"V/A - Analog Dreams"

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Various

Title: Analog Dreams

Label: DAT Records

Date: August, 2014

 

1 Hallucinogen - LSD '93
2 Space Tribe - The Great Spirit (Original Mix)
3 Doof - We Are Free (Desk Mix)
4 Slinky Wizard - Funkus Munkus (Original Mix)
5 Green Nuns Of The Revolution - Ring Of Fire (Extended Mix)
6 Total Eclipse - Free Lemonade (Live in Paris 1995)
7 Etnica - Full On (Original Mix)
8 Prana - Voyager 2
9 Nervasystem - Whirling Dervish (Kaleidoscope Mix)

 

 

"Let me show you something. That'll make you feel young as when the world was new."

 

DAT Records is back with its latest compilation and the hype levels were off the charts. And why wouldn't they be? Look at that tracklist. Ain't seen that sh*t since Destination Goa. Draeke takes what is old and makes it new again, building it better. Faster. Stronger. Yeah that 55 Chevy looks great, but it's stunning with a new coat of paint and a souped up intake valve. As a special bonus the album comes with an 8 page booklet that provides welcome insight to the tracks. Love that.

 

LSD '93- This is one of the greatest goa trance songs. Ever. It's full of power and mystical possibilities. Blows my mind that this was made 21 years ago. This version however is weaker and loses some of its gravitas. Think of the track as the elder statesman of the goa trance age. Don't take away his Viagara.

 

 

 

 

The Great Spirit (Original Mix)- Olli's brand of goa always felt lacking and incomplete to me. Let's face it he ain't in the top ten when you discuss the masters of the genre. I remember album covers more than tracks. But I liked this one. Not a stormer, but a subtle guide with good attention to detail. It weaves hypnotically with a tribal feel.

 

We Are Free (Desk Mix)- Not a fan of the repeated samples, but the crunchy lead synth running through its cycle is delicious and juicy.

 

Funkus Munkus (Original Mix)- Very acidic with dark, tribal overtones.

 

Ring of Fire (Extended Mix)-

 

 

 

Kitty like original better.

 

 

Free Lemonade (Live In Paris 1995)- I've never liked this song to begin with so the fact that it was recorded live in Paris is not going to change my mind. Unless it includes round trip airfare tickets then of course I'm on board.

 

Full On (Original Mix)- Say what you want about this track but I really liked it. The sounds were crystal clear and all the layers were nice and bubbly.

 

Voyager 2- You hear how sneaky that lead is? Dancing. Mandatory. This is what old school goa trance was all about. Foreign and exotic, opening up doors with magical possibilities. Trance state achieved.

 

Whirling Dervish (Kaleidoscope Mix)- The album closes with a mysterious almost downtempo goa song heavy with ancient shaman sensibilities.

 

 

At first there was euphoria with climax inducing praise. As you got farther into the release thread you would've thought this was a dud.

 

Wrong.

 

With regards to criticism about the mastering let me tell you for home listening this doesn't appear to be an issue for me. Sounds great on headphones or my speakers. I will say that on some tracks the kick sounds muted and others it's right in front in the mix. But guess what? These tracks are old. Some older than you. I imagine that they weren't in the greatest condition and a balance had to be struck when mastering the album. Didn't take any enjoyment away from me.

 

I like hearing different versions of well known tracks. They're not all going to be hits, that's why the famous ones are the famous ones and the other aren't. Prana ain't Prana because they released Kollage. Someone said that we are reluctant to criticize our favorite labels and that may be true to some degree. But not because of some blind loyalty. Maybe we're afraid that they'll stop doing what they do. And we enjoy goa trance way too much to have it goaway. (See what I did there?)

 

Making an album and releasing a CD seems like hard work. Harder work than I want to do. Especially if it's trying to resurrect older material. You're not going to please everyone. Sometimes you hit a home run and sometimes you put your uniform on backwards. While nowhere near as epic as Live in Athens this album is a worthy addition to your collection. Why? It's like listening to a piece of history that has only recently been discovered. Sometimes history ain't pretty and can leave you with more questions than answers. Sometimes you might not like what you find.

