Artist: Carbon Based Lifeforms
Title: 20 minutes
Label: Self Release
Release: March 3, 2021

Tracklist:-

1 - 20 Minutes extended
2 - Leaves extended

https://carbonbasedlifeforms.bandcamp.com/album/20-minutes

Lab's Cloud - The Structure of Emotions
Ensancha el Alma Records

Quote

Lab's Cloud presents his first album of pure ambient, different from his previous works, more introspective and personal. Ethereal passages, deep atmospheres, subtle melodies, a composition that delves into the emotional, seeking to find that universal pattern that defines emotions. This album proposes a journey to the inner self, to that sensitive self that lives latent in each one of us.

I checked out a few of this artist's other albums and they sit on the border between chillout and progressive psy (think Altar Records) - probably great if you're into that kind of thing but not for me. The Structure of Emotions, on the other hand, is possibly the best Ultimae album to have ever not been released by Ultimae.

The opening three tracks are moody but hauntingly beautiful, before the album abruptly changes gears with the joyous (and still hauntingly beautiful) Beyond a Secret.

The remaining tracks are less attention-grabbing and unique (for example Transparent Beings wouldn't sound out of place on a Carbon Based Lifeforms album and Reflections could pass for Substrata-era Biosphere) but with enough depth to reward repeat listens; special mention goes to Walking with Joel, which is based around a very simplistic sequence of two repeating chords but layered with field recordings which paint a heartwarming picture of the titular walk (I'm assuming Joel is the artist's son).

The download version ends with a mixed version of the preceding 9 tracks, except it also includes an extra one between the six and seventh; I don't know why this wasn't included on the CD version, there's enough room for it and it's actually one of the highlights.

Overall, I highly recommend this album and I really hope that Lab's Cloud makes more in this style in the future. Favourite tracks: 2, 3, 4, Ϫ

bandcamp

Artist: Proxeeus
Title: Perversion And Insanity
Label: Kali Earth Records
Release Date: November 30,2021

Tracklist:-

1 - A Mockery of Diabolism
2 - Irony Is Seldom Absent
3 - Perversion And Insanity
4 - Shub-Niggurath
5 - Artificial Conformity
6 - Half-Dead Stars
7 - Forbidden Horrors
8 - All I Want Is To Know Things
9 - Why I Refrain From Suicide

If you're yet to form your own opinion about this release then why not give siting back and allowing me to form it for you a try?

About as nightmarish as it gets without inviting Freddy Kruger in to perform a series of child sacrifices. no God-fearing man should enter here as there is no god to be found...Well not your cute little forgiving gods, all God's here are equipped with tentacles, many faces or no faces, an indifference to the incessant bitching of human kind and squeals so high pitched you'll shit your pants.

Nice to see Kali Earth And Proxeeus unite in a glorifying bloodbath of terrors.

https://kaliearth.bandcamp.com/album/perversion-and-insanity

1. Luminescence  05:28
2. Walking on a wire  08:36
3. B Movie  06:34
4. Into the mist  07:20
5. The moon rises  09:40
6. Shaped caterpillar  07:58
7. We have arrived  07:16
8. The moorish trail  08:16
9. Flashback  09:39

Ankrosado is André Rosado from Portugal, he was known to me after I listened to this compilation https://www.discogs.com/fr/Various-Celestial-Transvibrations/master/805350 and his track was one of my favorites so I was curious to listen to this album.

The music is simply goa trance: melodies supported most of the time by a soft bassline, some twisted sounds here and there and climaxes coming at the right time. Track #1 is slow and short, in my opinion it is a little empty and dull, but you should not get turned off by this track, it is almost like an intro and the following tracks get more interesting.

Track #2 and #3 speed up nicely and have more ideas but still lack direction, so we are not quite there yet. With track #4 we are granted a cleaner sound with better energy, the music is very morning oriented and I enjoyed the beautiful key changes. The highlights come from track #5 to pretty much the end of the album. Ankrosado's style remains very humble in an elegant way and it keeps floating. The attention to detail is good, sounds are nicely delivered and the more variation the more pleasure. Some parts immediately reminded me Blue Planet Corporation, with synths floating and swirling, that put a smile on your face.   
We have some slower sequences, built in an euphorically melancholic way that please my ears. 

My opinion: the first half of this release is decent but sometimes boring, the second half delivers something uplifting, I can certify that this album sounds very old school and yet fresh, melodic and passionate. You will not have to go through these big walls of arpeggios or aggressive spirited sounds, so if you like your goa trance soft and laid back you should definitely give it a try. Favorite tracks: #5, #6, #7, #9.

Rating: 7/10.
Listen / buy:  https://ankrosado.bandcamp.com/album/luminescence

Artist: Artifact303
Title: From The Stars
Label: Global Sect
Release: May 15, 2021

Tracklist:-
1 - Apex
2 - Astral Traveler
3 - Dreamland
4 - Solar Warden
5 - Unidentified
6 - Summer Storm
7 - Open Your Eyes
8 - Secret Space
9 - The Divine Plan
10 - Wisdom bringers

First he went Back To Space, and now he comes From The Stars. Feast on your feelings and get in touch with your innards as Artifact303 comes to help us feel joy again.

https://globalsect.bandcamp.com/album/artifact303-from-the-stars

https://globalsect.bandcamp.com/album/artifact303-from-the-stars

Artist: Various
Title: Aloz Nogrog
Label: Kandiszucker Records
Release: 05, Dec 2021

Tracklist: -

1.   Killer Eat Nutella - Virus Conspiracy
2.   Theiamani - Gnome Toasted    
3.   Morichino - Lavazza Spirit     
4.   Triquetra - Talk Binary To Me    
5.   Narziss & Goldmund - Magnetik Storm   
6.   Galaktik Wizdom - Wild Cherry     
7.   Morioun - Lactera Rex   
8.   Zoon - Vilse Bland Kontrollerna (Weird Wizard Remix)    
9.   Slavs From Mars - Disco Satanico
10.   Hada - Analogia Singuinalis

Labels come and labels go. Meet Kandiszucker Records, the latest label to come (I could've made that dirty, but this album is going to get plenty of grim and grit into your crevices without my help).

Straddling Goa and Forest with some loud boisterous melodies and more confidence than Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Artist: Khetzal
Title: Etamines
Label: Suntrip records
Release: 15th of March, 2021

Tracklist:-
1. Admonition
2. Zigggurat
3. Grey Kitty In The Box
4. Gather Your Herds
5. Acide Formique
6. Pavane
7. A World Of Outmoded Ideas
8. Didge Voices
9. Ealitas Ex Nihilo

Please do not hesitate to enjoy

https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/etamines-3

ANIMIST FUTURISM

David Tingsgard has created one of the only albums, apart from E-Mantra’s Arcana, to rival the greats of the golden age of Goa trance in this latest record Songs From a Forgotten Memory. I really love what Battle of the Future Buddhas is doing on this and the previous album Light Behind the Sun. Quite slowish, spacey Goa with deep beats and wonderful melodies. In both albums, Tingsgard returns to the roots of Goa trance in the early sound of 94-96, which tended to be slower and more mellow than the later years which got more and more intense. Perhaps the first thing to note is that the title suggests that this is a back to the future kind of project. Is this just a nostalgia project then? Perhaps, but I go on to argue that this project involves reanimating the virtues of the past, but also updating those virtues so that they speak to the present. I call this animist futurism because it features a number of alien animal sounds. It is worth noting that both albums feature superlative production with all sounds clear, distinct, and textured against a velvety black background, but avoiding brightness or an analytical edge. 

