V/A- Trance Experience 2:The 2nd Coming

[Guest Cosmogenesis]

V/A – Trance Experience 2 – The Second Coming

 

 

 

Artist: Various

Title: Trance Experience – The Second Coming

Format: CD

Label: Discobole Recordings

Catalog#: DR002-2

Country : Greece

Released : 1997

Style : Psy-trance ; Goa-trance

 

Track listing:

 

 

1 Sheyba -Trance Africa Express (9:07)

2 Millenium - Skywalk (9:03)

3 Elysium - Trancelestial Psychobabas (9:11)

4 Psychonauts - Cosmonaut (6:34)

5 Orion - Liquid (8:36)

6 State Of Trance - Alien Prophecy (8:18)

7 Dimension 5 - Purple Om (8:01)

8 Growling Mad Scientists - Commental (10:00)

 

Notes: Track 1 is written as: Trans Afrika Express

Track 3 is credited as: Trancelestial Psychobabas – Blue Psychobabas

 

Review:

 

Searching an old goa/psy release in order to write a decent review, I was surprised that any member has done it already with this old and awesome greek compilation from Discobole Records. I suppose the main reason is that “Trance Experience 2” is a “hard-to-find” release at our time, and maybe some of you have never listened it.

After the successful first chapter of the “Trance Experience” series, “The Second Coming” consists mainly in a variable “tribal” vision with some african and indian sources of inspiration. However, I don’t think we can define this compilation as “homogenic”. Indeed, — but it’s only my personal view—, it’s possible to distinguish three parts in it: the three first tracks sound uplifting, with some nitzchonot elements, and contain some impressive ethnic elements; the next three tracks have a more complex structure, sound more “electronic” than “ethnic”, and have each others their respective personal touch; the last two tracks offer a bigger spatial dimension and they present both some similarities.

 

1/Sheyba – Trance Africa Express: The famous “elephant-track" introduces this compilation with a mysterious atmosphere through the dangerous and unpredictable jungle. Probably the best production of Jean Borelli (Orion) & Kristian Thinning (Elysium), because the tribal & spiritual feeling is so intense inside that it brings a kaleidoscope of african images for the goa listener. The rhythm & the different melodies are intense and sound definitely “ethnic” and “folkloric” sometimes.

 

2/Millenium – Skywalk : After “Minds’ eye” from Trance Experience 1, which was according to me a just quite good track, Millenium project is back in this second opus with a monster stuff: one of my all-time favourite tracks, and I’m not afraid to tell this. The fact is that this unbelievable tune contains for me all the ingredients for producing an amazing masterpiece: indian atmospheric background, multiple strong basslines, sensational and “out of control” uplifting vibes, melodic variations and vibrations. But its particularity is maybe those strange whistles which add one more psychedelic and ethno-spiritual touch, and announce every time one of the three clear phases of the track. Magical, tribal, special, IMO, this track deserves all the attentions by the goa listeners. I can only recommend you to find it.

 

3/Elysium – Trancelestial Psychobabas: I was stunned the first time I have learned that Trancelestial Psychobabas is, in fact, the shaman Elysium. And why? I had listened before some other Elysium great stuff like “Dance For Celestial Beings”, but this track sounded so “folkloric” or “niztchonot” in some aspects that I first believed it was a mistake from discogs. Furthermore, it was probably one of the rare goa/psy trance tracks which we can listen in almost all of the disco clubs at that time in Greece. Indeed, greek people called it the “nightwolf” because of its animal voice FX. Then I have discovered “Yamaya” from the “Astral Trance” compilation, and making the connection, I got the conviction of the real existence of the Elysium’s other musical facet. About its structure, this track looks simple, basic, anything very exceptional inside except its powerful uplifting flow which appears in different forms though three distinct phases. This track doesn’t appear really like a sound but like a kind of song, and reminds me some oriental traditional music with a main difference: the clarinets have been substituted with the synthesizers.

