Trance2MoveU

It's kind of an honor to write some thoughts about a CD after a the guy I pretty much patterned my reviewing style after. Respect sir. So what does the label from down under bring us? The fifth installment in the Psionic series sees our favorite doorknocker firmly supplanted in the Earth. Which is a great metaphor for where I would put it. This is what I call squelchy trance. All sharp edges and dark leads steeped in modulation that is an acquired taste. Melodies? I guess if you search for them, but better use a f*cking headlamp. The bass lines are the single note rapid fire type and most of these dark tracks go nowhere. This is like a highway out west...no turns. Not until you slog through 7 tracks of waiting for the music to get to the point is there some aural interest. 11 years ago is a long time so perhaps back when Martha Stewart went to prison or we got to see some of Janet Jackson's titty there was some value here, but it sure hasn't aged well. Kinda like Janet. Yeah ok...you didn't have any plastic surgery. Silicon Sound had the best track for me, but asking him to save the compilation would be like asking Kanye to save rap music. I can say with certainty that there is absolutely no reason for me to listen to this again. Thankfully (at least for me) the Psionic series got better with the years.

Artist: Tentura Title: Beyond Illusion Label: Sentimony Records Date: February, 2015 1. Alchemy 2. Interstellar 3. Liftoff 4. Beginning Of Time 5. Echoes 6. Vivid 7. Rising 8. Presence of the Sence 9. Resonance (Remake) 10. Resident (vs. Specialmind) Man Alchemy is good. The devil is in the details which explode from this sixteen minute epic progressive journey. This track perfectly matches the cover as if the owner of those kicks was going to leap from the precipice Pink Floyd style embracing the great unknown. Learning to fly indeed. You feel like you can accomplish anything as this dream unfolds. How do you top that? You don't. You just try to maintain and float in the same zip code as that brilliant opener. Interstellar is next up which I found good, but rather noisy downtempo. Like Bill said the guitars are a prominent feature. Liftoff gets you back into dream mode with a floating atmosphere. Very lush and entrancing. Beginning of Time has a huge thudding breakbeat and Echoes was a bit more aggressive in style. Vivid and Rising revisit the hypnotic breakbeat with plenty of ancillary sounds to plunge you deep into the illusion. Tribal drums quake on Presence and the Resonance remake...well that one didn't impress me like some of the other tracks. Closing with the funky Resident and that wobbly lead you've gotta tip your hat with all the moods he covers. Bravo. A very good ride with no bad tracks. Downtempo, progressive, and breakbeat are all handled with great competence. The two longest tracks were seeping with detail and were my favorites. By the way...remind you of another great progressive cover? Sentimony Bandcamp

Hard and dark. Loads of squirty sounds and distorted voices. The 3D sound was primitive and raw back then and focused more on a wall of sound than the acid chaos of today. Driving rhythms and charged with electricity with quite a few twists and turns. The mood gets considerably lighter as you get deeper into the compilation. Kinda like walking into a biker bar on the outskirts of town and then ending up in Disneyland when you went to the pisser. Far from essential or even necessary, but I enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane.

Artist: Various Title: Nu-Goa From Japan Vol. 2 Label: Matsuri Digital Date: March, 2015 1. Slum & Yuta - Black&Green 2. Asteroidnos - Black&Green (Deep Remix) 3. Asteroidnos - Black&Green (Acid Remix) 4. Jiu - Liquid of Gaia 5. Asteroidnos & Yuta - Andromeda 6. Jikooha & Yuta - Mind Trippers 7. Masa - Rising Thunder 8. Asteroidnos - Ascension 9. Guusun - Watashidare (Masa Remix) What the f*ck? If I studied Japanese culture for a decade I don't think I would understand it. Have you seen their porn? Of course you have. That is some twisted sh*t. When did tentacles become a sex toy? I'm such a square. Unique surely, but it does make me wonder sometimes. Like Matsuri DIGITAL releasing a physical CD. Or starting a compilation with three versions of the same track. The original was goa, deep mix was a throbbing bass heavy bit of simplistic minimal, and the acid mix is fairly tame yet pulsating. Normally I'd view the track positions with skepticism, but oddly enough it works. It flows well and gives me the vibe of kids twirling in the clubs in weird costumes on a school night against their parents wishes, but what the f*ck are you gonna complain about when everyone in school is the valedictorian? And that sums up the entire album for me. Bare bones beginning with the slim envelope the CD comes in. The artists aren't trying to out Etnica anyone with layers of melody or brute force. It's more the scaled back, bubbly head nodding club vibe with house like tempos. Of course they drop some signature atonal riffs in there because what would Japanese goa be without it? Tracks like Ascension and Rising Thunder shine (for me anyway) and the closing Watashidare combines funk and goa with smiley results. They want yo hypnotize you rather than blast you into outer space. And that should be appreciated because going to space is a whole thing that can really f*ck with a brother's calendar. Psyshop

