Bill

Great album! In the review section: https://www.psynews.org/forums/topic/70037-dhamika-energy-flow/

Dhamika Energy Flow Altar Records 1. Energy Flow 2. At Night I Fly 3. Mental Laws 4. Coexistence 5. Scientific Mysteries 6. The Real Substance 7. Soul Vision 8. By The Lighthouse This one is an absolute beauty. For seven gorgeous tracks Dhamika does some top-shelf psychedelic down tempo, detailed exquisitely, with a good drive-forward that ensures none of the music ever becomes dull or chilled-out. As for that eighth track, Dhamika offers up a chill-out closer that does not match up to the energy and precision of all that came before it. Unfortunately, it is not a very interesting conclusion. And that's the worst that can be said about "Energy Flow." From its fascinating cover art to the overall musical style, this is a fine companion piece to Cosmic Replicant's excellent "Soul Of The Universe" album from 2014. And that is not being said simply because the album covers are so similar. The music and vibe that both albums project forth inspire the same sort of awe and wonder as if they were made to be played together, as if spawned as siblings. As on that incredible Cosmic Replicant album, Dhamika does a great job of delivering his productions in a silky smooth manner, no bumps or missteps in any of the music or direction changes, I cannot pick a highlight from this one. Perhaps "The Real Substance" stands out because of its mid-tempo range, flirting quite nicely with a progressive psy edge, but these are all of the same high-quality throughout, each offering up something delightful when their turn comes around. They are just too damn good and deserve to be played together as a bunch where they weave a delicious spell, compelling if used as background music, fascinating if studied for its details and textures. Whereas Cosmic Replicant took his creations into an exploration of outer space, Dhamika takes the journey to within. There is no question he feeds the soul very well with these gems.

To whoever opens a review thread, please include the full track list. Here you go, and Bill thanks for the review! Right on, thanks for the suggest, will do that going forward. Spot-on review, Jon, really enjoyed reading your words. As far as Dennis looking for feedback on how to make the album better my thought is that he was not making this one for the discerning listener like with "Cryptic Crunch." It's like "Division by Zero" in that some was very good and some was not. It probably does not matter to him any more whether the music is great so long as people see Hux Flux on the album cover and pay $$$ for it.

You know what, sorry for not mentioning this in the review, but the Para Halu track is very good and it really should have been mentioned because it's co-produced with DJ Tsubi who compiled this. The music is real, real good, dark and heavy and energetic. The thing I don't like about it are the samples, they're very talky and the same loop gets used over and over again, it becomes annoying and detracts. Still, it is a good track.

Nice, will definitely check this out. Here, try this one, some good dark psy without all the confounding dark psy-isms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJOkPUpSeOI

In the review section: https://www.psynews.org/forums/topic/70030-dhamika-solitude-ep/

Dhamika Solitude EP Mystic Sound Records A short and sweet release from a very talented and prolific producer. It seems like every other week there is a new Dhamika release or an brand-new appearance on a good-quality compilation. Besides this EP, for 2015 the producer is also available on the full-length "Energy Flow" album and has contributed the wonderful "Aathma" to the Uxmal Chill 01 compilation. And that's assuming there is not anything else that may have slipped through the cracks. On this two-tracker, "The Missing Piece" is a pretty, lithe, uplifting piece of down tempo with synth work that sounds reminiscent of the great Easily Embarrassed project. Dhamika carries that vibe over into the title track but with better results. The bass growls in just the right places, making "Solitude" a bit groovier, the synth lines are catchy and atmospheric and the details are clear and concise. What makes "Solitude" the better track (and a worthy EP, for that matter,) is its leanings into more psychedelic sounds, its heady use of samples, its slow and patient unfurling of atmosphere, its good head-bobbing rhythms. It is a keeper. Dhamika has always been very adept at both quality chill-out and excellent psychedelic down tempo. On "Solitude," he offers up a little of both, some fine examples of the best of his abilities.

