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Artist: Phobium Title: Oort Cloud Label: Omnitropic Date: September, 2013 1 - The Cloud At A Distance 2 - Drifting Past Comets (105 BPM) 3 - Crossing The Heliopause (145 BPM) 4 - Into The Interstellar Medium (99 BPM) 5 - Towards Proxima Centauri (101 BPM) 6 - Distant Sol Gimme a minute, I'll get there. I'm not smart enough to get into the details of what an Oort cloud is, but think space, chunks of icy matter, and comets. Got that? Then you are now floating untethered through the cold blackness of deep space. Slow drifting ambient somewhat reminiscent of Kitaro if he joined NASA. Phobium is Henning Ottesen from Norway and he presents the story of the first manned mission to travel through this massive cloud surrounding our solar system. The ambient sounds like what you would expect the soundtrack to the far reaches of space would sound like. Take an arpeggio, surround with pads, repeat. At 17 minutes it felt like it took forever to cross the Heliopause. My mind wandered. What am I going to make for dinner? Is John Travolta really gay? How come cows don't tip over when they're on a steep hill? Can I just microwave 3 day old coffee or should I stop being a lazy f*ck and just brew another pot? I poke fun, but he's got talent no question. Into the Interstellar medium is a vivid cross section of a slow motion tumble amongst the stars where you should be freaking out, but it's so calm and serene relaxation is the only response. Towards Proxima Centauri speeds things up as he rediscovers his software has a beat function. This is deep trance where time is rendered meaningless as I try to take it all in. This could be what the outcome would sound like if you locked Tangerine Dream and Vangelis and they spent all their time comparing dick sizes. Distant Sol is an isolating drone that will help you appreciate just how vast space is. So vivid and simple it moves unbelievably slowly like an old lady in the left lane. So yeah slow as f*ck but deliciously ominous. The crew of the Event Horizon has been slaughtered and the freighter is left to drift into deep space for eternity. Alone, so alone. Three tracks over 13 minutes of a very repetitive style is a lot to take. F*ck you Phobium for making me think about gay John Travolta drinking 3 day old coffee. But thank you Phobium for presenting that scary as hell last track. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Ascent & Argus Title: Beyond Sight Label: Ovnimoon Records Date: September, 2013 1. Rain In Chords 2. Beyond Sight 3. One Day In India 4. Shining Star 5. Indian Spirit 6. Whisper 7. Secret Temple 8. Melody Through Time 9. Inner Peace Abbott & Costello. Starsky & Hutch. Rizzolli & Isles. All fictional television duos that have absolutely nothing to do with this album. Well, unless they're lying on the couch in their footie pajamas firing up the Netflix and doing a little binge watching. "Are you gonna even shower today? I asked you to take out the garbage 3 days ago!" This brother duo (one guess where they're from) has put together quite the relaxing chill album full of melancholic pads and ethereal voices. I knew one brother as Ascent who makes some kick ass progressive, but I'd never heard of his brother. Mystical and mysterious this delectably slow and ponderous journey moves deftly between downtempo and ambient sounding at times uplifting and mournful. It's a very full and lush experience with a closing track that utterly blew me away. I highly recommend this digital release from the seemingly always quality Ovnimoon Records. It's simply excellent. Psyshop Mdk

Artist: Necton Title: Retrodelica Label: Ovnimoon Records Date: September, 2013 1. Vibrations 2. Distorted Reality 3. Intruders 4. My Generation 5. Rollercoaster 6. 303 Smaragd 7. Slideglider 8. Artificial Amateurs 9. Back To Normal 10. Vi Ger Oss Inte "You're gonna be so tired of winning, I'll tell you that!" Why must my country continue to embarrass itself? We've finally found the one export with which we rule the world...humiliation. From the label that puts out music like Trump does insults this is a collection of tracks that were previously available for free download (don't ask me where) from a guy that has been around awhile. Formerly a duo now the solo project of Patrik Olsen this compilation (according to Discogs) is a full-on one trick pony. If you're looking for story telling pick up a book. It's straight ahead full-on with an aggressive edge, employing 303s and good grooves. And I'll tell you that sentence makes it sound better than it is. No twists or turns just four on the floor stuff. However when he uses his mighty 303 powers it is to good effect. I don't know how old these tracks are and it doesn't sound like the stuff we're used to hearing from Ovnimoon. This album feels like it could've been better with some more time in the oven. Not Trumps oven mind you. That's full of Mexicans and Muslims. Sig heil! Beatspace Psyshop

