VA - Astronauts In The Solar System

[Tsotsi]

Title: Astronauts In Space
Artist: VA
Label: Global Sect
Date: September 9, 2019

1. Rayavarna - Countdown To Ascension:
2. JIS - Mercury
3. Median Project - Venus
4. Ypsilon 5 - Terra Firma
5. Skarma - Mars
6. Mindsphere - Spectacular Purity
7. Triquetra - Chronos
8. Tomocomo - Warp To Uranus
9. Ephedra - Saturn
10. Proxeeus - Pluto

 

1. Countdown To Ascension - A proper stormer that starts this comp off in a very positive direction. A seriously enjoyable melody and fantastic premise maintained all the way to the end. I couldn't imagine a crowd that wouldn't get their socks off to this track.

2. Mercury -  A faster pace and low roars help you continue your way around our suns closest planet. Carrying you on lovely waves of sonic wonder & melodies of ecstatic apprehension ,JIS travels us around the extremes of our star and the light shines bright and wonderful. 

3. Venus - At first I wasn't captivated. I think I was expecting Constellations and got In The Depth Of Space That's the thing about releasing an extraordinary album. But there was nothing I didn't enjoy about Depths Of Space And hardly I think I don't mind about this track. Some of the moments might have went for a few phases too long not allowing the final act to gain real momentum and release. But once the final act does come, it hardly matters what comes before.

4. Terra Firma - Despite my love for the other artists on the album Ypsilon 5's track was the one that I was most interested in. Paranormal is one of my all time tracks, there is never a moment where I don't want to listen to it. Well Terra Firma has undoubtedly been created on a modern strain of inspiration, but Ypsilon 5's sound and style hasn't been lost an iota. At times floaty, exciting and bouncy. That final act is a real treat too, an obvious master at his craft and a favourite from the comp.

5. Mars - First listen I was definitely into it straight away, since then I have only enjoyed it more even thinking that it's one of the stand outs from the compilation. The way the layers intersect and meld together to wrap the track into webs of enjoyment is testament to the Skill we get so often from Skarma. There'll be an album one day yea? 

6. Spectacular Purity - It's not the Mindsphere style I have listened to on other comps, this makes it all the more thrilling, in fact it's like every track I here from Ali is unique and thrilling. The second listen I was definitely more into it and now I think it's one of the stand out display of Mindspheres talent

7. Chronos - I have a rule, if you're gonna call a track Chronos, then smash that shit. In my car where I listen to most my music now days I didn't think they had quite done it, felt like random parts thrown in without a connecting flow. On a proper set up this track comes to life. The moments all subtly connect while the energy gets thrown at you over and over after psychedelic breaks flip your brain.  

8. Warp To Uranus - I'm not going to pretend like it's not brave to put a track with 'Uranus' in the title on the internet. What does have that got to do with the track however? Hardly much. The song starts with a cool premise that cruises along with bongos until about the 2:50 mark where it begins to take off. Despite the smooth rhythms it doesn't hit the excitement sweet spot.

9. Saturn - Ephedra's name is always nice to see come up. Like Imba you know you're going to get something at the very least enjoyable, and at the most a standout performance. In this instance its a standout performance. The Huge climax and ethereal undertones work wonders on the ears,

10. Pluto - When Proxeeus goes big he really nails it. A perfect example of that here, like Me, Myself and a Gnop-keh Pluto, blasts ahead with a track that starts sounding more galactic than we normally get from our Lovecraftian thaumaturge. That pretence disappears as the leads storm in creating melodies spinning through mind altering psychedelia. A favourite from the artist and the compilation.

 

Overall it doesn't feel like Global Sect's strongest release. On closer inspection it's hard to see why. All the tracks are there, many are amazing and Global Sect offer some styles that we aren't used to hearing from them.  I suppose Terraformer was a gargantuan step in the promotion of galactic goa and despite the good tracks this doesn't feel as incredible overall. Perhaps it's unfair to benchmark against Terraformer, after all I am much happier with this album in my life than not. It's great to see Ypsilon 5 back in the game producing high quality music, Skarma sparkled bright, Ephedra & Proxeeus both deliver standing ovations and arm flailings, Rayavarna & JIS bring melody and funk to the table. 

So yea, I do recommend checking it out. An album that is certainly going to age well and get better with time.

Awesome Album artwork. Looking at the labels releases in succession offers a nice panel of colours.

https://globalsect.bandcamp.com/album/va-astronauts-in-the-solar-system

[recursion loop]

Without Psy-H and Centavra any Global Sect compilation would feel incomplete, these two guys are modern goa geniuses

 

But Skarma delivers big time, probably his best track ever and one of the very best tracks ever released by Global Sect. My other favorite is Ephedra, these mermaid voices are incredible. The first track is also very nice but way too short.

 

J.I.S., Median, Ypsylon5 and especially Mindsphere are somehow disappointing, not that their tracks are bad but each of these guys can do much better. 

[Trance2MoveU]

I'd have to say this is the weakest Global Sect offering.  They've released such stellar music that when something is just good it comes off as a disappointment.