pr0fane

Artist: POTS (Prisoners Of The Sun) Title: Creating Social Success Label: Tribal Vision Format: CD (Jewelcase with 8 page inlay and DJ-insert) Released: November, 2005 Review: After 3 progressive compilations and 1 part-album/part-remixes (Mellers "Rockable"), the hottest new label on the progressive scene, Czech Tribal Vision is ready with their 1st full length album (and their 5th release in just 1 year) - the 2nd album from POTS, perhaps better known to some as Prisoners Of The Sun. POTS is a german duo which consists of Archim Lüthje (also a part of the duo Expect) and Thomas Wilhelmy - they have been releasing music for over half a decade, and was one of the major players in the minimal/progressive wave around the millennium, resulting in releases on almost all the key players on the progressive scene, labels like Iboga, Spiral Trax, ZMA, Plastik Park, Flow, Tatsu, Medium and the late Sunset Records, where they also released their debut album "Are You Scientific Enough?" back in 2001. Apart from a few tracks on compilations here and there, not much has been heard from POTS in later years though - until now, where their new album "Creating Social Success" in on the street: 01. Crystal Cream [130 BPM] "Crystal Cream" gets straight to the point, with a very simple, yet quite positive melody, at first reminding me of some early german progressive, but slowly evolving, getting deeper and warmer, and at the end it feels like getting embraced by a nice, warm blanket. Super sweet opener. 02. Hello Kitty [132 BPM] The laidback "Hello Kitty" take the album in a groovier direction, and it's a wonderful progressive psytrance/progressive house crossover tune. Seriously funky but in a mellow, lazy way and constantly developing with lots of fine little twists and turns along the way. I'm not really into guitars in trance, but the guitars at the end here, are quite delicious, and are a nice touch to a very good tune. 03. Trance Popper [128 BPM] "Trance Popper" is one of the more distinct tunes on the album: it has a very heavy tribal house-oriented groove, lazy but still phat as hell. A gloomy and somewhat strange humming melody enters in the break after 3½ minutes - it feels a bit awkward at first, but as soon as those delicious retro-house and trance pads enter, it's all good. Really great track. 04. Bravo [132 BPM] Next up is the aptly named "Bravo", definitely the most melodic tune on the album, and by far one of my favourites. It has a very distinct wobbly groove with some energetic tribal percussion, and the melodies are simply beautiful on the verge on being epic - not in the increasingly popular cheesy "in-your-face" way, but more thoughtful and on the deep and subtle side. My favourite tune on the album, and the kind of tune that would fit perfectly into an early morning set at a small, intimate party. Bravo! 05. Botox Party [128 BPM] "Botox Party" feels like the logical followup to "Trance Popper", so the morning hymn "Bravo" breaks the flow a little in my opinion. "Botox Party" isn't a bad tune though, groovy progressive psytrance/tribal house crossover with a slightly darkish atmosphere - fine night-tune for the clubs, but not among my favourites. 06. Groove Garden [134 BPM] Tempo is raised with "Groove Garden", which despite the title, puts the house-influences in the background, and takes the album deeper into the progressive psytrance territory. A simple, naïve arpeggiator-melody grooves along totally unaffected while sweet, floating pads are in the background, with some marvellous reverbed tech'ish stabs flying back and forth. Marvelous tune. 07. Eifelgold [140 BPM] Things get a lot faster with "Eifelgold", a tune with a very pre-2002 progressive sound, putting the groove aside and focusing more on a quite static, pumping minimal bassline. Some electric guitar samples seem to be the highlighted theme of the track, with some shallow pads in the background, providing a hint of light. Good, but never really shines as one of the better tunes here. 08. Dandy Division [138 BPM] Although not as pumping and energetic as the previous track, "Dandy Division" almost maintain the relatively high tempo and somewhat oldschool-progressive sound. It's pleasant and dance-friendly morning progressive psytrance, but like the previous track I found it among the weaker tunes on the album - it simply doesn't impress as much as some of the slower tracks. 09. Tussy De Luxe [134 BPM] Last but not least "Tussy De Luxe" ends the compilation in style. Definitely a wonderful, laidback morning tune with nice, soothing pads and sweet guitar-samples, resulting in a very appealing, mellow vibe. After the last two, somewhat disappointing tracks, this is the perfect come-down from a truly great album. Bottom line: A few months ago POTS where featured on Tribal Visions "Inner Circle" compilation with the track "Pole Position Club", and to be honest I found that track very disappointing. Based on that my expectations for "Creating Social Success" where pretty low, but luckily I must say that the album came through as a very positive surprise, with a very sophisticated mixture of morning and night-time progressive psytrance of both the past and present, progressive- and tech-house and slight elements of tribal as well. I doubt it's capable of competing with some of the biggest progressive highlights of the year (Ticon, Antix and Jaïa) in dance floor "hit" potential though. Sure there are some fine dance floor tracks, and most progressive DJ's will probably buy this for their case, but generally I find it too laidback and doubt it's as easy-digestible as the average dancer is requesting. Don't let that fool you though: I love "Creating Social Success", and find the depth, subtleness and attention to detail a huge quality. For home-listening, I find this is one of the best progressive albums in 2005, and I can only recommend it. Favourites: 1, 2, 3, 4 (!!), 6 (!!), 9 (!!) Verdict: 8,5/10 Link: Tribal Vision Records: http://www.tribalvision.cz

