Trance2MoveU

IMO this is an overrated album. Made in 95 it sounds simplistic compared to the rich and dynamic releases of today. Hell, even compared to some of his later work. Obviously technology has a lot to do with it, but I also believe it lacks the layers to give it depth and presence. With simplistic sample work and dated sounds it reveals its age. There is more of a drifting trancey feel rather than the storming goa presence on his other albums like Live or Ama-Zone. Even great tracks like Lunar Attraction have periods where there is a lack of activity. None of the tracks are bad, but like that old cigarette ad used to say... We've come a long way, baby. Mdk

Artist: Vertex Title: Earth Label: TesseracT Studio Date: June, 2012 1. Elements on earth - Vertex feat. Solar Kid 2. Surface 3. Avalanche - VERTEX FEAT. PION 4. Welcome to Serbia 5. Faith 6. Enlightenment 7. Out of orbit - VERTEX FEAT. VICE 8. Northern Lights - VERTEX FEAT. FLOAT 9. Joy of silence "What you're trying to do as an artist is to have an experience that is worth sharing and download it into another person's consciousness." Sunlight coming over the horizon. Warm glow of analog synths and comfortable kicks. This is the music that makes beer commercials seem true. In the company of good friends and busty models in bikinis that seem totally into you cause your on your fourth can of bud light. Beer gut and flatulence? Whatever, have another brewski. Now that's a real man. It's smooth like the hair of the girl who drew the last straw as she rubs your back telling you everything's gonna be all right as you deposit the twisted remains of your lunch and dinner into a dirty toilet. Groovy and light, it is full of toe tapping quality as effects ripple and leave a vibrant trail of multi-colored hues in their wake. The sounds are not overbearing and it's never aggressive. If you told me that a trumpet could be prominently featured in a track and still come off as cool I'd tell you not to piss on my leg and call it rainwater. But that's exactly what Welcome to Serbia does. Northern Lights slides a subtle 303 into the mix and seems to fit just right. The deep bass of the downtempo closer warms the soul as he weaves a melodic web in the sunshine. It's high time we recognize and welcome our Balkan overlords as the masters of progressive trance. I found this to be a worthy sequel to his debut album Ocean. His electronic touch is delicate and descriptive. This isn't about rocking a party, but about enjoying and reveling in what the creator has given us. Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Various Title: The Kingdom Label: Zion604 Records Date: February, 2013 1. Kalika Inana (Live Version) - Eat Static 2. Howling At the Moon - Cosmosis 3. Tri Kay - Shakta 4. Mars Supial - Moonweed 5. Scirroco - Lunar Asylum 6. Mass Connection - ManMadeMan 7. Ants 4 Breakfast - ECT & Mass 8. Harold Eben D'Owld - Nervasystem 9. Spiked (Remix) - Double Dragon Zion604 is a label dedicated to keeping the old school spirit of goa trance alive. Run by veterans Roy Sason, Stephan Spivak and Masafumi Hoshida they have also released several other compilations. I reviewed their virgin effort Flight 604 and that had some really good moments. Their latest is a 2 disc compilation of new and old school artists called Phoenix and I am eagerly awaiting my copy. Till then this one caught my eye. Don't see many old school compilations these days and hold on, what's this? Unreleased stuff from back in the day? Finding unreleased stuff from the goa masters is like finding a Lexus under the Christmas tree. Driven by a busty pornstar with money coming out of her... Ewww....I'm not touching that. No, you keep it sweetheart. Put it toward your, ahem...medical school tuition. Eat Static begins with a track that would appear in the morning after a cleansing rain. Sunbeams shining down and reflecting the moisture with a tribal and slow opening as if welcoming you to nature's kingdom. Deep chants groan over bubbling electronica in a hypnotic dream of progressive goa trance. Normally I wouldn't care for this, but it's well produced and captures the feel of an ancient culture perfectly Howling at the Moon- Who doesn't know this classic beast of a track? Now remastered it's barely restrained chaos of screaming leads and rampaging acid lines. Hurtling the listener through the galaxy at ludicrous speed it is crystal clear. Non stop insanity and one of the greatest goa tracks of all time. Tri Kay- Shakta delivers one that somehow got away. It was put out on vinyl but not on CD. I've never heard it so it's new to me! The layers are delicious and eerie, but at almost 10 minutes it repeats itself quite frequently until the break. All the excitement at hearing this lost gem was tempered a bit as it came on like a lion, but left like a lamb. Still good though. Marsupial- Nobody loves a good didgeridoo more than I and that's how this begins. The leads dance in the sky and then come back to Earth. There is no mystery here just an all out goa assault. Scirroco- You say Scirroco to me and I'm thinking of an old Honda. And this track sounded old. Like it was something they were messing around with and never got back to. It seems more of an electronic sketch that isn't very strong. Mass Connection- Loved the atmosphere in this one. More psy than goa in the beginning they put effects in the right places to create an uneasy feel. When the goa gets going it becomes a stormer. Chunky and distorted that lead melody is all consuming. Ants 4 Breakfast- *Checks to see if this isn't Shamanic Tribes on Acid* By far the loudest and most experimental track on the compilation, this one is made for headphones. With rich bass sounds, darkpsy lead rips, and frenetic percussion it's constantly evolving. Full of skittering effects and at first I hated it, but with repeated listens this actually sounds like what having ants for breakfast would sound like. Aggressive and powerful and in a state of perpetual motion. You couldn't wring more out of a lead than this. Suomi meets goa in an insane track. I don't know if I love it or should perform an exorcism on it. Harold Eben D'Owld- There is nothing special about this track as it ambles its way through, but there is a high level of detail. Computer whirrs buzz amidst bubbly synth leads as this has a constant bounce. Clearly we're out of the melodic portion and now it's about setting a mood. Like industrial goa, but less aggressive and at a progressive pace. Spiked (Remix)- This final track was only released on vinyl so it might as well been an 8 track for me. It's from 2001 so clearly the focus at the time was taking goa in a different direction. Lots of percussive pot banging and sounds to create the atmosphere. Sounds like the needle scratching a record. Not dark, just is. This is a very varied compilation with different goa styles represented. It's all over the map from blistering to experimental madness. They mostly sound great so kudos to those responsible for mastering and recovery. I listen to all of my music on headphones so I can appreciate the finer details. This is like a goa market showcasing the directions in which goa can be driven and it's up to the listener to explore. The final 4 tracks mark the line where the compilation shifts from the melodic to the more...daring. What this has shown me is that while layers of melody are great there is much more to discover. Congrats Roy on a compilation that has a little something for everyone. Bandcamp Mdk

