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Artist: Various Title: 6th Element or The Missing Elements Label: Altar Records Date: May, 2011 1. Astropilot - Inside the Harmony (Astral Waves remix) 2. Zymosis - Zeta Being (original version without flute) 3. Dreaming Cooper - Space Trip 4. Elea - Paisley Faces (Eternity Remix) 5. Suduaya - Salutation To The Planets 6. Elea feat. Bahramji - Menne Divonne 7. Tentura - Uzm247 8. Sysyphe - Mindscare 9. Ephemeral Mists - Awakening Spirits (Peyote mix) 10. Chronos & C.J. Catalizer - Quid Est Veritas (Air mix) 11. Asura - Vangelis Everyone got their cloud recliner in full, resting position? Good. Altar records is delivering what could be the final part of their beautiful Element series with the 6th Element. First thing you'll notice is there is no such thing as a 6th element. Kinda like a sixth Beatle. At least on this planet. But the "missing elements" found here are overflow tracks that didn't find a place on the other installments of the series. Put together and mastered by Mr. Altar himself (DJ Zen) the compilation opens with an epic ambient track remixed by Astral Waves. And what a floating neural massage it is. Zymosis provides his track Zeta Bieng from the Air compilation now with less flute. Which is a shame because it sounded fuller with the flute. However the coming out of the break seemed more dramatic in this version. Space Trip is a melancholy orbit around a planet (or a pretty good backing for a Lionel Richie track) while I couldn't tell you anything about Paisley Faces. Salutation to the Planets had an annoying chant over a cheesy uplifting melody and then Bahramji tops it. Didn't think it was possible, but don't let anyone ever tell you that you can't do something. So...right about now my cloud is beginning to darken and become a little lumpy. Is this a downtempo compilation or soundtrack to an ISIS training video? Uzm247 (what?) is a better piece of downtempo that builds to a strong climax and Mindscare is more on the darker side of things with a dub-like bass line and a strong snare. Liked that one. Awakening Spirits is a slow hallucinogenic dirge with Indian vocals that appeals to me even if it sounds like a slowed down goa track. The Air mix of Quid Est Veritas sounds identical to the track from the album of the same name while Asura closes on a saccharine sweet note that could very well be a Vangelis track. Not being an anthropologist I cannot declare this with abject certainty, but I believe the missing elements are called B-sides. It's not mixed and there is no flow to the tracks at all. It felt like they were just thrown together. They're not terrible by any stretch, but if you spent $10,000 on a hover cloud expecting to float away you're gonna be disappointed. Of course if you spent $10K on a floating cloud ten more bucks ain't gonna mean that much to you. And can I be your friend? Well, since I'm not an anthropologist I guess there is nothing wrong with sticking them back where I found them. You know...to preserve them and sh*t. Yeah, that's it. Pinkie Pie! Apple Jack! Get to diggin! Altar Bandcamp Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Be Spun Label: Spun Records Date: May, 2011 1. The Serum GMS VS ANTIDOTE 2. Bend the future (Logica rmx) SONIC SPECIES 3. Space Star Ordering CHROMATONE 4. Freewheeler TRISTAN 5. The Great Outdoors EARTHLING VS MAD MAX 6. Hollow Anne BROKEN TOY 7. Headbanger Boogie HEADROOM 8. Tarsonis POLI VS BRIAN SENTIENT 9. Stay Classy (GMS rmx) GMS VS ASTRIX Spun Records? Better put on my full on hat. Really? Hey choppers you look like you have a f*cking uterus on your head. I think something a little more in line with the history of Spun would be more appropriate. Bingo. While they are probably not cheese heads, they have been known to rubber stamp carbon copy cut and paste full-on. But they make no bones about it, they are a full-on label. GMS? Poli? Astrix? I already have a pretty good idea where this is going, but I'm up for a listen. Maybe. The Serum- We can pick on GMS all day long (and he has deserved it), but this is a pretty good opener with a strong bass line and overall happy feel. I've stepped in deeper puddles, but as far as dance floors go I could see this working. Space Star Ordering- "Space...what is it? The simple answer? We don't know!" Even though he makes full on I've always felt that Chromatone's music was a cut above the norm. It was harder, edgier, grittier. No exception here as he fills all open areas with effects above a pumping rhythm. His bass lead at 2 minutes demands ass wiggling and I love the break beat in the middle. The end is a little anti climactic, but it's still worth your time. Bend The Future (Logica Remix)- I believe this to be the Petrillo brothers giving a Sonic Species track from Neurology Vol. 3 the remix treatment. It wasn't bad, feeling fuller than the original. There was of course the almost required build up but if I heard it again 5 minutes later I wouldn't recognize it. Pre Iron Man Robert Downey your thoughts? Exactly. Freewheeler- Tristan Cooke has been holding it down for almost 2 decades so credibility he's got. The style is very Temple of One or Tales of Heads if you recall those compilations. Driving beat with echoing synths and a sample while repeated doesn't dominate the mix. It undulates with electricity lacking a central melody yet somehow remaining melodic. The Great Outdoors- "Aww, look at that man, the GREAT OUTDOORS!" Mad Maxx's Afterworld in 2008 was impressive to me as was Earthling's Hypernature also released in 2008. This track bubbles and skitters like something alive in the same style as the previous one. Full on well done if you ask me. See this face? Are you sure this is from spun records? Hollow Anne- Mr. Toy is hit or miss with me (usually miss), but every now and then he makes me sit up and take notice. See me? I'm lying down. It isn't terrible, but it's full-on to the bone without anything exciting to offer. I did like the break and would've loved it if whatever was going on there was better represented. Headbanger Boogie- "I can't just smoke some regular weed and write cause regular weed don't really do nothing for your thoughts." Sounds like someone has a wee bit of a weed problem. I used to smoke weed and would sometimes catch myself grinning like an idiot. Ever drive while high? A 5 mile road felt like 20. But that'll happen when you travel at 15 mph but feel like it's 60. This one grew on me. It built tension with a groovy as hell beat that had me dancing in my seat. Sure they beat the hell outta the sample, but I believe after decades of marijuana use that Method Man actually talks like that. Does nothing for you thought, right buddy? Tarsonis- Poli joins forces with the compiler with a decent track. I liked the break with the chant in there, kinda filled things out. There were sufficient changes during the whole thing so it was a good listen. Stay Classy- Some would say that when you remix your own tracks you weren't that pleased with them in the first place. Or maybe he's a perfectionist that...Hmmm...I can't figure out how to finish that sentence. Shouldn't a remix not bore you? At this point he's just beating a horse that has been dead for over a decade. Somebody please call PETA or something? Ron Burgundy. News Anchor. Loud Noises. This was a pleasant surprise. It proves the maxim never judge a book by it's cover or author in this case. My apologies to Spun for doing just that. While not the greatest full-on ever this was way better than I thought it would be. Some of the tunes could've come from Blue Hour Sounds to be honest. This wasn't full-on from 2005 (thank God) and actually showed some depth while still being danceable. Psyshop Beatspace Saiko Sounds Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Declare Remixes EP Label: Plusquam Records Date: May, 2011 1. Declare - Ritmo 2. Declare (Ovnimoon Remix) 3. Declare (Atomic Pulse Remix) 4. Declare (Elecdruids Remix) It's good to be king Don't be bitter Ronald. Get some f*cking bacon on your sh*t and maybe your burgers will sell better. The Ritmo project used to be the duo of Dubi Dagan and Eitan Morganstern until Dubi kicked him out for being too Jewish. I cannot verify that, but we have video of the final festival of the project as a duo. Oy vey, check out the yenta's in the front row...watch out for those panties! Regardless of what the truth may be, Dubi is one of the rulers of the progressive trance genre. He's made like a million tracks and the vast majority of them have been stellar. His corner of the genre is the melodic and atmospheric stuff that goes down super smooth. Disharmonic Silence in 2008 and Archive 9 are both must haves as far as I'm concerned. So here he is with a remix EP. Everybody's doin' em, but 4 remixes of the same song? I think we can all see the potential danger here. Ovnimoon, Elecdruids (who?) and... what the f*ck is Atomic Pulse doing here? Someone tell him that Fineplay is down the block. Right off the bat the original is everything you think it would be. A beautiful atmospheric journey. Ovnimoon (another uber talented producer) creates an equally super track that on it's own would be great. Problem is it followed the original so it sounds a lot like the movie we just saw. I know Vanilla Ice said it goes ding ding ding da-da-ding ding, but we all know it's Under Pressure. To be fair, it sounds more ominous with a darker edge so I shall give him the benefit of the doubt. I guess they thought there wasn't enough uninspired boring full on, so now we got that in there with the Atomic Pulse remix. After the first two great tracks this one had to be a letdown didn't it? Who didn't see it coming? I reviewed their last album hereif you want a chuckle, but makes you wonder who they blew to get on this EP. "Boom...boom. Get out." And then the Elecdruids ZZZzzzzz..... The danger of doing a remix EP of one track is that they will all sound the same. Points awarded for putting the original first, which makes it a helluva lot easier to compare tracks. But that didn't happen. The problem was half the tracks sucked. Atomic Pulse and whoever the last guys were just mailed it in. And Ritmo I don't know how it works choosing who gets to be on your EP, but I imagine that you have something to do with it. Some of the blame has to fall on your shoulders for letting that weak sh*t on something that bears your name. All in all, the first two tracks are worthwhile and I declare the final two are...not. Beatport Juno Download Mdk

Artist: ECT Title: ECT - Extra Celestial Transmission: The Remasters Label: Ektoplazm Date: May, 2011 01 - ECT & Mass - Magic Dart (136 BPM) 02 - ECT & Mass - Monkey Shines (140 BPM) 03 - ECT - Squawk (142 BPM) 04 - ECT - Catapult (144 BPM) 05 - ECT - Snowblind (145 BPM) 06 - ECT - Mäelström (146 BPM) 07 - ECT & Mass - Angry Little Men (With Sharp Sticks) (140 BPM) 08 - ECT & Mass - Ants 4 Breakfast (144 BPM) "Exterminate all rational thought." What do you get when you mix one part James Brown funky drumming, one part liquid bass so nasty you have to check if you shat yourself, and one part gutteral leads that range from a growling rumbling to an ear scorching bleeding? You get this. This is the work of Leigh Griffiths and these tunes were to be his debut album but somehow that never happened. Well, lucky for us this collection has been placed in a nice little free package so that we can enjoy this British producers work. These tracks were made in between 1997 and 1998 so you can expect heavy doses of psychedelia as well as some goa goodness. And it's nothing like I have heard. As I mentioned there is the drumming which could be done on a real kit for all I know as it sounds that real. A dark component is there as well as effects ripple in between the screaming and scraping leads. It's very overloaded and like the promo says "a digital polish" with "everything on 11" has been applied. From the chaotic screaching of the lead in Monkey Shines to the alien creatures of Squawk skittering over this planet's surface. Everything is intense and pushes the gas pedal all the way to the floor. Ever take a turn at 90mph? Well this barrel rolls about 20 times and keeps on going. Catapult has a bassline that reminds me of Colorbox as well as sounding like Koxbox. That's a lot of box and this box has some aggressive goa tendencies. Snowblind is an effects driven show and Angry Little Men (With Sharp Sticks) and Ants 4 Breakfast is...f*ck me I don't know what it is. Acid sodomy? I dunno... But what's cool about this release is that it undergoes so many transformations within the track that you really are taken on quite the ride. It's hard to believe that this was made almost 15 years ago. You're not gonna find a main melody that keeps getting repeated. Oh no, just a healthy heaping of psychedelic madness with pumping rhythms and crystal clear sounds. It might be a bit much to take in one sitting, but give it a shot. I don't think you will be disappointed. Variety, she is the spice of life no? Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Intergalactic Title: Area 51 Label: Agitato Records Date: May, 2011 1. Butterfly Effect 2. Area 51 3. Invisible Skyline 4. Red Alert 5. Speaker Dust 6. No Sin in the Scene 7. Set Your Mind 8. Landing Ground 9. Epic Saga (feat. Counter Point) In a continuing saga of an artist whose best days seem to be behind him, Vik Shefi has been the mind behind a variety of full-on-a-palooza projects from Cyber Cartel to groups like Vik On Injection, Viktan, Opium of the Masses, and Space Buddha. Don't really understand why the same two people formed two different projects in exactly the same style, but whatever...it all adds up to fast bass lines and supermodel thin depth. Last time he came out with an album for this project was waaay back in 05. So obviously he's been cooking up some good stuff, ready to waylay the psytrance community with clever breaks and nuclear acidic power. Right? I mean what are the odds that this album sounds like it's 2005? Whatever. This is like a sugar free cookie. So bland and tasteless. Might as well be elevator music. On it's face it isn't terrible, but just as I had feared his music hasn't evolved and is stuck in the past. This is stuff he did on his last album. Which is a shame because I really liked his 2008 Cyber Cartel release Who Needs To Sleep Anyway. Thought he was moving in the right direction. First clue I suppose should've been that this was released on Agitato, a label so immersed in the generic production of full-on that their ringtone is a full-on bassline. 2nd clue should've been the pic of Alien Project on the cover. I don't wanna slight the guy because he's obviously doing something right for someone being in the game as long as he has. But if deep, evolving psytrance is a 16 oz Porterhouse this is a two day old White Castle burger. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Fahrenheit Project Part 7 Label: Ultimae Records Date: May, 2011 1. Silenzio delle Sirene (album edit) GAIANA 2. Millenium 3 ASURA 3. Memories Maze (Flashbacks SE) ASTROPILOT 4. Feller Buncher CIRCULAR 5. Signals SCANN-TEC 6. Final (Max Million rmx) HOL BAUMANN 7. Su Abir CYGNA 8. Gedanken wie diese FIELD ROTATION 9. Hundred Miles MAURIZIO PIAZZA 10. OnFlow SOLAR FIELDS Ultimae Records is back with part 7 of their Fahrenheit series. Must be pretty good if they made it all the way to seven. Although I believe the Police Academy series kinda puts that theory to bed, don't you? It's a who's who of downtempo artists chosen and mixed by none other than Mr. Aes Dana. The letterbox is back baby! Silenzio Delle Sirene (Album Edit)- This is Lithuanian duo Adomas Juozapavicius & Robin Graat who crafted a beautiful track to open the compilation. So rich in detail and atmosphere you would think they were doing this for 10 years. The bass line gurgles in an endless rotation as effects give it some freedom. Forlorn leads wail expectantly with some shimmering qualities as pads weep with regret. This is a track where you can sit back in your easy chair and play with your balls. Millenium 3- With a stomping beat right away Charles blends smooth, soft pads with throbbing synths that oscillate. The break is one of breathtaking beauty as waves lap against the shore. Deep thunderous booms make me think of entering the water from great heights as it all plays out in slow motion. Very nice. Memories Maze (Flashbacks SE)- The very prolific Dmitry Redko continues the trend of rapid fire bass lines below airy and cloud shredding pads. The beat is progressive in tempo and while not coma inducing like his awesome ambient work Solar Walk, this is a straight ahead dream maker. Remember Risky Business? Of course you don't, you probably only go as far back as Harold and Kumar. But Tangerine Dream had a track in that movie while they were on the subway that was also in this style. Now I'm not saying go f*ck some prostitute on the train, but if you do, put this on your iPod. Ok, ok...don't patronize me. Feller Buncher- This is Bjarte Andreassen and Jostein Dahl Gjelsvik a Norweigian ambient project and I cannot pronounce even one of their names. The music makes me feel like I am in a dream state as it drifts slowly along with tendrills of electronica and swirling melodies. Soaked in reverb. They pay tribute to famous green poet Rolf Jacobsen with a sample. Don't know who that is, but it sounds like it's a little heavier than the material I read when I'm taking a dump. The track slows down as the end like some dumb tech tripped over the power cord. Signals- Clicking and swirling pads comprise an ambient opening and then it acquires a kick along the way. This is sitting on the beach as the wind blows in off the ocean music. It's got good bounce as it floats into the clouds. Smooth. Final (Max Million rmx)- Mr. Baumann...how do you combine eerieness with tribal sensibilities along with a glossy veneer? Slow and steady downtempo with strong bass, sharp pads, and timid melodies. Goes into breakbeat mode which gives it a little swagger. That kick is pretty massive as the guitar strings fit well with the electronic stuff. Yessir, lots of layers to chew through. Loved it. Su Abir- This guy is from Malta and who doesn't want to hear what someone from Malta can do? F*ck I don't think I could even find it on a map. Is it near Egypt? His album Opus Eva is out now and I can't wait to check that out. Soft guitar strings, ethnic instruments and a very folksy vocal predominate as melodies twinkle from above. Metallic whining and twirling synths unravel in a melancholic tone as he adds more real world instruments...what the hell was that a basoon? 8th grade band geeks rejoice! Woodwinds has a place in psy! Good for you man. Another winner. Gedanken wie diese- Anyone who speaks fluent German (I'm sorry...what? When did that happen?) like myself can tell you that this is German for Lemme Smang it Giirrrrrl. See? Stick with me... It kinda has a positive lounge feel...if you were stranded on a spaceship travelling away from Earth that is. The bass is all sine wavy as a synth effect rotates through the track. More sad pads and mournful wails as the girl won't let him smang it...so you see, he is right to be sad. Goofy looking oompa loompa, I wouldn't let him smang it either. I think this was my least favorite and by least favorite I mean damn it was still good. Hundred Miles- This project is called Maurizio Piazza (Maurice Pizza?) cause his name is Maurizio Piazza. Rattling, clicking, and a general fuzziness is how I would describe this track. He's got some twinkling and the thing picks up the pace to a moderate tempo, but doesn't have a recognizable...whatever. Nothing you can grab hold of. It's an effects trip with a kick and a clap. I can see where he gets the track title. Like if your car breaks down and f*ck it's a hundred miles to the nearest gas station. OnFlow- Magnus closes the journey with more pads than that guy Bobby is kicking in the nuts. It's cloud surfing, on a euphoric high. As bass tones bubble underneath, positive vibes and heavenly pads caress you. It gets loud like an orchestral brass fanfare as more tones sprinkle from unicorn horns. A rainbow just sh*t in my mouth and it tasted like skittles. Very sunshine oriented. First off I would say if you were looking for beatless ambient then keep looking. The style represented here is more of a progressive or evolving "ambient" trance with 4/4 beats as well as some of the thumping stuff. One of the reviews on Discogs intimated that this wasn't anything you could relax to. Wait maybe he's right. If like Michael Jackson you're addicted to propafol. Maybe that individual only listened tot he first 3 tracks. It's meditative, it's relaxing, and it's thick with storytelling atmosphere. I like how it's mixed to provide one long cohesive journey. There is an insane amount of detail to be discovered with different moods represented. A quality release that should please all fans of the chill-out genre. http://www.psyshop.c.../inr1cd046.html http://www.beatspace...ven/detail.aspx http://www.goastore....roducts_id=4481 Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Ease Division 4 Label: Spiral Trax Date: May, 2011 1. Treebeard Speaks His Mind - VONOOM 2. Melting Touch - KLIMENT 3. The Last OCB - KRUSSELDORF 4. Wide awake - ESCAPE VELOCITY 5. Plasmaland - SIEBZEHN 6. The Purrts Of Navarone - ILLUMINUS 7. As Summer Gave Way To Autumn - KUKAN DUB LAGAN 8. Ffly By - TOR.MA 9. Water Cooler - KRUSSELDORF Spiral Trax is a Swedish label that closed up shop in 2006 when its distributor folded only to be reborn and taken over by Germany. Some big names have come through this label...Human Blue, Logic Bomb, Hux Flux. So there is nothing to be ashamed about if you've been taken over by Germany. I mean it happened to Austria, France, Italy and Poland and that worked out pretty well...right? I mean, you say Germany to me in the 40's and I'm thinking this guy. Sure he ran a camp for POW's, but they looked well fed and every week it seemed like there was a lot of laughs. He's such a lovable character I'm sure the whole country of Germany was just like him. Oh. That was there? Wow. That is no way to run a label. Sure it was a "hostile takeover" but this is business, it happens all the time. It's not like they made giant robots whose sole intent was to crush the Fatherland. Ho.Lee.Crap. Those motherf*ckers. What a terrible slice of history. All we can do is hope that it is never repeated and that a continent doesn't fall prey to a charismatic yet insane individual. IT'S THE END OF DAYS! HE'S BROUGHT BACK ZOMBIE GARY COLEMAN AND A KILLER 