Artist: Various Title: Fractal Resonance Label: Fractal Records Date: June, 2014 1. Braindriver & Disco Volante - Disco Driver 2. Deliriant feat. Z3ro - Back Again 3. Shuumat & Orca - That's Freedom 4. Rubix Qube - Heizenberg 5. Iliuchina - My Dangerous Drug 6. X-Side - Cyborg Feelings 7. Earworm & Audialize - Mirage of Life 8. Tickets & Sound Control - Epic Universe So let's see...we've had 4 Fractal Energies, a Fractal Effect, a Fractal Syndrome, and now here we are with a Resonance. I assume that Fractal Uterus will be out in the near future? C'mon Fractal Records, you're like Puffy trying to be in all the videos. This is a digital compilation that has nine night time tracks that you can get from Beatport if you like your psytrance without the commercial cheese that's going around like the clap. I can recommend this. Mostly. The first track is rather linear and doesn't go anywhere. I really think Mr. Volante has thrown his hands up in a grand f*ck it gesture cause he sure doesn't seem to be trying any longer. I was all set to give the fine folks at Fractal Records the old eye roll at the beginning of Back Again, but there were some very cool breaks in there. The acid insanity also made it quite the belter. That's Freedom and its overtired brand of full-on shackled me with ambivalence, but leave it to the Qube to break those chains. And break them he did as he got all nine inch nailsy with the screaming synth. He builds the tension up and then takes it away a couple of times. Iliuchina's track is fine, but now we're getting to the mental stuff. Cyborg Feelings is a dark, brooding monster that's nice and liberal with the acid. The last two keep it dark and acidic with thumping bass lines. While not perfect this digital release is a solid purchase for those on the hunt for the darker, melodic side of night time music. Can't stop. Won't stop. Beatport

Artist: Various (Kinda) Title: Goa Exit Label: Subliminal Records Date: 1995 1. Martin Cooper - Fly In The Rajastan 2. Tomahawk - Xingu 3. Spectral - Trans O 10 C 4. Guarana Cupana - Red Aum 5. Zig Zag - Juno Transportation 6. Guarana Cupana - Syrinx 7. Martin Cooper - 303 Keops 8. Zig Zag - Global Subject 9. Tomahawk - Plastic Form Ok no secret this is mostly all the same guy. Most of his most memorable music was produced under the project Asia 2001 with a slew of great albums. Hell Suntrip just re-released one of his and goa trance's highest achievements with Psykadelia. This is some of his earlier work and like a lot of goa music from back then it sounds dated and thin. The tracks have plenty of good ideas and melodies, but the technology simply might not have been there to make this a standout. A couple of tracks benefited from remastering on Avatar's Amnesia back in 2005. If you're looking for some of his best work check that out.

Finland. I would love to spend a month there in the winter. That may sound nuts, but I knew some Finns and they were truly a few croutons short of a salad. Funny as hell, but their elevators didn't go all the way to the top. Now with this you don't just have Finns on it, but let's face it they're the ones responsible for the goofiest tracks. Must be wired differently. I liked the churning brand of psychedelic goa and the silly sounding Swedish language on Little Blue Babas. I would have the hardest time keeping a straight face listening to a Swedish conversation. Gotta be the funniest place on the planet. Most of the tracks here are quite unremarkable and a few flat out suck. Save your money on this one.

Artist: Various Title: Big Bang Label: Materia Records Date: September, 2007 1. Mekkanikka - Isee 2. Massive Vs. Outer Signal - Trippy 3. Biogenesis - Geostygma 4. Speedball - Backline 5. Outer Signal - Gipsy Dance 6. Painkiller Vs. Madnetic - Sound Dealers 7. Chromatone - Water Memory 8. Delsyd - Big Bang 9. Kali - Feel The Mind "We sure as hell don't need all these Mexicans!" The ignorance is strong in this one. The big bang. An event so cosmic, so significant, it's the beginning of everything. And if you listen to the pathetic carnival barker above he'll tell you that he was responsible for it. Comparing this compilation to the grandeur of that event is destined for failure. Big Bang? I call this Little Whimper. Full-on under the guise of night time music with stops and starts aplenty. Bass lines frantically searching for excape and moody samples attempting to capture the dark feeling. Is it really a build up if your final destination is beneath where you started? For my money the track to get on this comp is Backline by Speedball and Gipsy Dance for its power and chaos. Not a bad comp, but definitely could've used more killers. And an imploding star wouldn't hurt. Psyshop

