rino

I opted for the "Other" option, because I tend to spin an old classical record every once in a while. I also like the '80s sound of U2. I know a lot of people consider that just some cheap crossover, clash between pop and "fake" rock, but I like it. A lot. I also have, and like to listen to, some Pink Floyd records. Actually I don't have 'em any longer, I think my mom took those vinyls with her Otherwise I just listen to psy trance. I was never one of those people who are "sorrounded" by music 24/7/365, and who let it play if for nothing else then just to have background noise, although I never leave my house without ear phones on... At home, I sometimes prefer silence.

What is going on in this thread??? It started out with a bunch of praise, and now it seems nobody likes this V.A. anymore... I want to give some more positive feedback I think "Twist dreams" righteously deserves, as it just kicks ass! I don't think there is a single trace of cheesy music here- all the tracks are killers! No weak and lousy melodies, no repetitive and annoying bass lines, and above all, none of the artists are bringing that exaggerated larger-than-life attitude to the table. Flow wise it works just great. And it tends to move away from the overly melodic path Suntrip Records has been pursueing since day one. Don't get me wrong, this is still very much in the good ol' Suntrip vein, packed with neck snapping beats, head spinning leads and stomping dance floor killers. To a certain extent I could agree with the previous statements saying that this time around, stand out tracks are nowhere to be found. May just be true. But while it's true that "Apsara" has a few, OK, more than a few, marvellous tunes, "Twist dreams" is a stand out compilation on its own. Structure wise it sounds compiled better than 85% of today's artist albums. As for the stand out tracks, I'd still stick with Khetzal and Merr0w, but it's really a situation where these two picks are just about as good as any. Front to back, this compilation can actually get played from its starting to its ending milisecond, without resorting to that damn skip button. And that is something I haven't heard, and haven't had the opportunity to experience in a while. Way to go! Two thumbs + eight other skiny fingers up for this one!

Oh, come on now Jon, do you really need those samples. Stop being a drama queen ! I mean, a V.A. with 3 Afgin tracks, two properly released Chi A.D. monsters, and two Filteria's remixes, of which one is amazing...

It's not that I find this album bad, far from it, I just don't think it's strinkingly sensational, or highly innovative either. It's a nice ride through a universe of wicked climaxes, highways of melodic bliss and mayhem, but it was all already done and heard on "Sky input"- and it was executed far better! Filteria's debut had enough ideas and took enough directions to comfortably make two albums emerge out of it, while "Heliopolis" offers little new. Which is not bad per se, because I generally don't mind an artist pursuing the same sound over the course of two albums, but when I sense a pattern of unvarying and identical sounds being frequently used time after time, it tends to get annoying. Tracks like Speech Module, Pyrogen, Mind Expansion (short version) and even the remix of Lunar Civilization really have a little to say or show, with the exception of cascades of wild and uncontrolled melodies romping all over, without any determined focus or direction. OK, so Filteria made it pretty darn clear the last time around how layered his tracks can be, so why take us through the same process again, and not succeed to even graze his chefs-d'oeuvre of the past is beyond my comprehension. Even the immortal Crop Circles track is reduced to another neo goa trance stomper, with high octane energy and supposedly bewildering melodies, which we've all been confronted with before- and they seemed better too! However, along with its lows, the album has some high points too- and at times it really manages to impress! The opener, Unfiltered (moon remix), is a track I really favor, mainly mainly due to its structure: it takes time to gradually build up and take you in, before dragging you inside Filteria's reign of acidic madness, and then from 06:00 the lead melody just sweeps away all doubts about mr. Tzakis' talent. Speaking of emphasized and constructive melodies, this is where it happens, IMO. And as so many reviewers stressed out before me, the key note changes/modulations on Reflected and Rotate To Vibrate are where this album really gains some points in my grading book. Instead of just letting the tracks pursue an igneous, exhausting, relentless and monotonously chaotic path, Filteria adds sudden surprise twists, making the tunes abruptly turn into more interesting and ear pleasing musical masterpieces! I really enjoy the last third of the sixth track, and Reflected from 04:42 on is just marvellous, if not my favorite track on the album! Overall, "Sky input" came first, and it sounded like nothing else on the market upon its release. Which clearly makes it far more valuable in my opinion. It was a raw, no-holds-barrel monster unleashed on the market at a time when not even in my wildest dreams could I have hoped to hear anything like it! But by the time "Heliopolis" dropped, Suntrip Records already released the wonderful Apsara compilation and Khetzal's stunning debut Corolle, and Filteria's sophmore release got justifiably shaded by the aforesaid releases. At any given time of any given party, most of this album would incinerate any dance stage, but for what it is, I would even not dare call it a great sequel to his debut.

