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Artist: Silent Horror Title: Seance Label: Devil's Mind Records Date: September, 2011 1. Inner Soul 2. Twinkled 3. Drum Ritual 4. Of None But It 5. Black Orb 6. Higher Access 7. Journey 8. Deja Vu 9. The Calling Do you like scary movies? Sh*t. Hold up...give me a sec... That's better. That's the scream I was going for. This is Jigar Shah, a marine engineer by profession, and he loves them. He apparently wrote all these tracks while he was on the open ocean. This is his 2nd full length album and if you cannot tell what type of music this is then I'm sorry your parents dropped you on your head. Repeatedly. Yep this is an album of dark atmospheres and rumbling grumbling bass lines as scary effects assault you at every turn. Sunshine and light have long since been decapitated and eaten and if you didn't leave a trail of breadcrumbs before you started this journey, well...you're f*cked. Maybe this will help Uh...nope. That made it significantly worse.Inner Soul is wet with fear as if a deranged lunatic with a chainsaw in a pig mask is stalking you in a deserted home. After a frenzied chase you seem to have outlasted him. For now. This was a great way to start. Twinkling is more of the same rampaging bass line and abject darkness, but I found it less interesting as there wasn't any building of dread. It just unloaded on you with typical darkpsy noise, but where he scores points is again with his very descriptive break. Scary, but too short. The break that is. Drum Ritual - Dark like the rest of the tracks with a deep, menacing bass line to be sure. But let's be honest...that's all it was. The only thing it made me want to do was see what the next track is like. Of None But It- Stop me if you've heard this one. Bass line + effects. Repeat. I liked his break once again, I just wish there was more of it. Black Orb- This one has a deep feeling of isolation, which makes sense if he created this stuff in the middle of the ocean. Wailing pads like forgotten ghosts moan but that is dominated by the scratchy and very loud darkpsy lead. "Oh yes...you have been hurt. Who hurt you Jigar? Who hurt you? *whispers* Who hurt you?" Higher Access- More very scary vibes from the start. But you knew that. I'm starting to think that making this at sea is almost like making it in a studio on land. We saw this before. It's called the last 4 tracks. I did like the last bit which had a bubbling quality to it. He's got talent, no question. Journey- "She took the midnight train going anywhere..." This is a much darker journey than candy corn 80's pop as you would imagine. He wields dark atmosphere like a scythe cutting through any and all feelings of hope and escape. This is more like it...every door you open you run into the lost souls that were violently murdered in this house. Oh thank God you're here, can you help me find the way out? What the f*ck! Deja Vu- Love...absolutely love the way this one starts. It's a nightmare of hallucinogenic proportions before the bass line begins to hammer away. Also with all the leads it seems to be more on the darker side of twilight so easier to digest. It's just a continuous downward spiral into terror. For me, the scariest track yet. The Calling- "The power of darkness." Undoubtedly the greatest surprise on the album with an ambient ending. After your body is murdered this must be what it's like to be confined to the limbo between the living and the dead. It's got it all...bass sweeps, zombie chants, eerie almost ethereal atmosphere...It's not until 6 minutes that a beat drops in, as if they didn't want to forget to torture your soul before sending you to the hereafter. I think you have to be a fan of this genre to really like it. It's angry and singular in purpose. A bass line and scary effects that don't quit. He does a good job on a lot of tracks creating a tense atmosphere, but it's heavily outweighed by what makes darkpsy....well, darkpsy. One trick pony bass line is nice but when it's deluged with almost ear bleeding leads it becomes tough to listen to. I guess it's like listening to your music with your parents. "Why you no study...be like brother. Be doctor!" So take this review with a grain of salt. I'm not that big a fan of darkpsy for the reasons mentioned above. If you are then you will probably love this. Perusing the big blue forum I found a review for this which was overwhelmingly positive. Mind you it was composed by someone with a screen name CinderVOMIT so he obviously has a taste for the finer things. I'm just Mike. http://www.psyshop.c.../dvs1cd007.html http://www.beatspace...ce+/detail.aspx http://www.goastore....roducts_id=4603 Mdk

