2. Propagul - Alien Seeds 08:44 It takes some time before Propagul puts something edible on the table, but even then this track tends to get a bit dull. I like some of the parts though. 3/5 3. Full Face - Coconutrees 07:00 Here's an unusual number. The track follows an unconventional structure and is in a constant flux. The way its built makes it really interesting, because you never know what's coming next. Usually, I don't like tracks that have no clear path, but in this rare case it works in the favor of the piece. 4/5 4. Mubali - Fu, Interrupted 07:26 "Who the hell is interrupting my Kung Fu?" - the phrase that literally interrupts the track in the middle after a strong start. Then, it sort of rejects everything that it had built and throws everything out the window opting for a different path. The mood changes in the second half, it gets more disturbing, but no less interesting. Mubali is a well-known name in the darkpsy scene, so I'm not suprised to hear another great piece from him. 4/5 5. Smuds - Turn A Sphere Inside Out 07:33 Ooh, love the beats on this one, chunky and metallic. No really, the rhythm drives this whole track, and it's really amazing. The bassline changes throughout as well, and the rest of the track is set up in such a way that it complements the kick and the bass. This is a fascinating piece of psychedelic music. 5/5 6. Ohmpapa - Mutchi Swutchi 08:48 There are glimpses of fun in this track, but not by much. 2/5 7. Shivattva - Samurai Lifestyle 07:45 This track is teasing me with good moments, but never reveals itself entirely for me to enjoy it properly. 2/5 8. NoizeBug - Underground Religion Underground Religion starts with a hindu chant, which reminded me of EU's The Prayer. I'm not sure if it's the same one, but it really sets a certain mood for a track. It gets really freaky by the middle point, and I'm not sure I like everything that I hear. It's a 50/50 for me, so I'll go with the rounded up score on this one. 3/5 9. Scope vs PsyVader - Bluemoon 07:54 The last piece is quite unusual in a good way. the second half sounds especially cool and original with its prominent sound effects and melodic snippets. Overall, a great finisher to a solid compilation. 4/5 --- Alien Seeds 2 is by far the best darkpsy compilation that I've heard recently. It's got tracks with different levels of intensity, and there are some real gems here. Not all the tracks worked for me, but most did and that's more than enough for me. The best piece on the compilation is Smuds "Turn A Sphere Inside Out." I like tracks that work both in your bedroom and on the dancefloor, and that's what Smuds achieves here with excellence. 3.5/5

Label: Iboga Records Country: Denmark Released: 01 Feb 2019 Style: Downtempo, Psy-Trance, Progressive Trance Bandcamp Tracklist: 1. Undercurrent 08:29 2. Northbound 10:13 3. Taiga 08:40 4. Wider Horizons (Album edit) 10:42 5. Kamchatka 08:49 6. Juvenile 09:38 7. Wandering Off... 10:21 8. Cassiopeia 07:12 Lauge is Henrik Laugesen, an ambient producer from Denmark. This is his first psy-prog album for Iboga, and it's pretty darn good. The melodies are lush and those basslines are thick. It's not surprising, as Iboga is always the mark of high quality. Of course, there are some boring releases in the Iboga's catalog, but fortunately, Dawn by Lauge is far from being boring. REVIEW 1. Undercurrent 08:29 Slow beats merge with epic melodies in this opening track. Sounds very promising and inspiring. It's a strong start and I can already feel that this album is going to be quite a journey. 4/5 2. Northbound 10:13 I'm sure this will sound like a cliche, but listening to this track makes you feel like floating in the sky. It's super airy and dreamy. But it does get a bit more intense closer to the middle. The breakdown in the middle introduces some very gentle, almost transparent strings that add extra dimension to the melodic element of the track. As a result, the entire second half sounds really beautiful. If there is progressive heaven, this is it. 5/5 3. Taiga 08:40 Here is another slow builder. But unfortunately it doesn't build up to anything significant. This is quite a subpar track in comparison to the first two openers. 3/5 4. Wider Horizons (Album edit) 10:42 The beginning of the track feels really tight and engaging. Then, some fine synths enter the scene and launch the track into the stratosphere. The first breakdown happens at around 6 minutes just to let the listener take a breath. But then it hits once again reminding you just how powerful this whole piece can be. Definitely one of the best tracks on the album. 5/5 5. Kamchatka 08:49 I love how this track starts. Super mysterious with deep voices, very dramatic. Too bad there is no interesting progression to follow. I'm a bit disappointed, because that intro was incredible. Oh well... 3/5 6. Juvenile 09:38 So many producers these days have the tendency to put filler tracks in their albums, and Juvenile is the definition of a filler. It's not bad enough to completely dismiss it, but it also isn't good enough to put it in high regard. Although, I have to say that the second part has something interesting going on, it's still not enough to rate it more than an above average track. 3/5 7. Wandering Off... 10:21 A this point I just needed something good. And my wish came true. Wandering Off is a gorgeous piece of music with a fascinating melody and progression. Lauge gives enough time for a listener to soak in every single tone shift, and I am really grateful for that. This is a feel-good track of the album. 4/5 8. Cassiopeia 07:12 The closing track of the album is a very fine chill-out piece. It is nothing extraordinary, but it works well and finishes things off in a classic way. 4/5 --- Dawn by Lauge is a very strong progressive album with some amazing tracks. There are a few filler tracks as well, but what album these days doesn't have them. The best tracks on the album are Northbound and Wider Horizons. These two stand out from the rest due to their sheer emotional power. Of course, I wish that all tracks would have such an effect on me, but that's probably not possible. I just know that I will be listening to those two many times and never get tired. 4/5

