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Artist: Human Error Title: The DNA is DOA Label: CRL Studios Date: April, 2012 1. Population 0 2. The DNA is DOA 3. Overrun 4. Inevitable 5. Hopeless Utopia (c0ma Remix) 6. Satcom 410-NE (Tokee Remix) 7. Hopeless Utopia (Dyskhord Remix) 8. Satcom 410-NE (Lucidstatic Remix) 9. Finite (Pandora's Black Book Remix) "Once you actually start to look around...you start to wonder if you'd be doing society a favor by getting rid of all these people." Ok the Donald Trump hordes are getting out of control. Please know that this is a very vocal minority of people that follow this douche pickle. Imagine a not so distant future where the basic normalcy of life has been disrupted. Where democracy has ceased to exist and man has reverted to his more tribal instincts. Technology has evolved, but not all are privy to it and everywhere are faded and crumbling monoliths to our past greatness. Not prospering. Just surviving. Pretty much every post apocalyptic movie ever made. May I introduce you to its very bleak soundtrack. Human Error is Tom Box from the UK and he has created quite the atmosphere full of futuristic melancholy. He explores all areas of downtempo with breakbeats, dark ambient, and industrial glitch. It flows from still quiet to aggressive menace all while carrying its sense of dread like a scar. Worth a listen surely and it's one of those name your price digital albums. But I'll warn you the latter part leans heavily towards the industrial side of things. Human Error Bandcamp

Artist: Mindwave Title: Concept of Freedom Label: Iono Music Date: April, 2012 1. Intro 2. Light of loss 3. Simple Moves 4. Guiding Voice 5. Within You 6. Levity 7. New Day 8. Underwater 9. Concept of freedom 10. Deepest Thoughts "Freedom is not something that we easily understand." Sometimes you're just in the mood for a little progressive. No, that's Progresso soup. Most tender chicken ever? It is getting colder here and that sounds delicious. When I need my progressive trance fix I turn to the leader of the pack Iono Music who very rarely let me down. This is Anton Maiko, yet another Russian residing in Israel. It's like Russia south down there. The Israeli vodka machine must be working overtime. With his third album he delivers the kind of tunes that are right in my strike zone. Flowing melodic stuff that makes you wiggle in the middle. Simple Moves dwells in the clouds, but still retains its big bottom end. New Day brings a feeling of hope with great effects. Female vocals in several tracks give the music a dreamlike spiritual gravitas. But all the tracks have that lush appeal that mark an Iono release. Washes, punchy bass lines, reverb, and delay set to 11. Yep the gang's all here. If you want to drift away this is your ticket. Hell yeah this is recommended. It's one of the best progressive releases I've heard in a while. Beatspace Psyshop Mdk

Artist: Sunstryk Title: Ascending Soul EP Label: Plusquam Date: April, 2012 1. Ascending Soul 2. Ascending Soul (Ovnimoon Remix) "I'm not afraid of dying..." Yeah that's how I feel. Take an average track, give it to Hector and he Ovnimoons it. The original was bare and laid back, but the remix was more aggressive. That's what he does. Even that didn't make me jump out of my seat though. Not bad, just...meh. Beatport

Artist: Cosmic Replicant Title: Supersensitive EP Label: PurEuphoria Records Date: April, 2012 01 - Chromosphere (100 BPM) 02 - Inner Fly (100 BPM) 03 - Supersensitive (85 BPM) 04 - Space Creator (90 BPM) Who's ready for some cold, Russian downtempo? It's the dead of winter in Red Square with snowflakes tumbling from dark clouds heavy with moisture. Never seen a Russian winter? Me neither. But this will get you there faster than if you called Putin a homo. Hold your hands close to the paltry fire to gain some warmth as night closes in during Inner Fly. As the arpeggio cycles listen to the alien skitterings underneath in Supersensitive. Good layers and a nice dark atmosphere make this a treat. A little more track development would be nice, but this is still worth your time. Pavel closes with a dreamy and floating track that just melts away minutes. Pretty good. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Somnesia Title: Mystic Moon Label: Gliese 581C Date: April, 2012 01 - Mystic Sun 02 - Encounter 03 - Goa Spirit 04 - Cosmic Gate 05 - Halluminium 06 - Nomad's Land (Original Version) 07 - Beyond The Sky (Extended Version) 08 - Space Liquid 09 - Dusk Till Dawn "I believe that these extra terrestrial vehicles and their crews are visiting this planet from other planets, which are obviously a little more technically advanced than we are here on Earth." Not possible. Christophe Grossel is no stranger to goa trance. As Somnesia, you've heard his tracks like When Kali Meditates (Goa Overdose), Eternal Life (The Omega Point), and Sunlight (Future Architecture). Awesome stuff. Did I mention he is also a member of our little corner of the web? But in a world of what have you done for me lately there hasn't been an album. Until now. Released on Gliese 581C he presents you with his debut. For free. Apparently he used to work for them. Forgive me I'm old, when I worked for someone, I actually had to fight traffic and drive there, fight it out with a grossly overweight co-worker as to who would get the last half eaten creme filled donut (C'mon fatty cut me a break isn't this your third one?), and try to look busy for most of the day. Working for a net label, he probably did all his sh*t with his fuzzy bunny slippers on. Gotta take a sh*t? F*ck it, do it with the door open that chick from marketing with the wonky eye can't see you. Sign of the times I guess. First thing that jumps out is the beautiful cover. A dark blue night with a nebulous cloud drifting across the full moon. Nice looking and it basically tells you what you're gonna get. Mystic Sun- Holy crap if the intro was any longer it would be an ambient track. You don't hear a kick until past the 3 minute mark. Fine by me, because this is storytelling by the light of a campfire. Ominous pads and running synths have me looking skyward. The track has a give and take quality...not giving you everything at once, but parsing it out in measured amounts. If you're not thinking about space when you hear this, then you must already be there. Encounter- Undulating is the perfect word to describe how the opening synth behaves. It twists around you like an anaconda and when it's ready applies the force to crush the life out of you. At almost 10 minutes long it continues to build to an powerful climax that...that could be the most unintentionally erotic thing I have ever written. (I say written, but who the f*ck writes anymore? I wrote a check the other day and it looked like my 3 year old penned it. Shoulda used a crayon.) That lead is constant, never vanishing throughout the whole track. Pretty impressive. Felt like I was riding that...whatever the f*ck it is in the neverending story. Blistering track. Goa Spirit- I don't know why but I thought this said goa spice. Hmmm....goa spice.... She had to have seen her time with the Spice Girls was short. You think Posh is going to put up with sunshine's shower optional policy? And how long will the label tolerate her blowing the budget on weed, hackey-sacks and patchouli? You know who I feel sorry for? C*cksucker spice. Would've broadened the bands appeal and she never gets a shot. Well, other than a money shot. Cheesy. Too much. Made my stomach hurt. Oh, not the track. This was the bagel with cheese I had for breakfast. The track is awesome. Mysterious vibe with leads bundled together like fiber optic cables. Dances as one would if you were walking on hot coals, never lingering in one spot for too long. It builds to a point and then halfway through begins to reorganize. Ever seen a skier tumble down a hill? F*cking garage sale with skis flying this way and that? No matter how hard you try to stop it only makes it worse? Well, it's like that, but in a great way. Intensity increases, layers multiply and at the end you're looking around wondering where the f*ck that came from? Cosmic Gate- Rapid fire dark