Artist: Ajanta Title: Perception of Time EP Label: UAF Records Date: September, 2011 01 - Perception Of Time (125 BPM) 02 - Taraka's Forest (145 BPM) 03 - Lunar Garden (115 BPM) Another release from the folks at UAF with cover design by Richpa, mastering by Keamia, and Daan van Heesch the mind behind this short 3 track EP. Perception of Time- "Light can be used to control gravity. And since gravity controls time, then that meant that I can use light to control time." He's got a funky breakbeat thing happening here, with some space pads. The layering of sharp bright tones brings a smiling quality to the track. The lead sounds become more apparent and the whole thing is pretty happy if not very complex Taraka's Forest- Another track that is fairly simple and without much bite. The lead is pretty aggressive as he filters the crap out of it, but it ain't that deep. Lunar Garden- Mid tempo goa trance with a sunshine vibe. It seems a bit more complex than the other two tracks with more sounds. I like the bubbling lead a lot. My favorite of the three. This isn't going to knock your Filteria CDs off the shelf, but it was worth a listen. The more goa trance styles the better I say. This was done in a laid back style with the intent to make you smile rather than knock you over with a wall of melodies. Also it's free so you can't really complain about that. Unless you're a dick. So don't be a dick. http://www.ektoplazm.com/2011/ajanta-perception-of-time Mdk

Artist: Kick Bong Title: Remixed Label: Cosmic Leaf Records Date: September, 2011 1. Way of Life Remix 2. Little Fairy Remix 3. Logical Life Remix 4. Darkeion Remix 5. Voice of Resurrection Remix 6. Progress In Happiness Remix 7. Spain is Pain (Kick Bong Remix) - Swordxl 8. Strange Feeling (Swordxl Remix) - Kick Bong 9. Once Upon a Time (Kick Bong Remix) - Side Liner 10. Sensation Remix 11. Blissfull Remix Kick Bong. Sounds like a gay sport that it's participants are attempting to get into the Olympics thereby justifying it's legitimacy. Still not this gay though... And what the f*ck is this happy horsesh*t? I cannot think of anything more embarrassing than telling someone I play a...ahem, "sport" from a children's book. See white people, this is why minorities laugh at you. That is, until you get out of school and then hoard your wealth in international tax havens because that's the way the family has been doing it for generations. But I digress. This is Frank (with a c) Jousselin from France with his 4th album. I was a little late on the train, but I liked his Flower Power album with it's varied styles. In a refreshing change of pace instead of inviting people to remix your tracks and eat all your food and then inevitably clog the toilet, he decides to get off his ass and do it himself. Way of Life Remix- From the Mountain High 2 compilation originally. It had a nasty breakbeat and tribal chants with a sledgehammer dubby bass. A perfect melange between natural sounds and electronica. The remix is uber soft like that first 5 minutes post coitus. You know right when she falls asleep and I'm calling Pizza Hut. Most of the groove is taken out and the vocal is much more prominent. It moves along slowly as if in a dream state. Did I just sleep with my wife's best friend? Oh man...I've got some splaining to do.... Little Fairy Remix- Having never heard the original this one goes from soothing to a rather frenetic pace. I'm chill in the beginning and then I'm agitated. Like when I'm talking to the insurance company. You know you owe me f*cking money, why you gotta lie? Like a good neighbor, give me my f*cking lawnmower back fat sac. Logical Life Remix- Originally from his Flower Power album. It had this nice bass that hovered over the breakbeat that felt real good. Bills are paid and still got 5 days of my week vacation ahead of me good. The only thing that kept me from giving it stellar marks was his penchant for talking over his tracks. Frank with a c... zip it. So on the remix it's another breakbeat and that good feeling is still there. But so is the talking. Shhhh. bag of shush and sh*t. Darkeion Remix- This is some funky sh*t! Groovy as hell with a swagger like you own the room. Mid tempo with a catchy bass line and even you could rap to this. Slide up to the females in my white linen suit, hit 'em with a little blah blah blah and I'm ordering breakfast for three, baby! Voice of Resurrection Remix- "We do not attend to have achieved perfection. But we do have a system, and it works. Your choice is to join us and live in peace or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We await your answer. The decision rests with you." That is