Psynews "Best of 2011" Results

[trancedigital]

Here are the results from the Psynews "Best of 2011" poll:

 

Uptempo

 

Best Psy/Uptempo Albums

1. Artifact303 - Back To Space [suntrip] 79 points from 10 votes

2. E-Mantra - Pathfinder [suntrip] 67 points from 8 votes

3. Portamento - The Portal [Cronomi] 56 points from 9 votes

4. Antares - Exodus [suntrip] 48 points from 8 votes

5. Nerso - Exploration of Infinity [TesseracTstudio] 34 points from 4 votes

6. Talpa - The Path [sunDance] 23 points from 4 votes

7. Goalien - Psychedelic Dilemma [sita] 21 points from 4 votes

8. Ianuaria - Beware Of The Fish [blue Hour Sounds] 20 points from 3 votes

9. Trinodia - Human History [<Unknown>] 19 points from 4 votes

9. Master Blasters - Life Changing Experiences [Nano] 19 points from 2 votes

10. Lost Buddha - Untold Stories [Phototropic] 16 points from 4 votes

 

11. Microcosm - Higher Levels [<Unknown>] 15 points from 3 votes

12. Captain Hook & Liquid Soul - Human Design [iboga Trance] 14 points from 3 votes

12. Ovnimoon - Magnetic Portal [Ovnimoon] 14 points from 2 votes

12. ECT & Mass - Extra Celestial Transmission [<Unknown>] 14 points from 2 votes

13. Liquid Flow - Presence [Dimensional] 13 points from 2 votes

13. Logic Bomb - The Grid [TIP] 13 points from 2 votes

14. Via Axis - Exp<b></b>ressions Of One [Ovnimoon] 12 points from 2 votes

15. The Riddler - Questions [TesseracTstudio] 11 points from 3 votes

15. Cybernetika - Colossus [<Unknown>] 11 points from 2 votes

16. Dragon - Spirals Of Time [Dharmaharmony] 10 points from 1 vote

16. Kino Oko - Descending Out Into The Distance [<Unknown>] 10 points from 1 vote

17. Zed Reactor - Interplanetary Entity [Ezel-Ebed] 9 points from 2 votes

17. Kode Six - Perfekt World [Phonix Records] 9 points from 1 vote

18. GoaHuman - Esoteric Journey [<Unknown>] 8 points from 2 votes

18. Sky Technology vs Nova Fractal - Versus [<Unknown>] 8 points from 1 vote

18. Kadasarva - Steamagination [<Unknown>] 8 points from 1 vote

18. Neutral Motion - Inextricably Linked [Wildthings] 8 points from 1 vote

19. Persistent Aura - Grand Julian [sita] 6 points from 1 vote

19. Infinity - Control Group [iono] 6 points from 1 vote

19. Silent Horror - Seance [Devil's Mind] 6 points from 1 vote

19. Sensual Squeak - The Mojo Monkey [Amplidudes] 6 points from 1 vote

20. Fraktophon - Nachtvolk [Naturall Productions] 5 points from 1 vote

20. Zen Mechanics - Re-Modified [Neurobiotic] 5 points from 1 vote

 

21. Yudhisthira - Sine Qua Non [Vertigo] 4 points from 2 votes

21. Gaudium - Session of Progression [iboga] 4 points from 1 vote

21. Suduaya - Dreaming Sun [Altar] 4 points from 1 vote

22. oCeLoT - Style Is Not A Style [<Unknown>] 3 points from 1 vote

23. Odd Sequence - Under The Same Sky [savva] 2 points from 1 vote

24. Globular - In Formation [<Unknown>] 1 point from 1 vote

24. Motion Drive - Recycled [iono] 1 point from 1 vote

 

