Trance2MoveU

Artist: Goalogy Title: Secret Tales Label: Underground Alien Factory Date: November, 2009 01. Goalogy - Secrets of Deep Sea (6:10) 02. Goalogy - Liquid Freedom (5:37) This is the 2nd release from Underground Alien Factory, and once again it is free. I didn't see any promo for it on this site, but you can get it from the netlabel here. This is Sergey Litvinsky from mother Russia who is a solo goa trance project. He seems to have had some earlier releases, but I haven't heard them. Let's start with the wicked cover for this EP. A warlock against a very psychedelic colored backdrop. He looks like an evil Gandalf. You get two tracks which are both quite good. They are layered with melodies, but I prefer "Liquid Freedom" as it sounds darker and also has some breathy Asian chants. Once again, another pretty good release from this netlabel. If I had to say, this one was the weakest of the releases, but it was still good. Keep it up! Mdk

Artist: PharaOm Title: Awakening Bodhisattva Label: Underground Alien Factory Date: November, 2009 1. Awakening Bodhisattva (8:09) 2. Yamantaka (8:40) 3. White Tara (8:15) This is the 3rd release from netlabel Underground Alien Factory headed by Imba. PharaOm is, well...I don't know who he is. French I believe and this is his first release. Once again, this gem is available for free on the Psynews artist news section. The cover is of 3 ancient temples deep in a jungle against a purple sky. This let's you know what type of music you are in for. A trip back to the glory days of Goa, where melodies were king and sunshine was the standard. The synths are nicely tweaked and they rise and fall under his control creating a fluid landscape of dance. "Yamantaka" gurgles its way to the surface giving way to a hugely spacious pad as the native drums gather momentum until another lead dominates. My favorite, "White Tara" starts of with a native plucked instrument and a pensive tabla over a barely perceptible deep bassline. Very rich! By the 4th minute the synth is twirling high above being held only by the ever present tabla. Truly a tune to get lost in. This was a wonderful visit to the goa of yesteryear and I enjoyed it very much. This netlabel is quite proficient at putting out quality EP's with artists that are very competent. It has me wondering what is next to be released. Definitely one to watch. Highly recommended. Mdk

Artist: NK-47 Title: Outer Space Shaman EP Label: Underground Alien Factory Date: December 2009 Tracklist: 01. NK-47 - Outer Space Shaman (9:40) 02. NK-47 - The Third Eye (9:27) 03. NK-47 - My Home is Eternal Peace (7:36) This is the fourth release I believe by this netlabel headed by frequent poster to this site Imba. They specialize in goa, Nitzhonot, and ambient. NK-47 is 18 year old Israeli Nadav Dov Kahanovich who had a couple of tracks on the recent compilation "Art from the Heart." Good ones too. This is a free release (you can find it in the Label Release section of this site) so let's start off by saying you have nothing to lose by downloading and giving it a listen. Starting with the cover, it is of a Shaman entering a reddish cave against some sunlight. Not bad, but what about the music? You will not be disappointed, as 303's howl, epic pads define the atmosphere, and the production is very good. It sounds great in my headphones. I found the 1st track enjoyable, but the second was more my style as it was a non-stop rush from the past, with furious goa melodies. "My Home Is Eternal Peace" is a slower tempo, but not a chill tune. It has some rustic tribal percussion, and an insistent groove. The melodies take time to develop and carry you along on a cloud of yesteryear. Great job, this is highly recommended! Free Download! Mdk

Artist: Yotopia Title: Connect The Dots Label: Iboga Records Date: March, 2009 1. Spunk 2. Sheer Mayhem 3. Sleepless Hippies 4. Offset 5. Mr. Brotherman 6. Game on 7. In my hands 8. Monitor 9. No way out Yotopia are Yoni Rimon & Tomer Dayan from Tel Aviv who present their second album "Connect The Dots." This was released by Iboga recods, a label so prolific that it's easy to see how some albums get lost in the shuffle. If you read the promo, it says that they are blurring the lines between techno, progressive, and trance. The cover is of a (you guessed it) connect the dots image of an old phonograph on a yellow field. The speaker and the title of the album are in red. What you get with this album are bouncy grooves with a wet kick. Some of these kicks are so thick it's like hitting a mattress with a broomstick. The music is not heavily detailed but that doesn't take away from its appeal. "Sheer Mayhem" had a descending tinkling that went so well with the groove that it was infectious. So simple yet incredibly effective. "Mr. Brotherman" was heavier on melody while seeming more spacious. "Game On" fills a room with its presence and will have people dancing up a storm. "In My Hands" has a nice break with a dreamy feel. This is good time trance. It's a get your paycheck, hookup with your friends at a bar, drink up and then dance until 4 a.m. good time. This is an album focused mainly on groove with the little touches that keep it from getting stale. While I didn't really hear any techno influences, I didn't mind. Even though it is light on layers and depth, it's strength is its simplicity. There aren't a lot of different sounds that compete for dominance, just a basic disc full of danceable rhythms providing a rollicking good time. Psyshoppage Mdk