exactly what was said to me before they kicked me out of Optometry school. Was he in the room? Frank with a c can get percussively funky as he demonstrates here. The groove caught me up and the only thing he didn't bang a beat out on might've been my ass cheeks. The break is smooth and dreamy filling you with a good feeling. Nicely done sir. Progress In Happiness Remix- The captain has turned on the clothing optional sign so please feel free to get down and comfortable because he's still bringing the groove. His breakbeats are unparalleled and weaving it with an operatic falsetto type vocal? Clever. I don't know what part of France he's from, but he's got beats like the Neptunes. And that eerie melody line? Tell me you didn't do this... Spain is Pain (Kick Bong Remix)- This is the first of two tracks he remixes that weren't his. Other than his breakbeats though (surprise surprise) I didn't care for this. It's a drum n bass style that is quite fast. Knocked me out of my comfort groove zone. Strange Feeling (Swordxl Remix)- Not to be outdone, Mr. Swordxl takes a swipe at a Kick Bong track. It's smooth and melancholy and fits better in this album than the previous track. I like the balance of the percussion with the smooth tones that float above. Good stuff. Once Upon A Time (Kick Bong Remix)- Here Frank with a C takes on a Side Liner track from the album with rocks in the water, whatever it's called. Once Upon a Time, that was it. The original gave me a glacial feeling with cold pads and forlorn flute like sounds. That's all still here and he told the story in about 2 less minutes. It also comes off with a smoother feel to me. Now that's a remix sir. Sensation Remix- Loved this one. His glitchy percussive style suits me, and it's so soft that it could be Doug E. Fresh beat boxing. It's a crawl, but a crawl on goose down pillows. Blissfull Remix- Disco + late afternoon at the beach with friends + smooth melody = Pretty good remixes in different styles on this release. He does it right, keeping elements of the original while not making a carbon copy of it. I enjoyed it. Now please excuse me, I have an ultimate frisbee game to get to. What? That sport is cool. Juno Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Artificial Elements Label: Prog On Syndicate Date: September, 2011 1. 8 miles high QUEROX AND PHAXE 2. Wetland MONOD 3. Now it's time REVERSE AND FASMA 4. Floating SYNESTHETIC 5. Pumping Rythm INFINITY 6. Paranoid Sight SYNSONIQ 7. Smooth Mood CABAL 8. Artificial Elements PHAXE 9. Close your eyes COPYCAT When I want some progressive trance I look to three labels. Iono of course, followed by TesseracT and then Prog on Syndicate. Owner and manager Querox began the German label in 2008. Concentrating on progressive trance in different styles they bring some of the best artists of today to the table. Melody + groove = here's my wallet. Oh and by the way, what the f*ck did you do raid the beach? Look at all the Greeks on this thing! 8 Miles High- Kevin & Tobyjas (sounds like I know them doesn't it?) get together for a ripper of a track that will make you feel like you are 8 miles high. Or...high at 8 miles? Either way you know it's got to do with weed, right? Just google image it and see what you come up with. It's got some nice groove with some sharp synth work. It's not overbearing, but comfortable like that shirt I still have from college. Yeah it's torn and faded, what are you my mother? The break is bigger than all outside as the track switches directions with a new melody. Superb start. Wetlands- Fotis Sarros is from Greece and he delivers a stunner of melodic beauty. Oscillating strings, soft pads, and gentle keystrokes. Oy, sounds like I'm writing a harlequin romance...More bouncy groove and layers upon layers of melody. Beautifuly sad would be a good way to describe it's vibe. Spectacular. Hmmm...this gentleman bears watching. Now It's Time- Now it's time for a toast. It's f*cking Tampico, just drink it freakshow! Two more guys that might as well work at the DMV. Obviously they don't. Not mine anyway. But that's three tracks in a row that have zero boundaries. Melody all over the place and none of it tired or boring. Just massive in scope with great effects and fluid movement. Jesus, can you have sex with a CD? Cause seriously I might start dry humping this b*tch. Floating- "Let me tell you about this dream I had." Me first. It's about these two Easter Bunnies that are man sized and are actually serial killers. After a long day cherry picking dumb blondes at the local college they get hungry for cheeseburgers. So they pull into the drive thru and well...it writes itself doesn't it? "I said