One of the things I really like about both albums is that BotFB shows restraint. He does not go straight for maximum velocity from the outset. The tracks and album as a whole can thus build, and build they do. Take "Collidoscope" for instance - at the 5.35 mark the track breaks into huge pillars of rising and falling modulations - this really takes the listener on a disorientating psychedelic trip because it has not been constant throughout the track which builds up to this peak gradually. This is the mark of a mature and talented artist who understands that drama comes from restraint, not throwing everything and the kitchen sink at the listener all at once. Moreover, by avoiding manic layerism and the straitjacket of 16th note galloping horse bass and drums, when he decides to use a sawtooth or a flutter effect, it is effective. Not constant fluttering, which has little effect but to put you in a flutter. Lots of his melodies do have this fractalised or fluttering effect, but because he doesn't do this all the time it is not tiresome. Effective, like I said.

Another thing worth pointing out about the whole album is that a great deal of attention is paid to background atmosphere and ambience. There are a lot of subtle background ambient sounds, a bit like distant landscape in a painting. These are sometimes innovative, as in the drones in "Mugwump". Moreover, this is not just arbitrary spacey ambience, conjuring some nondescript outer space. Space here is not empty. It is inhabited. There be creatures. We might go into cold interstellar space, but this is no colonial "myth of the virgin empty land" - this is a kind of Star Wars vision of space with lots of alien creatures. Alien creature sounds abound, primarily in squiggly forest-style melodies, either major ones or minor ambient noises. Hence I think of this album as animist futurism. 

"Collidoscope" is a highly rhythmic track with a really slapping kick. Alien keening sounds kick in at about the 4 minute mark and there are Prana style rising and falling 303 arpeggios arranged in circular patterns till the end. A collidoscopic track indeed. 

"Go Gently into Space" (obviously a riff on Dylan Thomas' famous "do not go gently into that good night/rage, rage against the dying of the light") is a space hymn to the "future space travellers" (thanks to Miranda and Prana for that phrase). It starts off with a spoken manifesto to all future space travellers, the kind of thing that you might hear in Starship Troopers: “It’s really the next stage in the evolution of mankind, out here amongst the stars lies the destiny of mankind”.  Hehe, c'mon Goaheads, let's send this track to Elon Musk; he can make it his anthem. It also features great deep bass and one of the best snare sounds I've heard, and placed with pitch perfect accuracy. The track goes all Astral Projection at the end with sugary melody. This really is a space anthem if ever I've heard one. And without going over the top. Everything in total control, but without becoming predictable or zombie automaton. There’s not even a hint of the dreaded shiny plastic sound that psytrance has become. AWESOME!!!

"Pitchbend (Into the Light Remix)" does exactly what it says on the tin: it starts with heavy bass 303 judders which shudder throughout, but gradually builds and ends with incredibly positive, life-affirming, sunny vibes that also happen to be delightfully psychedelic. Starting off pretty intense, this ends up being a lighter track than many on the album, but just as excellent.

"The God Particle" makes it clear that this is a scifi themed album. There's such an awesome bass warble at the start of this track - honestly, this is totally addictive. Imagine holding a big sheet of roofing zinc and being able to shake it like a blanket - a metallic wap sound not far from a didge is what you'll get - and this sound goes on throughout. Infected Mushroom wish they could create just one sound as cool as this across their entire discography. A special shout to the snapping snares on this track too; faster than a cobra, as insouciant as a saddhu. As for the super trippy little alien elf melody at the end... I'm actually at a loss for superlatives. Could this be the best track on the album?

"From Nothing"?? Nothing comes from nothing, so they say. Is this track describing the radical dissociation of a strong trip? Is it just a hymn to "empty" space? I don't know. But from the start this one goes heavier (I said the album builds not so?). At 4.52 there comes that unique little BotfB melody that sounds like the weird siren song of an alien at the window of your spaceship, luring you off track to the Triangulum constellation when you were supposed to be flying to Ganymede. Who needs Startrek when you have Goa trance like this?

From nothing we find ourselves "In Heaven". This is the most classically Goa track on the album, featuring Indian singing, and it could an Astral Projection song. Utter bliss, with some of the most textured riffs you'll ever hear. This is clearly the spiritual heart of the album. Om mani padme hum. Om namaya Shiva. Bom Shankar!  

The comedown commences with "Mugwump". According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a mugwump is a person who remains aloof and undecided, especially it seems on political matters. And there I was thinking it was a grumpy old Goahead who goes around muttering "old is gold". This track has a cool wurlitzer fairground horror melody that again seems to come from some creature. I love this forest elf twisty weirdo black metal goblin animism. We don't see enough of this tokolosh spiritualism in Goa or psytrance even though we have subgenres like forest and twilight. Sheesh, BotFB practically invented forest twilight. Clearly BotFB is winding back from the hypnotic bliss of "In Heaven" and we go a bit darker and more foresty here. 

“Interstellar” is a more mellow track starting with a techno beat and tweaky noises, but soon accompanied by a whimsical and simple melody that repeats. Another one of those charmingly simple but minor key little melodies that BotfB specialises in. A little drop of unaccountably strange and otherworldly stardust. Though not as befuddling as the weird ohm moan at 3.39 - another example of alien noises in the album. At the 5.45 point we enter another world with bigger riffs that are nevertheless restrained and subtle; nothing too loud here, but pulling you in with texture and intrigue. This is some beguiling shit!  

Finally, we come down to earth with “Blurred, Calm, Warm, Hazy”, just how you feel after a good toke. This is a fully ambient track, so of course there are some sitar sounds, Asian scales, along with tabla, and wailing melodies. This is quite a hazey track in which nothing much happens, but it does create a nebulous alien ambience. We are left with strange feelings that are hard to put into words...

