V/A - Pyramidal Trancendence

[Jon Cocco]

V/A - PYRAMIDAL TRANCENDENCE

METAPSYCHIC RECORDS

2006

 

 

1. SINE DIE - THE SHAMAN TRIP

2. ASTRANCER - DZOG CHEN

3. MINDSPHERE - MOLOCULAR RESTRICTIVE

4. TRAVMA - ZAMAN

5. ETHEREAL - STREAM OF LIFE

6. AURA - WALK ON EARTH

7. LOST BUDDHA - LOST IN PARADISE

8. INFINITE DIMENSIONS - FAR BEYOND THE STARS

9. AFGIN - TRIBUTE OF THE SUN

 

 

 

PYRAMIDAL TRANCENDENCE is a Goa-Trance compilation that I became aware of in October, 2006 around its release. Surprisingly it has few artists whom I'm familiar with, and yet I find myself very attracted to it.

 

 

1. SINE DIE - THE SHAMAN TRIP is a strong, elegant opening. It's somewhat relaxing as I'd imagine the beginning would be towards the climb up the pyramid of higher awareness, towards enlightenment, spirtuality. There is a very pleasing, catchy melody at 1:40, repeating again at 5:12. This is a wonderful sound that compliments the song. B+

 

2. ASTRANCER - DZOG CHOM ... The voice samples are very cool and the melodies are beautiful. There are some other very delectable sounds too, and a healthy amount of supporting light seems to take place in the background too. The song is very very uplifting and pleasing to listen to. When so many attractive sounds form and flow together in harmony, such music really does have the power to put people in a higher, more clear and free state. The song is great, and the extension past the interlude around 7:00 is gorgeous. Ethnic melodies seldom create as much magic and harmony with Goa Trance as they do here, thus producing a surreal and refreshingly catchy sound I've never heard before. A

 

3. MINDSPHERE - MOLOCULAR RESTRICTIVE ... This song starts out interesting. The female voice is beautiful. Someone knew people were going to like the pretty voice here and the overall song which is more aggressive and energetic than previous songs. It's also the quickest one on the album so far. The aggressive melody that begins at 0:12 is pretty good. I think the artist could have made the song even stronger had he gradually added more arresting melodies during the first several minutes. But too much delight too soon makes further delight less distinguishable sometimes. My favorite part is at 6:01, both during and right after the beat is removed during the transition. At this point there seems to be nothing other than floating ambience coupled with very attractive and psychedelic tingling sounds. The speed of the song is slowed down. Drifting. Suddenly the beat kicks in. Chimes and other sounds and melodies arrive, and the dreamy female vocals return on top of everything else which flows superbly. From 6:00 to 7:00 is great! The slow down part injects it with enough delight to make it even more delectable till the end. B+

 

4. TRAVMA - ZAMAN ... At first I did not care for the dog barking in the beginning of this song because it continued throughout the first minute. I wasn't sure when it would end. By 1:52 however that sound had been passed and this song picks up, becomes fast and interesting. It's also laced with cool goatrance melodies on top of one another. I remember feeling as if this was too fast during initial impressions but I actually like it at this speed. To me it seems to get somewhat repetitive or less involved the more the song progresses. After the cool psy-sample before 6:00, the same direction continues without anything novel or fresh to me until soon after the laser shooting sound effects. The kick drum speeds up, the tempo changes. and at around 8:50 things sound more interesting again. At 10:39 maybe it's too long for its own good, or not. That's up to you. It's still pretty cool regardless. B-

 

5. ETHEREAL - STREAM OF LIFE ... This is the first step down the pyramid I presume, and I don't mean that in a negative way. This is more peaceful, relaxing, and slower sounding than the previous three songs. It doesn't have a part or parts that jump out and say, "Look at me!!" Stream of Life is less obvious, more subtle and quaint. The ambient around 5:40 followed by the sample is good. This is very floating at times and gentle throughout. The melodies are really good. What I most enjoy about Ethereal is their ability to make waves, layers of good, great melodies which flow together, almost becoming one at times. I often find their work beautiful sounding, creating a pleasent mood. This song along with several others make up some of the best goatrance songs of 2006. I really love Ethereal's first album, which I own, and it's great to see them on here. They did a really good job and I hope we get a second main album released from them one day. B+

 