hold the onions, extra pickles...What? No, no extra pick...do I have to come in there?" These two guys have had some really good tracks, but to ask them to follow those first three really isn't that fair. It's more housey and without the...largesse of the previous tracks. Whereas the others were at 8 miles, this one just bumped its head on a traffic light. Kinda boring and seems thrown in there. Like when ugly chicks go to the club with all their pretty friends. You look at them and ask "What the f*ck are you doing here?" Pumping Rhythm- "The atmosphere is electric." Settle down, it's not that electric. Ok, after falling to Earth I'm starting the arduous climb back to the firmament. This is Nick Karamalakis from Greece and I hope he's locked his doors cause from what I see on TV they're burnin' sh*t over there. Normally I love a break, but this had the speed up slow down synth thing that I don't really care for. And while the rhythm was most assuredly pumping, the melodies didn't really sit that well with me. It's not bad, but it cannot hold a candle to the first three. Sorry to keep bringing it up, but they were that good. Paranoid Sight- This has the two note bass line bounce. You know what I'm talkin' about, right? Well, it also has some nice layering that gives it a full figure like that girl I hooked up with in professional school. What can I tell you, I like my tracks like my women, with a little meat on the bones. She might've been a little big, but she worked really hard and had some tremendous ti...My wife's not gonna see this, right? Anyway, this is Ueli Schill and...how the f*ck do you even say that first name? Oo-el-ee? Well, he can call himself Rip Taylor for all I care if he keeps making tracks like this. Melodic and full of sounds with varying textures. Well done. Oh hey look, it's Rip Taylor! Rip Taylor! *lowers voice to a whisper* Yay...Rip Taylore everyone. Smooth Mood- Never heard a track from this Italian artist, but I've also never felt fake titties before. I'm sure they still feel like titties. The break combines bass sweeps, far away effects and soft keystrokes to make a very emotional atmosphere. The sounds fit together well and it's melodic without hitting you over the head with reverb and delay. Although there is nothing wrong with that. Damn, it is smooth. Artificial Elements- Kevin Joseffsen has been tearing it up this year with some great EP's. Good bouncy beat with some vibrating strings set the tone as the break opens up with delicate key strokes and a bit of sunshine. With a nod towards the style of the Riddler, the melody strays into eerie territory only to be countered by some head bobbing goodness. The echoes, oh the echoes! Massive track! Close Your Eyes- Holy f*ck what did I stumble onto here. If this were a cassette tape I would've worn it out already. It's been on repeat all damn day. It's got some badass swagger with some sticky icky bass. N*gga you dirty. Vocal manipulations and the mid tempo beat make this track ideal for some head nodding. Milos keeps it funky with that shimmery cascading synth that makes this a party. Where the white women at? Ever watch this? F*cking furniture talks. Tell me the creator wasn't on acid. I dare you. Damn that was a good compilation. It got slightly impotent in the middle, but the tracks surrounding those were some kind of awesome that I didn't give a f*ck. Groovy, melodic, and massive to the core. Asking me if I recommend this is like asking Whitney if she needs a Xanax. Get it. Psyshop Beatspace Goa Store Mdk

Artist: Rainbow Static Title: Tickle My Bunny Fone Label: Bunny Fone Date: September, 2011 01 - Cute Pounce (162 BPM) 02 - Peeb. (201 BPM) 03 - Yes and Bite (197 BPM) 04 - Cake Barf (152 BPM) 05 - diVabetes (77 BPM) You know I don't watch Dr. Phil, but I gotta side with him on this one. I had to review this. Had to. It is the most bizarre and ridiculous sh*t to ever hit these ears. Obviously it is a joke, because nobody can make music this bad on purpose. They're probably really cool guys and I would love to talk to them, but this makes me think that they made a bunch of crap, knew it was crap, and then piss all over people for thinking it's crap. The project is Bunny Static and Rainbow Fone from the Pacific Northwest and I'll be honest, the only reason I wanted to hear this was due to the ridiculous BPM's. 201? Really? Well that and the entertaining discussion it spawned on Ektoplazm. So what's up? This sounds like cats thrown in a blender with pitched up beats which makes sense because they call it psy-prance. It's stupid vocals twisted up becoming unintelligeable and annoying. And the first track is over 9 minutes