VA - Multiverse Chronicles BMSS Records 1. Telekinesis MAN MACHINE 2. Kinetic DATACULT 3. Save the Rainforest LABYR1NTH 4. Reactivation Of The Mind BRAINCELL 5. Fatline PSILOCYBIAN 6. Throne Of The Soul SPIRITCAT 7. 5th Dimension PARA HALU FEAT DJ TSUBI 8. Yage AURAFOOD 9. Multiverse SEQUOYA 10. Gliese Dub HADRON ORCHESTRA Typically at around 11am on a Sunday, for the last hurrah of the festival, perhaps even an hour or two over the official end time, when no one yet has mustered up the responsibility to pull the plug, long after the prog-heads have called it a day and when the night's partied-to-hard are just waking up, the die-hard veterans are still on the floor. The vibe at that time is usually pure, the synergy between DJ and crowd is magical and, where I come from, full-on is being played. From "Multiverse Chronicles," a few of these awesome tracks may just find their way into those unforgettable moments. With Braincell and Psilocybian quality is delivered and it is not at all surprising. Braincell has been making the same sort of quality full-on for a good number of years, sweetly melodic and encouragingly energetic, and props to him for making the same sort of track, even dozens of times already, without the results feeling ho-hum or dull. Psilocybian also delivers well within his usual standard of production - tight, dark and often times very fiery. There is a brief moment on "Fatline" where the keyboard performance is so fast and passionate that it is easy to wonder if any burn damage may have occurred during its creation. As with any compilation, "Multiverse Chronicles" does have its down points but luckily these are very limited. The worst that can be said is that it is occasionally too progressive (Man Machine), too weird (Datacult) or too messy (Aurafood). At its very best it can be said to contain some excellent full-on and also succeeds wildly when it goes off the beaten path and takes some chances. Spiritcat's "Throne Of The Soul" may be the best full-on production - infectious energy, full-bodied sound, likeable samples - but, then, it is pretty hard to vote against Labyr1nth's "Save The Rainforest" where all the same great qualities are contained but with a brief tribal sample that is used perfectly throughout the track and is difficult to shake for a while after it has played out. Both are superb! So, too, is Sequoya's "Multiverse," an unexpected curve in these full-on festivities into dark psy territory. If it is tough at first to adapt to the change in BPMs, stick with it, this one weaves a spell that only grows more enchanting as it continues and the invigorating bass sets deeper roots into the psyche the longer it plays. An absolute gem that probably has no business being so successful on a disc filled with music that does not often challenge the listener's intelligence. The down tempo closer from Hadron Orchestra on "Gliese Dub" is a dusty Western-inspired beauty that sounds like it walked straight over from Kaya Project's "Desert Phase" album. The guitar work is melodic and catchy, the mood is clever and it works perfectly on this album because of how creative and unexpected it is with its inclusion. A top-notch production. "Multiverse Chronicles" is often bursting with energy and many of the gems hold up very well on repeat listens, while some get even better with added exposure. Not only do the good tracks far outnumber the bad ones, the good tracks also happen to very good, sometimes even excellent. It is quite early in 2015 but I can easily see this one making my top ten when the year is up.

Most of it I would not listen to very often but there are two or three tracks that are very, very good. The album is worth checking out as an old fan but do lower your expectations a bit.

"Total Transformation" is a great album, seriously good work on that one.

In the review section: https://www.psynews.org/forums/topic/70023-va-10-wonder-drops/

In the review section: https://www.psynews.org/forums/topic/70009-hux-flux-circle-sine-sound/

In the review section: https://www.psynews.org/forums/topic/69999-radical-distortion-12-dimensions/

In the review section: https://www.psynews.org/forums/topic/69970-huuhaa-the-biohackers-guide-to-life/

In the review section: https://www.psynews.org/forums/topic/69919-qiujan-ritual-to-the-light/

VA - 10 Wonder Drops Clocktail Records Dissociactive - Polzuushie Puziri Shotu - Looney Loop Electric Mirror - Gods Waiting Room Module Virus - Neurodrastik Smoke Ship Vs Whiptongue - Galactic Pilots MoLe - Squirt Addicted Organic Hybrid - The God Particle Pantomiman - Superloco Peace-Ka Vs Module Virus - Welcome To The Dark Palace RED - Laiman Beta Reckless, crazed, inspired and damn good when it is on its game. And that cover, c'mon, you can probably stare at that thing for hours and still notice something new the next you glance upon it. At its most over-the-top, "10 Wonder Drops" can be pretty common and quite silly, very easy to dismiss out-of-hand on certain tracks (Electric Mirror, Pantomiman). However, even when it is all over the place some of its insanity very nearly comes up with something quite brilliant (Peace-Ka Vs Module Virus) and it is not often that one can say that a track within the twilight style can get better with repeat listens. But this one may. Props to the always dependable Dissociactive for the solid "Polzuushie Puziri" opener wherein the lines are neatly drawn and none of the elements run together. It is a very clean, well-produced piece of work and nearly comes away with honors for best of this bunch. For the sake of madness and all things wonderfully bonkers, the dance floor bombs presented by Mole, Organic Hybrid and Smoke Ship vs Whiptongue drive the energy of this compilation far past safe levels. All are peak-hour pieces of full-on bliss. Module Virus' solo effort on "Neurodrastik" came across as a highlight on first listen but seemed to lose some of its punch on the second go around. The crowning jewel of this collection, however, comes on Red's "Laiman Beta," a track that gets better and better each time it is heard. On this piece of creative mastery, the BPMs are brought down to a normalized level, fitting everything quite nicely into a very enjoyable full-on package. The icing, though, are the effects. While quite nice is the pacing and all the creative synth work, the very tantalizing layers are even better. Delicious forest frequencies in full-on tracks - going forward perhaps it should be more commonplace. "Laiman Beta" is a grand piece of work! A solid compilation that gets better and more bombastic as it gets deeper into its playlist before finishing with a track that may, with time, turn out to be a masterpiece. "10 Wonder Drops" may be overstating things just a little bit but I can get behind saying at least five of these productions are worthy of awe.