Artist: Crop Circles Title: Lunar Civilization EP Label: DAT Records Date: June, 2013 1. Lunar Civilization 2. Antonomasia 3. Full Mental Jackpot (Pleiadians Remix) 4. Ghost Circles Crop f*cking Circles. Rising faster than an old man's erection on Viagra is the star that is DAT Records. This is a label run by Draeke that resurrects music from the golden age of goa trance that was unreleased or only put out on vinyl and then gives it the production values of today with new mastering. His 2 CD release of Etnica Live in Athens was one of the greatest gifts you could give an old schooler, but instead of standing on his success he continues to reach higher with his next offering. What do you get when you add Etnica + Lotus Omega? Crop f*cking Circles. Now this isn't his first date with this project. Remember the "lost" album Tetrahedron back in 08? So full of thick melodic layers he's been going strong ever since. And now we've learned that no task is too herculean. So it stands to reason that his long standing relationship with this Italian supergroup would continue to bear fruit. Like most of you I didn't have these vinyl EP's released back in 07 and even if I did what the hell would I play them on. So I had to make do with mp3's that I found on the net and I was happy to have them. But now I have the CD EP from DAT Records in its little cardboard sleeve cover and the planets seem to be back in alignment for this collector. The original vinyl EP from Auricle Records had just the tracks Lunar Civlization and Antonomasia. Awesome tracks full of spiraling melodies and complex layers to be sure, but then the CD version came out and it included the mind blowing remix of Full Mental Jackpot by the Pleiadians. But Draeke does you one better with the addition of a track I've never heard called Ghost Circles. It falls right into line with their crazy Italian style. Fast, multilayered melodies with tons of 303 goodness. To close this is another triumph for Draeke and DAT Records. He has succeeded in bringing some of the greatest goa trance tracks back into the light. The music sounds spectacular and keeps the genius that was Etnica alive. No longer do you have to shell out ungodly prices for this hard to find piece of goa history cause now he put it within everyone's reach. And you don't even need a f*cking record player, whatever the hell that is. Draeke you've got your had so deep in my pocket people are going to tell us to get a room. DAT Records Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: BlackStarrFinale Title: AURYN Label: Neogoa Date: June, 2013 01 - Nothing (feat. Psibindi On Vocals) (143 BPM) 02 - The Child Hunter (143 BPM) 03 - The Many And The Luck Dragon (143 BPM) 04 - Uyulala (138 BPM) 05 - A New Name (145 BPM) 06 - Graograman (138 BPM) 07 - The Star Cloister (144 BPM) 08 - The Emperor’s Journey (143 BPM) 09 - Doña Aiuola (145 BPM) 10 - AURYN (138 BPM) Luis Pabon has been a key cog in the neo goa apparatus since the beginning and has finally released his debut album for free. I was so excited to hear it because most of his tracks go above and beyond. Besides, he's a friend. Well, an acquaintance really. Fine, we're just Facebook friends. Is that what you wanted to hear? I think he likes me, but everytime I see him his sticking his tongue out. So with great anticipation and excitement I listened to his new album. This is where I would've put something like a sad panda or some girl crying. But since photobucket has been a pain in my ass lately, I'm this close to no longer using pics or gifs in my reviews. But anyway...sad panda. I didn't like it. This was the part of my "job" as a reviewer that I didn't like. He has worked so hard for so long, how do I write a negative review for an artist that label head and good friend Ivan Richpa was so proud of? When an album is terrible it's easy to go negative. But that wasn't this situation. So I decided to call Ivan and discuss it with him. But he never answered. Should've known. Calling Croatia I probably would've had better luck using two dixie cups and some string. I needed to get away from it for a bit and just not listen to anything for awhile. Go hiking, that always helps me refocus and get a fresh perspective. That worked and with it staring at me I decided to re-engage. And boy am I glad I did. This album is different. Way different. It doesn't have the instant appeal of some where you instantly recognize how good it is. At least for me. Put on the M-Run disc and you know it's awesome as the involuntary butt shaking commences. Pick a Suntrip release and you know you'll be smiling. Come to find out this was his intent. Starting at the beginning this was based on the kids novel the Never Ending Story. Never read it and the only thing I remember from the movie was this huge creepy dog muppet that could fly. So I did a little research and found out that Auryn is the name of a Spanish boy band. *looks quizically at monitor* O...kay? My subconscious was telling me to dig a little deeper. Turns out the AURYN (always capitalized) is a magic talisman that gives so and so their power. That would be the two snakes having a tail sandwich on the cover. Then I wondered how the f*ck I ever learned anything before the internet. So it's not the groove that will get you. It's not all of the layers of spiraling melodies attempting to transport you to Nirvana either. So what the hell is it? The depth. Is it goa? Is it psytrance? It's both with a storytelling mission. I don't know what that story is that's up to you the listener. Long unwinding melodies will suck you in and before you know it you're three tracks past where you thought you were. It can be trancey and it can then become aggressive as it seems to have an infinite number of twists. It's pretty obvious he went the extra mile to make something different and he succeeded in that respect. All the gifs in the world wouldn't help if I tried to describe each track so I'm not gonna do that. Suffice it to say he poured his heart and sould into making something incredibly complex and original. Sounds like it worked. You gotta check this out. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Juno Reactor Title: Zwara EP Label: Universal Music (Japan) Date: November, 2003 1. Zwara (Sleepwalker) 2. Teahouse 3. Komit 4. Guardian Angel I don't know the first thing about Juno Reactor. Don't know how this ended up on my hard drive, but there it was so I gave it a listen. The reviews given by our own PKS and Jikkenteki here will no doubt be plenty informative for fans of this project. That ain't me. This will be a brief review for those not in the know. Zwara sounded very noisy and as if I was watching an exorcism while a female voice screamed Zwara over and over. Teahouse was more tribal drum banging. Apparently that's it for the new tracks. Komit I gather was on the Matrix soundtrack, but this is a much shorter version that didn't stay with me. Guardian angel was referred to as a classic by these two reviewers, but I guess you really have to like Juno Reactor to believe that. Juno Reactor seems to be a group of musicians that are very eclectic and dabble in a lot of styles of electronic music. While I didn't care for this, I bet their live show would be awesome. It has that theatrical sound that is probably better experienced than heard. Mdk