 

4/Psychonauts – Cosmonaut: After “Olympus” & “Shadows of the moon” from the first Trance Experience, we can add also “Cosmonaut” among the brilliant Psychonauts pieces. Just awesome: a lot of impressive electronic transitions, very strong basslines, astral vibes, crazy & complex oscillations arranged with tribal FX. I don’t know why but some elements remind me a mixture of Cosmosis & Nucleus styles.

 

5/Orion – Liquid : My favourite Orion track with any doubt. This tune is on the same line with “Cosmonaut” from Psychonauts: they have both a quite similar strange atmosphere. As the title describes it, the track presents a flow of various liquid, aquatic & sometimes organic melodies and complex FX. Difficult to define it with words and terms, because it follows various directions during its way as many Orion tracks, but we recognize always the same tribal feeling. Definitely a high-inspired Orion there who has created, as a result, something very unique.

 

6/State Of Trance – Alien Prophecy: This project has produced only one track in his brief musical life but has let a brilliant imprint in the goa annals with “Alien Prophecy”. Morphic melodies and basslines superimposed often with eastern influenced subtle melodic leads, and an infernal cadence with plenty of fast & amazing variations after the third minute. The track ends with the most possible powerful way. What a shame we will never have the opportunity to hear more stuff from this group!

 

7/Dimension 5 – Purple Om : Certainly the best D5 track choice for this compilation, because it sounds, thanks to its dynamic & redundant rhythm, really “tribal” as most of the other compilation’s tunes. “Iron sun” could have been also a great choice, but “Purple Om” describes much better the perpetual sense of innovation by the Intastella/Blue Moon Team. Indeed, it proposes a “never-seen” track construction with some alternations: at 2:12 enters a subtle “circular” melodic vibe superimposed to the rhythm, and then at 2:25, a more subtle and deepest melody, which create something like a space song dedicated to the entire universe. With his “dimensional” resonance, this track always impresses me because it “speaks” itself by its unprecedented building.

 

8/Growling Mad Scientists – Commental : A today GMS fan couldn’t believe his ears if he listened this old, but certainly very brilliant melodic track for the original Growling Mad Scientists project. What a monster evolution since that time!! Difficult to recognize a few elements of today GMS style… except maybe the use of the guitars and the strange conclusion of the track with its bizarre sounds FX: forerunner-signs of an inevitable mutant or “Shrek” metamorphosis!

 

Conclusion: It isn’t necessary to add some other words for what I think it should be a “must-have” in all goa collections. For me, Trance Experience 2 – The Second Coming is the best greek compilation ever made, not only because of its high-quality production, but I can’t remember a such great various tribal compilation which includes a “pleiadians” of excellent & original tracks from the beginning to the end. IMO, the other Trance experience chapters haven’t been able to reach its level.

 

Favourites: all the tracks are amazing, but if I have to choose: 1; 2(!) ;3 (!) ; 7; 8

[seraph]

I have many tracks from here but I also lack some, in any case compilation looks like KILLARGH !

[deus_]

 

4/Psychonauts – Cosmonaut: I don’t know why but some elements remind me a mixture of Cosmosis & Nucleus styles.

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe because it's indeed a Cosmosis track (together with Psychonauts of course!)

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Various

Title: Trance Experience - The Second Coming

Label: Discobole Records

Date: 1997

 

1 Sheyba -Trance Africa Express (9:07)
2 Millenium - Skywalk (9:03)
3 Elysium - Trancelestial Psychobabas (9:11)
4 Psychonauts - Cosmonaut (6:34)
5 Orion - Liquid (8:36)
6 State Of Trance - Alien Prophecy (8:18)
7 Dimension 5 - Purple Om (8:01)
8 Growling Mad Scientists - Commental (10:00)

 

Much better than the first one! Which is crazy cause sequels usually get people fired. Exhibit A...Caddyshack 2. Not here though with strong efforts up and down the track list. Someone mentioned a tribal slant and I fully agree with that statement. Also the tracks aren't stagnant or locked into a pre-determined spiral. Lots of evolution to keep things freshy fresh. Sure GMS had too much guitar cheese for me, but tracks like Liquid, Cosmonaut, and Alien Prophesy really put their psychedelic imprint on things.

 

Mdk