"V/A - Goa Trax"

[Trance2MoveU]

Artist: Various
Title: Goa Trax
Label: Yo Yo Records
Date: 1996

1 Sheyba - Ancient Lands 11:41

2 Technossomy - Rejuvination 8:46

3 Doctor Acid - Fear 9:02

4 Hallucinogen - L.S. Doof (Exclusive Remix) 6:35

5 Cosmosis - Deus (Benedictine Remix) 8:04

6 Odds - Flying + To The Sky 7:05

7 Bell Size Park - Spiritual Evolution 5:32

8 Sven Vath - Harlequin - The Beauty And The Beast (Total Eclipse Remix) 7:24

9 Fahrenheit - The Flame 6:49


If you have read any of my reviews you know that I am a slave to goa trance music. I missed the boat when it first came around, so with the revitalization of the scene, I have been scrounging all my monies to try and collect all the releases that I can. There was nothing like that era. I missed it so I live vicariously through the music and you guys as you describe how it was. I'm not here to get into whether new school goa has the same spirit or flavor as the masters as that has been debated ad nauseum. I came across this gem and felt that it should be represented here. Like most of the labels from that time, Yo Yo records no longer exists. Back in their prime, they released some of the pillars of the goa trance genre. A look here will show you what I mean. Everyone knows about the Goa Head series, the Trancentral discs and numerous other compilations that brought Goa music to the forefront. This release collects tracks that were not the first ones that would come to mind when you would mention the artist's name. Most were available on EP's or other compilations, but they were hard to find. The cover is so beautiful with it's brilliant colors and screams sunshine, tribal mysticism and all of what I imagine the goa era to be.

"Ancient Lands" by Sheyba is a classic, with its almost 12 minute length, signature wolf cries and tribal percussive elements. "Rejuvination" brings a harder edge than I am used to with Technossomy combining techno bits with that goa sound. "Fear" is set up by an almost orchestral intro before plunging into a high octane goa/trance hybrid. The 303 screams on Doof's rework of the Hallucinogen classic "LSD." You can hear a trace of the original, but only just. The "Deus" remix from Goa trance masters Cosmosis is a bit of a pensive, drifting piece that is less in your face and more mental. Odds "Flying to the Sky" wastes no time piling up the layers and isn't subtle. The last three tracks I had never heard before and after listening to them (hoping to discover a gem that EVERYONE overlooked!) I came away with the feeling of; "meh, they're nothing special."

So all in all, there are better artist albums and also better compilations that I am sure all of you have heard. I was still happy in getting this however, because I had never heard of it. When you see a track list like that it truly invigorates you, and the adrenaline was pumping thinking I might have stumbled across a hidden treasure. Especially after seeing how highly it was ranked on Discogs. I imagine that the ranking is inflated due to its rarity. Also, the artwork alone is really nice to look at.

Mdk