Trance2MoveU

Artist: Tavi Title: Magnetic Field Label: Goa Records (Cd) Timewarp Records (Digital) Date: April, 2013 1. Magnetic Field 2. Step of the elephant 3. The spirit of the east 4. Space Sail 5. Wanderers of the desert 6. Reactive Acid 7. Airavata 8. Desert Wind 9. Neptune 10. Cosmo Elephant I tried. Ummm...I tried harder than that. Not that I'm faulting your effort, but perhaps you should go look in the bootyliscious section. Hold up, I'll come with you. I really tried. This album came out of nowhere and I'm like, "Tavi? Who the f*ck is Tavi?" Then I read a thread in the label announcements section and there was a comment about the mastering being horrible. Like Suncokreti bad? Or I've got really great listening equipment and I can graphically show you bad? Puzzling. So I was pleased when Renato asked if I would like to review this. Renato what the hell are you doing here? Apparently this album was first released on Goa Records and while still available is now being offered as a digital download from new goa label Timewarp Records. So now I get to give this a proper listening. First I would like to say the cover is misleading. This type of goa has more in common with Egypt than with space. We've heard cosmic goa trance before and this ain't it. The melodies float gently over each other and evoke images of desert sands. There are nice layers and it is constantly changing shape. Sometimes those leads scream and sometimes they bubble, but what I really liked was that he would go from the wispy highs to the deep lows. As far as the production goes the more I played it the more I noticed the lack of dynamism. It did sound flat in the sense that I felt the need to continually increase the volume to bring out the awesome richness contained within. Not ideal, but not a deal breaker for headphones. On a big outdoor setup though I'm not so sure. So I decided to do a test. If I compared the sound quality of a 320 kbps copy readily available on the net and the 16 bit wavs Renato gave me the wav files sounded fine. Normally I cannot tell the difference between the two even though I'm sure that debate shall rage on. I don't know enough about the formats to speak intelligently on the subject. I'll gladly listen to anyone to anyone who has more knowledge on this matter because the last thing I want to do is tell people to buy something that is truly deficient in quality. I just don't see that being the case here. Bottom line, if you buy the original or the digital release from Timewarp you should be fine. Imagine that, getting good quality and compensating the artist for his hard work. Back to my original statement, I tried to find a reason not to like this album. It's just not there. Tavi created a great, melodic goa trance album and I can't wait to get my physical copy. Highly recommended. Psyshop Beatspace Goa Store Juno Download (Goa Records) Juno Download (Timewarp Records) Mdk

Sorry about that. When I'm writing reviews and post the album covers I use the ones that are given to me with the files. Didn't even think about how it might lag on a smartphone. Hopefully no harm done. But I'll now be more aware. Thanks for reading! Mdk

I sense sarcasm. Sheesh, everyone's a critic. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Supernova Remixes EP Label: Timewarp Records Date: August, 2013 1. Supernova (PharaOm Collapsing Star Remix) 2. Supernova (Nova Fractal Remix) 3. Supernova (Lunar Dawn Old School Remix) 4. Supernova (Remix) Can someone tell me the purpose of a remix? You, with the mismatched socks. "Can I go to the restroom?" Fine. The purpose of a remix is to take a familiar track and add a different perspective. Make changes while retaining what made it memorable in the first place. Some seem to believe it is to make carbon copies. I mean, why not...if it's a great track than one just like it should be great too, right? Wrong. That's just being lazy and mooching off the success of the original artist. I'm not suggesting you crack open the piggy bank and hire Nicki Minaj...unless you want to stare at her boobies. Which is silly because that's why Al Gore invented the internet. Nova Fractal (Renato Brnić) is heading up the Ovnimoon goa sublabel Timewarp Records and has made a nice splash in a short time. His 2 Cd compilation The Call of Goa was great as well as the release of his own material on Fractal Landscape. Lately it's been on the EP front. Supernova from Psychowave came out on his EP Sunshine Reborn 2 years ago. Good stuff surely. And so is this. He does a good job at keeping the number of remixes small at 4. Any more and you risk the Salieri effect of too many notes. The remixers have all done remarkable stuff on their own and with this track have kept the original feel intact while making it different enough to enjoy. The PharaOm remix seems brighter and the tribal-esque vocal chant is a nice touch with the 303 bark. Lunar Dawn takes an already great track and stretched it out to epic proportions. It's goa through and through it today's style. Some will love it and some will not. Could there have been more variety? Probably, but I'm pleased with it. The sound quality is rich and well done. Recommended. Juno Download Beatport Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Common Cold Remixes EP Label: Timewarp Records Date: July, 2013 1. Common Cold (Message To Earth Remix) 2. Common Cold (Screw Loose Remix) 3. Common Cold (Lunar Dawn Remix) 4. Common Cold (Dense Denso Remix) How is it we don't have a cure for the common cold? I'm really beginning to believe that a conspiracy is afoot. Male pattern baldness? No problem. Not so fresh feeling...down there...You bet. Grandpa needs more wee wee power? Of course. But somehow the common cold and its Jedi mind tricks have eluded and mystified the most advanced society in the history of civilization. McDonalds can get me to eat a McRib (whatever the hell that thing is), but I can't get rid of the sniffles. Unbelievable. New goa label Timewarp Records is right back at it with another digital EP release. The Common Cold Remixes are 4 tracks by a few projects giving their take on the Nova Fractal original from his first EP Main Sequence Star. As I've mentioned previously the purpose of a remix is to make something sound different from the original while still holding on to what made it recognizable. The original was heavily psytrance based so these remixes aren't a quantum leap from where they began. Where other releases were goa trance, all these tracks are more of the psy-gressive variety. Long unwinding melodies with great transitions into and out of the breaks. If you like long tracks and equate that with value then this is for you as you get almost 40 minutes of music. There is some good power to be found and what keeps these from being generic full-on remixes is the level of detail and lack of copy paste structure. Once again the number of remixes doesn't exhaust the listener and they all have their little...whatever that separates them. Pretty good. Juno Download Beatport Mdk