I bought it, but to be quite frank I've only had the chance to listen to it twice - there has just been so many nice progressive releases lately. My impression of the album is so-so - quite darkish progressive house/trance with very, very strong tribal influences. Nothing bad, but didn't leave a big impression either.

Ignore all the talk about him being a "legend" and all - If you like listening to really dark psychedelic with horrible mixing for 18 hours straight, then go. If not, stay at home. I've been at one of his parties last year, and had to leave after 3-4 hours - I don't regret going, but I won't ever attend another one of his monster-set parties again

You should check out his progressive house set then: http://www.psynews.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=27655&hl=

Thanks a lot Krell, always constructive feedback coming from you

I have read a lot about it, and in theory it sounds very interesting. Still, I haven't really experimented with it myself - I still have enough trouble just matching the kicks

It's Dali - you might know her tune "Colors Band", which by far is the worst track to ever be released on HOMmega Records. Bad production, horrible killargh riffs and some teeth-wrenching off-tune vocals. Needless to say, it's been a huge hit at festivals and parties this year... sigh...

Title: Digital Delights Made by: DJ pr0fane (Dance N Dust Records) - Denmark Style: Progressive psytrance Recorded: Saturday the 12th of November Total playing time: 78:31 Format: Extreme VBR MP3 Size: 146 MB Gear: 2xNumark Axis2 CDJs, Behringer DX626 Mixer and Technics RPDJ-1210 headphones. Greetings! After 2 progressive psytrance sets with elements of progressive house ("Rise") and full on ("Euphoria") I felt the time was for a pure progressive psytrance set - so here it is, "Digital Delights"! "Digital Delights" includes highlights from some of the absolutely freshest releases from labels like Iboga, Digital Structures, Tribal Vision, Green Ant, Plastik Park and, of course, Dance N Dust Records - and I even found room for a sweet, old favourite of mine, the amazing "Atmoliner" by Amtrax (Atmos and Marcus from X-Dream) released back in 2002. I tried putting a lot of emphasis on the flow, going from very tight psychedelic progressive, raising in intensity before finishing with some epic, fluid trance. Did I succeed? Well, that's really up to you, the listener. Note that "Digital Delights" is around 20-25 minutes shorter than my last 2 sets. I prefer longer sets myself, but because I wanted it to fit on an audio CD (for promotional reasons) I couldn't make it any longer. Anyways - enjoy these "Digital Delights", and don't forget to support the fine artists and labels. Tracklist: 01. Meller - Aurora (Vibrasphere Remix) // Tribal Vision 02. Behind Blue Eyes - Brumbasse // Iboga (Unreleased) 03. Decoy - Fatty Finn // Dance N Dust 04. Liquid Soul - Dreamdancer // Plastik Park 05. Yotopia vs. Lish - Intoxicated // Flow 06. Lish - Sunday Muse // Com.Pact 07. Nyquist - Singularity (FREq Revision) // Iboga 08. Sun Control Species - Horizontalizm // Green Ant 09. FREq - Strange Attractor (Liquid Soul Remix) // Iboga 10. Son Kite - Catch // Iboga 11. Ticon - In The Dirt // MPDQX/Digital Structures 12. Amtrax - Atmoliner // Spiral Trax International 13. Ticon - Rip It Up // MPDQX/Digital Structures URL: http://www.doei.org/misc/pr0fane_-_digital_delights.mp3 My last 2 mixes can be found here: http://www.psynews.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=27650 ("Rise" - progressive house/trance) http://www.psynews.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=27239 ("Euphoria" - progressive trance/full on)

Wowoowowoww look tis wideo real kiler!!! Pur dance flor kiler liek onli spirtual bom shankar babas infected mushrooms now how to do it !!! http://ohel-shem.com/~asaf1/Infected%20Mus...ng%20Insane.wmv Inzane !!!!!!