6. AURA - WALK ON EARTH ... This starts with an interesting voice sample. It's another more aggressive, quicker song on the album. I suppose the tip of the pyramid has been reached and now the spirit and/or mind is drifting... picking up speed downhill back towards Earth or the body. Anyway, what stands out for me here is the strong melody throughout and after the interesting voice sample at around 3:00. This is catchy! I really like how it's tweaked. Guitars are introduced which I generally don't care for in goa and psytrance unless very well done, and I feel they're very well done here. Also, they're kept to a minimum which I like. The piercing ambience (along with other ambience) enhances other sounds, creatively complicating the taste with more flavors and depth. B+

 

7. LOST BUDDHA - LOST IN PARADISE ... I really like the opening voice sample. This song dives directly into the melodies from the opening. At around 1:17 a fresh melody is introduced which is very catchy. The ambience and other melodies further enhance the song. I find the ambience (ambient notes) and melodies great. I also very much like the voice sample, cut short and minimized to "Light!" which on both occasions is mixed in right before a rise in sound, fresh melody, or a lift off. There seems to be another melody doubling over existing ones around 4:45 which is very cool, catchy. I most like the sounds of the ambient notes in combination with the melodies. There is something heavenly, beautiful about this sound and how they flow with the rest of the music. This is a great new goatrance song and my favorite track from Lost Buddha to date. B+

 

8. INFINITE DIMENSIONS - FAR BEYOND THE STARS ... This is the only song on the album I have very mixed feelings about. It starts off pretty good and gradually improves. Like the previous song, it dives right into the melodies from the near start. It also involves an instrument or two that are generally different, more piano or orchestral driven than the braiding layers of melodies often in goatrance. The ambience is good and the quicker higher pitched melody notes are okay. A new, more ethnic sounding melody is introduced at 2:48, but this song really comes together at 3:15. Wow. I was initially so involved until around 4:00 where the sound surprisingly changes and devolves into what sounds to me like formulary mainstream club trance. However, from 4:39 to around 5:00, the goa sound is reinforced along with the more mainstream sound combined. Both styles seem to be playing off each other and it works. What I do not like is at 5:09 when this more clubby melody takes over and now dominates the entire song. It even toggles down to a blur under the beat, something popular, common, and redundant in mainstream trance and house music. In short, this song becomes too similar to stuff I've heard by artists like DERUDE and CASCADA the more it progresses. I really enjoyed this song for four, even five minutes because it sounded fresh and innovative to me. It's as if this artist was reluctant for some reason to stick with goatrance throughout and decided to introduce a mainstream trance (I call club trance) style and sound until the goatrance influence and song is completely gone in the end. This sound and direction during this songs last minute make it seem out of place to me here. I really felt this song had potential to be great, and from 3:15 to 3:58 it was. I kept imagining what it would have sounded like had this artist stuck with the goatrance style to the end. Once that general club trance "feel/sound" blossoms at around 5:12, I feel like I'm listening to a different album. C

 

9. AFGIN - TRIBUTE OF THE SUN ... This is more floating, chilled goatrance without ever being slow enough to enter ambience or goa ambient. There are some really nice melodies working together here. Unfortunately I can't say there's any specific part or melody that stands out to me. I honestly find this track far less interesting and engaging than most others. It seems to be missing something, a more catcy, memorable leading melody maybe or more imagination and feeling. Full of life this song isn't. There is this strange spacey, [isolated] feeling I get when listening to this song. While some may regard it as a solid floating goatrance/downtempo-esque closing, others will likely find it boring or just not that memorable. Regardless, "Tribute to the Sun" flows nicely throughout. I'm sure some listeners will enjoy the song more than I do. The slower speed and spacey feel does give some credit. This is a fairly good song to end the album on. B-

 

 

In conclusion, I think many people, especially those who love both old and new school goatrance will most enjoy this compilation. There are some great songs here. None are bad and only one I don't find good. I think it's wonderful to see artists put so much time and energy into something so cool and available to the world without fee. It seems the intent here was to bring the old and new school spirit of goatrance to our time now in this new release. With exception to albums by Suntrip Records, it seems rare these days to hear a new goatrance album. Pyramidal Trancendence is made for fans of Goatrance. There's definitely room for improvement as a whole, regarding production and several songs fall short from achieving greatness. This is overall one of the best Goa/Psy albums of the 2006. Many thanks goes to the artists' and individuals involved in producing and creating this new school Goatrance comp which seems to share some of the same energy and spirit of the older, now classic years of Goatrance.

 

 

 

Favorite tracks: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7.

