Crossing Mind - Beyond Duality [Suntrip Rec.]

[antic604]

 

Tracklist

 

01. Cyclotron
02. The Foolish Mind
03. No Hazardous Materials Signs
04. Hypnotropic (2016 Remix)
05. Alpha Centauri
06. No Event Horizon
07. PsyKo-Mind-Porteur
08. Life Forms

 

Review

 

Although scientific studies have proven that the link between exceptional creativity and psychosis is weak, a brief look at the history of art: music, literature, painting, etc. suggests time and again that there’s something to it - from extreme unsocial behaviours, through mental syndromes, to suicidal tendencies. The brain apparently needs to “sacrifice” some of its normal functions to allow the creative part to flourish…

 

I’m prefacing the review with the above, because I consider Crossing Mind a “mad genius”. His music is capable of delivering incredible amounts of emotion, joy and awe - or sadness - but between those moments there are glimpses of madness. My initial impression of his 3rd full-length “Beyond Duality” were very mixed - I expected he’d further refine his style by conforming to (what I imagine to be) more predictable and standard scales, intervals and progressions. Instead, he even further distanced himself from “typical” kaleidoscopic, patchwork-y and sequenced / repetitive meanderings of typical goa-trance music and doubled down on improvisation and uniqueness. Sure, there still are some typical “goa” sounds and sequences, but that’s not the defining component of his music - it is the extreme use of melody, harmony and emotional expression put into every single note and sound that characterises it. My problem with this approach was that while it mostly works beautifully - and is flawlessly executed in “Cyclotron” and “No Hazardous Material Signs” - in other cases there are brief moments as if Crossing Mind said to himself “F**k it, let’s go full retard!” and just let his fantasy run wild, irrespective of any musical conventions or good taste. In those moments the melodies sound child-like, trivial, naive, chaotic and often corny, to the point that I’d be ashamed of listening to it with other people around. In some cases they develop into something meaningful (e.g. the cheesy lead in “Alpha Centauri” gets much deeper meaning in last 3rd of the tune, when it’s complemented by other sounds), but often you just have to bite your lips, soldier on and hope it ends soon ...which it eventually does. None of the tracks is completely ruined by it, but it’s enough to sour the initial experience and even after getting really familiar with the album - it’s been a month since its release - it still sticks out like a sore thumb and you can’t help but wonder how great the album would be without it…

 

Still, the amount of awe-inspiring moments, incredible sound design, touching sensibility, storytelling and emotion emanating from this album is unparalleled and it shows that Crossing Mind poured his heart into it - it’s not just collection of cleverly modulated loops and patterns, but genuine artistic vision translated into music. When it clicks, it’s one of the most rewarding and beautiful experiences in the genre. Too bad it’s not consistent in quality, but I guess that’s the price of genius - one can’t operate at peak level all the time.

 

With regards to mastering - those that complained last time about harsh, sharp and piercing sounds should be happy to know they're mostly gone and instead the bass got a bit more prominence in the mix. As a result, the mastering is clearer, more punchy but still retains that trademark "hollowness" of Crossing Mind which I frankly like very much. I also find the sound palette to be greatly expanded over his previous works, with more alive, morphing and developing lead sounds, even if the rhythm section takes a back seat and received (relatively speaking) less attention.

 

BTW, this has got to be the most beautiful artwork on a Suntrip Rec. release! More here: https://torrente.carbonmade.com/

 

4/5 - a flawed, but truly unique experience!

 

Purchase here

 

http://suntriprecords.com/product/item/SUNCD42/

https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-duality

https://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/sut/sut1cd042.html

http://beatspace.com/9828/Suntrip+Records/CROSSING+MIND/Beyond+Duality/detail.aspx

https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Crossing_Mind_Beyond_Duality?id=B6dfuifbmfqq4zt534oqqdm4ig4

[Domilition]

At the current moment - the most comprehended release of the year, like "Kolovrat" in 2015.

 

It is really interesting to explore it, layer by layer.

[antic604]

At the current moment - the most comprehended release of the year, like "Kolovrat" in 2015.

 

It is really interesting to explore it, layer by layer.

 

Considering what you wrote, why did you rate it "only" 4/5?

Sorry to ask, but I'm really keen to understand what people are looking for in music

[Domilition]

Oh, I did it just because "Beyond Dulity" is far from "masterpiece" status, in spite of its virtues. There's much of amazing arrangements, complex melodies and interesting drum-parts in it (and that's what I'm looking for in all kinds of music, including goa), but there is also a few fragments, which I did not appreciate.