I'm going to have to agree that Machinery is an absolutely fabulous goa track. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Floating Point 4 Label: Sofa Beats Date: June 2007 Shen - Jagiya Krusseldorf - Bud Luvin Fingertwister - I Remember Jah (Ooze Remix) Koan - Warm Evening In Paris Excession - Just For You Sundial Aeon - Mysanthia Phutureprimitive - Luminous Feat. Alyssa Palmer (Former Self Mix) Kliment - Planet Dissolver Rena Jones - Blueshift Irina Mikhailova - Falling (Omnimotion Remix) Sofa Beats is the downtempo sub-label of Iboga Records and they hit one out of the park with the Relax Mode compilation. Looking at the tracklist, my mouth starts to water as it is a virtual who's who in the downtempo genre. The covers for the Floating Point series have never been very striking, but this one is spectacular. It is of a brilliantly red sea creature (oceanographers help me out here) against a stark yellow and brown background. It immediately catches the eye. And isn't that what covers are supposed to do? 1. Shen is Noah Pred who has already been on several comps and put out a full length album. The thumping kick hits with the force of a sledgehammer as electronics spiral above. When the bass jumps in, there is an air of mystery supplied. Not a bad way to start an album 2. Krusseldorf drops a reggae-style beat presumably because he loves the "bud." Not a bad track, just a little noisy for my taste in downtempo. 3. Ooze remixes a Fingertwister track in a dubby style. There is a lot of chopped up samples without much in the way of melody until a calming break. After that it's just a mish-mash of sounds to me. 4. Koan delivers a breakbeat number that leans more towards the lounge side than his usual fare. Crystal clear, but not my style. 5. "Just For You" brings us the first singing on this compilation over another breakbeat. More melody and the undercurrent of a 303 gurgling beneath the surface. Not bad. 6. Sundial Aeon's album "Apotheosis" was awesome, so hopes are high for this one. I would say this had a far off, spacey feel with sounds floating over a crunchy breakbeat. It's ok, but not what I would choose. 7. The track by Phutureprimitive has more singing, but it's soulful over a downtempo groove. It's slow and entrancing, but again not for me. 8. "We are symptoms of the kind of system we are living. And our appearance in the system...tells us about the system." Kliment supplies a steady downtempo groove with pensive pads and glass like leads. The variety of sounds increase as the track progresses but it never sounds too busy. When the music gets to the above sample, the track changes direction and really flourishes. My favorite here. 9. This sounds a LOT like something Aes Dana would do. Soft tones above a glitchy percussive element. Unfortunately, I found the beginning to be the most captivating part of the track. 10. Omnimotion remix and Irina Mikhailova track with piano and trip hop sensibilities. Again, there is more singing (that is what Irina does!) but with a breathless, sad quality. This is the shortest track and is a good way to end the compilation. Well, what can be said, but this was a decent compilation. If you are looking for beatless ambient, keep on walking. If you are looking for middle eastern themed downtempo, also keep walking. However, if you are searching for some singing amidst music that can go from reggae to breakbeat to downtempo to trip-hop, then you have come to the right place. I have heard better compilations and also a LOT worse. Worth a listen, definitely. Mdk