 

Like you I love what DAT Records does and hope they keep doing it as long as the passion is still there. They have my full support and I will continue buying their music. Having missed out on this great era once I have no intention of repeating that mistake.

 

DAT Records

 

Psyshop

 

Beatspace

 

Mdk

 

[HappyHorse]

Best CD of DAT rec: even better then Etnica live CD.

The sound of this compilatiuon is so fucking alien, it remined me of the alien vibe my first Goa CD and Goa party gave me!!!

I always hoped to relive this feeling: this CD did it.

No better review i can write about a Goa CD as this one...

 

All tracks are mastered with too much base and sub base, but it makes it so good.

Wierd. Love everey inch of this gemm, that I almost wanna have sex with it, but that would make me a freak, pervert,...? Yes. I'm there!!!

This CD and me have already some babys ad they are beautifull!!!!

 

 

I only don't like the "Voyager 2": sucks like hell.

Rest is so amazing: especially the melancholic melody in the LSD 93 track and the voice sample and intro on the Space Tribe song: wtf!!! Really, wtf???

[Balance]

It's a wonderful collection of old tunes but for me. n L.S.D., Voyager 2 & the final track are the gems. The other tracks i find good but not realy blowing my mind. Voyager 2 reminds me of the period i spent in love with the early Draginfly Records sound, for ages they were the only vinyl I played out in '90s. Really deep dusty tribal sounds that suited the Aussie outback for sure.

[Proxeeus]

I really really enjoyed Voyager 2 (then again I'm a Prana fanboy). But surprisingly enough, it's Whirling Dervish who stayed on "Repeat" for quite a lot of time - that was quite unexpected !

[draeke]

It's interesting to read different reviews and opinions, thanks for writing yours Mike, I cannot add anything as I already commented on most of the tracks before but what I want to notice is that for some the Doof track is a pure jewel, and I am happy we have satisfied different people with different tracks. My real personal favorites of the VA are: Hallucinogen, Space Tribe, Green Nuns, Total Eclipse, Etnica and Prana.

 

The original mix of Simon is really legendary and was a miracle to obtain it, so I am really happy we could release it, the original mix of space tribe is deeper and more entrancing to the released version for me, while the green nuns just goes wild and berserk, how can one deny that ?! Free Lemonade has always been a huge HIT for me, so the live remix sounds like magic to my ears.. Etnica needs no introduction and it's the very first time we have the original mix of full on on cd and unmixed here! We then finish with Prana and that track is really worth something, so it amazed me to discover some people didn't really like it too much !

 

Keep the opinions coming guys!

[HappyHorse]

Where does that sample "keep repeating, we are free" in the "Doof - We Are Free (Desk Mix)" come from???

[Dolmot]

Looks like it's from Bill Hicks - Revelations.

 

Tube clip

[desysko]

I really enjoyed the whole album. The only one track that I thought was okay but not the greatest was Hallucinogen's. I don't know why, it just doesn't groove with me. But otherwise the rest is magic. All of them are my favorites.

[Jon Cocco]

V/A - Analog Dreams

DAT Records

2014

 

 

1 Hallucinogen - LSD '93
2 Space Tribe - The Great Spirit (Original Mix)
3 Doof - We Are Free (Desk Mix)
4 Slinky Wizard - Funkus Munkus (Original Mix)
5 Green Nuns Of The Revolution - Ring Of Fire (Extended Mix)
6 Total Eclipse - Free Lemonade (Live in Paris 1995)
7 Etnica - Full On (Original Mix)
8 Prana - Voyager 2
9 Nervasystem - Whirling Dervish (Kaleidoscope Mix)

 

What?! An Old School Goa compilation with unreleased (cult-classic sounding) tracks from back in the day? How the.. I never heard these. Any of them. And they're great! As if we're back in 1997-1999 when I was constantly having music-gasms listening to Goa Trance! Am I right? I don't know. But this seems like way to go Dat Records!