long. Do you have any idea how excruciating this was? Forget dancing to this or following a melody...that sh*t need not apply. This is music...wait, no it isn't. Sure some hipster is going to say it's creative and artistic, but I have to disagree. This is what you send to someone when you hate them. It's high speed noise with cartoon effects and vocal samples thrown in that has no musical value whatsoever. You know what Suomi sounds like? Take that and multiply it by 11. But that's not fair to that entire genre because at least that is musical. For God's sake it has samples of some guy puking and a bunch a drunks singing Pour Some Sugar On Me. Kudos to Ektoplazm for putting this up on his site because it shows that he doesn't discriminate against anyone's music. I'd rather be that guy than listen to this again. Hey I hated it, but I'll leave that for you to decide. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Scopes Title: Glass of Water EP Label: Psyderweb Records Date: September, 2011 01 - Glass Of Water (70 BPM) 02 - Daze (59.5 BPM) 03 - Astronauts (70 BPM) 04 - After The Break (70 BPM) "This is a glass of water. Colorless...tasteless." The country known for windmills, tulips, and wooden shoes brings us Marcel Hartholt with a nice 4 track EP that makes me want a glass of water. It's slow downtempo beats and soft synth touches that make me feel like I'm swimming in the deep blue. Mellow isn't a strong enough word for how this goes down. I was curious to hear what 59.5 BPM sounded like and it's a whisker away from comatose. None of the tracks are over 6 minutes so it's easy to digest. Favorite? Probably After the Break because it just takes me away to a nice place. As always free to download from our friend at Ekto. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Lunatic Vs. Zed Reactor Title: Lunatic Vs Zed Reactor EP / Battle 2 EP Label: TSL Records Date: September, 2011 Lunatic Vs. Zed Reactor EP 1. Nightmares - Lunatic 2. First Flight To Cosmic Space - Zed Reactor 3. Take Me - Lunatic 4. Future Shaper - Zed Reactor Battle 2 EP 1. Dead Mask - Lunatic 2. Asena - Zed Reactor 3. Iron Cross - Lunatic 4. Pogona Vitticeps - Zed Reactor I like cheese. I do. Not that artificial processed sh*t but the real deal. Put it in my eggs, top my everything bagel with a couple of slices...hell you can't have a sandwich without it. Saying you don't like cheese...well, you might as well find the nearest cow and kick it in the milk holes. So yeah, I like cheese. But it has no place in music. Kinda. When dealing with the genre of Greek Uplifting or Nitzhonot you have to expect at least some of the shredded stuff. What we have here are another couple of free EP's by artists who work in this medium. Agneton, Goalien, Persistent Aura, Rama...all have shown that when you combine nitzho with goa trance the results can be blistering and superb. Even Zed Reactor's latest album Interplanetary Entity was a dark sojourn into the parts of nitzho that rarely saw the light of day. So to speak. Let's start with the first George..Lunatic. I hate to be the one to have to say it (no I don't) but his music is the definition of cheese. Cheesy leads, cheesy melodies, cheesy samples....If you need a face for your argument why this genre is cheesy, there you go. Every single track on these EP's is so laden with cheese that if you choose to listen to it your doctor will be quick to recommend Lipitor and other cholesterol lowering drugs. The real star of the EP's is the other George, Zed Reactor. He takes a darker approach and combines it with goa trance to give his tracks a deeper, more complex sound. I.E....less eye rolling. The melodies don't take the easy road so oftentimes it is less predictable. Also absent is his need to slow down or stop and start his tracks. Now that is not to say he is without fault. Like the other George he is prone to use samples as well, at times with a bit of a heavy hand. And don't forget, it's still Nitzhonot with it's signature lead sounds so if you aren't a fan to begin with... In short, it is my opinion that Zed Reactor's music is more for adults while the music of Lunatic will appeal to that teen that rides by on his bicycle and kicks over my trash cans. Yeah, keep running motherf*cker. http://www.tsl-records.com/#!trance Mdk

