V/A - Basstardz

DeathPosture · March 21, 2006

V/A - Basstardz

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Hi-res cover: front + back

Artist: Various

Title: Basstardz

Format: CD (jewel case)

Label: Pixan Recordings (Italy)

Cat. #: PXNCD002

Distribution: Arabesque

Date: 20 March 2006

Track listing:

01. 08’18” Hyper Frequencies – Smokerz Paradise Rmx

02. 07’23” Zebra-N - Glooblala

03. 07’16” Xatrik – Frankie Five Of Diamonds

04. 08’45” Hypno - Rampage

05. 07’56” Blisargon Demogorgon – Wrong Murder

06. 06’25” 3PLT - Boogieman

07. 06’50” Bon – Mental Swing (Arsenic Edit)

08. 07’29” Wizard Lizard – Mechanic Vibration

09. 06’42” Seroxat – Fire Zone

10. 06’56” Toxic – Sos Tasis

.m3u-playlist: http://tinyurl.com/oqu3h (all tracks!)

Review:

From hell...

Pixan Recordings is a newly established psytrance label operation out of Rome, Italy… It’s headed by DJ Tommi and the first compilation Keepers Of Freakuencies was a ghostly excursion into the darker realms of night trance… This second instalment is cleverly named Basstardz and judging from the tracklist, this is another trip down Elm Street… Put on your hockey-mask!... Or head-phones…Or whatever! Let’s roll!

Let me take you thru the tracks…

#01: Hyper Frequencies – Smokerz Paradise Rmx [146 BPM]

We open the ball with a crackpot tune by French producer Gilles Béraud who impressed me with his crazy take on playful, fragmented psytrance on the recent Yage Records compilation Pump Fiction… And sure enough, this is easily as crazy and playful… A group of people are talking and laughing – stoned outta their minds! Their undecipherable mutterings are accompanied by a really high-pitched, retarded acid-line and a banging bass straight from hell… Usually I like oddball takes on psytrance, but I just can’t seem to go past that damn annoying, demented acid-line and those silly grins… And that’s a shame really, coz otherwise this sounds like a pretty solid tune…

#02: Zebra-N – Glooblala [143 BPM]

“We call this piece the Fecalator!” Dutch producer Paul Elfferich has yet to let me down with his dark, twisted take on dark psytrance… This is maybe less dark than some of his previous tracks, but it’s still pretty damn haunting… The naïve background melodies strike a notably contrast to the harsh, murky rhythm section in the foreground… Totally banging and funny too… Kinda minimal, without getting boring… A nice track, without being outstanding though…

#03: Xatrik – Frankie Five Of Diamonds [145 BPM]

South African producer Greg Hamber released his debut album Project A on Digital Psionics in 2004… Both the album + the following compilation tracks had that very special Xatrik-trademark: Uniqueness and complexity which really challenged your senses… And yes, this is another highly fragmented, multilayered piece of Xatrik sleekness with a distinct nocturnal touch… A real marvel and the first stand-out track here!

#04: Hypno – Rampage [145 BPM]

Hypno is Gaël Murino who also did the bleak artwork on this compilation… This is the first track I’ve heard from him, but I don’t hope it’ll be the last, coz this is pretty interesting… The first couple of minutes are pretty boring, but as the track progresses Gaël cranks up the old trip-meter, and we’re exposed to an array of digital wizardry which elevates this track from the usual boring darkpsy… I’m totally digging this!