I have to say that I really enjoyed this album. Almost all tracks have something exciting to offer, and the only one that didn't work for me was Inner Motion. The two best tracks for me are Illusions of Life, a terrific track that combines slow breaks with psy melodies, and Soul Ocean, which is pure old school goa at its best. Giorgi is definitely a very talented producer and I'll be looking forward to more music from him in the future.

I absolutely love Rotorblade, one of the best tracks on Beyond the Infinite. As for Pistolero, I've always preferred the MWNN mix. But overall Shango is a masterpiece of an album.

Label: Self-released Country: UK Released: 22 Jan 2019 Style: Downtempo, Dub, Ambient Bandcamp Tracklist: 1. Exotic Soup 06:53 2. Trippling peak. 10:15 3. Cell Tower Suntan. 06:15 4. Luminata 06:30 5. Careful with that bronze age burial mound 09:55 6. Mycelium messiah complex 07:39 7. Stranger on the not sure 08:02 8. Organic Mechanic 16:40 Organismic is a British psychill duo consisting of Craig Musham and Simon Lord. This is their first official album, but they had previously released tracks on compilations at Interchill Records and Liquid Records. The album has a fantastic cover art, very original. But what about the music? Well, there are some parts of the album that work very well, and others not that much. But it's my personal opinion, so in order to understand the album better, here's a track-by-track breakdown of Primordial Super Fly. REVIEW 1. Exotic Soup 06:53 The first piece on the album is very slow and mysterious. I like the beats a lot, they're thin and jumpy. Actually, everything sounds very pleasing here. Too bad there is no actual theme of the track that you could follow, and it's a bit all over the place, but it will do just fine for an opening track. 3/5 2. Trippling peak. 10:15 Another slow start, but this time with a melodic element. The first beats can be heard at around 3 minute mark and a new element appears: a wobbly dubstep bassline, and it's completely disoriented in a good way. That's really creative, I like it. In the second half Organismic adds an acoustic guitar to the piece, which adds a bit of sentimentality to it. It also contrasts with the harsh bassy background, but again it all sounds harmonious and in no way ruins the track. I'm happy to rate this track high enough. 4/5 3. Cell Tower Suntan. 06:15 I'm having a hard time understanding this one. It's got lots of weird sounds and effects, but it doesn't go anywhere. The track is stylish and definitely interesting, but ultimately meaningless. 3/5 4. Luminata 06:30 I don't know why but Luminata strongly reminds me of Aphex Twin's older productions. It's not a fast track, but the way beats develop are reminiscent of Richard's style. It's as if someone took an AFX record and slowed it down. I like it. 4/5 5. Careful with that bronze age burial mound 09:55 Strange title to a strange track. It starts off with a nice flute, and then it drowns into nothingness and never returns. That flute set something up, but then it loses its way and for the rest of the pretty long track it gives us nothing but hints of that introductory melody. As a whole the track isn't bad, just puzzling. 3/5 6. Mycelium messiah complex 07:39 Not a bad second half, but the first half is way too slow and boring for me. And again there is no distinct theme here, just sketches. 2/5 7. Stranger on the not sure 08:02 Floaty and swirly at the same time, track #7 is trippy and, to my surprise, quite relaxing. This is probably the most orthodox piece on the entire album. But I still like my psychill a bit more meaty and juicy, so can't rate this too high. 3/5 8. Organic Mechanic 16:40 The last track is pure ambient with no rhythm whatsoever. Maybe I'm the wrong person to evaluate it, because this kind of beatless, spacey stuff isn't my thing at all, but I could barely finish it. 1/5 --- Primordial Super Fly isn't a bad album, it is above average. I would say that this was a decent effort with some interesting concepts, and I really like the overall style of the album. I only wish it was more consistent with those ideas and didn't waste time on 16 minute long beatless soundscapes. But that's only my personal gripe. The two best tracks on the album are Trippling Peak and Luminata. Both of them were great and really show the talent behind Organismic. But I still have to consider the rest of the tracks that were not on the same level. So my rating is: 3/5