 

 

B+

[snowball]

4. TRAVMA - ZAMAN ... At first I did not care for the dog barking in the first minute of this song because it continued throughout the first minute and I wasn't sure when and if it would end. By 1:52 however that sound had been passed and this song picks up, becomes fast and interesting.

637000[/snapback]

Nothing wrong with a dog sample mate!

 

We have heard elephants,crows,frogs,wolfs,and a lot of other animals in various goa tracks wich were excellent...

(X-dream - the frog,Sheyba - Trans Africa Express,Cosmosis - at the crossroads(I think its a dog barking in this one),Phoenix - into the desert...etc etc)

 

Why not a dog!!Pretty cool and innovative!!

 

Anyways,I find this compilation to be of the highest standards,technically and musicaly.The vibe is great,and the music is like a breeze of refreshing air in the blandness of todays mundane and repetitive releases.

 

Excellent job metapsychic!!

[Lost Buddha]

Jon , thank u for the time spent on this amazing rewiew. we are very grateful for it. we´ll put your rewiew on our site aswel if thats ok with u.

a big thank u.

[jivamukti]

I'm a bit disappointed at this release. I'd have liked a more forwardthinking release (even as it's goa), like track 6 (except the guitars - I hate them in trance except in The Delta - Travelling at the Speed of Thought ).

 

Unfortunately I don't have time for an in-depth review.

[Baloeba]

I am a new school lover "pur sang", as here in Belgium there is a big movement in it because of some djs, so I was looking very much forward to this cd! Finally more goa trance anno 2006!

But... unfortunately this was also for me a slight dissapointment, it's not bad, but not very good either, some standouts for sure, what makes it worth downloading for sure, but some cheesy/bad sounding tracks too I think where you can feel this is not a professional release... Specially when you have a look at the golden era of goa trance musicalwise and the cds of suntrip sound quality wise. Anyway, the tracks:

 

Sinne Die - The Shaman Trip: this must be one of my favourites, simple, playful, good acidic lines and good atmospheric sounds on the background that gives this track a magic feeling! 8/10

 

Astrancer - Dzog Chen: pretty good track, altough the bassline is somehow wrong for the track, a smooth warm would have been better instead of such a dry kick, it is too loud hearable over the melodies (and this is exactly what I mean with not professional, musicalwise this is good, but soundwise mediocre), the melodies are pretty good as well! 7/10

 

Mindsphere - Molecular Restrictive: Great drive in this track, mad melodies, fast and furious, but after a while it becomes a little boring as no main melody enters, with a little more work this could have been a very goody though. 7/10

 

Travma - Zaman: Terrible track, it sounds like happy hardcore, way too fast for a trance-inducing feeling and the melodies are too cheesy (because of the speed?). 3/10

 

Ethereal - Stream of Life: I was surprised by the speed, it doesn't feel that fast, anyway, this is soundwice together with Afgin by far the best track, it's dreamy, hypnotic and... repetitive (in a good way) 8/10

 

Aura - Walk To Earth: I just read this guy makes normal trance now, and that probably fits him better as this track, way too cheesy for goa trance and guitars? Why? they sound like some random woosh and destroy alot in this track... Some melodies are nice but mostly the melodies are too "fat" 4/10

 

Lost Buddha - Lost in Paradise: typical Lost buddha track, recognised it immediately when I heard it. Not your best track imo, the main melody is a little too cheesy again I think, the building up is nice, and the overall feeling as well. 7/10

 

Infinite Dimensions - Far Beyond the Stars: Together with Travma the worst track, the melody sound very nitzhonot like, and not even good nitzhonot, and that's the worst thing that can happen in a goa track. 3/10

 

Afgin - Tribute to the Sun: yes, he knows his stuff, after all the freebies we knew off course what to expect, this is a very good track of him, but not his best (but I heard they will get released in the future as well)! musical quality wise very good as well! 8/10

 

55/9 tracks makes an average of:

 

6,1/10

 

So this means there is still place for improvement! Don't get me wrong here, I really appreciate what you guys have done! Put this for free on the net is very noble and I'm glad this happened! And the 8/10 tracks are an enrichment of my collection!