vibes with shimmering synths bring the feel of space into the living room. Melodies tumble like the particles of a recently exploded star and this would make great driving music. He throws different melodies at you in enticing layers that make this one a delight. Halluminium- Triplets are creepy. Why are we spending so much money trying to find extra-terrestrial life from up above when those freakshows are walking among us? Let me show you how I got there. It's really very simple. Track name sounds like aluminum of course and that makes me think of the foil. After being sidetracked for twenty minutes on how I could make another bagel with cheese, I refocused and thought that putting on the foil is a hockey term for fighting. Which I got from the classic movie Slap Shot. Well, there is a group of triplets in that movie that are a few croutons short of a salad. Total elapsed time...less than a second. I. Need. Help. More of a grower that gathers ammunition as it goes on. It flies on the dark side of the skies with an entertaining style. Nomad's Land (Original Version)- 10 and a half minutes? I used to love the sight of that, but you know I got kids right? Gotta take a sh*t just to get a few minutes to myself. "Lemme alone! Go watch Dora or something!" Whew, dude is working pretty hard to squeeze that one off isn't he? Burger King really needs to clean their restrooms. Running through space with the utmost quickness. Melodies move with jellyfish like quirkiness and then dance like Gregory Hines isn't really dead. Cristophe really puts a track together well balancing out the highs with the bubbling undercurrent of basses. So you take a driving rhythm, layer it with eerie melodies and you've got my daughter crying because she thinks daddy is possessed by the devil. Top notch! Beyond The Sky (Extended Version)- Hmmm....extended. Like c*ck enlargement. Surely I'm not the only one annoyed by the incessant advertising on the side of the page telling me that with this "one weird trick" I can make my dick look like a f*cking python. Why the hell would you want that? Do you know how hard (get it) it would be to buy pants? And I think we are all aware of the danger of the pee hard on. Pitching a tent is no way to go through life, son. As you could've probably guessed this one takes a while to get going. 13 minutes? Minus commercials that's almost an entire episode of How I Met Your Mother. Speaking of your mother, like a frenzied sexual encounter in the backseat of your mom's minivan, the ahem, "magic" happens at the end. But don't miss out on the atmosphere he creates because it's quite good. While not unleashing his inner Ron Jeremy to test your gag reflex he does provide a good show with bubbling basses and smooth melodies for a look at the softer side of goa trance without making gay porn. What? Space Liquid- Never thought I would say we are down to a manageable 9 minutes. A cold and mysterious intro has me thinking about a deserted space ship a la Event Horizon. Analog pads stream across sensors and I think I saw Gary Numan's ghost. As the title says, he makes a very liquid sound and then promptly hops on his Jean Michel Jarre horse before introducing some goa licks. What you thought was a spooky ambient piece drops a beat near 6 minutes. Nice. Dusk Till Dawn- That is all. He recently celebrated a birthday and wound up giving us a present. This would've been presented to him closer to the date if Photobucket wasn't full of b*tches. But like Ivan said, at least I'm popular. Well happy motherf*ckin' birthday Christophe and thank you for this gift. It's a superb release with everything that makes me love goa trance. Twisting melodies, awesome power, and music I can get lost in. He hits you with the power in the beginning and then slowly begins to turn the lights out culminating in a slow, eerie end of the world downtempo outro. Like De La said, you did it big like white boys wallets (obviously they never peeked at my wallet.) And you gave it away? Thank you from a guy with a small wallet. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Resistrance Label: Hadra Records Date: April, 2012 1. Ab Zee RINKADINK 2. Visible Light PSYSEX 3. Subsurface TANTRIX 4. Angelical Geminorum HOLON 5. Motorcycle from hell LOUD 6. Natural Internet BARAK 7. Mind of its own LUCAS 8. Scary Sprites BROKEN TOY 9. Maybe yes maybe no D-ROOT 10. Yellow Eye CURIOUS DETAIL 11. Fringe FOAM 12. Direct Control DIGITAL TALK AND GEKO 13. Flashbacks BRAIN DRIVER 14. Bio Digital Jazz PAINKILLER 15. I have a dream PUNCHLINE 16. Synapse Trigger MR PECULIAR 17. The Third Arena SINE DIE 18. Galactic Forces LUNARAVE 19. Unplugged Mind (Reactive rmx) LUNARAVE Ft. Bragg, North Carolina 0700 Hours Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter colonel. I didn't think I had much choice. Sorry about that old boy, but a window revealed itself and immediate action was required. Your country needs you again. Can we count on you? Of course general just say the word. I'm not asking you to clean my toilets. This is a real dirty job. A job that requires focus and the utmost patience. You're going to hear things...things...you can't unhear. *sips scotch* What are we talking about here? This is a rescue mission. A one man operation. I need you to go through a 2 CD set of full-on and come back with some good tracks. You'll have to wade through the seriously subpar and derivative to return with survivors. Under no circumstances should you engage the enemy. *walks to window and peers through the blinds at the coming dawn* I've...I've already lost enough good men to this fight. He was a good man sir. The best. *waits a few respectful moments and judges the time is right for his next question* What if I find a gem? A superb track? *looks at man with incredulity* Haven't you been listening to a word I've said!?! You're going into a 2 CD set of dull-on! Tracks that go nowhere, minutes on end of "is it finished yet." Possibly build ups that totally kill any momentum and a blatant overuse of samples that weren't cool a decade ago. You won't find any gems here damnit!!! *composes self and exhales deeply* Besides our intel would've discovered any quality tracks in our latest reconnaissance. Our man on the inside said these are some of the worst conditions he's ever seen. What's the time frame? *general leaves window and approaches desk strewn with maps* You'll leave at once. The drop off point is here where you'll rendez-vous with your contact in the Resistrance. Lucas is a good man and he's hidden deep behind enemy lines. He'll equip you with the list of potential hostages, but it'll be up to you to make it that far. We've uncovered the list of adversaries you'll be facing. Psysex, Barak, Loud...you've gone up against them before. Once you get past the initial wave of crap that's where you'll find our boys. Maybe. It's also the most dangerous time during the whole mission as you'll be too deep to call for an evac. Good luck colonel. *stands up and salutes* 3 weeks later in a debriefing room in an undisclosed location *General enters room and removes hat* At ease soldier. Glad to see you doing well. The doctors say you'll make a full recovery. I...I want you to know we put our best man on it. I know sir. He did everything he could and we almost made it out with a few others. But...he, he never stood a chance. The full-on was just too horrible. Build ups, tuned up samples, and even a Martin Luther King sample. He was only one man. The onslaught of suck was beyond belief. And the cheese...so much cheese. 19 tracks and only one survivor. Your country appreciates everything you did soldier. Now please get some rest...we hear Nutek might be planning a release in the near future and I'd like to put my best man on it. Yes sir. As you were Lucas. Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Flict Title: Explorers EP Label: Self-Released Date: April, 2012 01 - Explorers (55 BPM) 02 - Against The Wind (75 BPM) 03 - To-And-Fro (80 BPM) 04 - Starlight (80 BPM) I had been meaning to get to this one a while ago, but it just kept getting pushed back. This is Dan Flict who released his debut Explorers back in 2009 so I guess this was just a refresher so more people could give it a listen. The first track is a deep journey to the bottom of the sea interacting with creatures in their native environment. Slow like bubbles rising from your scuba gear. Against the Wind is more slow motion turtle movements and dreamy views below a hazy ocean. To-And-Fro sees the first steady beat appear and Buddhist like monk chants echo deeply beneath the sea. Didn't connect as well with this one. The final track Starlight puts a picture of light on a nighttime sea as dubby bass hums against weird human noises. Odd. He's good at creating textures and deep feeling ambient with a liquid and bubbly quality. At least with this release. Hope he is still producing music. Free At Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Zero Hour Title: Dementia Label: One Foot Groove Date: April, 2010 1. Reborn 2. Nuclear 3. Psyonic Emanations 4. Prototype 5. Code 138 6. Inferno 7. Dementia 8. Transformer 9. Overmind "Whenever I see a world untouched by war...a world of innocence. A world of lush forests and clear rivers...I really just want to nuke the crap out of it. They'll never know what hit 'em." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Oh sh*t I think I just peed myself! Hold up, I'll get it together... Sorry, that last one just got out. Ok that is an actual sample from one of the tracks here. I couldn't tell you which one because they all sounded exactly the same. I know hardware synths come with loads of presets, so why this guy decided to use just three is beyond me. It's night time full on that isn't that bad, but it's just the same track over and over. Not to mention the same stuff we have heard year in and year out. Same sounds thrown together with dark movie samples. I like the premise, but the execution is lacking. Nothing stands out with this release. Well, the above sample is funny as sh*t and for those who cannot get enough build ups you've got plenty here. Oh and for f*ck's sake what's with the Transformers sample? Some movies should be off limits. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Menog Title: I See Change EP Label: Spectral Records Date: April, 2012 1. I See Change 2. Revolution of Consciousness feat. Absolum 3. Make The Change "Fire...our first true piece of technology. Fire." And it all leads up to this moment brought to you by disappointed redneck parents everywhere. Lot of talk about change lately. Change the tax code, change your lifestyle and eating habits (RIP Twinkie). It's even hit close to home. Had to get rid of my previous research assistant due to ahem, certain litigation so breaking in the new meat has been a very exhaustive process. "I said three sugars! Three!! We are going to be here all night till you get it right! You think I like this?" Tough job, but someone has to do it. Our friend Daniel Bernardo from Portugal is back with a 3 track EP and I for one am eager to hear it. This fool has been holding it down since 2005 (yeah I know his debut was in 2003, but it was terrible) and is one of the godfathers of the twilight music genre. He brings more of what he's good at, moody and dark hi-tech psy that is sure to get the dance floor moving. The title track isn't bad, but it's merely an introduction to what's to come. Looky looky who he's teamed up with for track 2. My favorite twilight artist Absolum (still waiting for next album) and you can't miss his sound with this one. These guys ain't strangers if you recall 2008's Basic Survival Instinct as that one left a mark not unlike a blowtorch. It delivers power and mayhem that erupts like a 3 hour hand job. Make the Change is the second best track on the EP IMO with a good sample about technology and ambition. It's not bad at all, but let's face it Absolum could probably make my music sound good and all I know how to do is beat box. Good stuff. Beatport Mdk

Artist: The Mixing Chef Title: Intense Meditative Trip Sessions Vol. 1 Label: Cyan Music Date: April, 2012 1 - Ongoing Harmony (79 BPM) 2 - Nearby River Flowing (90 BPM) 3 - Technetium (90 BPM) 4 - Psyciety (92 BPM) 5 - I Can't Breathe (100 BPM) 6 - Acid (Bright Colours) (79 BPM) You know for the longest time I believed there to be only one chef that mattered. I find it amusing and sad that in order to market him in the US at that time they had to dumb his name down. Boyardi? Too ethnic, people will think he's a communist and they won't want his sh*t on their dinner table! When we all know that there can be only one. Ran this through google translator because apparently only elves and pixies actually speak Swedish. "F*ck You Gordon Ramsay! You stole my bit mother f*cker! F*ck you, f*ck your mother, f*ck this fucking apron! F*ck your show and your fat f*cking co-chefs. Try making me cry mother f*cker I'll f*cking slice you with some dual cleaver action. F*ck this turtle and what the f*ck? Why the f*ck am I cracking eggs on a f*cking turtle? Who f*cking writes this sh*t" Holy sh*t Gordon did steal his bit. Apparently there is a new chef in town. The mixing chef. Don't all chef's mix? Whatever, he is Kristof Du Mon and the promo spared no cooking pun in describing his assemblage of downtempo music. Ongoing Harmony- Nice beats and heavenly pads join twinkling melodies making for the best track right out of the gate. Nearby River Flowing- It does have the vibe of a flowing river, but just like a river if I stare at it long enough time vanishes. Meh. Technetium- 11 minutes! I really think my attention span is shrinking rapidly. Anyone got the cliff notes for this thing? 5 minutes to go and I'm really not connecting with this. It's one of those that just kinda...goes. Psyciety- Jesus Tap Dancing Christ another 11 minutes?!?!? At this pace it'll take an hour. But I suppose hurtling through outer space at 1 mile an hour with this soundtrack won't be all that bad. There are some rapid percussive elements that make it seem like we are soaring past undiscovered planets. The last bit sounds as if the computer is picking up signs of life from the surface of one of those planets. Different. I Can't Breathe- It's holding down a funky breakbeat with some warped bass effect and various synthetics. I liked it. Acid (Bright Colours)- I didn't hear any acid but I think I did hear some quality beatboxing. It moves at a slow plodding pace with some bright sunshine pads sparkling in my eyes. Then it switches to a drum centric beat to close. Not bad It really is a collection of different styles of downtempo music. Some tracks are pretty long as I mentioned and you can really zone out. I know I did. Not the best stuff I have ever heard, but I always like to support new artists. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Space Elves Title: Terrestrial Planet Finder Label: Dimensional Records Date: April, 2012 1. Fead Huck 2. Goa Trance Mission 3. Opening New Dimensions 4. Terrestrial Planet Finder 5. Tokyo Old School 6. Trance India Express (rmx) 7. Satellite - Space Elves and Somnesia 8. Vega (Space Elves rmx) - Jikooha Maradonna punched a ball into a goal in front of a billion people and he can't figure how you f*cked this up. So...lemme see if I got this. The, ahem..."secret" service, an elite force of agents responsible for the safety of the leader of the free world who also that shut down areas quicker than cops do a Kentucky meth lab couldn't keep their hookers in check. In Cartagena Colombia. The nation that coca built. All because one agent didn't want to pay 50 bucks to keep Rosie Perez quiet after she spent the night. I cannot say with certainty if it was actually Rosie, but I haven't seen her since White Men Can't Jump so...it's probably her. But, $50...really? That's like...I dunno $6 an hour. Girlie love you long time and you don't want to even cough up minimum wage? That's just asking for a Columbian necktie. Trayvon got shot because he was black and wearing a hoodie, what do you think stiffing her pimp/mayor of Cartegena is gonna get you? Look, I'm not saying f*ck some hookers, but damnit man your the secret service. Keep your pimp hand strong and I dunno...how about keeping a secret. My military and espionage training has consisted of watching a lot of movies and I can