#05: Blisargon Demogorgon – Wrong Murder [145 BPM]

“Is he capable of ordering the execution of innocent […]? Is he capable of executing POWs with his own hand? Colonel Terry Childers ordered the senseless slaughter of a peaceful crowd. You killed the wrong people, didn't you?” Macedonian producer Valentino Trencev’s output sounds like a cross between Xenomorph, Phyx and Ghreg On Earth – and that’s exactly why I like his evil, haunting style… The intro is comprised of short-of-breath voice samples, Darth Vader breathing and twirling acid-lines… Later on the hard-hitting bassline is unleashed and the track is in full, apocalyptic effect… So yeah, this is not for the faint-hearted… This is Halloween trance… And damn good Halloween trance too…

#06: 3PLT – Boogieman [148 BPM]

“Welcome, we have been expecting you!” Behind 3PLT is Tommaso Favretto aka. DJ Tommi who owns Pixan Recordings and also compiled this CD… This is my first encounter with his music which is kinda like a mixture of evil darkpsy and funny, playful psytrance… Yeah, Tommi doesn’t take it too seriously, and somehow that shines thru in the music… There’s nothing wrong with a little humour in psytrance, but somehow this just seems a little too hectic… Maybe I’m just stoned, but I can’t seem to find the basic direction here and the flow seems a little off too… Or maybe I’m just not in the right mood for it…

#07: Bon – Mental Swing (Arsenic Edit) [145 BPM]

“Unauthorized entry!” Up until recently everything I’ve heard from Italian producer Fausto Emillano Gianni was released on Aussie label Digital Psionics… With his darkish night-trance with epic, melodic qualities he has got his very own style and I’ve appreciated most of his stuff so far… And Fausto is true to his previous work, as this is easily the most melodic track so far… Don’t get me wrong, this is still über dark night trance, but we get an influx of trippy melodies too… Just what the doctor ordered! This is rich, playful, psychedelic night trance… Lovely!

#08: Wizard Lizard – Mechanic Vibration [146 BPM]

I’ve only ever heard one track from Israeli producers Roi Levi & Guy Marciano… Their track on the 2005 Parvati compilation Psychedelically Yours 3 was damn good with its multi-layered style of gritty, dirty, super-demented, evil hyper night-psytrance… And so is this! Hell yeah, this is high-quality, acid-ridden night-trance which could’ve just as easily been on a Parvati, Peak Records of Trishula compilation… Ripe of the bone! Sweet!

#09: Seroxat – Fire Zone [146 BPM]

Israeli producer Ofer Maoz really impressed me with his druggy, trip-friendly take on murky darkpsy on the 2005 compilation Over Identity released on Xilium Records…This track is maybe less trip-friendly, but it makes up for that in sheer dancefloor potential… After a subtle intro, we’re soon launched straight into banging, hands-in-the-air, shake-your-ass psytrance… Fast-paced, multi-climactic, acid-ridden night trance – guaranteed to tear the trancefloors up… Very tasty!

#10: Toxic – Sos Tasis [146 BPM]

The journey ends with another lethal dose of Israeli night trance… This time by the Toxic duo (Alon Atias & Avi Aboresi) who has released some really hardcore, gabberesque tracks… This track is less hectic though, but it’s still a very different track… I’m not quite sure what ‘sos tasis’ is, but I think it has something to do with Jewish weddings – which the weird, morphed melody in this track would also indicate… Basically this track is more uplifting that the previous ones – and that’s uplifting within dark, night trance mind you… Pretty good, but it is a strange cocktail of all kinds of different elements which I haven’t fully absorbed yet…

This compilation was my first encounter with Pixan Recordings, but not that last I hope! Oh yes, this really surprised me positively and my indication of stand-out tracks below should also underline just how many great tracks you find on this piece of plastic…

Of course there are a couple of tracks that I don’t really connect with, but they are easily outweighed by the many brilliant tracks here… The musical diversity is present, though it doesn’t sway very far away from ‘darkpsy’… But hey, when it’s this good, I don’t give a shit… This is indeed a good compilation and a couple of these tracks could very well become classics within the genre… I’m impressed! The cover art may be a little simple and dark, but I think it fits the music… All in all this is one of the better darkpsy compilations I’ve heard recently – and it’s easily worth a purchase based on the many stand-out tracks… Recommended to fans of Parvati, Trishula, Mistress Of Evil, Ketuh, Peak Records and other deviant labels… Enjoy!

Favourites: 1, 3(!!), 4(!!), 5(!), 7(!), 8(!), 9

DeathPosture

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