IMHO, as far as full on goes, this can even come across as a decent listen. But only according to average full on standards. As for the notes taking, I actually think it's the other way around. I reckon the suntrippers learned quite a few tricks from the Pleiadians!

Yeah, I've been playing this one for quite some time now. Amazing stuff... I guess I can say I snatched everything with Afgin's name on it during this past year or so. I can't wait for that album on Kagdila Records!

It's on Afgin fresh 'n' amazing promo MP3 album... I can PM you guys the track after the soccer game is over!!! Not before though... Go Go Go Croatia!!! :clapping: :clapping:

Blasphemy! The balls it takes to disdain Clarke's & Wenhan's work on a public psy trance forum... Anyways, I am positive your friend was very supportive when you were making that unfortunate decision to bless your trash can with the CD. I know I would have been delighted. Anyways, wouldn't know anything about the release, as I never heard it, and I'm not even sure if it would be worth the sweat after reading the comment above, but it is Hunab Ku after all!

The smiley emperor himself gave me approval. Wow! Anyways, speaking of Jan's DJ sets, from what I've recently heard, his sets consist mostly of vocalized electro and stuff.

:drama:

V.A. Pure Planet vol. 2 (2007) (Kagdila Records) From what I've seen it's not on discogs yet, and I don't have that option to add releases and stuff...

V.A. Pure Planet vol. 2 Artist: various Year: 2007 Label: Kagdila Records Distribution: Arabesque Distribution Format: CD, unfold digipack Running time: 74:20 Catalog #: KAGCD24 Track list: #1. Afgin- communicate 09:00 #2. Afgin- cosmic meditate 09:27 #3. Afgin- old is gold 08:19 #4. Chi A.D.- black light 08:01 #5. Chi A.D.- blue effect 11:13 #6. Filteria- operation pulse (live rmx) 11:20 #7. Filteria- ultimator (ultimated rmx) 10:12 #8. Omegahertz- atea 06:48 Hey, it seems like the whole old school got smacked across its lazy, stone cold face with a fully operational revival mechanism! After a slew of free Metapsychic Records releases, and this year's amazing Twist Dreams compilation, it's time for the crew at Kagdila Records to do their share. And I naturally have my high expectations, especially since the aforesaid label really hit the spot with last year's immaculate Peace Therapy vol. 2 release, and it's been around 3 years since the first installement of Pure Planet hit the shelves. First I'll take a second to comment the beautiful cover artwork, and its use of color, and the amazing blend of the sun's rays with the green leaves, which works just fine, and hints for who is this music fabricated for: all the crazy morning people! However, my grudge is with the inside; once the digipack is open, the track and artist information written on the back of the front cover is printed in the smallest, most illegible gray font I have ever come across. I swear, out of a whole page I could only decipher the last two lines, where it says: "Big respect all / Shu-Ki @ Kagdila Records"! The rest borders unreadableness, unless you listen to your music equipped with a Sherlock Holmes first aid kit! Cover aside, let's see what they prepared for us... #1. Afgin- communicate Ah, Afgin, the man who raised more than a dozen eyebrows with his tracks previously released on Metapsychic's and Suntrip's releases, and his free promo MP3 album was a true blast from the past. Yeah, old is still gold as you can sense as soon as the track kicks off, and the news about his forthcoming album on Kagdila only makes me put that label in the bin with those other "to watch out for" record companies. The track has a nice, slow and buliding intro, with glimpses of a first melody coming in @ 02:30, with some nice building acidic synths and all, but it's soon interrupted by a sample, and then again from 04:25 we're all into some morning bliss! And after about five minutes the track really pulls itself together with a superbly tasty morning melody, and it only gets better... A wonderful way to open a compilation- as Afgin really pulls off a superb freshman track here- it's strenghth lays primarily in its construction; it starts slowly, lures you into it, explodes, climaxes and then slowly sneaks out. #2. Afgin- cosmic meditate This one starts with a "classic" background melody and some divinity praising sample, but soon a strong drum kick rolls in, and we're all in for some dance friendly frenzy. Melodies, light, but lush and fast, are just scampering all over and as soon as you get into them, a new one somehow finds its way in! I have never heard this track before, and boy this one has the old is gold trademark stamped all over it. And the melodies keep on building onto each other, creating some real fireworks of euphoric, that's-the-way-I-like it goa trance, and just check the break with the re-introduction of the initial sample, that highly emotional background melody, and then from 06:38 you're back on the dance floor, tryin' to fish for the stars! Way to go Afgin!!! #3. Afgin- old is gold This is the one Afgin fans should already be acquainted with, as it appeared on his last year's promo release, but it has very justifiably menaged to find its place on this compilation. And I'd say it fairly earned it. Starts kind of breakbeatish, only until a nice vibe is created though. Then Afgin exposes us to some more of his old school wizardry- uplifting synths, snippets of light-hearted melodies, which make their presence known by dangling in the background or rather paving a tunnel to enlightenment in the forefront, just like those amazing melodies after the acidic build-ups at around 05:20 & the whole ending part starting @ 07:00! Great track! #4. Chi A.D.- black light Dave Young... What else to say? Maybe I should add that this is a track from his never officially released Earth Crossing album? I think you get it by now: the track then must rock. Why? I guess that is pretty self explanatory: especially after the long, building intro transforms into an epic tune of colossal proportions- just what you'd come to expect from Chi A.D.! The track is just swaddled with atmospheric, haunting I'd dare say, melodies, and a straight-up, relentless and forward pushing drive, culminating at 05:25, after a smaller break and a great build up! Those last two and a half minutes should make any old school freak cry, head between your palms, your eyes directed and focused on your Chi A.D. releases, wondering how did such a gem ever get so heavily neglected and rudely swept under the corporate carpet... #5. Chi A.D.