see the blackmail possibilities from here. The president was there but nobody knows what the f*ck he went for because this story overshadowed his visit. I haven't seen embarrassment this thick since that Rush Limbaugh video went viral. Ugh. There's an image you can't unsee. The stupidity is mind boggling sometimes. This is when you shut off the world and immerse yourself in some good music. Thankfully Imba sent me a copy of his latest work. Space Elves is an old school Goa trance project founded by our very own Imba in 2009 that consist of Imba, Arronax, CoaGoa, and SETI Project. The buzz is that it left the sunshine full-on goa trance melody stacks and parallel parked in old school town. Love most of the cover as the contrast between the satellite and the two planets is quite striking, but the nebula takes a little away from that. Take it with a grain of salt...my son tells me to color inside the lines. Fead Huck- "As I lay there...I couldn't leave. The room began to spin. I could step out of my body." Just say head f*ck, we're all adults here. Well, except Antares. Someone check his ID please?!? All we need is another angry parent killing field trips for the rest of us. The bubbling 303 is a constant sound as we are transported back to the mid 90's. It's goa in a dream state as layers of sound coalesce over the steady pumping rhythm. Kinda similar to a heart beat. Liked it. Goa Trance Mission- It definitely has that old school vibe to it, but it got kind of boring. The beginning and the break had me thinking aliens trying yo communicate. Something was missing though... Yes! Yes, it needs more awesome! Opening New Dimensions- "Do you understand how big a dimension really is? There are many universes with stars and planets. These are linked with trans-dimensional gates. Can you see the possibilites that exist?" Old school bounce for sure. Let's see how many times I can write those words in this review. They just let the 303 rip and build around it creating a nice spacey vibe. The distorted sample awakens supernatural evil to me, a la Event Horizon. Something juicy about this one even though it's not bursting with melody or power. Terrestrial Planet Finder- "In the hunt for alien life, scientists are focussing their efforts in finding small rocky planets like Earth. But finding another Earth is like searching for a needle in a million haystacks." More of the same type of drifting, outer space exploration atmosphere where leads twist and turn in a seemingly endless journey. Before you know it, 7 minutes have gone by and you're trying to figure out what you were doing. Tokyo Old School- " *some Japanese talk* Probably discussing anime, samurai, some f*cking wacko game show or a pasty chick with long dark hair that has her head tilted to the side. "Excuse me sir, you dropped this." "Oh thank you so much, I was looking for my racist card!" "Actually, there's about 20 or 30 of them, trailing behind you... "Ok, ok go f*ck yourself." Now this has some growl to it as they filter the hell out of that lead. First one that kicks the door in with attitude. It's sticky...like wacky wall walker sticky. I've been working on my own prototype of the wacky wall walker... Yeah, I tend to run through a lot of pre-teens so you know...still a work in progress. Trance India Express (Remix)- Holy crap 10 minutes...better unzip. We all know Trance Africa Express by Sheyba, and I even have a track of the same name remixed by the Elves and Somnesia, (Ass kicking track btw) but this is India. This is caught in a rainstorm dripping with old school sound. Ethnic and full of mystery. The unfurling acidic melodies that worm their way into your soul as well as the quirky bits make this a treat. Nah, a treat doesn't do it justice. Remember playing a video game and finally beating the boss gaining entry into the next level? Times that by 10. Superb. Knew I should've gotten X-box. They have all the cool games. Satellite- Almost 12 minutes?!? Jesus, why did I put pants on in the first place? Oh that's right, my son's first day of pre-school and I don't want to be, you know...that helicopter parent with no pants on. As good as the last track was, this tops it. Layers of swirling deliciousness throw your ass in a time machine when music was rooted in storytelling and evolving magic. This one has it all 303's, acid...it just keeps going. Remarkable. Vega (Space Elves Remix)- I know how much Imba likey Jikooha's work and he and his friends just flattered the hell out of him. This is a track from Jikooha's ablum Revolution Spaceship and I had to go back and listen to it so that I could make a fair comparison. The remix is a chunky, powerful compliment to the original. Fast and furious as they twist up the metallic sound, raising it up and letting it tumble. Much more digestible IMO. And to another point, that's what a remix should be. Flashes of the original, but owning it and making it your own with new touches. Yeah Scorb, I'm looking at you. Like an elephant baby, I don't forget. I know there are people out there that are sick of the way goa trance sounds these days. They clamor and crave for the sound that they remember. Well, welcome to 1996 people! This one won't knock you over with it's power or stack melodies like leggos but it will carry you away. It is a terrific journey that has the old school stamp all over it with running bass lines and one note melodies that flow and unwind. It's not oppressive in the least, but it does have a presence that gets better each time I listen to it. It bubbles and churns and sounds more like the genre I missed out on back in the mid to late 90's. The more varied styles that arrive in goa trance the better and I think if you love the old school sound, this is rocketing in the right direction. Good job gentlemen. Psyshop Beatspace Saikosounds Goa Store Mdk

Artist: S.E.T.H. Title: The First Four Letters of Reality EP Label: Fish 'n Trips Records Date: April, 2012 1. Flight of the Igloo 2. Intimate Vibrations 3. My Bleeding Mortality 4. Harmonium Label owner Luke Burns in his own words decided to freely give you music as a reminder to "stay calm, relax, and chill the f*ck out." His words not mine. Flight of the Igloo- Silly S.E.T.H...igloos can't fly. They're made by dark skinned leprechauns who haven't yet won equality at the Lucky Charms factory. Don't you know anything? This track is made of 3 parts. A slow analogue synth smear across the glass, followed by heavenly strings over the quicksand slow beat. Lastly it's a rapid (what are you doing here?) arpeggio. It all comes together for some quality mountaintop meditation. Intimate Vibrations- Somehow I envision myself on a subway in Chicago at 3 AM getting it on with Rebecca De Mornay. But instead of her, I'm stuck with this prize. I'm sorry Bill. So sorry. For you not me. This track has it all: Slow and straightforward beat, solid atmosphere and school children taking a break from fractions to sing vibrate. Glorious. My Bleeding Mortality- I would love to bump this in my car. I would. Slow and steady it's as gangsta as electronic downtempo can get. But I live in the south. If the quirky electronics at the end don't get me the odd looks from the locals, the quasi muslim call to prayer would seal it. You realize I live in a state with a town named after hanging people that are different right? Beautiful work though...I'll keep it on the Samsung. Harmonium- He fools you with the final track making you think he's gonna keep it slow with the dubby beat. 3 minutes in he drops the snare and the synths wobble & crunch like they're going downhill. Not bad. Easily recommended for beautiful soundscapes. Will keep an eye on him and hope that he releases more stuff in the future. Free at Ekto! Mdk