I like it. Waiting for the next edition

The Man With No Name tune is pretty fucking amazing in my opinion.

Artist: Various Title: Set:6 Evolved - compiled by DJ Frequence Label: Iboga Format: CD (Jewelcase with 4 page inlay) Released: October, 2005 Review: After the rather successful 5 first editions, the extremely busy Danish label Iboga Records is ready with the 6th edition of the "Set"-compilations saga. Behind the wheel this time is DJ Frequence: perhaps a name that doesn't sound that familiar, but I'm quite FREq will have a familiar ring to all progressive psytrance fans - unless of course you've been living on a deserted Island the last 2 years. He has compiled a quite interesting list of new tracks and remixes, and as always when it's coming from Iboga, the expectations are sky high. 01. FREq - Carbon Based Lifeform (Sun Control Species Remix) [135 BPM] The compilation starts with a Sun Control Species remix of "Carbon Based Lifeform", one of the most memorable tracks from FREq's "Strange Attractors" album released last year. Sun Control Species' version is really banging - less atmospheric than the original, but with a phatter, rolling bassline. Not really as good as the original, but a solid dance floor track. 02. FREq - Strange Attractor (Liquid Soul Remix) [135 BPM] Next up is a remix of the title-track from "Strange Attractors", this time made by the Swiss Liquid Soul, who have really gotten a breakthrough this year with releases on Iboga, DOMO, Plusquam and SOG. Nicolas remix is a true dance floor bomb, extremely raw and powerful and just bursting with energy. Without a doubt one of the most blasting progressive trance tracks I've heard this year, definitely made with the dance floors as the prime focus. 03. Beckers - Switch (Ace Ventura Remix) [132 BPM] 3rd track is another remix, this time with Yoni Oshrats (of Psysex and Schatsi fame) Ace Ventura project remixing one of the biggest partyhits of the year, Frank Beckers's massive "Switch". Yonis version is certainly aimed towards the more psychedelic dancefloors, with a less electro-driven bassline and some added hypnotic tribal percussion. For most part it works really well, with my only point of criticism being that I feel some energy is lost after the final looooong buildup. Overall a nice remix though. 04. Zen Mechanics - Environmental Porn [135 BPM] Wouter Thomassen is one of the more diverse new producers on the psychedelic scene, with releases ranging from full on to ambient and progressive trance on labels like Aleph Zero, Dance N Dust and Iboga. "Environmental Porn" is one of his more progressive productions, using some quite standard full on'ish sounds and delicate vocals on top of a driving, progressive groove. Certainly not a bad tune, but not my favourite either. 05. Morax - Lost In The Woods [134 BPM] Morax is perhaps better known as one half of the techtrance project Triac, with releases on HOMmega, DOMO and Candyflip and an upcoming album on Moonflower. After the first 4 powerful tracks, "Lost In The Woods" take the compilation in a more laidback direction, very atmospheric and with some quite catchy grooves. Nice work, but I would have preferred it without the acid-like sounds in the last couple of minutes, which feel distracting in an otherwise nicely polished track. 06. Casa Flava - Further South (Deep Mix) [130 BPM] The duo Casa Flava is a well-known name in the non-psy progressive scene, with releases on important labels like Renaissance, Perfecto and Plastic Fantastic - but this is their first appearance on a "psy" release. "Further South (Deep Mix" is previously released on 12", but that doesn't distract from the fact that this tune is really marvellous - extremely deep and groovy, with a engaging atmosphere to die for. Outstanding! 07. Nyquist - Singularity (FREq Revision) [132 BPM] FREq himself is up next with a revision of one of his own tracks, "Singularity" written under his new Nyquist sideproject. I haven't heard the original, but FREq's sound is very distinct here with his well-known tight production and a harsh and precise pumping groove. This is also a bit gloomier than some of the later more psychedelic FREq-releases, and it suits his very sound well - as a matter of fact I consider it one of his best releases in a while. 08. Manuel Duego - Disseption [130 BPM] Next track is from a very pleasant surprise: Manuel Duego from Israel. This is - as far as I know - his first release, and it certainly doesn't show. A very enjoyable housey tune, far from the usual Israeli sound, with a nice, laidback attitude. Perhaps I would have preferred it with some more variation, but a really good tune nevertheless. + Nasser - Vovoli [132 BPM] Finishing the compilation is Nasser from Israel, who previously appeared on releases from Midijum and Aeon Records. With "Vovoli" he takes the compilation back into the more psychedelic territory, with a quite distinct tune - laidback and groovy, quite tribal and with some psychedelic elements as well. Perhaps not among the most enjoyable tracks here, but among the more interesting ones, and a nice added bonus. Bottom line: As expected the 6th "Set" compilation was really good. There's a fine mix of progressive psytrance dance floor music and more laidback progressive house crossover tunes, and while the flow on the CD perhaps isn't really that consistent, there's just so much quality material, that you as a progressive psytrance DJ or an avid home listener, simply can't avoid this release. Basically none of the tracks are bad, and the highlights are truly stunning. Iboga have done it again - "Set:6 Evolved" is among the best chapters in the series so far, and a very recommended buy. Favourites: 1, 2(!!), 3, 5, 6 (!!), 7, 8 Verdict: 8/10 Link: Iboga Records: http://www.iboga.dk