[Drosophila]

8. INFINITE DIMENSIONS - FAR BEYOND THE STARS ... This is the only song on the album I have very mixed feelings about. It starts off pretty good and gradually improves. Like the previous song, it dives right into the melodies from the near start. It also involves an instrument or two that are generally different, more piano or orchestral driven than the braiding layers of melodies often in goatrance. The ambience is good and the quicker higher pitched melody notes are okay. A new, more ethnic sounding melody is introduced at 2:48, but this song really comes together at 3:15. Wow. I was initially so involved until around 4:00 where the sound surprisingly changes and devolves into what sounds to me like formulary mainstream club trance. However, from 4:39 to around 5:00, the goa sound is reinforced along with the more mainstream sound combined. Both styles seem to be playing off each other and it works. What I do not like is at 5:09 when this more clubby melody takes over and now dominates the entire song. It even toggles down to a blur under the beat, something popular, common, and redundant in mainstream trance and house music. In short, this song becomes too similar to stuff I've heard by artists like DERUDE and CASCADA the more it progresses. I really enjoyed this song for four, even five minutes because it sounded fresh and innovative to me. It's as if this artist was reluctant for some reason to stick with goatrance throughout and decided to introduce a mainstream trance (I call club trance) style and sound until the goatrance influence and song is completely gone in the end. This sound and direction during this songs last minute make it seem out of place to me here. I really felt this song had potential to be great, and from 3:15 to 3:58 it was IMO. I kept imagining what it would have sounded like had this artist stuck with the goatrance style to the end. Once that general club trance "feel/sound" blossoms at around 5:12, I feel like I'm listening to a different album. C

 

637000[/snapback]

Yes the only really weak track on this album, I never had the nerve to hear it to the finish, just get too cheesy , good beginning but then for me actually already goes wrong at 1:25... I really dont like the sounds beeing used here, they are really weak imo!

 

But with that said I really like the rest of the release, I find the first part the best! So good to hear a compilation with so many (for me) unknown artist beeing of such quality, greæat!

 

The opening track really hits the spot with that build-up... perfect way to start the album, nice going Sine Die! the next track (Astrancer - Dzog Chen) might even be better idunno but the molodies gets a bit stronger, im getting the good old goa vibe

I really like the Mindshpere - Molecular Restrictive track (track 3) it has very good vibes, reminding me of both Pleiadians and Filteria just a bit more goa'ish melodies but very nice indeed!

With Travma - Zaman (track 4) it gets really fast, the climax (speedwise) on the comp full power melodies and sounds being thrown in your face, me like!!

My favorit track (I think) is Aura - Walk on Earth (track 6) I really like the distorted bassline (reminds me a bit of Ka-Sol - Just Another Riot) the top layers are just a lot more old skool sounding and very trippy track indeed, I like this !

It might be a bit cheesy but I think it keeps within the boundery of cheesiness, makes up with its energetic level !

Lost Buddha - Lost in Paradise really has the old skool vibe! It sounds like it could have been made in 1997. But the track sounds very good, not innovative (at all), but I have feeling that it was not ment to be that anyway! I feel that a lot of inpiration as found in artist like Chi.A.D., Electric Universe and the likes (very good inpiration )

I find the closing track Afgin - Tribute to the Sun to be a bit boring but maybe its just me... The melodies and sounds are just very plain imo and nothing really exiting happens within the track... Yeeah just boring compared to a lot of the other stuff on here!

 

But overall this has been one of the best free releases I have heard for a long time, and I hope that this will lead to more of this coming and I believe that it will be able to be pressed Good luck, I really like what Im hearing!

[Lost Buddha]

i would like to say thank u to everyone , for the good n bad points on which will able us to "correct" those errors and next time we will be better

anyway we´re most pleased that this compilation made and still making a big impact on the scene. Our goal is to bring the old vibes back to the new century and not bringing something new , and to drosophilia that was always my goal , to bring the old vibes back to the new millenium . i am a producer of the new skool of goatrance but my music is old skool and im glad u notested it in "Lost in Paradise".

all the best.

[Agneton]

Concerning Infinite Dimensions, my opinion seems to be just the opposite. I think the producer was able to create a very personal melody drifting in between Goa and West European Trance. I like it, I really do.

 

But then again, I always seem to prefer cheezy tracks.

 

So what

[TranceChick]

My initial though was wow, a free compilation for download,

and after hearing the "teaser" samples I was lured in like a snake to the Charmer!

I find absolutely no cheese or "nitzhonot" in any of the tracks, just a beautiful uplifting

spiritual journey from "The Shaman Trip" straight through to "Tribute To The Sun"!

 

Picture this image: seeing someone with an MP3 player on, eyes closed,

dancing in public with a huge smile on their face.... that's me!!