 

After all, 4/5 is not "only"...

[antic604]

Oh, I did it just because "Beyond Dulity" is far from "masterpiece" status, in spite of its virtues. There's much of amazing arrangements, complex melodies and interesting drum-parts in it (and that's what I'm looking for in all kinds of music, including goa), but there is also a few fragments, which I did not appreciate.

 

After all, 4/5 is not "only"...

 

Ok, so we feel similarly about it Thank you!

[Domilition]

Sorry to ask, but I'm really keen to understand what people are looking for in music

I sent some comments about what you asked.

[antic604]

I'm pretty disappointed with low feedback to this release. A lot of you hurried to defend it when I posted my initial impressions, so I'm surprised it hasn't translated into more posts here?

 

I find that for this particular release it's sometimes difficult to put into words the feelings it evokes - both positive and negative - but I'm sure the artist would appreciate more feedback. Myself, I can't get enough of it! Sure it's annoying sometimes, but the good bits greatly overshadow any issues I might have with particular sounds or sequences. It is so full of emotion, breathtakingly beautiful at times. It's interesting that - for me - it's easier to assess or "quantify" the quality of releases such as Artha's or Imba's CDs, because they're so consistent in style and execution. For Crossing Mind the only constant is huge variability: within one track you'll have incredible, soaring highs (that you'll find nowhere else!) and bottomless lows taking you for an emotional ride and it's up to you if you can work up a tolerance for those "lows" and look past them. It took me some time, but it was worth the effort because - just glancing at the surface - I'd otherwise miss a unique experience.

 

I hope it sold well to warrant future releases. Also, I'd be interested in hearing some collaborations from Crossing Mind - with right artists (not strictly from "goa-trance" camp) that could be really something!

[Anoebis]

You want to know why there is so low feedback?

 

People don't dare to write their honest opinion here... I get more pms with reviews as reviews that are written here... Reason? Too negative? Suntrip is uncool now (logic after 12 years promoting goa) or any other reason... Not sure, but I know people dont dare to write about us Too much baised stuff... Too much chance to justify why you like something. In this forum the personality of the persons (well, the picture they hang of themselves) behind projects is more important as the project itself mostly... And well, this results in less and less reviews. People don't like the chance of being bashed. I could publish some stuff, but not sure if the persons would like this...

 

Example: this release gets 4 5* reviews, 2 4* reviews but non are written here...

[antic604]

You want to know why there is so low feedback?

 

People don't dare to write their honest opinion here... I get more pms with reviews as reviews that are written here... Reason? Too negative? Suntrip is uncool now (logic after 12 years promoting goa) or any other reason... Not sure, but I know people dont dare to write about us Too much baised stuff... Too much chance to justify why you like something. In this forum the personality of the persons (well, the picture they hang of themselves) behind projects is more important as the project itself mostly... And well, this results in less and less reviews. People don't like the chance of being bashed. I could publish some stuff, but not sure if the persons would like this...

 

Example: this release gets 4 5* reviews, 2 4* reviews but non are written here...

 

What do you mean? Are people sending you PMs with positive reviews because they're afraid they'll get challenged & be called "Suntrip fanboys"? Or you mean the opposite - the reviews are negative, and they're afraid to be criticised for being overly pessimistic and negative if they put them in the open? I've seen both, but there's nothing wrong in constructive discussion as long as it's civilised and topic-based. 

[thanosp81]

If true, that's sad.

[Kitrinos]

Relax guys, not everyone buys the albums on the first month (me) and I personally give the albums several listens and let them sink for some time...

[antic604]

If true, that's sad.

 

Well, I'm sad to hear this because I've been known to ask people to substantiate their - short - reviews or ratings, so I feel partially responsible... Obviously, my reasons were not the discredit someone else's opinion, but to better understand their thinking behind opinion/rating so that I could maybe learn from them or find out who's opinions are similar to my own.

 

Hope that's not the case, but with Internet you never know as it's very difficult to convey one's thoughts and emotions in text, especially via non-native language.

[thanosp81]

Well, I'm sad to hear this because I've been known to ask people to substantiate their - short - reviews or ratings, so I feel partially responsible... Obviously, my reasons were not the discredit someone else's opinion, but to better understand their thinking behind opinion/rating so that I could maybe learn from them or find out who's opinions are similar to my own.