Artist: Various Album: Relax Mode - Placid Chill Grooves Label: Blue Tunes Recordings Year: 2008 1. Lauge & Baba Gnohm - The Perfect Stranger 2. Forest Effect - Unconscious Reality 3. Erot - Lonely On A Friday Night 4. Koan feat. Krusseldorf - Rainfall 5. Symphonix - Drops In Your Eyes 6. Koan - The Last Samurai 7. Erot - Scent Of A Girl 8. Kanc Cover feat. Koan - Cosmic Spores 9. N.O.K. - Le Roi Est Mord, Vive Le Roi I needed a relaxing disc to listen to after being stressed out and this fit the bill. Blue Tunes Recordings is responsible for putting out so much good music including the new Koan album When The Silence is Speaking which I reviewed. It is mastered by Tim Schuldt so you know it oozes quality. The tracklist is quite appealing including Koan on a couple of tracks. The cover is a simple pinkish red square with a guy relaxing in a hammock under a palm tree. 1. The first track is so sublime, it is truly peaceful. A downtempo dubby quality piece that painted a picture of a flame colored sunset amidst a cool, calming breeze. The end of another summer night. This is what I am talking about. 2. "Subject is 156 cm in length weighing 52 lbs. The corpse in advanced stages of decay and dessication. Distinguishing features include large ocular cavities, oblate cranium...indicate subject is not human." Nice X-files sample that starts the track over bleeps and whooshes but with a slow tempo. Soft pads hang in the air, as a choir whispers beneath an elusive flute that is ever so gentle. Add a gently plucked acoustic guitar and the summer ain't over yet. 3. Metal clankings amidst a wet basement belie a slow deliberate beat as stings dance nimble overhead. The break opens a melancholy window showing me that all may not be as it would seem. Pretty deep track. 4. Koan and his distinctive wall of sound. Tinklings over a slow beat as rushes and bleeps attack the senses. Smooth as always and keen melodies to relax me. 5. "An infected male exposed himself to sunlight yesterday. Now it's possible, decreased brain function, growing scarcity of food is causing then to ignore their basic survival instincts. Social de-evolution appears complete; typical human behavior is now entirely absent." This sample over an uncertain break makes me wonder if we can survive. Sad and beautiful at the same time. 6. This tracks sounds a lot like the other Koan offering, but when the product is that good, you buy in bulk. The piano gives it a new agey feel. I'm sure some might say this resembles Yanni a little to closely. 7. More upbeat, but quite short. The break is full of snaps and light percussion. Far away strings appear and this is very mellow, but due to its length, the track isn't allowed to grow. Still, good though if you're looking to chill. 8. Trip-hop with a purpose. We've got a full tank of gas, it's nighttime, and we're wearing sunglasses. The synth melody at 6 minutes seems shockingly out of place (the sound doesn't fit) but other than that very groovy. 9. Another short piece but effective. Floating, dreamlike flute over a recently destroyed kingdom. Choirs chant of the conquests of yesteryear with the promise of a return. One look at the battlefield littered with our dead makes me think otherwise. This was exactly what I needed. It is one of those albums you can listen to from start to finish. What you get is a truly smooth and chilled out experience. With headphones on the listener is transported to any peaceful place they wish to go. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Superb. :clapping: Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Fractal Energy 3 Label: Fractal Records Date: November 2009 1. NEUROMOTOR Heart Beat 2. CPU Es Vedra Pirates 3. FREEZE The Sniper 4. KARMA CROP (SIDHARTHA VS KHOPAT) Fractal Overdrive 5. HYPERACTIVE VS Z3RO Another World 6. KHOPAT VS GEKO Ultimate Weapon 7. HUJABOY Peaks 8. SUPERCELL Airmass Moving 9. BRAINWASH Boom Shankar 10.THE PHAT KATZ (NEUROMOTOR VS COSMOCHAOS) Massive Dynamic Swiss label Fractal Records brings us the third installment in their popular Fractal Energy series. The first two were quite good with some very talented artists. The cover is a very intense red color and has some type of fractal shape in the center. There is no mistake in what type of music you are getting. I'm just going to give some comments about the tracks you are about to hear, should sum it up quite nicely. CPU should just join IM already. Jeez, what a load of crap. What the hell happened to this guy? I am totally convinced that Computer Error must've been made by someone else. Freeze, good track with the exception of the buildup which seemed to last for 47 minutes... Sidhartha's music has always been acid laden power trance and this is no exception. Unfortunately it lacks individuality and doesn't seem to have any direction but straight ahead. He has done waaaayyy better than this. "Another World" drips with acid and is one of the better tracks on the album. Not all that elaborate, but I'm a sucker for those sounds. The Hujaboy track wasn't anything special until halfway through and it took off becoming a hard, thumping romp. Supercell...meh. If you can make it through the first minute and a half of Boom Shankar you're a better person than I am. C'mon people, this crap isn't necessary. The Phat Katz...really. Sigh. Aka, subpar effort supplied here. As you can plainly tell I was less than impressed with this release. It is crap like this that makes me stop buying psytrance CD's and move on over to Downtempo and Progressive trance. This is just more run of the mill average full-on. The first Saw movie was good but it was a steep descent after that. Sure it has some nice effects sprinkled here and there, but there is no storytelling or direction. Take several long buildups, sprinkle with unimaginative basslines, and then just a touch of originality. This is what you get. Run right past this release. Psyshoppage Mdk

V/A - Crimson Underground Iono Music March, 2009 1. Sacha TIMEDRAINED 2. Holding Back INNER STATE 3. Thrilled Version 2 BBE VS MOTION DRIVE 4. Information I.S.Y. ODISEO 5. Back Together (Klopfgeister rmx) TIME IN MOTION 6. Alive SENSE 7. Mind Expander (Solano rmx) AUDIOMATIC 8. Limited Velocity EMOTIVE 9. Traditional ways of healing INFINITY AND MEANDER Iono music has impressed me with the amount of quality progressive trance they release. I've only delved into a few artist albums, but the compilations I have heard (and reviewed) give a good sampling of styles and have been way above average. This effort was compiled by General Juice. Really? Was it produced by Captain Crunch? Was Colonel Sanders responsible for the artwork? Don't mind me, I'm just having a little fun. Here we get 9 tracks by some of the biggest names of the genre. The artwork is of a tree under a beautiful crimson sky. I don't know why those geometric shapes are in front of the tree, but they seem a bit unnecessary. Still, a pretty cover. So what've we got? Very spacious, atmospheric progressive trance. The kind where you can put on your headphones and imagine you're somewhere else. The melodies float provocatively over the simple basslines as effects cascade on the ears. This would be the definition of great flow to the tracks. Of note, Timedrained's track "Sacha." Sure it clocks in at almost 12 minutes, but it is so smooth you'll ask yourself where the time went. "Information I.S.Y." has that same Devil's Advocate sample we have all heard, but it is presented so well that it seems brand new. The Klopfgeister remix is very deliberate and moves very fluidly. This is a very solid CD and comes highly recommended. Psyshoppage Mdk

