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Track list: 1. Prolegomenon 2. Bubble Drum 3. Arabian Lights 4. Extraordinarium 5. Ripples in Blue 6. Anima Mundi 7. Entangled 8. Spira Mirabilis 9. Stage Left Review: Looking at Ajja S. F. Leu’s release history under his ‘Ajja’ moniker, one could easily be fooled into expecting this new album to be a high-tempo, banging and atonal screech-fest like “Psychogenica” and “Tulpa” released in 2007 and 2012 respectively were before it. However, there’s much more to the guy: his early musical experiences were forged playing guitar in various rock and funk bands, while he also followed his family and worked as a tattoo artist. In early noughties, with his friends Master Margherita, Flooting Grooves and Dymons he created and then managed a label: Peak Records, which was known for its quirky and diverse music catalogue: from trippy band-like ambient (Peaking Goddess Collective, Peak… V/A’s), through mid-tempo proggy stuff (Flooting Grooves, Tangri) to relentless, night-time and driving floor-fillers (Electrypnose, Yab Yum, Ajja). Knowing the above, it’s becoming obvious how “Spira Mirabilis” came to be. The template is quite straightforward: take guitar noodling, some violins, pianos and flutes, ethereal voices; mix that with soothing, gentle acid lines and add a lots of sound mangling and glitch effects. In some tracks Ajja plays with the pace, starting from half-tempo and going to full-on later on, while others are firmly rooted in either of the opposite ends. But while the recipe sounds “easy”, it’s in how those components are mixed and matched together and here it’s pretty obvious that Ajja is a skilled and experienced musician, able to tell a complex story with the sound – taking the listener through ups and downs, effortlessly leading him from quieter and lush parts into more energetic, vibrant ones. Seasoned psytrancers will hear a lot of similarities to PGC’s “Organika” and Ajja & Cosmosis’ “The Alien Jams”, but the biggest surprise for me was how much it resembled of Shpongle’s “Museum of Consciousness”. Like that album, it’s also very soothing, gentle and un-aggressive, despite very often running at over 140BPM and being full of acid lines. There’s a lot of space, reverbs and contrasting elements that “smooth out” the overall sound, like e.g. the long, stretched-out, melancholic strings that enter in the opening track and few others later on as soon as they switch the tempo up. There’s also a lot of Shpongliness – which I mean as a compliment and not a critique! – in small sound effects and sequences, dreamy voice samples and above all in the deceiving simplicity of it all: it’s never flashy trying to mask lack of musical ideas with clever sound-design or technical tricks. It just confidently and effortlessly IS a very good music, expressed through the means of psychedelic trance. What elevates it above many contemporary releases is the mastering, done by the legendary Kevin Metcalfe (he worked with David Bowie, The Who, The Police, Paul McCartney, Queen, Depeche Mode, Shpongle… the list goes on). It is noticeably quieter, but much more spacious, breathing and warm, letting all the detail to come through without overly emphasizing any particular frequency band. As a result, it's equally pleasing and balanced while playing silently or loudly. I’m so happy that album like this exists and – looking at Psyshop and Beatport charts – is doing really well! Artists shouldn’t be afraid to experiment, to express their musical ideas and personality. In time where most of them are doing their damnedest to cater to very specific, narrow-tasted audience, Ajja does the opposite and is boldly straddling the (fairly) uncharted space between instrumental chill/downtempo and night-time electronic music, mixing the two to a great effect. Maybe it’s not perfect (I still cringe at the slap bass samples, because they sound like General MIDI patches or the electric feedback hum in last track), but it’s so very refreshing and non-conformist that it’s difficult to be indifferent to it. And I personally love it! 5/5 Full album to stream on TIP Record's YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLF_JLOo4y5mFlDzbXVwzXb8FAnQbuJIr Purchase here: https://tiprecords1.bandcamp.com/album/spira-mirabilis https://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/tip/tip1cd820.html http://www.beatspace.com/10074/Tip+Records/AJJA/Spira+Mirabilis+/detail.aspx