- blue effect Hailing from the same source as the previous track, this atmospheric monster, as I like to put it, is really something for the early morning hours, or even better- an introduction to some heavier night time stuff, or maybe for those afternoons of self at home... I kind of feel that the guitar riffs are really out of place here, especially because they tend to alter the otherwise rather smooth flow of the track... The kick is far from being original, but it creates a constant variable in the track, so to speak, just perfect for hopping under those eye-poking green forest trees, leaping out of the cover! There are two really uplifting climaxes here: one shortly after six minutes, and then a similar break is then brought back for another melodic explosion @ 08:50! A great tune, IMHO Chi A.D. fully delivers, and I would accept with both hands any track off Earth Crossing any given time of the day! #6. Filteria- operation pulse (live rmx) Holy shit with a bottle of bladder incinerating Jack Daniels and 22 moist spliffs, if there was such a thing, this right here is the BOMB!!! Goosebumps I get all over right from the first second!!! I had this one on this recorded live act from Filteria @ the Goaway Party, and it rocked my world for sure. What can I add- crack your windows open, brandish your doors far and wide, NO- take your doors off the hinges and let this little jewel shine brighter than your neighborhood pimp's Caddy! Y'all know the original, right? Well, this is around two steps up the ladder. The intro is simply marvellous, and oh yeah, that female voice going: "The future of all mankind..." literary transforms my heart into a Duracell battery!!! Blissful moments you'll be going through right there in your bedroom. Hell, the shivers I get down my spine just cannot be real- i need to pull out my spinal cord and whip my whole skull with it until my gray matter doesn't dissolve upon initial contact with the bone marrow! Whatever. And what is that from 07:03? Oh, so it gets even more intense? Is it possible? Yeah, very much so. This has got to be, without a single trace of a doubt, one of the greatest live remixes I have ever heard. Great stuff, it only makes me wonder what this guy's two hour live act must sound like. This is a terrorist attack on anybody willing to succumb to massive leads, smashing acidic synths, and a whole (over)dose of in-your-face pumping energy!!! #7. Filteria- ultimator (ultimated rmx) Huh, Ultimator was my favorite track (or so I remember) from "Sky input", but that is not of relevance here! What is relevant is the simple fact that this remix rocks. No time for the long opening the original had, this one gets right to the core pretty fast- and what's there for us? A massive climax, a collage of shrieky, joyous and wildly arranged melodies. Dare I say it, is this a tad over the top? I mean, you have got to hear this, it's so layered at times, that I truly do not know what melody, sound or effect should I focus on! This is yet another sonic dynamite that should turn any party into a stargate for the fifth dimension! Despite the occasional lighter parts, there is little time to rest here. This is one of Jannis' most intense, uptempo and chaotic tracks to date. In the same vein as the whole debut album- it just tries to stay on top for the whole ten minutes. Don't misinterpret me here- this is a remix of gargantuan proportions, but that may be where its problem resides, for as just as the great giant I used to compare this track to, it may be too "big", or at least striving to be just that... Structure wise, I could say this one barely has it- there are tons upon tons of layers and melodies cropping onto each other, avalanches of acidic synths are riddling your ear-drums, torrents of sounds and FX are thrown anywhere and everywhere they could be squeezed in- a full on warfare of a track. Those who still cannot get enough of Filteria's first album should in no way be without this baby! #8. Omegahertz- atea OK, back to planet earth, with the Omegahertz, who have up to now brought me nothing but rainy days and black clouds over my forehead. Their "contribution" to last year's V.A. Purple Energy 2 release made me throw my chicken wings 30 feet up in the air. But this may come as a positive surprise. Well, inferior to each and every of the previous seven track, but it seems that the greek producers learned a trick or two up in the studio since the last round. This is, for starters, a very uplifting and simply put, a happy track. The melodies are cheesy, yeah, but I can see this one actually pleasing some listeners. Far better than any of their work from last year's compilation. The melodies, despite their overly joyous nature, are somehow nicely executed, and suit the track's vibe. Not for everyone's taste, but it's not horrible either. On the bright side of things, its positivity just might be its ticket to some dance freaks ears. The guys over at Kagdila Records could have probably put forth an effort to find a better closing track, but on a compilation of this caliber, who's looking? A decent way to end an otherwise very good compilation! To conclude, you sure get your money's worth here- and especially if you're an old school lover! The Chi A.D. tracks are a must for any older goa trance freak, and you just need to own the Afgin tracks, as I can sense this guy will become highly sought after later on! He can deliver those goa vibes like few others, and he really knows how to hit the right notes, as his composition talent is amazing. Afgin has truly paved his way via the internet, and it's time for a proper release. And the two Filteria remixes are essential to all the Suntrip Records fans, and I include myself there, as well as to all dance freaks and party people who slam their heads for long hours during the night time, as though judgment day was coming! Kagdila Records really surprised me with this safe purchase- there is at least sixty minutes of excellent music here to please all the goa heads. Trust me on this one! Old schoolers, get your copy now, while this one is still in stock! And newcomers, hop on this ride, get a lesson from the past, enjoy what this has to offer for the present, and catch a glimpse of the future! Highly recommended! Favorite tracks: 2, 4, 6.