I feel that individual track ratings are redundant here as each track is close to flawless in its own way and, more importantly perhaps, the album flows as a whole, unified, singular journey. I didn't at any point in several complete listenings want to skip a track or back off the volume or feel that it was becoming too intense or too dull. Am I saying that it is perfect? Well, equally, I would like to avoid such hyperbole. Once or twice I wanted a more cinematic or orchestral intro/outro, or felt a bit more analogue atmosphere might have added something. David Tingsgard, take a bow bro. I will probably never meet you as you live on the opposite side of the globe from me, but I wish I could shake your hand. In my opinion, you've created one of the all-time great Goa albums. I thought "The Light Behind the Sun" was good. Well, you've upped the game with this 10/10 record. You've shown Etnica, Pleaidians, Miranda, Transwave, Simon Posford, et al, that Goa is a genre capable of more than we dreamed. Technically it seems better than many of the classics, yet it is true to the apparently simple sounds of early Goa. Imaginatively it is really out there, mixing Asian spirituality, science fiction, and a kind of northern forest paganism (if I may call it that) in creating a kind of animist futurism with some strange alien noises. But this album is also just so mellow, so musical, such delightful fun, as well as being dark, serious, and prophetic. If spiritual = balance and could be bottled, this is it. So, for me, this record takes the virtues of a nearly forgotten past and updates them for the present, making the genre more surprising than ever. Goa has always burrowed into the deep roots to reach towards the future, but now that appears more real in this tougher, darker, more scifi, yet still melodic, updated version. Goa goes animist futurism. This is a critical, useful kind of nostalgia, if it is even nostalgia at all. Finally, this is very much a BotFB album; no one else could have made it. It has a unique peaceful calm understatement combined with crazy Loki inventiveness. By stepping back from the intensity and some of the darkness of the earlier work, BotFB seem to have achieved their potential. 

The dust has long settled on the dirt roads of Anjuna. If you avoid the tourist areas you will only hear the lowing of sacred cows and temple bells at night walking near Chapora fort. The insects are loud in bamboo forest and the rice paddies glower in the gloom. But decades later, one who kept the faith has left behind a relic as valuable as anything made at the time. I feel privileged to discover it.

Goa trance album of the year!

This is deep trance plateau music - if you're a Goa fan, this is a must. It is begging for a vinyl release! Anoebis, do you hear me? Do not delay - crowdfund if you must, but do the best possible vinyl mastering and pressing of this classic album. I would be surprised if this album is not selling for thousands in decades to come! ~*~

Artist: Moon Beasts
Title: On The Edge
Label: Goa Madness Records
Release: Feb 14, 2021

Tracklist:

1: On The Prowl
2: Brain Salad
3: Demon Star
4: Sleeplessness
5: Darker Territories
6: Separate Species
7: Waiting for change
8: It's Part Of The Game
9: Losing Balance (Digital Bonus Track)

Went a little off the rails on this one.

As always if you like it purchase it

https://goamadnessrecordsofficial.bandcamp.com/album/on-the-edge

Artist: Andromeda
Title: Amiga
Label: Classic Goa Trax
Date: March, 2021

1. Lifeform
2. Impact
3. Coma
4. Amiga
5. Ask No Questions
6. Aurora
7. Crystal Kingdoms
8. Noc Samobójców

Just when you think that the goa labels have mined all the jewels from the massive trance mountains along comes Suntrip's digital only label with a true gem from the goa hotspot of Poland. This is Przemyslaw Tkaczyk and don't let the lack of vowels fool you. The gentleman is hitting all the right notes from track one. Twisted 303's swirl and percolate with high intensity. Coma is a sinister mood and Ask No Questions has a blistering climax.  The whole thing is a powerful foray into rhythm and melody.

The only downsides for me was  the downtempo "ish" closer. Not my bag, but that is just personal preference.

The sound is crystal clear mastered by Kobi Harosh who has been working with this label as of late. Great job by all involved.

Bandcamp

Artist: Various
Title: Psychedelic Vaccine
Label: Dacru Records
Release: 26 April, 2021

Tracklist:-
1. Rush - Rippin' Reality
2. Psiger - Parallel universe
3. Atisha & Quantum Fracture - Superposition
4. Hyper Mode - Species of Multiverse
5. One punch - Black Hole
6. Beurat - Sacred Energy
7. Neo Shaman - Medicine Man
8. Parasynthax - Mind Construction
9. Atromna & Thalamus - Banyan Groove
10. IAMDINGO - Mesmerize

Banned across half the globe. Find out why governments hate me and record labels.....well...they might hate me too after this.

https://dacrurecords.bandcamp.com/album/psychedelic-vaccine-vol-1-selected-by-spirit-architect

Cosmic Dimension - Altar Of Wisdom

Global Sect

2021

1        Coral Tails 
2        Different Species 
3        Fabric Of Creation  
4        Orot Gvohim   
5        Altar Of Wisdom  
6        Beyond The Darklight 
7        To Sirius  
8        Transcendence 
9        Radioactive Atoms  

Its a great album to listen through, but there are no real standouts. Its more one big track. But as an album you listen to from start to finish - there is some interesting and really great moments here and there.
The first thing that struck me was the quality of the production. But that soon kinda fizzled out, and it sounds alright now, its not 'spectacular' anymore, especially not if you try to find the "best" track of the album. Then it gets kinda 'meh'.

Its a bit like the Captain Hook of neo goa. It sounds great but once you get past that, the music really doesnt stand out as truly amazing. Its not quite up to par with the greats but its still really enjoyable to listen to just from the quality aspect of it alone. 

Lots and lots of squelchs and spiraling arp type sounds - that has been done a bit much Id say. The leads are often quite simple too; melodies not very complex. But again it sounds really good; and it shows that he was really meticulous about the production and mixing; but it does sound a bit 'software' compared to for example Filteria and Mindsphere.

Im happy it was released on Global Sect - the king of the house of neo goa. (While I feel suntrip is more the king of goa in general)

Allinall its a good album but not really great. 3.8/5. 
If the music behind the actual sound was as good as the sound itself it would be a stellar album!
 

Artist: Median Project
Title: Another Galaxy
Label: Suntrip Records
Release: April 30, 2021

Tracklist:
1. Human Error
2. Starry Skies
3. Time Lord
4. Devil Fish
5. Measurements X
6. Lone Star
7. Deep Dive
8. Other Life Form
9. Flight To Jupiter

Join me as we explore yet Another Galaxy with Median Project in the usual well tempered and magnificently succinct way.

https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/another-galaxy

https://www.suntriprecords.com/news/

Artist: 13th Star
Title: Closer To God
Release Date: 01/08/2020
Label: Self Release/Serpent Sound
 

Tracklist:
1. Closer To God (Intro)
2. Dreams By Dragonfly
3. Evolution Of Steam
4. Paper Planes
5. Hive Mind
6. Waverider
7. Luna Vision
8. Linear Thoughts
9. Invitation To The Mad House

Learn about as much about Australia as you do about 13th Star's first full release. 

13 Star is Courtney Haynes, an Australian electronic musician who dabbles across genres. This is his first psytrance release with some hints of goa scattered around. Some great standout tracks and proper energetic stompers throughout. With some electrifying rhythms to boot. 

https://www.serpentsound.com/store/p/closer-to-god-album

Artist: A1on
Title: Chalice Of The Void
Label: Kali Earth Records
Release: September 24, 2021
Written & Produced by: Henning Olsen Winter
Cover Art: ShivaOm
Mastering: ZeaMoon

Tracklist:
1. Genesis
2. Waters of Kali
3. Mother Earth

A year after his last EP and a slight name change Henning Olsen Winter returns, this time as A1on. I can only describe the EP is naturally fantastic Psytrance. In my opinion this is the perfect iteration of Psytrance and I honestly can't recommend this enough for anyone who wants to hear something nice, enjoyable and full of fresh ideas. .  Sooo everyone should enjoy this?