Best Psy/Uptempo Compilations

1. VA - Mind Rewind [DAT Mafia] 67 points from 7 votes

2. VA - Planet Riders [Dimensional] 47 points from 6 votes

3. VA - Erta Ale [Cronomi] 41 points from 7 votes

4. VA - Dimensional Gateway 2 [<Unknown>] 37 points from 5 votes

5. VA - Goa Overdose 2 [<Unknown>] 36 points from 5 votes

6. VA - Future Architecture [<Unknown>] 21 points from 4 votes

7. VA - Panta Deus [<Unknown>] 20 points from 4 votes

8. VA - Dance Computer [iboga Trance] 17 points from 3 votes

9. VA - Forensic Science [iono] 16 points from 2 votes

9. VA - Spectral Circuitry [<Unknown>] 16 points from 2 votes

10. VA - Art From The Heart - Chapter II [Old is Gold] 15 points from 4 votes

 

11. VA - Arecibo Chronicles-Compiled By Gata Freak [Fractal] 13 points from 2 votes

12. VA - Pantheon [<Unknown>] 12 points from 3 votes

12. VA - Pure Planet 4 [Dimensional] 12 points from 2 votes

13. Loud - The Remixes [Nano] 10 points from 1 vote

13. VA - Myriad Exp<b></b>ressions [Electric Power Pole] 10 points from 1 vote

13. VA - Future Nature 2 [TesseracTstudio] 10 points from 1 vote

14. VA - Tip Records Goa Classics 2 [TIP] 9 points from 1 vote

14. VA - Exploration of Space and Time [Dimensional] 9 points from 1 vote

14. VA - The World We Live In [Discovalley records] 9 points from 1 vote

14. VA - Crystal Chakras [sonic Chakras] 9 points from 1 vote

15. VA - Forensic Science [iono] 8 points from 1 vote

15. VA - Twenty Five Reasons For Life [Vertigo] 8 points from 1 vote

15. VA - Blueprints [Dark Prisma] 8 points from 1 vote

16. VA - The LSD Connection [<Unknown>] 7 points from 1 vote

16. VA - Rising Storm [<Unknown>] 7 points from 1 vote

17. VA - Natural Elements [Digital Nature] 6 points from 1 vote

17. VA - The Oldest Story [Chronicle Of Mystery] 6 points from 1 vote

17. VA - Disco Meat Market [Organik Media] 6 points from 1 vote

18. VA - Christiania Selection [iono] 5 points from 1 vote

19. VA - Turlitava [<Unknown>] 5 points from 1 vote

 

Best Psy/Uptempo EPs

1. Sky Technology - Next Visions [<Unknown>] 43 points from 6 votes

2. Toï Doï - Mother Pitch [<Unknown>] 41 points from 5 votes

3. Crossing Mind - Ultimate Reality [<Unknown>] 39 points from 4 votes

4. Nova Fractal - Main Sequence Star [<Unknown>] 30 points from 4 votes

5. Javi - The Aural Exciter [<Unknown>] 27 points from 4 votes

6. Eleusyn - Carbon EP [JOOF] 23 points from 5 votes

7. Brujo's Bowl - Healing With Sound [<Unknown>] 17 points from 2 votes. (Note: This is a downtempo release which was wrongly listed in uptempo database when voting began. It is cross listed in downtempo EPs category below).

8. SETI Project - Wizards Night [<Unknown>] 14 points from 2 votes

9. Gaudium & Ace Ventura - In Between [iboga Trance] 13 points from 2 votes

10. Artifakt2 Feat Broken Toy - Triad Pt.2 [Timecode] 10 points from 1 vote

 

11. Ace Ventura & Captain Hook - The Jolly Roger [Plusquam] 9 points from 1 vote

11. Flegma & Nerso - Sensei EP [Further Progressions] 9 points from 1 vote

12. Shpongle - The God Particle [Twisted] 8 points from 1 vote

12. Nerso - Quantum [synergetic] 8 points from 1 vote

12. Elegy - Sleeping Giant [<Unknown>] 8 points from 1 vote

12. The Riddler - Behind The Curtain [TesseracTstudio] 8 points from 1 vote

13. Psychowave - Sunshine Reborn [<Unknown>] 7 points from 1 vote

13. Shiva Chandra - Schaukelstuhl (Remixes) [spin Twist] 7 points from 1 vote

13. Lyctum - Light Force [TesseracTstudio] 7 points from 1 vote

14. Sheyba - Trance Africa Express Remixes [<Unknown>] 6 points from 1 vote

15. Alienn - One [Hypergate] 6 points from 1 vote

16. The 1134 - Ghost Train [<Unknown>] 5 points from 1 vote

16. PsiloCybian - Funny Farm [<Unknown>] 5 points from 1 vote

16. Ajanta - Perception Of Time [<Unknown>] 5 points from 1 vote

16. Deviant Species Vs Scorb - The Chime Era EP [Trick] 5 points from 1 vote

17. Brujo's Bowl - 900 [<Unknown>] 4 points from 1 vote

17. Species - Divine Moments Of Chaos [ultragroove] 4 points from 1 vote

18. Man With No Name - Remixes (EP 1) [Perfecto Fluoro] 2 points from 1 vote

18. Avalon Feat Sinerider - Session Two EP [Nano] 2 points from 1 vote

19. Baron Samdi - Cursed Bloodlines [<Unknown>] 1 point from 1 vote

 

Downtempo

 

Best Ambient/Downtempo Albums

1. Carbon Based Lifeforms - Twentythree [ultimae] 70 points from 9 votes

2. Solar Fields - Until We Meet The Sky [ultimae] 55 points from 6 votes

3. E-Mantra - Visions from the Past [Altar] 37 points from 4 votes

4. Aes Dana - Perimeters [ultimae] 33 points from 4 votes

5. Ott - Mir [Ottsonic] 25 points from 3 votes

6. Koan - The Fables Of Belovodye [blue Tunes] 23 points from 4 votes

7. Bluetech - Rainforest Reverberation [Native State] 18 points from 3 votes

8. Entheogenic - Gaia Sophia [universal Symbiosis] 17 points form 2 votes

9. Asura - Oxygene [Altar] 16 points from 2 votes

10. Astral Waves - Magique [Altar] 11 points from 2 votes

 

11. Phutureprimitive - Kinetik [Native Harmonix] 10 points from 1 vote

11. Nimba - Motherland [Avatar] 10 points from 1 vote

12. Side Liner - Dream Stealers [Cosmicleaf] 9 points from 2 votes

12. Frost-RAVEN - Deep In Blue [<Unknown>] 9 points from 2 votes

12. Maharishi - Sense Of Feather [<Unknown>] 9 points from 2 votes

12. Ishq - And Awake [imterchill] 9 points from 1 vote

13. Sundial Aeon - Mimesis [impact Studio] 8 points from 1 vote

14. Suns of Arqa - Stranger Music [Arka Sound] 7 points from 1 vote

15. CJ Catalizer - I'll Be There [Altar] 6 points from 2 votes

15. OM Aka Ovnimoon - Altona [Ovnimoon] 6 points from 1 vote

16. Biosphere - N-Plants [Touch] 6 points from 1 vote

17. Gus Till & Chika Asamoto - Catalpa [Les Vagues] 4 points from 1 vote

17. ZerO One - RemiXed [Waveform] 4 points from 1 vote

18. Cydelix - Preparing The Next Generation [Cosmicleaf] 3 points from 1 vote

18. Master Margherita - The Marginal Rules [blue Hour Sounds] 3 points from 1 vote

19. Banco De Gaia - Songs From The Silk Road [Disco Gecko] 1 point from 1 vote

 

Best Ambient/Downtempo Compilations

1. VA - Ambrosia [ultimae] 29 points form 4 votes

2. VA - Fahrenheit Project Part Seven [ultimae] 19 points from 2 votes

3. VA - The Missing Elements [Altar] 8 points from 1 vote

4. VA - Chill Out Anthology [brokers/Pmb Music] 7 points from 1 vote

5. VA - Dub Dimensions [Ajanavision] 6 points from 1 vote

6. VA - Ease Division 4 [spiral Trax] 5 points from 1 vote

7. VA - Absence Of Gravity [sentimony] 4 points from 1 vote

8. VA - Tom Novy Chillin At Ocean Drive Ibiza Hotel Vol 2 [Kontor] 3 points from 1 vote

9. VA - Elysian Vibes 5 [One World Music] 2 points from 1 voၴe

10. VA - Armada Lounge Vol. 4 [Armada Holland] 1 point from 1 vote

 