Label: The Cure Country: Israel Released: 19 Jan 2019 Style: Psy-Trance Bandcamp Tracklist: 1. Purosurpo - "Deep wake hypno-mountain" 01:31 2. Nicr & Fugu cans - "The other day" 07:11 3. Ugler I Mosen - "Krudtuglen" 07:40 4. Forest Bamp & Ecko - "The Doors of Perception" 07:46 5. Kedros - "Mora" 09:19 6. Shiibashunsuke - "Spores of truth" 07:26 7. Igboogã - "Death Moss" 07:31 8. Del Torto & Photophobia - "Prisoners Of The Present" 15:18 9. Adansonia - "Rana Del Saco" 08:43 10. Smuds - "Behelit" 09:32 11. Foggy - "Vi Ses Senare" 09:44 12. Purosurpo - "Deepsleep Hypno-Mountain" 05:25 What is Fleinheim? It's two things. One: it's a word that loosely translates as a "magic mushroom." Second: it's a Dark Psy compilation released by the Israeli non profit global community of activists and artists supporting alternative natural medicine called The Cure. All profits from this compilation will be donated to the Heffter Research Institute advancing studies on psilocybin for cancer distress and addiction. This is the second charity-based psy compilation I'm reviewing this year, and I cannot be happier for people that do this kind of work. It's actually really amazing. As for the music itself, I must admit that I am no expert in Dark Psy, but I can appreciate a good effort. I really like KinDzaDza's first album "Waves From Outer Space" and a few other artists that do some excellent work in this style. So here are my thoughts on the Fleinheim and all the tracks presented here. REVIEW 1. Purosurpo - "Deep wake hypno-mountain" 01:31 Just an intro track, nothing special. 2. Nicr & Fugu cans - "The other day" 07:11 The track begins in a very promising way with beautiful cinematic melodies and sound effects. Then, it delves into a deeper and more chaotic area. This discordant theme plays for some time, and then the first breakdown introduces a piano and some laughing samples. In the final part it returns to its comfortable little chaos of sounds. The track has some potential, but there isn't much to chew on here. 3/5 3. Ugler I Mosen - "Krudtuglen" 07:40 A lot of things happen in the first minute of track #3. Gradually it finds the right footing with the help of its peculiar bassline. Spooky atmospheric effects enter the scene, and then the strangest melody plucks on the listener's nerve endings. In the second half, the spooky background noises intensify and the track gets more serious. At this point the paranoid feeling is properly set up. Definitely one of the most creative pieces on the compilation. 4/5 4. Forest Bamp & Ecko - "The Doors of Perception" 07:46 Until the first breakdown this track feels like it got drunk and wet itself. Then, a proper bassline creates some sort of solid ground for all the weird sounds popping in the background. But there is still no determined path after the second breakdown. The latter half of the track is even stranger than the first one. Maybe Dark Psy connaisseurs will apreciate this track more than I did, but there is nothing of great importance here. A really bland effort. 2/5 5. Kedros - "Mora" 09:19 I love the bassline in the beginning of the track, but then it changes to your typical grindy darkpsy bassline. I wish Kedros kept the introductory bassline for the entirety of the track - it's just so good. Oh well, I am not the one to decide here. Fortunately, something else appears at around 3 minute mark. It's some sort of sub bass sound that emits amazing vibrations. I have to say I love every second of it. Then, in the middle a third bassline enters and this one is also very good. It's really playful and makes a rather long track sound fresh all the way to the end. The final couple of minutes bring in a creepy synth that nicely rounds the whole track. Mora is a really fun piece of work that never gets boring. 5/5 6. Shiibashunsuke - "Spores of truth" 07:26 A short vocoded speech opens up track #6, and it immediately goes into frenzy. Harsh effects and disoriented kicks mold the way. This is one of the harder tracks on Fleinheim, and it's pretty good. I like that the rhythm part can never find any sense of stability, it stutters and stumbles all the way through. Only at times it gets a firm grip of the proper 4/4 scale, which makes it a fun ride. I enjoy this track a lot, it's a peculiar one. 4/5 7. Igbooga - "Death Moss" 07:31 I'm not going to say much here, and just conclude that I find this track to be incredibly boring. Not my cup of tea at all. 2/5 8. Del Torto & Photophobia - "Prisoners Of The Present" 15:18 I always thought that tracks of unusually long lengths should have a very strong story-telling element for them to be viable. It has to be a real journey. Otherwise, how are you planning on keeping the listeners engaged? Track #8 completely contradicts my notion and is an example of an extrememly long track with absolutely no story to it. I couldn't tell a difference not in the beginning, neither in the middle, nor in the end. It could've gone for another 15 minutes, and nothing would've changed anyway. The entire piece just flew by in the background. I can't rate this any higher than: 2/5 9. Adansonia - "Rana Del Saco" 08:43 Oh no, this is another dud. It gets a bit interesting in the second half, but the rest is just mashed potatoes. 2/5 10. Smuds - "Behelit" 09:32 Behelit is a refrence to the Berserk manga, a dark epic that is unequaled in the story-telling department. Unfortunately, the track doesn't pay due respects to the masterpiece it was apparently inspired by. It's not as bland as the previous three tracks, but it ain't digging deep either. 3/5 11. Foggy - "Vi Ses Senare" 09:44 I can hear that something exciting is brewing in this track from the very beginning. The build up is rather long and it takes a while before the track comes to its main part. But when it does it's quite rewarding. In the second half of the track the sounds get really neurotic and this is where the whole piece takes on a distinct shape. I quite like it for what it is, although I wouldn't call it a straight up bomb. 4/5 12. Purosurpo - "Deepsleep Hypno-Mountain" 05:25 An outro that continues the theme of the opening track, which is understandable since both tracks have been made by Purosurpo. It's a fine and deep psychill track, although a tad repetitive for my liking. 3/5 --- This compilation turned out to be rather weak in my opinion, but there are a few real gems, especially Mora by Kedros (#5). Every other track on Fleinheim pales in comparison. It's almost ten minutes long and it delivers all the way through. Too bad the rest of the tracks with the exception of # 3, 6, and 11 just don't go anywhere. With all that said the overall rating is: 3/5