Sibling Forest Of Illusion If the title did not give an indication, this is down tempo for the forest crowd. Sometimes it is inky black and murky, sometimes it is bold and imaginative, and for the majority of these five tracks "Forest Of Illusion" puts forth some very fine work. "Hybrids" is a wicked good opener, contrasting some dirty trip-hop beats with some beautiful chime-like melodies, definitely a yin-yang effect, easy to admire, fascinating to experience. "Soul Conduit" projects a very murky attitude and gives a beautiful and delightfully warped melody as the one spot of psy normalcy. Again, a fascinating contrast of elements. Ki" and "The Flood" are pure somberness, with almost no redeeming qualities for the casual listener, jet-black moods, uber-sludgy pacing, pure melancholia but also quite good if you're into the sort of thing. Perhaps the best track of Sibling's work here is also the most accessible on "The Gates," a big, broad worldly down tempo production that feels better suited to a Shpongle or (sorry, can't resist the word play here) Younger Brother album. It is a sweeping piece of excitment that feels very out-of-place with most everything else on the album. Give another listen, then. After you are able to filter out the bigger sounds of the track it's pretty cool to pick up on the gurgling sound bubbles layered underneath all the epic-ness, as if Sibling is taking traditional down tempo and dragging it on to swamp land. "Forest Of Illusion" is a pretty solid outing and if some of these tracks are good enough without attentive listening it should also be noted that the devil is in the details with this one. There are some fascinating contrasts of moods and melodies to play around with throughout. Available for free play or download at: http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/sibling-forest-of-illusion

The 1134 Ghost Train What a beast of an EP! Often it is said (and with many good reasons) that full-on is the bastard of psytrance - annoying, childish, uncouth in the ways of art. That is, unless, of course, we are talking about The 1134. A collaboration between California producers Meta (of the also-great Boomslang project) and Etienne, "Ghost Train" follows on the heels of the also-exhilarating "Primordial Booze" EP. Here are four tracks, all dance floor bombs, of ridiculously well-controlled full-on power and precision. "Synesthesiologists," Blitzen" and the mind-erasing psychedelic greatness of "Green Guy" are high-quality monsters, ready to slap a smile upon the face of the most experienced (possibly even the most jaded, as well,) and ready to flay around hapless limbs all over the dance floor. The marquee track is "Ghost Train" itself. It is where art meets energy, where a fantastically crafted track bombards with delightful beats and sweaty pacing before unveiling some wickedly creative syncopation, in mimic of an oncoming ghost train. And when this runaway train bowls you over it is not with any cheap or cliched build-ups or energy explosions but more with simply taking the fucking brakes off all the elements they have already introduced and layering some maniacally good synth work on top. If you're on board, this is one ridiculously great ride! Available for free play or download at: http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/the-1134-ghost-train