 

1. Hallucinogen - LSD '93 is very different from the original. Those beautiful, crystalized (ambient notes are in the beginning and sound great. The hard hitting beat and ambient/atmospheric layers are attractive too! Wow this is different from the one we thought was the original today. Anyway, I kept waiting for the signature lead to arrive (like at 4:40 or 4:54) from the beloved classic. But it never came. Fortunately, there is some beautiful melody/sound work that captures some of the ideas from the next imagining of LSD. The track has grown on me too. The beat is catchy too, albeit a little repetitive as the song progresses. The song's interesting to hear. The first time I heard it I didn't like it. Now I really enjoy it. I think I was studying it too hard before, expecting this and that when in actuality it's not the same LSD track on 1995's album, Twisted. Far from it. I like it. The song's a pre-imagining I imagine, beyond its time (perceived time of course ). A-

 

2. Space Tribe - The Great Spirit (Original Mix) begins more tribally. There is a hard hitting beat and synth that's fairly intense in a good way, determined sounding. The song takes a while to pick up, but become more dynamic as it progresses (see 3:55, 4:47). These Psytrance ingredients in "goa" remind me Hux Flux's (now cult classic status) Cryptic Crunch album to some degree. The melodies I find less memorable, but the synths do grow reasonably catchier, and we get a really nice and memorable melody at 6:41. I simply wish it lasted longer to liven up the song more! A-

 

3. Doof - We Are Free (Desk Mix) is a harder edged, acidy vehicle. It's nice to hear another song from back when Nick Doof was producing Goa music. This sounds very different in some ways from his previous Goa work. The song has a thick synth combination throughout that drives the space ship and takes precedence over everything else. But the song lacks memorable melodies, and fun factor that made Doof's Lets Turn On album such a hit. The track follows the same general direction too. It's not very eventful. The vibrating enunciations towards the end are catchy. I could have done without the samples, though Bill Hicks was a legend in smart and thoughtful, unfiltered comedy. I'm sure some will enjoy this fairly darker, psychedelic ride. I simply like the other (more melodic) ones more. B+

 

4. Slinky Wizard - Funkus Munkus (Original Mix) twists and turns. It moves sideways and almost turns itself inside out. The synth work is catchy and mad. The industrial layer (if you'd call it that, at around 3:43) is very effective. OMG it's catchy. This thing compliments the track behind belief IMO, and yet it's so not in-my-face. I love it. I am completely hooked from 3:43 forward. The chopped up voice FX are great too, as is the synths, layering, and direction. Those reverberating FX are delicious. See people, these are the ingredients we're missing from today's new school Goa (among other things). Suntrip's been kind of checking them off, but has a few left on the list. You hear that Suntrip? Anyway, the energy in this thing picks up a bit more towards the end. Sometimes I think that the last act could have stood out more, but the song is actually really great just the way it is. You know a track is good when you don't want it to end. A

 

5. Green Nuns Of The Revolution - Ring Of Fire (Extended Mix) is classic, Old School Green Nuns stuff. It starts out gradual and teases us with minor melodies that will later develop and submerse the listener. There are intermediary breaks between the surges. I wasn't so hooked in the first few minutes. Fortunately, it grows tastier as it progresses, I.e. 4:32. The tribal segment just past the fifth minute is arresting. Then the vehicle breaks out at 5:41 and lets loose a Hallucinongen-esque lead that steals the now. I really like this song. It becomes more complex, enthusiastic, and vibrant/chaotic as it heats up. The last few minutes are good too! A-

 

6. Total Eclipse - Free Lemonade (Live in Paris 1995) is another goodie, as was the original on the main album. It starts off generic, dated in concept (to me). Around 1:20 is the first real sample of something that'll soon blossom into a cosmic garden. The tight stream of melodies bend and shift, change and vary in ideas. The FX towards the end of the second minute, along with the electric guitar I could have done without. The latter seems to double as a transitory piece between varying segments; in that regard it's helpful. The returning music is a blast though, along with the returning signature leading ingredients from 4:36 to 4:55. These parts are hypnotic and engaging, very nicely layered. The ending is great too. This song sounds just as good to me now as, it did when Total Eclipse was making treats back in the mid to late 90's. A-