Label: Mystic Sound Records Country: Russia Released: 19 Jan 2019 Style: Goa Trance, Psy-Trance Bandcamp Tracklist: 1. Long Awaited Journey 07:56 2. Levels Of Imagination 07:56 3. Goasana (Album Version) 06:10 4. Beyond Borders Of Mind 06:37 5. Temple Of Sound 08:08 6. Calling The Tribe 06:43 7. Explorer Of The Fantasy Worlds 06:42 8. Connection With The Great Spirit 06:20 9. Sun Of Anjuna 07:30 10. Electric Particles (Album Version) 05:10 Maiia303 is the project of a young Russian lady Alla Vagner. This is her second album. The first one was released at Ovnimoon Records in 2014. I am not familiar with the sound of Maiia, so this is a new territory for me. The album delves into the newschool Goa trance sound and with a great success I must say. Most of the tracks here use the acid 303 sounds in some rather creative ways, but there is a heavy dose of classic Goa synth melodies, too. So let's have a closer inspection of what this album can offer. REVIEW 1. Long Awaited Journey 07:56 The opening track starts in a rather uneventful manner and gradually gains intensity with more and more sounds being introduced. The first breakdown hints on the lead melody, but doesn't reveal it. You know it's coming, but the artist keeps you waiting and maintains just enough pressure before the second breakdown. Unfortunately, there is no real payoff in the end. It's a good intro track, but no more than that. 3/5 2. Levels Of Imagination 07:56 The second track immediately shows that it has more drive than the first one. Around 2 minute mark the track explodes with a screaming 303, which is followed by the first breakdown. I really wish that part was a bit longer, but after some time the 303 returns in a slightly different form, which changes throughout. I quite enjoy this track. It's a proper dancefloor material, and it's actually interesting to listen to. 4/5 3. Goasana (Album Version) 06:10 I've noticed at this point that Maiia tends to start her tracks in a similar fashion. We have the already familiar 303 here, which is then replaced with a classic Goa melody and a murky vocal chant. The track intensifies in the second part and even gets a bit dark, but then a light and beautiful melody strikes out of nowhere. It's a neat combination, and I really like when producers combine dark and light elements in a track. This is another solid production from Maiia. 4/5 4. Beyond Borders Of Mind 06:37 Track #4 starts in a very dramatic fashion. It's a slight change of pace from the previous three tracks, which is nice. The dramatic theme follows through until the very middle of the track. Too bad the track doesn't go anywhere from there. There are some effects here and there, but in general it's quite dull. I'm not a fan of this track, but it ain't terribly bad either. 3/5 5. Temple Of Sound 08:08 The central track of the album starts with some chugging beats and bassy sounds. The intensity gradually rises with some fine synths that make the whole track sound very appealing. During the first breakdown Maiia introduces a chopped up vocal sample that helps build the pressure even more. The last third of the track brings back some 303 once again. Then, the track ends without any actual payoff, which is a bit disappointing as the first part of the track was really promising. Oh well, it was still enjoyable. 4/5 6. Calling The Tribe 06:43 I'm not sure what Maiia does differently on this one, but the production feels really mellow this time around. It's a classical Goa track with high BPM, and yet it feels really chilly. Probably it has something to do with the melody or the bassline. I still can't put my finger on it. It's definitely a distinctive track, and I really like that bassline. 4/5 7. Explorer Of The Fantasy Worlds 06:42 Finally, a track that I could really appreciate. I've been a bit underwhelmed by the first half of the album, but Maiia really shows some skills here. All elements of the track are dynamic and exciting. It's almost 7 minutes long, but I couldn't tell. This is definitely the winner of the album for me. 5/5 8. Connection With The Great Spirit 06:20 Track #8 packs some punch from the get-go, which is a nice change of pace after a series of really moody pieces. DJs should really take note of this one. It's made for firing up dancefloors! I'm happy to add another excellent Goa track to my collection. 5/5 9. Sun Of Anjuna 07:30 After two extremely well-made tracks comes another great piece with a slightly aggressive synth work. I really like the breakdown that comes after. It sets the mood for something very mysterious and almost menacing. Then, a brighter melody enters and shakes things up. This is another excellent track by Maiia. It has the dynamics and the energy similar to track #7, which I liked a lot. 5/5 10. Electric Particles (Album Version) 05:10 The final track is much shorter and clearly an edited version of a very good piece of work. I'm not sure why Maiia decided to cram all her best stuff at the bottom of the album, but that's how it is. This track is obviously very good but ends abruptly. So due to its short running time I have to cut the rating, too. 4/5 --- The first half of the album put me off a bit, since it was really mellow and it kinda dragged a bit too much for my liking. Somewhere in the middle of the album I got worried that I might not end up liking it. However, the second half saves the whole thing and that's where the best tracks are concentrated. Tracks 7, 8, 9 are the best. If you care to listen to Maiia at all, but don't have more than 20 minutes, this would be a perfect trifecta. The entire album rests on these three pieces. And the overall rating is: 4/5 Levels of Imagination is a very solid newschool Goa album with some great tracks made for both your bedroom and local dancefloors.