Sure, why not, there's nothing to lose, just a world of wonder and energy to gain.

My theory has always been that if you want people to keep making their music, you gotta give them a little positive reinforcement, sometimes a couple of Euro is all it takes. I got special early access and still bought it afterwards just because I thought it was well worth it. Hell I paid over the minimum amount and still feel like a got a deal.

https://kaliearth.bandcamp.com/album/chalice-of-the-void-ep

https://beatspace-kaliearth.bandcamp.com/album/chalice-of-the-void

https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/carpe-noctem

80 minutes of melodic forest and dark goa trance! There's so much detail and variety here, it took me so long to finally write the review. I always feel like I have to listen to every track carefully many times before even sitting down to write, and I guess that's true of every reviewer here, so it's no wonder that it took so long to appear on the review forums.

Anyway, this style of tripped-out madness and focus on darker timbres is exactly what I like. So I appreciate Suntrip releasing many darker albums recently.

1. Spindrift - Deeper Reality
A new age sample from an Australian yogi kicks us off into a thick and squelchy bassline. At 1:40 a secondary melody appears and complements the bassline well together with all the liquid background noises. The texture of this track is great! At 3:00 there's a mini breakdown then finally the main melody, very catchy and big Indian vibes even for goa. I love the moment at 3:45 where the bassline suddenly comes more to the foreground, together with the reverbing percussive element. A breakdown section leads us eventually to another yogi sample at 5:00. Unfortunately the track starts to lose my interest around this point, there are some additional effects applied to some sounds and Shponglisation of the yogi's voice but overall nothing new in the last few minutes - it could have used another melody or a modulation in the second half.

2. Smuds - Betarave
Wonderful mysterious intro leading into a classic "backwards" sounding bassline around the 1 minute mark. At 1:50 things are suddenly switched up with the atmospheric pads getting replaced by hi-hats and flanged shroomy effects. A really weird melody leads us into a bizarre reversed transition at 2:42. Super psychedelic creativity in this track, the whole middle section justs bombards us with novel trippy sound effects, with a mixture of sections sounding wide, echoey, and tripped out, and other sections sounding very tangible and present. 6:25 for instance withdraws a lot of elements that had built up and staggers the lead elements over the bassline in an infectious way. It takes all the way until after 8:30 when first hints of a developed melody are introduced and it's gorgeous, only lasting a small amount of time before the bassline simplifies and brings the track to a strong end.

3. Dragon Twins - Eating Crow
Starts off a lot scarier than the previous few tracks, with tense high-pitched leads and a spooky sci-fi atmosphere, plus a punchy kick and deep dark bassline rather than the bouncy foresty ones. Around 1:05 the psy lead sounds a bit more upbeat... a hint of light maybe? But it's just an illusion, the track continues being unsettling. And although it's not very danceable, I'm still excited about what it's building up to. But then at 2:10 the synth sound that comes in is just annoying, and it gets even messier with screaming voices being added. Don't like that at all. The acid in the section starting around 3:35 is really nice, and the new couple minutes would be good if not for the screaming in the background. The track ends with an extremely chaotic climax with several of the previous elements being brought back. Maybe I'm just a wimp but I found this track offputting, with most layers sounding completely wrong, a bad trip (and not the good kind). Perhaps it will appeal to more hardcore listeners.

4. Omnium - Omnipresence
"Back to the dark ages". The intro of this track sounds like a ray of light compared to the last, with a really fun bassline cropping up within the first minute and tantalising goa melodies. But at 1:30 it switches to a different bassline altogether that's less interesting than the first one, with tearing sound effects and a lack of anything much going on in the foreground. Finally at 2:45 a melody that reminds me of Mindsphere's early stuff takes centre stage with the tearing and crashing continuing in the background. 4:00 sees the bassline simplify even further and 4:30 is a nice transition, but the track still isn't capturing my attention much. The last minute and a half are the best part since the beginning. Overall I feel this was an awkward attempt to graft forest effects onto melodic goa, and Omnium's Neural Geometry album had several better tracks with a lot more energy than this.

5. Proxeeus - Breaking Down The Barrier
Absolutely galloping bassline that reminds me of Hallucinogen Horses, with echoey drums and vague foresty noises. At 1:30 the shroom gnomes start dancing their melody. Around 3:00 there's a breakdown and a nicely-tuned 303 gives us something to grasp on to, and at 4:10 enters a dissonant scratchy loop which opens up into a beautiful wide psy synth 4:45. From 5:45 there's an extended break down, starting off with some nice percussion and some quieter melodies. This part of the track is unexpected and just outstanding, giving space for an absolute belter of a psychedelic crescendo to start mounting at 7:40. What a journey, the highlight of the album for me and it's hard to imagine many other tracks released in 2021 can match the energy and pacing of this one. It has momentum, focus, and structure which none of the previous tracks so far can touch.

6. Xenomorph - Lost In An Old Junkyard
Xenomorph is one of my favourite artists and almost the only one still producing 10/10 work today, so I eagerly anticipate any new tracks released by him. Dying Sun was the best composition on the Gamma Draconis release but unfortunately poorly mastered for some reason, so thankfully there is not the same issue here. After a typical creepy start with whispering voices, we get a haunting melody, dripping sounds and a chugging bass. Around 2:20 the melody is super rhythmic, and transitions into deeper and deeper psychedelica, until around 4:10 suddenly rolls back to the melancholic beginning sounds again. At 5:00 there's a high-tech chorus building up into a nice change into a new melody at 5:45 and bouncy alien voices. It again goes deeper and deeper before slowly rolling down. Overall while this track was very psychedelic, it wasn't as coherent as Dying Sun and lacked some truly standout elements. Still solid work though.

7. Ka-Sol - Dance Of The Locusts
Weird UFO-like noises kick this off and after 1:00 it slowly builds up into a crunchy in your-face multi-layered muddy bassline that Ka-Sol likes to use. I really don't have much to say about this track, it's too repetitive and runs out of ideas quickly, and is far from Ka-Sol's best.

8. Battle of the Future Buddhas - Pitchbend
Title of this one doesn't lie as it immediately starts with a dramatic sounds that gets pitch bent up and down. Very squelchy acid low-end is slowly introduced and takes the fore after 1:30 and remains throughout most of the track. Spooky synth wails at 2:00! A trademark BOFB melody kicks in, and at moments I'm reminded of the classic first album Twin Sharkfins. At 3:50 there's a Blade Runner sample, which is a bit unexpected since that movie (especially that character) is a cliche as far as samples go. Anyway, around 4:25 there's a slight switch as the bassline suddenly starts walking downwards heavily at the end of each 4 bars. From 5:00-6:00 the track loses my interest a bit due to a lack of tonal variation / standout lead elements, so it's good that at 6:00 we get a melody that really emphasises the thumping bassline. The climax starts building with a beautiful colourful arpeggio, soon joined by the original pitch bent sound. Suddenly the low end drops away, replaced by a resonant synth. What a spine-tingling ending!