Artist: Various Title: Astronot Label: Goalogique Records Date: September, 2013 1. Minomar - Dancing Universe 2. Trinodia - Top Secret (Mix 2013) 3. Carbon - Dandelion Fx 4. Somnesia - In Search of Our Origin (Live Mix) 5. Jennis - Hollow Grams 6. Visual Brain - I Have a Riddle To Solve 7. Laboratory X - Light and Dark 8. OGO - Goastronaut I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is the artwork for the 2nd compilation from Goalogique is a little better than the horrendous effort of their debut Up To Next Step. Bad news? Pictures don't talk. And I don't mean in a "that painting really speaks to me" kinda way. Yes pictures speak volumes in their own language, but they sound pretty damn quiet in my headphones. This compilation is either a step backwards or a kid learning to drive by grinding the gears of Dad's Subaru. Whatever you call it, it ain't going forward. Hold this up to other goa trance compilations and that game will be over very quickly. There were good moments in some tracks, but they either didn't last very long or were replaced by some weaker content. Power and lush atmosphere are absent from the tracks as they sound rather amateurish. Even Trinodia and Somnesia (who was on the first compilation) can't save this although they had the best tracks. There is no depth, no stories being told, and ultimately no reason for me to care about most of these tracks. When money is tight you've gotta pick your purchases carefully. And this CD doesn't make me want to spend $12.50 at Psyshop before shipping. Sorry, but strike two Goalogique. Beatspace Psyshop Mdk

Artist: Sky Technology Title: The Pleiadian Connection EP Label: Timewarp Records Date: September, 2013 1. Life or Coma Dream 2. Lemuria 3. Stars Come Down 4. The Pleiadian Connection My son is at the stage where if he likes something he gives it the thumbs up. If he really likes it he holds up both his hands and says, "10 thumbs up!" The other day he said my chocolate chip pancakes get 11 thumbs up. I turned around and shouted, "Put your pants back on!" Sky Technology is Dmitriy Kolosovskiy and his style is a fusion of the power and barely restrained chaos of Filteria and the hypnotic cosmic spaceflight that exemplifies E-mantra. Pretty high praise methinks. This is melodic beauty for sure, but thanks to some Italians anytime we see the word Pleiadian attached to a release we tend to lose our sh*t a little bit and maybe have some unrealistic expectations. But it is an effective marketing strategy no? I think everyone who listens to goa trance these days knows this guy is supremely talented. From his EP's Time and Space and Next Visions the ahem, sky's the limit for this guy. And for the most part he delivers here as well. He begins with a thick and complex downtempo track Life of Coma Dream. This is the coalescence of many layers and when the comparisons to E-mantra come to mind. It's beautiful. Lemuria is a no holds barred melee if a little uninteresting and Stars Come Down blows through brick walls with its power. Not a lot to chew on, but still very good. The last track typifies what I think Dmitiy is capable of. It's also some powerful, churning goa trance that will captivate as it cycles through its progressions. Loud and dense it is an example of the Filteria E-mantra hybrid. E-Teria if you will. And that's how I would describe this. Very good, but not great. I give it 7.5 thumbs up thereby ensuring that my pants remain securely fastened around my waist. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Compression Session EP Label: Replicant Records Date: September, 2013 1. Rabdom L - Inside the Dollhouse (2013 Remix) 2. X-Side - Undermind (remix) 3. Rubix Qube - Dead Still Dance 4. Iliuchina - Imagination Vs. Hallucination Replicant Records is back. How do I know this? Because they've been blowing up my newsfeed for a couple months now. Is it the rapture? Is my house on fire? Is my wife on her way home and I still have coked up hookers (yep, plural) passed out in the marital bed? These are the only situations I can see needing that kind of advance notice. So...the music. I'll let you read the review. But I will say this...the first time I gave this a listen I had to turn it off and go take a sh*t. Dollhouse- "Did you really think you could just walk into the dollhouse...when everyone knows it doesn't exist?" Look at what you did. You know Keanu is fragile. Packed tighter than an Indian commuter train this track has a very high ssi (samples per square inch). Which unfortunately leaves very little room for anything else including creativity. FYI, I've been to the Dollhouse in South Carolina (it exists) and their dancers really make you feel welcome. But ah...stay away from the shrimp cocktail. Undermind- Now we're getting somewhere. Punchy bass and a high acid content make this a mover and a shaker. Very intense. Dead Still Dance- We can all rest easy now that the Qube is on the case. Is what I would be saying if that were true. He's got a funky groove and makes a big acid splash, but somehow he worked an element of cheese in the mix. After several listens I thought I could ignore it, but...nope. I can take it or leave it. The good parts are really good, but the not so good parts...yikes. Imagination- "We see with the eyes...but we see with the brain as well." You know they are actually connected right? You see the eyes have a nerve (cranial nerve #2 to be exact) called the optic nerve...ah, you don't wanna hear this. From the "first lady of night full-on." Not bad. Not great, but I didn't cringe. So...2 out of 4. That's 50% and a failing grade in any school I've ever attended. Meh, still miles better than the Obamacare rollout. It's dark and moody with enough acid to get a good sticky shower, but it definitely straddles that commercial line. Take the two tracks and run. There's much better twilight out there. And stop blowing up my newsfeed! Beatport Mdk

Artist: Tentura Title: Aurora EP Label: Sentimony Records Date: September, 2013 01 - Aurora (110 BPM) 02 - Melting (75 BPM) 03 - High Way (125 BPM) 04 - Eclipse (80 BPM) This is a perfect example of why you should put a lot of effort into a cover. It's marketing 101 really, Because I listen to a lot of music I oftentimes rely on non musical factors to decide whether or not a release is going to get any attention. User ratings (last resort), Ektoplazm labeling, and of course artwork. This cover is very eye catching. Colorful and futuristic which appeals to the sci-fi geek in me. So it gets listened to. And I'm glad it did. This Russian duo have put together a vivid snapshot of what the future could sound like. From the opening deep trance experience to the confluence of layers in the downtempo tracks. The futuristic atmosphere is so thick you can taste it. Blade Runner on steroids. A world where most functions are completed by androids. Where interplanetary space travel is as everyday as driving to work. It's clean and sounds vast. Perfect for dreaming of what may be. I'll be keeping an eye on this project. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Ancient Alien Title: Tribute To The Elders EP Label: Timewarp Records Date: September, 2013 1. Identified Races 2. Inexplicable Feeling 3. Prophets of Orion 4. Tribute To The Elders Timewarp Records (managed by Renato Brnic, aka Nova Fractal) has been unloading digital EP's so fast you'd think they came with a side of cancer. Usually at least a couple would be weak, but surprisingly that has not been the case. This is Luiz Fernando Wilhelm with a short 4 track EP for our listening pleasure. While I wasn't impressed with the rambling opener the power and the complexity pick up after that. Inexplicable Feeling thumps with a strong bass presence and dark feeling as synth leads meander from the shadows. It's...eerie even if it also goes on a little long. Prophets of Orion suffers from the same affliction as the first track. Just kinda meh. Tribute to the Elders is the reason I'll keep watching this project. Even though it wasn't that detailed the power and old school flow were there. I think there is potential there if he lets the tracks evolve and takes them to the shadowy corners where a lot of artists are won't to go. Cutting a few minutes off wouldn't hurt. You've got my attention sir. Beatport Mdk