Yes full on is bad because a lot of people have said it on forums !!!

I haven't really liked anything from Astral Projection since the extremely disappointing "Dancing Galaxy" album, but the sample of "Open Society" actually sounds pretty darn nice to me. Surprising. I also like the sound of the Lish remix of Wizzy Noise

I didn't find much electro in this album

Artist: Meller Title: Rockable Label: Tribal Vision Format: CD (Jewelcase with 12 page inlay and DJ-insert) Released: November, 2005 Review: After 3 compilations containing a mix of progressive house and progressive psytrance for both the night and daytime, the promising new Czech label Tribal Vision is ready with their first artist-release: the new Meller album "Rockable", also containing 5 remixes - mostly by some well-known artists from the Tribal Vision roster. Meller consists of the two German DJ's Mel and Scherer, and while it perhaps isn't the most well-known act on the progressive scene, they have a bunch of releases in their biography, including a full length album, "Solar Drums", released last year on AP Records. So ... 5 tracks from Meller, and 5 remixes of those same tracks - Looks like a quite interesting concept. Let's see if it can live up to Tribal Visions high standard so far. 01. Rockable [140 BPM] "Rockable" opens the album with a short and very strange intro, which frankly made me consider if my copy was damaged. The bassline kicks in after only 1 second, and is banging psychedelic "German" festival progressive from the start - not really that groovy, and with a few very cheesy guitar-samples and some heavy percussion. Didn't really appeal to me. 02. Fatboy [140 BPM] Things get a bit darker with "Fatboy", which is less of a daytime festival tune than the opener and more a nighttime progressive stomper. Some gloomy pads set the atmosphere, but the most dominant element is the male theme sample "I am the great thick rockboy...", giving the track some distinctiveness - but not enough to really make me appreciate the track overall. 03. My Favourite Man [140 BPM] Up next is "My Favourite Man", and to me it's definitely the most interesting of the original tracks. A very corny sample of a drunk guy, which sounds like a cutout from an old live jazz-recording, is the theme of the track, and it really works like a charm, giving the track a nice, humorous touch - add to that some fairly funky and catchy grooves and the result is a quite good outdoor groover. 04. Phase Nacht [140 BPM] As the title implies "Phase Nacht" takes the album back into the night territory, and it is definitely the most minimal track on the album, with a tight bass and a very static groove. Some of the percussion works quite well, but what is up with that random, out of tune melody? Didn't really like the track, and for me it was a low-point on the album. 05. Aurora [135 BPM] Things improve a great deal with final original track "Aurora" though, the most laidback and mellow track so far, and one of the standouts. The male "I feel something wonderful" sample seems perfectly chosen for this nice little morning beauty, filled with blissful pads and sweet melodies. By far the most pleasant of the original Meller tracks, and also my favourite. 