This one is on its way to my home adress... So a review will (hopefully) see the light of day some time before the weekend is over!

Khetzal :drama: Hell, nobody wants to hear a Subcouds album??? I'd take 5 years away from my life to hear that one... Rhythmystec, the legendary project which only released two amazing vinyls on Matsuri Productions, and had appearances on around a dozen compilations... Those are my top top top 3 from the top top top of my head!

Quick comments: A new release by Felipe? YAY! If anyone, I'm hyped- especially this time, as I am well aware that Felipe has switched style, and that I had somewhat mixed feelings about those recent samples, so I'm anxious to hear whether or not will this new style be something I will eventually go crazy about! A Mad Scientist's Night: The first track, asides from a heavy, fast and uplifting kick, doesn't really start until around 0:50, when after a "Prepare to be astonished!" sample, a load of cool melodies and acidic synths slowly hail from the background, and it all eventually adds up to one bigger melody, which kicks off at 01:48, right after the same sample from 60 seconds ago reappears. Lasting only for around 30 seconds, the melody is out and away before really even putting on the table all it's got, but worry not- soon enough acidic melodies will once again resurrect and completely take over the track, and let me not even get started about those sinister effectes kicking in at 03:20! What are those??? Amazing! Well, those amazing effects, combined with the previously introduced acidic synths just let this track flow all over the place, with a kazillion sounds flowing in from all over, and at 04:25 you know that a massive lead is knocking at your door! Soon enough it's there, but the final devastating blow takes place a lil' after 05:05, when the same sample is used (again!?) and then- boom!!! The lead melody takes over, and this track turns into a mad one for sure. Wild it is, no doubt. Oh yeah, and to make that final touch all the more complete, those excellent effects I so much liked before, are now re-introduced to the track, and are skillfully used to end the track as well. Overall, I like this trac a lot, as it's very euphoric and uplifting, and I really do not think it even begins to border any nitzho type track, and let alone cheese... Although the sample may ware out pretty soon in my ears, as I find it overused during these seven minutes, it really shouldn't be any trouble to all the party freeks out there who won't be paying too much attention to it. But for home listening, I might get a little tired of it, and a little too soon. Excellent track all the way through, though! Alibaba And The 40 Acid Puzzle: This one starts with an eastern influenced melody, which quickly enough gets accompanied by a stomping bass kick and some nice acidic melodies are finding their way to the forefront. At around 01:50 some short snippets of a lighter melody kick in, but it isn't really until 02:55 that we get a real melody here. And to be honest, this one doesn't really do it for me. It's too... Well, hit me with a sledgehammer across the head, but it's just too nitzho for me. It's very uplifting, but I guess this is one of those situations that I was discussing with Felipe here some time back: he just cannot please everybody with this new direction he's taken! Tracks like this one will sure gain him some new fans, and will most likely become dance floor sure shots, but likewise, some fans will just have to take a back seat. See, I was more of a fan of his tracks from last year's Ataraxia EP (Southern Oracle still gets massive spins at my crib), or his older work (hopefully soon to be released in proper sound quality on his Lost Tapes album...) like Lunar Stains, the super acidic Organic Humanoids, Mysteries Of The Women or Eternal Life and... What was it called? Yoga! And this EP I am commenting right now sounds more in the vein of his older tracks like, per instance, When The Universe Was Created and to a greater extent, Tabernacle. Which doesn't immediately mean that I have to bash this new production, dubbing it some "cheap nitzho", as it is much more than that. It's more of a fact that Felipe has been keeping my interest and expectataions pretty high for quite some time now, from his Apsara track and even before, via some of those unreleased gems... Back to the track: a brave move to suddenly drop his Lost Buddha project, and come out with a whole new moniker, full of fresh ideas- and they all get displayed. Will they be to everyone's liking? I do not know, but I doubt it, as the kind of uplifting, euphoric and epic trance Felipe is offering was never to everyone's taste! And just to prove my point, take the melody at 04:56- very, very uplifting and all, but that is the waaaay over the top uplifting I never liked. I mean, it must break any crowd into pieces, true, but that does not necessarily make it outstanding in my ears. Dare I say, cheesy at times, and IMO, Felipe missed his chance to save this one! Why & where? Man, when that melody (which is much better than the previous two on this track) starts to come back at 06:43, I was expecting another huge, bombastic climax at around 07:00, but instead the track suddenly ends, leaving me well, empty! I really needed that one more climax! You think something can be done about that Felipe? So yeah, what can I say? One track I really like, and the other one I am not so crazy about. I am sure many will be though, just as I'm sure they'll have their reasons. But as a foretaste of what is to come, I am glad that Felipe is not afraid to take quantum leaps in terms of changing styles and sound, so I won't judge this Pandemonium release yet, I'll wait for the real album! P.S.: Yo, Felipe! I read in that other post that you left out on yet another contract! What's up with that man! You really have some talent, and IMHO you deserve to get that proper release out- are you really having all that trouble finding a label? It would be sad to let it all end at this, if you follow me! Anyways, keep the music coming, my ears are always open! This new (to quote myself again) euphoric, uplifting and epic trance Felipe has set himslef to produce sounds promising, but approach with caution, as it's not something I would recommend to everybody. Giving it a try, though, is essential!

6 Dimension Soundz rule!!! All of their releases thus far have been amazing, but need I pick a favorite, it would just have to be last years V.A. No Possible Soundz!!! It is by far my number pick of 2006, and whether Sharaku, or anybody else for that matter considers it old or new school does not really bother me. It is, plain and simple, amazing music- highly original, dancable, yet very psychedelic. I just hope they can continue the amazing legacy! Keep up the great work!

Yeah, I have it already for a few days now, and this album still sounds great. Especially after Vox performed his great live act in Zagreb a few weeks ago. Must I be honest, the first track does not impress me much any longer, but the rest of the album is a firm killer. And hell, believe me, it sure does its thing when the dancefloors are in question!

I bow my head in apology... :drama: While bowing, I'm laughing my ass off by looking at your avatar... And so there we are, writting about nothing in a thread which originally was about nothing. And I am mainly to blame for it. Oh well... Yeah, did I mention it? That is some mean looking avatar!

I want this one badly too, but am out of money for the next 20 days or so... My London trip sent my budget down the drain! Oh well, I reckon there'll be a copy or two waitin' on my greedy hands somewhere...

Oh, I see! And that is why you had to bring this dead as Dillinger thread back to life...?

V.A. Beats & Beyond (2000) Squaremeat- Wave Soup (2000) Flying Scorpions- Lippotena Cervi (2003) ...And eventhough it's not that old, and I reckon you might have it, try out last year's beautiful V.A. No Possible Soundz... I am officially in love with that compilation!

:wank:

WOW! Was it really only that simple?

I have this already for a while now, on CD... A fun watch, indeed!

God, I am officially tempted... I have everything you want, but likewise, I have everything you're offering. With one exception- and I have to think about it. I ma still very, very tempted...