 

Hats off to all the Artists who put forth their tracks for us to groove & trip to!

Congradulations to the crew @ Metapsychic Records for blessing us all with this release!

 

[healium]

Dancing in public is a criminal behaviour...

[Lost Buddha]

Dancing in public is a criminal behaviour...

i would say that not listening to this is a criminal behavior.

[Oopie]

the astrancer track is really something! Stood out easily from the bunch. Melody-wise it easily stands out from the others, which to me feel quite empty.

 

I'm very happy to see a new coming of goa producing.

[avogadro]

This new goatrance comp is a Challenge.

 

A new stage is crossed.

[avogadro]

allo ? hey !? ... is there anybody here to speak about this wonderfull comp ? !!!

 

Our goal is to bring the old vibes back to the new century and not bringing something new

Your job on "Lost_in_Paradise" and "Ataraxia" and "Southern Oracle" is purely magic !

Renew this kind of old school goa style to produce new frank melodies that worth something * is a very very difficult art.

 

(... nobody see it, but i prostrate at the same i write this ... )

 

 

 

 

* i don't forget the beautifull work on the sounds too !

[Lost Buddha]

and more will be coming... 2007 will be promising year!

[GodOfEmptiness]

I'm just a noob poster here but I'm loving this compilation. Lots of interesting and engaging melodies,not too many vocal samples, and I dont' mind the BPM speed of some of the tracks. A Nice variety across all the tracks.

 

Favorites so far are the astrancer, mindsphere, and lost buddha tracks, but I dig the others as well.

 

Compilation sounds fresh to me.

[Guest Cosmogenesis]

Thanx a lot for this nice reply! If you enjoy VA/Pyramidal Trancendence, I think you will enjoy more our second compilation which will be released for february probably, and will sound more fresh, more diversified than the first one. Lost Buddha, mindsphere, astrancer will be there again, and other talentuous artists too for the second chapter.

[AppA]

i would say that not listening to this is a criminal behavior.

damn right!

 

Though there were a few minors, such as cheesy melodies in some songs and lack of pumping kicks in other.

But all in all, this release is like a bubble of fresh air in the ocean of the 'full-on' hype. And the best thing is, IT'S FREE!!

I understand that Metapsychic is soon bound to come out with a new release, I listened to the sampler, and I have nothing but great expectations!

[saturn]

Astrancer - Dzog Chen is truly great.

Long, epic, emotional, with melodic lines that makes me want to cry of joy.

[amphiton]

I played Astrancer's and Lost Buddha's tracks on Saturday and people enjoyed them Together with Afgin, Sine Die and Ethereal, they are my favs of this compilation.

[Maden]

I am very late on this one i just deeply listen a lot Lost Buddha and Astrancer track ! i can't believe such great goa trance can be made these day , and i personnaly love the infinite dimension track too, love zee end, wich is very trance.

 

Good job

[Bubble Wrap]

good compilation

very trippy stuff

go download this if you havent already

[DJ_Psykick]

I had to post a reply, even though this has been out for two years now...

I'll start off with saying that this is a very good compilation and I have enjoyed it much.

 

But what bothers me is the fact that Afgin didn't get the recognition i have expected he would get here... The man is a genius - in his track here ("Tribute To The Sun") he managed to imitate Astral Projection's "Liquid Sun" so perfectly (hence the track's name...), delivering those spacey multi layered sounds and feeling that AP used to create in their tracks back than, not to mention the squelching 303 all around... ahhhhhh :posford:

Afgin's track stands out for me. This is a real old school track, in the purest sense. This guy is the real deal. I remember hearing this track in his promo that was released back than by the OiG crew and i was amazed!

But all in all...this is my opinion and it's all a matter if taste. (And i guess the fact that i am a huge AP fan makes anything that resembles their sound a favorite...)

 

604 4ever =)

[goadelic]

MY FAVOURITE GOA TRANCE COMPILATION EVER! All the tracks are amazing!

:posford:

[Penzoline]

Really fantastic GOA-trance compilation with a lot of egyptian influences(hence the name and the cover) -- every track is a great trip here, there is really no bad tracks.

 

Favourite tracks are 1(!), 2, 4(!!), 5, 7, 9

 

So everyone who likes GOA, go download it now, you won't lose anything by doing so.

http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/pyramidal-trancendence/

 

Oh and big props to Travma - Zaman, that track is a really, really awesome trip to egypt.