06. Rockable (NASA Remix) [140 BPM] First remix is by Danish NASA, who's really established himself on the scene in the last couple of years with releases on Iboga, Plastik Park, DOMO, Com.Pact and Tatsu - just to name a few. His version of "Rockable" has more melodic layers than the original, and can best be described as a fluid mix of progressive and psychedelic full on. Cool remix, although more loyal fans of NASAs sound would like it better than I did. 07. Fatboy (Rinkadink Remix) [140 BPM] One of South Africas absolutely finest exports, the wacky full on producer Rinkadink, is up next with a remix of "Fatboy". The result is really something special: powerful yet never stressful full on, super funky and groovy, and the theme sample has been tampered to perfection. This is the kind of tune that people will remember when looking back at a party - very quirky and original stuff, I totally love it. 08. My Favourite Man (Tegma Remix) [140 BPM] "My Favourite Man" is remixed by Tegma from Sweden, and they've given it a more full on approach, not as dark and techy as their latest releases on Tribal Vision and Moonflower, but pretty close to the lighter style on their "002: avant.garde" album. Basically a pumping full on/progressive trance crossover remix, with the groovy and melodic breakdown as my favourite part. Great work. 09. Phase Nacht (Etnoscope Remix) [140 BPM] Etnoscope is up next with a remix "Phase Nacht", and as usual from these Swedes their version track is very heavy on their trademark: rolling live-percussion. Their remix is much better than the original, with a very organic atmosphere, and a sound very suitable for a nighttime forest set. Not a very surprising or ground-breaking remix, but solid work nevertheless. 10. Aurora (Vibrasphere Remix) [132 BPM] Last - but certainly not least - we get a remix by one of my personal favourites, the Swedish duo Vibrasphere. They have a very distinct sound, an extremely smooth and caressing mix of ambient and trance, and it's a perfect match to "Aurora", which was already the mellowest of the original tracks. Vibraspheres remix has an even more laidback groove than the original, and generally the sound is very epic and uplifting, almost suitable for a set by Tïesto - but I can't really say that it's a bad thing. Totally amazing and enjoyable remix. Bottom line: As a stand alone album, I would have considered "Rockable" a pretty average release. The 5 original tracks are decent, but not much more - the production isn't always as clear as most have come to expect from the best progressive psytrance in 2005, and generally the musical content isn't really that impressive either. The release is definitely saved by the remixes though - all the remixes are of fairly high quality and pretty different from the originals, with especially Vibrasphere and Rinkadink standing out with some truly stunning reworks. All in all "Rockable" is pretty good - quite diverse, with a mix of morning and night progressive psytrance, minimal, and a twist of full on as well. If you have liked Mellers releases so far, I guess you shouldn't hesitate in picking it up. Otherwise buy it for the remixes. Favourites: 3, 5, 7 (!!), 8, 9, 10 (!!) Verdict: 7/10 Links: Tribal Vision Records: http://www.tribalvisison.cz Meller: http://www.meller.de DJ Mel: http://www.dj-mel.de

