Trance2MoveU

Artist: Heterogenesis Title: Revoluciones Maquinicas Label: Dark Prisma Release: August, 2007 Track Listing: 01. 2�02� Entrando A La Via Organica (Intro) 02. 6�38� Constelacion Armonica 03. 7�46� Danzando Fuera De La Mente 04. 7�45� Despertando El Espiritu 05. 6�52� Silencio Interior 06. 7�05� Universos Incorporales 07. 7�37� El Espiral Hacia La Eternidad 08. 7�51� Campo Molecular 09. 7�13� Conciencia Multidimensional 10. 8�51� Abstraccion Subjetiva Wow, that was tough. Typing the Spanish titles of the tracks took a lot out of me. Sure I can speak Spanish, well a little. I took 4 years of it in high school, but that was ages ago. Besides, this girl that sat across from me was hot. Not go to the front of the class because I�m pitching a tent hot. I stumbled across this release and got it because of the interesting artwork. I haven�t heard anything about Dark Prisma records, but I was able to discover this was mastered by Artifakt at TimeCode studios. Advantage number one. This is a combo of Jorge Uema (Pragmatix) and Cosmos Vibrations. Dark Prisma released Frantic Noise �The Nordland Orchestra� which was dedicated to the dark side of trance while this one bills itself as a genre-smasher, containing both light and dark. I believe the Argentinian Revolucion has begun ladies and gentlemen. Let�s get to it! Entrando A La Via Organica (Intro)- �I don�t want you to think of this as some process of converting electrons and magnetic impulses and shapes and figures and sounds�no. Listen. We�re here to make a dent in the universe. Otherwise why even be here�. Forgive the translations, but I will do my best. We enter an organic life. This is a short Dark Ambient intro, and it sets the stage nicely. The above sample is awesome and I can�t wait to dent that sonofabitch universe! Constelacion Armonica- With a rambling bass line that es muy rapido we take off. Good synth work and the break sets up the next phase. You can here the intermingling of dark and light as the track bristles with power. What a great start. Power with a dark atmosphere! Danzando Fuera De La Mente- Here we are dancing outside of our mind. The track starts with a sliced pad sound and is rounded with a wicked bass sound that gives a nice bottom end. Again you can taste the squirty dark leads that a lot of Darkpsy producers like. Very good track! Despertando El Espiritu- Waiting for the spirit has a lot of sounds to keep you occupied. As one is leaving, another takes its place and fills the void. I like that attention to detail. The lead snakes around the full-on bass line in various iterations and turns this track into a quite the mover. Very good track! Silencio Interior- Interior Silence. I know; you�re proud of me for that one. I just love the dark feel that opens this track, and it moves along nicely. Not a whole lot to say about this one though, so I�ll just say good track. Universos Incorporales- I�m going to go out on a limb here and say this means Incorporated Universes. The bass line drives in this one as a soft melody creeps to the front. Psysounds keep your mind working as the beat goes on. This is just a nice straight forward piece of psytrance. Good track! El Espiral Hacia La Eternidad- The spiral towards eternity again has that dark atmosphere. I felt the middle bit was a tad uninteresting, until someone asked if I was a dreamer. Since I am, I wasn�t afraid to admit it. When the leads near the end kick in, it helps the track. I would say pretty good track. Campo Molecular- Molecular country. Is that like flavor country? Because if it is I want no part of it. Ask the Marlboro man how that�s going. This track seems to have a really fat kick and the leads set the tone. By the 2�30� I am tapping my toe. The lead wipes its emotions all over your face. The lead changed a couple of times, and before I knew it, the track was over. Good track! Conciencia Multidimensional- Multidimensional conscience. Were these guys philosophy majors. Their titles are deep. Their sound production is as well. The lead is short and subtle, as an arpeggio weaves about. This one seemed shorter, but no less good. Good track! Abstraccion Subjetiva- Subjective Abstraction�yeah, I don�t even know what that means. But I�m here to tell you that this is the obligatory Downtempo track. With a dubby feel. The leads sprinkle about, and it feels like Jamaica at late afternoon. The beat is heavy and I think I see the waves crashing on the shore. Great track! In Summary: This was a very good debut. It is full-on, but very well defined full-on. I am usually wary of discs that bill themselves as genre-spanning as they usually don�t even get one right. This is different. There are no club sounds here, and you might as well leave your glow-sticks at home. My mind never wandered, and I really enjoyed the dark feel to this disc. I�m sure improvements could be made, but like I said, for a debut it is a great start. 8/10

Artist: Deeper In Zen Title: Silence Label: Soular Records Release: July, 2007 Track Listing 01. 6�29� First Breath 02. 6�47� Revealing Luminescence 03. 7�21� It Is Now 04. 7�20� Inner Illuminations 05. 7�08� Integrated Minds 06. 7�54� Wicked Purity 07. 7�44� Dark Electric 08. 7�03� Elemental Deeper In Zen (James Brian, USA) has released three artist albums before this one. Balance, which I am still trying to get my hands on, Insight and the double CD Tao. Now I have only heard Insight (which I liked) despite the fact that Tao is still sitting on the shelf unlistened to. Im� sorry baby, I don�t mean to neglect you, it�s just that all these things are happening and your body�s changing so fast, it�s like a whirlwind�yadda yadda yadda. I recently reviewed the Helios debut and liked the track James helped on so this should be a good time. The art is nice with a Stonehenge kinda thing in the foreground and a medallion like sun in the background. Let�s get to it! First Breath- The track begins with a rumbling bass line and a mystical atmosphere. Large pads and tribal utterances give way to a screaming lead. You can feel this track building, giving you just a taste at first. The break is a last chance to escape, but then all the elements are combined in the final minute. Great track and a great start! Revealing Luminescence- �Is there not only one moment� ever? Is life ever not this moment?� After that sample we are right back into high energy territory. James doesn�t believe in waiting around! What he is revealing, is how full-on should be done. Fast, powerful, and utterly trance inducing. If you don�t get up and move to this, check for a pulse. Bravo, Mr. Brian. Bravo. It Is Now- This one starts a little darker, but no less groovy. I liken this to going through a tunnel at night, not really knowing what is on the other end. The acid is there, grumbly bass line, and eerie leads. And just when it might start to get a little repetitive, new leads arrive and the journey continues. This track is more about mood than melody. Good track! Inner Illuminations- I don�t have a lot to say about this one. This one just kinda�goes. It�s basically all about the beat and the leads seem to follow. There isn�t a �true� melody, but there are a lot of sounds. It�s not bad, but doesn�t seem to stack up against the previous tracks. Good, but nothing special. Integrated Minds- �We are about to take you into the world of the LSD user. A world that to him is real, yet as terrifying and unreal as anything imaginable.� Man, what a good sample! I know people are tired of drug references, but this one even had a little Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds in it. Clever. The track has that rapid bass line, and I know we are in for a ride. The acid stabs are plentiful and the break brings back the Beatles. Marvelous. I don�t care for marmalade though. Not one bit. It�s like�retarded jelly. It looks good in the jar, but when you taste it, you are disappointed. Like the girl you see in the club. She looks hot in the dim light, but get here outside and your friends are already laughing at you. By the way, this is a very good track. Wicked Purity- Opposite words, pretty cool. The bass line staggers to the front amidst a woman�s�ummm�vocals. Know what I�m sayin�? The track bounces along, without a lot of variation. This is similar to Inner Illuminations. A good track with power, but nothing special. Dark Electric- �It is the essence of all galaxies�and blades of grass. Of all flowers, and trees. And all other forms. Feeling the oneness of yourself with all things is love.� This sample seems to contradict the title, but what do I know. A couple of breaks and a good lead, and we have a nice track. I would�ve liked a little more acid or craziness, but it is what it is. Elemental- Final track and it�s elemental my dear Watson. This one rises and falls. The lead mimics the bass line at times, which creates a nice groove. Once again, not melodies on top of melodies, but good structure. The only complaint I have with this track is the abrubt ending. Other than that, good track. In Summary: I liked it. Like all discs, there were some tracks that were stronger than others, but there are no stinkers here. You put a Beatles sample in your track, and I�m following you. Hell, put it in my cereal and I�m eating it. James�s bass lines are crisp and he has a great sense on how to keep a track interesting. This is full-on, but it�s not clich� (holy crap, the computer just put that accent there!). There are no rainbows and no unicorns, just good straight forward psytrance. So take your glow sticks and beat it! Great job! 8/10. Favorites: 2, 5, 1. Mdk