"Deeper and deeper into meditation and nowhere to go...but inside." Rino summed this release up perfectly. Unimaginative, amelodic, and too many guitars that don't add any psychedelia. Stripped down to the bare bones and empty this has zero staying power. If they're not annoying with guitars it's droning synths. There are flashes like the break in 380 volt, but it's never explored and just stumbles into already trodden territory. Alienated is the best trance track here, but that's like choosing between a rock and a notebook for a pillow. Boring with a total lack of variation. For all I know they still have the sequencer running. The one saving grace is the final downtempo track which is slow and brooding. Now if they made an album like this... Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Call of Goa Label: Ovnimoon Records Date: June, 2013 1. Last Hope MINDSPHERE 2. Azure Epos AGNETON 3. Hidden Worlds INNERSELF 4. Supernova (Lunar Dawn rmx) PSYCHOWAVE 5. Acid Sunshine (2012 Edit) ARRONAX, WEEDRAN 6. Organic Elements HOTEP, PSILOCYBIAN 7. Mass Extinction NOVA FRACTAL 8. Zeta Leporis TRINODIA 9. Totoro JAVI, SKOOMA 10. Fraktal Diving JBC ARKADII 11. Ouroboros1 AJANTA 12. Arc Prime (White) ALIEN MESSAGE 13. Spiritual CELESTIAL INTELLIGENCE 14. Creation of the moon EPHEDRA 15. Muona ASIRION 16. Angular Pulsation HYPNAGOGIA 17. Dirty GAZZUAR 18. The Journey JIS 19. Algae Forest COAGOA 20. Trip Through CROSSING MIND 20 tracks. 20 freakin' tracks. That is a sh*tload of music to go through. 2 and a half hours of music listening is a luxury most people in the real world don't have. Hi, have we met? My name's Mike and I don't live in the real world. Now for some numbers. That's about 10% of your day. If you sleep 8 hours (I don't) that's another 33% so now you're at 43%. Throw in naps, taking a crap or two, and the obligatory masturbatory periods and, wait...there's 37 hours in a day right? And I still have to take care of my kids? Sounds like some extra time in front of the idiot box for dem kids. But you see what I'm getting at. 20 tracks are a lot to digest and if you're any type of quality reviewer you listen to it multiple times with breaks in between to fully absorb what your just heard. That's why this one took a long time. Well, one of the reasons...Game of Thrones isn't gonna watch itself you know. By now you're familiar with Renato's work. Fresh off the Fractal Landscape release he's been compiling all these tracks for this latest VA on Ovnimoon Records. Far be it for him to just throw 8 or 9 tracks in the bag, hell no he's going whole hog and bringing you 20 f*cking goa trance tracks because he doesn't give a sh*t about where you're gonna come up with 10% of your day. Move some sh*t around, maybe multitask you lazy bastard. The track list is impressive with most names you've encountered and some you probably worship in your mom's basement. I'm not talking candle wax on the nipples you know, unless that's what you're into. Last Hope- The dust hasn't even settled on Ali's spectacular release Patience For Heaven and he's right back on the horse. Or camel as it were, because there is a middle eastern vibe here that has bounce right from the get go with twisting melodies and churning rhythms. Didn't like the slow down ending, but that's the only thing that kept it from being epic. Azure Epos- Agneton further cemented his place as the king of Nitzhogoa with his latest release Wizards From Space. He didn't break any new ground here, but just did what he does so well. Throw a spacey vibe over racing nitzho melodies all tucked in under the goa blanket. He's always been good with the details. Hidden Worlds- The limited edition Innerspace release was pretty good, but I wasn't too impressed with this. A little light for my tastes with some good effects, but lacking in evolution. Supernova (Lunar Dawn mix)- Psychowave's Sunshine Reborn EP was out less than 2 years ago, but it seems like an eternity. I guess we have to start marking time as BE and AE, before and after Etnica. The original version was very good, and Lunar Dawn's take is more on the trancey side to start, but quickly begins to pile on the layers. However it seemed unfinished like it ran outta gas and just said, "Aw f*ck it..." Acid Sunshine (2012 edit)- Like the rest of you I'm looking forward to the debut of Arronax as here he teams up with Weedran (whoever that is). This works like chocolate and peanut butter as it goes from screeching to pulsating and sometimes both. Sounding very old-school the acid threatens to boil over. Organic Elements- Sasa is a guy that makes music that is supremely psychedelic. Check out his latest album Dreamtime for a massive trip. Teaming up with Hotep, this track actually sounds like it's breathing. He lets loose with a spiraling melody that springs to life. Very nice acidic goa. Bravo. Mass Extinction- You didn't think he wouldn't slide a track of his own in here did you? With a symphonic and dark beginning it sounds like the orc army putting in some work. Churning with epic trance