9. L.A.B. - Spellbound (Hada Remix)
I don't remember hearing any tracks from this artist before, checking Discogs I may have heard him on Schlabbaduerst 005. Then I realised that this is actually Hada's reinterpretation of L.A.B.'s classic track. Starts off with an explosive burp and then a melody that's reminiscent of Israeli upbeat goa but with scary high-pitch sound effects in the background. At 1:00 the melody tone suddenly changes from a lead to some silly wailing sound, how funny! At 1:30 it changes once again to a more flowing foresty synth that really complements the tight bassline. Around 2:00 there's an even more upbeat sounding melody that to be honest is nice to hear after so many tracks without such a thing. Around 3:00 the buildup has just been sublime and I am dancing and grinning like a madman! 3:20 has another cheeky breakdown with laughter. It's playful and great up until 5:10 where there's a key change that's not executed super well imo, but it recovers when the brilliant Power Source-like melody kicks back in at 6:00. The last minute and a half break-down is well done. This track was a fantastic blend of more goa like melodies with forest with many twists and turns. I just listened to the original track and much prefer this interpretation.

10. JaraLuca - Flashbacks
Really strong intro here with a resonant bassline and off-beat kick. Quite refreshing to hear some different kick patterns after so much four-to-the-floor. From the start until 2:20 it grows into an absolutely savage brain-melting acid climax. Then transitions into a more developed 303 melody, with a big atmosphere that keeps the tension building as the frequency knob on the 303 is slowly released. At 3:50 the next changeup comes, sadly the melody here is a little lame. The wide rhythmic synths at 4:55 are wonderful. Soon after 5:20 the killer acid lines are back. They don't match the intensity of the initial buildup, and it feels like some potential was wasted in this track for the second climax. Never mind, the intensity of the first few minutes made up for it. Overall this track appears slightly out of place on this album, being heavy and industrial rather than more subtle/deep and forest-like, but it pulls it off nicely.

Favourites: 2, 5(!), 6, 8, 9(!), 10

Artists: Ohm Mind & Ossilator
Title: Travel Through Dimensions EP
Released: June 2, 2021

Welcome back to the very first episode of 'Synaesthetic After Dark' where we explore Ohm Mind & Ossilators newest release and learn a thing or two about friendship along the way.

https://ohm-mind.bandcamp.com/album/travel-through-dimensions-ep-2

Projects : JoYfull NaTives & Ohm Mind

Title : Maitreya Aum EP

Format : EP

Genre : Goa Trance

Label : Ohm Vibrations

Release date : 02/17/2021

Based on a true story...

I still remember the events of that day as if it was yesterday.

It was a beautiful summer morning and I had just taken place aboard the train. I leaned my back against the seat and in a moment of nostalgia, I took out my wallet and opened it. I always keep a picture of my daughter inside of my wallet. Since I divorced her mom, our relationships always had been... complicated, to say the least. But she was a big girl now, and she was getting married. I still couldn't believe that after two years of near silence, she sent me an invitation to the biggest day of her life.

She was living in Philadelphia and I was living in Boston. Since my car was under repair, I had to take the train, so I had chosen to travel with this company, the Maitreya Aum express. It was a two-step journey with a stop in the middle. There was the Ohm version that would take me from Boston to New York, and the Joyfull version that would take me from New York to Philadelphia. No big deal. And the pilots were personal friends of mine. Three pilots were sharing the locomotive's cab : Jérémy Cambon, also known as Ohm Mind, who was a fine Belgian man with a taste for acid, and a lovely couple of Portuguese citizens, Joana Osório and Nelson Conceição, who used to play together in jazz clubs under the name JoYfull NaTives. These guys were professionals. I knew I could trust them.

The train has started to move. Put in motion through a classical, yet very nice introduction that lasted for about 35 seconds, it started to move itself forward along the rail. I was finally going to see my daughter.

The heavy train was heading pleasantly to New York city. As it moved, it produced a flavoured newschool vibration and I was getting pictures all over my head. As I moved my gaze towards the window to look at the landscape passing by, I could see colourful multi-layered music made more delightful by a carefully chosen throat-singing sample that was neither too cliché nor too loud. As we passed by 02:38, i started tapping my left foot in rhythm. I was in a good mood, and I loved these kind of nervous Goa vibrations. My pleasure was only dimmed a little by a strange synth melody that started at around 02:54 and that i remember thinking that it was odd.

Anyway, it was now 03:33, and I was having a great time. At the thought of the upcoming wedding, I was feeling happy and younger. Everything was going to be OK. But then, at 04:27, I heard it again, but louder : the weird synth melody. An ominous vibration ran accross the train, and for about a minute, something felt wrong. The other passengers seemed to have felt it was well. It was at the moment that a voice arose : "Tickets please !".

As I handed my ticket to the middle-aged train inspector, I couldn't prevent myself from asking if that shaking was normal.

"Yes it is, Sir. Do not worry. It is just a psychedelic synth melody. Nothing unusual when it comes to Goa trance." I started to feel reassured, and as the track went on, the eerie feeling that had been dwelling in my stomach for a few minutes started to dissipate. It was now 07:00, and the song was blasting some good quality 604 with a sharp bassline. Little did I know that my earlier feeling was only the prelude to a tragedy that would be on first page of most newspapers on the day after.

The track ended gently as it arrived to New York station.

After a ten minutes stop, it was now time for the second part of the journey : Joyfull version. The distance between New York and Philadelphia was shorter, lasting only 7 minutes.

It had started so well. The intro was a sharp pinched harp melody followed by a strong bassline that sounded like an enhanced version of the previous track. It was clearer, more encompassing. And then there was this awesome build-up that started at around 01:50. God damn, they don't make of lot of these these days ! The track was boucing, grooving, gaining speed and quickly ascending toward excellency. There was again that strange, eerie melody at around 02:09, but at that point I did not really care. I was taken by this fiery song into my own Filterian realm. The bassline was stomping, the melodies were kicking, there was power and beauty. I was totally enjoying it.

Everyone in the wagon was getting dancy. Who could have guessed what would happen next ?

Life is a strange thing. One day you are rich, and the next you are poor. One day you are happy, and the next you're not. It can take everything from you, and there's nothing you can do about it. Unless you have gone through this yourself, you have no idea how much your world can change in the span of the second. Oh, how I wish I had been there at 03:00 in the locomotive with my pilot friends. What would I not give to go back in time and be transported just next to them, even for a fraction of a moment, just enough time to scream : "No ! Don't don't this ! It's dangerous you fools !" Sometimes I see this in my dreams, before waking up drenched in sweat, screaming all alone, in the middle of the night.

Do you remember that strange, bizarre melody at 04:27 on the previous track ? Well, Joyfull's version was about to cross this version of the mix. Their original intent was, I believe, to add even more craziness and energy to it. But they were going too fast, way too fast, and as the train approached that dangerous curve, everything changed within the blink of an eye.

All I know is that at 03:05, I was having a Goa blast, and the next second, I had entered a nightmare as the train started veering aside. In that fatidic 03:06 second, the whole train derailed at full speed and went crashing down on the side. As tons of heavy metal rolled over my head, crashing against each other in a rain of broken glass shards, the collapsing train emitted a loud, horrible shriek that I will never be able to forget. It sounded like an insane 12 years boy attempting the chiptune remix of some heretic OST right from the circus stage of some forbidden B-rank 2-bit game. It was as if some disillusioned man was ironing their laundry and suddenly mistook their ironing board with their keyboard synth, melting the keys with the red hot iron. It was horrible. All had started so well. How did we come to this ?