Artist: Helios Title: Aires Rising Label: Geomantic TV Release: July, 2007 Track Listing 01. 7:35 Helios feat. Cosmosis Feel the Love 02. 7:46 Helios feat. The Loomii One With Nature 03. 7:59 Helios Mentalasys 04. 8:01 Helios feat. Pure Pressure Atomic Sun 05. 7:58 Helios feat. Deeper In Zen Auradawn 06. 7:43 Helios feat. Chromatone & Random Burrito Envy 07. 5:55 Helios High Use Ward 08. 7:51 Helios feat. Morphonix Incanterpolation 09. 7:45 Helios Dream Time Aires? Really? I feel like such a fool. I've been saying Aries, you know, like the God of War? Now I don't know who Helios is, discogs refuses to tell me (what did I do to them?). He or they seem to be buddies with Chromatone and Random, and that's a good sign if you like high energy psy. Geomantic TV has put out a bunch of stuff including a few DVDs. Never a bad idea to branch out into different media. This seems like Helios has a lot of help from his friends, and they seem to be powerful friends indeed. The artwork seems cool, which shows stick figures dancing on top of the world. Well, what appears to be South America. So, let's get to it! Helios feat. Cosmosis Feel the Love- Ahhh, I can already feel the Cosmosis influence at the start, as some squirty leads shuck and jive their way around the track. The break sees a growly lead emerging from it's hiding place as guitars fight for position. I liked the lead near the end, but it wasn't dominant enough. This was a decent track to start the journey, but not enough meat on the bone for me. Helios feat. The Loomii One With Nature- The Loomii? You guys need to stop with the weed. I see they or him (I have no idea) had a track on the underrated Highway 420 compilation, which ironically is about weed. The guitar at the break kind of gets me to be one with nature, in a 60's free-love get a job and a shower you dirty hippie kinda way. However, I find the track thin with not a lot going on. Helios Mentalasys- Helios decides to tackle this one on his own, with Mentalasys. You guys and your made up words. Killin' me. This one starts of with a darker edge. The bass line is assertive, but there is nothing really to focus on and a lot of air that could be filled with sounds to flesh out the track. I did like the lead near the end that seemed to come out of nowhere. The percussion underneath it all is pretty funky as well. Pretty good track. Helios feat. Pure Pressure Atomic Sun- Once again no idea who Pure Pressure is but they start off with some nice bass work. But once again, this track falls into the same pitfall as the previous ones: not a whole lot to distinguish itself. It chugs along like a train with no passengers but it keeps going because it still has to get to the station. Pass. Helios feat. Deeper In Zen Auradawn- I look forward to this one in the same way I look forward to reviewing Deeper in Zen's new album Silence. This track has a really cool name. Auradawn. I see an image like the cover of the Vangelis album the City. Go look it up. It's like those words belong together. Like applewood bacon. Hickory smoked. Yeah. This one is already a step in the right direction. Once again the bass work is nice and the track moves along fluidly. The pads give an ethereal feeling, and the leads guide your ears ever skyward. The break shoves the sun right into your mug. Beautiful! Best on the disc for sure! Great track! Helios feat. Chromatone & Random Burrito Envy- That's funny. I didn't know they could do that, but why wouldn't they? This burrito has more meat and this other one is all beans. I guess the one that was all meat would make fun of the beany one. The beany one would fell bad, start hanging with the wrong crowd. Probably the tacos. They're bad news. But don't let them fool you. They seem hard on the outside, but on the inside it's just soft. Anyway, Chromatone & Random lend a hand, and this is full on all the way. The lead at 5:30 flutters about for a little bit, then disappears. It's a good mover, but there isn't a whole lot of craziness. I was expecting acid out the ass, but that's not here. Decent track, but nothing special. Helios High Use Ward- The beginning is sort of mellow, mid-tempo with a catchy percussive riff. I'm feeling a little funky. When the bass comes in, it's a whole lot of funky. Where the hell did this come from? The break continues with the atmospheric sounds and then we jump right back into the funky pudding with both feet. This is the shortest track on the album, but it was highly effective. Very good track! Helios feat. Morphonix Incanterpolation- So what the hell does that mean? This is sort of tech-trance with a nice bottom end. That bass is super-fat! My sub is begging for more, hungry s.o.b.! With a nice trip-hop beat and assorted atmospherics, this is pretty sweet. After listening to this track all the way through several times, I found out what the title means: super booty grooving! Great stuff! Helios Dream Time- Well, the 2nd half of this CD has certainly been a surprise. We continue with a nice down tempo / break-beat / ambient track. I'm telling you this is the meat that Helios should be cooking. The beat was good, and while not as good as the previous track, still one of the better ones in the bunch. In Summary: It's plain to see the way this album goes. It starts of very trance like with collaborations with some known and unknown names and winds up with trip hop and techno beats that the Chemical Brothers wish they had. Ill be brutally honest; I think Helios should stick to techno machinations. They are very good at it. The trance portion of the Cd is average maybe a little more, but where they shine is the latter part of the album. It will be interesting to see what turn Helios's style takes in the future. I would classify Helios as a work in progress, but then again aren't we all? First half of the CD: 5/10. Second half: 8/10. Favorites: 8, 5, 4, 9. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Positive Alchemists Vol. 3 Label: Avigmatic Records Release: August 2007 Track Listing 01. 8�02� Protoculture � Revolutionizer 02. 8�09� Life Extension Vs. Crying Freemen � Let Me Out 03. 6�49� Mixed Emotions Vs. Didrapest � Time Stratch 04. 8�15� Intersys Vs. Optical Vision � Systematic 05. 7�27� Space Buddha � Dream On 06. 7�22� Bio-Tonic � Do The Same Thing 07. 7�37� Sine Die � Eclipse 08. 6�32� Digicult � Magic 09. 7�25� Evoice Vs. Digital Tribe � Freak Out 10. 7�40� Avigmati - Hikoseki Man I have been waiting for this one. Avigmatic Records, the label that brought you the awesome Digicult album, the previous 2 installments of this series as well as the new effort from Life Extension. I really enjoyed the last 2 Alchemists so I have high hopes for this one. As usual the art is very cool. I wish I was an alchemist. I would grow a long white beard like Gandalf, and tell evil demons that they shall not pass. I think you would really like my dragon like fireworks. All the kids think they�re cool. Go ahead�ask �em! Right�let�s get to it! Protoculture � Revolutionizer- South Africa rules! Well, as far as psytrance goes. Maybe it rules in other ways. I�ve never been there before. I just don�t know. Here is Nate bringing us his latest. This guy knows his way around a track. He warms you up with a nice driving beat, and allows you to recover with a short break. The pads are so spacey, the synths nimble over top, and as we reach the climax, the bass line shifts and brings the emotional whirlwind to a head. Can�t you just taste the sunrise on this one? Vive la revolution! Great track! Life Extension Vs. Crying Freemen � Let Me Out- �There�s only one part of my body I don�t want anybody entering�that�s my head.� Really? Is that the only one? Cause I can think of a few more that shouldn�t be entered. As I mentioned before Life Extension have a new album out, and as far as I know Crying Freemen is a French duo that have released a track on a comp I have reviewed called �Mysterious Force.� There is a nice bouncy beat, you know that galloping bass line. The arpeggio scrambles across the track but I feel it stays a little too long. I found this one pretty good, but nothing special. I preferred Life Extensions track on Vol. 2 of this series. Mixed Emotions Vs. Didrapest � Time Stratch- Didrapest did battle with Planet B.E.N. this year and Mixed Emotions did a mix with Didrapest on the Enigmatic World Israel disc. The staccato voice lead brings a nice melody as the other sounds start to fill it out. The final romp sort of has a goa-hypnotic quality to it. Sort of. This one has a lot of stops and starts so it�s hard for me to remain �in trance.� Not bad. Intersys Vs. Optical Vision � Systematic- Intersys have released a bunch of tracks on various compilations but I dunno who the hell Optical Vision is. Cool, bring on the unknown. The beginning of the track has a worried feel to it. People are trying to reboot, there isn�t time, I say. I think the samples are from Red Planet, cause that sounds a lot like Val Kilmer. Eh, who knows. This one meanders along but really is firmly in full-on territory. Not bad, but not great. Space Buddha � Dream On- Eliad has the right attitude here. He�s got leads snaking onto the scene just within earshot just before the beat drops. Brad Pitt knows man�know your drugs! I liked the break as it wasn�t business as usual with all the effects used. When the final melody kicks in, it is pure happiness. Rainbows and unicorns. Everything is going to be all right! Some might find this Chester cheesy, but I liked it because�I want everything to turn out fine. Pretty good track. Bio-Tonic � Do The Same Thing- I always found these guys wacky. They can make pumping kick you in the nuts psy and then they can make some weird Bootsy Collins trippy shit. My favorite D.I. says we will all be able to do the same thing. The fluttering lead amidst the beat is soothing, and then another lead fills out the bottom end very nicely. Lotsa reverb here. Pretty good track. Sine Die � Eclipse- Yohan (like Lohan?) Lasorsa pops in to deliver us an eclipse. His choons have been spot on, and has shown he can wreck some shit. That break is trippy as the lead evolves, gurgling to the surface. His bass line changes to a different tempo for a short time, but then he is back on 4/4 ground and continues to weave a sonic tapestry. Smashing! Digicult � Magic- �This place is different�it�s special� My favorite track by these guys is �The Way In� so I�m hoping for more of his powerful goa flavour. Did you see that? Did you see what I did there? I used the Queen�s English! You should see the look on your boat! Anyway, this track moves along well, and comes with more guitar. I normally don�t like that, but it�s all right here. The leads are quality and although I didn�t get any of that goa magic, I still enjoyed this one. Evoice Vs. Digital Tribe � Freak Out- Shlomi and someone else want to freak me out. The voice sample is on the corny side and most assuredly not freaky. The beat isn�t that freaky, and the leads aren�t very freaky either. You know what scares me? Jellyheadz. That is some scary shit. Oh, and Xenomorph�s Qlippoth. I cannot listen to that with the lights off. That guy seems like the psytrance Marilyn Manson. Well, what Eric Warner would like to think he is. What were we talking about? Oh yeah, this track is not very freaky. Average at best. Avigmati � Hikoseki- I don�t know what Hikoseki means but we have some quirky leads to start. Later there is some definite goa nicey nice as the track chugs along. Pretty good track although some variation would not have been remiss. In Summary: I want to tell you that this was the most kick ass album of the year. I want to say that you should move your Hallucinogen and Pleiaidians aside and let this rule the mantle. I want to. But I can�t. I would be lying if I said that I wasn�t disappointed in this release. I suppose it is my fault for probably having unrealistic expectations, but damnit, I have them. The previous two entries in this series were very good to exceptional. Almost every track left a blistering mark. Not so here. Don�t get me wrong(ly), this isn�t a bad compilation and none of the tracks are terrible. But it's like the Blade series of movies. When the first one came out it was great. The second one was really good too. I don't know what the hell they were thinking on the third one. Who the hell green-lighted that tom-foolery? AND that hot chick was in it. This was sorta like that. This comp doesn't suck. Not at all. It�s just not up to the level of it�s predecessors. 7/10 Favorites: 1, 7, 5.