melodies, I enjoyed the give and take between dark and light. Zeta Leporis- Daniel's last two albums Stargazing and Human History were nothing short of spectacular. The way he introduces melodies is impressive as this beast screams goa. Let the stacking begin! It's like having a front row seat to the explosion of the sun. Totoro- I recall Javi from the Aural Exciter showing great promise. These guys are like the Chang and Eng of goa trance. This one has old-school growl with new production. Bubbling and frothing it seems to keep reaching new heights. Strikingly good. Fraktal Diving- This is another project that has just released his debut. He's got the nitzho kick front and center and damn if he doesn't out Agneton Agneton. Not to reveal my nerdly history, but he just carved you up with a +5 flaming broadsword. Thick and lush the melodies race and the mystical quotient on this one is high. This guy's already got his hand in my wallet. I didn't say stop. Wow, the first half of this compilation was really excellent. Time for an intermission. I'm feeling a little tubby and soft. Maybe I should run around the house a few times, get the blood pumping. Some type of exercise. *checks to see when this class is scheduled at gym* This is what I've been avoiding? Idiot. The second half of the compilation is comprised of artists who may be less familiar. Ouroboros- This is my favorite track thus far from this artist. He gives a little and then pulls back. The lead roars after the break taking the paint off the walls and you just know he's setting you up. The final bit is a bull in a china shop that takes no prisoners. "Yeah, ummm....this sh*t was like this when I got here." Arc Prime (White)- What message would we want to receive from the aliens? We mean you know harm? F*ck that give me the powerball numbers. This is a good track that explodes out of the break. Not that complex yet effective. Spiritual- Now this one I really like. Layers pile on with reckless abandon spinning me higher through the clouds. There are moments where you're entranced and time melts away as the melodies unfurl right before the eyes. Creation of the moon- Ephedra has been around the block and it shows. The soft lead in the beginning reminds me of some x-files goodness as the pads mourn...or warn. Muona- This one isn't as strong as some of the others. Not to say it's filler (ok it kinda is), but it just didn't grab me. The female vocal chant is ok, but the rest? Salieri said there were too many notes. Angular Pulsation- I'm sorry is it 1996 up in here? C'mon, I just wrinkled my flannel the way I like it. The lead rolls like Transwave came back and do you hear that snare? This has growl as he starts to twist the knobs amidst growing layers. Good stuff. Dirty Oxygen- I think we found the weak link on this goa train. You can't just say dirty oxygen over and over with nary a change in the music. And no, the key change doesn't count. Kate Moss. The Journey- "This is a journey into sound." Not that one. Hold up...*Grabs hairbrush* "If he ev-er hurts you, true love won't de-sert you!" Not that journey, but an old school one. One that barks that 303 bite. No full on bass lines here, just intelligent production that has the mind trying to focus on all the good stuff. The main melody is trancey and light hearted, but it's the supporting cast of sounds that I really like. At times simple, but not cheesy. Welcome back sir, you were missed. Algae Forest- This track is more playful, but no less melodic. Think of it like a little brother to the big boys. Forestlike? Yep, but without the darkness. No trolls just hobbits Trip Through- Closing things down is mega talent Crossing Mind whose two albums The Inner Shift and Holographic Paradigm stand near the top of goa mountain. He's an old schooler with new school sensibilities twirling eerie melodies like cotton candy. The mid tempo swagger works wonderfully while sound erupt like fireworks. If electricity could bubble this is what it would sound like. What an awesome compilation. Seems like its release date would never get here. I'm literally standing on the corner attempting to throw money at you. Why won't you take my money? There is a great mixture of titans and newbies on this compilation with a lot of styles represented. I'm seeing a predominance of Balkan talent (surprise surprise) which begs the question...should Israelis even make goa anymore? If I'm being honest and I always am, the middle of the compilation has some weaker moments and cannot maintain the tornado like energy of the opening few. But that's to be expected. During my insanity workouts I start off strong (no really, I do), but in the middle I'm trying to suck all the oxygen out of the room. I finish strong cause I know the f*cking thing is over. Hard to sustain the magic for 20 tracks, but kudos to Renato for putting this together. It sounds great just like other releases from the label. Special mention goes to Ivan Richpa for that fabulous cover. Great job sir I cannot wait to get my copy. Psyshop GoaStore Mdk