Artist: Twisted Reaction Title: Lotus EP Label: Nexus Media Date: September, 2011 1. Overdrive 2. New Generation of Science 3. One Day Certain labels earn respect. Nexus Media from South Africa is one of them. Run by Chris Hoy (sHifT) and Liam Gibbs (Slug) they have consistently released some of the best twilight music out there since 2004. Ever heard of the Midnight Storm series? It's like the bible for twilight music. Fast, atmospheric, and rock your socks off groovy. Best. Ever. This is Edvin Alperavitch from Israel with a 3 track EP. Let's see what he can do. Overdrive- "That is going to leave a stain." No more so than this track. Oh boy, a buildup in the beginning is never a good sign. Not a fan of the lead sound as it gets strangled to within an inch of its life. This was pretty generic, slightly cheesy in places, and definitely not something I expect from Nexus Media. New Generation of Science- "Welcome, to the new generation of science." Love the ambient beginning, love it. Totally sets the atmosphere. The bass ain't bad either as this dark rumbler puts its feet on the ground. Now this is what I'm talkin' bout! The break has a crunchy guitar that fits well with the futuristic feel but the biggest surprise comes when he gets all groovy on you at the end. While not as epic as a lot of Nexus Media's music, this is still a good piece of twilight. Nice work! One Day- Oh crap. The Martin Luther King sample almost guarantees death for a track. Got nothin' against Mr. the King, but I have yet to hear a good track to come from his speech. There is a lot of starting and stopping with a techno feel. Then the sample gets cut up a bit and this doesn't bode well. More stops and starts and it has all the makings of glow stick cheese that the kiddie trancers should eat up. Well you can probably tell that this was a disappointment. If you are going to get this, I recommend the 2nd track as the rest just didn't hold up to the standards of this label. I'm not mad Nexus Media, just a little sad. You can do better than this. http://www.beatport....lotus-ep/683482 Mdk

Artist: Zinx Title: Rampage EP Label: Terror Lab Industries Date: September, 2011 1. 911 2. Solid System 3. Rampage 4. Hazardous 5. Annihilation (Zinx Remix) - NRS Vs. Bolt 6. My Terror Bitch (Zinx Remix) - Terror Sekt My one experience with this label was the very heavy Extreme Noise Terror Vol. 2 compilation. Dark and intense that really had me wanting a nap after it was all over. And a hug from mommy. Twilight hyper trance is a good way to describe it. It wouldn't surprise me if this label was into other hardcore sh*t like snuff films or porn. What? They have a compilation called snuff? Get the f*ck outta here. This is João Varela from Portugal so expect that Portuguese sound and intensity. *In no way do I purport to know what this label is into. This review is purely for entertainment purposes only. -The lawyers 911- I heard pendejo and some gunfire. What do ya expect, the label pic has a Kalashnikov on it. The track itself has a chunky, duh duh chicka-chicka-chicka waaaooow quality to it. Very metallic sounding with leads that scrape across a chalkboard. Intense isn't a strong enough word for this hyper trance that sh*ts on light speed and takes it to ludicrous. I think João had a lot of fun chopping this thing up in numerous ways. This is like someone on cocaine needing some speed to get out of bed. Solid System- This has a science fiction feel with a few buildups and a very heavy bass line. More hyperactivity that makes me want to dance. This is steel on steel futuristic stuff with a cloak of darkness. Nah, a cloak implies it's hiding something and that is not the case here. It's a balls to the wall right hand uppercut. That poor soul's nickname was "The Fridge" which is apropos because the whole in his face could hold all sorts of vegetables. Rampage- "This song is just like you when you get the giggles. It's great to feel this way. And it's great to hear funny music." This track has a very big chip on it's shoulder and it dares you to knock it off. Intense twilight that still remembers that this is dance music. Very groovy with samples that make you feel a wee bit scared. The lasers eventually take over as they should and this is a serious song. There's more acid here than in your orange juice and probably equally nutritious. Great stuff. Hazardous- "Let the games begin." I keep going back to the cover and feel like I'm in the Matrix. Only the ending isn't a happy one. Poizon lends a hand here with some metallic machine gun fire. The effects make this an alien affair and they are on some old Timecode shit! The sample near the end was a little juvenile, but let it go, the rest is worth it. It's just downright evil with power and I haven't seen this much vile hatred since I ran afoul of my co-worker. "Oh no you didn't. Motherf*cker did you just eat the last piece of cake?" Annihilation (Zinx Remix)- "Harmful and wrong." This is a remix of a track from the A Violent Reaction compilation. It's chunky and