 

Hope that's not the case, but with Internet you never know as it's very difficult to convey one's thoughts and emotions in text, especially via non-native language.

Well, you are just repeating what I said     

Lol

[antic604]

Well, you are just repeating what I said     

Lol

 

So, you also meant it is my fault that we get so few reviews? Because that's that *I* said. 

 

 

And to be technically correct...

 

 

...you posted "If true, that's sad" after I closed my earlier post with a "sad" smiley, so it's actually you that repeated what I just said

[thanosp81]

So, you also meant it is my fault that we get so few reviews? Because that's that *I* said. 

 

 

And to be technically correct...

 

 

...you posted "If true, that's sad" after I closed my earlier post with a "sad" smiley, so it's actually you that repeated what I just said

No, I was referring to Anoebis post, yours just got in the middle. 

 

I'm confused, haven't slept properly, baby is ill. 

 

Where is ZeroSixFou4 when you need him? Hehehe

[Anoebis]

Well, I need to clarify this, I wrote this in the morning before my job...

So, let me make things clear: I am for open communication in every way, as you can learn of it as a label, person etc... In the beginning criticism hurts as you put a lot of efford in something but in the mean time I learned how to cope things

But anyway, psynews changed a lot during the years of course. The main thing used to be music discussions, now it is actually mostly promo and reviews. Mostly by super critical music listeners...
Anyway, psynews is so "dull" these days it seems like only 3 labels are existing: Suntrip, Neogoa & Cronomi. Suntrip is there for 12 long years, so we are not refreshing in anyway, releasing goa-trance. Other newcomers are fresh, and thus more interesting...

Because of this the amount of years interest lowered and people are more critical, of course the chance CD40 is the best EVER on Suntrip is small, and even becomes smaller with CD50... This caused a raising amount of reviews that were very critical and sometimes even bashing. Psynews is pretty good in this field...

This made me, in the end, getting messages on fb etc of people saying "this cd rocks" etc but they dont want to write it on psynews because there are too many "naggers" and people "complaining" and they dont want to be "the Suntrip fanboy" (which is uncool now) or start arguing about taste. Have a look to the amount of people reviewing cds 3 years ago of Suntrip and then take this release or Morphic Resonance or whatever... Most dont write anymore, although they are still active... And some chose for this very clearly, as said.

In the end I don't care, as a label manager I dont want 20+ reviews on this page, but I want to release as good music as possible that get played allover the world on parties and festivals. And this is working like crazy, so in the end all is fine  But it is sad for psynews... 

[antic604]

@Anoebis,

 

I can now see this is frustrating. It's as if people couldn't cope with (constructive, I'd hope) criticism? If only positive reviews are perceived as "proper" reviews then what's the point of review section?

 

I'd however refrain from drawing simple conclusions e.g. Suntrip releases get worse reviews the longer it is on the scene. There's a lot of reasons that might seem there is such a trend, but in reality it's not really Suntrip-exclusive:

1) There's now much more goa being released than it was 5-10 years ago, so - assuming reviews inform purchase decisions - reviewers need to become more picky: if you can't buy everything, it becomes crucial to differentiate great releases from those that are "only" good (and especially those that are really sub-par),

2) There's group of old-timers here (myself included) that do not get any younger and with age people become more difficult to please, because they know and experienced stuff and also have other things in life requiring them to focus on just the good stuff, so - again, in their best interest they think - they'll be more discerning and analytical in their reviews,

3) With very easy and convenient access to music (physical & digital distribution, streaming / subscription services, torrents, etc.) people listen to a lot of music, most of it very briefly and more often than not do not care anymore for authored "albums" or "compilations" (no wonder concept albums almost vanished) - they'll just play their favourite radio / webcast or put their entire "collection" on random, which makes it easy to appreciate single tracks, but difficult to form any coherent opinion on the album / compilation as a whole,

4) With wider reach of the music more "regular" people (non die-hard goa/psy fans) will listen to it and take it only on a surface level, i.e. if they liked it or not (which is perfectly fine, BTW!), not putting any thought as to what it is that make them like it (or not). It's hard to write a review - or indeed reply to an inquiry about enigmatic "It's killarghhh!!!" review - if you can't articulate why you feel in certain way.

