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Artist: Hydraglyph Title: Euphonics Label: Nexus Media Date: June, 2007 1. Red Tide 2. Nowhere Near (Shady Mix) 3. Somebody Else 4. Piece By Piece 5. Nightmare 6. Evenflow 7. Astraction 8. Venus 9. Tetris Bender 10. Ultrasound (Rmx) It's raining/sleeting/snowing right now and for some reason I decided to say a few words about this release. We are all familiar with the quality of Nexus Media at the time who were on the forefront of powerful, sinister South African psytrance. This was the second release from Andrew Morgan & Mark Ackermann. Aside from the Condition Black remix I found their debut Kinetic to be a steaming bowl of meh. So....low bar everyone. Now normally Ormion and I are simpatico when it comes to the blessing that is this type of psytrance. He didn't care for it, but I liked its punishing, dark vibe, It was bruising, mechanical, and came at you with a sense of foreboding that still sounds pretty good today. Parts sound dirty...like discarded, corroded metal and I like that apocalyptic atmosphere. Now let's be clear it is not without its flaws. Some empty stretches and questionable sound choices and samples can make the eyes roll a bit. South African Full-on is still full-on. And certainly some projects have done it waaay better. But 12 years old...things tend to get a little stale after that amount of time and I felt this still had some freshness. Far from a classic, but I also don't think it is remotely close to a flop. Psyshop

Artist: Various Title: The Jury Label: Nexus Media Date: August, 2016 1. Technicolor - Plastik 2. Orca - Unleashed 3. Mad Science - War is Law 4. CoRupt Vs. Shift - Voice of Reason 5. Shift - Kapitol (Deliriant vs Iliuchina Remix) 6. Aptitude - The Aliens 7. Dissy - Never Give Up 8. Xatrik - Space Invaders 9. Iliuchina - After Infinity V2.0 (Rabdom L Remix) 10. Demosys - Shameless 11. Abomination - Fallen (Brain Attack Remix) 12. Alienn - Gaming Time 13. The Commercial Hippies - The Belly Of The Beast" (Shift Remix) 14. Stereopanic Vs. Shameless - Mayhem 15. Zion Linguist - Prisoner 16. Cybernetix - The Grid 17. Dyce - Neverland You are not alone. What was once a titan in the South African psytrance scene with releases like the Midnight Storm series and numerous other stellar compilations and albums has been reduced to a minute Facebook/Beatport presence. As my country's bloated, verbally challenged, orange dictator would say...sad. And it is sad, because at one time this label was the end all and be all of hard rockin, minor key melodic bombastic psytrance. Now just because the label doesn't have a dominating web presence doesn't mean they cannot deliver the psychedelic goods. And with that spirit I wanted to check out this release. Reality slapped me in the face pretty quickly. First off it's digital only and that's fine. Save the planet and sh*t. Second there are seventeen tracks so it's a large one. Back in their prime I would've bet the mortgage that the lion's share of them would be brain melting blasters. Alas times change and it is simply not the case. None of the tracks have the storytelling gravitas of the old days. Most are masquerading as "night time" full-on complete with stops, starts, build ups, and annoying melodies. This is a watered down neutering of what was once a dominant label, but we'll always have Midnight Storm. $16.99 for this digital disappointment? GTFOH

Artist: Various Title: Deep Into The Nexus Label: Nexus Media Date: February, 2007 1. Brethren & Outer Signal - Rock 2. Hydraglyph - Nowhere Near 3. Phyx - Evolver 4. Abomination - Pass Away (Shift Remix) 5. Twisted System - Mad Method (Live Version) 6. Slug & Abomination - Where is Magneto? 7. Shift - Pump 8. Pitch Hikers - Counter Culture 9. Artifakt - Gravity Spine Pt. 1 10. Artifakt - Gravity Spine Pt. 2 "And then suddenly....BOOM!" Any astrophysicist or rocket scientist worth his salt will tell you that this compilation is devastating. It's night time psytrance from 10 years ago that holds up very well. Acid all over the place with the ominous melodies that made Nexus Media one of the premier labels for this type of music. The first 7 tracks are blisteringly good and don't let up a hair. It culminates in the techno influenced weirdness that garnered Artifakt a loyal following. If you're a fan of the South African style of psy from the mid 2000's (and let's be honest you should be) then this is a must have. Psyshop Beatspace

Artist: Deliriant Title: Miracle Cure Label: Nexus Media Date: August, 2011 1. Edge of the Universe 2. Miracle Cure 3. Anti-God 4. Chronic 5. Face It 6. Peaches (Deliriant Remix) - Pitch Hikers, Shane Renew 7. One Sound Fits All 8. Final Thought 9. Recollection A little to the left...a little more...ok, one step right....perfect! Smile! This is what it feels like to have let this slip under the radar. Kind of a poor choice of words, because whoever was driving that tank obviously wasn't watching the radar. Maybe it was me. Between the new baby and this being the hiking season I haven't really been paying too much attention to music. Who am I kidding, I haven't been able to do much hiking at all. Be that as it may I will attempt to get my sleep deprived brain a new injection of music. This is Shane Renew, another South African that can bring the power in that twilight style that I love. His first album Chemistry...c'mon. I just wanna....C'mon mother f*cker let me rename the link...Damn this updated and obviously smoother running board! Damn you to hell! Actually, that's minor...I really like the new setup here. As I was saying, Chemistry (link below) was astoundingly awesome and if you haven't heard it I urge you to purchase a copy. http://www.psynews.o...__fromsearch__1 Wow, look at that old review. So sparse and...vacant. No pictures or nothin'. Anyway, this was mastered by sHiFt so it's got that going for it. Also, it is a digital only release as far as I can tell, so they apparently got tired of paying Joe Blow and Jill whoever the f*ck for CD costs, printing, and all that crap. I know some people love having the physical release, but let's be honest where are you gonna put it hippie? Something comes in means something goes out and we all know you're not gonna get rid of your bong. Yes, yes, we know you want a Kindle that plays music. Well they have that, it's called an mp3 player. Now you don't have to cart around all your Lil' Wayne Cd's. F*cker releases one every other week. Edge of the Universe- "This is Earth. Silicon and oxygen based with a metallic core. It teems with life and rotates once every 24 hours while orbiting a star called the sun every 365 days. Let us travel now at the speed of light departing from our home star on a trip across the cosmos toward the edge of the known universe. Our imaginary journey begins when we prepare to launce into space at the speed of 186,000 miles per second." With a crunchy beat and acid splatter the journey is underway. It's gutteral and feels like he just made Chemistry part two. Very groovy with dancing leads that combine in a bouncing melody. The break is also crystal clear bringing a bubbling synth to the front. Not storytelling rich, but it'll make you want to shake your ass in a co-worker's face. "Yeah! Yeah, can you smell that? I had tacos for lunch!" Miracle Cure- It sounds very futuristic and has me believing there is a miracle cure for all maladies. "WHAT THE F*CK IS WRONG WITH YOUR FACE!!!" So...maybe not a cure, but definitely some type of banishment. I see people in white coats with beakers full of colorful liquid and the whole environment is sterile. Sparkling leads ricochet off each other as lasers fire with reckless abandon. The acid starts flying with impunity and it was pretty good with a futuristic break. Not bad. Anti-God- Toxic chemicals drip from metallic surfaces and a lead peeks out from the darkness, giving you just a taste. It begins slowly but at 4 minutes the synths take over and the groove kicks in. Acid lines flash brilliantly and the track ends on a strong note. Chronic- I'm not about to review a track twice. You ain't payin' me. So here is what I wrote for the same track on the Secret Transmission compilation. "So how long before we find the answer to the question we all really want to understand." I thought this was ground that was covered. Three licks. Three licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop. This is Shane Renew from South Africa with a track that is also on his 2nd studio album Miracle Cure. It's got some bounce as lasers fire from places of concealment. The lead is spacey and fat as he fades into a break but he then brings the acid back