Trance2MoveU

Title: Through The Eyes of the Ancients Artist: Various Label: Vision Records Release: 2008 1. Lockdown - Twisted System (8:29) 2. Mechanical Witch - NRS Vs. Zion Linguist (7:11) 3. Universal Heart - Dark Nebula (9:28) 4. Score - Winter Demon (6:31) 5. Carnival Madness - Kode Six (7:52) 6. Like and Animal - Zion Linguist (7:17) 7. Schitzofrantic - Dirty Motion (7:36) 8. 2150 AD - Fright Rate (6:59) 9. Ochre Dawn - Optix (6:53) From the label who brought you the awesome Dark Side of the Mind (which I will review a little later) comes their latest effort. There are some big names on this puppy and I can't wait to dive right in. Lockdown - Twisted System- How delicious, a new Twisted System track! The partnership of Shift, Phyx, and Rabdom L have produced numerous bangers along with 2 very fine albums. The wary mood is set right from the get go with the thumping bass and tentative synths, dodging from left to right. There are some distorted 303 sounding synths flung about like a tornado would toss a pick-up truck. The mood is maintained, but alas, I was waiting for the big payoff that never came. Good track, but I think it could've been so much more. Not unlike Phyx's album (which I still really liked). Mechanical Witch - NRS Vs. Zion Linguist- Laurence Sonnenberg and Paul Konrad Wright team up to bring us this madness. I still haven't heard the Zion Linguist album but I plan to. I do. The frenetic synth at 3:45 sounds like a bipolar in need of some prozac stat! To me, this is what a haunted house would sound like if it had a soundtrack. Pretty good track. Universal Heart - Dark Nebula- I never really been a big fan of Richard's music (although I bought all the albums). I think I kept hoping he would take that next step and for me he hasn't yet. This track also starts off with a supernatural feel with a very Talpa-like orchestral backdrop. There are of course some lasers and a serious sample. A synth arpeggio takes center stage and blurs into a wall of noise. This track didn't grab me that much. Score - Winter Demon- Hey buddy, where the hell have you been? I liked your track on the Twilight Vision comp and hope to see more like that. This track doesn't really get going until after 4 minutes, and even then I don't find the synth line that great. Now the one nearer the 5 minute mark is better, and then it all comes together at the end. Good mover, but nothing to write home about. Carnival Madness - Kode Six- Man I cannot wait for this album to come out. This Canadian duo remind me a lot of Front Line Assembly with the way they create a dark sound. Swirling effects make it seem like I am surrounded by creatures not from this world. During the first break, the synth melody is pretty trippy and that is carried through the rest of the track. :posford: I'm not a big fan of the countdown, but I can over look that. Great track! Like and Animal - Zion Linguist- "You look human, but you're not human. Like an animal." 2nd track by Laurence on this comp. The wavering synth drives me up the wall here. I can't get past it. This has migraine written all over it. Thankfully it doesn't last that long, but there ain't much else noteworthy. Best part of this track was the sample. Schitzofrantic - Dirty Motion - These guys are Frozen Ghost and Hiyarant, and had a track on Frozen Ghost's 2nd disc and the Manga compilation. The lead here is pretty frantic and sounds like it is soaked in reverb. The track takes a small respite and then brings that lead back. Pretty good track wuth plenty of craziness, but I felt it could've been filled out more. 2150 AD - Fright Rate- Never heard of 'em. Right off the bat this is DarkPsy complete with terror sample wondering where she is. Very dark with lots of effects but that's about it. Not my favorite. I did like the "My life has value!" sample however. Ochre Dawn - Optix- This is the slowest song on the comp, more in a progressive tempo. It bounces nicely along with a precarious feel. The break is well produced with sounds coming from everywhere, adding to the tension in this track. It will be interesting to see what else this artist pulls out of his hat. Or her hat. I don't know who this is. Conclusion-Well, what can really be said about this comp? A couple of good tracks, but nothing overwhelming. The good tracks aren't super and the not so good tracks aren't terrible. Although slightly disappointed with the TS track, I still thought it was one of the better offerings. The Kode Six effort makes me want to hear more from this team. For the rest....meh. 7/10 Mdk