When I woke up, lying on the grass, 36 people had died and I had lost my legs. What had begun as a benign incident ended up as a tragic accident.

Since then, I've been dedicating my life to warning artists about their use of synths. Do not let this happen to you and to your relatives. Some melodies can be dangerous.

Bandcamp link : https://ohm-mind.bandcamp.com/album/maitreya-aum-ep

SCAN !!! IN MY OFFICE ! NOW !

Yes, Mr Jameson ?

I've read your last review.

It's pure crap.

But I, errr...

Boy, people hardly read reviews these days. Do you really think that I'm gonna sell papers when your reviews are all about obscure releases that you, with your crazy brain, have turned into train-wreck fan fictions ? Are you a moron or something ?

But Mr Jameson err...

Don't waste your saliva on me boy.

NOW GET OUT OF MY OFFICE WITH YOUR GOD DAMN REVIEW !!

to be continued...

Compilator : Mr. Vasta

Title : The Rising of Kukulkan

Format : Compilation

Genre : Goa Trance

Label : Timewarp Records

Release date : 03/26/2021

This is me when I first stumbled upon this compil while browing the Timewarp bandamp :

"Hmmmmm... Let's check that new compil with an awesome cover. So it reads : The Rising of Kuklu.... What ???"

Then I realised it actually reads Kukulkan and I pretty much felt like this :

So apparently, Kukulkan is just another name for the Feathered Serpent. Nothing to do with... sensitive issues. So, no, Timewarp Goa has nothing to do Nazis.

Unless... it's part of the plan. A kind of subliminal message to influence our brain and prepare our weak minds for the next race war. After all, Timewarp is a South American based label. And do you know where Nazis escaped after losing WW2 ? Bingo ! South America. Coincidence ?

Well, in order to check this out, I had to review this album. And this is what I found.

Cactus Arising - Quick Draws is the first track of it all. It's a Greek project that has been active for quite a few years now. The track is pretty average. Not so bad, not so good. Big full-on bassline, bubbling acid, the usual melodies. You can do better than this. You can... rise ?

Lectro Spektral Daze - More than 3 Dimensions 

Guys ! LSD is back. And he's in good shape ! Expect what you can expect from LSD : bouncing bassline, kaleidoscopic meldodies, progressive elegance with a bit of funk into it. Very good moment at 02:57, giving the impression of massive volumes shifting in space and folding into new kinds of dimensions, fitting with the track's title. I also like the subtle melody at 04:57 : it's light and powerful at the same time. Now, this is a track that he can be proud of, faithful to the Goa spirit yet creative and sounding like it's 2021. This is most nice.

JIS - The Point of No Return

I have a special love for JIS considering that Illusions of Reality is one of my favourite album ever. And this track is pretty much what you can expect from it : it's good, it's mellow, it's progressive. I also think that, as it's the case for most of his tracks, JIS relies too much on the classical Goa sound (you know, the kind of eastern feeling), because he's really better at exploring Fantasy sounds, crystalline melodies with a more 'western impression', just as in Blessed Unconsciousness for instance. It's a bit of a shame that he gives into the more classical approach when he really has a potential to explore new territories for which we are craving. Now, don't get me wrong, the track is good. But it's only good. JIS should attempt at making out-of-this-world tunes, he has it in himself. Unleash the Kraken bro. Make us wonder and dream. Please realize that you have a huge talent and that you can achieve masterpieces.

Somnesia - Pyramidal Dimension

Ah, Somnesia. The guy and I lived in the same tiny city for years but he never agreed to meet me, even though he played in the bar that's just under my grandma's flat. Hey Somnesia, are you afraid of meeting your fanbase's warm embrace ?

Somnesia eluding his fanbase :

As for the track itself, it's pretty good, but a little bland. As other reviewers have already pointed out, Somnesia's track suffer from a certain lack in power and creativity. The guys needs to add more muscle to his game. However, the melody at 08:11 is really sweet and interesting. It's the best part of the song.

Proxeeus - Kukulkan

Wow, the other tracks sound bland compared to this one. Really the hilight of this compil. Stomping bassline, multiple acid layers, euphoric hypnotic melodies, internal diversity, and a vague feeling of ominous-ness that's typical of Proxeeus' style. Again, this is what Goa Trance in 2021 should sound like. I think it's safe to say that Proxeeus is now one of the rising of the 3rd Goa generation alongside with Atlantis and Median Project.

Clementz - Overcoming Fear

This track is OK, but it's too formulaic, too predictable.

Median Project - Behind Closed Doors

As expected, a solid track with a lot of energy and melodies. There's this echoing sound at 01:44 that repeats itself a few times and that I like very much. However, Median Projects' songs tend to resemble one another too much IMHO, and I don't hear in them the kind of perfection you get when listening to Artifact303 (the project that's closest when it comes to the style). It's still a young project, so I believe that they have not yet reached full maturity, but when they will, it's gonna be something. Anyway, it's already way above average, so keep it up.

Neogenia - Memory Modulator (Modulated mix)

The track is built around a big bassline and the rest is pretty much filling up. However, there's a cool distorted melody at 04:38.

Spectrum - Panic in El Marrow

It's my first time listening to Spectrum. This song is Goa trance with Night Full-On influences. It is creative, the atmosphere is twisted and uncanny. But something feels amiss, because even though it's not too formulaic, it somehow feels bland. It's not a bad track, but there is room for progress.

Ion Vader - S19

This is a guy who used to make some very funny and enjoyable Nitzhogoa songs. This time it's like a blend of Goa, Forest and Full-On. The intro is efficient. The bassline is not very original, but it's well made and reminds of Dohm. I really like the dark climax at 07:09. It's not a masterpiece, but it's quite enjoyable.

The Rising of Kukulkan is a nice compilation that gathers some of the most interesting projects. These guys know how to make Goa, but they often stick to pre-defined Full-On and Goa formulas that prevents them from releasing the full potential of their imagination. However, the compil also displays how it's possible to renew the genre with tracks such as #2 (LSD) and #5 (Proxeeus). Median Project and JIS are creative but still a bit inclosed within the ordinary sound and shall aim at getting even more distinct, pushing their already unique style further away from what's already existing, and become more cosmic and dreamy. I feel like the others are behind. They all have good ideas, but the creative parts in the track only last for a few moments, while the rest of the sound is too predictable. They all make good Goa trance, they know how to do it. Now, you can be better than good and shoot for the stars.

Also, this artwork is amazing. It looks fresh and adventurous. We need more of these.

Keep it up.