I'm listening to it for the first time right now. I just got thru the 1st track and it was pretty good. Like others have said there is a lot to keep your mind focused on. The repeated samples (aka track 2) are maddening. It's just not necessary. As for the cover, I like it. It gives me a Grudge feel, you can just see the name and title of the CD flickering in and out. Mdk

S.C.A.M. - Dirty Trancin MDK

Artist: Rastaliens Title: Back on Earth Label: Phar Psyde Records Format: CD Jewel Case Release: July, 2007 Track Listing: 01. 6:50 Crazy on Chocholate 02. 7:47 Hidden Signs 03. 7:29 Mystic Machine 04. 6:34 Sarah Tonin 05. 6:59 Spaceshifter 06. 7:50 Funky Kangaruh 07. 8:31 Do It 08. 7:07 Outer Body 09. 6:29 Electromatic 10. 7:17 Dusty Lizard This is Ralf Knobloch & J�rgen Kassel�s 3rd artist album. I really enjoyed Xplore the Wild Side, so this should whet my appetite. The cover art is cool, with 1950's era alien craft invading Earth. Some may say that really happened. Some disagree. However, if you have a better explanation as to how George Bush is the president of the free world, I would love to hear it. Crazy on Chocolate- I hear ya boys, I love me some chocolate. Why just the other day I...never mind. A driving beat starts us off with some dirty leads and a good pace. Those leads continue right through the break, as another lead forces its way to the front. There isn't a lot of melody here, it's just to let you know that the Rastaliens have arrived. Good track! Hidden Signs- "I didn't mean to scare anyone off, but these are bizarre dimensions of extraordinary power and beauty." This is pure full-on, with not a lot of variation. This just goes straight at you, with its galloping bass line and simple leads. Average track. Mystic Machine- "Well like the man says don't take life to seriously. You'll never get out of it alive." Is that Bugs Bunny? I think that was Bugs Bunny. Points awarded for using him in track. The bass line rumbles as psy sounds stick and move. The short melody that dominates is quite emotive as other metallic leads scrape within earshot. Good track! Sarah Tonin- Haha, I get it. I dated a girl named Sarah once. She had this great set of...values. Anyway, funky bass and a stutter step lead, that's what you get. Groovy! I like the skittish sounds that seem to retreat from whence they came. Good track! Spaceshifter- I can't explain how I know, but I think this track is going to be the star of the album. The sounds come from the darkness and the leads dance about nervously. This is a frenetic track that ominously holds court in the way that Xerox & Illumination have been doing lately. The acid picks up and helps to create and absolute dance floor bomb. Awesome track! Funky Kangaruh- I always thought kangaroos were funky. The way they hop around and such. The bass line has purpose as it meanders, while slight percussion ups the funky factor. Metallic leads come and go, but this is a pretty by the numbers track. Pounding, but nothing special. Do It- Various Alien sounds precede a bass line and the synth line comes in to drive. Some acid splashes are present and that kick is thunderous. Scary feel to this track, as if the aliens are landing. Pretty good track! Outer Body- The bass line jumps in immediately with a smattering of an acid touch. I like that, get on with it! My toe is tapping as more metallic leads join the fray. I think that is a 303 in the background, but I'm not sure. The main synth line at the end is so nimble that it cannot be corralled. Great track! Electromatic- This one is standard full-on without one distinguishing characteristic. I'm not saying it's bad, but we have heard it all before. Average track. Dusty Lizard- With a house-like shuffle this track begins. There are some dissonant tones and this thing chugs along, but doesn't impress me. It's kind of like he ran out of gas, and just threw the last 2 tracks on there to give us a nice even. Average at best. In Summary: This was a pretty good album. I think it is a worthy follow-up to their 2nd release. It is very dance floor oriented (surprise) and combines a pounding kick, aggressive bass lines, and plenty of good synth lines to focus on. Sure it is full-on, but I feel it is well done. The cover art as I previously mentioned is very nice and goes along with the style of music. Most of the tracks are very good with a couple of fillers. I can recommend this to fans of intelligent full-on and the acid freaks. If I had to pick one improvement I would like to see, it could maybe be some more variation and more melodies in some of the less strong tracks. 7/10 MDK

Artist: ChRonos Title: Steps to the Great Knowledge Label: Sunline Records Format: CD Digipak Release: May 2007 Track Listing: 01. 2�10� The Gates 02. 9�26� Step By Step 03. 10�43� Stonehendge 04. 8�00� Mandala (new edit) 05. 10�54� Self Overcoming 06. 9�56� Mayan Artifact Part 1 07. 11�45� Mayan Artifact Part 2 08. 9�29� Shamora Ritual 09. 4�45� Mayan Artifact (Twisted Breaks mix) ChRonos is Nikita Klimenko from Moscow and this is his first album. He released 2 tracks according to discogs, but I haven�t heard them. The cover art is very beautiful and was the reason I picked this up. It�s early Sunday morning here, so a great time for some smooth relaxing ambient! The Gates- This is a short track, like an intro into what we are going to get. There is a goa feel here, and I�m excited about it. Nice! Step By Step- �I�m the key figure in an ongoing government charade� With a sample from the X-files move and a slow measured kick we begin. A nice lead carries the melody over soft whispers and smooth pads. The leads thicken, dragging me to a land I am more than willing see. Agent Mulder�s sample comes back and the track continues with its sharp synths and ends smoothly. Great track! Stonehendge- Is that misspelled? A glassy pad hovers above a slowly churning bass line. Gentle, tribal percussive elements arrive as the pad drops out, and is replaced by a stuttering lead. I felt this track was a little thin, where there was one lead sound and not a lot else. If you�re going to make a track that is almost 11 minutes, I need a lot to keep me focused. Average track. Mandala (new edit)- This track starts with some Gregorian chants and a very Nepalese mountain feel. A goa-type lead snakes around Arabian pads. As the tempo picks up, I would have to call this Downtempo goa and this makes me smile. The break has a chopped up vocal, but I can�t understand what it�s saying. The percussion that was in the break continues past it, until a nice melody appears. I didn�t care for the break or the percussion, but the rest of the track was spot-on! Good track! Self Overcoming- �The developing organism is using his life energy, digesting bone, tissue�you just slowed the process.� Delicate leads scramble over a floaty pad and are soon joined by another lead. As the lead becomes thicker still, a bass lead drives over a break beat. I guess this guy likes the X-files, because there is another sample here. Soon, the kick comes in and we are in trance territory with more leads, climbing ever higher. With the break at 7�20� another X-files sample joins the pads and then the main lead returns. Very well done! Excellent track! Man, I do miss the X-files. Mayan Artifact Part 1- Ok, a two-parter! Over 20 minutes for the next two tracks. This one starts with a dramatic pad and big cymbal crashes. Man, ever so slight percussion, I love that! You feel like if you touch it, it would crumble. A soft lead gurgles around as a bass line finally appears. A sliced woman�s voice meanders across the track. The standout here though was the percussion. Wow, kick ass! Mayan Artifact Part 2- Part 2 and someone is banging on a metal pipe. The Gregors chime in, along with ritual-like pads as a bass line growls to life. Halfway through the track and I don�t want it to end. The lead weaves in and out of earshot, and the end of the track is just like the beginning of the first part. A full circle. Full indeed. Brilliant! Shamora Ritual- Tablas, and a breathy wind instrument replace sounds from an Asian market. This is mellow, and I feel like I am in the Orient. While certainly beautiful, I don�t think I could make this track part of my regular rotation. There is little variation or melody, just predominantly percussive work. That in itself, however, is pretty damn cool. Mayan Artifact (Twisted Breaks mix)- Since the Mayan Artifacts tracks were so spectacular, I hope this is great too. It is basically some more great percussive work and a bass line with a female voice sliced over the top. While interesting, I don�t think it fits with the vibe of this album. In Summary- Man, this guy is great with percussion! Such delicate workings. I felt like a bull in a china shop, and I was just sitting here listening! He can create a mood and sustain it through the whole track. The use of pads is excellent, and the fact that there was some flirtation with goa made this all the more impressive. As I mentioned before, some spots felt like they could use more sounds, but it seems minor. Most of the tracks are brilliant. This is a definite gem. One of the better ambient/chill releases I have heard in quite some time. 8.5/10 MDK

