Crossing Mind - Beyond Duality [Suntrip Rec.]

[Manuser]

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...

Honestly, I have been reading (and writing) reviews on Psynews since 2001 or so (just like you ), and there was plenty of negative reviews back in the day too.

Only difference today is: almost all labels and artists are members here, and that is why you have to justify every single negative thing you have to say about music. Back then, you did not have to justify your review because people were less sensitive and labels/artists did not get involve.

I can't remember AP, MFG, IM, Dimension 5, Etnica posting on this forum. Neither Phonokol, Matsuri, Dragonfly, TIP records lol

I am not saying labels and artists should not get involved on Psynews that is not my point. Just saying it (IMO) justifies (among other things) the lack of reviews.

But I am very surprised that some people don't dare to write positive reviews about music, that is honestly the first time I read such thing when it comes to goa trance. About full on it would less surprising since this style is bashed on this forum, but goatrance it surprises me a lot, unless this is the Filipe Santos effect lol

 

Back on topic, I did not like The Inner Shift much, part of the reason was the mastering but also the sound in itself that I found immature, I like Beyond Duality much more!! Some melodies sound totally wrong and that is a shame but there are plenty of brilliant moments here! Track 2 starts with an awesome emotional melody, then gets a bit too crazy for me but still excellent track. Track 3 is my favorite as it has the perfect balance between morning trance and dance floor oriented goa.

The quality of the mastering makes a great difference, this is an optimistic album for any season but I must say it works well for cold winter days [tribute to radi].

Congrats to Crossing Mind and the rest of the team.

[HappyHorse]

Honestly, I have been reading (and writing) reviews on Psynews since 2001 or so (just like you ), and there was plenty of negative reviews back in the day too.

Only difference today is: almost all labels and artists are members here, and that is why you have to justify every single negative thing you have to say about music. Back then, you did not have to justify your review because people were less sensitive and labels/artists did not get involve.

I can't remember AP, MFG, IM, Dimension 5, Etnica posting on this forum. Neither Phonokol, Matsuri, Dragonfly, TIP records lol

I am not saying labels and artists should not get involved on Psynews that is not my point. Just saying it (IMO) justifies (among other things) the lack of reviews.

But I am very surprised that some people don't dare to write positive reviews about music, that is honestly the first time I read such thing when it comes to goa trance. About full on it would less surprising since this style is bashed on this forum, but goatrance it surprises me a lot, unless this is the Filipe Santos effect lol

 

 

Spot on!

 

1. Another very important thing is, that enough people here don't dare to openly speak their mind cause they are afraid to do so.

Almost every form of criticism is often seen and interpreted as "you are against us". We have seen it in the topics about mastering, or when we discuss the technical side of music making like production skills, or the Anoebis-Boom interview when we talked about the importance of production in goa music (where even the criticism was banned to a closed tread),.. We live in a time were many people are over sensitive, and feedback is mainly absorbed as "you are negative" or their replies ridiculed.

Many people - even when they had good arguments - were seen as trolls, and their opinions taken mainly with a lot of hostile reactions. With even replies like: "why are you bashing here?"

I think artists, labels, dj's and the general public should realise we can only get the same level of quality (of what we idealise as "old is gold") when we put the same creative effort into making music today. Yes, this means we should involve all and be a bit more mentally strong to cope with (well founded) criticism and (negative) feedback.

 

2. And everything is so connected (look at the line ups these days - it is 80% cross bookings - maybe it was also like that in the past?). So being afraid not to get booked or heard from again plays a huge role.

There are many goa dj's on this forum, never (daring) to speak their mind openly; cause - in what I feel - they are connected with the label or with an artist which have both connections to get them on a party, festival,... Our ego's have become mad in that way.

 

3. In our time now, we live in an age when people just do less effort in creative writing and dare to dig deep and fall not in clichés about everything from the past was better. We are becoming more and more passive consumers and let everything come to us. This is dangerous, as we destroy the critical feedback on music. The music we adore so much.

When I started collecting goa in '99 I spend most of my student savings on music. I never bought a CD - yes we had to do that in order to have music - that was bad. Why? Cause it costed me much money (back in those days around 20/25 euro - I still have some CDs with the price tags on them). We had to be critical...(not stating there was no crap back than).

In my opinion music became to accessible and way to cheap. The online culture makes music appear as free and effortless in obtaining it. I was even called greedy by a guy cause we ask €12 for a brand new CD that has been worked on for 4 years. Imagine?!

 

One artist from the 90's told me: "You were never booked in Goa on a party if you weren't inventive and stood out against all the others".