Bandcamp link : https://timewarprecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-rising-of-kukulkan-by-mr-vatsa-timewarp156-timewarp

01. Muscaria & Malice In Wonderland - Black Lotus  06:32
02. Polyplexer - Let It Flow  08:02
03. Dark Elf - Veta Madre  06:59
04. Yann - Voyager II  06:25
05. Simia & Leso - Swamp Meeting  08:36
06. Thos Grol - The Magician's Hat  06:41
07. Antonymous & Biophotons - Uncertainty Principle  07:22
08. Tromo - Labyrinth of Madness  07:24
09. Algorithium & Ektomorph - Unplugged  08:49
10. Biohacker - Fantasy Corner  06:32

What you can expect through this compilation is powerful rhythms together with dark, blissful and strident sounds, electric and intense atmospheres. Of course if you are into forest, you will be curious to go through this experience, and while this compilation is loaded with all the goodness necessary to please the most experienced forest fans, I want to emphasize the fact that it is particularly dark and energetic. You will not hear a lot of melodies or breakdowns, these ingredients that usually work well on dark psychedelic trance are rare, but we have spooky pads as a nice substitute. It is a matter of taste, I reckon this type of music is very effective for underground parties. I also want to praise:

• Veta Madre by Dark Elf, a mysterious gem of the genre
• Voyager II by Yann, a very hypnotic and trippy number, more ethereal than the rest
• Uncertainty Principle by Antonymous & Biophotons, a very creative track reaching high proportions of psychedelia
• Unplugged by Algorithium & Ektomorph, same as above basically :-) a great intense and spooky track. 

Not to sound cliché but if you are into Derango, Ajja (Tulpa album), Dohm or Shivattva, just get this release now :-) this is brilliant underground food for the brain. Favorite tracks: #2, #3, #4, #7, #9. 

Rating: 8.5/10.
Listen / buy: https://sonicloom.bandcamp.com/album/v-a-collective-intelligence 

Projects : Ohm Mind & Proxeeus

Title : Beyond Our Dreams

Format : EP

Label : Omh Vibrations

Genre : Goa Trance

Release date : 04/21/2021

Dear Lord, that cover art is ugly. It looks as cheap as a counterfeit EDM album printed in a obscure Chinese warehouse by fake producers.

I mean, the guys just typed « forest » and « nebula background » on Google Pictures and mashed it together before stamping two pics of the Moon onto it like kids stamping stickers on a fridge. You've got to be damn sure of your musical content to not give a fig about your presentation.

And oh my, the music does it. It makes you forget about their lazy taste in visual art. It just works.
 

This EP is a collaboration between Jérémy Cambon aka Ohm Mind, from Brussels, Belgium, and Jérôme Lesterps aka Proxeeus, citizen of Orléans, France. They share the same taste for acidic Goa trance and have been in touch for quite a few years already. It is written on their Bandcamp page that this EP was conceived as a well-kept surprise. Now, what's inside the package ?

Inside you will find three very groovy Goa songs that will make you happy.

Alien Intelligence can be described as simple and efficient in design. The melodies, the intro, the climax are all very common, but they do the work. However, the bassline is terrific. It doesn't sound that different from your average neo goa sound, but there is a subtle difference that makes of it something special. It sounds more like a fat piece of techno noise rather than full-on or Goa. It is a heavy, heavy bassline that gives gravity to the whole song, and the melodic elements are more like salt and pepper. It's pumping relentlessly like some sort of heavy machine. I like it very much.
 

Beyond Our Dreams has a nice acidic intro, and it also has a magical tech-ish, dirty bassline. There is not much to add to the commentary, since it greatly resembles the previous track, if not that they made more efforts on the melodies. There are nice distorted, twisted riffs and raw acidic effulgences that are all pretty nice and effective.

Brainwashing is the hilight of this release. It's more full-on-ish, but also darker and more twisted. It succesfully creates a cyberpunk atmosphere that goes well with its track title. A cold bassline, sinister ambient layers, acidic modulations all depict a dark rusty place full of misery and digital dreams. It's like the feeling of being trapped in the depths of some hive city and paying a dubious guy to have some weird psycho memories implemented into your sick brain or something. I will not go as far as saying that this is a masterpiece, but it's the kind of track that make the genre evolve, or at least, still alive and kicking.

As I said above, it's simple and elegant. The bassline is the very good point of Beyond Our Dreams, and Brainwashing stands out with its special cyberpunk atmosphere. Solid. As they say in France, c'est de la bonne.

Now, you can have it for the price of your regular French pastry, and it's just as fat, so go buy it.

Bandcamp link : https://ohm-mind.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-our-dreams-ep

Artists: Various
Title: organic Fractal Vol.1
Label: Shemballa Records
Release: 1st March 2021
Compiled By: Royroy & Majinaor

Tracklist:-

1. Astrogano - Kind Of Redemption?
2. Sykespico - Energy Of The Universe
3. Quantum Dynamics - Apollo
4. Cypher - Rave Movement
5. Event Horizen - Letting Go
6. Fuzzonaut - Heykhan Ze Hadavar
7. GoAtmika - Came To Me In A Dream
8. Laughing Skull - Highway To Hell
9. Majinaor - Inspire The Liars

~

We going Oldschool, too much music to listen to and not enough time.
~
Organic Fractals is the first release from newcomer label Shemballa Records, I made a joke about them in the Promotional section that was to funny to repeat here.

For real though fuck, I'm actually drowning under music right now. Where the fuck are all these releases coming from?

Ah shit, well we're in it now.

The album reminds me of Mamomams Records First Va - 604 Syndrome. Not in the style of trance per se, but a rare bread of Goa/Psy that I might actually prefer in a club than outdoors.....Ok I'll always prefer the outdoors, but it gets close. It would work, I say Goa can survive in clubs now days, and labels like these guys are doing their bit. Ok well first release, so who knows what these guys are gonna do. But it's banger

~

Astrogano starts it off nicely, A full complete but caressing sound, like a room full of carpeted walls. Prettily hypnotizing.

Sykespico Does what Sykespico does. A disco ball Goa rocker. These guys deserve a roller rink to be named after them. You're gonna need squares skates & bell bottom jeans if you want to get down to this track, forget about those cool blades that all the speedsters use, those aren't for us. Not as many Screaming moments as in their last album, these guys are always developing but always bring the right attitude along to the party.

Quantum Dynamics Apollo Feels alive and healthy enough to get through 4 more pandemics. Bring it on baby! The twisting knobs come and go from in n' around the bars and then leave some others. Dynamic and nothing short of engaging.

Cypher's Rave Movement is a serious real deal no holds barred smooth rocker. It's so funky, I dunno, highly recommend and would have bought this album just for it. A favorite from the album.

Event Horizon knows what he is doing. I think he's super under rated, probably one of the crazier fun artists who gets lost in the wave of Goa that's crushing down around us. His sound is super clean here and the melodies and finale are on point. Event Horizon has a beautiful habit of going hard for his final act.

Fuzzonaut is a mood changer for sure, we just got a secondment into another feel. Maybe forget what I said about in door club music, or maybe don't, I cant tell. The stacked leads that come in let me know that Fuzzonaut knows exactly what he is doing. The song turns straight up wild.