5) It's really difficult to convey - and then discuss, defend - thoughts, emotions and ideas via written text on the Internet, especially in foreign language. Had I actually posted all the posts / replies I started, my post-count would probably be 3x higher.

 

If all above hold true, then you'll end up with small group of grumpy, old, dedicated die-hard goa/psy fans described in 1) and 2), which results in reviews getting more critical, which in practice means more negative. That's why some time ago I proposed to include polls in reviews, because it allows the rest to contribute to review at least that way.

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Crossing Mind

Title: Beyond Duality

Label: Suntrip Records

Date: November, 2016

 

01. Cyclotron
02. The Foolish Mind
03. No Hazardous Materials Signs
04. Hypnotropic (2016 Remix)
05. Alpha Centauri
06. No Event Horizon
07. PsyKo-Mind-Porteur
08. Life Forms

 

 

 

I think we are getting off track here and feel that if we're not discussing the album at hand it does a disservice to the artist.  All the things mentioned in the last few posts are important and deserve to be discussed in a thread in the the general forum.  Now...

 

The latest effort from Stéphane Bèze is quite interesting.  This guy is one of the cornerstones of the genre consistently putting out quality goa trance be it from albums or compilations.  He's got a distinct sound and with Beyond Duality you can hear it right away.  I would also say that his sound is more mature with some tighter production.  With mastering by Tim Schuldt the sound is spectacular and his drifting melodies are on full display.  Many layers are present, but it's not without its problems.

 

Beginning from the rambling opener that doesn't seem to have any direction.  You could come in at any point of the track and you wouldn't miss anything.  He's back on track with The Foolish Mind and it's liquid and discordant melodies.  No Hazardous Materials is replete with dueling melodies and I like it, but it's kind of...soft.  Which is a recurring theme of the album.  Perhaps a moody drifting track destined for pensive thought.  The 2016 remix of Hypnotropic is a worthy bombastic successor and the type of Crossing Mind music I love.  Certainly the jewel of the album.   Alpha Centauri Life Forms, and No Event Horizon take a different approach deviating from the normative goa paradigm.  They're trancey and spacey with squeaky, twisted melodies.  The closer is a downright positive, bouncy melodic trance track. 

 

If I had to sum up this album I would say that it was super melodic and sounded great with different ideas.  Flexing his creative muscles.  His signature sound is intact and instantly recognizable, but he pushed his music towards different avenues.  The changes in direction are seamless and well appreciated as I often found myself in a dreamy state.  The constructive criticism I would lay at his feet was that it was too soft.  Gentle.  Goa is best when it is edgy (at least for me) and the corners here seemed to be rounded off.  I realize that the trope of "needs repeated listens" is overused, but I think it works here.  The first several times I listened to it the problems were front and center while the many parts that make it enjoyable were in the background.  Dedicate some time and allow yourself to be carried away.

 

Suntrip

 

Psyshop

 

Beatspace

[Richpa]

Even I never was that much into Crossing Mind music, without any doubt Stéphane is one of the few musicians in Goa scene who makes distinctive music with signature sound. It is emotional, it has unusual melodies and warm feeling attached to it. I would say, one who fits very well with the general idea (or concept) of Suntrip Records. New album offers all thoose things, but it does in a slightly different way and perhaps it might be a reason why some people are still digesting Beyond Duality album. For me personally it was enjoyable experience, since I didn't have any big expectations and as I said, I never was big fan of CM music. Maybe it's not perfect album and some people might say that his previous albums are better, still Beyond Duality shouldn't be missed especially if you like your Goa music melodic and warm, and in that segment, this one does the really good work. Also, the painting featured on artwork is gorgeous. (4/5).

-

Speaking about the reviews and general opinion about Goa trance music, it's not a secret that new wave of Goa music actually isn't new anymore, mostly because we have a lot of new musicians, some old guys are back and labels are doing their best to deliver that music to the audience. If this one was released 5-6-7 years ago, without any doubt it would get more praise and attention, but I guess it's more or less the same thing with any new Goa release nowdays. The standard it self is higher and people get enough of music through the year so it's natural thing for average Goa-head to become, hmmm...how to say it...picky.

It's also logical thing for anyone who invests time, creativity, resources into music to be a bit emotional towards reviews or other people's experiences of their work, but I honestly feel that different opinions, ideas and general feedback are always helpful, no matter in what shape, size or flavour they're coming. Psynews still remains as one of the finest online sources for getting a feedback on certain Goa release and I always imagine, what if we're releasing progressive trance or...darkpsy, we barely see thoose sub-genres covered in reviews section and truth to be told, Goa music is on the top when it comes to interaction here on this forum for many years.