so MWNN does have a new album in pipeline. this is good news then, and the style doesn't matter much, I am pretty sure the production will be top notch. thanks for the heads up what do you think about the Cosmosis track titled "Cave of Medusa" which was released on Avatar records. I consider it to be one of the best psy-trance tracks ever written, but since I couldn't find anything similar from him, I didn't want to include it in my top 3. If you are familiar with the track, maybe you could advice other Cosmosis track in the same style as that one?

Hey, can I send you the private soundcloud link of my last production? I've mastered the track on my own, but would appreciate your input as well.

May I suggest all albums by Juno Reactor? I mean everything Ben Watkins has done is just pure gold, especially his first three albums. You will find everything in there from Goa to Ambient and beyond.

Yep, MWNN is a true master. I only wish he produced more music.

oh boy, this was harder than I thought, but here we go: Juno Reactor 1. Mars 2. Laughing Gas 3. Nitrogen part 1 Man With No Name 1. Axis Flip 2. Seratonin Sunrise (MVO Mix) 3. Teleport Astral Projection 1. Ionized 2. Ambient Galaxy (Disco Valley Mix) 3. Flying Into A Star

Released:11 Jan 2019 Style: Ambient, Downtempo Bandcamp Tracklist: 1. Cat and Mouse 04:57 2. Beyond the Radar 06:03 3. Hobo Sapien 06:21 4. Colour of the Sky 06:06 5. Dance of Light 05:58 6. The Great Super Mango 06:26 7. Tolticken 03:58 8. Out of Body 05:54 9. Tree Frogs 07:51 Spatialize is Neil Butler, an ambient producer from UK, who is also known as Dreaming Tree. This is his fifth outing as Spatialize, an ambient project that has been alive and kicking since 2005. Neil's music appeared on a fair number of compilations for labels such as SAS Records, Disco Gecko, Mystic Sound Records, and others. If you like rhythmical ambient that can at times delve into the 4/4 territory, then you will appreciate this effort. As usual, I will give a short description of each track with individual rating, and then summarize my thoughts at the end of the review. I also need to add that I like to evaluate each track separately and don't see much point of talking about the album as a whole. REVIEW 1. Cat and Mouse 04:57 The first track is rather upbeat and goes into proper breakbeat territory from the very beginning. It's not too fast or anything, but it isn't much of a chill out track either. The harmonica sounds evoke memories of OTT's Halucinogen remixes, and those are clear influences here. It has a really nice production and some live saxophone comes in the second half of the track. The sax doesn't sound cheesy or anything, and it actually fits the jazzy vibe of the track pretty well. Overall, a nice little intro track that sets the mood for the whole album. 3/5 2. Beyond the Radar 06:03 Now this is where the album really starts. Psychill vibes are all over this track that runs on a slower BPM than the previous one. Then, the soothing vocal enters the scene and makes everything roll. Swirling melodies caress the ears, and the harmonica is back once again, which is not a bad thing at all. Everything in the first half of the track sounds very, very nice. After a moderate breakdown in the middle Spatialize adds a bit of intensity with the help of an electric guitar, but its completely subdued and doesn't scream in your face. The "acoustic" guitar takes the lead at the end and nicely rounds things out. 4/5 3. Hobo Sapien 06:21 Track #3 has a fantastic intro, very cinematic. The dramatic overtones are supported by a pulse rhythm in the area of 100-110 BPM. It isn't exactly a dance track, but you could easily make it a bit faster and turn into some weird house track. Once again, the guitars and, I think, a violin emerge and play around chopped up male vocals until everything boils down to another dramatic interlude. In the last third the sax is also back, but this time it's a bit funny and doesn't really know where to go with the mood set in the first part of the track. But maybe that's how Neil wanted it and who am I to judge. 