Behind Blue Eyes - Brumbasse

Artist: Behind Blue Eyes Title: Behind Blue Eyes Label: Iboga Format: CD Released: November, 2005 Review: Straight from the Iboga lab in Denmark, undoubtly THE progressive psytrance label at the moment, comes a fresh album from the new and fairly unknown duo Behind Blue Eyes. The involved people are no newcomers to the scene though, one being Rene from the project Beat Bizarre, which is one of the most important acts in the Iboga roster, and the other being Banel - internationally acclaimed DJ, one of the co-founders and owners of Iboga Records, and also previously a part of Fabel. The duos first and only release under the Behind Blue Eyes project before this album, was the track "Goose Bump" on Ibogas "Playground" compilation, and quite frankly I found it a bit of a letdown - let's see if the full length album can provide something more interesting. 01. Excerpts From Dreams [135 BPM] Kicking of the album is "Excerpts From Dreams", starting with a short intro before the somewhat hollow bassline kicks in after around 30 seconds. The track is quite minimal with only a small hint of a melody, and with a groove that’s a bit too basic and static for my liking. As an opening track, I frankly didn't find it engaging enough. 02. Remember This [133 BPM] "Remember This" is slightly darker than the opener, with a hard and slightly tribal, static groove. A simple melody starts after 2 minutes and 30 seconds, and unfortunately seems a bit distracting to me, being to harsh and dominant. Some almost oldschool pads enter around halfway through the track, and work quite well, but overall the track doesn't stand out among the best. 03. Shadow Environment [133 BPM] Now, this is where the album really starts in my opinion. "Shadow Environment" feels much more complete than the two previous tracks, and the sound seems richer and with more depth. It reminds me of Beat Bizarres "Milk Tooth", but in a slower, groovier version, and with some really nice percussion. Definitely a mighty fine track. 04. Sunshine [133 BPM] Well, the title of this track says it all really. "Sunshine" is uplifting from the first second with loads of bright sounds and naïve melodies, giving it a really cheerful daytime atmosphere. It isn't until the breakdown around halfway through it really starts to shine though, with the appearance of some very delightful pads. Yet another fine track. 05. Brumbasse [133 BPM] "Brumbasse" (Danish for "Bumblebee") continue with the daytime/morning sound, taking it one step further with an even more trancy touch. There's less focus on the bassline than in the first 4 tracks, and the atmosphere is stellar, with stunning heavily reverbed synth stabs, beautiful pads and an utterly sweet piano-melody. A really awesome tune with an emotional, almost epic touch - definitely my favourite tune on the album. 06. As Sugar Dissolves [133 BPM] A laidback groove keeps "As Sugar Dissolves" rolling nicely, and some sweet pads are present for most part of the track, but they really kick in, in full effect with around 3 minutes left of the track. Doesn't quite live up to the predecessor "Brumbasse", but is a nice track though - at times reminiscent of some of the material from Phony Orphants "Symphony" album. 07. The Epitome [128 BPM] After some 4 good tracks, "The Epitome" slows things down, going into the slightly housier realm, yet maintaining the Behind Blue Eyes sound. It starts very deep and somewhat gloomy with a drone sound, and slowly develops and gets less and less dark. It never gets really appealing though, and to me it's one of the least interesting tracks here. 08. Rumble In The Jungle [135 BPM] "Rumble In The Jungle" picks up the pace quite a bit, and is one of the most intense tracks on the album, with a fast, rolling tribal groove. The attitude is quite serious, leaning towards the dark and gloomy, and "Rumble In The Jungle" is a very appropriate title for this track - I can imagine it would go down quite well in a storming progressive forest set. Solid dance floor track. 09. Brumbasse (Emok Remix) [133 BPM] To finish the album Banels partner in Iboga Records, Emok, member of Phony Orphants, take on the task of remixing "Brumbasse". Emok didn't change much on the remix though; it's more or less the same despite some polishing here and there, and generally giving it a slightly housier, groovier and less trancy touch - but it suits the track well, and is a great bonus to the album. Bottom line: With the album "Behind Blue Eyes", the new duo will certainly establish themselves as a progressive psytrance act to look out for. The sound is very distinct, and has a raw and somewhat dirty, unique touch compared to a lot of progressive on the market - naturally it's fairly close to Beat Bizarre, but definitely brighter, more daytime-oriented and with some tribal elements. As an album it does have its flaws though, the biggest being the slow start with the two first, quite disappointing tracks. All in all "Behind Blue Eyes" is a pretty good album though. It doesn't sound nearly as formulated as a lot of releases on the market at the moment, and contains a good amount of stand-out tunes. Certainly worth checking out. Favourites: 3, 4, 5 (!!), 6, 8, 9 Verdict: 7,5/10 Link: Iboga Records: http://www.iboga.dk

"Fill The Hat" is amazing, one of the best intros ever made. Some day I'm going to use it as an intro for a set, still waiting for the right moment though

Ace Ventura is Yoni from Psysex. He also has an interesting electro-project called Schatsi.