Looks like you got dressed up in your Sunday best for nothing. I'm happy that you support your, ahem...team, but Colorado St. has as many championships as I do. But now you'll live forever on the internet Ram Boy! Webster's defines fanatic as someone who is filled with or expresses excessive zeal. I guess that could sum up the community here. Well, some of you. We gravitate towards the psychedelic side of things cause we don't get what we need from "normal" music. We like our artists and support them as such. E-mantra is on top of the goa trance mountain looking down at the kingdom he helped build. You know his sound and how mesmerizing his goa trance can be. Like all good artists he likes to challenge himself, so I guess that's why he makes different types of music. His partnership with Altar Records seems to be quite successful as he has now delivered his third non-goa album. This was the first one however. When I first heard this I felt like Geostigma...that this was just slowed down goa. While listening I looked at my watch and thought, "Get on with it already." Pushed the bpm's to 140 something and ta-da...new E-Mantra goa trance. Surely that wasn't his intention. So I realized I had to give it another shot. Put the headphones on and had lunch. And then I did something spectacular. I folded laundry. That's right, just me and two loads of permanent press (damn it that chocolate stain will never come out!) There's something about performing this mundane task where it's just the music and my laziness staring back at me from the laundry basket. I then realized that when he makes downtempo music he does the same thing that he does with goa. I listened to that CD 3 times before I knew what hit me, but rest assured with 2 kids there is always more laundry. He hypnotizes. Long melodies form a floating cushion that allows you to drift high above the darkness. Soothing and descriptive the music takes numerous turns but never abandons the safety net. Don't let him kid you, this is downtempo goa trance meets Blade Runner with some great atmosphere. But halfway through he switches it up and gives you a few mid-tempo tracks like Mindfluid that could've been on Arcana. I'm very impressed and don't know if I should be happy or pissed that I know have to start shelling out money to another label. Highly recommended from this fanatic. Altar Psyshop Beatspace GoaStore Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Blacklight Moments Label: Suntrip Date: June, 2013 1. Wake Up And Smell The Ashes - Daimon 2. These Talking Machines - K.O.B. 3. Black Sun - Psychic Voyag 4. Viral Breath - Cosmic Dimension 5. Aramean Dreams - Khetzal 6. Emotional Overload - Javi and Sko0ma 7. Beyond Lightspeed (E-Mantra rmx) - Artifact 303 8. Naltayada - Skarma 9. Depth Of Consciousness -Mindsphere 10. Cosmic Fusion - Uth This could not have been any clearer. Ok, I might've ummm...I might've added that last bit. Suntrip, the alpha and omega of goa trance is back at it again with their latest compilation. Blacklight Moments brings well known artists together with a few newbies in an incredible exercise in melodic goa. Surprise surprise. The Mindsphere double album Patience For Heaven was an absolute treat, but this label doesn't seem satisfied with resting on previous successes. These guys give the people what they want. Want some downtempo? BAM! Opus Iridium and the Sweet Sadness of Electrypnose. Need some darkness in your goa? May I introduce you to the Temple of Chaos. I wish my credit card company was this attentive. So is this a worthy addition to the Suntrip library? Really? Wake Up and Smell the Ashes- "Rise and shine, Mister Freeman. Rise and... shine. Not that I... wish to imply you have been sleeping on the job. No one is more deserving of a rest, and all the effort in the world would have gone to waste until... well, let's just say your hour has... come again. The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world. So, wake up, Mister Freeman. Wake up and... *smell the ashes*..." For my money the dark alter-ego of Antares slayed it with his track Codex on Temple of Chaos. End of discussion. Back again with a creepy sample from the Halo game (don't ask me which one I had to look it up. Too busy getting laid) he once again incorporates the