JonCrow

I suspected this name might come up. Like a lot of other people, I hope his just-released work turns out to be exceptional!

Name some of your favourite and well-composed/devised concept albums from any psytrance genre or artist. Alternatively, name some of the concepts you perceive from your favourite albums. Obvious examples are space, flying through space, earth, fire, wind, water, mountains, desert, the sea, demons, ghosts, animals, plants, gnomes, mushrooms, the future, walking through a forest or castle or haunted house, the ancient past, fairies, love, hate, mysticism, spirituality, light, darkness, chaos, order, destruction, the sun, flying towards the sun, the moon, walking on the moon, daytime, nightime, morning, afternoon, midnight, sunrise, enlightenment, creation, aliens, industrial/mechanisation, wisdom, death, softness, hardness, strength, tribal culture and crystal skulls/yeti's etc etc etc Even if the artist hasn't intended the album to be based around a concept/s but you think it does or it always conjures the same distinct imagery or feelings in you when you listen to it. Describe this. If you can be bothered please outline the concept/s of the album and how you think it progresses aurally, mentally, visually, technically to create the resultant thematic symbol. Post a concurrent picture/image/photograph/drawing if you like(there is already a thread dedicated solely to this). Maybe they got the front cover just right? Argue with your fellow psytrance members about how you think it symbolises this and he/she thinks it symbolises that and/or defies conceptualisation altogether, and all of you will be correct! Please begin!

The higher bpm tracks from YB's Flock of Beeps is another example of the production or quality that I'm looking for. Ordered Scizzoeffective. Already have most of X-Dream material. Maybe thinking of Process next? Probably the first album, "One Drop or Two" to begin with as Mr Vaughn is involved. Will consider and research Sensient as well. What's the best album to start with? Some techtrance and minimal kind of fits what I'm after but it can often be just way too dry for me. I like stimulation(both melodic and non-melodic) and groove to be injected sonically into my trance state. I need to feel that living presence, heart and spirit in the music that jumps out, grabs you and takes you along because that producer/composer was dedicated and talented and wanted to give what he believed in, felt and composed as an aural gift. So long as it has that presence I couldn't care less what style it is or called. So much uninspired copying and genre-based cookie-cutter composition. I love and want darkness in some psy, but don't want evil, scratching, grating, grinding overloaded crowded heaviness. Subconciousmind's album, Intermezzo Extended is very cool. I know I'm jumping all over the fucking place here style/genre-wise in my requests but where's the really good inspired original psytrance that I'm missing from my collection? Jon

Thanks. That's a good start as I've already got that album in my collection but I've never given it a listen. I'll take it on the road to work with me today. An album that I plan to pick up next that kind of fits what I'm looking for is Triac - Mean Between(bit of a darker atmos). Though it probably leans a bit too close to the pure progressive side of things and I'd love some material that is darker and more twisted than this. I'm looking for something that is plain psytrance orientated that is dark, clean, twisted and/or industrial and/or gothic and/or alien/sci-fi orientated/themed. That's not too much to ask is it. I drive for a living and it's distracting and sometimes disorientating if you're overwhelmed by a wall of sound layers that's attempting to fuck my mind over. I might give the Delta a listen this weekend to test it out. Jon

Hi, I'd appreciate some psytrance recommendations. A prominent example of the style of sound I'm looking for is "Prometheus - Robot.O.Chan." I love the clean production. Not too many layers. It never seems to get boring or overloaded and hard on the ears. Each track is nicely themed, progressive and fairly distinct from the last. I'd also welcome and be open to artists or albums that are much darker, but again I'm not a huge fan of excessive bunching/layering.........at this point in my listening career. I do recognise that sometimes increased listening attention can pay dividends in that(high layering) area. I don't mind cheese and samples if it's well done. Clean, heavy and unique basslines preferred. Early Infected Mushroom material is another example I'll give. If you suggest an artist It would be great if you could also post a standout track or album. I hope I've given enough to go on. All and any of your suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance. Jon