Artist: Various Title: Headspace - compiled by Sally Doolally Label: Plastik Park Format: CD (Jewelcase with 4 page inlay) Released: October, 2005 Review: After re-launching in 2004 with Tobias Bayer and Christian D-Nox in front, Plastik Park have once again reached a position as one of the most important labels on the international progressive psytrance/progressive house crossover scene. After 3 compilations and 3 EP's with focus on the increasingly popular house-oriented sound, the focus on the 4th compilation "Headspace" is more on the psychedelic side of the progressive scene. And like "Outsider", it's compiled by one of Plastik Parks DJanes - this time Sally Doolally, one of the scenes most well-known DJanes, who have played at festivals like Boom, VooV Experience, Outback Eclipse and Rainbow Serpent. 01. Liquid Soul - Dreamdancer [135 BPM] Kicking off the compilation is one of the rising stars of the progressive scene, who really got his breakthrough this year: Liquid Soul from Switzerland. "Dreamdancer" starts with a quite simple groove, and slowly evolve before the first appearance of a bright euro-trancy synth around 3 minutes into the track, giving it a really delicious, uplifting twist. Quite simple, but very effective track. 02. Motion & Clutch - N.Y.E. [135 BPM] Clutch and Motion (Vincent Courcot of Tetraktys and Solead) team up on "N.Y.E.". The groove is quite funky with a very punchy low end, but the most dominant part is a repeated female vocal, giving it a quite melancholic feel. A deep and very pleasant groover for the morning hours. 03. SBK - Miles & More [130 BPM] SBK's "Miles & More" has already been released on Avalanches 4th "Avalanche Of Sound", but still deserves a mention here. The atmosphere is quite gloomy, with some darkish sounds setting the mood, and a lazy groove pushing the track forward. Good track, but I don't consider it of a really spectacular quality, that justifies it getting released again on CD. 04. Minilogue - Little Sisters (Original) [127 BPM] The Swedish sound-maestros Sebastian and Marcus from Son Kite are up next with "Little Sisters" - one of their recent singles under their Minilogue-sideproject, originally released on Sprout. It has a very distinct electro-inspired sound, but is probably the most trancy of their latest tunes, with exceptional production, loads of layers of sounds and a very uplifting, sunny vibe going on. Brilliant tune. 05. Justice Unlimited - Trust In Dust [130 BPM] "Trust In Dust" is the first released track by Justice Unlimited, a new duo consisting of the two Danes Jonas Hultmann Job and Joakim Hjørne (one of the members in Flowjob), and it certainly leaves me craving for more. It's nothing groundbreaking though - it's really very basic, but has a totally amazing drive, very catchy and just bursting with energy. A highly effective progressive dance floor stormer - great debut. 06. NASA - Absolut Magnetism [135 BPM] We stay in Denmark, this time with a new track by NASA, formerly a member of Gnome Effect. NASA has really made his mark on the scene in 2005, releasing on labels like Tribal Vision. DOMO, Sinn Tec and Psytropic, and "Absolut Magnetism" is continues in the same vein as some of his previous releases, with a sound somewhere between progressive and full on with loads of arpeggiator-melodies - but without ever getting stressful. Fine work, but isn't among the stand out tracks. 07. Elzisco - Travesura [136 BPM] German-based Chilean El Zisco had his release-debut on Dance N Dusts "Double D" compilation earlier this year, but is already a well-respected act on the German scene, playing at the VooV Experience, Fusion, Lovefield and Excalibur festivals. "Travesura" is yet another nice treat from El Zisco, blending progressive psytrance, progressive and tech house into a very stylish mix - and those David Bowie vocals are an extremely nice touch, giving it the track an almost epic atmosphere. Marvellous. 08. Steve Active - French Toast [135 BPM] Final track on the compilation is by Steve Active, the solo project of Stefan Keller from the Swiss duo Paste, and also involved in the new progressive house label Kumquat Tunes. "French Toast" isn't quite as dark as the usual Paste sound, but with a very funky and catchy groove made by a quite hollow bassline. Solid track, although it maybe gets a bit too tedious toward the end for my liking. Bottom line: In a time where the label-owners D-Nox and Tobias apparently have moved more and more away from the traditional progressive psytrance and towards the house, tech and electro sound, "Headspace" came as a slight surprise. A few of the tracks certainly have a housey sound, but generally this compilation is much more "psy" than the previous 3 Plastik Park compilations - the quality is quite high, and I could imagine playing most of these tracks in an outdoor set. Such a shame that there's over 6 months before the outdoor season starts again in northern Europe… To sum it up - looking for a good progressive psytrance compilation with slight hints of electro and progressive house? Look no further - "Headspace" is definitely a good purchase, and progressive DJ's and sofa listeners shouldn't hesitate picking it up. Favourites: 1, 2, 4 (!!), 5, 7 (!!) Verdict: 8/10 Link: Plastik Park: http://www.plastikpark.com/