Best Ambient/Downtempo EPs

1. Brujo's Bowl - Healing With Sound [<Unknown>] 17 points from 2 votes.

2. Side Liner - A Hand To Hold [Cosmicleaf] 10 points from 1 vote

3. Ambrosia - BMS010 [bomb Shop] 9 points from 1 vote

4. Chronos - Space Sweets & Logical Beats [soundmute] 8 points from 1 vote

5. Reef Project feat Erin Powers - Adrift (Remix EP) [system] 7 points from 1 vote

6. The Humble Bee - The Royal Game [Wist] 6 points from 1 vote

7. Objekt - Objekt 1 [Objekt] 5 points from 1 vote

8. Aidan Baker - Bach Eingeschaltet, Vierter Band [Reue Um Reue] 4 points from 1 vote

9. 36 - Cocoon & Saphron [3six] 3 points from 1 vote

10. 36 - Reunion & Deluge [3six] 2 points from 1 vote

11. Timewave - Dreamland [Mistique Emotion] 1 point from 1 vote

 

Note:

There were 14 participants in this year's poll. Thank you for the following members for taking time to vote (in no particular order):

veracohr, goakhan, Imba, mars, branefreeze, fosku, Maden, Geostigma, Richpa, Insejn, Rotwang, IronSun, juril, pedro

To see who voted for what, go here.

 

[Rotwang]

Wow, nice work. Thanks, trancedigital!

[Imba]

Much stuff from my UAF are on high positions, i am happy

 

THANKS!

[Ormion]

Thanks!

 

I still feel kinda sad though how fewer and fewer people vote each year.

[Guest antic]

Thanks!

 

I still feel kinda sad though how fewer and fewer people vote each year.

 

Damn, I noticed the forum is 'slow' recently but this really is shocking.

Have people moved somewhere else, or changed their interests to something else than goa/psy?

[Richpa]

Thanks for results, congrats to winners and all who participated in this poll.

[Rotwang]

Damn, I noticed the forum is 'slow' recently but this really is shocking.

Have people moved somewhere else, or changed their interests to something else than goa/psy?

 

I think part of the problem with the poll was that the voting page that was set up didn't work properly for a number of people.

[Penzoline]

Erta ale would be higher if I had voted.

Damn, I noticed the forum is 'slow' recently but this really is shocking.

Have people moved somewhere else, or changed their interests to something else than goa/psy?

 

Ask yourself this, I mean you are one of those who never posts these days

 

I think part of the problem with the poll was that the voting page that was set up didn't work properly for a number of people.

 

This too. Didn't work for me.

[echo void]

I'm out of touch with new psy... these results were the reason I came back actually, I was wondering what I should be getting....

[Penzoline]

I'm out of touch with new psy... these results were the reason I came back actually, I was wondering what I should be getting....

 

Erta Ale

Portamento

Talpa

Artifact303

 

For goa needs. These are defo essential.

[echo void]

Erta Ale

Portamento

Talpa

Artifact303

 

For goa needs. These are defo essential.

 

Cool thanks... they are now on their way to me... if they suck then I will be forced to curse you ... or something...

[Rotwang]

I'm out of touch with new psy... these results were the reason I came back actually, I was wondering what I should be getting....

 

I think you had similar taste to mine back when you were posting regularly years ago, i.e. lots of noisy darkpsy of the sort they made more of in 2006 (nowadays more people are making psycore or highko-style stuff in my experience). Here are some good albums you may have missed:

 

Enichkin - In Memory of Love (2009)

Kraft - The Mysteries of the Sacred Universe (2009)

Overdream - Wonderwise (2008)

Dragon - Spirals of Time (2011)

VA - Multiple Personalities 3 (2008)

Axis Mundi - One Foot in Fantasy (2010)

[echo void]

I think you had similar taste to mine back when you were posting regularly years ago, i.e. lots of noisy darkpsy of the sort they made more of in 2006 (nowadays more people are making psycore or highko-style stuff in my experience). Here are some good albums you may have missed:

 

Enichkin - In Memory of Love (2009)

Kraft - The Mysteries of the Sacred Universe (2009)

Overdream - Wonderwise (2008)

Dragon - Spirals of Time (2011)

VA - Multiple Personalities 3 (2008)

Axis Mundi - One Foot in Fantasy (2010)

 

Well, I would say my favourites of the time were things like Terminator / Dominator / Quasar...