Artist: Various Title: Imaginary Friends Label: Ultimae Records Date: September, 2009 1 Field Rotation - Regenzeit II 7:20 2 Kevin Andrew - Three Weeks 5:30 3 Rena Jones - Photosynthesis (Nalepa Remix) 7:09 4 Offthesky - Gently, Drown The Scene 6:28 5 Murya - Gray Daze 4:39 6 Cell - Out Of Breath 5:55 7 Aes Dana - Resin 7:23 8 Hol Baumann - Handwritten Notes 5:27 9 Asura - Longing For Silence 8:14 10 Solar Fields - Times Are Good (Sometimes Remix) 8:10 11 James Murray - Eleven (Decades Mix) 7:46 Seriously that's her imaginary friend? You need to get that b*tch some help before you and your family get eaten. Well, at least she has an imaginary friend. I don't even have that. I'm a loner. Which rhymes with boner. Which I guess makes me a dick. I'm cool with that. Ultimae sets out to relax the masses with a varied downtempo compilation featuring some of your favorite artists. And the results are pretty damn good. Regenzeit II- This is the opening credits to a movie where you see a wide shot of Pierce Brosnan driving his complimentary BMW along a snowy mountain highway. As we get closer to his very own personal whorehouse and the smooth ride passes us by we return to a wide shot and see the love nest from an elevated distance. Lucky f*ck. The tune is melancholic and thought provoking perfect for that taut, psychological thriller that a fleet of young, hipster douchebags are destined to ruin with a f*cking CGI dinosaur or some sh*t. Three Weeks- More pensive piano and a touch of glitch as the liquid theme continues. It's pretty and more hopeful than the opener, but it didn't draw me in. Probably due to that lack of whores. Photosynthesis (Nalepa Remix)- If you're a fan of the sad, brooding music then like me you probably have no friends. Or friends that will soon don an all black wardrobe and wax ironic about everything. Do yourself a favor and check out the music of Rena Jones. Beautiful and dark just the way we like it. With a remix of her track percussion makes its first appearance on the compilation yet it remains gentle. Dubby bass guides you and every sound is is soothing. A mellow ride that permits the mind to wander. Gently, Drown the Scene- This is moving underwater, a super slo-mo live action with a sundry of sounds colliding without discernible melody. Picture a police chase of a guy high as a kite making his way down the interstate as the news cameras roll. On a tricycle. Everyone just sits back, relaxes, and enjoys themselves. Realizing that McDonalds stops serving breakfast in 7 minutes and the dream of slathering himself in hotcake syrup was rapidly fading away, Chim-Chim dropped his poo arsenal and snatched Hillary Clinton's bicycle for a ride to greatness. Gray Daze- Another slow jam, but with a sad melody that is easy to grab hold of. Rainy day music if I've ever heard it. Also shortest track on the compilation if you're keeping score. Out of Breath- A project known for deep tracks and this is no exception. Lots to focus upon as it slowly unwinds. I don't think this is a grand statement, but just adds to the intensive chilled atmosphere of the album. Intense chill = sinking deeper into your most comfortable chair. Clearly Mindy needs more work on attaining that level of chill. Resin- Aes Dana. Nuff said. Handwritten Notes- This one had me until the lead got all weird. How instrument strangling is not a crime is anybody's guess. Longing For Silence- Asura brings his taste for epic grandeur and he is not playing small ball. This is flying over the massive terrain of Alaska or witnessing Everest for the first time. Sound waves travel for miles and there is a sense that you are a part of something much greater than yourself. Times Are Good (Sometimes Remix)- Epic Dream time part two. Now this was a very potent one two punch. Clearly my favorite part of the compilation. Eleven (Decades Remix)- Welcome to the sultry aftermath where the detectives are left to pick up the pieces wondering why. Can you say outro? What struck me about this release was the continuity of the chill vibe. Not a bad trip here yet the sum was greater than the individual parts. I felt the comp showcased different styles of chill and for me got stronger as you moved down the tracklist. Soothing and smooth from beginning to end. Highly recommended. Digital Download at Ultimae