[recursion loop]

I understand why some people say that it is overall great album but ruined by some strange sounding and disconnected parts. I basically feel the same - there are some great melodies and sounds here and there but also many parts sounding just musically wrong - too chaoutic, out of tune, screechy and unpleasant. Sometimes it delivers some kind of "borderline experience" when combined with more accessible sounds and melodies (Life Forms, Cyclotron, No Event Horizon) and then it's great, but when it goes over the top the track becomes completely destroyed (The Foolish Mind, PsyKo-Mind-Porteur). 

 

But all in all, it's still far more imaginative and interesting than most other newschool goa I've heard. I wish someone combined the melodic and sonic variety of the best parts of this album with Imba's immaculate production.

[Jon Cocco]

Crossing Mind - Beyond Duality
Suntrip Records
2016
 

 
Tracklist: 
01. Cyclotron
02. The Foolish Mind
03. No Hazardous Materials Signs
04. Hypnotropic (2016 Remix)
05. Alpha Centauri
06. No Event Horizon
07. PsyKo-Mind-Porteur
08. Life Forms
 
Beyond Duality is the long-awaited sequel to Inner Shift (2012), a dynamic, unique, and flavorful little gem that caught listeners by surprise when it released in 2012. Since then, the artist (Stephanie) has made a handful of songs, ranging from good to superb on numerous compilations including one of my all-time favorites: Virtual Mind Cleaner. 
 
01. Cyclotron's opening is warm and atmospheric, thanks to the euphoric space ambient influence early on before the beat at 1:38. The song incorporates plenty of nice synth work, and although the storytelling aspect is great, the smooth albeit less dynamic direction feels almost a little too safe and unexciting to me. And yet what a solid track. Energy picks up in the second minute where we're treated to a galactic space pie (segment). It's as if a door to a new dimension is opening, exposing us to a vast selection of mystic ingredients (that will be explored more deeply in following tracks). The rolling baseline compliments the story's healthy development. The fifth minute is enhanced with key notes and warmth. I feel like a more dreamy synth could have arrived at some point, elevating the music a la Filteria's Filtertraces (Abstract Dream RMX), but that's not what the artist was going for. I love the ambient notes around 7:20, as well as the changes in the eighth minute, etc. Such improvements keep things engaging. This is a very good, if not a great opening track that appears more flawless than my [current B+] score suggests.  B+
 
02. The Foolish Mind has a wonderful, atmospheric, and dramatic opening. Can we order more of this please? The song's personality is dynamic, showcasing terrific sound/melody work and mixing more on than off throughout. Also the song is unpredictable and highly infectious. Unfortunately there are some frustrating moments; the first begins at 2:45 and grows increasingly childish by 3:26, as if a bunch of TV chipmunks are doing an anthem! This segment affects the quality of the work around it, and reminds me of Talpa's "When the Somberness Becomes a Game album that was buried under its own childish melodies. Thankfully from 4:06 to around 5:45, the artist returns the track to its moody, magnetic, and ecceentric personality. It's so catchy and imaginative! What the heck happened back there?! Unfortunately, the cheesy, cirus-esque (think Alvin and the Chipmunks) synth sound work returns at 5:46. Maybe the artist thought this clever/creative fun, but it sounds juvenile and distracting from the greatness of the song's ingenuity around it. Could Stephanie not have found something more complimentary in place of these childish parts to heighten the song's appeal? Furthermore, I would've and wanted to give this song an A. Anyway, from 5:38 forward, the song returns to its masterful direction and sustains it. The last act is wonderful. This song may be the most flawed masterpiece I've heard so far in 2016. It needed some refining! That said, this is an excellent track when it's not falling off the ledge (getting too crazy or in this case childish/silly) roughly 15% of the time.  B+ / A-
 