V/A - Not For Human Consumption Chunk Junky Records November 2009 1. Dangerous Zone KONNEKTOR 2. Go Go Gadget COLD TURKEY (FROZEN GHOST VS IRONSTEIN) 3. Clip Clock BIORYTHM VS XATRIK 4. Loaded XATRIK 5. Scratch Patch BIORYTHM 6. Rizla TECHNODROME 7. Bug System BUSTERS (WIZAX VS VANDETTA) 8. Short of time TIME TWISTERS 9. Antigravity MADMIND 10. Hoodwinked CARTOONS Hot damn some twilight psy! I don't think it is any secret that Goa Trance and Night-Time psy are my favorite, so when I saw the track list on this compilation, I knew I must have it. This is the maiden voyage for Chunk Junky Records and I wish them well. Let's start with the cover. I think it is pretty cool, but it will probably get roasted for being so cliche. The colors appeal to me as well as the helmet the woman wears. As to drive the point home that this is not for human consumption, she is standing in front of a planet. I am mainly interested in the Xatrik tracks but there are several newbies that could make this interesting. Konnektor is one of those new bloods and his track (I guess it's a he) "Dangerous Zone" hits like a ton of bricks. This is full throttle all the way with a ominous melodic overtone. The washes become a little too much but not bad for his first time. Why is it that artists think they have to remake themes from children's shows or cartoons? I love Frozen Ghost but this was unnecessary. That said, it was intense and fairly enjoyable. He put his stamp on it. Xatrik teams up with Biorhythm (Who?) to create an absolute nighttime blister called "Clip Clock." That bassline is out of control and the acid washes over you like a hot shower. Super crazy lasers. Another track by Xatrik doesn't disappoint. "Loaded" is that in spades. The bassline is exceptionally deep and you can feel the track gurgling to the surface. The break is post apocalyptic as it evolves into hi tech insanity. "Scratch Patch" has the aggressive bassline, the lasers and thumping kick. While not the best track on the compilation this guy's starting to cook up some goodness. I will be watching him in the future. Technodrome delivers "Rizla" with a highly addictive lead that jumps all over the place. Hey, weren't these guys arrested in India? The only thing that holds this back from being a really great track is the buildup. Luckily it is short lived and the craziness can continue. "Bug System" continues in the same vein with some very good rhythm and synth work. Unfortunately, it suffers from the same thing that a few of the other tracks do and that is the momentum killing buildups. It's a good track, but it could've been a better. I couldn't get into "Short of Time" with its multitude of stops and starts. Parts of it were good, but it seemed rather thrown together. "Antigravity" by Madmind starts of with some nice ominous strings before the bassline rumbles in. Unfortunately is becomes this staccato breakbeat mess and I am put off. It had potential. Cartoons (I like cartoons) brings a track called "Hoodwinked" that would fit in on the POF Chaos Opera album. It gallops along and add those minor key touches which create an effective atmosphere. First off, let me say this. I respect and admire any artist that puts out music for the masses to enjoy. It is a lot of hard work that should be commended. Not every track is going to appeal to everyone. Music is art and art will either be praised or criticized. I'm just some guy behind a computer screen saying what he thinks. For me, this was a pretty good compilation of twilight psy. The Xatrik tracks stand out on this disc, but some of the others showed a lot of promise. As I mentioned before, the sounds, the kicks, the rhythms were all very appealing. The reason this compilation won't achieve great status is because of the interruption of flow. Just when you are riding high, the track stops and has to succumb to an unnecessary buildup killing all momentum. I'm not about to lecture an artist that knows what he is doing on song structure, I'm just giving my opinion. Still, I would have to recommend this compilation for the Xatrik tracks alone. Psyshoppage Mdk

V/A - Pathfinder Iono Music June, 2009 1. Intro PROTONICA 2. Dirty Santa KLOPFGEISTER 3. Delusion MAGOON 4. Space n time (Ritmo rmx) MUTE 5. Tree-D ZEN MECHANICS 6. Nervous Breakdown (Anton Chernikov rmx) JOHN 00 FLEMING 7. Daydream FAT DATA 8. Sjouk UNSEEN DIMENSIONS 9. Crystal Alchemy ALADIAH VS. SIGNS 10. Airflow (Live Edit) PROTONICA Iono Music is back again with label manager Murus compiling this set. You get 10 tracks (well, actually 9 as the first one is a short intro track) by some known and unknown artists. I didn't know Unseen Dimensions was also full-on act Twilight, but Beatspace keeps me in the know. Starting with the cover, it is a pile of letters seemingly dumped into a canyon shot in black and white. The meaning isn't coming to me right now, but let me think on it. As for the music, it is a mix of Progressive Trance and Full-on, sometimes with a nice melange of the two. I'm usually not a fan of compilations that try to appeal to more than one genre. What inevitably happens that instead of being good at two genres, it actually becomes a disappointment to both. Now let me be clear, none of the tracks here are bad. Something is missing though. On some tracks there is a full-on bassline and the synths don't quite allow the track to evolve, thereby making it seem hollow. The Zen Mechanics track is a good example of that. Not bad, but not great either. A great example of a track with atmosphere is surprisingly the Anton Chernikov mix of John 00 Flemming's "Nervous Breakdown." Dirty, with a great sample about the mind. "Sjouk" is an example of intelligent full on with synths that enhance the track. In summary, this was a pretty good album, more dark in emotion than I was expecting. Recommended. Beatspace Psyshoppage Mdk