clunky to start with lasers and squirty leads but becomes a pretty good stomper. Not a lot to say about it really. My Terror Bitch (Zinx Remix)- "I'll show you f*cking nasty." And he does. Shortest track on the EP, but good things come in small packages. Oh f*ck...this makes Penn State look like Sesame Street. Lasers and acid combine for an unrelenting barrage of blister. Metallic darkpsy squelches and groovy bass line manipulation make this one of my favorite tracks. It's a mover that totally rocks. Dark and twisted but fun as hell. Hi there, I'm the repeat button. Like acid? Good, you're gonna get a sh*tload of it. Like your trance to tell a story? Too f*cking bad, if you are in it's way you're roadkill. This is four on the floor left lane driving hyper stuff that laughs at the idea of ending it with a downtempo track. All the tracks are good with a few being exceptional. if you're in the mood for some intense and fast twilight psy, look no further. This is the droid you are looking for. http://www.beatport....mpage-ep/673020 Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Fractal Overdrive EP Label: Hypergate Records Date: September, 2011 1. Fractal Overdrive (Karmacrop Remix) 2. Fractal Overdrive (Suria Remix) 3. Fractal Overdrive (Alienn Remix) 4. Fractal Overdrive (Elektrik Boy Remix) Hypergate Records was founded by Sidhartha (Nuno Santos) and has been on a bit of an ass kicking tear lately. Well, at least digitally. They are a full-on label that stays true to the driving Portuguese sound. With the smashing twilight quality of Alienn's One EP and the very good Tryon Cube Sequence EP, I am left with their first digital release. Karmacrop (Sidhartha & Khopat) may have been responsible for the original track on the largely forgettable Fractal Energy 3, but here we have 4 remixes of that track by some of the best names in the twilight genre. And whoever the f*ck Elektrik Boy is. Verdict? Let's just say that this maintains the quality of their other digital releases. It's pretty good actually, but if you hold it up to the insanity that was Alienn's One Ep, well everything's gonna look bad. It's all relative. I love a good hot dog, but if you offered me a choice between that and a 16 oz. steak... Karmacrop owns this EP with an acid soaked bath and crazy zipper leads. Suria brings a lot of metallic and scratchy leads with a nod toward the darker and side of things. Pretty good as well. Patrik continues his commanding wield of all things acid with his take as his leads pinball like a uh, pinball with a couple of build ups that I could've done without. The final remix has a punchy bass line and some distorted psychedelic leads that could've placed it in the forest. Good show. So all in all a nice release. Intense and firmly planted in the twilight mode. If you're looking for an acidic Christmas than this will melt your tree. Congratulations Hypergate, I salute you. What the f*ck is wrong with you? http://www.beatport.com/release/fractal-overdrive/681207 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

Artist: Various Title: Manga Vol. 3 Label: Yabai Records Date: September, 2011 1. A long time ago - Phatmatix 2. U.F.O - B-55 3. Clean page panic - Damage and Orca 4. Dude Rude - Bliss Vs. Brave 5. The Moment - A-Team 6. Freaky Boyz - Mesmerizer 7. A man on acid - Azax Vs. Bliss 8. Dangerous - Brain Hunters 9. Final Line - Toxic There are certain labels that you follow without question. For me, it's Suntrip for goa trance, Iono and TesseracT Studio for progressive, Ultimae for chill, and Timecode, Nexus Media, and 3D Vision for the twilight genre. Oh and don't forget Yabai Records. This label is responsible for some of the best twilight compilations as well as the stuff from Frozen Ghost, Phatmatix, and the Manga series. You know that whatever they release it's going to be quality. Well, the last Damage album sucked sweaty goat dick but even God made the platipus. I mean, not to question his unquestionable authority, but....what the f*ck was that? So yeah, Yabai has earned some credibility from me. Think of it like this. Know how in the US the bunny tries to steal the Trix cereal but he is always thwarted? Well Yabai has been a label with such strong releases it's a different story here. "That's my motherf*ckin' Trix!" Therefore it was with great happiness that I heard of the 3rd installment of the Manga series was on the way. Here come the people who know how to get the job done with dark, atmospheric, twilight music. Except this sucks. Good early but then the wheels came off. Let me show you how I got there. A Long Time Ago- It seems like a long time ago that we have heard from Stephane Rault. His