Artist: Various Title: Kaleidoscopic Vision Label: Space Tribe Music Format: CD Digipak Release: May 2007 Track Listing 01. 9:09 Out of Your Mind Space Tribe/Sirius Isness 02. 7:13 Star Trek Inner Action 03. 9:22 The Mind's Eye EsP 04. 7:42 Spiritual No Body Space Tribe/Psywalker 05. 8:25 Observation Electric Universe 06. 7:58 Teleporting Phase Menog 07. 6:03 Ticket to Oblivion Space Specimen 08. 7:42 Future Life Space Tribe/Psywalker 09. 7:29 Spiritual Experience Space Tribe/Menog As my friend Eric Cartman would say, Space Tribe(kick ass), Electric Universe(kick ass), Inner Action(kick ass), Menog(kick ass), EsP(double kick ass), Psywalker(kick ass). Ok, now that I have introduced you to most of the players here, letï's get into the meat of things. If you follow psytrance then you know who most if not all of these people are. Space Tribe(Olli Wisdom) and Electric Universe(Boris Blenn) are pillars of the psy community and have been in the game for well, they might've started the game. This is Olli's label which delivers in your face, kick you in the nuts psytrance. You know this is going to be drenched in acid and if you don't singe your fingers, then you didn't put them in the puddle. The artwork is nice, done by Mikki Wisdom. She also did the artwork for the EsP album. These are some of my favorite artists so high hopes abound for this. Let's get to it! Out of Your Mind- "The psychedelics open my mind to whole new spaces of myself." You bet they do! This is a collaboration between Olli and the psytrance couple Max Peterson & Davina Elmosnino. Not more than 1.5 minutes and we are into it with racy synth leads and acid missiles. With another acid sample I wonder if Olli drops acid or just likes to talk about it? Either way, keep it up, because this is fast paced, synth line driven acid psytrance. And I love it! Awesome track! Star Trek- This is a track by Roy Engel & Nico Schachaf who released their album in 2005 but have dropped a lot of tracks for various compilations since then. There is definitely a space-like atmosphere created at the outset, with a nice synth stab that hits twice in succession. The breaks sees the emergence of a cool melody. Pretty good track. The Mind's Eye- This is the super duo Olli and Boris themselves, so I will expect nothing less that perfection. Wow, shocking that the acid is here already. There are acid lines and then there is the total soaking that you get right up front. Sweet! And boy does it continue. This is so dirty, people in wheelchairs will find the strength to stand on their hands and spin their wheels! The mind's eye sample (I can't remember what movie it's from) fits well, as the track winds along its path. You will get your exercise from this one. Awesome track! Spiritual No Body- Olli and Luke team up again to bring us laser synths followed by a dexterous lead that brings the acid splash with it. This track moves quickly and has numerous melodies that take us in between samples. That scary, space feel is there with these melodies and have me thinking of alien life. Awesome track! Observation- "Observation is a skill just like anything else." Good 'ol Boris. I can always count on him to bring it. Acid aplenty, and the edge of your seat chilled feeling that few people can achieve. The filtered lead at 6:30 rocks and just seems to keep climbing. Awesome track! Teleporting Phase- "Sorry we took so long, I hope that wasn't too bad for you." Daniel Bernardo has released 3 artist albums and lots of tracks on other comps. On this one, a creeping detuned lead starts and at the break the time signature changes; bringing another lead that reeks of isolation. When the strings arrive, it sets up an ominous scene. After the final break, the first lead returns and gives you the minor-key treatment. Great track! Ticket to Oblivion- I don't like where this is going. On the EsP album, there was a really terrible track and I think this on is it for this disc. I know he likes to challenge and do different things, but make a side project for it. This track doesn't fit at all. Distorted vocals, cheesy guitars, ugh get me outta here. If I was high, you would've just wrecked it. Future Life- Olli and Luke again, with another foray. I would swear they used a Stewie sample in one of those breaks. Around the 4:40 mark the light synth tones join the acid washes moving this track right along. This was a good that had several changes in it, not reaching it's full potential until the 2nd half. Good track! Spiritual Experiences- "On one hand there is the real world, and on the other, a whole system of symbols about that world, that we have in our minds." For the last track Olli and Daniel team up and believe it or not, this one has less acid. There is a nice synth line and this squirty bass sound which take center stage. When the acid finally does arrive, it's only briefly. Well, until the last part of the track. Pretty good track! In Summary: You know exactly what you are going to get with this compilation. Acid, acid and more acid. This is high energy psytrance, just the way I like it. I never tire of it. Boris and Olli are still on the top of their game, while Menog and Inner Action contribute some strong efforts. I was happy with all the tracks save one, and can recommend this for anyone who likes this kind of trance. 9/10. Mdk

Artist: Ololiuqui Title: The Other Side of Odra Label: Ricochet Dream Format: CD Limited Edition Release: December 2006 Track Listing: 01. 8�30� Strefa 50 02. 5�18� Try To Find 03. 6�18� Backline 04. 6�57� Beautiful 05. 4�11� Flightchekker 06. 6�36� Djara 07. 5�28� Supply 08. 9�40� Fire 09. 6�13� Rising This is the duo Volker K�nig & Oliver Elschenbroich, and I admit, I have never heard of them. I picked up this CD because of the beautiful cover art. Such vibrant blues and greens! Very planet Earth. Discogs says this is a mixture of psytrance and downtempo so let�s see if they are right. Strefa 50- Spacey pads dominate the beginning of this track with just a subtle percussive element. This evolves into a funky hip-hop beat as the pads drop out. They are replaced by soft leads, as the cymbals make their presence felt and before you know it, we are in the break. What do you call this? Techno-electro? Downtempo? Ambient trance? Well, whatever it is, I think it has elements of all three. Not a bad track to open up. Try To Find- Someone is trying to find the funky beat and the peace in the world. Normally I don�t like lyrics in my psy, but this is mellow and works well. Happy vibes all around! This track reminds me of something I would�ve heard in the 80�s. The atmospherics give this a worldly feel. Decent track! Backline- Apparently this is an older track (one of several they have included on this album), but it�s new to me! This is a slower tempo and has a house feel to it. But, damn, it sure is funky! Rich pads weave amidst a smoky guitar as spidery synths dance along this track. And then it slowly fades away. Excellent track! Beautiful- This is also an older track that sounds electro to me. With a vocoded sample that comes and goes, the break arrives and it is pure magic. All the elements of an ethereal trip! Soft humming pad and delicate to the touch tones floating high above. This is late afternoon, sun-setting beach music. Very nice! Flightchekker- This is a very short track coming in at just over 4 minutes. Interludey? Wow, a real drum kit and guitar! How rare. This track really didn�t have any elements that stood out, and was soon forgotten. I think it really was an interlude. Djara- Also an older track. The first break in this one is very tranquil, as a bass line slides across. More guitar tones drop over the funky vibe as the tempo picks up. This track gets progressively more complex until the breakdown. Nice track! Supply- Yep you guessed it, another old track. People are going to be pissed if they blind buy this. This also has a housey-feel to it as it churns along. Very nice groove with running synth lines and that reverberated guitar carrying the tune. Nice track! Fire- Oh yeah, this is the last old track they put on here. This starts off very docile, with pads and scrambling synth leads that are just so soft. I like the breaks with their weird orchestration. I could�ve done without the angry God of Hellfire sample. It seems misplaced. This is a pretty good track, but there are not enough sounds to keep my mind from wandering. The motorcycle bit is a prime example. Rising- Soft wispy pad over a gentle percussion and below a string of melodic bells. This is definitely Downtempo. Pretty cool big-beat at the break and then we are treated to a marvelous pad section. I can feel the waves ticking my feet! The big beat comes back and gets funky with a synth string as the full pads bring us back to the melodic bells. Awesome track! In Summary- Having never heard of Ololiuqui, I was pleasantly surprised. This disc combines elements from a lot of genres and blends them together very well. There is something here for everyone (sorry no Darkpsy). And now for the bad part. I cannot in good conscience recommend this CD to fans of this project. For me it was great, I have none of their earlier work. However, if someone has their other albums they might be upset that the new album that you have been waiting for has only 4 new tracks. If you can abide by that, then get it. This is a nice gentle Oasis in an aggressive psytrance world. Put this on, head out to the beach and watch the waves. 7/10 Favorites: 8(!), 3(!), 4 MDK