Artist: Amygdala Title: Modus Operandi Label: Ektoplazm Date: December, 2012 01 - Yeheuan Filters (73 BPM) 02 - Ridden By The Loa (66 BPM) 03 - The Construct (Oxylerator III) (136 BPM) 04 - Modus Operandi (140 BPM) 05 - Mindsweeper (142 BPM) 06 - Wintermute (140 BPM) 07 - Business End (134 BPM) 08 - Made Up Mind (130 BPM) 09 - MetaMusic (Reified Mix) (132 BPM) 10 - Simstim (65 BPM) 11 - Enlightenment Cut (60 BPM) 12 - ConunDrum (110 BPM) Wow, where did this come from? This is Andreas Riemer Christensen (is everyone from Denmark named Christensen?) with his debut full length album and it is a futuristic cyber world with incredible atmosphere. Booming drums, dark effects, and an all around eerie feel with crackling electric energy. The first two tracks are downtempo creepy pieces designed to thrust you into this bleak future. Part Matrix part Frontline Assembly. Once The Construct appears it's a scorching goa melody that fits right in with the metallic and cyber heavy world of his making. He's got a great skill of heightening the atmosphere when he goes into the breaks which keeps the listener firmly in his storytelling grasp. What he lacks in melodies he more than makes up for in lush effects and layering. And just when you think you have the track figured out he surprises you. My mind was made up on Made Up Mind as a somewhat groovy minimalistic progressive track when he unleashed the melodies that danced in step with the beat. While not "goa" by today's description it certainly contains goa elements that are fairly easy to pick out. I found that the middle of the album strayed a little from the theme originally presented (Business End was a little too happy & bright) this is still an album that is easy to enjoy. The beginning and ending to me are the most vivid and lush parts of the whole shabang and I would love to hear a low bpm release from him. One of the comments on Ektoplazm about this release hits the nail right on the head: "I can almost see the movie behind the soundtrack" Bingo. Sci-fi fans rejoice! Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Saw this. Have to say I'm intrigued. His album Lost in Time was for me a classic. But that was long ago. And while I don't want to say this new effort reeks of once former greats disappointing...well...there is precedent. Mdk