V/A - Sunset Delights Iono Music August, 2009 1. Blue Note SYNESTHETIC 2. The Source MOTION DRIVE 3. Terrestrial C-JAY AND SHYLOCK 4. Vice OCEAN 5. Stereotype PION 6. Light JAY SELWAY 7. Lennart's Legion SOLID SNAKE 8. Swing King (Motion Drive rmx) PHAXE 9. Blind SQL As I mentioned before, I am on a bit of an Iono music kick so a lot of my reviews are going to be their releases. This one was complied by Motion Drive (Philip Guillaume from Switzerland) and he has released tracks on many compilations. This was released in August and the cover suits the music perfectly. Late afternoon orange sun, the beach, soaring seagulls...it's all there. It makes me want to pull up a chair in the sand and let my toes rest in the waves. But what about the music? Most of the artists I don't recognize, but that doesn't matter. You will hear that sustained wobbly bass that I first noticed on the D-Nox and Beckers album. It is heavy on groove but also deep on layers. There are synths and rolling arpeggios to distract the mind in seemingly every track. "Terrestrial" was so silky smooth with a spacious sounding break. Ocean's "Vice" is a massive stomper in a just got off work with my paycheck hitting the beach party kind of way. "Blind" with its heavy shuffling bass and "love is blind" sample is a great way to end on a high note. This CD was an enjoyable ride through a sun soaked paradise. Summer music never sounded so grand and this had me wishing there was a beer in my hand as I strolled down the beach. There is no darkness here, only light peppered with copious amounts of groove to move. Highly recommended. Beatspace Mdk

V/A - Carrots & Stick Iono Music February, 2009 1. Angel Eyes FLEGMA & NERSO 2. One Life UNSEEN DIMENSIONS 3. Surgical Odissey SURGICAL CUT, ODISEO 4. No song for evil times (Surgical Cut rmx) STRANGE DOCTORS 5. Xone CENTRINO 6. Observation SUNTREE 7. The Cycle RITREE 8. Distant Point EGORYTHMIA 9. Dimension RITMO I loved the new Ritmo disc as well as the Flegma & Nerso combo that I went a little nuts on the Iono Music catalogue. This is a compilation from February that was put together by Iono label manager Cubixx. I'm sure I missed it because I didn't recognize any of the names when it was released. Now that I am in the know, I couldn't wait to order this one. The cover is of a horse drawn chariot race between two people on the beach. The colors are bright and inviting. Normally I don't do track by track reviews any longer (I find it exhausting) but I felt this one warranted such treatment. Right off the bat Flegma and Nerso hit one out of the park. "Angel Eyes" has a thumping bassline that gallops along below stratospheric rushes dainty synth touches. Unseen Dimensions is Javier Martinez Salinas and "One Life" is more of the psygressive style. It has a great Incredible Hulk sample as it bounces along. Thick layers make this one a very good track. I know Odiseo is from Mexico, but I am at a loss about Surgical Cut. This one began so similarly to the way the last track ended, that it could've been the same track. It is more of the mellow progressive style that would be great listening on a beach with its many twinkles and solid groove. Surgical Cut throws down a remix that really picks up around the 3 minute mark. "No Song for Evil Times" has a wicked break with the strumming acoustic guitar and reverberating sample above percussion. Once it puts it all together it makes for a head bouncing good time. Centrino is another unknown for me and he brings a rather average effort. "Xone" isn't bad, but following the previous tracks it just doesn't hold up. Suntree is Alon Brilant and he released his awesome first full length album "Inside" this year. Not that he is a rookie as he has tracks on a whole bunch of compilations. "Observation" slowly unfolds before the listener not giving too much away. The break seems wide open and full of promise, but the track while still groovy, doesn't deliver at the end. Good track but slightly disappointing and anti-climactic. "The Cycle" is a collaboration between Ritmo and Suntree and I have high hopes from these two great artists. The track starts off slowly, but enters a very nice break and rides the wave to the shore. Pretty good! "Distant Point" by Egorythmia starts slowly before the bassline thumps in. It has some effects adding to its mystique, but it doesn't really go anywhere. Not my favorite. Ritmo finishes it out with another of his thick gems. It was nothing great until the break refocused the track into a very sublime ending. I enjoy his style and look forward to more. Bottom line is the compilation started off very strongly, but kind of lost its way in the middle. There are no bad tracks here, but it can be difficult to maintain such incredible momentum from the outset. The tracks seemed to shift from a more heavily layered detailed sound in the beginning to a more laid back simplistic style. The first four tracks were superb, but the later ones just didn't give me the same feeling. Nonetheless, this is a highly recommended purchase as you will get very groovy progressive trance that takes the mind away. Beatspace Mdk