Title: Visionary System Artists: Various Label: Looney Moon Release: May 2008 1. Insect Slush - Principles of Flight (8:09) 2. Random Access - Digital Talk (8:09) 3. Adrenaline - Phatmatix (8:43) 4. Polar Shift (Illegal Machines Remix) - Psymmetrix (6:42) 5. Not Myself - Konflux (8:11) 6. No Name - B55 (7:25) 7. Acid Mind - Lenz (7:49) 8. Access System - Junesix (8:40) 9. Off My Nut - Killer B (7:44) 10. Neural Connection - Nukleall (7:37) Mars is right. As members, we have fallen down on the job by not providing enough reviews for people. This is mainly an informative site I believe and as such, more quality reviews would give the reader more information as to which releases he or she would choose. I'm as guilty as anyone, so I will try and get the ball rolling this weekend. This is a compilation by Looney Moon. According to Saiko, this is an Italian Label that is providing its first release after mainly throwing parties. There are a couple of well knowns (Phatmatix and Digital Talk) and several lesser knowns. As far as I am concerned, Phatmatix can do no wrong (his album still gets play from me) and Digital Talk is right behind him lately. So let's see what we've got. Insect Slush - Principles of Flight- Pierre Delort & Remy Maurin start us off with the first track. What is Insect Slush? Ew...sounds gross. The kick is heavy and the bass line scramble across the track with various effects smushed into our ears. The break at 4 minutes sounds like dripping water with an army of ant legs on the march! There really isn't any melody to speak of, but you can tell the mood is one of twilight. Nothing special. Random Access - Digital Talk- Julien and Luc are up (hey how 'bout a new album gentlemen?) and the kick is even heavier here. Short lasers fire about and we are firmly into full-on night territory. Throw in some metallic leads along with a wailing sound and here we are. The break creates a nice atmosphere, and is short-lived. This is a groovy thumping track with a very cool "minor key" feeling to it. :posford: BTW, if you have ever looked at the Discogs pic of Digital Talk, one of them looks like he will steal your girlfriend and the other one can't wait to tell you about it! Adrenaline - Phatmatix- Stephane Rault continues the dark vibe with his pounding kick and ominous leads. Lasers trickle about amidst a synth that is intent on punching you in the face. When the acid joins the party, the game is truly on. Very straight forward take no prisoners power psy! Awesome track! :posford: Polar Shift (Illegal Machines Remix) - Psymmetrix - This is a track by Psymmetrix (not a big fan of his album) remixed by Illegal Machines. I had no idea who they were, but it appears they have a few tracks sprinkled about. Samples speak of a subject that has been frozen since 1973....nearly 200 years. So I guess we are in the future. Leads all over the place dancing above a very low bass line. This is very psychedelic especially when the tempo changes near the 4 minute mark. The tempo changes back seamlessly creating a nice groove. Nice Track! :clapping: Not Myself - Konflux - Vasily Myazin hasn't been very productive as of late, but has a track on the Sidewinder compilation. I have been trying to track that one down, so if you guys got an extra one, send it my way! The bass line here scratches it's way underneath an equally scratchy lead. The break brings some light pads before plunging back into the darkness. The 2nd break gives some promise with a robotik sample while the beat gently gurgles. This is a pretty nice dark track with not a lot of melody so if that's your thing, you'll love it. I dug it. No Name - B55- No Name? Really? Isn't that kind of lazy? Leave it to the Japanese to go the extra mile! But seriously, these 2 guys have been on some of the better comps recently so hopes are high. The beat drops like a hammer and come over you like a tsunami. The break allows you to catch your breath, but not for long. There is zero variation in this track however, but if you like your beats straight forward without a lot of bells and whistles...suit up bitch. Acid Mind - Lenz- This guy is head of the Austrian (there is such a thing?) label Leemusic. This track has some "wash" leads like a lot of DarkPsy, and a 1/16th note bass line. Yeah, um...that's all I got. Keep it moving, nothing to see here. Access System - Junesix- No clue who this is, but that's a cool moniker! Although, maybe if you spelled six with a 6... If there was a fight between Junesix and Kode Six, who would win? I digress..this track has a lot of...it really creates some...hmmm. I'm not going to lie to you, there wasn't a whole lot going on with this one. Just some scrapey leads and the usual bass line. Did it really have to go on for almost 9 minutes? Off My Nut - Killer B- Love the title. I think of the Simpsons episode where Chief Wiggum tells Mr. Burns that he has gone off his nut and...ah, you know the rest. Bennie, head of Amoeba records weighs in with this effort. Pretty straight forward (I seem to be saying that a lot for this compilation) with a metallic lead bouncing about a grumbly bass and 4/4 kick. I have the same problem with this track as with the last 3: no highs, no lows, it just is. On or off. Even my boring halogen lamp at home has a dimmer. Neural Connection - Nukleall- wow, we certainly have tailed off since Konflux, haven't we? Whoever this is, they made an appearance on Shotu's album, and I don't remember that either. Squirty leads peak in and out, with a light assortment of lasers. Conclusion: This compilation started of great with some high energy, high power tracks. Unfortunately the momentum was unable to be maintained, with some rather unspectacular efforts near the end. As I mentioned, the weaker tracks really didn't seem like they had any direction and just plodded along. The good tracks were the first 4, maybe 5, and then there was the rest. 7/10. Mdk