These are mostly on their way now... Kraft is elusive...

[Rotwang]

^ Cool, let me know what you think.

[Penzoline]

Enichkin is brilliant fo sho.

[echo void]

^ Cool, let me know what you think.

 

Will do...

[IronSun]

Good to see Artifact303 get the deserved first place! Nothing too surprising though ^^

[Ormion]

Damn, I noticed the forum is 'slow' recently but this really is shocking.

Have people moved somewhere else, or changed their interests to something else than goa/psy?

 

I don't think it's a Psynews problem. Psynews is still the number one site for psy discussions. Isratrance is even slower and it's supposed to be the biggest Psy/Goa site in the world.

I guess people don't want to discuss about psytrance anymore. Older members have less free time and newer psyheads apparently are not very fond of forums.

[trancedigital]

Although this is a Psynews results thread, I would also like to talk about the poll results from Isratrance, for comparison and reference purpose.
Isratrance did a "Best of 2011" poll, where members were asked to vote for only ONE release, which they thought was the best in each category. 41 members participated in the poll there.
There was no ambient/downtempo poll unfortunately. Anyway, I did a count of the votes for comparison, and the results are as follows:

Best Psy/Uptempo Albums

1. Onkel Dunkel - Use Your Head [7 votes]
2. Ianuaria - Beware of the Fish [3 votes]
2. Already Maged - Liber Scientia [3 votes]
2. Yudhisthira - Sine Qua Non [3 votes]
3. Via Axis - Expression Of One [2 votes]
3. Silent Horror - Seance [2 votes]
3. Master Blasters - Life Changing Experiences [2 votes]
3. Portamento - The Portal [2 votes]
3. Logic Bomb - The Grid [2 votes]
3. Adrenal Glands - Glandular Dreams [2 votes]

[1 vote] each for the following in no particular order:
Langbortistan - Lauge and Baba Gnohm
Liquid Stranger - Cryogenic Encounters (Note: This is downtempo)
Captain Hook - Human Design
Psykovsky - Na Ve Ka
Psykovsky - Tanetsveta
Enichkin – Krakoziabry
VuuV Festival - 20th Year Compilation
Midimal - The Pursuit Of Happiness
Pavel Svimba - Space Babuska
Haldolium GLW DRK
Psymmetrix - No More Milking it
Archaic - Sonic driving
Psiralife - Selfsimilar
Excizen - Beauty Will Save the World

Best Psy/Uptempo Compilations

1. VA - Weird Worlds [7 votes]
2. VA - Blueprints [3 votes]
3. VA - Pearls and Pixies 3 [2 votes]
3. VA - Peakological [2 votes]
3. VA - Parvatrip 2 [2 votes]
3. VA - Abstract Liquid Patterns [2 votes]

[1 vote] each for the following in no particular order:
VA - Panta Deus
VA - A Pocket full of Research
VA - Ex Animo
VA - Dance Computer
VA - Solar love
VA - Anarchpsy
VA - Holographic Waves
VA - Disco Meat Market
VA - Gates Of Unknown
VA - Spectral Circuitry
VA - Erta Alé
VA - Jigoku
VA - Freaky Forest
VA - Be:Spun
VA - Freaking on High
VA - Digital Family Vol. 3

Best Psy/Uptempo Free Release

1. Nine Spheres To Enlightenment [7 votes]
2. Radioactive Cake - Subatomic Disco [3 votes]
3. Hinkstep - Sunrise From The Tree Tops [2 votes]
3. Adrenal Glands - Glandular Dreams [2 votes]
3. Ocelot - Style Is Not A Style [2 votes]
3. Mubali - Head + Ass = Soul [2 votes]

