V/A - Blissfull Moments

[DeathPosture]

V/A - Blissfull Moments

 

 

Artist: Various

Title: Blissfull Moments

Label: Tranceform

Date: 2003

 

Track listing:

 

01. 09'06" Ypsilon 5 : Paranormal

02. 07'42" Summamutikka : Vidukadaya

03. 07'03" Xervana : Eye In The Tunnel

04. 09'43" Poly61 : Elamansa

05. 08'22" Ethereal : Fireflies (Rmx)

06. 09'20" Aquasphere : Aquasphere

07. 08'08" Vast : Liquid

08. 09'19" Ethereal : Accessing Infinity (Rmx)

 

Review:

 

Do you know what a blissfull moment it? If not, just listen to some of the tracks on this compilation, and you'll soon find out!

 

Tranceform is a small, independent label from the lakey country of Finland in Scandinavia, run by enthusiastic hipster Kalle... After only 2 vinyl releases since the beginning in 1999, now Tranceform is back with this morning-trance CD-compilation called Blissfull Moments.

 

[#1] First up is Ypsilon5, David & Magnus who hails from Swedens Orebro... And it shows, well sounds actually... This is a brilliant opener. Full-on stomping, driving morning track... This is pure bliss, alright! Great old-school feeling track!

 

[#2] This is Summamutikka which apparently translates into 'random selection' or something similar... The guy behind all these random selections is happy camper Kim Ake from Finland... And yes, you get the Finnish madness in this track... It starts with chanting... Then a poor "German" bass and some very cheesy synths... bad start, but then the acid kicks in - and it's most welcome! The tracks starts off kinda poor, but soon develops into a real old school Finnish stomper! Great stuff!

 

[#3] Here we have Xervana telling us about some eye in a tunnel... The guy behind this - Oluf - used to be in a metal band, but he's doing melodic trance now... This track is nothing speciel, but still quite good. It's melodic old school trance... Kinda reminds me of Chi-a.d., Early AP and the likes... Average track!

 

[#4] Helsinki-based Poly61 delivers a track VERY different from the first 3... Odd selection really, to put this track here... between full-on tracks... Anyway, this tracks starts very slow... Very atmospheric, almost Twin Peaks-like, intro... They throw in some more fx... First a guitar... Then a piano... After 3 minutes comes the first beats - unfortunately along with a VERY annoying accordian-like sound. Argh! Well, besides the different style and the annoying sound, this track is quite ok... Elamansa is a great trackname - looks Elvish doesn't it? But supposedly it translates into "his/her life"... Average track, it's Finnish - it's crazy... But also, it's kinda boring!

 

[#5] Things are picking up now with this little gem from Sweden-based trancers Ethereal... From a kind of slowish intro, the track soon picks up a much faster, full-on pace... There's a sample near the end which remind me a lot of the one in Astral Projection's "Searching For UFO's"... Not sure if it's the same one, though! I could ask for more variation - but I won't! This is happy, melodic trance! Nice!

 

[#6] Let's take it down a notch... For a short while only though! This is another Swedish project... One man project actually, and there's been put some work into this track... Starts slow, but soon a nice pounding bass appears alongside wicked, harmonic melodies.... Another bliss moment for sure! Slightly on the progressive side, but still the psychedelia is intact! Great track! ;o)

 

[#7] Vast is a project from LOTR-country, New Zealand... And yeah, if you listen closely you can hear the Kiwi's growing in the background! ;o) ... The track starts with a bird-intro... Very cool... Different FX are building as the track progresses.... This is one funky-ass, toe-tipping, feel-good trance track! Great!

 

[#8] To finish off, we have another track by Ethereal from Sweden... This time they are chilling out... I mean REEEEEEALLY chilling out... But sure, you can use it after all these blissfull moments... Infact, this is another one... This is a beautiful ambient track... Very chilled, relaxed, calm melodies... Great!

 

To sum up... 5 great tracks, 1 nice track and 2 not-so-great average tracks... Pretty good score actually... I could have wished for a more structured selection of tracks... There is not really any consistancy in the tracks, but hey - most of them are still great tracks... I would've put [#4] right before [#8], but hey, that's only nit-picking... All in all, this is a great compilation for anyone who enjoys outdoor-morning trance. Recommended!

 

Rating 7.5/10

 

DeathPosture

[Trance2MoveU]

 

 

Artist: Various

Title: Blissful Moments

Label: Tranceform Records

Date: February, 2003

 

1. Paranormal - YPSILON 5
2. Vidukadaya - SUMMAMUTIKKA
3. Eye in the tunnel - XERVANA
4. Elamansa - POLY 61
5. Firefiles - ETHEREAL
6. Aquasphere - AQUASPHERE
7. Liquid - VAST
8. Accessing Ifinity - ETHEREAL

 

 

Before there was Suntrip there was Tranceform Records. Based out of Finland amongst the reindeer this label had a very brief existence. Now defunct, the three albums they did manage to release were some of the opening salvos in the re-emergence of goa trance. This was the first and only compilation followed by one of my all time favorite goa trance releases Anima Mundi by Ethereal. When this came out it must have seemed like God himself tore the clouds asunder and let the sunlight chase away the oppressive darkness. Their last release was Binary Sky by Ypsilon5 and a movement was underway. No more minimal, just a doorway flung open to the past, perfect for those who missed the magical ride the first time around.

 

This compilation is loaded with power and melody. Paranormal is a hypnotizing trip waiting to happen. Some see it as repetitive and it is, but in the good way. Vidukadaya begins with a Middle Eastern vocal that immediately makes me think of the movie Zero Dark Thirty. Of course it could be Indian...better cover my bases. F*ck you Bin Laden! This Finnish producer earns the loudest track award with its frenetic pace. I don't care for it as much as I used to.

 

Eye of the Tunnel rotates with acidic twisting layers. Heavily layered with different sonic textures this track shimmers in the Middle Eastern sun. Blowing open the doors of darkness the leads are like fireflies on a mission.

 

The Poly 61 track had me wondering how it made it onto the album the first few times I heard it, but with repeated listens it really is massive and thought inducing. Those mournful pads and crying guitar work very well together.

 

Fireflies would have fit perfectly on Anima Mundi with its long searching melodies and vivid break. This is a project I would love to see release a two disc album full of unreleased material. Sally, get Draeke on the phone and let's see if we can make this happen.

 

With Aquasphere smooth progressive gallops forth as mournful pads weep. This project does a good job slowly introducing sounds in a gentle way. Liquid echoes give it a fluid feel. Not super exciting, but eminently enjoyable.

 

There is more evolving goa smoothness with Liquid without waging a loudness war. It takes its time seemingly not in any kind of hurry. Warm melodic riffs rain down in this progressive goa trance effort. Not storming by any means or even...vast, but it works well with what it gives.

 

Accessing Infinity is a beautiful ambient wake up call. It's an after the storm dawn complete with the brightest sunlight reflecting off the morning dew. Stretching with the promise of a new beginning.

 

 

This was a great compilation that may have begun the rebirth of goa trance. It still sounds great a decade later bringing back the warn melodic sound that at the time wasn't really gone for that long. Guess we really missed it. Not available in any of the shops you can still find it on Discogs for a reasonable sum.

 

Mdk

[Paul Eye]

Re-release on Ektoplazm