3/5 4. Colour of the Sky 06:06 Colour of the Sky truly begins at around 2:30 when a sitar introduces a synth melody and a female vocal. These intertwine and create an incredible effect. I really like this track and would say that this is probably one of the best psychill tracks I've heard lately. The sounds of various instruments create their own whirlpools or pockets of sounds that make the entire track shimmer. I can't describe this any better, just listen to it. A fanastic psychedelic track. 5/5 5. Dance of Light 05:58 We're back on the 4 on the floor territory with this rather generic track. The rhythm is similar to Hobo Sapien, but the ideas in the track are far less interesting. I can't really say much more about Dance of Light, it's just bland and recycles previous ideas in an uninspiring way. 2/5 6. The Great Super Mango 06:26 Here is an example of a track that once again recycles the previous ideas on the album but in an interesting way. It's not the highlight of an album, but it doesn't just run through the speakers in an unnoticable fashion, but actually creates some friction within a listener. I guess it has something to do with the choice of the instruments, which are basically, the same as before: a guitar, a harmonica, and a sax. Probably the way they are processed also has something to do with the intriguing atmosphere of the track. I am not a producer and can't really judge this too well, but one can clearly hear whether an artist has a certain motivation or one simply goes with the flow and improvize as they go. In any case, it's a solid track, but nothing you haven't heard before. 3/5 7. Tolticken 03:58 The shortest track on the album is also the most beautiful one. There is no sonic trickery involved, just lush melodies interrupted by short rhythmic bursts. It finishes before it even begins properly, and it really feels like it should've been much longer. If it had extra 3-4 miniutes in it, then the rating would be higher. 3/5 8. Out of Body 05:54 Experience shows that all 4/4 tracks on the album have been underwhelming. The same goes for Out of Body, which is a nice track overall, but with the same recycled patterns as before. Not much is happening here throughout the entire run of the track. But if you enjoy the sound of an acoustic guitar, then you will definitely appreciate it. 3/5 9. Tree Frogs 07:51 The final track saves Beyond the Radar and sets the high standard of the first half of the album once again. The flute is the king of this track and it has so much power that the result is nothing short of magnificent. I would say Tree Frogs is in the top 3 tracks of the album, which also includes Beyond the Radar and Colour of the Sky. Music like this is truly inspiring and I'm glad that Neil decided to close the album with such a strong production. It leaves the best possible impression. 4/5 --- The first half of the album is much stronger than its second half. I really wanted to put this album in one row with my favorite chill out albums from the past, but I just can't do it. It has a lot of interesting ideas and the production values are strong, but there just seems to be not enough fire or inspiration for it to be truly outstanding. The highlight of the album is definitely Colour of the Sky. This track is so complex that I would dare any producer to figure out how it's done. But it's not just the complexity that really makes it stand out, but the ideas in it are dare I say innovative. I'm just really happy that I could find something that is so musically meaningful in this album. And that doesn't happen too often, even when I listen to some of my favorite artists. I'll be returning to this track at moments when I seem to lose any interest in music, just to remind myself that those precious moments of awe can still exist in the current psychill scene. With all that said, the album is quite good, but not remarkable, so the final rating of mine would be: 3.5 out of 5