VA - Uxmal Chill 01 1. Dhamika - Aathma 2. Psyrius - Venus 3. Cubering - Ye Olde Mopus 4. Jaya - Ice Cream Weather 5. When Elements Align - Fortuitous Encounter 6. Sundial Aeon - Love Shelter (Kyoto remix) 7. Sonic Geometry - Let's Restart the World 8. Perpetual Loop - Chunky Crunch 9. Terra Nine - Love Potion 10. Kala hari - Dubquest 11. Unusual Cosmic Process - No Gravity 12. Deep In Mind - Guerilla 13. Mazea - The Mission 14. Perpetual Loop - SunSpots 15. Lemonchill - I Missed A Heart Beat (Deep in mind remix) 16. Tentura - Theme Patcher (Dense remix) 17. Crop - Floating in a Dream 18. Unusual Cosmic Process - Cosmic Blue (Phase II) 19. Lemonchill - I Missed A Heart Beat (Kassender remix) 20. Kyoto - Bodhisattva Exactly like the album cover, much in this big 20-track collection feels like a day at the beach - there is much that is airy, much that is light, much that is very, very chilled out. Possibly too chilled out. Too often many of these tracks sound much like the track that came before it and because there is little variety it becomes very easy to rest well while this music is playing. Opinions may vary on whether that means the chill out is doing its job or whether the tracks just have not gone far enough with creativity. Chill out can be deeply interesting if done correctly and no finer example comes forth than Dhamika's "Aathma," a track so nuanced, so subtle, so chill, that it becomes lovelier and richer with each repeat listen. In short, it may some of the best work of its type to be found outside of Ultimae. Another track of great interest is offered up by Kala Hari on "Dubquest," an edgy, moody dub track that partly stands out because of the attitude it displays, as compared to the very polite vibes of most everything else on the album, but mostly it stands out because it is genuinely good. And if "Uxmal Chill 01" is not as great as it could be the one reason you would be silly to miss it is Deep In Mind's "Guerilla." A true diamond-in-the-rough, an epic 16-minute beauty of lush moods, groovy rhythms, lovely layers. In short, this one is a masterwork, not at all to be missed, something worth sitting through a lot of mediocre tracks in order to get to. So far in this young year, "Guerilla" is the finest down tempo these ears have heard. Deep In Mind makes an encore appearance later in the disc, albeit, not as memorable, on a remix of Lemonchill's "I Missed A Heart Beat." Much, too much, on "Uxmal Chill 01" sounds very clean, very pristine, sometimes getting too close to lounge and house, and most could use a little more edge to their sound, they could afford to take more chances. The one thing that each of the highlights have in common are their psychedelic roots, mostly minus elsewhere on the album, and the chances those tracks take pay off large rewards. Those rewards are worth reaping even if it means sitting through a lot of uninteresting prettiness to get to them.

Looking forward to hearing this, it's always exciting to hear such positive feedback on an album.

Hux Flux Circle Sine Sound Label: Z-Plane Records A mix of the old-school and the new-school with results that vary greatly in quality, sometimes quite frustrating, sometimes quite pleasing, sometimes just head-scratching - in short, "Circle Sine Sound" is quite Hux Flux-ian. For best results one need locate a trio of tracks in the middle of the album where the old-school psytrance sound is in abundance, where that sweet spot between morning progressive and prime-time full-on is struck to superb results. "Snake Oil And Charlatans," "Finite Automata" and "Tarantula" displays everything great about the Hux Flux sound and why ears perk up when the artist's name is mentioned. Here in this trio, Hux Flux lives up to his reputation as a legend and shows why, in his best moments, that status is deserved. For forgettable results - of which, regrettably, there are several - the silly "Monkey Business," K-hole oppression of "Disco Dissociative" and psygressive commonness of "Collapse of the State Vector" and "Neural Growth" run the gamut from weirdly experimental to crowd-pleasing. In its most accessible moments it is the slick, over-used studio trickery that does "Collapse of the State Vector" and "Neural Growth" in, with sounds that feel so typical for the Beatport psy crowd, with the same tired syncopation filling in the voids where rolling, hypnotizing bass lines used to suffice back in the day. Even then, back about five or six years ago, if the same sounds were used over and over and over again at least it sounded more psychedelic and created better results upon the listener. Here (and just about anywhere else it is used) that annoying use of dramatic silence and subsequent syncopation feels lazy, uninspired, unimaginative and nearly derails a great track ("Snake Oil And Charlatans") when it makes its appearance there. Too, the Logic Bomb remix of "Bring Your Own Bios" is woefully out-of-place in this collection. After a few short moments it is clear that this uninspired full-on is not going anywhere and a remaster of the vintage track would have been a wiser choice. At least with a Hux Flux track it can take up to two-thirds of its play time before one realizes the production is not of the greatest artistry. "Circle Sine Sound" is big and full-sounding psytrance that is slick enough to convince that you are listening to some excellent stuff and for a few precious moments, you are. You truly, truly are. But for many moments, you truly, truly are not.