03. No Hazardous Materials Signs begins with beautiful soundscapes and textures. We're back in the cosmos, and about to enter a celestial body full of interesting, dynamic detail. An early synth lead is supported with another but never too close up as various atmospheric ingredients take shape. The effect is immersive, and breaks for a brief interlude to adjust and re-collect. There's an accenting effect, like an echoed ping-pong ball in the second act that I find very catchy. Also arriving is fresh, even tastier melody/sound work. The creativity and mixing combined with the production here is excellent. The second act serves up a consistently delectable course two a thankful appetizer that preceded it. But it's the last, more emotive act, thanks to a deepening in arrangement that I fall in love with. Around being zippy, bouncy, creative, and fun, there's heart, a warm feeling that the third act serves us that I find incredibly pleasing. This chapter is mature and danceable, but it's also great for home-listening. The song has great momentum without ever sounding hyper. It's complex, intelligently created, refined, and full of feeling. Just listen to it on a good pair of ear buds and you will see what I mean. Here the artist took a fresh list of ingredients and developed it beautifully, without incident. Excellent song, well done!  A
 
04. Hypnotropic (2016 Remix) is even zippier and higher in energy than the previous track.  I love the sleek, crunchy synth and drum work in the first minute. Also infectious are the high pitched FX via 1:55. The arrangement changes, increasing with complexity. All of this works, though I feel a little mixed with the twisted-orchestra segment that runs from 2:56 to 3:42. It's by no means bad. Naturally I'm all for making a song more musical, moody, and dramatic. Some will like it. Simply put, I don't find it as catchy as the more moody or musically emotionally conveying segments on the previous two tracks. Past that, the fourth minute introduces new moves (arrangement, sounds, etc.), and it's here that the song evolves with much higher, delectable degrees. The result is sleek and complex. I love the skipping effect at 5:23 and the drum changes from to 6:02. These passages are crisp and tight! Having the layers drop-off at 7:02 was smart, allowing us to catch our breath, decompress for a moment before the next wave arrives. Even the last two minutes accent via drums, etc. The end result is a unique, complex, and dynamic track. It takes a few minutes to clarify some thoughts, but once it gets going, it's really great. Hypnotropic is further proof that the artist has wonderful skills with with intricacy and fluidity.  A-
 
05. Alpha Centauri has a stand out opening. It's so euphoric and dreamy, captivating. I would have loved if that continued or possibly another (more homogeneous to opening) down or mid-tempo track can come out of that one day that's transcendently infectious like Astral Projection's Liquid Sun but in Crossing Mind's celestial vision. What follows in this track anyway is bouncy and exciting. There's some really fun synth work in the first minute, complimented by drums. The third minute has terrific pickup in energy (3:21) and development too, and the forth showcases a beautiful melody (4:21). I love the forth minute! It's so bubbly and vibrant, just wonderful. So far this song is near full of infectious passages! The fifth minute is great too, that is, until a childish sounding synth enters at 5:38 and runs to 6:15. Ouch, and I was loving this track before that. Man! I'm all for experimenting, but please avoid the silly things. I feel like the artist gets a little too carried away at times (in the silly sense, though rare) which distracts from the otherwise wonderful music. Past that little blip (irritation), at 6:18 a harmonious interlude occurs. It's solid! Energy soon increases and the world is healthy and crisp again, coupled with ice-chilling notes and additional delectable synths (7:28) until the end. As a whole, Alpha Centauri is great fun when it doesn't momentarily dip for a forty-five second bite of cheese halfway through.  A-
 
06. No Event Horizon begins in the deep cosmos. A wave of soundscapes pass by. They're complimented by a brief hymn at 1:18 that surprisingly works. I'm all for experimenting, but on the previous track, things got a little too distracting and cheesy at times (however brief). This avoids that trap and reaches greatness, though I find the vibrating synth at 2:28 more attractive than the many layers around it; it merges delectably with the former (still active) tingly lead. That said, the first act is somewhat emotionally distant and abrasive (a bit noisy) to my ears. Thankfully, the interlude at 4:25 allows the artist to re-imagine the direction of where the song can go. It is here, halfway through, that the song develops into something with greater feeling, direction, and arrangement. The melody at 4:52 works well, adding to the euphoric rhythm. Also the last, more intricate act deserves attention for its beautiful complexity and creativity. I love the ambient chords just before the seventh minute, and the wonderful synth progression at 7:04 is excellent! It sounds as if a genius is playing the piano. I remember feeling this way about Infected Mushroom before they fell off the deep end and began singing to their music. This artist is an elaborate composer, and appears to be (maybe) inspired by Infected Mushroom in their prime. He has to be careful not to fall into cheese (or experimentals that don't work) kingdom though. This is another track that reaches greatness, but as a whole, I found the last three songs more satisfying so far. Still I have to say, well done!  B+ / A-
 