Ordered: "Vital Signs' is a concept compilation comprised of tracks that were custom created for this project by renown artists such as Aes Dana, Asura, Solar Fields, Cell, Androcell, and Distant System. Each artist was carefully chosen and assigned a specific track title/theme to interpret the essence of their 'Vital Sign' through the sonic medium. Title assignments were based according to each artist's individual music style. Together, like the modular structure of sub-systems in the body, the tracks function as an interconnected unit which depend on each other to complete the whole. Each 'Vital Sign' serving as a reminder that these systems are operating and we are alive." 1

Another fairly homogeneous entry, these arrived in my mail-box today courtesy of Mr Zen:

I'm sorry for being so intense. I shouldn't impose behavioural values onto others. Everyone learns in their own time and way, who am I to call the shots. I was just trying to balance the thread out a little. Jon

Some of you here have great knowledge of this genre of music and I appreciate visiting to gain a bit of insight for future album purchases. Music aside, many of the words and attitudes that are being thrown around in this thread and beyond smell like shit. Whether someone is out of line, or wrong, or bringing it onto themselves, you, by responding with petty immaturity and ill-directed force, end up insulting and betraying yourself and (thankfully) displaying the evolutionary stage and/or quality of your own mind/heart/being/personality etc. The weak-minded often tend to band together and they usually deserve one another. This post will most likely fall on deaf ears and I welcome any flaming etc with open arms, baby!

To cut it extremely short in terms of my own listening experience: Goa Trance Pro: Melody Con: Repetition in Genre Psytrance Pro: Variety Con: No/less melody If I listened to Goa exclusively I'd get a bit tired of some repetitive elements. If I listened to Psy exclusively I'd miss the melodies that Goa provides. I love them both at various times and moods and feel they each compliment the other fantastically.

Jaia - Blue Energy is one of my favourites that hasn't been mentioned. Nicely varied and original with a smooth balanced flow.

I think I remember. Downloaded and listening to it now, thanks!

First time:

Got a great new HD laptop with an i5 processor, 8 gig of ram, nice sound card and a Radeon 5650(Stalker, Bioshock, Crysis and Far Cry 2 here I come) to play, order, and download music on. Also got mobile Broadband. Jon

Bluetech - Oleander (Phutureprimitive Symbiotic Remix)

Ordered:

Fahrenheit Project Collection Aes Dana - Season 5 Shpongle - Ineffable Mysteries VA - Bioluminescence Optica - All the Colours of the Rainbow From the last 3 months. Don't have the net at home yet. I think there was one more that I may have forgotten for now. Jon =)

It's great! A festival of samples that harks back to U.F.Orb!

Overall, Lateralus. Must have played it at least a thousand times. For nostalgic value Aenima sits higher as it helped get me through the last 2 years of high school back when it was released. I love both 10,000 days and Undertow. I've over-listened all of them way way way too much though. Haven't played them in a few years because of this. There's supposedly a new album in the works. A little off-topic but I'm a big fan of Alex Grey's artwork also and have got 2 of his books in hardcover with a "special" case. Jon

I like what I've heard so far. I think I'll enjoy this one more than the last Shpongle album. Seems to be nothing ground-breaking but certainly enjoyable for my tastes. Looking forward to it arriving at my door and hearing the whole thing! As for the cover, I neither like nor dislike it. It's not particularly original or imaginative IMO. There are thousands of locations and yogis that look like that in India. However, if the yogi is actually levitating then I'll happily eat these words and sing some praise. Some of the same photographic artists other work is great!

It was sitting there for a few weeks before I finally bought it. Also I was about to pay 30+ Euro for Butterfly Dawn when I found it for 10 Euro on Amazon! Processed that transaction like lightning. My purchases from now on will be drastically reduced. Scored a really nice well-priced house in the mountains, AWAY from the city! Move in this weekend! Yeah!