Radical Distortion 12 Dimensions Label: Zion 604 Tracklist: 1. The Score 2. Computer Controlled - Physical Reality (Radical Distortion Remix) 3. Homo Universalis 4. Quantum Gravity 5. Sunrise Zone (Acid Mix) 6. 12 Dimensions 7. 24 dB (Odyssey Mix) 8. Dragon Birthy 9. I Am Locutus After a first listen I came away from "12 Dimensions" very disappointed. Following the grandiose intro of "The Score," a wild cinematic track bursting with what sounds like a full orchestra, things got poor pretty quickly, so much so that by the time the tunes seemed to be getting better it was pretty difficult to check back in. As for round two the gems of this collection started to shine bright and beautiful helped in no small way by listening to the album on random so that the later tracks, the better tracks, got the first look they deserve. Nothing as big or broad as "The Score" lead-off track is found elsewhere on the album so it sets the bar pretty high early on. Interestingly, in sequence from the CD, the three weakest tracks play next and they just seem to lag and overstay their welcome. Beginning with "Sunrise Zone (Acid Mix)" and continuing to the album's conclusion on the unspeakably great "I Am Locutus" the tracks get infinitely better - subtle, slow-burners, remarkably better over time, so nuanced that there does not seem to be a way to savor all the beauty in just one listen. The finest part of these latter five tracks is that they are gloriously old-school in spirit but delivered within the crystal-clear clarity of modern technology. There is no sensory overload from an avalanche of effects and no risk of running a Caesar by piercing the listener to death with synth stabs. "12 Dimensions" is not overly complex with its layers nor is it as dismissively simple with those layers as the first listen could make it seem. "12 Dimensions" is a great album (complete with some wicked cover art) once you get past the rough spots. There are no dance floor bombs here so it is gorgeous at-home goa and for five beautiful, intricate, well-paced, superbly crafted tracks it lives up to its name as a multi-dimensional gem.

The Cronics Liquid Nova EP Label: Goa Galaxy It amazes me how long, or rather how not long, this EP has been in my collection. Perhaps because it has been listened to so many times over the past year it feels like it has been in my collection for a lot longer but I suspect it has more to do with how vintage it sounds, as if it were recorded in the great old days of 2006, 2007, 2008. "Liquid Nova" is excellent from the first time it is heard and it sure does maintain that quality over many repeat listens. The tracks unfurl into sounds that are broad, melodic and with a pace that is very frisky and oh-so very groovy. To spend some time on the dance floor with these beauties would be a very distinct honor. "Lost In Eternity," "Scaring Energy," "Universe So Deep" and "Massive Universe" are not only intricately detailed and extremely well crafted but each track has a rough-around-the-edges quality that comes from a lack of modern studio and software trickery and it suits each production perfectly, as if The Cronics learned lessons from the old goa masters who taught the lessons of less-is-so-much-more. The Cronics "Liquid Nova EP" is excellent psytrance - not good, not great, excellent! Available for free play or download at: http://goagalaxy.bandcamp.com/album/liquid-nova-ep

Thanks for your review, brother! I'm at a desk for 8-10 hours a day and I have time to listen to a LOT of music. Unless aliens abduct every psychedelic producer on the planet tomorrow there will probably be a bunch left to hear before I get tired of writing about them. Anyway, I hope my opinions are valid and that I can help in discovering some great music that truly pleases you.

VA - Into This Wired Abyss Volume 4 01 - Electrypnose - Some Hope Left (Far Mozaic Remix) 02 - Sigil - Utopia 03 - Erothyme - Finer Things 04 - False Identity - The Reformation of Disparity 05 - Xeno - Elevenwoods 06 - Atman Construct - Styx & Stoned 07 - Soulular - Native Tongue 08 - Zylla - ID10T 09 - Hello Mellow - Eat Sleep Sit Repeat 10 - Kompozart - Healing Battles 11 - Tea Tree - Spatial Awareness The fourth volume does a fair job of matching its three very worthy predecessors. The styles vary from pure lounge to dreamy down tempo to ultra-glitchy bass music and while some of these tracks get a bit toward the higher end of the BPM scale where down tempo is concerned the main goal of the compilation is to mellow things the fuck out. The essential listen on this one goes to Sigil's "Utopia" where every beat, every effect, every melody seems perfectly placed and balanced and if it becomes a bit repetitive, who cares when the sounds are this damn good? The honorable mentions go to the ambitious and nearly-epic "Far Mozaic Remix" of Electrypnose's "Some Hope Left," the delightful dub positivity of Tea Tree's "Spatial Awareness," Xeno's luminous "Elevenwoods" and Hello Mellow's instructional and wonderfully fulfilling "Eat Sleep Sit Repeat." Very honorable mention goes to False Identity who on "The Reformation Of Disparity" deliver another great production - making it one quality track on each of the volume's of this very good, glitchy, wompy, relaxing and sophisticated series. Available for free play or download at: http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/into-this-wired-abyss-vol-4