GoAtmika's Came To Me In A Dream stands out for it's crazy wild arpeggiated OR gatored melody. I still don't really know what an arpeggio is, but it's one of the two. it's crazy, and flailing, and sparing with the layers that it stacks. But all those layers are perfect, the notes have have twists, bends and fx on their edges that wrap them around at the last moment before they are replaced with more psychedelically fun unpredictable sounds.

Laughing Skull is known for crazy boisterous stuff yes? (I wrote that before I heard the first melody (and it feels good to be right)). Like an archer drawing a bow Laughing Skull draws and releases torrent after torrent of blasting noises our way.

Majinaor  - The guys who run the label have a little track for us. And what a way to bring it to us. Even if this whole label was just a ploy to get their name out there i'm all aboard. The melody never ends and carries it's way through the song with tact.

~

Who are these artists? Why do they all sound so good? I recognise some of the names but the album is great and has a fun maturity to it. I recognise Fuzzonaut, I think I even have his Shunyavada album, In fact I do, and i dont listen to it, I don't know why, I definitely have listened to it before, and just never got back to it. There is too much music, and I only listen to like 2 genres. Like I said, I'm drowning in good music. So i guess thanks to these assholes over at Shembella Records who selfishly just gave me another source of music and bunch of artists that I need to listen to.

Fantastic first release with some playful, fun and well developed psychedelic Goa sounds.

https://shemballarecords.bandcamp.com/album/organic-fractal-vol-1

Project : Dominant Space

Title : Imagination

Format : EP

Genre : Full-on, Uplifting, Hard Trance

Label : Otographic Music

Release date : 03/29/2021

Otogragraphic is a Japanese label specialized in high quality Uplifiting and Hard Trance, so I was surprized to see that they issued a psy-oriented release. However, we shall notice that the Japanese EDM scene is very versatile and many projects can produce their music in all sorts of styles. So, let's talk about this EP.

Dominant Space was formed in 2017 by progressive house artist Yuji Ono and DJ masa8. Their style is a blend of European uplifting trance, hard trance and psytrance.

There are only two tracks in this EP : an original track, and its remix.

Imagination is a song without an introduction. It's a direct full-on blast with a massive full-on bassline similar in style to the current-day Perfecto Records releases and other British-based labels. The psychedelic build-up leads to an enthralling Goa moment at 01:48 that is well appreciated. Then it becomes pure uplifting trance with an exciting and passionate atmopshere preceding a flow of acid loops. The track ends as abruptly as it starts, but it doesn't need an intro or outra. It's a powerful piece of trance that's convincing both on the psychedelic and uplifting side. It is very satisfying to listen to.

Taishi's remix is more of a psy-influenced piece of hard trance. It is a bit slower and more progressive, and the track is noticeably shorter, but the special effects are heavy, being very raw and loud. Taishi's remix brings at the same time more brutality and subtlety to the track, by deepening the atmopshere and using screaming synths at the same time. The drop at 03:15 is absolutely insane and its like a tsunami of madness. This is exactly what i like about the Japanese EDM scene : they are very passionate and overflowing with energy that they push to the limits. (Early Jikooha is a good example of that.) That's the kind of daring spirit that we in Europe shall get inspired from, so the more that the Japanese are massively influenced by our own scene that they emulate at perfection, and in fact, they are often better at what we do than ourselves.

It's a nice, well-made EP that'll fill you up with energy.

Beatport link : https://www.beatport.com/release/imagination/3301077

Project : OmegaHertz

Title : Accelerating Universe

Format : Single

Label : Elxis Discographic

Genre : Goa Trance

Release Date : 02/22/2021

I am one to believe that whoever really wants to enjoy a fragment of music needs to understand the intent that preceded its creation. Only then will its true purpose be shared from mind to mind. To say that music is an assembly of sounds is like saying that a book is an assembly of words. We need to be touched by something more meaningful, lest our journey into sound becomes vain and futile, and the songs we once loved fall one by one deep down the pit of blank memories.

This is Accelerating Universe, a recent release by Dimitrios Pouranis, from Athens. A rumbling of scorching acid, disorderly melodies and vocal samples from astrophysicists. This is the kind of track that gets under the radar easily. With less than 70 views on Youtube, you can't tell that it's a succesfull piece of Goa. Yet, it is one of the only 3 Goa songs that brought me to tears. Listening to it while you read this review will help you understand why.

I shall talk of the human heart. It might be the most precious thing in the universe, the utmost delicate flower of all Creation. Yet, few will contest that it also is one of the most fragile things in existence. Lighter than a butterfly, and weaker than a bacteria. Your heart was meant to give you joy and contemplate wonders, and yet it becomes the receptacle of pain, and when it is too much, it breaks like glass falling to the ground, or becomes as heavy as a stone.

Yet we live surrounded by the wonders we were meant to ponder upon. A glaze at the nightsky will make you dream of distant nebulas and fiery stars. Once you have understood this, you can appreciate this song.

In the beginning of the song, there is enthousiasm. It means life. And then, at 01:21, a voice comes and talk to you :

All life is precious, and I will endure. The world is full of wonders and you can still feel beauty.

And at 2:14, the heart responds :

I am broken and shattered. My tears are blinding me and life has made me sick.

But I do remember that somewhere out of here, the sky is in a daze.

The ever-expanding beauty of the Universe is greater than my pain.

Even when I cry at night, the nebulas are flowing, and the galaxies are spinning.

So this shall be my song. I will forgive myself.

The voice of the broken heart is a broken voice. It is made hoarse by grief, and comes out as clumsy and stumbling, like an injured body learning to walk again.

And yet, it sings loudly and with radiating hope. Even if my heart is broken, I still remember

that the Universe is accelerating, dwarfing all sadness.

This is a song that dissolves my pain into cosmology. Indeed, what will be left of my pain when a magnifying Sun will turn all things into light and propel new kinds of metal all around the Galaxy ?

My broken heart will be blown like the seeds of a new civilization, and I will become one with the Universe, with its rainbows of colors and sounds.

04:43 And even in the darkest places, my light keeps shining.

5:52 So sing with me, and be happy.

7:23 I know at last that there is peace among the stars.

Bandcamp link : https://omegahertzgr.bandcamp.com/track/accelerating-universe

Generally feel free to let us know: Where is, in your opinion, the true hippie stuff within new psychedelic trance music?

Artist: Suduaya

Title: Starseeds

Release: 22nd of Jan, 2021

Tracklist:-

1. Flow (intro)
2. The Sun in Your Heart
3. Starseeds
4. Cruisin'
5. Warm & Fuzzy
6. 555
7. You are Here Now
8. Compassion is a Vibration
9. Unconditional Love (Part 2)
10. Turba
11. Kārwān
12. The Calligrapher
13. Flying Carpet

https://suduaya.bandcamp.com/album/starseeds

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https://www.psynews.org/forums/index.php?/topic/54539-solar-fields-movements/
https://www.psynews.org/forums/index.php?/topic/56930-fragletrollet-playground-of-spirit-shaman-film-records-media
https://www.psynews.org/forums/index.php?/topic/54395-crop-circles-tetrahedron
https://www.psynews.org/forums/topic/73083-martian-arts-giant-locusts-tip-records/

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