Artist: Sidhartha Title: Into Immortality Chapter One & Two Label: Hypergate Records Date: April, 2013 Chapter One 1. Into Immortality 2. Yutopia Paradox 3. Single Atoms 4. Dominant Species Chapter Two 1. Sidhartha & TDR & Shaddai - Iori Yagami 2. Symmetrix & Sidhartha - Time Is Your Illusion 3. Sidhartha & Tryon - 4th Dimension Encounter 4. Sidhartha - Wonder In The Night What's with that little thing in the corner. Looks like a peppermint. Makes me want a candy cane. If acid and lasers are your preferred sweet than this is Christmas and Easter on the same day. Sidhartha has been around for a while and here he delivers two twilight EP's. The first one is all him and the second one he enlists some friends to help with the heavy lifting. Into Immortality- There is a certain amount of groove to be found here amidst the fast paced intensity. And it seems really fast. With the rapid pace I feel like he's trying to fit a lot in on the move. Like the drive thru guy at Wendy's attempting to hand me my order as I blow by him at 45 miles an hour. Not a bad bouncy opener. Yutopia Paradox- "If there are extra terrestrial beings out there where are they?" Wal Mart. Where else would they be? It begins as just generic full-on, but he eventually begins the acid shower and some great movement. Good, but not great. Single Atoms- Didn't care for this one. It was noisy and had the depth of a kiddie pool. Dominant Species- I guess this is where the drug use started because this is simply put an all out assault bursting with acid and thumping kicks. With just a couple of chances to catch one's breath it moves like a rhino through a door built for a smurf. Iori Yagami- It's on to part two and right away it seems more focused and deeper. Lots of juicy bits flying about with a powerful punch. The sticky icky is everywhere so bring a towel. The samples are muffled with more grunting and groaning than a late night Taco Bell visit. These guys know what I'm talkin' about... Time is Your Illusion- Who ordered the meal with extra lasers? This is a fat guy in daisy dukes on rollerblades without brakes going downhill. You can't turn away and there is going to be a lot of damage. Great lose your mind track. 4th Dimension Encounter- Teaming up with twilight Jesus (Tryon) it's more acid washes than the 80's. The ass shaking is in full force immediately as they paint a picture. But they don't use brushes. They use buckets. Wonder In The Night- With the final track it seems he wants to end on a less bombastic note. But it doesn't reflect who he is. It's rather boring especially placed next to the other monsters. Put that f*cking crash helmet back on. Two EP's. Lasers and acid. Powerful twilight music. That's what you're gonna get and that's what I woulda wrote if I could get away with a two sentence review. But that's not my style. I liked part two better as it was a straight up out of control freight train with no brakes. And I ain't Denzel. Beatport Chapter One Beatport Chapter Two Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Goa Spaceship 101 - A Goa Trance Trip Into Space Label: Hypnotic Records Date: 1996 1. Astral Projection - Enlightened Evolution 2. Technossomy - Pyramid 3. Cosmosis - Morphic Resonance 4. OOOD - Silence 5. Prana + Athena - Future Space Travellers 6. Etnica - Starship 101 7. Subcouds - Greenflow 8. Glass Walker - Celestial Body 9. Arcana - Pyrochasm 10. Unison - Loadster "We have determined that the human form is best suited to our purposes." So you're looking for a complete f*cking idiot then. This is a compilation that mails it in and goes the easy route. Released by Hypnotic (A label known for riding the coattails of what was popular at the moment) this is a collection of tracks heard many times before and available on numerous other compilations. Chances are you already have these tracks so for most goa heads this is unnecessary. But if you don't have them (loser) then this is a great place to get all these classics on one disc. The majority of them are melodic goa anthems from the masers of the genre during the golden age. Of course an album of bona fide classics from beginning to end sounds too good to be true. And it is. The last three tracks lack the name recognition as well fall short in their quest for...epicness. Maybe Hypnotic ran out of money or they owed some people some favors. Whatever the reason they clearly shot their load with the first 7 tracks. The last three while not horrific (except the last one which is a God awful housey nightmare) plays second fiddle to the classics. And that's fine. We all want the best doctor when we need one, but some people had to graduate at the bottom of the class didn't they? They're still doctors, just...not, you know...good ones. Besides if all tracks were classics then none of them would be. So I'm gonna be mad at a compilation with a 70% awesome rating? Don't think so. Mdk

Artist: Lumen Title: Way Up In The Air / 3 To 1 EP Label: Phantasm Records Date: 1998 1. Way Up In The Air 2. 3 To 1 I downloaded this out of curiosity. What? Don't look at me that way. Just don't. What would I do with a 12" (ask your mother)? I don't even think my father has a record player and he was born in the 40's. Lumen is Chris Conklin and I had no idea he used to make goa trance. Learn something new yadda yadda yadda. Anyway he did, and boy did he do it well. This is a very unheralded EP. Both tracks have old school melodies that build slowly, but come together in the end. Good stuff. Mdk

Artist: Aes Dana Title: Aftermath Archives of Peace Label: Ultimae Records Date: November, 2013 1. Aftermath #1 2. Aftermath #2 3. Aftermath #3 4. Aftermath #4 5. Aftermath #5 6. Aftermath #6 7. Aftermath #7 $450.00 Are you f*cking kidding me. Must be Canadian dollars. Nope, still too f*cking high. What do they use in Poland? Zloty? Even that's too high. Got it...Iraqi Dinars. 450 Dinars = ...32 cents. All right that's too low, but we're getting closer. Obviously that seller is going to retain possession of that used copy of this album. Unless Beyonce decides she's into ambient in which case Jay-Z is going to f*ck it all up. Is there anyone who is more identified with quality downtempo and ambient music? Who is Vincent Vilius? How about co-founder of arguably the best downtempo label, founding member of Asura, contributor to H.U.V.A. Network, and of course electronic activist. What the hell does that last bit mean? Does he travel to exotic locations and protest acoustic festivals? Demand more government spending on electronic bass line research? I'm being silly of course as he has made his mark and become an icon in the genre. This was his second album as Aes Dana and there seem to be those that think this is better than chocolate sex. Not me. I love chocolate. This is now 10 years old and while it still sounds fresh as the day it was made, I believe that he has gotten better with age. Recounting a tale of life after a great cataclysm it is one of those that demands a straight through listening to fully absorb its message. He weaves through vignettes of ambient and downtempo with floating pads and melancholic textures putting the listener in a relaxed state. The story is expertly told and I think it is a great piece of work, but there were times I found it less engaging than it could've been. It was good ambient, but this is Aes Dana we're talking about. I want better than good. I want great. It's my opinion that with successive albums his productions became deeper and more challenging. Then I realized I was judging this album based on his later works and where he's taken his music. And that's not fair. Like anything else he has grown and matured with time spent perfecting his craft. Each album is part of the puzzle and the picture cannot be completed without it. That's all you can ask of an artist. So with repeated listening I found myself enjoying it more and more. The beatless ambient is supremely ethereal and while I still believe he has gone on to produce better albums I can appreciate this album for what it is. Mdk

Artist: Power Source Title: Cosmic Waves Label: Melodia Records Date: January, 1999 01. 08'58" Skywalker 02. 09'41" Volan 03. 09'31" Memory Bubbles 04. 09'16" Orient Express 05. 07'40" The X Train 06. 08'58" Zahadoom 07. 08'36" Hyperspace 08. 08'58" Granada (Rmx 98) I'm gonna take an unpopular position here. Skywalker- "It's the music of the Earth...the music of the sun and the stars. The music of yourself" Flu-ffy. More epic trance than goa. Vorlan however is magical and sets things right. Still a bit on the fluffy side, but gets the goa back on track. Memory Bubbles is more aggressive and wields a shimmery sword, but they continue with the key changes that give the track a less substantial nitzhonot vibe. No offense Agneton, it's still a great track. The break with the bubbles and the shimmering acid is my favorite part of the entire disc. But oh, what coulda been... Orient Express- Meh. The X-Train- Yeah, it's that f*cking ridiculous. Zahadoom- See Orient Express Hyperspace- This one had some old school growl that didn't venture into cheesy town. Granada (Rmx 98)- Despite the cringeworthy and goofy as f*ck sample this is one of the best on here. The original was better. The whole thing sounds dated in terms of complexity and production. At various points it just wanders without direction. There are portions of most tracks that were great, but they just couldn't seem to put it all together. I'll term it goa lite, perfect for those who don't want to fully commit to the genre. Classic? I don't think so. Mdk

Artist: SoulQuark Title: Slow Tachyon EP Label: Neogoa Date: May, 2013 1. Nitrogen Narcosis 2. Soul Bruise 3. Tāne Mahuta 4. Celestine Language 5. Lost In Frozen Dream This was released by Neogoa around the same time as the Goatree EP and while a review thread was started pretty quickly for that EP, Slow Tachyon has been largely ignored. Why? I'm looking at you hippie. Yeah, you. Is it because it's not goa in the sense we are used to? Too ethnic sounding? It's definitely different, full of chopped up vocal chants and beat patterns not usually seen in today's goa trance. So it's not goa. What it is though is melodic and deep with emotional feeling and a tribal essence. Nowhere is that more evident than in Soul Bruise with its battle of the bands like percussion. Celestial Language is a downtempo track that is brimming with electronic wonderment. With plenty of well placed soaring vocal phrases there is a strong spiritual component. Lost in Frozen Moment is another track that slowly ascends the mountain top while also being symphonic. This wouldn't be out of place in a big budget Hollywood soundtrack. Or God willing a Bollywood production. Throw away your preconceived notions of what this is and what box it should go in. Unless you have a box labeled moving electronic music. Yeah it would fit in there. Get on this if you're looking for something outside the norm. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Tribal Encore Label: Anjuna Records Date: July, 2013 1. UFOmatka - Vega 2. B.E.T.H. - Back To Blighty (Live Mix) 3. UX - Third Eye (Remix) 4. Aurax - Cone Nebula (Red Meatballs Remix) 5. UFOmatka - Alien's Lair 6. Aurax - Atomic Defloration 7. Jaia - Insomnie 8. Process - Funktion Junktion 9. Sandman - Starfinder (Live Mix) Grand opening, grand closing. This is the story of many goa labels. They come, drop a release that is filled with hope and expectations for the future and then like a cupcake in the hands of my kids...they just disappear. Gone before you know it. Moonquest Records, Ultiva Records, Phototropic Records (this one had some longevity, but had a lot more drama)...Tough to make it as a label in a niche market. For every Suntrip or DAT Records there is a Tranceform Records. So the labels have figured out that you have to release something extraordinary to get the hype machine working. Get people talking about your product. Release music that maybe wasn't catering to a large chunk of the psy audience. But it can't be all about hype. First thing is promotion. Get your message out there early and often. Next a tracklist that includes unreleased or hard to find stuff from the greats of goa trance seems to be the hotness right now. Then you wait. But there is a balance that must be struck. Too short a wait and you can't manufacture the adequate buzz. Can't let people's minds wander and imagine the possibilities. Wait too long and people will forget. We lose interested because, let's face it we're easily distracted. "Holy sh*t it's a f*cking banana! Hey, come look at this!!! You know you never think you're gonna see one and then BAMMM!!! There it is!" Oh and one more thing...make it a limited edition. Make people feel if they don't get this quick (preorder) they'll be missing out. It works, at least with me. To this day I still haven't heard Mind Rewind. But ultimately (and rightly so) it comes down to the music. Anjuna is a new label that did all of these things. Our scene seems to release music daily and the majority of it is the same generic nonsense that sounds like everything else. This label's debut features a collection of rarities and new tracks that has put the psychedelic back into psychedelic trance. It's a mixture of belting goa trance and trippy psytrance. There are plenty of WTF sounds as well as soaring melodies in this compilation that touches several genres. Vega sparkles with shiny lights but also has sharp 303 teeth hidden just beneath the surface. Back To Blighty has never been appealing to me, but this heavily techno influenced live mix...something about it. Then there was the next track. I was excited as anyone would be when I saw a track from maestro Kris Kylven and here he does his best NIN impression with guitar crunch and primal screams. This isn't goa or psy (or even trance), but screaming rage over a breakbeat. Yeah, ummm...no, I'll see myself out. Aurax gets things back on track with the Red Meatballs remix of Cone Nebula and c'mon who doesn't like meatballs? I'm not sure if the remix is old or he did it for this comp, but it's a good blending of psy and goa. Unfortunately UFOmatka's 2nd track isn't as deep as the first, but the second Aurax offering is cosmic deliciousness. Then came goa Jesus. Apparently getting Jaia to release a goa track from the past is harder than a senior citizen with a lifetime supply of Viagra. I don't care how they did it, but I thank you (as I'm sure my dead grandpa's boner would) for releasing that classic. Hopefully the floodgates will opern for that project and we'll see a lot of great things. Which brings me to the final two tracks. Funktion Junktion is a psytrance track with a plethora of cyber sounds that makes me feel like I'm deep in their hardware. The compilation closes with a long track by Sandman that has a moon landing feel to it. Alien sounds abound but I wasn't on board until the break. It was ok, but I believe this to be concrete evidence that increased track length doesn't always equate to epic status. Anjuna is following Zion604's lead in releasing hard to find rarities and unreleased tracks from yesteryear. It sounds fantastic (nods to Tim Schuldt) even if I'm not thrilled with all the tracks. The mixing of old and new worked very well and there is something for anyone who follows our music. Congratulations Anjuna, a really good compilation that has me looking forward to what you will come up with next. Bandcamp Mdk

This is one awesome CD!

Artist: Cosmic Dimension Title: Voyage In The Universe EP Label: Timewarp Records Date: July, 2013 1. Voyage In The Universe 2. Predicting The Future 3. Dark Side of the Universe 4. Alien Speech Cosmic Dimension are a fledgling goa trance project from Macedonia. Mace whatiya? Sounds made up. Like when we Americans add an "o" to English words and think we're speaking Spanish. They recently appeared on the latest stunning Suntrip offering Blacklight Moments and fit right in. This 4 track digital EP comes from the newly formed Timewarp Records. It's a sublabel of Ovnimoon so it seems right that these two entities found each other. The first thing that jumps out at me is the eye catching artwork with asteroids and a star. Excuse me, my son is trying to tell me that they might be meteoroids. Jeez, you check one book out at the library on planets and all of a sudden you're an astronomer? "Hey how about go make a meteoroid in the toilet, you've been farting all day!" As I was saying it tells you exactly what you will find inside. This is cosmic goa trance with layers and spiraling melodies. It sparkles and shines as one would expect from music that takes place miles above the planetary surface. The highs of racing comets are pleasantly balanced by juicy lows as breaks are punctuated with chopped up strings. Some leads scream and some shimmer like fragments from a massive collision. Of particular note is the all out power and relentless twisting and turning of Predicting the Future. All the tracks are pretty good...nah, they're damn good. They didn't reinvent the wheel here or attempt to sound old school. They just kept it goa. Cosmic goa. Like what this guy would listen to if he had his iPod. Beatport Juno Download Audiojelly Mdk

Artist: Speedball Title: Reloaded EP Label: Fractal Records Date: May, 2013 1. Kingston 2. Universo 3. Locked Ball 4. Hyperion "Welcome to the f*cking universe!" Hells yeah! Where's my sippie cup? And who took all the motherf*cing Goldfish? Not since the invention of the taco has there been a greater contribution from Mexico. There. I said it. Speedball are Javier Durán Cortes & Raul Gonzalez and their debut album Human Disorder showed that they were not messing around. There are certain tracks you hear that stick with you. They never get old and always cause you to get out of your seat and dance like a crazy person. For me it was Fully Awake by Electric Universe. But it was also Buenos Muchachos by these guys who took that Goodfellas laden track and annihilated anything I've heard recently. Speedball take twilight music to that other level where only a mentally unstable few dare to tread. It's acid laden and carries a big kick and rumbling basses. This is music that unleashes the wrath you may have pent up, and all you can do is look back and hope you have clean underwear. Futuristic hyper trance with an intense pace is the name of the game on 75% of this EP. I can only assume that Kingston was the product of a very fruitful journey to Jamaica. Make some new friends did ya? Irie man, irie. Sometimes our music disappoints and does the same old tired song and dance. With all the releases I suppose it's to be expected. These guys however helped to restore my faith in the good old psytrance beatdown. Suck it Oakenfold. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Spiritual Doping Label: Neogoa Date: July, 2013 01 - Abstract Concepts - Toxic Feeling (85 BPM) 02 - Imba - Interspatial Vibrations (100 BPM) 03 - S.I.O.D. - The Truth Is Out There (135 BPM) 04 - Tavi - Gautama Buddha (The Awakened Sage) (80 BPM) 05 - JBC Arkadii - Molekula (101 BPM) 06 - Sky Technology - Transformation (100 BPM) 07 - Katedra - Eidos (? BPM) 08 - Sky Technology - Road To Nowhere (80 BPM) 09 - Language Of Love - Rasa Lila (Sinoah Edit) (114 BPM) "Turns out mathematics alone prefers the universe to be in 11 dimensions." Great. I just got a handle on three. When's my TV gonna do that? Neogoa is a digital label that has become such a vital part of the goa trance scene today. When he's not walking down lonely roads or changing his profile pic, Ivan Richpa is running the show. The Neogoa empire if you will. Releasing some of the highest quality stuff in the scene (for free I might add) he's also a very talented artist. If you love goa and actually buy the CD's I bet you have some of his art in your house right now. But running a label sounds like a lot of hard work and he doesn't do it alone. This new compilation was put together by Sky Technology (a great goa producer) and mastered by Stryder. The artwork was done by Ivan himself. Here's his site...not only does he do fabulous work, but he's also one of the nicest guys I've ever met. With this release you get nine tracks of down to mid tempo goa trance. When I first heard this I immediately began searching for a day where I could unload the kids and head to the nearest mountaintop. It's that type of music. Pack a lunch and listen to this while thousands of feet in the air. Melodies tumble over each other like individual water molecules and I can see each one. Catching the sun's rays they form a staircase of many colors. It brings me that much closer to the clouds and before I know it I'm on track six. The middle of this compilation is bursting with deep trance that elicits vibrant imagery. But I wasn't thinking about a thing. I was being. The music transports you and let's you dream aimlessly. Ever follow the flight of a hawk for 10 minutes? I did. And to my surprise when it was over I felt totally relaxed. I didn't have a spiritual experience, but I did get was a feeling of total respect and appreciation for nature and the beauty within this world. It's amazing what meditating high above the valley can do for you. It does have in my opinion on misstep. The first track doesn't seem to fit. It's jarring and loud and I skip it every time. Other than that and the annoying bubbling lead on the last track this journey was sublime. Perfect for getting lost even if you know right where you are. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Phoenix Label: Zion604 Records Date: June, 2013 Genesis: This is Our Legacy 1. Doof - Double Dragons (Trance Edit) 2. Satori - Neurality 3. Rhythmystec - Eskimo 4. Deflo - Ka.El.Mono (Alternative Recording Session) 5. 100th Monkey - Spiritus (Unreleased Mix) 6. Psychaos - Mindwash 7. Somaton - MKS Dist 8. ManMadeMan - Wasteland 9. Snake Thing - Gizmo Revelation - This Is Our Hope 1. Entheogenic - Soma (Veda Mix) 2. Lapsus - Year Zero 3. Libra - I Know Hias 4. Cymatics - Endless Circle 5. New Born - Moon Worshiper 6. Qlipadelic Rythm - Hiloola 7. Skizologic - MS Blast 8. Octapulse - ACiDC 9. Sound Preacher - Ambient For 4 "To go out of your mind at least once a day is terribly important because by going out of your mind...you come to your senses." When the price of carrots spikes 200% we all lose. Zion604 is an Israeli/Japanese label started in 2012 by Roy sason, Stephan Spivak and Masafumi Hoshida. In just a short time they have made an indelible mark on the goa trance scene. While Suntrip is the undisputed king of the new breed of goa trance, labels like Zion and DAT Records have sated our appetite for unreleased gems from the greats of the genre. Having released The Kingdom, Flight 604, Scandi90's, and Brainforest Remastered (haven't reviewed that yet) they have now set the bar ridiculously high. Not content on making a quick buck by releasing classics that everyone already has, they focus on keeping the old school spirit vibrant with stuff that is kinda hard to find if not damn near impossible. With Phoenix they deliver a 2-disc journey beginning with the old school and then followed up with artists who are hopes for the future. Double Dragons (Trance Edit)- Nick Barber was the mind behind Doof responsible for the goa trance classic Let's Turn On. The original was a belter of a track, but this takes a different approach. If the attempt is to get you through the nostalgic door or to entrance, then mission accomplished. The growling bass line is an oscillating rumble as synths slowly begin to awaken. It gets in you, hypnotizing with subtle swaying melodies, never moving too quickly. Call it a slow motion knob twiddler with smooth transitions that is substantial without