Artist: Mr. Peculiar Title: Infinite Evolution Label: Sonic Dragon Records Format: CD Digipak Release: March, 2007 Track Listing 01. Mystic Entity 02. Synchronized 03. Inferno 04. Hero 05. Re-entry (by Hyperception) 06. The Forgotten 07. Cracker 08. Hi-Fly (peculiar Rmx) 09. Other Species This is Dustin Saalfield with his 3rd studio album. I really enjoyed Min-dala so this looks to be pretty good. He has released a good amount of tracks on other labels as well as releasing a DVD that was synchronized with animation called Syncrosect. I need to check that puppy out. Mystic Entity- Deep pads with a tranquil forest join the sounds of a horse. This track has a very earthly feel to it, with the wind instrument melody peeking in. Ethereal whispers amidst chopped up chanting continue the groove. Lasers greet that wind instrument again but not in an aggressive way. There is a calm sensibility here even though the track is moving quite briskly. When the synth lines start appearing, the track really fills out. Awesome stuff! . Synchronized- "Our readings indicate that we are not in time and space as we understand it." This starts like a lot of full on tracks, but there is great production value to be found. Nice synth lines dart alongside the bass line, as the pads give a soft warm feeling. High tones spiral into distortion over the bass. It seems like these sounds are expertly placed, forcing your mind to be aware. Metallic leads are filtered back and forth as the previous tones join in. Great track! Inferno- This track moves from one phase to the other without the hint of being disjointed. There are several leads that vie for supremacy without sounding dissonant. With choirs, ambient noises that seem to come from all angles, and a bass line that won't quit, this track makes its way. By the time the final arpeggio arrives, the smile on my face is permanent. This is a perfect example of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Great track! Hero- Wow, a long one clocking in at almost 10 minutes! The quirky acoustic guitar over the rumbling bass line is interesting. The pads here are really emotive, very spacey. Twirling leads spin and echo, making me feel at ease. That lead at 5'34" has a waddling character to it, and then the lasers appear. I have to tell you, I didn't even see the 9+ minutes go by. Very good track. Re-entry (by Hyperception)- The Electric Universe quiet lead appears and joins a hurried bass line. This is done with his partner Minja Thomas, for their project called Hyperception. I really liked the filtered lead at that slowly evolves into the break. Another lead comes in a short time later and blends moves very well. Great track! The Forgotten- I do love the deep bass hits! They make you stand up and say, "What the hell was that?" Stark leads growl as rich pads cruise around this track. The title of this track is well suited, as the melody is truly melancholy. Did he just mix in some steel drums? Sa-weet! The final synth melody is a great compliment to the feel of this track. Just under the surface, but not in your face. This one is my favorite so far. Awesome track! Cracker- Polly wanna...ah forget it. This bits wasted on you. Skittish leads attack right up to a short break. Juicy synths make my mouth water and this track has plenty of them, especially the Darkpsy scraping lead. You know what I'm talking about? Anyway, this one was pretty good, but not as good as the previous ones. Hi-Fly (peculiar Rmx)- I don't know if this is someone else's track or one of his own that he remixed. It has spacey pads and nimble leads that keep pace with the energetic bass line. The pace is good and I enjoyed the melodies, but this is pretty standard full-on. The difference here is the way in which it's put together. Good track. Other Species- Last track. This has been a great ride, but I'm hungry and need to eat. With some metallic banging about, the track rises to a simple melody. A short break thrusts us onto the back of the bass line as somebody talks about other species. This is another well-put together track, with the leads, umm...leading the way. I said I was hungry. Cut me some slack! Pretty good track. In Summary: I really enjoyed this disc. This is the kind of trance that I would term beautiful, because it paints such a rich tapestry. As I mentioned before the sounds are placed so well that they force your brain to take notice of each of them, but not at the cost of missing others. It seems like he has a sense of how to put a track together that keeps you interested all the way through. That is really well done. I wasn't sure he could improve upon his 2nd album, but he sure did. Great job Dustin! Highly recommended release and one of my favorites for 2007. 8.5/10. Favorites: 6(!!), 1(!), 3(!), 2,5

Artist: Concept Title: Paranormal Label: 3D Vision Format: CD Jewel Case Release: June 2007 Track listing 01. 8:45 Micro Express 02. 7:57 Paranormal Phenomena (with Outer Signal) 03. 8:03 Cloning Area 04. 7:30 Lost Satellite 05. 8:31 Human Thing 06. 7:13 Shamanik Dreams 07. 7:39 Sharp Phase 08. 8:23 Fucking Crazy 09. 7:27 The Dark Edge Concept is Arnaud Levasseur and this is his second album. He has released a handful of tracks and they have been very good. This release is on 3D Vision, a label known for high-energy psytrance. I would characterize this as dark full-on, so I am looking forward to this. Micro Express- Nice psy sounds to begin this track and a very fat kick. I get an isolated feeling. Lasers fire here and there and the acid picks up in intensity. The parts flow together very well, so I don't get the feeling of a patchwork job. The melody that lurks in the background slides in and out of earshot, just letting you know it's there. Good track! Paranormal Phenomena- "Old McDonald had a farm" This little snippet is followed by an absolutely massive kick. The track speeds up and crashes to an abrupt halt. The sample that we next hear is an advertisement for the movie The Messengers. There is not a lot of melody in this track until the acid splashes in at the end, but the groove is good. With all the atmospherics it does create a dark mood. Good track! Cloning Area- We start with a rumbling bass line and various dark psy noises. Man that bass line is strong! An eerie melody makes its way forward, creeping just to the forefront. A splattering of acid brings us to the break. High tones are sprinkled over the synths and the kick is twisted about. We are deep into darkness here. Very good track! Lost Satellite- "After I'm gone, your Earth will be free to live out its miserable existence, as one of my satellites." Right back into the swing with the rough and rugged bass and large kick. The synth lead guides us by the throat to the break. So many sounds to focus on, I feel like they are coming from everywhere drowning me in aural bliss. The lead returns and brings its acidic friends with him. Very good track! Human Thing- "You have many questions and though the process has altered your consciousness, you remain irrevocably human." Lasers and leads combine to create an awesome groove. The bass is churning underneath as the acid soars overhead. High pitched leads drive home the sense of emptiness amidst the acid, all the while the beat goes on. Great track! Shamanik Dreams- Slow tribal drums and chanting set the stage for a female telling us it's just a dream. Insert thick kick and grumbling bass line and we are on our way. Twisted lasers dance among us and bring a subtle melody. Sweet! The break doesn't allow the kick to relax, and soon we are headlong into a dark ride. I can hear those Darkpsy noises and they are creeping me out. Great track! Sharp Phase- More punishing kicks join, you guessed it, acid stabs. This one has a marching type tempo with squirts and noises to fill your ears. The synth lead shuffles in and out from behind the corners while the acid teasingly licks you while your back is turned. The dark mood is kept alive. Awesome track! Fucking Crazy- Low key kick to start with a rising tide of sound as the dark noises flitter around. The acid drenches the bass line, sticking to it like gum on your shoe. The melody, slight though it is, combines well with all else to get my toe tapping. Great track! The Dark Edge- Pretty much everything I said in all the previous tracks, goes double for this one. Pounding kick and an abundance of acid cuts through me like a knife through butter. I'm taking an aural beating, but I keep getting up. I loved everything about this track. Awesome! In Summary: I really liked this disc. This is a journey best enjoyed all the way through. There is no happiness or sunshine to be found here. This is a descent into darkness with ominous melodies to guide you like a flaming handrail. You don't want to get to close, but you don't want to lose sight of it either. To my ears, this is an awesome combination of DarkPsy and full-on. A lot of Darkpsy to me is too much for my ears, with nothing to focus on. This is power, it's melody, and the dark mood is sustained throughout the album. There are no fillers here. Some may argue against the sameness of the tracks, but not me. I can wholeheartedly recommend this and it is going right into my favorites of 2007. 9.5/10 MDK

I just recently put up 6 or 7 reviews including the new Shift release. Everyone is right though, it takes a lot of time to put together a competent, and informative review. Also, you don't want to bore the pants off the reader! I plan to do several a week until like DP, real life catches up with me. It's fun for me, and I like reading peoples opinions of the CD that differ from mine. Great site Basilisk! I have visited numerous times! Good stuff! Mdk

Artist: Shift Title: Alternator Label: Nexus Media Format: CD Jewel Case Release: June 2007 Track listing: 01. Kapitol 02. Decadence 03. Alternator X 04. Metamorphosis 05. Pump 06. No More Humans (Remix) 07. Pulse 08. Dead Meat II 09. Remote Access 10. Terrorbyte If you are on this forum, you know who this is. The South African Nasty. Dr. Big Beat. This is Chris Hoy, a psytrance producer and DJ from South Africa. He has released 3 other artist albums and huge amounts of tracks on various compilations. He is also 1/3 of the project Twisted System. If you consider Astral Projection the Godfathers of Goa Trance, then an argument could be made that Chris is the patron saint of high-energy, acid-ridden psytrance. I am more than ready to see what this CD contains. Kapitol- With an ominous pad and a grumbly bass line we are off. And it isn�t long before we are greeted with his signature acid sound. Eerie pads creep in and out with a nervous air, while leads weave in intricate patterns overhead. After the second break it�s all put together. One may argue that the pads mixed in with the finale might not go together, but not me. I think it just adds to the �on the edge� feeling. Great track! Decadence- Stabbing synths above that angry bass line combine with an Underworld sample to create the mood. �This coven has become decadent!� With a running synth line and what sounds like a 303 put to good use, Chris hammers us. Add the stabs, and we�ve got quite the mover here. Great track! Alternator X- Wow, what a funky bass line intro. My head is bobbing right out of the gate. It takes us right to the break which then sets up an evolving synth line, rumbling out of the Earth like a volcano. When the acid arrives, just give yourself over to it, and do whatever it says. This is my kind of night music! Perfect track! Yeah, I said it. Metamorphosis- I had to read that a couple of times to make sure I typed it right. The beginning sounds like an old truck you would see in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. The kick comes in with some strings and gives way to a metallic lead. Soon it is joined with a nice portamento sound, diving in at its whim. The break is one that doesn�t lose the kick, but has a regenerative quality to it. The acid comes in soon in the form of a wash. Good track. Pump- This track starts like a lot of full-on out there these days, but coming out of the break is a rotating acid line. It continues to get filtered and even goes through a key change. I know, I don�t care too much for it either. But this is Shift. And you must know he isn�t going to leave it like that. And he doesn�t. Another acid line takes us into the break bringing an evolving minor key synth lead that is laid over more scary pads. Pretty good track. No More Humans (Remix)- This track is a remix of his own from his album Redline. It can also be found on the Timecode Retrospective Vol. 1 compilation. I can�t remember what the original sounded like, but that synth growl in the beginning is nasty! Those escalating metallic leads add to the synth lead and now I�m starting to remember. This one surrounds you, making you look around to see that you aren�t being followed. Pretty good track! Pulse- A soft, relaxing pad sound floats over the rambling bass, and is soon joined by a heavy kick. A macabre melody takes shape, and takes us right into the break, marking the return of that soft pad. With the addition of a scrambling acid arpeggio, the melody reconvenes and I am twirling amid the atmosphere. Great track! Dead Meat II- This is the second part of a track he released on The Edge compilation. I hear a British report about Mad Cow disease. Immediately a synth melody bounces along with scary acid leads weaving their magic. After a break to collect weapons in his arsenal, he puts it all together in a brutal sonic assault, just to snatch it away with another quiet break. With rising distorted percussion and frenetic samples warning us, an acid line takes control. The end is an absolute corker! Great track! Remote Access- A muffled lead slowly rises to the fore behind glassy and metallic pads. Acid rain showers us with goodness as the break contains a soft, melancholy synth. Nice groove out of the break with a frisky melody. You can tell with the repeated breaks that this track is building toward an explosive climax. This track puts it all together and has such a feeling of despair. I liked it. Great track! Terrorbyte- Final track and this one has a tech-trance feel. It is slower and is probably there to allow you to catch your breath. The acid is still there, lest you forget, and it chugs along. Not a whole lot here but still nice. . In Conclusion: Wow, Chris has done it again. I am a huge fan of the South African sound and own all those releases. His music is so powerful and full of minor-key, melancholy melodies (say that 5 times fast!). He can move you and make you sad and contemplative, all in the same track. I think this is a great album and has no bad tracks on it. With output like this, I can only hope that this could be the hammer that finally kills all the generic happy, wave your glow stick in the air crap that is flooding the market. This one goes into my favorite list of 2007. 9.0/10 Favorites: 3(!!), 8(!), 1,2,4,5,7,9. MDK

Artist: Various Title: Goa Generation Label: Agitato Records Format: CD Jewel Case Release: November 2006 Tracklisting: 01. 7�37� Space Buddha � Isradelic 02. 7�23� Toast3d � Slayer 03. 6�51� Cyber Cartel � Fragile Mind 04. 7�39� Bamboo Forest � Modeled Waveform Synthesis 05. 7�20� Spinal Chord � Kill the Groove 06. 6�24� Opium of the Masses- True Reality 07. 8�36� Electric Universe � Def Con 08. 7�24� Beat Hackers � End of Session 09. 8�03� Bio-Tonic � We Are Snakes Agitato Records has released a lot of full-on and I would imagine that this wouldn�t be any different. The title is called Goa Generation and I love good goa trance, so now my hopes have been raised. I want to be cautiously optimistic, but wow, look at that track list! It�s like a who�s who in the genre. Sometimes that can be a pitfall however, so let�s take a look and see what they have cooked up for us. Space Buddha � Isradelic- Eliad Grundland has released his latest album �Full Circle� but I haven�t heard it yet. He�s been in the game for quite some time, releasing good goa trance as well as some really good full-on music. Sure enough, we are quickly met by a crafty lead that brings back the feeling of yesteryear. Beautiful eastern melodies backed up by a powerful kick show that he�s still got it. As expected, this also has elements of full-on, but done well. What a way to start off the compilation. Great track! Toast3d � Slayer- Slayer?!? Really? That doesn�t seem very peaceful, but let�s see. The first lead sounds like a heavily synthesized guitar being put thru its paces while the bass line rumbles underneath. There is of course the obligatory drug sample, but it is smoothly placed in the break and doesn�t last long. This track has a lot of stops and starts, but seems to flow pretty well. Decent track. Cyber Cartel � Fragile Mind- You can�t stop Vik Shefi, you can only hope to contain him! The distorted lead weaves around a full-on bass line and combines with some softer tones. The gentle goa melody is there with a sprightly arpeggio, harkening back to the 303. At first, I didn�t like his choice of sounds, but after repeated listens, it grew on me. Pretty good track. Bamboo Forest � Modeled Waveform Synthesis- Here come the �Forest� with a soft opening, setting us up. High pitched tones scramble over gentle percussion. I liken the groove to a �shuffling� gait, with some floaty pads and Indian singing. I�m a sucker for some Indian singing. I would�ve liked a little more variation, but still a pretty good track. Spinal Chord � Kill the Groove- This is Matan Haklidan and he starts of with a woman power sample over delicate pads. Kinda corny. The galloping bass line picks up the pace, until the break, which sounds very peaceful. This whole track has a sunrise feel to it, gently escalating, until the finale which seems to get a bit more frantic. Not a bad track. Opium of the Masses- True Reality- I said you couldn�t stop Vik Shefi and here he is again! This time with Space Buddha under their project Opium of the Masses, which released their debut album and what a cracker it was! This track jumps right into some sunny lead and then it gets a funky makeover! Toe tapping�check. When the �true� goa melody arrives, I am lost. Beautiful! This track has some definite beach appeal. The break-beat break is a great transition. Great track! Electric Universe � Def Con- Here comes Boris, the master! Mr. do-it-all! One of my favorite artists. Ominous start, with a feeling that makes you want to look over your shoulder. But I guess that is what Def Con is if movies have never lied to me. And let�s make it clear�movies don�t lie! Funky, dirty lead trudging through hi-hats opens the door for his signature spooky acid. A guitar (I know, normally I hate it too), takes the place of the lead briefly, and you can feel this track building. While this track is not as hectic as his usual fare as of late, I find it appealing. Pretty funky with a nice psy feel. Ididn�t find any goa in here though. Pretty good track. Beat Hackers � End of Session- Guy Peled teases with a snarky bass line and various stabs. This sets us up for a goa melody at around 2�10� which is very nice. Nimble synths dance around a quirky wah-wah guitar. But this track has no flow. A lot of stops and starts, with some �quiet� spots. It leaves my ears yearning for something more. Average track. Bio-Tonic � We Are Snakes- Oh..my..God. Yeah you�re scary, mr. black mamba. I expect more from you guys. That ridiculous opening aside, ah who am I kidding. This is stupid. What the hell is this doing on this compilation? You have already injected your poison and now I need a shower. Please. In Summary: Well, for the most part this is a decent compilation. I had hopes that this would assist in the �goa revival� but it doesn�t. As I missed Goa when it first came around, I am always looking for music that captures the feeling of that time. There are a couple of standout tracks and some good ones, but the flavor of yesteryear is not here. If I throw out the debacle that was the last track, I would give this compilations an 7.5/10 MDK

Artist: Various Title: Pulsar Label: Oxygen Records Format: CD Jewel Case Release: May 2007 Tracklisting: 01. 9:20 Sound Field Oxygenate 02. 7:35 M-Theory Soundproof 03. 8:07 Setherian Angra 04. 7:10 Suntree & Antigravity Straight oMM 05. 6:45 Aphid Moon Oceanic 06. 8:59 Plasmotek Obsession 07. 7:09 Hydraglyph Psyops 08. 7:38 Rumble Pack Timecode 09. 7:31 Freakulizer Are We There? Oxygen Records now located in Barcelona was established in the Czech Republic. They have released several compilations and a couple of artist LPs. This is their latest, so let's get to it! Sound Field Oxygenate- Sound Field are Andy Yakovlev & Liron Atia and have recently released their debut album. This is another long track so strap yourself in. Fine progressive trance here, with nothing too abrasive. Some would even call this Psy-progressive. It moves along nicely with each part fading in and out seamlessly. Good track. M-Theory Soundproof- I believe this is Rob Nichols. We start of with a nice atmosphere set up with a bouncy bass line. It peps up nicely with some fleshed out hi-hats. What I like about this track (and good progressive in general), is that there is no dead air waiting for something to happen. The break is smooth, so smooth, with the delicate percussive touch. Fabulous track! Setherian Angra- I haven�t heard much out of Christian Zahn since his Multiverse album, even though he has released another since then. This track to me is the definition of filler. Nothing standing out, some cheesy vocals, and an uninteresting bass line. I�ll pass. Suntree & Antigravity Straight oMM- I'm clueless as to who these people are, but their track starts of with lovely sounds. A gentle mix between psy and progressive. The break is almost ethereal, with a bass sound trying to escape. The light "goaish" melody twists and turns across the track. Near the end, a tight acid line dominates and pushes the track all the way into the Psy category. Great track! Aphid Moon Oceanic- Jules Hamer has released a pile of tracks and had 2 full albums. I've always liked his style. With a rambling bass line and some dirty deep sounds, he takes control. His acid leads surround you and sound so wispy. The finale is a pulsating ride into the night. Great track! Plasmotek Obsession- This is Thibaut Lapeyre from France. He brings us a galloping bassline and some eerie noises floating up above. I like how he maintains that bass line throughout the entire track. Coming out of the break, we still have that "something ain't right" feeling. Cool. Good track! Hydraglyph Psyops- Andrew Morgan & Marc Ackerman have release 2 very good albums and plenty of compilation tracks. They seem to be on top of their game. The synth sounds seem to surround you driven by a rotating lead. I think I heard Al Pacino. I feel like I'm floating as well. The kick drum is muted through the break adding an alien effect. This was very good in a laid back style. Great track! Rumble Pack Timecode- These guys just released their latest album which I haven't heard yet. A nice glassy pad starts us off with whippoorwill sounds. Wait..is that spelled right? Spell check says it is, but it looks weird. Anyway, swirling pads drop in and out and this track has a foreboding feel to it. There is even Indian singing! Well, kinda. The end of the track has leads and deep, growly pads. Great track! Freakulizer Are We There?- I believe Simon has a new album on the horizon. He is good at weaving progressive and psy elements together. This track is slightly unfocused. I couldn't get into the flow, although there were some nice bits. The breaks were mellow and didn't seem forced. Decent track, but nothing to write home about. In summary: Wow, this will easily be one of my favorites for 2007. With the exception of one track, this compilation is loaded. There is a nice balance of progressive tracks and psytrance. Well done Oxygen records, you have guaranteed that I will buy your next release. 8.5/10 MDK

Artist: Various Title: Digital Vision Format: CD Jewel Case Label: Magma Records Release: May 20th 2007 Tracklisting 01. 9:52 Digital Tribe Vs. DJ Nicholas The New Style 02. 7:13 System Failure Anti-biotica 03. 7:04 Inner Action Unplanned Twists 04. 6:44 Electro Vision Vs. Digital Tribe Palolim 05. 7:11 Virtual Attack Ghost Recon 06. 6:10 Indra Vs. Didrapest Vs. System Failure The Vampire 07. 8:45 Insomnia Vs. Digital Tribe Vs. AUM Project General Break 08. 7:53 Spectra Sonic Digital Vision 09. 7:27 AUM Project Vs. Digital Tribe Was the Music 10. 7:30 Brain Damage Mr. Johnson Ok, well Magma has put out a few things none of which I have heard. Or remember hearing. However, that means nothing. This compilation was compiled by a guy named Shlomi Dahan. Any relation to Ronen, a.k.a. Perplex? The lineup here seems pretty good with some newbies and some not so new. Let�s see what they got! Digital Tribe Vs. DJ Nicholas The New Style- This is a long one, clocking in at almost 10 minutes, so be patient. At around 5 minutes, I really like the melody that squirms its way in. Smells like goa! Nice. Before I know it, 7 minutes have flown by and I�m still in a trance. Pretty good track to start us off. System Failure Anti-biotica- I haven't heard any tracks from Nati Asraf so I'm curious. We are right into the beat with a twisting synth. At the break, light touches become unfiltered and a synth line is born. Not a lot of variation with the typical full-on touches. Decent track. Inner Action Unplanned Twists- Roy Engel & Nitzan Schachaf have a lot of good tracks to their credit that have appeared on various compilations. This one gets moving right away with a pounding bass line. The main synth arpeggio doesn't fail to move me. I've heard better from them, but nice work as usual. Good track. Electro Vision Vs. Digital Tribe Palolim- Meir Zaguri & Say Ben Ezra Vs. Shlomi to the death! We have a techno beat to start but that is quickly replaced by a full-on bass line. This is Electro Vision's first track as far as I know. This one would sound great in a car driving very fast. Rumbling bass line and synths swarming from left to right dominate this track. There are a lot of breaks, so some people will hate this, but I can deal. I like! Virtual Attack Ghost Recon- Miguel Angel Zavala & Nir Amilyaner are two more guys from the Holy Land. I don't think this track can decide on what it wants to be. Psy or progressive? Either way, there is no sustainable melody or arpeggio for me to fixate on, so my mind wanders. It's not terrible, just there. Meh. Indra Vs. Didrapest Vs. System Failure The Vampire- This has the potential to be a huge cheese fest so I'm cautious. It's not that bad, however. Sure it's full-on with all the predictable sounds, drum rolls, and breaks, but it wasn't badly done. The last bit moved along nicely with a twirling lead. Decent track. Insomnia Vs. Digital Tribe Vs. AUM Project General Break- I think I hear a Hammond Organ? Nah, can't be. But I do hear some distorted vocals. I can't understand what he is saying, but I also don't care. After a while my brain just can't filter all the sounds and it comes across as noise. Not like Darkpsy, just too many notes kind of noise. Spectra Sonic Digital Vision- This is Feder Ohad with his first released track. It has a powerful kick with metallic leads. Sounds like something Hydraglyph would release. And that is a good thing. The break flutters earthward with a shimmery lead. When the track ratchets back up it sounds angry! I like this one. Keep up the good work. Good Track! AUM Project Vs. Digital Tribe Was the Music- Scratch to a halt! All this woman needed..was the music. If you've read any of my reviews, you'll know that I don't like constant "house-like" chatter in my psytrance. This is where we begin. Once that is over, the twisting squelchy lead is nice with cut up sounds backing it up. But...you guessed it, it comes back. I do like the final lead weaving its way around the track. Too clubby for me though and I just can't get into this. Brain Damage Mr. Johnson- This is Vikenty Shagal who has put out numerous tracks on other labels. I�m getting a mellow type groove, perfect for those afternoon sunsets. This track is less hectic, and much more focused. Nice way to end the compilation. Good track. In Summary: Well, this is another full-on compilation. There is nothing standout or groundbreaking about this release and as such, I have no favorites. I thought that Spectra Sonics release was a great first effort. While I cannot say that this would be an essential release, far from it, it does have its moments and most of the tracks can make you want to move. 7/10 MDK

Artist: Various Title: Mysterious Force Format: CD Jewel Case Label: Mahogany Records Date: April 15th 2007 Track Listing: 01. 8:17 Crying Freemen Odyssee 2006 02. 7:15 XSI 002R 03. 8:28 V:Storm Gone In the Air 04. 8:31 Shagma Vs. Phonic Request In Deep and Dance 05. 6:47 Crying Freemen I Have a Dream 06. 8:01 Galaktik Waves White Force 07. 8:03 Life Extension Atomic Circus 08. 7:31 Rumble Pack Pitch Realisty 09. 6:42 Crystal Sound Bring It Back 10. 8:02 Stereomatic Into E Magic Crying Freemen Odyssee 2006- This is the French project by Arnaud Couhier & Salvador Casais, and they are off to a pretty cool start with the 2001 theme playing in the background. We are quickly aboard a full-on bass line and get some of those samples at the break. This is nothing groundbreaking, but it is a pretty sweet tune, and a good way to open things up. XSI 002R- I am still looking to buy their album (haven't heard it yet), and I have enjoyed some of their other tracks on other comps. We start of with a space sample and a nice unknown feel. The full-on bass line is there, but I sense we have only just begun to scratch the surface. True enough, the acid comes in later and creates a nice groove. I wish it would have lasted longer though. Not bad, not great. V Storm Gone In the Air- This is Victor Leti and he has been all over the place lately. This one gets moving right away. I could've done without the moaning lady, but that is a minor thing. The lead at 3:30 really pushes you, and with the acid coming in a minute later, you've got a pretty good mover. The second break adds to the mystery, and then we are moving again. Nice track, enough to keep me interested. Shagma Vs. Phonic Request In Deep and Dance- Nice intro creating an ominous beginning that slowly creeps forward. The mini-break is a tease, promising better things to come. Wow, and they deliver! I really liked the lead melody that just kept things bouncing. Best track so far. :posford: Crying Freemen I Have a Dream- Here are the Freemen yet again with a nice scary reverberating synth. Once the hi-hats join the bass line and that synth we've got something here. But then my worst fears were realized: the appearance of that famous MLK quote. I was hoping that would be avoided, but thankfully it's brief. It would be ok if it was an actual sample, but that is not the case. Pretty good track, musically speaking. Galaktik Waves White Force- I have no idea who this is. Some tribal war grunts start us off, and we are in familiar boring territory. The lead at 3 minutes is nice, but it isn't until the 4:54 mark that we get a continuous flow going. However, we have heard this a million times before, and done better. Average at best. Life Extension Atomic Circus- Life Extension are Olivier Mirat & Laurent Ihullier. They just came out with their debut album Side Effects. We have the obligatory circus sounds and atmosphere complete with a loud hawker. I didn't care for this. There is nothing for you really to focus your attention on. It just kind of goes. "You may think you have seen the unusual." Nah, same old same old here. Rumble Pack Pitch Realisty- Previously known as Blue Vortex, Philip Guillaume & Andreas MaerkiI give us a nice soft start. The break is nice, slowly evolving back into the groove. I would say this track has some progressive leanings. It's well done and keeps the air of mystery (I'm tired of saying that, but it works here) going. Nice track! Crystal Sound Bring It Back- This is my first experience with these guys, and they are already starting off on the wrong foot. Clubby vocals?? C'mon, stop it. And it keeps going. I guess some people out there like this, but not me. Worst effort on this comp. Stereomatic Into E Magic- Ugh. In conclusion: Well, this is what it is. Pure fluffy full-on. If you're cool with that, then you will enjoy the hell out of it. If you're looking for Koxbox or Oood here you are gonna be pissed. I don't think anyone would be under that assumption however. Some of the tracks here kept me focused and into it. Some didn't. That's the way it is. Listen, I like full-on. When it's done well. Some of it is here and some of it is not so well. 6.5/10 Favorites: 4,8,3 Mdk