for a thorough soaking. Face It- "Thank you ladies and gentlemen. It's a pleasure to be with you today." With a rolling synth arpeggio the dark mood continues. Thick acid leads are painted with a broad brush and true to form the climax gets uber groovy, but I just wasn't feeling this one. It's good, don't get me wrong, but in a way I also found it empty. Peaches (Deliriant Remix)- This was a great Pitch Hikers track off their Twilight Zone album. It bubbles but let's face it with that ominous synth you really can't go wrong. Would really like to know what the f*ck that has to do with peaches. You have scratchy synths, a f*ckton of acid and some pretty good groove going on. What Deliriant track would be complete without some lasers, am I right? Loved it. The only thing it needs is a midget firing a machine gun. Ahhh...lovely. One Sound Fits All- This is an alien lurking within the hidden corners of the spacecraft. This is you thinking you heard something, but can't locate it. It shows up as a blip on your heat scanner, but it's constantly shifting. Several times you thought you pinpointed its position only to find nothing. By the time you do find it, it's too late. It's large hulking mass is right behind you, ready to give you an acid soaking you won't soon forget. A good night time stomper this is. Final Thought- More dark feelings emanate from this track and the first break makes me think of that scene in Alien where the creature slowly drops behind the unsuspecting victim. I really need to watch that movie again. The acid starts to fly like spittle from a hungry predator as the climax has a nice bit of groove to it as the arpeggiated lead spirals off into space. Not bad. Dark, acid heavy twilight stuff! Recollection- Final track and it has a moderately paced swagger, like a firefight for all the marbles. Scratchy leads and acid blasts are the main course as they dance nimbly between artillery rounds. It's dark and introspective as more acid skitters away. Great way to close. In the end this is exactly what you would expect from Deliriant. Acid heavy stomping psytrance. All of the tracks have a dark vibe and are very danceable. If you loved Chemistry then you will love this also. Congrats again to the crew at Nexus Media. http://www.junodownl...ure/1786925-02/ http://www.beatport....cle-cure/392792 Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Consequences Remixes Label: Nexus Media Date: February, 2013 1. EMP Remix 2. Infektion Remix 3. Tryon Remix 4. Zezia Remix 5. Kill Theory Remix 6. Ecstarsis Remix 7. Phsiris Remix 8. Overthrone Remix Chris Hoy (Nexus Media head and acidic psytrance veteran) has been laying down the good twilight madness for over a decade with several albums to his credit. Lately he released the OMG EP (where this track originates) and it was the slamming style he is known for. I must admit that I'm a sucker for that aggressively melodic South African sound that seems to always take the music in a new direction. When I review a remix album or EP it helps to hear the original so I can hear how the remixes differ. I have the original, but I think it would be helpful to include it on the remix EP because some might not. Guess if you're a fan you already have it, and if you aren't yet...well seems like a good way to get you to buy 2 EP's. Touche Mr. Hoy. Unlike the OMG EP he invites other artists to have their way with his track. How dirty yet alluring. Actually there was a competition to remix Consequences and the winner was EMP. The original is short by psytrance standards, but it's laden with chunky acid and those eerie melodies. The first three are wonderful body movers in the typical SA style. Pumping, rhythmic, and layered with clever sample manipulation. I don't know who Infektion is, but his use of acid and the Fifth Element samples had me at D-Man! The Zezia remix is a bit less edgy and I'll be honest I'm looking for something a little different in a remix at this point. Kill Theory slows things down breaking it into its elements, but at almost 10 minutes it's a rambling mess that never seems to end. The Ecstarsis mix seems to play a little more with the dubstep sounds, but the Pulp Fiction sample comes off as a little cheesy. Not bad though. Phsiris...hold up. Is this the bacon fellateurs? It's not bad with a dreamy feel braced by a breakbeat. The final mix is the shortest, but also the most dubstep heavy of them all. If you like that style you'll love this as it did a good job of melding the eerie melody with the abrasive robotic metal dry hump that is dubstep. All in all pretty good. The strongest tracks are in the beginning, but I believe that if there had been more variety in the remixes I wouldn't have been burnt out on the track as I was. Even Bill Murray had a breaking point before he cold cocked Ned Ryerson in the face. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Rabdom L Title: Augment EP Label: Nexus Media Date: May, 2012 1. Daywalker (Rabdom L Remix) - Cybernetix Vs. Rabdom L 2. Master of the Krusha (Rabdom L Remix) - Khopat Vs. Rabdom L 3. Ionosphere (Rabdom L Remix) - Deliriant Vs. Rabdom L 4. Firestorm - Rabdom L This is Craig Hudson who is 1/3 of the Twisted System project (time for a new album wouldn't you say gentlemen?) with his 2nd EP on Nexus Media. If it's Nexus media, the style is atmospherically dark and thumping. What we've got are 4 tracks three of which are remixes of his own stuff. The promo on Beatport says a chunky blast of sounds and colors. I like chunky. What's that? Oh. It said crunchy. Well I like that too. And you get that static electricity crunch that stays true to the Nexus Media model. Daywalker (aren't we all daywalkers?) is from the Tevatron EP by Cybernetix back in 2010 and I can't tell them apart. Kinda like if you look at people from the third floor of a Tokyo building. Unless you're talking about the young kids with their psychedelic hair and just to be different dress, but the ninjas and samurai walking the street hate them anyway. The original was good so by the distributive property this is also. Master of the Krusha is from 2011's Aricebo Chronicles and as I mentioned when I reveiwed that album I would swear he lifted parts of it directly from the Nightmare Creatures video soundtrack. In which case we can arrange a deal for my silence. Once again this is like looking in a mirror. If there are differences between the tracks they appear to be slight. Maybe the original sounds gritier and more aggressive so I think I prefer that one. I don't know where Ionosphere is from but it's more of the same acid and laser combo which I usually really like. Not bad, but not great either. Firestorm is the only one that isn't a remix. Good eerie setting that brings back the days of acid rain deluging you in buckets. Not quite that good, but closer than further. I liked it but if you have the Tevatron EP, or Aricebo Chronicles there really isn't a reason to purchase this EP. The third track was ok and the fourth was good, but if you're looking for Twisted System insanity better cue up your old Dealers album. However if you don't have any of those, then by all means you'll get your acid fix. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Pump Remixes Label: Nexus Media Date: July, 2012 1. Pump (Deliriant Remix) 2. Pump (Ectima Remix) 3. Pump (Brain Driver Remix) 4. Pump (DEL Remix) 5. Pump (Mental Substance Remix) 6. Pump (Penguin Conspiracy Remix) 7. Pump (Spliff Politix Remix) Remix albums are usually hit or miss for me. They can be great giving tracks a fresh perspective and a new coat of paint, but too often it's just a clone of the original without much individuality. Nexus Media is a label that has earned blind buy status from me due to their overwhelmingly consistent ability to produce some of the best night-time full on out there. So imagine my joy when I see a remix album by one of my favorite artists sHiFt (Chris Hoy). All the artists were winners of a remix contest so that's kinda cool. Taking a look at the tracklist it...well, it...it appears to be seven remixes of the, uh...the same track. Hmmm... Sure that track is kick ass, but...Look, I love sHiFt's music, but seven remixes of the same track. Wow, how can I put this? I would love to motorboat Sofia Vergara seven times in a row, but after the fourth or fifth maybe...nah bad example. Would totally do it. Think she's available? I love pizza. But after four or five meals of pizza in a row I'm starting to look at Arby's like it's an actual food product. Don't make me do that. I'm begging you. The first four tracks are exactly what you would expect them to be. Of course he's got his boy Deliriant (Shane Renew) and he delivers the goods. Followed by Ectima (motherf*cker, Zyce is even on this thing!) which makes a dark track seem even darker. By the time we get to the DEL Remix it's become watered down and the bile that is an Arby's craving is beginning to surface. I'm sure one of the rules wasn't that the bpm's be 145. So thankfully the Penguin Conspiracy remix does exactly that and kicks the speed up to Usain Bolt level and when I hear it I just wanna break speed limits. Closing things out is an eerie take on Pump in a big beat electronica scary movie way. Hey at this point I was just happy with a change in tempo, but this remix did it right. None of the tracks are bad and I liked them, but they are so similar that you just go numb after awhile. Anyone want to think outside the box? Where the f*ck was David Guetta in all of this? I'm sure Akon wasn't busy...wait, is he incarcerated, because I don't know what kind of studio capabilities are in the pokey. So in summary it's a little too similar for a listen all the way through, but if you break it up it's pretty good. Beatport Mdk

Artist: sHiFt Title: O.M.G. EP Label: Nexus Media Date: June, 2012 1. 4th Dimension - sHiFt & Deliriant 2. Consequences 3. OMG 4. Can 'O Worms "Sounds like it's having a hallucinogenic effect." Was totally going on my first hike this year. 14.4 mile (wait, you might not know what a mile is...I think that's like 69 kilometers or something) loop through forests, up mountains, and along rivers. Peace and quiet and a chance to get away from the kids. Yep, today was gonna be awesome. Notice I said was. Unfortunately for me today was also the day that my wife's car decided to need a new starter. She's gotta get to work and that leaves my vehicle. Wait, maybe there's another way... Damnit, my kidnap rope is in the garage. So I watched her pull away in my jeep on her way to work, taking my fun day with her. Alas all is not lost. Sure I can't be outside, but I can enjoy the latest from Mr. Chris Hoy. This is a 4 track EP released by the outstandingly consistent Nexus Media. I haven't heard from him since his last album, but I remember reading something non-porn related where he said the fans don't like it when he strays from his style of dark, pumping, eerie dance mayhem. If that's you (it's me) then you will not be disappointed with this. He brings Mjolnir heavy beats with his signature minor key style. Plenty of lasers and acid blasts punctuated with cool samples. The first track is a collaboration with another South African psytrance destroyer Deliriant and it's like he never left. But for those who want something new injected into his music, well he even manages to throw in some dubstep on a couple of tracks that sound really good. Let's face it, this music is supposed to make you want to dance and he succeeds easily. But as per usual, he doesn't just craft mindless 4 on the floor aural beatdowns as his melodies and atmosphere make these tracks a powerful force to be reckoned with. I thought he was f*cking with me with the piano arpeggio on the last track, but he even made that work. Chris you've still got it. Hey look, I can see the mountains from my window. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Secret Transmission Label: Nexus Media Date: September, 2011 1. Delete Me - Pitch Hikers 2. Chronic - Deliriant 3. Blind Submission - Algorhythm 4. Crystalline Glass - Sidhartha Vs. Photonic 5. Reef Break - sHifT Vs. Tickets 6. Timewave - Khopat Vs. Tryon 7. Gees Fees - Biorhythm 8. The Worm - Sub-Zero 9. Devils Playground - Mantis Vs. Dr. Throb Oftentimes life comes down to choices. At some point you have put down the toys and get some age appropriate material. Say goodbye to Alien Project and introduce yourself Nexus Media. This is a digital only release from Twilight masters who have quite the impressive resume. I have all their releases and they are excellent. Pure power, melody and a depth that is hard to come by in psytrance these days. Sometimes you look at a tracklist like that and can be a little skeptical. Not with this label. South African to the bone. Delete Me- This is Chris Hoy (sHifT) and Liam Gibbs (Slug) both owners of the Nexus Media label. The amount of crushing hits between the two of them is too numerous to count so this seems like a good pairing. They released two studio