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Artist: Flegma & Nerso Title: Sensei EP Label: Furthur Progressions Date: October, 2011 1. Genesis (Flegma & Nerso Rmx) - Ace Ventura 2. Sensei There are some artists that you will follow no matter what. I don't know a thing about this label, but when I see these two artists, I'm already reaching for my wallet. This is Dalibor Delić & Dragan Matić who are responsible for some of the smoothest progressive trance out there. Their album Opposite in 2009 was a thing of beauty and both have released countless tracks in their trademark melodic and drifting style. Genesis (Flegma & Nerso Rmx)- Echoing synths give the track depth and it's a big old universe out there. Scratchy leads forge a path against lush pads and we drift through a lovely break. These guys put a 303 in the mix and then twist it like a pretzel. Aggressive with an attitude. The original on the London Landscapes compilation was awesome and this is a worthy remix. Yep, me likey very much. Sensei- More spacious effects and layering make this one a definite treat. This is being adrift in space as meteor fields hurtle by and stars burst before your very eyes. There are delicate leads that leave ripples wherever they touch. Floating on ethereal winds. Loved it. Another feather in the cap for this duo. It was an awesome ride through the cosmos and they have continued to produce beautiful progressive trance that I cannot get enough of. Am I a fanboy? Sure, but I make no apologies for liking the quality music they release. Highly recommended. http://www.beatport....ensei-ep/676052 Mdk

Artist: Persistent Aura Title: Grand Julian Label: Sita Records Date: October, 2011 1. Creative Processing Unit (Feat. Rama) 2. Attractor 3. Colliding Galaxies 4. Concrescence 5. Iztam-Yeh (Feat. Agneton) 6. Hypnosis 7. Whitehead's Ontology 8. Figs Past Easter 9. Hurricane When I heard that there was going to be a Persistent Aura album I was excited Ummm, a little less.... Calm down Jake, I haven't seen you this excited since Prince of Persia. Yeah good idea, take an Arabic character and give the role to a white man. No wonder the world thinks we are at war with the brown people. While not as excited as Jake, it was still something to look forward to. This is Ewoud Vandenberghen from Belgium and his EP The Great Timestream Bifrucation (review here http://www.psynews.o...__fromsearch__1) was awesome and since it was being released by Sita then you know that quality was imminent. This is a label that doesn't get the credit it is due with releases like Nitz-O-Goa, Protozoa, and of course Goalien's Psychedelic Dilemma. Creative Processing Unit- Ever run a marathon? No? F*ck it, me neither that''s really far. But I have run so much that when it was over I felt like I would drop from exhaustion. That's what this track does. It's Nitzhogoa with arpeggios going up and down at a rapid pace with several layers. And at almost 10 minutes that's really heavy with very little break. The melodies change thankfully and the break at 5 minutes has some really snakey synth work reminiscent of some old Colorbox stuff. Then the 2nd break reminds me of the Rama track Illumination which is a great thing. Ewoud and Filipe put you through your paces here, so only step to this if you are aurally fit. Attractor- Where the first track was an introduction to the Nitzhogoa style this is an assault to your private parts. The lead screams and the bass line thumps as new layers creep in like a pedophile on school property. Synths swirl in true goa fashion with some Nitzho touches but never does it become a cheesefest. Far from it as it brings the groove as well. Lead melodies shower down like, well... Yeah Ewoud, make it rain in this motherf*cker! Wait a sec...hold up. Little Asian kids are making it rain now? Don't you have advanced calculus homework to do? He gets everything that can be got out of those leads, squeezing them like your girlfriend does the tube of toothpaste to get that last bit. And then leaves the tube empty on the sink without telling anyone. Thanks a lot b*tch! Colliding Galaxies- As I write this I look at the clock and see that it's 4:20. And realize how wonderful it would be to step back into the past, fire one up and listen to this while watching the clouds. Dancing leads jump around like the floor is electrified, climbing up that melodic beanstalk. The break is an electronic pause with no reduction in speed. And damn if he doesn't bring the shimmery lead stuff like he was standing on a cliff and pissing on you. 5 minutes. I just