And to be honest I agree. Let us face it, close your eyes on an average psy dance floor and try to guess who is playing a live set. I’m sure many will mingle them. The creative uniqueness is disappearing everywhere: artists, dj's and in the taste of the general public. We all tend to move to a mono culture, afraid to be left alone. Hypes and followers are born.

For example: look at the biggest festivals: they sell tickets even before a line up is fully announced: they are good salesmen. They sell an experience instead of music. We also here became followers of adverts and media gurus; we dare not to criticise. Afraid to feel left out of this so called 'experience or gathering of the tribe' - lol!

 

I'm not lying; you can read a very interesting book about this: "Charles Taylor - Sources of the Self". As a Canadian philosopher he explains this trend into detail. And it is is very recognisable into the (goa) music business.

To end with a goa quote: "We create our own happiness"

 

 

 

PS I'm not sure you have a reason to complain Jos Suntrip artists dominate - or are almost always involved - in almost every line up in neo goa festivals and parties across the 3 countries where goa parties are given on a regular bases: Belgium, Spain and Croatia. So I think Suntrip isn't 'unhip' like you state As far I can recall your Suntrip sales tread of last year, you guys sell enough CDs to survive, no?

You have build up such a strong image, a solid label and brand name that everyone recognises. I wouldn't panic that fast

[Kitrinos]

- Off topic: Well said HappyHorse. I agree that the other label owners should be more receptive to criticism. There are CDs that I like and dislike from all labels. Suntrip is great and it's the label I have bought the most CDs from. But guys don't say that people are afraid to write positive comments, I don't buy that. Just accept the criticism and move on. And for the love of God, please don't review your own CDs, especially a couple of days after the release date. It's really lame. (Mainly referring to Mars and the review of RA - Earthcall). I believe this kind of attitude might attract ill-natured criticism and even trolling. Just my opinion-

 

As for the album, I have only heard the samples and I won't listen anything more until I buy it in the next few months. Crossing Mind is great and I don't want to spoil my ears, this will be a blind buy

[Anoebis]

Well, this kind of topics are like the box of Pandora.

 

I just said some people told me they dont like to write anymore on psynews because of reasons mentioned above... and now this already came to be more open for criticism If some people feel like this, it is their right... Although I try to keep as much people as possible on board here on psynews.

 

As for Kitrinos: First of all, of course we do read, and we listen to criticism. Check all the mastering issues in 2015 and today, a big change But, somehow you dont need to get into discussions with everyone. You lose a lot of precious time you can put into more important things (like promo listening etc), and in the end, sometimes visions are different and you dont need to justify. Dont forget, the companies doing the best are the ones with a clear vision... That visions hould be clear, not explained every time

 

Second: I think Mars CAN review (and this is exactly what I write above, why justifying?) and the reason is simple: we are just like you music lovers. This makes us enthousiast and happy when we release something we like. Im sure I already did some reviews for albums I loved from Suntrip Why not? I love the music, I'm not praising all we did, simple as that

 

 

@Happy Horse: I would love to get in depth in what you wrote but I'm in Brasil now, so not that much time. But when I was on the plane here, I started to make the numbers for 2016, and they are a LOT lower, I'm sure all labels feel it, again... Sales keep going down, slowly, or less slowly...

[BASS-O-MATIC]

I´m a little bit irritated and highly disappointed.Suntrip releases one of the best Goa Albums of all times and most the comments in this thread have nothing to do with the contend of this Record.

 

For me,Cyclotron,No Hazardous Materials Signs and PsyKo-Mind Porteur are three of the best Goa Tracks ever and the rest of the Album is simply great.

 

Besides

 

-Trust in Trance

-Plastic E.P (CD Version)

-I.F.O

-The Inner Shift

 

one of my personal Top 5.

 

P.S. While writing this comment I`m listening to Filterias 2016 Dance Temple performance on Soundcloud,what a great set...

[Kitrinos]

Alpha Centauri is my favourite so far with No Event Horizon following. Most of the tracks are very good/great actually.

 

If you like his previous output I can't see any reason why not to love this album.

[Ormion]

This is a  good album, but I think CS is starting to repeat himself. His synthlines are always amazing and there are so many layers going on that I absolutely love, but I feel most tracks sound way to similar.

I really miss the surprise track(s), the one which will try something different. Unfortunately I didn't find any here.

Still a cool album though especially tracks 4 and 8.

[Jaza]

No Event Horizon might be the best psychedelic, melodic trance track of the last 15yrs.

This is his best work. I was never a big CM fan (and still find him a bit repetitive) but his set at Boom won me over massively and this album is largely excellent.