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Artist: Various Title: Goamystica Vol. 1 Label: Mystic Sound Records Date: April, 2015 01. Maiia303 - Great Spirit 02. Imba & Jagoa - Unidentified Flying Spores 03. Space Elves - Trance India Express 04. Fiery Dawn - Feelings 05. OXI vs Ancient Vision - Balkania 06. Afgin - Nothing Is Over (John Rambo) 07. Jikooha - Going Forward 08. Somnesia - The Flight Of Horus 09. Cactus Arising - Changes 10. Khetzal - Damocles 11. Main Sequence Star - Low Earth Orbit Mystic Sound Records is a label founded by Alla Vagner (Maiia303) and Edward Cybered and their goal is to release music from across the psychedelic spectrum be it trance, downtempo, or psychill. This is a digital release (which is a shame cause that cover art is mindblowing!) and it sports quite the impressive track list. And let me tell you it is a solid compilation with a fair amount of superb tracks as well as good ones. Maiia303 fresh off her album Sky In Diamonds and EP release Sleepless in Anjuna absolutely wrecks the box with a stormer that I had trouble getting past. Just kept hitting repeat. Imba & Jagoa as well as Fiery Dawn rattle a few windows with some massive sound. Afgin's back and his Rambo track made me smile cause I grew up on Rambo and I have a nice smile. Hide your girlfriends! Jikooha does what Jikooha does and wraps the listener up in a time sucking vortex of twirling that was over far too soon. The second half was pure madness! The only one I didn't care for was the Space Elves track with it's annoying repetition. Just didn't sit well with me. However the biggest disappointment on the compilation was from Khetzal. It's a good track, but when I think of Khetzal I think of Corelle and this wasn't close to that awesome bliss. Nice work and thanks to a friend for putting me on to this album, he knows who he is. Here's to hoping one day we can get a physical release outta this. Oh and by the way...I think I'm in love with Maiia303... Mystic Sound Records Bandcamp

Artist: Suduaya & Ancient Core Title: Sound Massage EP Label: BMSS Records Date: October, 2013 1. Ancient Core - Cosmic World Of Determinism 2. Suduaya & Ancient Core - Connection to Sound Massage 3. Suduaya - Sparkling Universe "Isn't that amazing?" Uh...no. Unfortunately the bar for stupidity has is so low that the word amazing has seemingly lost its allure. This is a collaboration between two projects that is chill and spacey. BMSS is a German label that is kinda all over the place with regards to what they release. Psytrance, progressive, psybient... Suduaya is Louis-David Roquefere while Ancient Core is the duo consisting of Mihai Cadar & Alexandru Bodochi. Slow beats and juicy synths with bass that is quite prominent, but not obtrusive. There is a cosmic atmosphere that is well represented and the layering is quite nice. Good pickup for under 5 bucks. Beatport

Listening to this with "fresh" ears and I have to say a little bit of the shine has come off the diamond. More than a little actually. It's quite a good indicator where they eventually wound up with their 3rd album. And that is not a good place. What I once thought was pounding good night time psytrance is now commercial full-on with dark tendencies. Not bad, but nowhere near as good as I remembered it to be. Galloping bass lines, build ups, samples thrown in... I condemn you to mediocrity.

8 years since this was released and man it hasn't aged well. There are parts in most of the tracks which I like, but there are typical full-on stretches where nothing happens. 8 measures? Sure. 16? Maybe, but don't push it. Anything longer than that and you risk being just another number in the full-on pile. The best track was the opener, but I don't think it's even that good these days. Meh, times and tastes change. But in 2015 this one is tough to get through. Like swallowing a geode.

Artist: Various Title: Goa Energy Label: Timewarp Records Date: November, 2014 CD1 01. Travma - The Reality 02. 01-N - Teonanacatl 03. Screwloose & Lunar Dawn- Sunspots 04. Trinodia - Astral Clouds (Edit 2014) 05. Siam & Nova Fractal - Inside the Vortex 06. Cactus Arising - Transfer at the speed of light 07. Fiery Dawn - Mahakala 08. Nova Fractal - Naga 09. Somnesia - Wind Melody CD2 01. Psysutra - OamPower 02. Lectro Spektral Daze - 25th Century Technology 03. Anumana & Nostromosis - Traveler 04. Arronax - Lightning Bolt 05. Omneon - Sirius 06. OXI - Haunted Dreams 07. GoaTree - Hide & Clap (Morphic Resonance Remix) 08. Morphic Resonance - Neutrino 09. First Man - First Sound F*ck you Yoda. Yeah, my review game as of late has been pretty weak. I know it. But my meatball game...legendary. So I've had this album for a long time now and it just kept getting pushed farther and farther back. Kids, life, and those meatballs don't become legendary by themselves. So I apologize to Timewarp for the delay. It's not like there have been any good goa trance releases in the last six months anyway. Cube! Can we not get past this? You make kids movies for chrissake! So yeah no pressure. Well Timewarp (underneath the huge umbrella that is Ovnimoon Records) has established itself as a quality goa trance label with releases like the Colors of Goa and Call of Goa series in both the CD and digital arena. So it should be no surprise that their next compilation is also 2-CD release because clearly Renato is on a personal quest to suck up all my personal time like he was a three story vacuum cleaner. That's ok, I don't mind. Could be worse I suppose. I could actually have a, you know...job. *shudder* I'm here to tell you that this is one of the best things to come out of Timewarp Records. 2 Cds and not one mediocre track. Sure there is a clearly defined level between the more well known and established acts and the relative newcomers, but it's not a dramatic gap. But before I give you my opinions on the standouts, I would like to voice my concern over one artist in particular. Travma. What the hell happened? The new stuff to my ears is not even remotely close to what he brought to the scene years ago. Night and day, might as well be full-on. Perhaps he has other interests and goa trance isn't at the top of his priority list, but his track left me wanting. Wanting to hit the skip button. *Rim shot* After the gentle opening, we are treated to bomb after bomb with just very good to great to even outstanding goa trance. I broke Renato's balls a bit with the last 2-Cd compilation as having a lot of filler, but that ain't the case here. Trinodia's remix of Astral Clouds (already a monster track) made me sit up and take notice. Arronax and his acidic live wire Lightning Bolt was another eye opener. Fiery Dawn and Lectro Spektral Daze also put this comp on their shoulders and ran with it. Even the new"ish" projects like Omneon and 01-N impressed. But hands down the the one two punch from flavor of the month Morphic Resonance was the knockout blow. Since Astral is for all intents and purposes (loved the remixes, but let's have some new material) the walking dead, the guys from Morphic Resonance are the logical choice to rip the torch from Astral's cold, lifeless grip. With a frenzied pace melodies came fast and furious putting an exclamation point on this compilation. This was a monster dunk and you got posterized. Damn...a brother can't even check an Ebay auction without getting dunked on. Do not hesitate to purchase this compilation. Psyshop Beatspace