Artist: Wylhelm Title: Wakeful Chill EP Label: Gliese 581C Records Date: April, 2012 01 - Trip Again (93 BPM) 02 - Mushi (90 BPM) 03 - Ecnart (95 BPM) 04 - Bem Sol (110 BPM) 05 - Violint (93 BPM) 06 - The Cells (100 BPM) 07 - Trip Complete (Re Edited) (103 BPM) Gliese 581C is a netlabel that has produced numerous great offerings for free. Somnesia's Mystic Moon comes to mind, but they don't put all their eggs in one basket. They skip around genres and put their .02 in. Full-on, darkpsy and forest, goa...you name it, they deliver it. Unfortunately they can't all be mind-blowing orgasms and this one left me wanting more. It's a little thin and slightly boring, but all of that is sandwiched between two downtempo goa tracks that made me smile. The first track had a nice crawl to it with some effective layers. The final one had more of a space feel with a progressive tempo. The break in particular had an awakening, almost growling quality. Really liked it. I don't know who this is, but there is an ability to craft and atmospheric track. So, it's free and therefore costs you nothing to check out. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Mr. Peculiar Title: Alternate Worlds Label: Hadra Records Date: April, 2012 1. A new machine 2. Psycho Disco Balls 3. Everything Remains 4. Infinity (Mr Peculiar rmx) 5. Another World 6. Mental Universe 7. Ascention 8. Pandora 9. Algarythm "This truly is another world." Tell me about it. A world where the government deploys drones to fly over the backyards of regular citizens. What the f*ck are you looking for? A world where doing your job can get you arrested. "You see, it's all just a...what happened was...di-did Hawaiian Punch put you up to this? Where's my lawyer?" This is Dustin Saalfield with his fifth album and first one in 5 years. Guy's been doing his thing for over a decade and creates some of the most descriptive and involving psytrance today. Since I love sci-fi like the rest of you nerds, the cover has me all hot and bothered. Ummm...no. You're acting like a pedophile that was just released from the prison across from the elementary school. What the f*ck is that noise? Is that...is that a drone? A New Machine- Sounds like someone got some new hardware!!!!! This has an incredibly mystical and spiritual beginning with a tribal chant that goes on for 3 minutes set against an ambient opening. Talk about setting the table...Like he often does, he creates the atmosphere with effects flashing out as the bass line runs. If I put my mind to it (and you know that I can) it's easy to be a willing captive on his space disco vessel. The final break (at 11 and a half minutes you know there is more than one) illustrates how vast the corridors are as sound reverberates of alien material. Nice opener. Even if it was just full-on, it was all the ancillary stuff that I enjoyed. Psycho Disco Balls- *insert disco whistle* Bout time someone brought the disco back into the club. George Jefferson's ready...are you? Complete with brass and guitar wah-wah it's all studio 54 up in here. For f*ck's sake Liza, do you have to be such an attention whore? Aside from the transvestites and doing coke off the stomachs of bartenders he just seems to be going through the motions. The break was awesome as usual, but not a track that's gonna stay with me. Everything Remains- After underwhelming me for the first two tracks, he gets back to his strength. Atmosphere. This one stinks of it. Melancholy, forlorn...whatever you want to call it. The vibe captures you and if you're not careful you can get lost in all these layers. It's drifting and right in my wheelhouse until he does the unthinkable. N-no..no...I mean I don't think he fell asleep in the back of a car with his shirt off. Thug life? More like chub life! Yikes, let go of the pork rinds. No, he slows it down, like the batteries were running out. Man I was mad, but because the guys got skills, he turned it into a quality break before returning to the dream. Infinity Rmx- Yes I know it has the dreaded galloping bass line, but listen to all the fanfare behind it. Bubbling effects, arching synths, and of course he owns the breaks. It is very futuristic in his alien and floating style. I feel like I'm at an extra-terrestrial zoo oohing and ahhing over all the foreign electronics. Another World- "A strange new world." As if the previous tracks weren't alien enough he shoves a 3 fingered hand up your rectum. It's fast and there's all kinds of critters running around here. "What's a matter...you never seen a translucent biped mesomorphic organism before?" If you can tell me what movie that's from, you win a bucket of semen. This track has all the atmospheric synthplay that makes psytrance fun. Never a wasted minute as melodies crawl over each other like passengers on an Indian train destined for Bombay. Quality tune. Mental Universe- How can you not like a track with a choir in it? You can't. Well, unless you're Catholic. A choir might make you wet your pants. Oh c'mon, don't tell me you feel sorry for the church? Laser shots, acid splatters, and long sweeps make this one very appealing. His breaks are just awesome at teleporting you right where he wants you to be. Not bad. Ascention- *Turns pages of dictionary, while licking thumb* Ah there it is... Filler- Hungarian currency unit. What the f*ck Let's try again. Filler- One that fills. F*cking dictionary. Filler- Something added to augment weight or size Thank you. Thank you, was that so hard? Pandora- Another long one, but this is a slower, almost mid-tempo experience. It's very magical that flows with a saunter like it was made by a shaman. Progressive in nature with a primal feel. Why do I feel like I'm going to hear a voice say, "I'm sorry Hal, I can't let you do that." The orchestral part of the break gives the track a cinematic quality like the main characters stumbled upon something that Michael Bay will soon destroy. Impressive. I feel it went on too long, but hell if you've got a story to tell...I liked it. Algarythm- What are the odds he ends the disc with two progressive tracks. Put your hand down doofus, it's a rhetorical question. If you told me this was Flegma & Nerso I would've believed you. Good groove and wonderful effects as I'm sure this would gather the masses into a frenzy. Make a hole people, I'm tryin' to get a soul train line goin' here! "Psycho Disco Ball is over! Get the hell outta here!" So after a couple of commercial bumps in the road this turned out to be a solid album. If I had one gripe it's that damn galloping bass line. I hear it and instantly the hackles on the back of my neck stand up. Also it becomes a bit full-oney for me, but the majority of that is offset with brilliant layers of synths and effects that wrap around you like a straight jacket. Rich in atmosphere it's a bubbling cauldron of alien stews that never strays from the outer space theme. While nowhere near as good as Infinite Evolution it's still worth the price of admission. Recommended. Psyshop Beatspace Saikosounds Goastore Mdk

Artist: Elegy Title: Akasha EP & Optics EP Label: Synergetic Records/ Veleno Music Date: February & April, 2012 Optics 1. Optics 2. Circles 3. Invisible Light - Elegy & Slyph Akasha 1. Akasha 2. Infinite Space That's right, your eyes do not decieve you. I picked up 2 Elegy EP's and decided to put them both in one review. This is Italian Daniel Mair (wait, is he Italian? Doesn't sound Italian) and I first became aware of his work via Ektoplazm (like a lot of music) with his Sleeping Giant EP. Smooth melodic progressive is his calling card and he fills it in with great effects. As I mentioned previously he walks the same path as Flegma & Nerso. Akasha Akasha- For those of you who didn't believe drugs grew on trees, I give you the album cover as exhibit A. Akasha from the Sanskrit meaning ether or air. So like, the center of a donut is akasha? You gotta put it in terms I can understand. It's rainy day stormcloud music, not angry but rather pensive. The lead is a soft, singular tone that has a reverberating quality adding to the melancholy. The break is calming with a collection of vocal samples about las drogas, but they aren't intrusive. Good track. Infinite Space- "The universe is expanding. It is a natural question to ask...what is it expanding into?" This is more in the Iono mold with large washes and effects rippling across the windshield. The samples give it a overwhelming space feel. Smooth and dark, just the way he likes it. Another good one. Optics Optics- Atmosphere is key with this one. It begins slowly and asks for your trust. As he likes to do, he crafts a dark feeling with effects keeping you in tune. The break is a calming influence with the soft voices of a choir. Now some might think it's a little empty and some might say it all fits into one sonic tapestry. Optics...it's all about how you see things. Yeah, I'm gonna need a few more of these. Circles- "The plants are talking to us...we need to listen." Awesome sample. Awesome. This tracks has a chunky scratchiness to it that is offset by the reverberating lead that echoes of into we shoulda listened. It's dark and speaks of regrettable decisions. We've all been there... The dark side doesn't mix well with whites. Look at that...I just made a statement about race relations by accident. Invisible Light- This one is rather laid back and sleek. It doesn't give you much up front, but it sets the atmosphere with a dark tone. Real secret agent type stuff. Didn't care for the change in tempo, as if felt as if he was following a playbook. He did however come out of it very smoothly switching to 4/4 with a flowing break. So top marks there. Even though it was rather sparse in places, he recovered nicely. His style is drifting, melodic progressive trance and that's what you get here. The beat churns on as leads float into space buoyed by thinking mans samples. Solid couple of releases. Akasha EP Beatport Optics EP Beatport Mdk

Artist: Timeless Title: Imperfection Label: Digital Nature Date: April, 2012 1. Imperfection 2. Playground (Timeless Remix) - Daydream 3. Goodbye "If there is something wrong with me that I don't know about, then you owe it to me as my best friend to tell me!" "All right...you're a narcissist, you're a sociopath, you're probably psycho, you're paranoid, sexist..." "Those are just quirks...endearing quirks!" Quite being such a self-righteous prick bugs. Daffy whacked Hitler with a mallet...what the f*ck have you ever done besides foster your carrot addiction? This is Tal Aoude from Israel with 3 tracks for your listening enjoyment. Now I heard his Re-Run EP, but that was basically other artists remixing his tracks, so a little too early to determine whether I'm a fan or not. Imperfection is a track that not only has groove and anyone can relate to, but has one of the best looney tunes samples I have ever heard. Have you seen that cartoon lately? Funny stuff that I think more people should use. I think I'm falling in love with Daffy Duck cause he's got issues. Moral of the story is everybody's got imperfections and unless you're delusional like our friend Daffy, you would do well to keep that in mind. Stop judging people. I'm talkin' to you mister, in the bright shirt. I've never heard the original so please excuse me if I don't dump a bucket of semen like the promo guy seemed to. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to do so, just make it worth my while. And they do. Big beats, oscillating synths, and pretty good break. It's very fluid for the most part, just don't like sometimes how it goes from very full to just a kick and a one note bass line at the drop of a hat. Purely minor, as the track in itselft is pretty damn good. So, uh....I guess I owe you a bucket of semen. The final track is appropriately called good-bye. Either because it's the last track or a suicide note. Probably the first one. Someone call him and make sure he's ok. It's chock full of goodness like smooth melodies and a great break. Super track to end on. So am I a fan? Yeah, I guess so. Good stuff all the way round. Recommended. Juno Beatport Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Enchanted Explorations Label: Visionary Shamanics Date: April, 2012 01 - Shotu - Acai (Chris Rich Remix) 02 - Dream Visioner - Who Are You 03 - Amrita - Ratatam (2012 Remix) 04 - Aegolius - Fobia 05 - Mussy Moody - Pure Elements 06 - Nolm - Gold Freaks 07 - Grobians - Alien Invasion 08 - Shadowls - Chronicle Of Mystery 09 - Therange Freak - Enchanted Explorations 10 - Petran - Voyager Of Psychedelic States 11 - Paganopath - Legends And Fairytales "I can do whatever the hell I want! I'm a human being not some robot!" Sure you can, but I just saw a robot do this... So if I was a parent of a robotic Asian child (racist bastard) I would be very nervous right about now. When asked for comment, Yo-Yo Ma replied, "Are you from the escort service? Where da bitches at?" Here is the 2nd forest compilation by Visionary Shamanics. The first was Interweaving Dream Magics and you can find my review of that gem here. Most of the people on this thing are unknown, but what better way to get the crap scared out of you than the unknown? Acai (Chris Rich Remix)- Mr. Rich is an artist from the UK and he tackles a Shotu track from the Epicentre compilation. Don't really recall the original, but I like where he's going. Full of motion and straight ahead power. It has a very cyber feel with bubbling electronics. Ones and zeros are escaping the mouth of this computer program because he's choking the life out of it. Loved it. Who Are You- This is another track that is like surfing the net from the inside. Atmospheric and bubbly with a female computer vocal sample. The bass line drives this puppy as effects scrape across the windshield. Like that bug that hit mine on my last trip to VA Beach. Huge motherf*cker. Get ready for the squish! Ratatam (2012 mix)- 10 seconds in and I've crapped myself. Try listening to this in the woods. By yourself. Some scary stuff. Scratchy synths and a heavy does of dark forest horror. Creepy crawley things and unkown creatures mocking me from the dark make this the perfect bedtime story. For a serial killer Yay Yay..clowns are...fun.. Fobia- Yet another hallucinogenic nightmare. You didn't fall down the hole, you were pushed in. An eerie melody (and there is quite a lot of it here) is your guide and the ground you're walking on bubbles with the faces of trapped souls. Don't f*ck with this track, it apparently swallowed part of the Florida A&M brass section. Scary and atmospheric just how I like me forest. And with a little lemon. Pure Elements- Man that kick is punchy. I really think the forest genre has evolved and become more musically vibrant. There are more layers than an onion and all of them are scary. With sizzling effects like the sound of flesh burning there are also computer sounds. I liked it, but it wasn't as descriptive as the last rumbler. Gold Freaks- At this point you are so deep in the forest there isn't a prayer of getting out. Feels like I havent seen the sun in weeks. It scrapes, it bubbles, it can be noisy at times...I liked it, but it's just your ordinary run of the mill lost my way can't get out why is it so f*cking dark forest track. Alien Invasion- "Something as big as a battleship had just flow over and passed him...at speeds so great he couldn't begin to estimate it." Much more illustrative track with breaks, a sample, and leads to keep it interesting. Ominous? Surely...I mean c'mon it's an alien invasion. Lots of layers bubbling under the surface make this invasion a reason to celebrate. Yeah! Teddy Bear party!!! WHOOO!!! Enchanted Explorations- We finally come to the one artist who I have heard of. With very scary pads and clever use of a sample that we've all heard before I am fully on board this fright train. It's got it all...melody, deep bass bubbling, wails of agony. Like when I go to my son's pre-school... What...what are you kids lookin' at? Oh come on...the asian violin joke? You're still on that? Go drink your juice boxes! Chronicle of Mystery- "Why are you here? Why did you come to this planet?" We...Come...For...Scarlett....Johansson.... You know I cannot...nope can't for the life of me name one movie she's been in. Look, she can't even figure it out. To be famous for your tits is pretty low bar to set. Love the way it starts with the chopped up strings. It continues with a detuned downward spiral that has Trent Reznor looking for razor blades. If this is a hallucination, it's still a long way from being over. Walls are melting, trees are cracking their branch knuckles...Holy sh*t...did that tree just...drool? Voyager of Psychedelic States- The guy speaking that sample sounds like someone I would've shoved in a locker back in high school. But let's be clear...I am 100% against bullying. So much so, that I am 100% for watching the bully get his ass kicked. So...that's like, what....200%. Speaking of kicking ass, this track does. Wailing, moaning leads that echo forlornly like throwing a rock down a well. It's pumping and evolving, full of motion. A liquid, scary thing. Legends and Fairytales- Wow, this is dark. Lots of sounds and all of them telling you that you're f*cked. Imagine walking around an environment where everything can kill you. It's like a nightmare...or Australia. Visionary Shamanics is doing things right. They make forest compilations that are interesting and totally immersive. Leads, effects, spooky samples...it's like a how to. There is a feeling with forest music of not being in control, that things are happening around you and you are just a pawn. Dark and hopeless is no way to live your life, but it works great for a little forest escapism. Rekomended for a psychedelic trip. "I don't normally listen to forest trance....but when I do...it's Visionary Shamanics." Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Eleusyn Title: Atlantis EP Label: Joof Recordings or Joof V.2 whatever the f*ck they're doing over there Date: April, 2012 1. Atlantis 2. Solar Flares- E-mantra, Artifact303, & Reasonandu 3. Ganduri (Elusyn Remix) - Hypno Following the success of Carbon and Phantasm current king of the hill and titan of goa trance E-mantra (Emanuel Carpus) reunites with Reasonandu (Alexandru Dumitrescu) for their 3rd EP Atlantis. Less than a minute and half into the track Atlantis and that all too familiar sound which from this moment forth shall be named the E-mantra preset reaches the ear. As always it's hypnotic and will carry you to that mystical place in your mind. The brief breaks are like a thing alive with sensuous tendrils caressing as a lover would. Solar Flares adds another quality producer into the mix with this progressive goa rambler. Can a track be laid back and aggressive at the same time? This one is has bubbling effects and a searching 303 that carves a path like a hot knife through butter. If that was all there was I would say been there, done that. But the soft touches applied in the break that give rise to a new direction for the layers to flow are quite nice. With a name that sounds like an entree I would get at the local Indian joint (and then release not 30 minutes later) Ganduri takes us into the depths of the ocean in search of that lost city. Perhaps the most lush track on the EP, it has a Merr0w feel to me. Spiraling, ever twisting. Not a slight against Alexandru, this is the vintage E-mantra sound that I personally cannot get enough of. Melodic, soothing, and rich in descriptive layers. All the tracks are hypnotic and a worthy addition to your collection. "Oh yeah...right there....no, no...don't stop." Beatport Mdk

Artist: Chynacid Title: Zen Dimensions EP Label: Acid Chemical Plant Records Date: April, 2012 1. Shuriken 2. Zen Dimensions Filipe, now you know I love your music. You know this. I've reviewed and purchased almost everything you have put out there. But I gotta ask you... 8 F*cking dollars? Really, $8?!? The current exchange rate for GBP to $ is 1.6 so while that is slowly tipping in America's favor, 8 f*cking dollars for two tracks? I can see this happening for three reasons. One, you are aiming to make this a collector's item by making it so expensive people can't justify paying so much for just two tracks. Two, you misplaced a decimal point. Or three, and more likely in my opinion, you just don't give a f*ck. Don't get me wrong, you've earned this with the quality of your music and the sheer amount you have given away in the past. But are people other than me willing to pay that steep a price for 2 tracks? The first Chynacid EP Tofu was brilliant and further reinforced how important Mr. Santos is to modern day goa trance. So do you get the ticket to goa heaven with this EP? I'm not gonna lie. It's pretty damn good. Layers of melody, twisted leads, and the groove to keep you dancing. So yeah, it's good. Worth 8 bucks good? I'll leave that up to you. ACP Records Mdk

Artist: Zinx Title: Unlcean EP Label: Terror Lab Industries Date: April, 2012 1. Rated R 2. Techno Slave (with Brainwash) 3. Audio Violator (with Iluchina) "You think I'm some kind of nutjob? What proof have you got?" Terror Lab Industries continues its assault on most of your senses yet again with this EP from Zinx. He is João Varela from Portugual and it ain't his first time with a shocking cover....or have we already forgotten Dead By Dawn? Look at this thing. Unclean, I get it like a vampire, but of course this chick is just running around in panties like she returned to a frat house to exact revenge for her date rape. Credit where credit is due, she's hot. If you know this label, then you know what type of music is inside. He gets by with a little help from his friends on a couple of tracks delivering violent samples and imagery with the requisite amount of acidic bloodsplatter that you would expect. For me it's not bad, but I feel he is straying towards that commercial territory that threatens to swallow a lot of artists. There are some build ups here, some stops and starts...but it's still pretty aggressive twilight darkness and metallic synths. I think my favorite was the last one that continued to evolve the whole way through. Worth it? Meh, probably. When dealing with this style I hold it up to what I consider the gold standard of twilight mayhem, the Midnight Storm series. Yeah, it ain't that. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Shehoor Title: Earache Generator EP Label: Terror Lab Industries Date: April, 2012 1. Cryptic Simulacra 2. Malefique 3. Terror Dominion Miss me? I haven't been listening to much music lately as I am working on becoming a better piano player. Since free time is a brief interlude that I may be lucky enough to get I have to fit in during kid naptimes. Ergo, something had to give. But these breaks from the music allow me to come back and listen with an eager appreciation. You can only play Lionel Richie's Easy 30 times before I start sweating like an alcoholic at a wine tasting. By the way, Easy isn't really that easy to play. You gotta have soul. And I gots dat. So here is another twilight artist (no idea who he is) brought to you by the people responsible for such beautiful fairy tales like: Damn, that's just sit by the fire with the grandparents music ain't it? That's just a few. So while they're skullf*cking Mother Goose's rotting corpse, here comes Shehoor with a brief 3 tracker. It's high tech intensity with a futuristic approach. Eerie pads are the backdrop for groovy fast paced bass lines and racing leads. The first track has some cool Matrix-esque cyber sounds in the breaks with plucky acid bursts. Not overwhelming, but entertaining for sure. Malefique is like a nightmarish plunge with lasers and a darkpsy feel to it. Clever effect work gives it some appeal and it gets me thinking of what life in the circuitry of a computer would be like. Sure would make travel easier. I don't think there is a middle finger big enough for the TSA. Wait, hold up.... Mother pus bucket is that real? This is the finger of the doc that just wants to check your prostate. The last track is the least appealing as it is just a straight forward droning track. Still like Meatball said, two out of three...something something.... Beatport Mdk

Artist: Ancient Core Title: Ancient Seeds of Awareness EP Label: Astronautic Records Date: April, 2012 01 - Living On A Pale Blue Dot (feat. Agni) (102 BPM) 02 - Sacred Joint Venture (90 BPM) 03 - Forgive & Love (104 BPM) This guy's from Romania. I didn't even think they had electricity. I mean, I know they do, but I thought it was all hamster related. Me being a dick aside, this is this gentleman's debut and it's quite interesting. First lets immerse ourselves in the beauty that is the cover. It's fantastic and the work of Swaroop Guhathakurta. Must...fight...stereotype...grow the...f*ck up. Beautiful artwork. But you can search the intarwebz for that, how's the tunes? Living on a Pale Blue Dot is marvelous downtempo with plenty of twists and turns as well as a copious amount of layers to dig through. Eerie melodies and a hefty beat don't hurt either. And that's when he gets all crazy on you. Like endless samples that run through most of the track? I know! Me neither, but that's what you get with this Sacred Joint Venture. Meh, just as well the music itself really didn't impress me anyway. Forgive and Love gets all Buddhist on you. Chanting at the foot of the Himalayas with dubby bass and guitar strumming as melody riffs float by. With the same guitar strumming it's just sounds placed over top. Not impressed. Well, it seems he shot his load with the artwork and the first track. The other two don't offer much, but the first one was so good that I'm curious to see what he does down the road. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Various Title: The Omega Point Label: Neogoa Date: April, 2012 1. PHARAOM - Rainbow Project 2. SIAM - Colorful Expansion 3. NOVA FRACTAL - Connect 4. TRINODIA - Deceive My Eyes 5. INNERSELF - Modules 6. AGNETON - Wizards From The Future (Afterlife Remix) 7. ARRONAX - The Dark Flow 8. SOMNESIA - Eternal Life 9. PSYRIUS - Draconid (Imba's Be My Light Remix) After reviewing the absolutely awful Dynamic album (yeah I know it's my own fault. Blind people told me to get the hell out of the way.) I attempted to throw myself down the deepest hole I could imagine where escape was all but impossible. So you can imagine my surprise when God called to me from the internet parting the sea of bits and bytes...Ok, it was actually Richpa who said, f*ck it, here are some wave files, have fun! Seeing a release from Neogoa is like the LOTR scene where the Balrog falls into the chasm and just when you think Gandalf made it out....BAM! He plummets into some new goa freshness. But instead of fighting for my life against an evil minion from the underworld I get to immerse myself in twisted goa melodies that this netlabel was known for. The tracklist is more impressive than the ability of a fat man and 12 reindeer to deliver all the presents in one evening. "Sorry Detroit, looks like we'll be spending a little more time in Mexico this year!" So while label head Ivan Richpa has devoted the lion's share of his time to Graviton Records he still wanted to keep Neogoa alive. Mastered by the guy who seems to master everything, Igor Ceranic (aka Deimos) is on sound quality while Ivan did the artwork. Pleasing to the eye, no? One thing you'll notice by looking at the liner notes is the varied countries that are represented here. It's like a f*cking Benneton ad. More the merrier I say. What you get are 9 varied tracks that should do the trick. Frenchman Oswald Pfeiffer opens with a great track with an even greater intro sample. Unified theory and teleportation are the keywords but it's the numerous evolving and twisting melodies that unfurl like a flag in a hurricane that garner the most attention. I've heard a couple of tracks by John Pitsakis before, but I think this is the first one he's actually released. Good for him, he's talented. It's more of a progressive sounding goa track that takes a while to get on its giddy up, but once it gets going it's a nice bit of sunshine. Nova Fractal is Renato Brnic from Croatia who delivers one of the stronger efforts here complete with breakbeat (I love you...squeal!) and moody atmosphere. Reminds me of Filtertraces. Not a stormer, but a track that you can melt into. Has their been a faster rising star than this guy? This Daniel Eldstrom from Sweden and I remember him working with Miraculix in his psytrance days, but he has really come into his own in the goa medium. This is the track for me, as it absolutely slays. Spiritual, grandiose, and just manhandles anything within reach. What a great sample also. "Oh yeah, you like that? You want some more? Hold up...what is that? Is that...is that a Ho-Ho? Gimme dat f*ckin' ho-ho! Mines b*tch! Uh! Uh! Like Lionel Richie we can do this all night long!" Kristian Petkovski from Macedonia unfortunately has to follow that so it's not all his fault. He is also right before the 2nd best track on the comp so perhaps he is just a victim of poor placement. It's not bad, but when you are the meat of the sandwich you better be more than spam. Elias comes in at a close second to Trinodia here as he does what he usually does. Crazy melody heavy goa with a kiss of nitzho. The lead is a scorcher so don't forget the sunscreen. "Nah it's ok baby, you can pet me...I'm like a teddy bear. Yeah...that's it." Mirza Aljic from Bosnia Hersa...Herca...Bosnia is set to release his debut album on Graviton and I cannot wait. Now he brings an abrasive lead over the top while the surrounding gurgling flows without restraint. You might like it. You might not. Public Enemy had a sound that was like this and that camp was divided as well. I'm not saying he is as legendary as PE. Not yet. But he's got intense melodies that keep changing sounds, always seem to be building to the knockout blow. Good God he is hideous. You do realize he was part of one of the most revolutionary rap groups right? Know how hard it is to find evidence of that little Gremlin dancing around? Christophe Grossel from France is the third best track for me here, but loses out only by a fraction. Dancing melodies with a great break that really pull you in. It really is a deep tour de force that is absolutely hypnotic and powerful. Superb. Knock knock motherf*cker, there's a new sherrif in town. The liner notes say this is Psynews own Nikola Petrovic from Serbia to close things out with a downtempo joint, but with the racing scales I could swear it's keyboard cat. Waitaminute...maybe Nikola is keyboard cat. You clever kitty, suck them in with cuteness and then drop your goa bombs on em all! Truthfully I don't have any proof that he is keyboard cat, but I also don't have anything disproving it. Either way its mystical, ethinc sounding slowness warms the skin. And there you have it, goa awesomeness served up the Neogoa way. Quality tunes with an unbeatable price tag. Several styles are represented so there should be something here for everyone. Unless you're into rap goa, and I haven't heard any of that yet. I don't think Flav is working...he would do it. That motherf*cker would do anything for a few scheckels. Hey if we can get a Croat and a Serb together on one compilation perhaps there is hope for this little mudball yet. Get your goa on! Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Bioscape Title: Nature's Geometry EP Label: Gliese 581C Date: April, 2012 01 - Sunrise Prayer (70 BPM) 02 - Dub Forest (110 BPM) 03 - Synergistic Movement (70 BPM) 04 - Spectral Dub (80 BPM) This is Andrew Dyche from the ATL where the playas play. It is also his debut. According to the always accurate promo: "His music celebrates nature and encourages us to take an intimate look at our surroundings." He must be talking about his vacations from Atlanta. Ever been there? Nice city if you can get through all the mother f*cking traffic. If you go, avoid the summer. Feels like a Turkish bath house it's so damn humid. Most ATLiens will tell you that there surroundings are indoors in the summer. More known for it's southern rap style (Outkast, Ludacris) I'm curious to see what a downtempo producer will bring. Let me tell you it is some mellow stuff. The first track is an intro that is soft and gentle like the breaking dawn and the creatures in the forest are waking up. There is reverberating electric piano and a muted kick. Very good opener. Dub Forest seems significantly slower, but that ain't what the bpm's are saying. This dubby tune is quite full with bunches of layers that take their sweet time. It's good, but I would've liked some extended periods of contrast to keep it interesting. More than 8 minutes at this slow pace is like crawling a marathon. Synergistic Movement has that contrast with several changes and it is shorter so not to tax the mind. With the final track it's more of the same hypnotic dubby sunshine. And basically that is what this EP is...smooth, mellow, and very relaxing. I liked the whole thing and look forward to more from this artist. Ektoplazm Mdk