 

7. Etnica - Full On (Original Mix) twists and turns. The song's arresting, especially with its prominent, computerized (intentionally sounding) melodies and futuristic ingredients. The melodies are so nice! There is a minimal Goa bridge between Act 1 and 2 that helps to cleanse our palate before the next more elaborate scenery. The continuation is pretty groovy in the chilled uptempo sense and the song feels less tired, it's higher energy concepts more appreciated because of it. I love how the song hangs low for a while, like players addicted on the sidelines that turns out to be a more deeply trance-inducing part of the game. A sweet little build up ignites the generator and we're back, coasting in Etnica/Pleiadian star systems. The song benefits from its more subtle elements. The last act is great too; I sometimes think they could have taken it further (enhancing the addition) but not always. It's just so good the way it is. Excellent track. A- / A

 

8. Prana - Voyager 2 is fantastic. There's singing and it's beautiful. This is an AWESOME song. It's fun, exciting, daring,. The part around 3:48 is one of the reasons why I love Goa music, and miss in Goa today, these beautiful moments that take me to the stars in a second, elements that startle and surprise me in positive ways, that elevate the entire song. This is magic. In addition, this voyager has harmony, feeling, ambient, emotion, and the delivery is flawless. The song is zippy, energetic, infectious, and varied in ideas and tasty sound combinations. This is perfect IMO. The song has strong and memorable melody/sound work. I love the vocal work too. I often feel averted to just the idea of singing or vocals in Goa music. Was this song released anywhere before? Or why wasn't it? I can't imagine this not having released before. It's such such an awesome song. A

 

9. Nervasystem - Whirling Dervish (Kaleidoscope Mix) is mid-tempo, tribal (Chill-esque) Goa and I love it. What a great way to end the album. The approach here is unique and less complex than everything on the album, and yet I don't want it to end. I feel hooked by its repetition; it's not boring and THAT my friends is an achievement in any form of music. They just don't make them like they used to. The song has groovy, stimulating melody and ambient work that when combined, create an almost tranquil feel. Of course there's more. There's always more. The song's really good and a refreshing way to end the album. I like albums with strong first, second, and last thirds. Analog Dreams is one of those albums. A- / A

 

 

OVERALL

Analog Dreams is a treat for old school fans of Goa Trance. Get it. Treat yourself. Thank you Draeke & Dat Records for this gem. I didn't much care for the Hallucinogen track the first time I heard it. I think my expectations since 1995's album TWISTED (and the track LSD) were so high. I was over analyzing the pre-imaginging that is different and well done. Re-mastering sounds much better compared to when these albums released in the 90's. They should re-master Hallucinogen's album TWISTED and various other classics for that matter, like Pleiadians I.F.O., among others. What else? There are numerous super songs around great ones. Analog Dreams is in my top 3 favorite compilations of 2014 to date, the biggest surprise for me (this year) so far considering the old school factor which is 100%. You'll know when the track melts in your ears and oozes through your body and mind. Voyager 2 is awesome in so many ways. I wish that these artists still made tracks like these today. Old school Goa Trance at times sounded magical, deliciously, and irresistible. You can experience some of that here. Great release for Old School Goa ears!

 

Awesome compilation!

 

Favorite tracks - 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Almost all of them!

 

A-

 

If you liked this, also check out V/A - Gamayun !

[Balance]

Great concept and compilation athough mostly I hear what seem to be the workings of what later became amazing tracks. Except for the last two tracks,'they are just amazing. Vol. 2 out for Xmas ? Lol.

[Kitrinos]

I only don't like the "Voyager 2": sucks like hell.

That's a bold statement you made there. Maybe you need to clean your ears!!

 

 

Is is just me or Etnica's track sounds less loud than the rest? Thumbs up for the compilation!

[draeke]

I don't hear any difference in volume between the tracks as they all share the same average levels, but you might feel it this way as there is a level change in sounds during the track (which is the way the track was recorded) and therefore you may perceive a little variation in volume, but very small and anyway intended by the artist when they recorded it.