Artist: Various Artists Title: Sangomandala compiled by Daksinamurti Label: Sangoma Catalogue: SANGCD013 Release: September 9th 2016 Format: CD/Digital Mastering: Scorb @ TRK Mastering Artwork: Ashtak Singh (Trilochana) preorder: http://timecode.bandcamp.com/album/sangomandala-compiled-by-daksinamurti 1. Scorb vs Virtual Light & Random - Rogue Stimulants 145 2. Psymmetrix & Ajja Feeling the FX (Kabayun Rmx 2016 edit) 147 3. Diksha & Purist Natural Medicine 148 4. DripDrop Big Banyan 148 5. Virtual Light & Module Virus Luminous Flesh of Giants 149 6. Nektar & PoEt White Rocks 148 7. Yudhisthira & Kala (Anthill) Substance and Shadow 147 8. Obliviant & Fungus Funk Competitive Spirituality 146 9. Black Noise & Peyotes Bipolar 146 10. Ingrained Instincts & ManMadeMan Replicant 3 145 11. Cosinus & Daksinamurti Indra Tandava (bonus track) 150 samples: Sangoma Records present Sangomandala the new compilation of our labelmanager Daksinamurti a unique blend of sophisticated music, which gets straight to the point getting you into an ecstatic state of trance. Legends from the early days of Goatrance, new discoveries, Sangoma regulars and some of the best contemporary artists join forces and deliver some amazing collaborations. The selection is an inward journey full of analog sounds giving a very organic and timeless approach to the musical selection suitable for any hour of the day. A specific element of this release is its groove that develops its own deepness into hypnotic effects and inner landscapes. Creating archetypes in a Jungian sense that resonate with collectively unconscious ideas, primordial images and patterns of thought that is universally present in individual psyches. An aural music selection far away from any of this genres stereotypes and attitudes, like a sonic mandala this music may be employed for practitioners, adepts and listeners as a spiritual guidance tool for establishing a sacred space, and as an aid to meditation and trance induction. Fb: www.facebook.com/Djdaksi www.sangomarecords.com

The Arabesque page just came up and at this time is empty, but you can read about the story of the album - and listen to a sample of the music - on Cosmosis' page: http://cosmosis.co.uk/blog/cosmosis-and-ajja-live-giger-museum I'm happy it will finally get released! Now, it's time for a new Cosmosis album ...

Title: Cryptoforestry compiled by Emiel Artist: Various Artists Label: Sangoma Catalogue: SANGCD012 Release: May 2015 Format: CD/Digital Mastering: Tim Schuldt @4CN Artwork: Andy Thomas Tracklist: 01. Makumba & Confo - Rolling Crickets 148 02. Mark Day vs ZZ Bing OctoDamage 148 03. Archaic Adyton 150 04. Kabayun & Drip Drop Khabi Na Marsi 148 05. Vertical Funland 148 06. Module Virus & Chris Rich - De Weed The Lab 148 07. Fungus Funk & Diksha Illegal Alien 148 08. Ajja & Simiantics CodePendants 146 09. Imaginary Sight vs MPF (Via Axis & ProAgressivo) - Purple Jello 148 10. Yab Yum - Disconnect (Remix) 145 Sangoma Records proudly presents the second chapter of Emiels compilation trilogy Cryptoforestry. This selection grew over the past 9 months, constantly changing and evolving till Emiel was satisfied with the outcome. The result is a fusion of nature and technology, organic and synthetic elements, as well as digital and analog influences with love for the detail that is also reflected in the artwork by Andy Thomas. 10 action packed tunes and amazing collaborations of top contemporary artists of the psychedelic trance biotope wait to be explored. The Wilderness returns to your urban environment in form of crispy obscure groovy sounds fitting day and nighttime and made to played outside; a sonic honey pot for all sort of creatures, party animals and cryptoforesters who seek something real in an artificial surrounding or who wants to reconnect with primal inner nature. In the music a glimpse of our ancient tribal tradition survived, both fragile and resilient at the same time and against all odds it offers an antidote for the undesirable side effects of modern civilization. Sangoma Records medicinal music. fb: https://www.facebook.com/sangomarecords/ http://www.sangomarecords.com