Artist: Various Title: Genetic Drift Label: Iono Music Date: July, 2009 1. Marco & Cadmium - Intergalactic Paradise 2. Motion Drive - Dream Catcher 3. Odiseo Vs. Jiser - Good Things 4. Aqualize - Land of 2 Suns 5. Audioload - Planet of the Crossing 6. Gaudium - One (Suntree Remix) 7. Ritree - Disk On Kick 8. Egorythmia - Past Future Present 9. Invisible Reality - High To The Sky Man I'm switching gears like a Rally car driver. Iono Music is a label that I will always have some fondness for. Like that young woman who let me fumble over her boobies that summer of my 14th birthday. Before goa trance releases were a monthly occurrence, the progressive sounds of this label kept me in the music. Their drifting style with nod your head goodness was head and shoulders above the rest of the progressive stuff out there. Six years on you can tell the high level of skill these producers have. It doesn't sound dated in the least with great atmospheres and good times. Quality dreaming music that feels lush and will whisk away the time. All the tracks sound very similar and you'll find that galloping bassline, but if that doesn't bother you then this will be worth your time.

Artist: Various Title: Cold Conclusion: Tales of the Freeze Delirium Label: MMD Records Date: May, 2007 1. EMP Vs. Hiyarant - Binary 2. Frozen Ghost - Frost Friction 3. Hiyarant - Makeshift 4. Frozen Ghost - Fridget Midget 5. Lost & Found - Integration 6. Rubix Qube - Qubinomix 7. Xatrik - Icey 8. Lost & Found Vs. Frozen Ghost - Sin Stereo 9. Zion Linguist - Game Over 10. Smugg Juggler - Heathen Race "You smell that? It's freedom." Nope. Just farted. Taco Bell you know. MMD Records is another label from South Africa with a pretty good track record. The list of artists has me salivating like Josh Duggar at a family reunion. Shall we begin? Binary- Original working title before the editors got wind of it. When you're staring up at average it's a sad state of affairs. What a letdown considering the past work from both of these projects. Couldn't find a more annoying lead sound? This isn't tripping over the first hurdle it's breaking an ankle getting of the toilet in the locker room. Frost Friction- Thank you Mr. Ghost for getting us back on the good foot. This was eerie and bouncy at the same time. Makeshift- Ah f*ck here we go again. Way too many stops and starts without building any momentum. Like driving to work. In first gear. Fridget Midget- At this point I'm almost ready to start the breakage, but as usual Barry to the rescue. Not that one. This is the eminently danceable Frozen Ghost I love. A massively dark sound that will keep you moving. As far as I'm concerned this was the beginning of the comp for me. After Barry Lost & Found, Rubix Qube, and Xatrik set things right with some acid ridden laser stormers that will get the pulse up. Then pairing Lost & Found with Frozen Ghost takes that to f*cking eleven. Game Over has some good swagger (that bass is rumbly tumbly) and a cool Aliens sample, but it's a drop off from the previous five tracks. Ex-metal heads Smugg Juggler close with a dark and powerful brooding track and ends things with a bang. So what began as a eye rolling migraine in training, became some night time psy awesomeness. Definitely recommended if you're a fan of the South African sound. Psyshop Beatspace

Now this was a tremendous surprise. Like finding a Rembrandt underneath a Where's Waldo painting at Aunt Patti's yard sale. It was right next to the clock with no hands and that chair with one leg. Can't believe you missed it. Most of the artists are unknown to me, but they certainly deliver the goods. It's storming melodic goa with evolving soundscapes. Like Joske said the cover is putrid, but you can still get it off Discogs for the price of a happy meal so I would strongly recommend you do that. Throw out Yam and The Rip and this thing is a classic! I'm convinced if it had some kick ass artwork like First Flight some douche nozzle would try and squeeze $150 out of you.