want 5 f*cking minutes to take a leak. I'm sure Gotham won't collapse if another jaywalker goes unpunished. Get Green Lantern to do it, his movie bombed I'm sure he's not busy. Concresence- Is that even a word? Screw it, if it is I know I won't be able to work that b*tch into conversation. The bouncy lead has springs in its shoes leaping all over the place and you tell me how that isn't infectious. He's really good at starting with a single lead, doubling it, and then adding more layers. Sounds very good and supremely danceable. The synth trills are insane...yes, I said trills. Higher education not working for you? Bookfight! Iztam-Yeh- (Yiddish for "Give me you're f*cking money! And the watch, and I'll take you're bitche's necklace too!") "The big record corporations ar not at all in touch with real tastes and real creativity in the music business. They recycle garbage that they support with massive public relations programs at the same time that real creativity is alive and well and thriving..." What you have just witnessed was undercover video of a board meeting at Capitol Records where the topic was: Ke$ha. That's right f*cking Ke$ha. How we sold a million copies and forced you suckers to buy it. With a big fat Nitzho kick it gets all sparkly lead up in here as Elias lends a hand on this track. It rages with intensity as they do they're layering thing and it gives the track a nice fullness. This is an all out blaster that strikes that perfect balance between goa and nitzho. Super stuff. Hypnosis- The laser kick is a dead giveaway that Nitzho has entered the building. The melodies swirl amid space like effects and then the arpeggio rides up and down like a roller coaster. It's got that shimmer that Transwave was known for, as he sneaks a lighter melody underneath. The break is awesome giving the leads a "wah-wah" kinda guitar effect. It's not a 4 on the floor stomper but more of a subliminal type track, you know....hypnotic. Whitehead's Ontology- Like chants? Sunshine melodies that aren't really...friendly? Yeah, me too. Not one minute in and I was auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance.. I think I really have a shot this year. I mean right off the bat the lead grabs you and throws you onto the floor. If you aint dancing to this you're too busy getting laid. Which I...um, guess is better. But this is right up there. The bass line is AK-47 machine gun rapid as the synth bobs and weaves. Hear that? Yep another undercurrent he likes to put in there to further propel the track. It then of course takes over and acts as a bridge to the next melodic output. Fantastic. Side note, I would love to know how artist's choose the names of their tracks. Figs Past Easter- "The myth is an idea that, while widely believed is false. In a deeper sense, in the religious sense a myth serves as an orienting, mobilizing story for a people. The focus is not on the story's relation to reality but on its function. A story cannot function unless it is believed to be true in the community or the nation." Are you...can you do that, is that a rule? Is it ok to have figs past Easter? Cause I'm looking at an empty pack of Fig Newtons I just demolished and I'm not feeling that good right about now. More Nitzho melodies dance as swirling effects wobble like the tuning of a radio back when the radio had a tuning knob. The lead is very shiny and more so when it is joined by its friend. Another very dance friendly track and I found a gif that syncs to it perfectly. I.am.hypnotized. While not as epic or powerful as some, it still is pleasing to the ear. Hurricane- This is called ending with a boom. Analog synths race past like an Indy 500 driver as Ewoud twists the knobs to perfection. While some of the elements have nitzho influences, this is pure balls to the wall goa trance. Leads climb, nah, they soar leaving motion trails in their wake. The swagger on this track is unmistakeably powerful as sticky synths leave little pools of fire wherever they touch. Muy Bien hecho, good for you for making the final track a punch in the face. F*ck downtempo. Ooooh, orange juice. If you love well done goa trance this is for you. If you love goa trance with nitzho touches and elements, then this is for you. He walks the razor's edge of goa and nitzho creating something that is intensely melodic while at the same time urging you to dance. Very psychedelic and a triumph for the genre. Highly recommended. http://www.psyshop.c.../sia1cd004.html http://www.beatspace...ian/detail.aspx http://www.goastore....67f1930375c0e4e Mdk

Artist: Synergic Title: Liquid Depth Label: Space Baby Records Date: October, 2011 1. Liquid Depth 2. Ich mag das 3. Delusion Red 4. Nice interfering noise 5. Ujulala 6. There is nothing wrong 7. The Secret 8. The other side 9. It is all one Synergic are Torgen Anton & Benjamin Neiss and a little while back I reviewed their debut EP which can be found on Ektoplazm. Here's the link. http://www.psynews.o...__fromsearch__1 By the way, is there anyway to make the link into a word instead of that ugly long link? I thought the EP had a bunch of promise and brought together several styles. This is their debut full length and right off the bat I love the cover. Beautiful colors and imagery. Second and of equal importance was the fact that it is released by the same label that was responsible for Alienapia's superb Goapocalipsis. This album was actually made in 2008 and just recently released so apparently these tracks are 3 years older than the stuff on the EP. Hmmmm....I wonder why that happened? Liquid Depth- Right off the bat there are sounds of the shore and they dive (pardon the pun) right into a progressive groove surrounded by plenty of effects. After 4 minutes though and little in the way of evolution it begins to grow stale and stays that way. I'll treat it as an intro track but...we're not starting well. Ich Mag Das- Already there is a better groove but again this track is boring. It has better melody work and a drifting style but... I dunno. I think the title is German for What the hell is going on here? So far this sounds nothing like their EP and I'm just looking around trying to figure out what happened? Yeah like these guys. Delusion Red- There are some weird combinations of deep electronic bubbling and tabla work but it's another example of a track relying on effects to carry the load. When the twisted voice begins to speak I feel like this is the soundtrack to a cheesy carnival ride. Not impressive. Nice Interfering Noise- Computer gyrations abound as they shimmer in a very cyber environment. An immediate improvement over the previous two three tracks but where is the power or the chaotic leads? It just plods along without showing any spark. Ujulala- Now that is a bass line with some attitude. Forest sounds trickle out from rocks and stumps, bringing a nice lush feel. Leads rattle off and leave a trail like smoke as the guitar strums. The best one so far even though it too was lacking any twists or turns. There is Nothing Wrong- Sure there is...the album so far is full of weak tracks. But like the last two we are on the upswing. Thick effects and a slow wobbly bass line make for an ominous tone. Definitely an alien land that is filled with darkness. It's the perfect soundtrack for a trip through cold space. Me likey. The Secret- Rumbling bass and loads of sci-fi effects give this beast some swagger. It's darkpsy like I like my darkpsy. Atmospheric while not screaming at me. Imagine you found a Scandinavian forest in the middle of space. Twisted sounds abound but also soft comforting pads. Good stuff. The Other Side- The mindbending forest sound continues with flashes and bubbling synths that make you feel like the ground you walk on is alive. Nothing flashy, just good organic psytrance with a bunch of layers. The second half of this album has really taken an upswing. It Is All One- More effects but this track lacks the presence the previous ones had and sadly is a return to the trudging of the first three tunes. The first thing you have to realize is that this was made 3 years ago. Compared to their EP this is thin and lacking in evolution and the power that they had with the One Mystery Left EP had yet to manifest itself with this release. Everything sounds like it's far away. It's good to know that the current incarnation of Synergic is more detailed and mature now than when this was made. That said, the second half of the album is miles better than the first, being more descriptive and dark. Very skilled these musicians are at crafting a sinister vibe. They are on the right path and let's face it, the music is supposed to get better the longer you work at it. There's a lot of music to choose from out there. I suppose people read my reviews to be entertained but I also hope to inform consumers what an album or EP is like. Thank you Torgen for giving me the opportunity to review your early work...it's good to see where you guys were. I do indeed look forward to new tracks from this project. http://www.psyshop.c.../sre1cd008.html http://www.beatspace...th+/detail.aspx http://www.goastore....roducts_id=4662 Mdk