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Artist: Various Title: Three Ohm Three Label: Anjuna Records Date: April, 2014 1. Perfect Rainbow - Exotic Eye 2. Total Eclipse - Area 51 (live) 3. Syb Unity Nettwerk - Forbidden (Space Invaders Remix) 4. Ufomatka - Extragalactic Form of Life 5. Shakta & Moonweed - Q 6. Subcouds - On Red (1999 pHlatline mix) 7. Jaia - Brainstorm (live Mix) 8. Moonweed - Jaunt 9. Virtuart - Tetragrammaton 10. Tandu - Inception "It's not nice to be invaded by aliens." Oh here we go with that xenophobic Republican talking point. Why you gotta be afraid of the brown people? You think they're all so scary. All they want is a better life than what... Oh. Those kind of aliens? Yeah I guess you're right it wouldn't be nice to be invaded by aliens. Although I like to think the aliens look like Kate Upton so I'll just bide my time, but always be prepared to bow down and serve. If you think that was just a cheap trick to post a Kate Upton gif well look at the big brain on Brad! Anjuna ain't crazy though. They just keep churning out the rare and unreleased goa trance and I keep guzzling it down like a six pack of Poland Spring in the desert. Oh excuse me...Evian for you Euros. It's melody intensive, comprised of storming tracks. it shimmers, it's layered and bubbly and boy does it sound good. As the title suggests the 303 sound is prominently featured here so if that instrument gives you a psy boner then you might wanna loosen the belt on your pants when you listen to this. Lots of kings of the old school here including wo tracks from Moonweed. Anytime you can double your weed I suppose that's a good thing. As per usual you can find Ukrainian (or did he go to the other side) Ufomatka here and while he's not from the old school rest assured his track is an absolute belter. That guy has some sick skills. Hope an album is in the works. The artwork is pretty sweet also. You can get T-shirts with the cover art just like with the Lucid Flux compilation. I'd get one, but I already get prison raped on shipping so I'll leave that to you slender European models. This is an excellent compilation that gets my seal of approval. Anjuna Bandcamp Suntrip Shop Mdk

Artist: One Arc Degree Title: Under A Trillion Suns Ep Label: Microcosmos Records Date: April, 2014 1. The Star Orchid 2. Under A Trillion Suns 3. Futurism 4. For the Love of Despair Time for something smooth and light. You might have heard of this project (two Greek gentlemen) when they did a collaboration on an Ep with Psynews wunderkind Cybernetika a couple years back. The music is gentle trance with outstanding production and atmosphere. There isn't anything inherently psychedelic to be found here, but I found the music to be rather emotional. The title track has a bizarre operatic vocal that fits and Futurism is perhaps the most aggressive with the boys getting frisky with the cutoff knob. Great, deep introspective music to lose your thoughts in. Microcosmos Records

Artist: Symbiote Title: Symbiote EP Label: DAT Records Date: April, 2014 1. Phantasmagoria 2. Tiara 3. Abstraktd Draeke (Federico if you're nasty) is the head of DAT Records and has played an integral role in today's goa trance most notably in making the old new again. The results have been nothing more than spectacular with releases from old school masters like Blue Planet Corporation, Crop Circles, and the massive Etnica double CD. He's like the six million dollar man making old music better. Stronger. More awesome. Every conversation I've ever had with him has been polite and enjoyable. He seems to really enjoy what he does and is probably having the time of his life. If I lived in Europe and didn't have these anchors known as children perhaps we'd travel the highways together in a van solving mysteries. We would make money by him playing festivals and I of course would play robin hood, taking advantage of the burgeoning organ black market by swiping kidneys from criminals and rich a**holes to give to poor orphans. Ah, but that's a story for another time. Symbiote is Samuel Cote from Quebec in the state north of my country that doesn't realize it's only a matter of time before it becomes assimilated into the borg. Originally made in 97 (I smell classic) Draeke gave it the DAT treatment and voila we have another EP in the arsenal. And another withdrawl from my bank account. So did he strike gold again and become the 50 ft tall jewel encrusted golden giant? Well, yes and no. Phantasmagoria is everything you could hope for. Ridiculous layers, absurd length fostering the creation of said layers, and the whole thing crackles with an intense energy that sears everything it touches. It's insanely driving music that I have never heard before. It reminds me of this one off track. Delicious! Tiara is even longer, but lacks the intensity of the first track. It's veeeeery repetitive and has more in common with dream trance than goa. Nowhere near as interesting. Which brings me to Abstraktd. The final track that drones on for almost 15 minutes at a slower speed increasing in volume to an almost abrasive level. My least favorite here. So for me this wasn't up the usual DAT standards. But hey Michael Jordan never met a shot he didn't like, but that didn't stop him from taking them. And we all know how that turned out. I don't know if he is still making music, but it would be interesting to hear what he could do with improved technology. Even though I didn't care for this EP, Phantasmagoria is a track that you should hear. Nay...a track that you must hear. DAT Records Psyshop Beatspace Mdk

Artist: Hardfloor Title: The Art of Acid Label: Hardfloor.de Date: April, 2014 1. Tweakend 2. Necessary Roughness 3. The Art of Acid 4. Dark Shadow 5. Rwndrb 6. P.E.L.F. 7. Analogue Bubbletea 8. Bubble & Sqeak 9. Swag My Glitch Up 10. TB Continued I like art That sh*t's funny. Whether it's sculpture, painting, musical, Or whatever the f*ck this is, it will always be subjective. Some will love it and some are gonna despise it. Having discovered Solar Quest and their album Acidophilez I've been digging some acid trance. Goa fans will no doubt be drawn to the use of the 303. I sure was. Hadrfloor is a German duo that seem to be the gods of the genre. My lord knoweth how to get down! Their style is a heaping helping of 303's followed up by more 303's in repetitive phrases that can be funky as hell. Each track delivers bouncy beats along with that hallowed sound that can go from bubbly to dangerously acidic. This is their latest album and tracks like Necessary Roughness will get you all twisted up like a pretzel. The break beat on Rwndrb and Analogue Bubbletea are so head noddingly delicious I never wanted them to end. Bubble and Squeak is so wobbly Thailand better put up new tsunami warnings. Look it's not rocket science. Percussion and a bass synthesizer. Well, maybe six of them. With such a limited sound palette you'd think it would get old very quickly, but no. Either they come out with guns a blazing or they build up that tension until you're caught up in the euphoria. By that time it's too late. They got you bro. The beats are designed to shake what yo momma gave you and each track is meant to be blasted at a party. They must be armpit deep in slutty groupie tail. Magnificent bastards. Got a few lb's to lose? Know some hot chicks? Make a run to the liquor store and let's get this party started. Bad. Ass. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Passages Label: Ultimae Records Date: April, 2014 1. James Murray - Passing Through Walls 2. Fingers In The Noise - Delicate 3. Cygna - Within 4. Brando Lupi - Opal 5. Miktek - Kinematics 6. Murya - Der Blaue Engel 7. Martin Nonstatic - Moments 8. Lars Leonhard - Deeper Direction 9. Aes Dana - Units 10. Connect Ohm - 9980 (Cell Remix) 11. Max Million - Skying 12. Zinovia - Northern Wind For those of us that don't worship at the altar of Ultimae this compilation appears to be nothing special. Typical cover art presentation with a nice photo. At first glance there are only a few recognizable names (for me anyway) and I was filing this under just the next album in the release train. You would think I'd know better by now. True the artists aren't the household names we've become accustomed to, but treat that as a negative at your own peril. This compilation does what Ultimae does. Soft, gentle downtempo with somber melodies and glitchy grooves. After the opening track (didn't like it, went nowhere) we're treated to relaxing grey day music. Delicate is just that; wispy tones as rain streams down the window. Within is open mouth discovery as I journey through a hidden ice cave. The strings give it a very cold feeling as percussive sounds ping off the walls. Opal is the exit from that cave bringing a vast frozen vista into view. Kinematics is a lush march that takes its time as does Der Blaue Engel, but the latter has more melodies and glitch. Shortest here, but more memorable. The rain falls during Moments and Deeper Direction picks up the tempo. Unlit by the guy I'm actually familiar with is rich and melancholy with some haunting piano. The Cell remix didn't do anything for me and I found it a tad boring. Skying has a full and hopeful sound and Northern Wind closes it out with some nice ambient piano. Ready for me to trot out the often used maxim? While none of the tracks themselves are stellar can't do without, the flow itself is the star. Very relaxing all the way through with rich sounds echoing the hallmark of Ultimae artists. It's not my favorite Ultimae release by far, but it's soothing, quality chill. If you buy the Flac version from Ultimae I think you get the continuous mix. Ultimae Psyshop

Artist: Eyal Iceman Title: Blast From the East EP Label: Sita Records Date: April, 2014 1. Blast From The East 2. Eternal Tribulations 3. Return To The Classix The Iceman is back! Tommy...(inhales deeply and exhales slowly) I swear to God if you weren't my sister's kid I would've fired you a long time ago. Now...could you please get me the right f*cking image before I lose my patience? Get out! Get out! Get the f*ck out!!! *throws stapler* And tell your mother you call that a meatloaf? I could've thrown that hard sh*t on the fire place! So...very...hard to find good help these days. Eyal was a pillar of the Nitzhonot community from back in the day and he's back with a three track EP from the current czar of nitzho Sita Records. The opening track is a quality blend of goa and Nitzhonot with warm and swirling melodies. Like all the tracks it's over 10 minutes and travels at a million miles an hour. Eternal Tribulations has a sound that is more nitzh with super fast melodies rising and falling. lead sounds change frequently with a very Infected Mushroom style near the end. Hyper, energetic, fun stuff. Back To The Classix is the longest track at almost 15 minutes! That's almost a f*cking sitcom. He was obviously attempting to ease us into things before he came out in full beserker nitzhonot mode. Felt like I was at my cousin's Bat Mitzvah. The layers seemed to be kept at a minimum while the melodies raced around hairpin turns. It's all a little too old testament for me. But I think that anyone who makes this type of trance knows there is a degree of cheese inside and to take it with a wink and a nod. But it's fun stuff and made for good times. Beatport Psyshop Mdk

Artist: Fiery Dawn Title: Cosmic Ascension EP Label: Timewarp Records Date: April, 2014 1. The Priest of Voodoo 2. Hyperspace 3. Mahakala 4. Acid Fury Yet another artist from the Balkans. Definitely something in the water. I think releasing psychedelic music must be their GDP. You should get that sh*t checked out before you start seeing two headed babies and children with 6 thumbs. How close are you guys from Chernobyl? Would explain a lot. This is Giorgi Schadenfreude or something like that and he's been doing his thing for a decade. The Priest of Voodoo- This is a very interesting track. Not your run of the mill goa by any stretch. Loaded with sounds and sporting a techno-tribal influence I wouldn't kick you in the nuts if you didn't call it goa at all. Hyperspace- If you were waiting for the goa well here it is. Acidic flame licking leads dance above the bubbly and whiplike 303. The break is well done. Mahakala- There he goes with that 303 again. Not that I'm complaining. The melodies twist and turn all the while storming across space. Got a little bit of a Colorbox feel with that lead and that is always awesome. Acid Fury- Hmmm. You'd think with a track called Acid Fury there'd be more acid and...well, fury. Not bad, but slightly disappointing. "Man that is flagrant false advertising!" Yeah like that. Good, but don't raise a brother's hopes like that. It's a different EP from Timewarp who are showing their willingness to promote and support a diverse pool of artists. Good job! Beatport Psyshop Mdk

Artist: Virtuart Title: Sacred Drop EP Label: DAT Records Date: April, 2014 1. Virtuart feat Chronomyst - Madagascar2depeut 2. Virtuart feat Chronomyst - Sacred Drop 3. Virtuart - L'Arome De La Solitude (Batur Mix) Ohhhhh....yeah that's the stuff. Let the newly remastered old school goodness cascade over you. Allow the dark energy to penetrate your insides. Open yourself wide to the... Whew. I need a cold shower. Draeke and DAT Records are back with another EP release from the days of yore. Virtuart is Oliver Abitbol and he is somewhat of an under appreciated artist. Two of the three tracks see him collaborate with Chronomyst. His name is also Oliver so I can only assume he cloned himself for double the awesome. If you've got a better explanation I'm all ears. But the chances of a country like France having two people named Oliver are really...well, they're actually pretty good. In fact I actually know someone from France named Oliver. Sh*t it must be like John over here. First let me tell you this sounds delicious so kudos to messieur Abitbol for doing the remaster. Spiraling melodies soar over angelic pads as the music cradles you through the clouds. The lead in Sacred Drop dances like something one would hear from Colorbox so maximum points there. But the best is saved for last, a storming beast of a track with a melody that seems unending. Fantastic! DAT you've done it again! Now if you'll excuse me whilst I put my pants back on. Oh btw, Draeke did you get the van yet? Those mysteries ain't gonna solve themselves. And I'm running out of pockets for these sloppy kidneys.* *read Symbiote review to get in on the joke. DAT Records Psyshop Beatspace Mdk