Artist: Insane Creation Title: Connected Label: DOMO Format: CD (Digipack) Released: November, 2005 Review: One of Switzerlands most well-known progressive artists is Dave Walitza, better known as Insane Creation. Over the years his tracks has been released by labels like Plusquam, Traktor Schallabor, Interzone and Starsound, but DOMO has really been the most important label in promoting his sound, featuring him on all their compilations released so far. On that account, it wasn't surprising when DOMO announced the release of his debut album earlier this year - and now it has finally been released. 01. Distorted Dreams [136 BPM] "Distorted Dreams" kicks off the album, but doesn't leave a big impression. The 30-second intro is ok, but too short and simple, and doesn't really build up energy for the entry of the kick and bassline. The track itself rolls along nicely with a plain, mellow groove embellished by more or less subtle effects and reverbed percussion, but overall it seems to lack "something" - it's just too empty for my liking. 02. Restlessness [136 BPM (mistakenly written as 135 BPM on the cover)] Things improve a bit with "Restlessness", relying on a more pumping kick and bassline combination, giving the track some more punch than the opener. The sound-theme is a bit more polished, and in some ways reminds me of older stuff by Buzz/Buzzmonx. The subtle melodies also work quite well, and overall make this track feel much more complete than the opener. 03. Filestyle [135 BPM (mistakenly written as 136 BPM on the cover)] "Filestyle" starts deeper than the previous tracks, with some delicious, heavily reverbed synth stabs setting the atmosphere. The groove is laidback and very hypnotic, some male voice-samples occasionally pop up, and a sweet, simple melody-line gives the track a slightly uplifting touch. Nice, smooth morning tune. 04. Sweet Random [134 BPM] Things get a bit more energetic with "Sweet Random". It's more pumping track than the predecessor, with a slightly harsher and more technish sound and a groove for the daytime at the outdoor. The melodies does seem a bit too screamy for my taste though, and overall the track doesn't seem to really progress. 05. Snüül [134 BPM] "I could say, that by using psychedelic drugs, I became tuned in on the network of neurological signals and cellular wisdoms that radiate at hundreds of millions per second within my body" - sounds familiar? The opening sample gives associations to "Mi-Loony-Um!", but "Snüül" is nowhere near Hallucinogens famous Y2K-tune. "Snüül" is still great though - relying on a laidback, house-like groove, embellished by a deep and quite gloomy atmosphere, this is a delicous and mellow tune - definitely one of my favourites. 06. Cafane [133 BPM] On "Cafane" Insane Creation teams up with Christian Gafner, better known as Cafu, and the result stands out as one of the few distinct tunes on the album. Laidback, yet with a very rolling and dance friendly groove, some extremely tight percussion and some sweet, sexy sounds giving it a delicious and uplifting, yet slightly melancholic feel. Certainly among my favourites on the CD. 07. Freakuencer [138 BPM] The tempo is raised with "Freakuencer", possibly the tune on the album most true to the older, more minimal Insane Creation sound. Not quite as dark as some of the older stuff though, with light-hearted stabs and tribal percussion giving the track a morning-oriented sound, but with a phat and attractive bassline below. Pretty nice, but pales in comparison with the previous tracks. 08. Shoobidoo [138 BPM] Closing the album is "Shoobidoo", and it continues with the faster tempo from "Freakuence", but feels a bit more interesting. It has a funkier touch, a slightly gloomy melody popping up every once in a while, and generally some of the elements doesn't feel as straightforward and ordinary as the rest of the tracks. That being said, I didn't really connect to the track, and wouldn't rate it among the best here. Bottom line: After being in the game for some years, "Connected" proves to be a fine debut album for Insane Creation. The sound can best be described as a mix of the polished house-influenced progressive trance of today, and the rawer psychedelic minimal of yesterday. You won't find any easy digestible trancy melodies or riffs here though, and while the subtleness for most part is a strong point about the album, I must say I miss some material that really stands out. "Connected" of course has its moments, but even though it's a good, tightly produced album with a very enjoyable sound, it never really reaches the same quality of some of the biggest progressive albums from 2005 like Jaïa or Antix. … Still, you could do a lot worse than buying this release. I can surely recommend it, but won't classify it as an essential buy. Favourites: 2, 3, 5 (!), 6 Verdict: 7/10 Link: DOMO Records: http://www.domorecords.com

I completely agree. I wasn't justifying the list or Infected Mushrooms music

Doesn't surprise me at all. Infected Mushroom are very popular in Denmark for instance - and I'm not only speaking about the over-crowded candy-rave-concerts where they play. I think everyone in Denmark who's been exposed to electronic music has heard of Infected Mushroom, and I bet they could make it to the top10 on a national list here. The psytrance scene in Denmark is actually almost bigger and more commercial than the so-called "commercial" trance scene. How ironic

Yeah, it's very trippy music indeed. Check out Nathan Fake - The Sky Was Pink. Especially Holdens remix - one of the strongest tunes I've ever heard.