randomness of a little darkpsy into his goa trance. While infinitely less powerful than Codex it was still nice and dark with great sequences near the end. Proving once again that this young man who cannot even drink legally in my country has accomplished more than I have in more than twice his years. F*cker. Those Talking Machines- I'm not the biggest fan of this Filteria side project as I prefer his chaotic style more. This is an older track with dark mechanical intentions that more closely resembles tech-trance than goa. It's not very interesting to me, but what it lacks in evolution it makes up for in atmosphere. Not bad, but not great either. Black Sun- We're Psychic Voyag and we leave off the e cause our track is excellent. Why yes it is, chock full of twisting leads and spiraling strands of sunlight with no downtime. Not the deepest track you'll hear, but if this was Jello wrestling, Jannis just got a mouth full of strawberries. Viral Breath- The second newbie in a row must've impressed Mars & Anoebis. Good luck getting the acidic taste out of your mouth with this one. Melodic and powerful it's the sound that makes Suntrip what it is. Aramean Dreams- Responsible for one of the greatest goa trance albums ever in Corelle Matthieu Chamoux is back and it's like he never left. Melodic mysticism floats on electrically charged air as the ground itself pulsates with life. Volume and intensity increase as I try to focus on each new addition. Masterful. He just dropped the mic and left the stage with your girlfriend. Emotional Overload- As I mentioned in another review, these two are the Chang & Eng of goa. Always together. Off topic, but if you have sex with conjoined twins is it really a threesome? Just some of the things I think about. While you're discussing that, they deliver another power player that tumbles over itself with sharp melodies. Constantly evolving, maneuvering as if rocketing through an asteroid belt it leaves the melodies hanging in the air to guide you safely to the other side. Beyond Lightspeed (E-Mantra Remix)- Are these guys fighting? They're remixing each others' tracks in what seems like a goa pissing contest. With all that urine flying around the winners are the ones that don't get peed on. That would be us. E-mantra shows his hypnotic style with levels of melody climbing clouds like I do stairs. Screaming 303 madness with more aggressive knob twisting than gay porn. Ok, too far. The track of course is brilliant. Naltayada- They did it! They f*cking did it! I knew Suntrip would be the ones to get the band back together. After all this time and all the delays, you think this day will never come, but they did it. They managed to get Astral Projection to release some new goa material. What? That's not them? You gotta be kidding me...But it sounds just like...Oooh, this is awkward. You know what? F*ck 'em. Skarma you are now the new Astral. Great job with the sounds and layers of melody, but I'm gonna need 4 classic albums in...let's say 3 years. No pressure. Depth of Consciousness- The titans just keep on coming. After pseudo Astral Ali still has enough in the tank after PFH. It's slower, but deliciously complex. The melodies intertwine like an Indiana Jones snakepit warming the soul and supporting the body. This is so delightfully foreign and ethnic, I could never play this in my town. Might as well open up an Al-Quaeda travel agency. Not good to stir up the rednecks...they tend to get all shootey. Cosmic Fusion- Uth is Alex Lytvyn and his release Distant Instincts was stupendous. He shows his dreamy and downtempo skills with more layers than my sandwich. It's easily the most beautiful track here and a perfect way to end this compilation. I'm glad he got his opportunity with Suntrip to show what he could do. I'm getting tired of saying it (and I'm sure you might be getting tired of hearing it), but the boys from Belgium have done it again. Tracks full of melody and intricacy bring the trance like state to your front door. They've still got the Midas touch. Kudos to the artists who continue to paint the dreamlike tapestry that goa can be and also to Mars for carrying on with all that he's been going through. Another gem in the crown of the kings. Long live the king! Suntrip Psyshop Beatspace GoaStore Mdk