beating you over the head. Great opener. Neurality- Ooh, that old school pop is front and center with excitement that steadily builds. Experiencing a track you've never heard is exhilarating and true to Zion604 form they uncover an off the beaten path gem. The 303 is nimble liquid magic as the mosquito-esque synth buzzes madly about. Very bouncy like a fighter on his toes. Eskimo- This was originally found on an EP from 95 and is an exploratory trip through tribal like percussion, layers of melodies, and vocal manipulation. The lead gets more bold near the end and it's that last quarter where it all comes together. Ka.El.Mono (Alternative Recording Session)- "Crime does not pay." 50 and his football jersey wearing pet tiger don't agree with you. Like power and melody? Miss that wobbly and chunky sound? Need a primal scream in your goa? Welcome to the Deflo experience. Where intensity is the name of the game and loudness is just a state of mind. Interesting to say the least and the only problem I had with it was the quick way it faded. Spiritus (Unreleased mix)- Arguably the greatest track from this project this is an unreleased mix. See...it says so right there. But it doesn't really sound that different from the original. Still love it. Mindwash- I know there are a lot of people that wet their pants when they hear a Psychaos track, but I'm not one of them. Nothing here captured my attention and it sounded like the Psychaos that was over the goa novelty. Mks Dist- Also previously available on an EP this is a great track. Wonder what that title means? Racing melody maybe? This has that awesome oldschool buzz especially in the break. Wasteland- MMM has always been a mixed bag for me. They've made some really good goa tracks in the past, but these days their music follows a different path. And that's where this goes. Rhythmic and tribal with some goa elements. There are enough changes in direction to keep it interesting I suppose. Gizmo- Nick Taylor again and this is by far the craziest and all encompassing track on this compilation. It has a little bit of everything and I do mean EVERYTHING. Loved the breakbeats and the psy/goa undercurrents. Think of a storming jam session or if Psychaos had a black choreographer. Want another comparison? Remember when Paul's Boutique came out from the Beasties and everyone said it was a disappointment only to realize later on how f*cking brilliant it was? Yeah it's like that. Soma (Veda Mix)- "It's your eardrums that are turning vibrations into sound and in that way you are creating the world." Time for some present day goa goodness. Soma from the Latin means body and this is some full bodied stuff. Deep and involving the story unfolds and takes its time. And at 11 minutes it has plenty of time. It is epic listening as this track bares all for everyone to see. Not the most goa of tracks, but so lush it reminds me of those 5 gum commercials. Reminds me of those movies I'm not allowed to watch anymore. Year Zero- With a melody that has the distorted sound of being strangled through a pocket amplifier it's off to the races. Alien bubbling rides shotgun as this becomes quite loud and noisy, but in a full and experimental way. It screeches with the wail of a guitar solo while the kick thumps. On it's face it might be easy to dismiss, but once you accept it's a different take on goa it's easy to appreciate. I Know Hias- Who doesn't love a good breakbeat? I do, I do! The goa lead slinks in from the shadows and it's another example of how detailed goa can be. Subtle at once and then screaming to be heard. I am entranced and want to know Hias also. Endless Circle- "Those thoughts rise and go...like waves of water." I love everything about this track. The sample, the atmosphere, the old school bubble and bite...It's like this guy just stepped out of a DeLorean time machine. And we all know how well that turned out. Not just a stormer, but also rich. Moon Worshiper- I wondered what happened to this guy? Normally known for his downtempo goa he picks up the pace with a wailing echoing quality that is a little eerie. Twisting melodies abound and this one grew on me. Not bad. Hiloola- "From now on you must ask permission for everything you do!" Must be married. I've never heard of this project, but ahhh...the art of discovery. He must've been riding shotgun in that Delorean because this harkens back to the golden days. Bouncy with some techno flair this is delicious. MS Blast- Who the hell are these people? I love the constant wave of goa producers that seem to be cropping up these days. This track is...different. Kinda 2000 minimalistic type goa. Psychedelic? Surely and more along the lines of what was heard on Scandi90's. Not my favorite. ACiDC (Computer Controlled Edit)- A slow groover that likes to lay back in the progressive goa style. It's head nodding fun. Ambient For 4- It's uh...that's not really...Look it says ambient in the title and this monotonous breakbeat doesn't sound very ambient to me. Felt like I wanted to rap over it. What a fantastic ride this was. The sound quality is superb and this label makes me dig deeper than I normally would; accepting tracks that I may not usually reach for. Finding layers and new directions to appreciate is much easier with crystal clear sound. This is like a goa fruit salad with something for even the most jaded goa listener. Hell you can get all that with just the Gizmo track! I cannot stress how spectacular and important this release is. Not perfect, but on the whole it's a terrific effort. Zion604 is quickly earning high marks with the quality of its work. Congratulations gentlemen, you have earned the Batman seal of approval. Bandcamp Mdk

Suntrip Neogoa Zion604 DAT Records Cronomi Nexus Media Timecode Iono Dropland Sonic Motion TesseracT Mdk

Hello and welcome. Wanna do some reviews? You're hired! Mdk

Shark week promotes fear more than FoxNews. It's scary out there proving that imagination is oftentimes more powerful and frightening than reality. And guess what...it gets worse when you have kids. I used to be in the water a lot and just came to the realization that if it's your time, it's your time. Shark, bus, or purple dildo (funny story from the OR). Mdk

Haven't seen a good one since the first Saw film. Loved Emily Rose but the Law and Order parts really slowed the film down. With relations to trance the samples are everywhere. Mdk

Thanks all. Hope to have some more for you when I take a brief hiking vacation in October. Mdk

Just digital eh? Cue sad panda. Mdk