released January 14, 2019 Compiled by Dark El Kante Mastered by Joey Dianos @ Lemon Sauce Labs Artwork by Thomas Duchene Bandcamp Tracklist: 1. Lemon Slide - Magic 05:31 2. Mayawa Feat. Kaksneuvonen - Ecstasy Honeymoon 04:17 3. Oraalidonitsi - Emmä Keksi Tälle Nimee 06:19 4. Mussa Kussa - Nobelaner Cowboy 06:18 5. Kyril & Eskobar - Presto 06:00 6. Pavel Svimba Feat. Hauveli - MongoMaggots 04:23 7. ADU - The First Ray Of Sun 05:01 8. Räpylät - Pispalan Valtatie 07:11 9. Anima Animus - Change The World 07:18 10. Texas Faggott - Jorgen Pallit 03:03 11. RRRastas - Kuumotus Maximus 05:26 12. Salakavala - Submarine 07:52 13. Oraalidonitsi - Kikkeli Kakkeli 06:23 14. Boney M - Rasputin (Spuge H Remix) Suomisaundi has always been one of the most exciting parts of the psytrance scene. This new compilation from Random Records, which focuses on releasing music for charity purposes, is the third in the series that focuses on the preserving the Saami, the Indigenous people of the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Penninsula of Russia. So all the money that will be collected from this release will go to charities that focus on preserving the environment of the Saami ancestral areas. The motivation behind the compilation is praiseworthy and definitely makes it a worthwhile investment. But besides the idea behind the compilation, I would like to focus on the music itself and see if there is something really great in it. I will not be reviewing every single track simply because there is no need to. Amongst the 14 tracks available on the compilation only six really managed to grab my attention. So I'll just focus on them and make the conclusion at the end of the review. REVIEW: 3. Oraalidonitsi - Emmä Keksi Tälle Nimee 06:19 What I really like about the Finnish psytrance is the focus on melody, and even if at times it could get a bit on the cheesy side, I still appreciate all the beautiful melodic structures that come in many of these tracks. Track #3 on the compilation is exactly that kind of melodic tune I am so thristy for. It's warm and soulful and takes you on a journey from the very beginning with its elegant plucky guitars and swirling effects in the background. Somewhere in the middle the melodic element subsides and gives you a time to breathe. Then, in the second part of the track, the guitar returns and offers some more of that warm melodiousness, but this time accompanied by a soft synth and sounds of nature. The structure is simple and effective - exactly the reason why this track has been on repeat since I first heard it. 5. Kyril & Eskobar - Presto 06:00 The playfulness of track #5 by Kyril & Eskobar is what really got me hooked. It juggles several different melodic elements pretty nicely and you never get bored of this circus of instruments that come in and out just to tease you and then disappeare once again. You will hear everything from electric guitar to some sort of jingle bells and even a flute. It's all quite interesting and really flows well despite the number of seemingly incompatible sounds. But Suomisaundi can probably get away with it and still sound great. The last third of the track introduces an ethnic singing, which greatly reminded me of the old Deep Forest tracks that utilized those vocals to the greatest extent. All in all, Presto is a damn fine track full of inspiration and dancing energy. 