VA - Rolling Stoners Label: Digital Om Tracklist: 01. Groove Addict Vs Treavor Moontribe - Shiva's Melt 02. Ital - Fresh Vibes 03. Spinal Fusion Vs Mad Monkey - Nirvana Sky 04. Space Vision - Dank 05. Eclipse Echoes Vs Woodstech - Freak Revolution 06. Mental Broadcast Vs Technology - 2 Worlds 07. Earthspace - Modulated Pathway 08. Mental Control Vs Nevermind - The Green Spell 09. Beyond Repair - Trichome Army 10. Samadhi - Rolling Stoned 11. Ajja Vs Jovis - Dopaque 12. Gaspard - Sacrilicious 13. Dust - Mantra 14. Whiptongue Vs Smokeship - Back To 50's 15. Headworks - Doodlebug 16. Drumatik Vs Airi - Scary Doors 17. Electric Mirror - The Human Form 18. Bubbleguns - Earth Kid 19. Entropy - My Pink Salad 20. Babagoon - 420 Not sure I'm a fan of the album title - likely a drug reference or maybe a play on the old adage of "a rolling stone gathers no moss". Not so sure I'm a fan of the album art, either. But where it matters I happen to be quite happy with the results. Beginning with some pleasant early evening psytrance and working its way later in the collection to some peak-hour full-on and igniting brightly with some twilight sounds, this lengthy 20-track compilation offers up quite a few sturdy tunes, a couple of genuine gems and only a minimal number of duds. Of the sturdy tracks, of which there are many, Ital offers up his typical brand of above-average full-on, Eclipse Echoes vs Woodstech offer up a rowdy rumbler, Beyond Repair is blissfully beyond funky and Electric Mirror is, well, electric. Mental Broadcast vs Technology offer up a great one, Mental Control vs Nevermind are spellbinding and Headworks is rock-solid. Of the duds, Samadhi samples The Doors in ways that are overused and cliched at this point in psytrance history, the usually great Ajja is quite underwhelming and, in a complete travesty, the best sounding track on the album, from Whiptongue vs Smokeship, is annoyingly undone by cheesy Jerry Lee Lewis samples. With the gems, "Rolling Stoners" (still don't like that title) starts off on the excellent work of Groove Addict vs Treavor Moontribe who fascinate with catchy tribal vocals and delicious early evening psytrance on "Shiva's Melt," a track layered with just the correct levels of progressive. Great track! Space Vision's "Dank" is beautiful and trance-inducing, like a gorgeous lightning storm stretched out on the horizon. Dust is his usual, excellent, super-well-produced full-on self on "Mantra." Earthspace makes a triumphant return to full-on, rediscovering every great element that made his Ovnimoon Records EPs so damn good, leaving behind him, perhaps only for now, the misguided psygressive style he has until recently been focusing on. With "Modulated Pathway" this very gifted producer celebrates and delivers every characteristic that makes full-on great - wicked good tempo, slick and invigorating effects, hard and funky melodies. This one crackles! My vote for top-dog in this solid collection goes to Drumatik Vs Airi for their twilight brilliance on "Scary Doors," a track that moves with frenetic energy and fascinates with delicious atmosphere. Of several great tracks, this is the one that deserves to be heard above all else. Sure, I dislike the title (if a "rolling stone gathers no moss" where does that leave the forest freaks? Or, if it's a drug reference... really? Rolling stoners? That's the best you could come up with?) and I'm still waiting for the album cover to grow on me but I'm afraid it may not. But to use a different adage, it's best not to judge this book by its cover. There's a lot of exciting tunes to be missed by doing that. Props to Jafar for compiling this massively good compilation.

http-~~-//vimeo.com/32753291 More info: http://cosmosis.co.u...ve-giger-museum Ajja and Billy are currently mixing down the multitrack recorded at the gig for release as a double live CD album.