Artist: Koan Title: When The Silence Is Speaking Label: Blue Tunes Recordings Date: November, 2009 1. Back to the silent lagoon (Blue mix) 2. Selena's Song (Blue mix) 3. After the Guiding Venus 4. The Island of Deceased Ships 5. Dance of Nereids 6. Odysseus under the old tree 7. Underwater Moonlight (Blue mix) 8. When the silence is speaking 9. Dolphin and Eos This had to be one of the most eagerly anticipated releases this year. First off, Blue Tunes Recordings is a label with a prolific output. This German label has over 30 releases since 2006! Koan is a Russian downtempo project (as well as other genres) with several EPs as well as a few full length albums already released. They are known for their multiple layers of downtempo complexity combined with a sinister groove. Starting with the cover, it is very colorful. I don't know exactly what the picture is, but it could be either a flower or smoke. Even the font used for their name evokes a mystic appeal. The music does not disappoint. Numerous layers coat the brain and hover above nice breakbeats. Acoustic instruments from the east and west mix nicely with atmospheric pads and it is evident that this duo know how to build a track. The music is so emotive that something new is heard on repeated listens. No space is wasted as new sounds trickle in from all sides. This is as rich a downtempo listening experience as I have had recently, and I cannot recommend this highly enough. Every single track is magical far exceeding my expectations with the exception of the final ambient number. That track doesn't seem to fit at all. Nonetheless, this will go down as one of the best of 2009. Well done Koan! Psyshoppage Mdk

Smooth Genestar - Rem Phase Cyan Music November 2009 1. The Red Room Pleasure (120 BPM) 2. Taumond (95 BPM) 3. Dark City (100 BPM) 4. Manifested Chords (111 BPM) 5. Streams Of Heaven (90 BPM) 6. Leaving A Room Called The Chill Out (110 BPM) 7. Regentanz (83 BPM) 8. Movin Night Scapes (90 BPM) 9. Über Den Wolken (135 BPM) 10. Rem Phase (100 BPM) Hosted on Ektoplasm's site is Smooth Genestar, Marco Koeller's downtempo project. This is the same guy who produced the New Age Hippies Entrance. What you get is a hodgepodge of downtempo, ambient, chill out, and lounge music composed between 1999 and 2009 according to the promotional text. The cover is a champagne colored field with some circles on it. Pretty low key and it fits the music perfectly. "Dark City" is a moody contemplative piece with its spacey pads, reverberating sample and piano structure. This is easily my favorite track on the album. "Regentanz" has a deliberate march with a melancholic feel that makes me think of past regrets. The rest of the tracks fit the lounge motif, with none being terrible or great. All told, this was a relaxing mixture of genres, perfect for sitting on the beach watching the waves crash on the shore. While not as deep or complex as other releases, you can do no wrong with this. The fact that this is free makes this a no brainer. Recommended. Ektoplasm

Neto - Aquatikon Omnitropic (netlabel) October, 2009 1. No Longer At Anchor 2. Lighthouse 3. Navigation By Sonar Only 4. Siren Island 5. Undertow 6. Saline Solution 7. Transoceanic Current 8. Bioluminescent Since New Age Hippies was such a positive experience, I decided to review another album hosted on the Ektoplazm website. If you didn't already know Ektoplazm is a site which hosts a lot of free music available in MP3 as well as WAV and FLAC files. This is Neto's 2nd album and wishes to submerge the listener to the vast undersea world. The cover (designed by Onebeyond Metamedia) is a soothing window into the depths of the ocean with its blue and green hues. Very relaxing. Which is also a great description of the music contained within. This is downtempo with rich kicks and deep throbbing basses that transport the listener beneath the sea. "Navigation By Sonar Only" is a journey through deep waters with focused intent providing superb undersea imagery. With its sublime trip-hop beat, "Transoceanic Current" conveys an underwater ride past great whales with its deep bass and soft touches. Finally "Bioluminescent" is made for scuba diving. Total class. The tracks are pretty short although a couple manage to lose their intensity despite that fact. Other than that very minor flaw this was a relaxing trip into the deep blue. This comes highly recommended. Free download at Ektoplazm Mdk

New Age Hippies - Entrance Cyan Music November, 2009 1. Intro First Darkness 2. Dark Station (140 BPM) 3. Avalanche (140 BPM) 4. Quantize Your Minds (132 BPM) 5. The Breeze (Outdoor Mix) (140 BPM) 6. Unrelated Gathering (132 BPM) 7. Reset Thoughts (140 BPM) 8. Maetrix (130 BPM) 9. Beyond (120 BPM) 10. Planet Earth (The Chill Mix) (70 BPM) Ektoplazm is an absolutely awesome music portal that hands out tons of quality free releases. This is how I became aware of New Age Hippies. This is Marco Koeller, a German progressive project with his 3rd album. He presents us with 10 tracks including a very cinematic intro track as well as a downtempo number at the end. Starting with the cover, it has a very spacey feel (well, it is actually space!) and shows an entrance into another galaxy. As I mentioned before the album opens with a very nice, ominous intro; a promise of things to come. The tracks are darker than other progressive I have heard and that suits me fine. Although not extremely complex and layered, it does its storytelling effectively. They evolve slowly and give off an eerie feeling, especially "Quantize Your Minds." "The Breeze" is a floating, ethereal joy, and while the sample in the beginning of "Planet Earth" is a little too corny for my tastes, the rest of the track is very smooth. The sole rough spots that didn't sit to well with me were the uninteresting minimal offering "Reset Thoughts" and the 3rd track "Avalanche." It is too short and comes off as unfinished and forced into the tracklist. Bottom line, this is a nice effort providing a mellow listening experience with only a small amount of filler. Did I mention that this was also free? There is absolutely nothing to lose. Good job! Ektoplazm Mdk

Oooh, I have been looking forward to this one! Mdk

Could not agree more. Mdk

Vibraddict - Mental Collapse Blitz Music October, 2009 1. VIBRADDICT - Go Away 2. VIBRADDICT - Electro Punch 3. VIBRADDICT - Brain Damage 4. MEKKANIKKA - Zowanagor (Vibraddict rmx) 5. VIBRADDICT AND SYCMOS - Freedom 6. VIBRADDICT - The Club 7. 220 VOLTS - Friday (Vibraddict rmx) 8. VIBRADDICT - Mental Collapse 9. VIBRADDICT - Let's Rock rmx This is Blitz Music's 2nd release as far as I know. I didn't catch the first one, but I am somewhat familiar with Vibraddict's music. He is from Portugal and has appeared on several compilations with some good work. He is definitely in the full on category, but I have enjoyed his earlier stuff. Super powerful and isn't that the definition of Portuguese psytrance? The cover shows a mask with wires shooting through the openings. The colors are vibrant and I even like the font. And that's where the fun stops. First off, there is way too much going on. The pace is frenetic and I feel like this music is yelling at me. This is very aggressive with intense buildups, stops and starts as well as laden with bad chopped up samples. Pretty much everything I hate about psytrance. And the whole disc is like this. Absolutely no flow whatsoever. Music like this might suit the club trancers, but any psytrance purist would annihilate this. I'm trying to find any positives (because I don't want to be negative all the time), but realistically there aren't any. Even when I began to enjoy a track, the huge buildups killed any momentum it may have had. So I suppose I will end my review like this: IF you are looking for a deep, energy laden, meaningful musical experience walk right past this. If, however you are in need of a coaster for your beer, this cannot be beat. Psyshoppage Mdk

Shotu - Conception Hadra Records October, 2009 1. The Cell Division 2. Wisdom Light 3. Conception 4. Freaky Dads 5. Woobiloo 6. Hippy Whisper 7. Brainwaves 8. Wiggles 9. Dimitry First and foremost, can we stop with posting promotional material in the review section? That pisses me off to no end. I refuse to take the time to write a review beneath overly hyped hyperbole. Hadra records from France brings us their 16th release and for a psytrance label these days that it pretty good. I loved the Sine Die album and on various compilations they have had a few storming tracks. David Marmin (DJ Leptit) aka Shotu is out with his 2nd full length release. I didn't really care for his first album "Jungle Expedition" so I'm curious to see how his music has evolved. Starting with the cover, it seems that whoever designed it has authored several of Hadra's other covers. This one is quite colorful showing a large embryonic egg with what looks like spaceships inside the head of the whiplike sperm. Since the album is titled Conception, it makes sense. It is eye catching and fortifies his theme. I like it. The ultimate measure of a good album, one that you would like to buy, is of course the music. While cool album covers are a bonus, the meat of the sandwich needs to be substantial. Unless you're a vegetarian and if so, I cannot possibly understand where you are coming from. I mean, that's why God made cows slower than us! But I digress. The problem I had with his last album was that it was thin on the meat. Anyone can do 4/4 beat with hi-hats, and a rampaging bassline. But it is how you craft and present it that amazes the masses. What else do you offer on top of that which makes your tracks stand out from the ordinary? Unfortunately, I do not see any progression in his music. The whole thing is full-on with effects and noises coming from everywhere in what seems to be randomly generated. I cannot perceive any melodies with which to focus upon so I come away from this hungry. It doesn't satisfy me. Now I understand that this is his style of music so he isn't trying to be melodic. The sound is crystal clear and the beats thunderous, but so what? That can be found in most releases. The tracks all sound the same and don't seem to be delivering on his theme of conception. So this ends up being monotonous and uninteresting to my ears which is a shame because you can hear the talent this producer possesses. Psyshoppage Beatspace Mdk

Phony Orphants - Computer Music Iboga Records November, 2009 1. PHONY ORPHANTS - Recollections 2. PHONY ORPHANTS - Dr. Sachs 3. PHONY ORPHANTS - Razzle Dazzle 4. LIQUID SOUL - Push (Phony Orphants rmx) 5. PHONY ORPHANTS - Fate is a long line of coincidences 6. PHONY ORPHANTS - Party Girl 7. PHONY ORPHANTS - Sweep Mama 8. PHONY ORPHANTS - Computer Music 9. PHONY ORPHANTS - Ton of apples 10. PHONY ORPHANTS - Playground Well, the snow is falling thickly here so I thought I would curl up with this newly arrived disc. Phony Orphants is a progressive trance or progressive house outfit that have been with Iboga since the beginning. This is their 3rd full length release with 9 new tracks (plus a remix of a Liquid Soul track) but if you get the compact stick from Psyshop you get 4 additional tracks including a collaboration with Sun Control Species. The cover (looks like paper trees with a lightning blot emanating from a dark ominous cloud) is nothing spectacular, but it seems to fit the mood of the music. One of the first things I noticed was the full kick. It sounds really massive with the rumbling bass reeking of superb production. The groove is of high quality that will lull you into a blissful state. Some of the music begins to border the minimal zone, but never crosses the line. Sure there are some house influences, but they are blended quite well with the smooth progressive style. If I had one complaint, it would be that the music seems rather simplistic without deep emotive layers like you would find in the Ritmo remix album. While this album still has plenty of dirty groove and rhythm giving the music a strong backbone, the absence of new layers can make the listening experience seem thin. By that I mean waiting for a surprise sound or arpeggio that doesn't seem to come. That being said, I stiff find myself nodding my head to the beat. A pretty good release if you want some straight forward bouncing, but not essential IMHO. Psyshoppage Beatspace Mdk

Meh, I wasn't too impressed with this release. Most of the tracks are just generic full-on (with the exception of the Ibojima remix.) I felt the Mad Maxx remix didn't belong also. There are much better discs released out there if you are looking for your proggy or even full-on fix. I feel I should mention that I was never a big S>range fan to begin with. His tracks felt to minimal to me with not a lot of depth. Mdk

This band Rocks! Mdk

Stereographic Vs. Smoke Ship- Audio Acupuncture Mindfunk Records September 2009 1. Stereographic- Illusion Modes (7:40) 2. Smoke Ship- Predator Squeak (6:57) 3. Stereographic- Mistress Delia (6:36) 4. Smoke Ship- Leuscalina (7:52) 5. Stereographic- Techno Drama (9:12) 6. Smoke Ship- Unknown Territory (6:47) 7. Stereographic- Pandora (8:15) 8. Smoke Ship- Hallucination Zone (7:29) 9. Stereographic- Obscure Anderground (7:01) 10. Smoke Ship- Full Projection (6:21) Ooh boy, I'm outside the box on this one. Normally I don't go in for any darkpsy or forest trance as it is a wee bit chaotic for my tastes, but I figured I would give it a go to try and stretch the reviewing skills. So bear with me, here it goes. Venezuelan Mindfunk Records brings us a mixed album from two artists currently residing in Brazil. Psyshop tells me that Stereographic (never heard of him) is a night-time trance guy while Mr. Ship (don't know who he is either) dabbles in the foresty pixie weirdness. There are 10 tracks on this album and each artist provides 5. Starting with the cover, it is a brilliant hue of blue neuronal appearing structure with radioactive green slashes which I assume are stabbing the aforementioned neurons in an attempt to stimulate. Pretty sweet. Right of the bat, the music doesn't beat around the bush. As promised Stereographic brings a more accessible nighttime sound that is riddled with dark effects adding to the mood. There are some melodies here, but they are slight. His bass line drives the track with authoritative groove. Mr. Ship on the other hand is total random (to me) forest trance with not much in the way of melody. Normally that would bother me, but oddly enough his music is strong enough to be sustained without it. The only experience I have with Forest Trance is Derango's brilliant Tumult so I compare all of this type of trance with that album. That may or may not be fair, but that's all I got. The effects used here are sometimes slightly harsh, but they are effective in carrying the track. Maybe this is forest lite, I don't know, but I like it. Of note, the sample in Leuscalina about torture was awesome and perfectly placed. Normally I don't agree with Psyshop's overhyped descriptions of releases as they all are full of hyperbole. They rarely deliver what is promised. While I wouldn't call this essential like I would I.F.O., this was still an enjoyable listen. I felt most of the tracks were good, not too heavy, but clearly dark. Where a lot of so called psy is very formulaic, this was a surprise around every corner. And this is from a guy clearly out of his element. Perhaps Rotwang (I believe he likes the dark side) or any other Darkpsy aficionado would completely disagree with all I have written. But for me, I was glad I gave this a listen. Psyshoppage Mdk