two studio albums Sorcery and The Divine Comedy are benchmarks for me in the twilight genre. Fast, atmospheric, and melodically dark. Here he is channeling his inner French Renaissance with classical strings mixed with electronica. It's groovy no question and he uses great sounds to maximal effect. The break is an evolving entity as he twists voices and the end shines with an even funkier groove. I enjoyed it once I got past it not being a dark symphonic tale and took it for what it was. A good time. UFO- This Japanese duo have been twilight music staples and fixtures on Yabai compilations. They bring a rumbling bass line and loud effects with which to melt your brain. It's pretty layered with tons of sounds giving the track some thickness. No real melody to focus on, but that's all right as it's a driving straight ahead track. Clear Page Panic- "I'm gonna ask you a bunch of questions...and I want to have them answered immediately." Firstly, where does harmless office fun end and sexual harassment begin, eh governator? "No Herman Cain, No! No! Very bad!" The acid work is superb and this relentless track will have them dancing in the streets for sure. It's a pure power track that is the unquestionable gem of the compilation. Dude Rude- Hey a Bliss sighting! Welcome back, I hope you enjoyed your vacation from making quality music and are ready to get back to work. I mean, did you hear Looney Bin? I haven't seen someone fall that fast since Tiger Woods bagged all those hoes. I believe Brave is an alias of B-55. This is a quirky track that is full-on all the way. Build up? Yes, of course. Cornball sample? Absolutely. And right about here the tide started to turn. Guess he's still on vacation. The Moment- "And this is the moment the entire world has been waiting for." Yep. The McRib is back. You know they have a McRib locator so you can go online to find it. I'll give you a hint f*cknuts it's at McDonalds. I know, I know...they're hard to find. So much wrong here, where should I start? First, there is only one A-Team. B.A. Baracus would be turning over in his grave. If he were dead. I think I saw him pimping a gold chain on QVC. Poor name choice aside, this one had some good musical moments with a screaming lead and a nice break, but all of that was undone with the painful build-ups and guitar. Freaky Boyz- Let's leave the "z's" to the hardcore gangsters like N.W.A. And Chris Brown. Yeah, that'll help album sales. Yabai I don't know if you've had some layoffs due to the poor economy, but clearly the quality control guy needs some more re-certification. This doesn't even sound like stuff you would release. Full-on, build up. I was listening to this around Halloween and well... Look at him...he's in such pain. Why would you do this? A Man On Acid- Let's not even get into the discussion of how far Azax has fallen. Common knowledge that I feel has been well documented. But since you continue to align yourself with psytrance poison Bliss you only have yourself to blame. Think of a bland scoop of vanilla ice cream, in a plain white bowl, served in a purely white room with white furniture. Now repeat it for the rest of your life and you will have this track. Dangerous- Brain Hunters is Alfonso Zambrano and I think he tried to set the build-up record in one track. If you keep building up, the track never reaches its peak. Musically there were some strong bits but not enough to combat the avalanche of crap that rained down from up high. Finish Line- And then we have this. The only thing Toxic is his music as he fell off the psytrance wagon and got run over by all the oncoming traffic long ago. I'ts intense, I'll give him that. I also like the kick drum + guitar + cymbal stab. But the problem with beating a horse to death is that you're left in the middle of nowhere with no f*cking way to get home. The sample is screaming at you, the build ups were excoriating, and...for God's sake I'm thinking about taking up those chicks on their threesome offer... "No...No! Look what you drove me to!!!!! Damn you! Damn you to Hell!!!!" Oh Yabai, I expect so much more from you. Generic and incredibly annoying full-on loaded with painful build-ups without any of the dark, storytelling atmosphere that you're known for. What happened that you would ruin this once proud series of psytrance? Are you mad at me? Was it something I did? Tell me what it is and I'll change it. Look...I still like this label and think they can come back from this. But like the beginning of the Lion King you never got to see... Oops. http://www.psyshop.c.../yab1cd021.html http://www.beatspace...l+3/detail.aspx http://www.goastore....roducts_id=4577 Mdk