Artists: Various Title: Advanced Options Vol. 2 Format: CD Jewel Case Label: YoYo Records Release: November 2006 Track Listing: 01. 7�35� Psycraft Vs. Beat Hackers � Night Drive (Future Prophecy Rmx) 02. 6�44� Sesto Sento Vs. Apocalypse � Trance In Motion 03. 7�36� Time Lock � Inner Bright 04. 7�21� Astral Projection � The Prophecy 05. 8�23� Basic � Days of Power 06. 7�31� The Freak Show � Fantasy 07. 7�21" Echotek - Your Inside Voice 08. 6�37� Bwicked � R U Ready 09. 7�05� Atomic Pulse Vs. Cyrus the Virus � Unreal 10. 7�13� Future Prophecy � Feel The Vibration I just plucked this release off the shelf to see what it has under the hood. I missed the first go round with this series, but plan to remedy that situation shortly. Night Drive (Future Prophecy Rmx) seems to be standard full-on, but I really enjoyed the break with the soft, warm pad and the nimble synths. I wasn't bored with this one and it moved along nicely. Trance In Motion is a nice groover. It slowly develops and constantly twists. I liked the track, but I feel that too many changes in direction don't allow me to get into the flow of this track. Still, I enjoyed it. Time Lock's Inner Bright has a galloping bass line and synthesized vocals in the track. And then there's the singing. I hate that, so for me that was all she wrote. If I wanted singing in my trance, I would listen to Oakenfold. With high hopes, I look to Astral Projection's The Prophecy. This feels like a nice sunrise track. You can still hear the goa influences these guys bring. The delicate synths at the break are superb to my ears as the track is coaxed back to life. I have really missed hearing what these guys can do. Maybe this sleeping giant has awakened! :posford: Days of Power is next from Basic. I haven't heard his album, so I have no clue what to expect. The break at 2:30 was nice as was the one at 4:40, but there wasn't anything to keep my head in it. I really dislike the build-up clich� that you will fine in here. Pretty by the numbers fare with some good bits in it. The Freak Show (Itai and Itay...I'm not kidding) bring me a Fantasy. I haven't heard their album either, but they begin with a funky synth. There is a decent break which spawns a nice squelchy synth line but I feel the track is pretty thin. There isn't a whole lot going on to keep me focused. I will say this though, so far this comp has some very nice breaks in it! Micha Yossef offers up You're Inside Voice. He also offers up an annoying sample. Something about "making your face come out so clear." Some melodic singing and chopped up vocals and I am losing interest. I didn't care for this mess at all. This is a train wreck. This is Bwicked's second track as far as I know. R U Ready? I am. This one develops slowly, almost progressive-like. I can hear a high pitched alarm like in Aliens when they were getting closer. Average track, nothing to see here. Ok, now we're talkin! I love Cyrus the Virus and thought his new album was kick-ass! Here he teams up with Atomic Pulse. Unreal starts off with an ethereal feeling. The bassline is not far behind however, and with it an arpeggiated synth line. I was hoping to get my socks knocked off, but regretably they are still on. The track is not bad, but does nothing to distinguish itself. I feel they can do a lot better. Now with my disappointment with this compilation in full view, we come to the last track. Future Prophecy brings us a happy beginning with some melodic bells and a female voice with lots of reverb. Can this be salvaged? The track turns quickly into an aggressive beast! The fat kick and in your face bassline makes me stand up and take notice, while the synths cascade over my ears...but then the break. I've been giving glowing reviews to the breaks in this comp, but damnit, this one was misplaced. Let the tune carry the emotion, the feeling. And just when I think it couldn't get wors, the guitar solo. Mind you it's brief, but the damage is done. Some good bits, but Most of it is out with the baby. In conclusion, the Astral track was the gem for me. Which makes me glad, because I would love to see them on top again. This is very clubby and I am not surprised. Hoever, if this is the way Psytrance is really headed, then I might have to jump aboard the Ambient spacecraft. Favorites: 4(!!) 2(!) 1. MDK

Artists: Various Title: Advanced Options Vol. 2 Format: CD Jewel Case Label: Agitato Records Release: February 8th 2007 Track listing: 01. 7:34 Wizzy Noise Origami 02. 7:53 Bamboo Forest Partial Shape 03. 6:56 Space Buddha Loud & Clear 04. 7:14 Xerox & Illumination The Vision (XI Remix) 05. 6:54 Toast3d Foundation 06. 7:36 Bio-Tonic A New Day 07. 6:16 Cyber Cartel Supersonic 08. 6:42 Beat Hackers Make U Dance 09. 8:41 Protoculture Peakabo First up is Wizzy Noise (Mickey Noise & Dimitri Uriel from Greece) with Origami (2007 rmx). This is the remix off their last album Sabotage Part II with the..ahem "healthy" young lady on the cover. Anyway, this is very driving without a lot of variation. The break gives you a breather, but we are quickly back in full-on mode. I found this track average with no real direction. Bamboo Forest brings us Partial Shape. Nice atmospherics to start with a dirty synth to carry us. This is definitely sunshine music. Nice track! Space Buddha wants to make it Loud and Clear. And he does, with a nice bouncy bass line. The break sets us up with a metallic lead that flirts with goa tendencies. Sweet! This one had my toe tappin'! Recommended! :posford: Moshe & Amir (Xerox & Illumination) have a Vision. A remix of their track The Vision. These guys have been stepping it up on their last 2 albums so I look forward to this one. This track starts out simple and picks up elements along the way. Ahhh, and there is that sweet, sweet acid lead. So tasty! This is how it should be done! :clapping: Toast3d (Eyal Arbuz & Ezra Arangi) have built a Foundation. I didn't get to hear their EP, but I liked several of their other tracks. We get right into a crawling arpeggio that makes me want to dance. The leads just keep on coming and batter you with a wall of sound. The buildup at the end is tantalizingly meticulous, the finale lurking around the corner with yet another lead. Great track! Bio-Tonic (Julien Lecoq, Jerome Lecoq & Julien Brizard) want to bring us A New Day. I missed their latest Klash, but I plan to remedy that soon. This track is pretty powerful, more so than I'm used to from them. With a pounding kick, a relentless bassline and crafty synthlines, this one is a mover! Cyber Cartel (Vic Shefi) is going Supersonic. I liked some of his tracks as Intergalactic so... let's see what's up. Powerful full-on, that's what's up. I didn't care much for the chorus of Supersonic, but the rest was pretty good. Beat Hackers (Guy Peled minus Miki Bibas) wants to Make U Dance. I am always leery of tracks that don't spell out the word "You" as if club trance is too cool for me. This track starts of slow until the break reveals a running synth and scratchy lead. But when Make You Dance is repeated over several measures of this train, it's time for me to get off. Meh. I can take or leave this one. And last but most definately not least, Protoculture (Nate Raubenheimer) drops Peakabo (Spinal Chord Rmx). This guy is so good at making Psytrance I am really looking forward to this one. Is that supposed to be Peakabo? Anyway, we have a driving beat with leads and squishy sounds all over the place. Where this track (and Nick in general) shines is in the break. He flows effortlessly into it and then hammers his way out of it. Great track! To sum up, I liked this comp. You have 4-5 great tracks and 2-3 very good ones. It shows me that Protoculture, Xerox & Illumination, and Space Buddha can make great psytrance without bending towards the clubby pitfall. Favorites: 4(!) 3,9,5,6 MDK

Virus was the best track for me. I felt the tracks here sounded dated, with maybe some weaker production. Mdk

I think Nazca Spider is the standout on this album. None of the tracks are terrible, but I found them unfocused. They didn't really go anywhere. This is more Psy than Goa, not that that is a bad thing. I was looking for more melodies and that classic Goa sound from 97 which this didn't deliver. However, I don't think it claimed to be. Not my cuppa. Mdk

Listening to this one again, and people are right, it does grow on you. Their "sound" is still there, and the weave it well. Shining Faces, Postive Energy(for its pure danceability), In Search of Truth, and Life Is a Strange Journey are really great. Wouldn't it be cool if their next album would bring back more of that Goa feel? I think it would. And they are just the guys to do it. Boom. Mdk

This was quite an enjoyable album of old-school (are we still using that term?) Goa trance. Nice melodies. I felt it was a little thin on the bass end of things, but a strong release nonetheless. Favorites: 1,2,3,5,7,9. Mdk

I don't think I made myself clear. If you like an artist's music, I believe you should support that artist and his craft by paying for his tracks. For example, I liked Infinite Dimensions so I purchased his music. Of course you don't have to support them. Just don't be upset if they stop giving their tracks away for free. I am more than willing to pay for quality music. Mdk