1980'S TRANS-AM! Treebeard Speaks His Mind- Michael Sundo drops a serious dubby tune for your ears. That bass will rattle a few windows in Kennebunkport this summer I betcha. Simpsons reference? Anybody? The slow piano chords provide stability as bubbly sweeps rain down like afternoon sunshine. He slides a squirty lead in there near the end for a pretty good track. Nod your head goodness I would say. Melting Touch- Haven't heard a whole bunch from Mr. Dichev, but what I have had the privelidge to hear was pretty damn good. He's got twinkly synths that make like sparklers on the 4th of July as a deep bass hums below. Cloud surfing melodies spiral throughout, and the clip clop of percussion makes me think of open meadows. Kinda like the cover. It's got it all really...piano, soft vocals, dreamy melodies. It's like being high and adrift without having to hit the pipe. Only one thing missing... Hey! How you doin'? What? Kids, no...no *pushes kids into pool* Those are my brother's kids! The Last OCB- R.I.P. Dirty. You were...different. What? Oh. OH! OCB. I'm sure Simon will be thrilled to have his name linked to a fool that showed up in a limo to collect food stamps. This is Simon Heath aka Atrium Carceri (which is one of my all time favorite dark ambient projects) With a deliberate melody and deep bass this track has a frenzied percussive style. You know, like the bpm would say 170 but it's a downtempo joint. Floating melodies combine with some earthy almost forest sounds. Can a track be relaxing yet also feel a little rushed? That's how this one made me feel. Mind Wide Awake- Oooh, juicy percussion! Like I stepped in a puddle. The pads are of course dreamy and the bass drop is a nice warped style. Shimmering leads reflect like chrome in the sun and the break beat hits me just right. And then right in the middle of the track he slows it all down. It's an extended break that brings forth what seems like an arbitrary melody before the beat shifts. Kinda weird transition, but I liked it. Plasmaland- Remember how Michael Jackson in the Billie Jean video stepped on a square and it would light up? That's how this makes me feel, though instead of squares it's clouds. And the view down is...breathtaking. If I were any more relaxed I would be comatose. Thankfully he throws a little soft percussion my way and it highlights how detailed and spacey this track is. So what are you gonna do when he speeds things up at a drum n bass pace? Know what I did? Just smiled. Purrts of Navarone- "And when I got started with psychedelics it was because I was...uhh, interested in a mystical experience." At first when I thought this was going to be an ambient piece I was on board. But after the Shpongle-esqe quirkiness and weird sounds I was turned off. This doesn't seem to fit in with what I have heard so far. It's not that the pace is quicker, but I found the chanting and sounds rather intrusive. On it's own it's fine, but put with these tracks just doesn't do itself any favors. As Summer Gave Way To Autumn- I've heard this before. Piano chord arpeggio and rastafarian sample telling me to choose one. But where? Bah...I can't think of it. Maybe I heard it whilst I was asleep and thought I heard it somewhere else. At least where back to the relaxing pace even though I don't care for the lead and its distorted, detuned self. Come to think of it, the piano is obtrusive as well. Yeah, I don't like this. And being almost 10 minutes long it'll take 2 weeks to get through it. Is it good? Eh. Fly by-You got your sitar appreciation ears ready? Good, you'll need 'em. The breakbeat lends an air of funk to it and the electronics give it a mystical vibe. Not bad. "Hot dog hot dog yes sir no sir!" Water Cooler- With a jazzy feel the funky drummer comes out to play. The emphasis is on real world instruments in a let's get everyone in the room and jam. What? Nah, f*ck the sheet music, follow my lead. Gimme a c, a bouncy c! Weird. I like the Ease Division Series as the number gets highger. 1st one not so much. The 2nd was better and the 3rd was really good. With the 4th one I think we have reached a plateau. It started off pretty good but then kinda lost its way. Lots of dub, some ambient, reggae...so there's plenty of different genre's to stick your teeth into, but it didn't blow me away. There were a couple of really good tracks so it might be worth checking out. http://www.psyshop.c.../spt1cd032.html http://www.beatspace...n+4/detail.aspx http://www.goastore....roducts_id=4416 Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Southern Breeze Label: Echoes Records Date: May, 2011 1. Inter - KARL JOHAN 2. Supernova (Magitman rmx) - WEEKEND HEROES 3. It's Tech No - SAVE THE ROBOT 4. Necessary Activity (Fiord rmx) - ANDREA BERTOLINI AND LISH 5. Greatest Peace - GLITTER 6. Call Me (Victor Ruiz rmx) - D-NOX AND BECKERS 7. Dengue Express - ERIC ENTRENA AND SOMETHING GOOD 8. Mantra (Roy Rosenfeld rmx) - LUIGI ROCCA 9. All Nighter - GUY MANTZUR AND STEPHAN BAZBAZ Somehow this ended up in my pile of stuff to listen to. I can't explain it. Based in Israel, Echoes Records is owned by the guy who did the compiling and the promo says it is a massive release which is deep and pumping. Look, I've been doing this long enough to know when I'm being fed a line and this line is larger than the coke that went up Rick James nose. Inter- Let me be the first to tell you that this track will not blow anyone off the dancefloor. And I don't think it's supposed to. It's intro progressive house to the core with little evolution. Sounds get added as the measures tick by rising to a fever pitch. Let's see where they're going with this... Supernova (Magitman Remix)- This is Igal Magitman aka Etic with a remix. It's another progressive house joing with not a whole lot going on. If it was a chick at the club and they were getting ready to close I suppose I would take her home. Wait...how drunk am I? Cause while she has a slight funky side I would bet this librarian might have to work in the morning. Damnit, why are the lights so low in the club? This is not what my mind saw. It's Tech No- This is Alien Project + Quadra and no matter what theorem you use it all adds up to mediocrity. Seems like they have changed their style since their earlier albums. I would say this is a step in the right direction. The track itself has a funky sway to it with a popcorn lead. Nothing here is going to make you redefine the genre, but it has its charm. Necessary Activity (Fiord Remix)- The Strom brothers remix a Lish track with a lulling, pulsating effect. If you're looking for change and variation that ship has sailed. The first 4 minutes set the stage for a nice bridge, but then it's right back to what got you here. The suspense grows as the track seems to climb a never ending set of stairs. Meh. Picture going to work and killing company time on high speed internet and then having to come home to watch porn on dial up. Yeah, that sucks. Greatest Peace- This guy? He's still making music? Wasn't he diddling children or something like that? Probably not the same guy. All these tracks follow the same pattern, what the hell. Slightly groovy with not much change and a build up. Man this was boring. If I wanted to be bored I would ask my wife how her day went. Dont uh...don't tell her I said that, ok? Call Me (Victor Ruiz Remix)- Wow, you know how cool repetitive samples are? Good God this is going from bad to worse. Call you? If I see you in a crosswalk I'm gonna try and hit you. Quit jay walkin motherf*cker! Dengue Express- See if you name your project Something Good it gives ammunition to bored critics like me to poke fun at. It's a high standard that can be hard to attain. Still, this had some funky qualities to it. If only it wasn't so annoying. Whatever momentum it had was lost quickly along the way. F*ck me if I had a white flag I would wave it. Mantra (Roy Rosenfeld Remix)- This project might as well be my mail carrier because I have no idea who any of the participants are. The sample talks about...you know, I wasn't really paying that much attention. I was busy marveling at the save that goalkeeper made. I wonder if his country had that forward killed before he got off the plane. All Nighter- You sonofabitch. You made me wade through all that sewage for the best track? It's groovy with a casual style. I didn't wet myself over it, but compared to the rest it is a fountain of melody. You can hear the melody from the Bee Gees classic all housed up. But at this point I'm ready to go. If you are a fan of this type of progressive house I apologize. Not for what I'm about to say because I don't care if I offend you. I want to apologize for the record label making you waste your money on this crap. There is nothing interesting about this release. It's the same sh*t over and over with little to no melody or any twists or turns which may keep the listener from chucking it out the car window. Feel that breeze? Yeah, Echoes Records just farted in your face. http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/ech/ech1cd013.html Mdk