I attempted awhile back to link the review section (it might have been reviews that I made or reviews of the music found on Ekto) by contacting Basilisk, but this was right at the time where Ekto was undergoing its evolution so he had his hands full. It's a great idea that I still support. Wouldn't hurt to contact him and float the idea by him again. Mdk

Ordered! Mdk

Cool, I really like the new stuff. Aurax your sound has some ripping leads. So we can buy it at bandcamp, but when does it ship? Mdk

You Euros and your dates. So is it released on December 13th or July 7th? I would say July 7th based on the pre order date (and even that's confusing because it says you can pre-order from the 7th of July, but you can buy it now), but the bandcamp page says differently Mdk

Artist: O.O.O.D. Title: You Think You Are Label: Vertigo Records Date: November, 2012 1. KARR 2. The Philosopher's Tone 3. Inner Inca 4. The King And Eye 5. Bube (The Tube) 6. Happiness (OOOD Remix) - FORUFREEZER 7. Dum Dum 8. English Pizza (OOOD Remix) - OOOD AND LOOPUS IN FABULA 9. Shpiral 10. Eye Of The Beholder (Sonic Species rmx) - OOOD AND OTT I haven't listened to an O.O.O.D. album since aLive. Is that wrong? It was so good that I didn't want to f*ck any of it up by listening to their style change. Stupid really, because as any artist will tell you, unless you're Boris Blenn your music should evolve and grow. I know they made other albums...the one with the egg thingy and then the brains on the cover. Never heard them so...I'm guessing they're not making goa any longer? Nope. They do more. Let's start with the project which is a four piece outfit that plays live with real drums, guitars, and keyboards. They just don't stand behind a deck and twiddle knobs while getting blown by a groupie. They're actual musicians so they have talent. I mean, they're DJ's too, so they probably get their fair share of chicks with daddy issues. Aside from their first album, all I know is that Colin has made a name for himself in the mastering field. So what are they up to? Eclectic. Original. I would say their style on this album is psychedelic and would call it Suomi-like, if they were looney toon Finns. But they're from the UK and the craziest people I met when I was over there were the soccer fans. Dems some crazy f*ckers. I love hockey, but I'll be damned if I wanna fight anyone over it. There are all kinds of crazy sound manipulation going on all the while getting that groove going. It's out there at times, I mean who would think of putting Elvis and a 303 together? They did, and it's damn good. Bube (The Tube) is some funky sh*t Crystal Method would be proud of. That bass is pure filth and volatile fuel for the dance fire. They play with different rhythms and draw from a lot of genres. Sometimes it's techno or breakbeat or...whatever, but rest assured it's always with an eye for you people to shake your tukus. Like moving the back end? I defy you not to get down to English Pizza. It's like the soul train awards up in here. "Hey blonde chick! Get back behind the decks! Save your talent for the uh, talent!" Also I wanted to note that they didn't end with the cliche downtempo number. Nope, they tore the doors off with a pretty good storming track full of bass snarls and more pounding than a headache. The sound quality is top notch so you hear every note and sound they intended. Is it perfect? Of course not. I would say there isn't one track that you simply must hear. They all have their quality moments, but nothing stands out head and shoulders above the rest. And when that happens you have to really pay attention to detail because when you hear a cracker you know it. You feel it. And that guy isn't here. But the funky stuff is here for all to enjoy. And if you pay attention you will also appreciate the detail behind this. Yeah it's not goa, but you know what? Grow up. Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Tron Sepia Title: Weird Fishes & Other Stories Label: Fish N Trips Records Date: October, 2012 1 - Flange (70 BPM) 2 - Factory (70 BPM) 3 - Cuttlefish (65 BPM) 4 - Abyss (70 BPM) 5 - Factory (Video Edit) (70 BPM) 6 - Abyss (VIP) (70 BPM) O Canada...our home and native land. My neighbors to the north have produced quite the varied album here. Downtempo grooves and dubstep rhythms go hand in hand with the smooth female vocals and melodic pads. Delicious slow motion electronic stretching as if I were Neo dodging bullets from the agents. Those bass drops hum and oscillate as eerie piano melodies drift ethereally out of reach. Mechanical and spiritual all at once this is electronic tai chi. This is the music I want to listen to when I finally get to hike the high peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Highly recommended Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Flicker Light Title: Shamanic Journey EP Label: Maia Brasil Records Date: March, 2013 1 - Who Use This Drugs (128 BPM) 2 - Glandula Pineal (134 BPM) 3 - Mental Evolution (135 BPM) 4 - Shamanic Journey (133 BPM) If you mix minimal + progressive trance + darkpsy you get this. Well...not much progressive trance. They were not kidding when they said this had heavy basses. Sh*t will knock you over. While I liked the dark atmosphere and the nosebleed inducing bass you gotta give me more if you're going to assault me with your extended track times. The galloping bass and darkpsy noise gets to be monotonous and it just devolves into 39 minutes of the same thumping bass sounds rumbling in the night time. Love the cover though. Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Flembaz Title: Magic Mint EP Label: Blind Arc Date: March, 2013 1. The Playground 2. Magic Mint Feat. Filipe Teixeira 3. Bridging Time Who the hell are these guys? Kudos to Ekto for hosting this EP. The sounds are crisp and the melodies...wow. The Playground puts you in the streets of Delhi with a beautiful sitar melody that's as fresh as daisies. So wonderfully ethnic, but far from predictable. It's not often that I praise the guitar in our music (read never), but the one on Magic Mint felt as if it were being played right next to me. Common threads are the warm basses and the clarity of the production. Even with all this atmosphere it is eminently danceable and thought provoking at the same time. Excellent job! Free at Ektoplazm Mdk