Artist: Ajna Title: Search For The Divine Label: Ovnimoon Records Date: October, 2014 1. Speaking To God 2. Be Yourself 3. The All Seeing Eye 4. Follow The Signs 5. Search For the Divine 6. Come Back To Reality 7. The Age of Reason 8. The Only Way To Fly feat. Goalien "You ever have that feeling...where you're not sure if you're awake or still dreaming?" Mescaline? Try having two kids ask you every question in their repetoire 24/7 even if it has absolutely nothing to do with the current situation. And they don't give a f*ck what your answer is they just want to hear themselves talk. Happened yesterday and I think I blacked out for like...ten minutes. Thing is I was behind the wheel doing 80 miles an hour. "No officer I don't know how my car wound up in Lake Michigan, but since I've got you here who do you think would win in a fight between Unikitty and Pinky Pie. Cause this is the question I got for the past 35 minutes." Ajna is Oliver Chazard and I feel his album got lost in the shuffle with all the other releases. Ovnimoon releases like 6 albums every half hour so it's possible that they didn't even know they released it. What you get is dreamy and floaty melodic goa trance. It's high energy, pumping, and beautiful. Beautiful like Fabio...you know you're not gay, but you can't stop staring at his moobs. Fabio has clearly stopped giving f*cks. The layers are plenty and it has a spiritual quality taking you far away from mundane human pursuits and bickerings. There is a f*ckton of twirling opportunities and nobody is gonna get hurt as it weaves a trail of gentle and comforting atmospheres. There are a lot of the Middle Eastern melodies serving up images of vast desert sands and the search for the beginnings of humanity. It reminds me a lot of Afgin's release on Suntrip where it was so bright you had to listen to it with sunglasses. If there was one negative it would be that all the tracks resemble each other. A lot. Some might be put off by the samples or the goa "lite" style. And perhaps this is why it drifted within the goa ether largely ignored. As I mentioned it's beautiful sounding, but it's also the farthest you can get from the current trend of dark, moody releases. But you can't be dark all the time. Plants won't grow, sunscreen companies will go out of business, and you might one day call this freakshow your daughter in law. So let the sun shine, enjoy some soft melodic goa, and bow down to your new Ovnimoon overlords. Cause they is takin' over. Psyshop Beatspace

Artist: Various Title: Aurora Sidera Label: Suntrip Records Date: June, 2015 1. Skizologic - Retrospective 2. Nebula Meltdown - Deep Space Introspection 3. Dragon Twins - The Third Wave 4. Morphic Resonance - Altered Perception 5. Artifact303 - In Your Mind (E-Mantra Remix) 6. Crossing Mind - Xtatic Confusion 7. Mindsphere - Fly High 8. Celestial Intelligence - Inevitable Feelings 9. Denshi-Danshi - World In Between (2K15 Remix) Some things just cannot be stopped. "You...Shall...Not...Pass!!!" No matter what you do it seems like you're powerless. "Desserts for a month or you're b*tch gets it next!" In the end you just save yourself the aggravation cause it's gonna happen. Because f*ck your water. This is the unstoppable force that is Suntrip. The roll they have been on as of late is quite impressive. Beginning with the thunderous Shakta Retrospective release from last year and then the blistering Perpetual Energy release from Celestial Intelligence, followed by the great Prana Remixes and culminating with the re-release of one of the classic goa trance cd's of all time Psykadelia by Asia2001. So yeah I'd say they've been killing it. They're like the George Clooney of goa trance labels always showing up with a hotter chick. Aurora Sidera is the next beauty and boy does she have fire. Billed as Suntrip's tribute to the forthcoming summer she purports to show different artists and how goa trance has evolved. First thing you notice is that beautiful artwork by Suntrip staple Margot Schaefer. It's like the most psychedelic optic nerve ever witnessed. Might wanna get that checked out. Don't mind if I do! Skizologic (Maor Hasbani) had his coming out party with the spectacular Robotized album earlier this year and blows the doors off the hinges with a warm, thumping opener. With 303's rumbling this is rattle your ribcage good. Nebula Meltdown takes y ou to space next the shortest track on the compilation. The first part sets you up and then the 303 dreamscape puts you down. Suntrip newcomers Dragon Twins and Morphic Resonance have already established themselves as deep talent and ones to watch. Go to Ektoplazm and check out the EP's they released, you'll thank me later. The Thrid Wave is juicy and bass intensive with super cool sounds while the heir apparent to Astral annihilate what you think you know about goa. This rampant 303 abuse is greatly appreciated as are the layers. Oh my goodness the layers...so dreamy. When E-mantra and Artifact303 keep remixing each others tracks I think we all win. This is a dark, stinging monster that sports the same style as Emmanuel's Nemesis album. Sinister and epic sounding. Crossing Mind has an instantly recognizable style and if you like it he's gonna take you for a crazy 360 disco waterslide ride. Mindsphere and the new "Transwave" delivers melodic morning tracks that rumor has it made people cry on the dancefloor. Pussies. There's no crying in goa trance! It certainly is beautiful music and I suppose if you listen to one right after the other you could get a bit emotional, but unless you're Caitlyn Jenner and transitioning there's no need for the waterworks. Of course this is coming from the guy who cries at the ending of Rudy every time so take it for what it's worth. *sob* Could you pass me the box of Kleenex? I promised I wouldn't do this. *sob* The closer should bring a smile to the faces of old and new goa-heads alike as Denshi Danshi has returned from the 90's with a fresh take on one of his tracks. I'd never heard this one before and Anoebis billed it as "regular trance." It's bouncy and danceable and really whets the appetite for his upcoming album on Suntrip. Holy crap on a crutch this album will get your cardio on! It's highly acidic and melodic with so many twists and turns. Madness! Euphoric breaks and blistering 303's it's another high five to the guys over at Suntrip. The sound is awesome and warm with a relentless pace. There's a reason this label has been on top for so long. I keep saying it but damn if this isn't one of their best releases. Do yourself a favor and get it. Suntrip Psyshop Beatspace

Artist: Doof Title: Let's Turn On Label: DAT Records Date: April, 2015 Remixed 1. Let's Turn On (Desk Mix 1) 2. Mars Needs Women (Live Mix) 3. Yoof of the Galaxy 4. Double Dragons (Alternate Mix) 5. Sunshrine (Mix 2) 6. Secret Sun (7th Sun Mix) 7. Angelina (Alternate Mix) 8. Destination Bom (Alternate Mix) 9. Star Above Parvati (Original Mix) Remastered 1.Let's Turn On 2. Mars Needs Women 3. Youth of the Galaxy (Final Demand Mix) 4. Double Dragons 5. Sunshrine 6. Secret Sun (Sunbeam Mix) 7. Angelina 8. Destination Bom 9. Star Above Parvati (Bijli Mahadev Mix) Pffft...Doof. What a stupid name. Sounds like 1960's Batman punched a bad guy. Is it short for Doofus? And that hot pink color...it's so...pink. I haven't seen that much pink since... Seriously, how can Samuel L. Jackson be in every movie?" I've mentioned that labels like Neogoa and Suntrip are on quite the tear as of late and they have been providing us with superb goa trance for years on end. But let us not overlook the far less prodigious yet no less spectacular DAT Records. While I felt the last compilation Analog Dreams fell a little short of the mark, this is the label that has delivered the lost Crop Circles album, a double Blue Planet Corporation CD, and the perfect Etnica Live in Athens. Clearly the strength of this label and its owner is tracking down classics from the past and working relentlessly to help them see the light of day. That kind of dedication and single minded focus is why Draeke has built (and earned) such a solid following. So here we go again with an absolute classic from the golden era of goa trance. Doof is Nick Barber and Let's Turn On was a watershed moment in the genre. Goa-heads know it by heart and everyone has it. Or at least a downloadable copy of it as prices on the Discogs before this arrived were a little on the high side. Now it is available to all at a reasonable amount. First thing I'll tell you is I haven't opened my copy. Nope, I don't want to spoil its mintiness. So I can't tell you what is on the inside until I order a second copy. For all I know my copy has a winning lottery ticket or an invite to baby Charlotte's christening. So I listened to the files Draeke sent me and that is how I evaluated the music. Like all of you I've heard the original album many times so I knew for the most part how it was gonna go. But what blew me away was the sound. The quality made this album feel brand new. Like new car smell that never dissipates. All the classics appeared in 3-D; Let's Turn On, Star Above Parvati, Double Dragons, Angelina, Mars Needs Women...While ecstatic to have a remastered album in my sweaty man-hands I believe most of us crave the unknown. That's why the world is so eagerly awaiting the Helen Mirren sex tape. You know you wanna see it. She looks good for someone almost 5 years past social security. The second disk full of remixes and never before heard goodness had me turning my head like a dog straining to understand what you just said. I'm not gonna blow smoke up your ass and tell you that I like every single track here. The Bijli Mahadev Mix of Star Above Parvati was a relaxing albeit patience stretching version that seemingly took forever to go nowhere. I still can't really tell any differences in the Youth of the Galaxies and the Sunshrines were way too similarly positive for me. In fact the majority of the remixes felt like stripped down versions validating the decision not to release them. However that is a little shortsighted. People said the same thing regarding A Blueprint for Survival and I believe that that was also shortsighted. Not only are you getting a piece of history making goa trance you're also getting a window into tracks never before heard and I feel that gives a larger picture of where projects are and were as artists. So I salute Nick Barber for allowing this to happen and for Draeke for caring enough to work so hard to give us the fans what we want at great financial and probable emotional cost to himself. This is a piece of goa trance history and if you are a collector it would be unthinkable for you not to own it. Now you can.

This is such an epic release. Nobody can touch Neogoa at the moment. This label has consistently released superb album after superb album and shows absolutely no signs of stopping. The above reviews give you all you need to know and more so hopefully I won't cover any material you've already seen. I just want to show my appreciation for this one. I knew nothing about Slavic mythology. Less than nothing. Richpa is quick to hit you with a link though and he leaves no stone unturned. So I thank him for the education on this topic. The Lunar Dawn duo has made something quite different drawing inspiration from the aforementioned deities and legends of old. Goa with plenty of atmospheric touches and old world history. Uplifting and mysterious. Metamorphosis of Veles was already a full track when it was only a third of the way done. Hugely layered and inviting and more than a few times I felt I was in the midst of a soundtrack. The way they worked that Slavic melody in several tracks I believe acted as a bridge and helped with continuity. The downtempo closer seemed a fitting way to end the intense journey. Great work guys!

Artist: Various Title: Planetary Nation Vol. 4 Label: Planet B.E.N. Records Date: March, 2007 1. GMS - Los Dorados (Audio-X Remix) 2. Planet B.E.N. Vs. Didrapest - C-data 3. Mad Hatters - Logic Structure 4. Yahel - DNA (Didrapest Vs. Indra Remix) 5. Planet B.E.N. Vs. Puzzle - Tactic 6. Psyche Logos - Through The Dark 7. Overlap - Folding Space 8. Freakulizer - Visualization (Cosmonet Remix) 9. Nomad - Maniac No. No. F*ck no. Other than Krusty the Klown who the f*ck shills like this? Who? This is the same guy that made Trippy Future Garden? The list of former goa trance producers who reject creativity and decide to whore themselves out gets longer and longer. Now I knew going into this that the chances the 4th entry was going to be hard to get through. Does anyone remember Fast and Furious 4? Yeah me neither. And I also realize that this isn't the first time that Ben has hopped aboard the full-on train. So now he and Madonna can jump on the latest trend and homogenize it until you wanna punch him in the man sac. There is literally nothing of value to be found here. Nothing. This should come with a white towel cause the man has clearly given up. I know it's a compilation, but it's on his label so the responsibility lay with him. And to all the people who rated this highly on Discogs perhaps a little soul searching is in order. Can someone get me Ben's address? I figure the least I could do is send him a high powered flashlight to help him locate his imagination and creativity which is clearly cowering in some pretty dark and scary corners. Psyshop

Artist: Various Title: Decadance Label: Afrogalactic Records Date: 2005 1. S.W.O.R.N. - Poultry in Motion 2. ElbowRoom - Strippa 3. DMMT - Real Men Don't Dance 4. Frozen Ghost - Mushroom Mayhem 5. S.W.O.R.N. - Sole Survivor 6. ZiggaNaut - Show Me 7. Mamba - High Life 8. Zigganaut & Optik - You're In Business 9. Zion Linguist - Techno Weirdo 10. Lost & Found - Engine Ear "Women have this weird myth that they can tell how good a guy is in bed with how he is on the dance floor." That's right ladies...welcome to triple orgasm town...population...me! We all know this album. Correction...we've all rubbed one out to this album cover. And I believe we can all agree that on display is a f*cking fantastic pair of tits. Artificial? Surely. Believe me I know from experience as there have been ample amounts of deranged women with daddy issues that have beed drugged fooled charmed into sleeping with me due to my insane choreography. So let me say those fun bags look like they could assault you. Too far. Taking it too far ladies. But if...but if *pulls your chin away from glorious sweater puppies* IF you delve within the compilation you'll find some pretty decent South African Noise. This CD celebrates 10 years of the South African collective Alien Safari which organizes electronic music and psychedelic productions. And I think they also freed Mandela. Have to check though. It's crazy and funky at times, but always thumping. Featured artists include Frozen Ghost as well as the compiler DJ Wobblz. Those guys have a good sense of humor based on the samples they use. Some tracks have a hard techno edged Artifakt feel and that makes sense as he did the mastering. This isn't Nexus Media or Timecode quality, but it's the definition of a solid compilation. I imagine if you needed some oomph in your sets this could work. Please understand that final statement is coming from someone with zero DJ experience. You'll have to ask your leader Paris Hilton if this would work in your set. It's not my area of expertise. That honor belongs to huge, green, alien ta-tas. Psyshop

And lo, the heavens were torn asunder as God himself paid with PayPal also ordering a DAT Records hoodie.