albums (Twilight Zone & Sting) which were true to the twilight sound. Metallic synths and globs of acid scrape the wall until the break gives you a, ummm...break. The next lead you hear is a staccato one and then the track begins to fill out. Acid, screaming leads, and intensity follow. Nice opener, but just a taste of what's to come. Chronic- "So how long before we find the answer to the question we all really want to understand." I thought this was ground that was covered. Three licks. Three licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop. This is Shane Renew from South Africa with a track that is also on his 2nd studio album Miracle Cure. It's got some bounce as lasers fire from places of concealment. The lead is spacey and fat as he fades into a break but he then brings the acid back for a thorough soaking. Blind Submission- No clue who this is and you know maybe if Nexus Media would update their site more than once a year this wouldn't happen. Get with the f*cking program. Cause I gotta tell ya, I like this track. Robotic effects and twisted synths swirl in an unholy dance that should make Azax remember how this is done. Acid flies like it's from rapid fire bazooka and man it's nasty. Not as nasty as that girl who gave you herpes though. Remember her? Thought no one could see you didn't ya? Yeah, you're gonna need more than penicillin. Crystalline Glass- We all know the music of Nuno but Photonic is much more elusive. Well this is a great team because the acid is raining down like a typhoon as the bass line thunders across the track. Not only is the acid great but the lead brings the funk down from heaven in relentless waves. Intense and beautiful like twilight music should be. Really powerful psychedelic stuff. Reef Break- Joseph Summs and Chris Hoy combine for an electronic tour de force that is both powerful and gets caught in your throat like a chicken bone. It has techno vibes and a dark groove with its fair share of acid. Echoing synths create a nice eerie atmosphere and the climax is stacked with layers like my new bookcase. Ikea...where you can find some f*cked up sh*t. Timewave- Vasco Pedrosa and Telmo Pereira drop a screamer into your lap. Those leads are ear piercingly good and the whole thing is Exorcist movie dark. Evil washes couple with alien noises as acid erupts like an infants diarhea and trust me...I would know. Awesome stuff and we are getting back to where twilight belongs. Hey if you see my grandpa send him home will ya? I dunno...just tell him they got 5 flat screens and they're all showing Matlock. Gees Fees- Best.Track.Ever.From.Biorhythm.Period. Do I need a period after the word period? It's squelchy good with racing arpeggios and growling bass. So thick as leads snake their way about and the layers pile on. I didn't think this duo had it in them, but they proved me wrong. The lasers blast from all directions as the acid takes over. The final bit is armageddon that you will love. This is a track you dream of. I haven't had a dream this good since... Down goes Bieber! Down goes Bieber! The Worm- How delightfully alien to begin and this is where the compilation takes a slight turn towards the more...dark areas of the mind. It shimmers with an analog fatness that echoes into those darker areas where worms like to tunnel. The lead itself is unremarkable however and I feel this is an introduction to a new artist. Nothing more, nothing less. Devil's Playground- "Won't you stay and play with me? I'm having a tea party." Final track and it's the darkest one. Bubbling cauldrons of synthetics spill over into the dark underground prison. The bass line is really deep, and with the effects this could be the Devil's timeshare. I mean, other than the one he has in Orlando. Man, he really loves Epcot. More shimmering synths slide on rivers of fire and with the sample it sounds quite evil. The track has a great conclusion with a pad to add layers. Great ending. There you go. Nexus Media continues to be the leader in twilight psytrance. Intense, blistering, atmospheric...f*ck choose your own adjective. All of that and it makes you want to dance too. You really can't beat it. Like that chick that used to sit next to me in Calculus with the really short skirt... they got all the answers to your psytrance needs. http://www.beatport....smission/675085 Mdk