7. ADU - The First Ray Of Sun 05:01 Track by ADU is a whole different story. The mood changes drastically here and is all about regretfulness that cannot be satiated. At least that's what I felt when listening to it, and although it's not your typically joyful Suomi track, it has a very distinct sound that I liked a lot. Its feelings are genuine and the artist behind the track is being honest about their intentions, and that is what I can always appreciate in music. I don't even want to write much about it - just lean back and listen. It'll blow you away! 9. Anima Animus - Change The World 07:18 This one is probably the closest to what people would call a psytrance track. It's getting very intense from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the very end. If I were a DJ, I would play the heck out of this track, especially sometime in the middle of the night when everybody's sweaty and properly aroused. The last minute of it is just incredibly beautiful and powerful. A proper dance track. 12. Salakavala - Submarine 07:52 Here's an offering from one of my all time favorite Finnish bands Salakavala. This is also my favorite track on the compilation. If you are well familiar with the sound of Salakavala, then you will love this one, as it has all the trademark elements of the Salakavala sound. It's got the raw intensity, which is supported by grindy and fat bassline. On top you will hear distorted effects and a whole amalgamation of samples that have been properly rendered through a bunch of effects processors. The melodic aspect is vague but present - an element that constantly makes me listen to their tracks over and over again. Nobody really does Suomisaundi like Salakavala and that has been the case since their masterpiece Fractal Fishing. If you can really appreciate the Finnish trance, then this is a real treat, a candy, a warm honey for your soul. 13. Oraalidonitsi - Kikkeli Kakkeli 06:23 The last good track on this compilation returns the listener to the good feelings of tracks 3 and 5. Again, it has a simple structure, but the nice melodies really grab you and you just can't help yourself but listen to the harmonic sounds flowing out of your headphones. It's a track that evokes certain emotions with a pinch of nostalgia, hope and joy - just the way I like it. --- Track 13 would be a perfect closing track for Saamisaundi Vol.3, but unfortuntely, there is one more track after this one that ruins the entire feeling. If it weren't for that very last track, then I would give this compilation a higher rating. There really is a fair number of stinkers on Saamisaundi Vol.3. So I ended up with: 3 out of 5 It's just a one's man opinion and maybe others will apppreciate the rest of the tracks more than I did, but only the six tracks mentioned above really tickled my fancy, while the rest just annoyed me and I couldn't care less to be honest. In any case, Finnish people know their trance really well and they can do no wrong.

Hi guys, just wanted to share a mix of my fave tracks from one of the most creative personas in the psy field - Sean Williams aka Process. http://soundcloud.com/user88128/appreciation-dj-mix-sean-williams-aka-process Tracklist: 01. Satori - Entropy (Pete Martin & Sean Williams) (1996) 02. Satori - Back To Earth (Pete Martin & Sean Williams) (1996) 03. Process & Tristan - Random Factor (Sean Williams & Tristan Cooke) (1997) 04. Beast - Trouble (Simon Posford & Sean Williams) (1998) 05. Prometheus Process - Clarity From Deep Fog (Benjamin Vaughan & Sean Williams) (1997) 06. Beast - Spawn (Simon Posford & Sean Williams) (1998) 07. Process - Beyond The Internal Horizon (Sean Williams) (1997) 08. Process - Psychobabble (Sean Williams) (1999) 09. Process - Brainmelt (Sean Williams) (2002) 10. Process - 10,000 Thrill Seekers (Sean Williams) (2002)

The Ladykillers is just at the same weirdo route as O Brother, Where Art Thou - well, that's my personal view. ..and i liked Ladykillers as much as O brother. Hanks was brilliant - and once again proved to be an outastanding actor.