07. PsyKo-Mind-Porteur is another song with a great opening. This has more energy than the previous track. It's musically rich, elaborate, and dynamic, incorporating tasty E-Mantra-esque accents, but through the lens of Crossing Mind). It's highly addictive. Brief atmospheric interludes pave way to new channels of sound and unpredictable surprise. Unlike The Foolish Mind however, this seems to play its cards right throughout. And then the entire song elevates at 3:53, thanks to moody ambient-elements and instrumentation. I LOVE that. I'd love more moody, surreal, and atmospheric, provocatively magical MELODY elements (overall songs) like this one. Another intriguing interlude massages the sixth minute before fronting yet another musical evolution across the seventh. All of this engages. It's highly creative and complex, and best of all, it's catchy. It's fun! The artist takes chances and avoids childish toys like the few he broke out via The Foolish Mind (maybe with intent to initially sound fun but it backfired). This on the other hand is musically varied, tightly woven, and infectious throughout. Terrific!  A
 
08. Life Forms concludes the album on a soft albeit peppy and light-hearted note. Initially I found it too repetitive, but it's grown on me since. That said, it's very different from the musically sleek and cosmic work that preceded it. The first act is fairly monotonous to me, though its pleasant sound prevails. Words like monotonous and Crossing Mind are two things that should never exist in the same sentence. Some may feel otherwise and enjoy the more chill-esque and simplistic influence. Unfortunately, the song seems to go through the motions to some degree, with little (for what this artist is capable of) but some development. I'm all for positive vibes, and although I would have enjoyed a more engaging and varied closing. The last act introduces a peppy synth that I find a little irritating. The subtle ambient sounds are very nice though. I go back and forth, between liking and feeling this is short of expectations. Something catchier with stronger development would have been nice. Again I'm all for positive and awakening, light-filled songs. I love that this artist stepped into something light-filled, though it doesn't appear all that awakening. It simply isn't that memorable. Fortunately it's not bad and the pros far out-weigh the cons on this wildly inventive and elaborate album.  B-
 
CONCLUSION
 
If you like your Goa music complex, dynamic, intelligent (for the most part), and varied in structure, direction, and arrangement, Beyond Duality may be for you. The album is imaginative, visionary, addictive, and unafraid to take risks (what I like to see!), though at times it gets a little carried away. It's mature for the most part, though briefly childish. Production values are through the roof, and some refining would have been helpful regarding those few childish segments in The Foolish Mind and Alpha Centauri. The album combines heart with intellect, and being a mental trickster. It's impressive on a technical level and very enjoyable! Naturally I encourage more FEELS and taking what works to higher degrees and pushing the envelope to one's heart's content and desires (just look at what Dimension 5 did with Deep Space 5D!!). In the future, I'd love to hear some climaxes. Of course there are some really climactic parts. I'm talking about those stand out climaxes, often preceded by buildups to wildly fun explosions of infectious energy. Naturally I can't deny this artist's ability to create delicately complex, articulative, and meticulous songs. I simply wish Beyond Duality was free of those few childish segments (noted above) because the artist seems to have pretty high high standards. I get the idea of taking risks and having fun. I just think it's important to be mindful to avoid certain impulsivity via silliness that could off-set superb work. As a whole, this album is fantastic. It's a big improvement over previous Crossing Mind albums and expands on the genre. I love it. Beyond Duality is musically rich and rewarding. It's full of ingenuity and one of the best albums of 2016. Highly recommended!

 

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

 

A-

 

Sample / Order Here

http://suntriprecords.com/product/item/SUNCD42/

https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-duality

https://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/sut/sut1cd042.html

http://beatspace.com/9828/Suntrip+Records/CROSSING+MIND/Beyond+Duality/detail.aspx

https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Crossing_Mind_Beyond_Duality?id=B6dfuifbmfqq4zt534oqqdm4ig4

[Paul Eye]

of course the chance CD40 is the best EVER on Suntrip is small, and even becomes smaller with CD50

An interesting comment, especially considering that 41 is the best thing you've ever released

 

</offtopic>

[antic604]

@T2MU, Richpa, RR, John - thanks for chiming in. Happy to see I wasn't the only one to appreciate the album, despite its flaws

[recursion loop]

 RR

Recursive Recursion?

 

Yeah, even better user name

[antic604]

Recursive Recursion?

 

Yeah, even better user name

 

Sorry