[1 vote] each for the following in no particular order:
VA - Beyond Time & Space
VA - Voices Of The Trees
VA - Panta Deus
Prokaion - Dream Filament
VA - Cheese & Biscuits
VA - Psytraveller Vol 2
Cybernetika - Colossus
VA - Under The Moss Vol. 2
VA - Freaky Forest
Elysium - Various works
Sephira - Imagination in Motion

Best Psy/Uptempo Digital Download EP/Single

1. Southwild - Spiral EP [3 votes]
2. Kaosmos 2 [2 votes]
3. Overdream - Soundprints [2 votes]

[1 vote] each for the following in no particular order:
Kaosmos 1
Tristan - Trance Odyssey
Synthetic Forest & #8211 - Min Egen Lilla Värld
Brujo’s Bowl – Healing With Sound
Ace Ventura & Captain Hook - The Jolly Roger
DJ Fabio, Moon & Interactive Noise - Crazy Move
Nukleall - Time Travel EP
Schizoid Bears – Bearsky Dreams
Toi Doi - Mother Pitch
Corona - Polarity EP
Entheogenic - Gaia Sophia (Note: This should be considered as a downtempo release).
Ka-sol - Ex-hume
Brujo's Bowl - The Real Picture
Blaster Pieces - Tristan & MB
Pick - The 8th Wonder of the World

[trancedigital]

Onkel Dunkel - Use Your Head, which topped the list on Isratrance for best album with 7 votes (that would be 70 points), and VA - Weird Worlds, which topped the best compilation (again with 7 votes), have absolutely no mention in the Psynews poll results. I find it surprising that they both did not appear anywhere in the results here... not even a single point.

What do you think of this?

 

On the other hand, Artifact303 - Back To Space which topped the list here with 10 votes, did not get a single vote in the isratrance poll.

 

I thought this was interesting.

[Rotwang]

What do you think of this?

 

Most Psynewsers are more into Goa than darkpsy, and based on the Isratrance results it would appear that it's the other way around over there. Among the 14 people who voted in the Psynews poll I reckon about three of us are regular darkpsy listeners (I'm one of them, but I haven't heard Onkel Dunkel's album), so the numbers involved are way too small to be statistically significant (that is, even if most darkpsy fans think Use your Head is the tits, it still isn't terribly surprising that nobody from a tiny sample of darkpsy fans voted for it).

[trancedigital]

Yes Rotwang, what you say makes sense.

I am not into darkpsy, but the isratrance poll results have got me curious and it is interesting to see how folks are into different styles.

[Ormion]

I'm a huge fan of darkpsy/forest, but I found Onkel Dunkel album very-very boring.

[reger]

I loved some dark psy tracks back in those couple of years when Derango had its Tumult released

Havent been in mood to listen to anything of that kind recently, but the autumn is already here, so my mind might change soonish !

Then again, sounds like it could be more of a spring kind of music...

[travbrad1001]

I still feel kinda sad though how fewer and fewer people vote each year.

 

I somehow completely missed the 2011 poll, so that's why I didn't vote this time

 

I'm glad Carbon Based Lifeforms won the downtempo/ambient poll though. IMO they are consistently making the best downtempo stuff these days. It's sooo chilled out and melodic and really takes you to another world. No annoying samples either.

 

I don't think it's a Psynews problem. Psynews is still the number one site for psy discussions. Isratrance is even slower and it's supposed to be the biggest Psy/Goa site in the world.

I guess people don't want to discuss about psytrance anymore. Older members have less free time and newer psyheads apparently are not very fond of forums.

 

I think it gets especially slow during the summer months because everyone is out enjoying themselves, going to shows, etc. Where I live it's freezing half the year so you have to get out while you can.

 

Psytrance just isn't very popular either unfortunately so there's a limited number of people who could potentially sign up for forums. I've noticed from looking at artist pages on lastFM that most psytrance artists have less than a few thousand listeners (on lastFM anyway), whereas most of the other music I listen to has tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands (and most of them aren't big popular bands by any stretch).