Absolutely. Two that come to mind are Ethereal Anima Mundi and V/A Blissful Moments. Had them when I moved from NC, but when I got to VA they were nowhere in sight. Mdk

Probably sell the physical copies if I can and delete the digital ones. My family could care less what music I have. Mdk

Artist: Logic Bomb Title: Headware Label: Spiral Trax Date: June, 2000 01. 08'17" Shadow Of The Beast 02. 07'23" Hydrofon 03. 08'02" Extension 04. 08'11" Kilobyte Bandit 05. 09'39" Sub Atomic 06. 08'32" Skrock 07. 07'35" Halojaner 08. 07'51" Orb Warning 09. 07'38" Fairlight "I just can't shake this funk. I need to punch a b*tch." With the dawn of the new millennium and everyone crapping their pants that the end of the world was nigh, the psytrance genre was mired in minimal darkness and became the soundtrack for depression. At least for me anyway...and apparently Chris Brown. Females were wandering around without fear. Or swollen eyes. Or facial contusions. And it must've been killing him. How much can he be expected to bear? Swedish act Logic Bomb must've thought the same thing because this album decided to do more than just let the bass line and kick run. They added atmosphere and a sense of depth to their music. They have an ear for detail and no question this must've stood out when it was released. While still being what I would term light psytrance it's not empty by any means. It can be dark and against the minimal tide it is actually melodic. "Have you ever jacked in?" No, but I've jacked off. Many times. And so have all the Logic Bomb bunnies to this album. They must've been under such a cloud of despair that this was the light at the end of their tunnel. I liked this album also, but it's one of those that I think is overrated. While it is all the things I mentioned above it still has a minimal backbone and I find I get bored with it. While much better than the majority of the stuff out there at the time stretches of it were thin. I prefer the new, fuller sound of Logic Bomb compared to the old one and that is just my opinion. Like my Dad said every rectum has one. Mdk

Artist: Fractal Glider Title: Parasite Label: Boom! Records Date: 2002 01. Skanda’s Tail 02. Mezmorized 03. Language of Silence 04. Witch Doctor 05. Telementery 06. Karmic Implications 07. Raspy Honks 08. Colonization 09. Earth Tremors "We're gonna send you to a place that's so far out, that people have wings!" Ever been mad? Of course, we all have. Whether you step on a lego with bare feet or some schmuck cuts you off in traffic everyone knows the feeling of anger. I imagine that's how Paul McCosh must've felt when he had completed this album only to find that the tracklisting was messed up. No problem, just change it before they send it away to be... What's that now? Oh...you already sent it? I...see... Yeah I'd be pissed too. What turns out to be his greatest work gets f*cked up because of a simple error. Because someone didn't take the minute to pick up the phone and verify the track names? Suppose that's what happens in our little niche of the electronica industry. Bet this sh*t never happened to Kanye. "Yeah that was funny what you did...remember that?" *I'm gonna kill all...you... white motherf*ckers.* This was a great combination of hard, squelchy psytrance with some goa seasoning that turned out really well. Tracks like Skanda's Tail and Colonization really drive the point home. Witch Doctor has a thumping full-on bass line showing us what twilight psytrance could be. Dark and powerful before we knew what Timecode and Nexus Media was. Raspy Honks becomes a sonic tsunami that is one of my favorites. Even though I continue to hate that synth riff on Mezmorized the second half really picked it up. The effects really bring the cover art to life as if a swarm of insects are crawling over a thousand microphones. The final track is a "not so chill" ending that encapsulates the eerie feeling of this album. There's a couple of filler tracks, but the album itself is pretty solid. Mdk

This was also one of the first compilations that got me into goa trance. Think I got it for 5 bucks. Didn't know it then, but the tracks on here are all classics. The melody in the break of Camaro Kanitou is off the hook. Excuse me I just channeled my inner teenager. Wait, do they even say that anymore? Regardless, it's track after track of classic goa trance. Sure some of them are shortened, but sometimes you have to crack a few eggs to make an omelet. Hold up...I think you always have to do that. This is about value. All of us die hards already have these tracks on other albums and compilations so it's not really for us. But if you're a newbie that's just getting into this marvelous genre or introducing someone to the magic within then this is a wonderful starting point. Mdk

I guess I just needed to refresh my skin. It's up there now. Thank you, Mdk

Using Firefox and the Deviant.