I've also been wondering this. Absolum has released a perfect album "Inside The Sphere" :posford: and smattering of tracks on some comps and they have been really good. I would hope that Mr. Absolum has a great influence on Sammy and they form a long lasting partnership like Electric Universe and Space Tribe. Mdk

Care to elaborate? Mdk

Not my intention. I just wanted to convey that when I listen to his albums, I expect one type of psy and when I hear another in almost every track I am disappointed. Hence the title of the thread. No disrespect to Sammy or house intended. Mdk

Sammy, you had me at the first album of CPU. Tracks like Down the Stairs, Processing Unit, and Virtual Flirt were psychedelic madness. The driving beat and insane melodious leads forced me to want to get up and move. Truly powerful. With the next album you continued your dominance of the psy scene. Computer Error, Skynet, Positronic, and of course Black Mamba kicked so much ass. Your mastery extended to numerous compilations. Keep the Timecode from Firewall, Dark Matter from Goodfellas, Laptop Orgy from High Octane. Brilliant. When I saw your name on a track I knew I would be guaranteed quality. Then Nutek happened. And you changed man. You changed. I don't know if you wanted to appeal to a wider audience or lost a lot of ideas, but the music quality started to take a dive. I think you are calling it groovy psytrance now. I'm sorry I don't find it very groovy. When your third album came out, I thought it would be the continuation of more magic. That was not the case sadly. Pure filler. One good track for me. This was music more suited for the clubs; the house crowd and the glowstick trancers rather than a psy festival. Then it seemed like you were brining formerly good artists down to your level. Climate Change? Really? And what about Concept of Time from Surya Namaha? What did Menog ever do to you? And leave Bliss alone, he has his own problems after that last album. Yikes. :wank: The final nail in the coffin was this last effort. With the spin machine in place we were told that you were "continuing in his tradition of innovative production and presents us today with a technological marvel." How do you sleep at night. IMO, there is absolutely no flow to this album. So much stopping and starting, I thought I was playing red light green light. There is none of your trademarked "wicked sounds" on this disc. The dark atmosphere once created is nowhere to be found. Where your music once moved me to play this loud in the car, it now just moves me to turn it off. I understand that you are an artist. And an artist must change and evolve his art so that he can grow and not become stale doing the same thing over and over. I'm sure this type of psy appeals to some and if you are out there reading this, then good for you. I'm writing this to tell you, that as someone who was with you from the beginning, I am sorely disappointed with the direction your "sound" is going. You owe me nothing, as your first 2 albums and numerous compilation tracks more than satisfy my driving psy needs and I will continue to play them. Call me when you get back to making tracks like Stupid Play, The Reaktor, and Thinking Machines. Mdk

Wow, this is quite good work! I just listened to UFOlogy and was very impressed. In the beginning of Temple of Maya, it sounded a bit muddled, but maybe that is due to the low bit-rate. Keep it up! Mdk

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GMS- Jaws EP. 1. Jaws 2. Red Lights 3. The Loaner I've never heard the last one so I'm looking forward to it.

Vibe Tribe- Carousel That synth line that just trickles to your ears and then gets the filtering treatment is so nice. Thank you Caffein:me for bringing that track to light. Mdk

Damn if Genetic Monster by Talamasca & Manitou didn't make me want to watch Aliens. "My mother always told me that there were no such things as monsters. No real ones anyway. But there are."

That Deedrah remix is spot on! Great track to be introduced to. I am going to refresh my memory with Carousel by Vibe Tribe :posford: Mdk

Moved on to some old Talamasca. Talamasca- Magnetic Fields EP Mdk

Back on task here. Mdk

Oh boy, I really fell off the psy wagon with this one..... Mdk

Sweet! So much great goa out there to listen to!!! But now it's back to this: Mdk

Such a good melodic album!!! :clapping: Mdk

Payload by Motion Drive off the Still Fresh V/A. Absolutely stunning! :posford: Mdk

V/A- Still Fresh Mdk

I dunno, I'm really feeling this right now. Makes me want to get a hammock. Mdk

I am really looking forward to the Sine Die album! PTX was a lot better than I had anticipated and the Phanatic disc wasn't bad either. The Michelle Adamson album was too clubby for me with all that damn "singing" and unless someone convinces me that Silent Hill is worth a listen, I will be avoiding that like a Tetrium CD. Mdk

Love this album!

Can't wait to get home and give this one a listen. Are you going to release your tracks at some point for download or are you looking for a label? They are really great sounding.

Afgin- From the Heart :posford: