Trance2MoveU

Artist: Rainbow Static Title: Tickle My Bunny Fone Label: Bunny Fone Date: September, 2011 01 - Cute Pounce (162 BPM) 02 - Peeb. (201 BPM) 03 - Yes and Bite (197 BPM) 04 - Cake Barf (152 BPM) 05 - diVabetes (77 BPM) You know I don't watch Dr. Phil, but I gotta side with him on this one. I had to review this. Had to. It is the most bizarre and ridiculous sh*t to ever hit these ears. Obviously it is a joke, because nobody can make music this bad on purpose. They're probably really cool guys and I would love to talk to them, but this makes me think that they made a bunch of crap, knew it was crap, and then piss all over people for thinking it's crap. The project is Bunny Static and Rainbow Fone from the Pacific Northwest and I'll be honest, the only reason I wanted to hear this was due to the ridiculous BPM's. 201? Really? Well that and the entertaining discussion it spawned on Ektoplazm. So what's up? This sounds like cats thrown in a blender with pitched up beats which makes sense because they call it psy-prance. It's stupid vocals twisted up becoming unintelligeable and annoying. And the first track is over 9 minutes long. Do you have any idea how excruciating this was? Forget dancing to this or following a melody...that sh*t need not apply. This is music...wait, no it isn't. Sure some hipster is going to say it's creative and artistic, but I have to disagree. This is what you send to someone when you hate them. It's high speed noise with cartoon effects and vocal samples thrown in that has no musical value whatsoever. You know what Suomi sounds like? Take that and multiply it by 11. But that's not fair to that entire genre because at least that is musical. For God's sake it has samples of some guy puking and a bunch a drunks singing Pour Some Sugar On Me. Kudos to Ektoplazm for putting this up on his site because it shows that he doesn't discriminate against anyone's music. I'd rather be that guy than listen to this again. Hey I hated it, but I'll leave that for you to decide. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Scopes Title: Glass of Water EP Label: Psyderweb Records Date: September, 2011 01 - Glass Of Water (70 BPM) 02 - Daze (59.5 BPM) 03 - Astronauts (70 BPM) 04 - After The Break (70 BPM) "This is a glass of water. Colorless...tasteless." The country known for windmills, tulips, and wooden shoes brings us Marcel Hartholt with a nice 4 track EP that makes me want a glass of water. It's slow downtempo beats and soft synth touches that make me feel like I'm swimming in the deep blue. Mellow isn't a strong enough word for how this goes down. I was curious to hear what 59.5 BPM sounded like and it's a whisker away from comatose. None of the tracks are over 6 minutes so it's easy to digest. Favorite? Probably After the Break because it just takes me away to a nice place. As always free to download from our friend at Ekto. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Schizoid Bears Title: Bearsky Dreams EP Label: Forest Freaks Date: December, 2011 Nothing is more terrifying than seeing the dark side of something that always gave you comfort. What can I say, Santa loves the hoe, hoe, hoes! shortly after this pic was taken they found parts of little timmy in the freezer of the neighbor across the street who always waved to you on his way to work. "Now where dat Barbie b*tch at?" So the Freaks are at it again with a release from C. Monster and P. Tale. Two Lithuanians who love the dark side and first name initials. It's a 4 track EP that makes you think what really goes on in the deep woods where there are no prying human eyes. Love the cover with the psychedelic colors and the slighly out of focus bears watching in the background. Back on Action- Sounds like the bears have had enough with these f*cking hikers sh*tting in their woods. Hear that weird evil cry? That's them. Great effects and twinkling sounds create a rich atmosphere. But that is only added to with the clicking and bubbling as someone sings in an attempt not to be scared. It's not powerful but rather suggestive. Ooohhh...look what you diiiiiiiiid. Now you made him angry. Planeta Pliuk- Something about Russian that makes samples spooky. Unless you're Russian I guess. For all I know he said, "How bout some scrambled eggs for breakfast?" But for me it's very cold war get the hell outta here type stuff. Holy sh*t did you just forest goa me? I think you did, Ursa Major. So this is what bears do in the woods when nobody is lookin'. Twisted forest sounds with intertwining melodies. Pumping all the way through as you get lost in the woods. Easy to get turned around isn't it? Waggish Night- I love layered forest tracks and this is the tail that wags the dog. Or bear, in this case. Typical forest sounds with eerie pads and bouncing leads are on the menu and it does.not.stop. A very deep and involving track. Sick and Tired- "I'm sick and tired of hearing about all of the radicals." More of the punishing style with juicy and bubbling effects and unlike a lot of the darkpsy or forest this has more than one melody running concurrently. So the bears are sick and tired of you starting fires in their woods. Sick and tired of the sh*tty food selection in your pick a nick baskets. But mostly they are sick and tired of your extreme couponing. "Take that bush league sh*t to Food Lion, p*ssy. Dis Kroger, n*gga!" I hope they release more stuff and refine their sound. Some of the tracks were a little light in places and could use a little more oomph. Sounds odd to say, but I hope they take this in a darker, horror movie direction because it almost writes itself. Like a psychotic serial killer bunny named Kottontale that...ah, you get the picture. Using the cuddly teddy bear as a theme could prompt some truly psychotic images. Psychedelic....I meant psychedelic. It's free so I urge you to check it out. "That was nice, right? Just like we rehearsed. You need me to do it again? Cuase I got no problem with that." Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Dionitrix Title: Well of Dreams Label: None Date: January, 2012 1. Vivid Dreams 2. Trip To Goa Trance 3. Reincarnation 4. Fall Silently Bonus Track - Enter The Sphere Hey David. David is this you? Yeeesh...you better f*cking clorox that tub when you're done you weirdo. On second thought, just get the f*ck outta here. I have no idea who this is, but whoever you are thank you for posting your music up here for free. Of course you realize that means that you are opening yourself up to criticism from no talent douchebags around the interwebz, right? Hope none of them come here. Far be it from me to sh*t on someone's hard work, but I'm also not that guy that will sugar coat anything and tell you it's gonna be all right. Not me. But let me get right to it. Vivid Dreams- This is a mish mosh of styles and directions. Dark creatures in the background, twinkling melody...Interesting to say the least. But it seems like you had a lot of things running around in your head and just decided to throw it all together. Like a casserole. Now normally I love me some casserole, but this needs some direction and polish. And some cheese, sprinkle some cheese on that mother f*cker. Trip To Goa Trance- Any melodies that you might hear are in the background and sound rather amateurish. Which is ok, because he is an amateur. I realize that everyone's idea of goa trance is different, but I'd like to think I can recognize it when I hear it. I uh, didn't hear any. Reincarnation- It's a techno punch in the face with that heavy kick as synths dance the dance. Thinner than loose leaf paper, but it's the most musical track yet. That's not that big of a compliment. Fall Silently- Ok, we've got some musicality and get this there is a female vocal. No info on whether she was sacrificed shortly thereafter however. The hi-hats are drawn out in a shuffle as a synth arpeggio runs. But there is the unmistakeable sound of white noise that overrides everything. Let's see where do I file this...where do I file this...ah! There it is... Terrible. Enter the Sphere- How is this a bonus? It's assault and distorted industrial mayhem with very dark tendencies. Sounds are twisted and manipulated in ways that God did not intend. I played this for Trent Reznor (NIN) and he said you have a lot of problems. But amidst the chaos there is some musicality. Not much, but some. It's evil and talks about killing. We're still making dance music right? I mean, this doesn't make me want to dance. Makes me want to take a wood sander to somebody's bare back. It is what it is. This is an amateur making an attempt with his first release. I hope you take my tongue in cheek review for the humor I'm attempting because I realize how hard it is to make quality music. Takes time and loads of practice. Your sound is all over the place and I'm guessing you are still discovering it yourself. Michaelangelo didn't just run into the church, jump on a scaffold and say, "Gimme a mother f*ckin' brush...I got this." Or maybe he did. I wasn't there. Check it out if you like Mdk

Artist: Auma Title: Interacting Processing Label: Enig'matik Records Date: August, 2011 01 - That Old Magick (100 BPM) 02 - Settle And Release (105 BPM) 03 - Machromatic (100 BPM) 04 - A Collision Of Craniums (100 BPM) 05 - Nude (95 BPM) This is Luke Peart based in Melbourne with an EP that sounds different than most. He makes downtempo but with influences that range from hip-hop to smooth jazz to glitch it definitely makes it's mark. It's free so there isn't any excuse not to check this out. Unless you are a bitter soul with popeye face. The Old Magick- This reeks of Ultimae quality with the cold percussion and skittering sounds. Perfect music for a rainy day with detuned tones and a funky break beat. The bass does the heavy lifting but all the effects create the spooky atmosphere. My favorite part is when the beat drops out for a second. Slick. If you're riding a train home from work and it's raining outside...this is your soundtrack. Settle and Release- Electric piano smoothness with rolling bass sweeps make this pull your coat closer to you as you cross the street in a rain shower kinda music. The hip-hop influence is on full display with the beat and the chopped up percussive funkiness. Music like this could make Steve Carell seem street. On second thought.... Machromatic- The BPM is only 100 but it sounds twice as fast as that with glitchy electronics. Soft pads float in sharp contrast to the hectic chaos below. It's like a weird melodic dream sequence. Catch the drill? A Collision of Craniums- "Here we see Mark and John taking a traditional hug and adding a more personal touch. Watch...how the foreheads gently collide." "Damnit b*tch, I said gently! We're not insured for that!" More gentle melodies that caress your head and tell you that everything is gonna be all right. What is that sound, a kid's piano? The layers are stacked and this is a very happy track. He transitions into a reverse sounding break and then you hear that cool sample. More smiles here than a dentist's office. Nude- This sounds like something Radiohead would do. Screechy, unintelligable vocals about some boy that doesn't understand him over strings and a break beat. Not my cup of tea. Good EP with the exception of that last track. Smooth music that deserves a listen. Ektoplazm Mdk

Yeah really good tracks, but if you're going to charge 4 bucks for 2 songs that sound nearly identical to the originals, well that seems rather dishonest. Mdk

You're very welcome. That one is in the works. Mdk

Artist: Scorb Title: Reanimated Vol. 1 EP Label: Trick Music Date: December, 2011 1. Mutoid (Reanimated Rmx) 2. 13.5 Hours (Reanimated Rmx) Scorb (Yod Onsen) has always been a bit of a mixed bag for me. Never really got into his early stuff although now when I go back and listen to his first album, I can really appreciate how ahead of his time he was. I love the direction his music has taken lately with releases like Abre Macabre. His music wasn't always that melodic, but instead focused on evolving and twisting textures. Weird sounds and samples...like an alien drive thru safari. Trick Music is celebrating it's 10th release as well as 10 years of Scorby goodness. These two tracks were around before I got into psytrance so I had to go back and listen to what they were all about. Mutoid (Reanimated Rmx)- I didn't have the original but I was able to hear the extended version on his first album. Full of bass sounds, guitar stabs, alien squelches, and cartoon effects. This remix takes what was a rambling track and focuses it with more power. Still twisted but not much added. Not bad. 13.5 Hours (Reanimated Rmx)- The original had a futuristic feel with the dark scratchyness that sounds good today. Totally fits the alien cover. You can't really be scared of something with an eye that big, right? But then you see the way it moves with iit's arachnoid legs and I'm starting to rethink that. There aren't many differences here. Still got the MDMA vocal, the same sounds...If anything it just sounds more...what's the word...polished. So here's my thing. If you're going to remix a track (especially one of your own) it has to be different. Has to. A change in tempo or the addition of effects does not a remix make. So from that standpoint this EP is a total fail. If I wanted to hear the originals, I would listen to the originals. Be that as it may, it shined a light on a couple of tracks that I hadn't given much attention to. And those tracks were pretty good. So if you're debating whether to purchase this ask yourself if you already have these tracks on your hard drive. Cause the differences are slight. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Ritmo Title: Phrase -A Label: Iono Music Date: December, 2011 1. Follow Me 2. Big Eyes - Ritmo and Motion Drive 3. Dream and Reality 4. Imprint - Ritmo and Zen Mechanics Dubi Dagan is one of the reigning kings of the progressive trance genre so it's fitting that he release a 4 track EP on the label that is the king, Iono. According to the promo there will be two phrases, A and a B. The "A" phrase it the melodic, happy, sunny side. I'm still pissed off at that ticket I got so maybe I should wait a while on this one... Follow Me- "Leave everything behind and follow me." This is kind of a massive track. At almost 9 minutes there are a lot of washes, churning bass lines, and chopped up synths. It ebbs and flows, giving a little but not showing too much all at once. Not as deep as some of his other material, but still pretty emotional. The last bit with the growling lead was of particular interest. Big Eyes- "Little People." I think your next words are "can still be funky." With a little help from Motion Drive he brings a galloping bass line and some light percussion. The melody echoes amidst numerous effects as another lead growls in protest. Seems like it was all leading up to the final bit of sunshine because it all comes together at the end. Not bad. Dream & Reality- "Your subconscious mind can hold the key to acheive your goals. And turning your dreams into reality." One day...one day...Please, this porno writes itself. More washes and bouncy bass, but the star is the lead at 2 minutes or so that has a bit of darkness to it. Just a little plucked thing, but it grabbed my attention. If he's not careful he's going to venture in goa and then a new love affair shall bloom. But he didn't and it shan't. Another good track, but somewhat light. Imprint- For the final track Wouter steps up with another soft track without bite. I have to reiterate that it is still a good track it's just a lot lighter than I am used to from these projects. What I didn't like was the rising lead that operated in build up mode, but other than that there isn't much to complain about. I mean, other than the lack of power, psychedelia, and depth. I listen to a lot of progressive trance and usually the stuff from Iono wows me. This one didn't. It's still pretty good, but I found it to be a little on the light side. And that's what Dubi was going for I imagine based on what the promo said. The depth that I usually find in his productions was absent and I feel he relied too heavily on washes. Every 5 or 10 seconds you hear them. It's flying on the lighter side without much psychedelia, but perhaps he is saving that for Phrase B. So, it's still a good listen, but when the bar is maintained at a ridiculously high level, you have to expect an artist will run into it every now and then. Beatport Psyshop Mdk

Artist: Synesthetic Title: Into The Vibe EP Label: Spintwist Records Date: December, 2011 1. Klitsch n Chic 2. Into The Vibe 3. Twisker I got a ticket a few days ago for rolling through a stop sign. I'm pretty sure I stopped, but you know we're in a recession so cops gotta write tickets right? Thought for sure he was gonna let me go when he asked about my flawless driving record, but no. Ticket was only 30 bucks, but the court costs and ahem..."processing fee" make it almost $100. Don't you have real crimes to stop? I was less than 2 miles from my house so I was doubly sour. Needless to say I needed some good time music to cheer me up. Synesthetic are Alessandro Pintus and Paulo Lopes and this is their sixth EP. They make the groovy progressive stuff that stirs involuntary dancing. Just what I needed. The first track is rather long at 9 and a half minutes and I just couldn't get into it. But the last two are big beats that are super dance friendly with melody changes that bring some wide smiles. Fun in the sun which conjure up memories of good times past. 6 bucks for 3 tracks is a bit steep so give it a listen to see what you prefer. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Day.Din Title: Speakers Corner Label: Spintwist Records Date: June, 2007 1. All Good Things 2. Rapture 3. Daypod 4. Half A Life 5. Popup 6. Interlude Part 1 7. Just Free 8. This Is The Love 9. Interlude Part 2 10. Back and Forth 11. Reflected This is Deniz Aydin from the Burg in Germany with his debut album. I liked A Place To Be Real so much that I decided to investigate his catalog. All Good Things- "It's your nature to question things." Nice swagger with effects from the stratosphere. Synths echo and shimmer as both breaks leave me with a good feeling. It ain't gonna play with itself sweetheart. Get crackin. It's a good pumping track that while fairly simple still sounds full. Rapture- The solid grooves continue as do the effects which prop this thing up with some nice, cold atmosphere. The break is a deep exercise in floating in space. Again, nothing too elaborate, but well placed effects and the synth delay make this another nice treat. Daypod- Third track in a row that has this same style of underground groove. Nothing too showy just a solid bouncy rhythm. Soft synths echo in the break with a nice bit of percussion. Kinda stuff that if you weren't paying attention you could miss it. The atmosphere is still good even though I would like a thicker, more layered track. 4 Half a Life- This is more of a one note bass line pounding with less atmosphere. Actually rather boring I thought. Popup- What is this a re-run? Another boring effort that I liken to a a soft-drink. You have coke and diet coke. This is water. Interlude- Stupid interlude discussing how f*cked up this guy got at a party and missed studio time. That sh*t ain't free buddy. Just Free- "I see how things go now. You just use me for my thrills." There has been a noticeable switch towards more house rhythms and the string obligato and annoying repeating sample cements it. Ugh, I'm gonna puke this is so cheesy. Other than a massive piano riff this one is rife with cliches. Knock it off you're scaring the natives. "Run away! Run away!" This is the Love- Sure I don't care for most house style beats, but it can be done with a certain amount of funk. This one has a pretty big bass line that forces head bobbing especially when the synths come in like backup singers. The break is extended which is cool, but what you hear in the first 2 minutes is pretty much all you get. Interlude- Stop it. Just, stop it. Back and Forth- Bubbling bass with some nice effects. It's a stripped back track that proves sometimes less is more. Nice groove and melodies make this one a standout for me. Reflected- This came out of nowhere and is almost worth the price of the CD alone. It's like playing poker and realizing after betting the mortgage and the kid's college fund that you were dealt 4 aces. Smooth and emotional downtempo breakbeat with a pronounced bass and soft melodies twinkling throughout. Perfect way to end an album. This CD had it's moments. It was the first album release from Denis so you have to take that into consideration. Obviously he got better as he went on as evidenced by his outstanding work on a Place To Be Real. Throw out the ridiculous interludes to start. They should've never been in there in the first place. It starts of with a bang and kinda loses it's way in the middle only to rebound strongly at the end. Really strongly. So while it didn't have the effect on me that it had on the original reviewer, I still thought it was good. Undergound grooves and well placed effects would sum it up I suppose. Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Atomic Pulse Title: Anatomic Label: Planet B.E.N. Records Date: August, 2011 1. Solar Flare (Live mix) 2. 3rd Eye (Atomic Pulse rmx) - GMS & Space Tribe 3. New World Order III 4. AnaTomic 5. Spartan 6. Open Society (Atomic Pulse rmx) - Astral Projection 7. Eaven and Earth (Atomic Pulse rmx) - Ultravoice & Indra 8. AnaMorph 9. Unknown Strings 10. Existence If there was ever poster children for the full-on sound it would be this project. They were doing it before it was even labelled I think. This is Tamir Ozana & Yair Bar-On with their fifth album release. Their first album, The Safi Collection was one of my first introductions into this genre so I've kinda been keeping track of their evolution. Since then, they have appeared on so many compilations and worked with all the full-on labels. Well, now full-on is pretty much a dirty word but that's because so many artists just applied the cut and paste model and deleted all the creativity. So like VH-1, where are they now? Solar Flare (Live Mix)- This was a good full-on track with power and some pretty thick leads. With the vocoded sample it gives it a space appeal. 3rd Eye (Atomic Pulse Remix)- "Mental abilities would multiply a hundredfold. That our consciousness would be expanded to the ultimate." So I went back and listened to the original from the Space Tribe album Collaborations and, uh...yeah it doesn't really hold up well. The wavering synth is memorable, but that's because back in its day this sound was probably cutting edge and you can identify with it. Like the time you finally got to be with you're soulmate "If this is wrong...I don't wanna be right." But I haven't seen a lack of balls this evident since they neutered my dog. No power or originality whatsoever, just another track to throw on the generic crapheap. New World Order III- The first NWO was on their 2nd album De-Toxicated. Then came the 2nd part on Multiverse. So here we are on part III and I'm not about to go and relive those rather unremarkable tracks so I'll just discuss this one. And it will be a short discussion because there ain't a lot here. Like frozen pizza that I get from Wal-Mart where's the f*cking meat? No layers or new leads, just the same limp dick effort that I've heard on previous albums from this project. AnaTomic- Better. Here you have uplifting melodies and expansive breaks. Yeah it's cheese, but it's well done cheese. I would say this is more epic trance that Van Dyk would spin rather than psytrance, but it's not unpleasant to listen to. Spartan- The lead is twisted and filtered as it searches and smoothly transitions into a new sound. See this is good full-on stuff. The break has soft pads and a new synth germinates out of this rich medium. It undergoes a for lack of a better word a "heavenly" transformation with a choir sound and it really is pretty good. Hell, you win points from me by not going the easy route and stuffing samples from the movie 300 in there. Open Society (Atomic Pulse Remix)- "We must after all is said and done preserve the liberties that we are fighting for." Ah a remix of an Astral Projection track probably from an album that we shall never see. This was also on the Blissdom EP released back in 2010 and it's another good one. Plenty of layers and that main melody sounds like vintage Astral. It's pumping and I always thought the sign of a good track is that you are into it and before you know it, it's over. Good sounds and good structure. Yeah, I know it was made almost 2 years ago and it's not a new track, but look at 'em...the kids love it. Eaven and Earth- "In the beginning, God created the Heaven and the Earth." First I'll say I like the break with it's skipping effect. But Alien Project did this type of stuff almost a decade ago. The leads are nice, but I feel like I just jumped back in a time machine. "Is that the new PS3 with retro stylings?" AnaMorph- *sigh* Unknown Strings- You know those who don't learn from history are destined to repeat it. Hitler was a brutal dictator filled with hate who killed millions of Jews. Atomic Pulse did not study history. Therefore...Atomic Pulse is responsible for the slaughter of millions of Jews. "Sometimes...I get a feelin. I get a feelin that I never never never never had before!" Existence- To finish this underwhelming exercise is a lower tempo track that contains more of the same cheesy simple melodies that true psyheads will scoff at. Sure it's pretty but so's this guy. Doesn't mean I want to spend time with him. Besides, he's got his shoes on the wrong foot. Unless they pull an Osher or a Talpa and go in a direction 180 degrees from where they are currently located, I think it's time to put this project to bed. How many times can you create the same generic paint by numbers full on and expect to come up with a different outcome. That's the definition of crazy. Surprise surprise, it's more run of the mill full-on stuff that would've sounded great 10 years ago. Times have changed, we have the internet and 16 year old kids are downloading pirated copies of Cubase and smoking the sh*t you just made. When you put 10 tracks on an album it just makes it easier for me to come of with a percentage of disappointment. So if we discount a track that we already heard, by my count I am...let's see carry the one, divide by 2....yep, 80% sure that I have no room on my hard drive for this. Psyshop GoaStore Mdk

Artist: ECT Title: ECT - Extra Celestial Transmission: The Remasters Label: Ektoplazm Date: May, 2011 01 - ECT & Mass - Magic Dart (136 BPM) 02 - ECT & Mass - Monkey Shines (140 BPM) 03 - ECT - Squawk (142 BPM) 04 - ECT - Catapult (144 BPM) 05 - ECT - Snowblind (145 BPM) 06 - ECT - Mäelström (146 BPM) 07 - ECT & Mass - Angry Little Men (With Sharp Sticks) (140 BPM) 08 - ECT & Mass - Ants 4 Breakfast (144 BPM) "Exterminate all rational thought." What do you get when you mix one part James Brown funky drumming, one part liquid bass so nasty you have to check if you shat yourself, and one part gutteral leads that range from a growling rumbling to an ear scorching bleeding? You get this. This is the work of Leigh Griffiths and these tunes were to be his debut album but somehow that never happened. Well, lucky for us this collection has been placed in a nice little free package so that we can enjoy this British producers work. These tracks were made in between 1997 and 1998 so you can expect heavy doses of psychedelia as well as some goa goodness. And it's nothing like I have heard. As I mentioned there is the drumming which could be done on a real kit for all I know as it sounds that real. A dark component is there as well as effects ripple in between the screaming and scraping leads. It's very overloaded and like the promo says "a digital polish" with "everything on 11" has been applied. From the chaotic screaching of the lead in Monkey Shines to the alien creatures of Squawk skittering over this planet's surface. Everything is intense and pushes the gas pedal all the way to the floor. Ever take a turn at 90mph? Well this barrel rolls about 20 times and keeps on going. Catapult has a bassline that reminds me of Colorbox as well as sounding like Koxbox. That's a lot of box and this box has some aggressive goa tendencies. Snowblind is an effects driven show and Angry Little Men (With Sharp Sticks) and Ants 4 Breakfast is...f*ck me I don't know what it is. Acid sodomy? I dunno... But what's cool about this release is that it undergoes so many transformations within the track that you really are taken on quite the ride. It's hard to believe that this was made almost 15 years ago. You're not gonna find a main melody that keeps getting repeated. Oh no, just a healthy heaping of psychedelic madness with pumping rhythms and crystal clear sounds. It might be a bit much to take in one sitting, but give it a shot. I don't think you will be disappointed. Variety, she is the spice of life no? Ektoplazm Mdk

I notice V/A Turlitava is in the uptempo compilation section. I think that should be in the downtempo comp section, no? Mdk

Artist: Overdream Title: Soundprints EP Label: Sun Station Records Date: June, 2011 01 - Land Of Carnivore Plants (146 BPM) 02 - Coven Of Witches (146 BPM) 03 - Ultramarine (148 BPM) 04 - Zurna (148 BPM) 05 - Kaleidoscope Eyes (feat. DubMyDub) (100 BPM) This is a psychedelic trance couple Makus and Dana from the Ukraine. No, I mean they are actually a couple. Maybe they're married, I dunno I don't have that information. Kids? I have no idea. What are you, writing a book? Land of Carnivore Plants- Carnivore plants? That's all we need. Reminds me of Australia. Never been there but I heard that more things are deadly there than anywhere on Earth. Short ride isn't it Mick? Like the bubbling effects, don't like the lead. It's pretty shrill, but they do a nice job of layering with another one to take the edge off. As you would expect the tone shifts towards goa and it then finds its stride. Not bad. Coven of Witches- "This hasn't been my happiest new year. This one's starting off rather f*cking badly." Coven of b*tches. Who's laughing now stupid sorority? You coulda had allllll of dis. *Spreads arms in wide circles* All of it. What's that now? Oh...witches. Well, that's different. More bubbling and scratchy sounds give this a forest feel where alien creatures tread and effects rule. They rain down as they sparkle and churn the thick soup. I liked this one a lot. Ultramarine- With a plucky bass they dive right back into the forest. The darkpsy metallic lead swarms with aggression as the duo begin to layer. It was shaping up to be just another generic track, but the break was unexpectedly fulfilling. They come out all eerie and mysterious with a squirty lead that flies all over the place. Zurna- Hmmmm...this churning fellow seems mysterious. Then the cat-quick lead erupts and scrawls its message on the bark of ancient trees. Sizzling! But not as sizzling as..hold the f*ck up. Could really go for bacon right about now. Where was I? The final frame is where they take a left turn onto the beaches of goa for some time in the sun. Very powerful stuff. Kaleidoscope Eyes- Can you hear the sounds of the forest? It has an ethnic tribal way about it as the breakbeat kicks in. But it doesn't stay there long. It becomes more of a mid tempo jaunt with a vocoded Beatles lyric. Yeah, those guys were no stranger to LSD. Another plus is the constant change in direction. Like the sitar? There's plenty of it here. Sure I coulda done without the Indian vocal, but you might like it. You're funny that way. This track reminds me of the wild and chaotic presentation that you would find in a Shpongle production. First I love the cover art. Seems to portray the ritualistic with a sense of the spiritual. The EP ain't bad either. You've got some forest and goa as well as the dub from the final track. Impressive. As always it's free so I encourage you to check it out for some variety. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Erode Title: Horizon Label: Tympanik Audio Date: July, 2011 1. 10950 2. Detect 3. Approach 4. Horizon 5. Overcome 6. Wither 7. - 8. Annoy 9. Disengage 10. Horizon (Kadrage Remix) 11. Brutal Romance (Erode Remix) - Deadlock This one goes out to Ivan because he likes Death Metal. And I'm afraid of it. I cannot recall how I came to know about this release, but here it is. This is Alexander Dietz and he used to be (is he still in it? Somehow I let my subscription to Kerrang lapse.) in a German metal band called Heaven Shall Burn. How uplifting and holy. Well now he shows his...umm, softer side I guess and presents us with his debut electronic album. It's filled with droning pads, repeated chords full of ambience as well as crunchy percussion. Most of it is downtempo and all of it sounds like the beautiful cover art looks. Done by Colin Marks of Rain Sound Design. Just thought I would give him a plug since he did such a great job. It's cloudy day music with an industrial bent as well as some haunting melodies. You can tell it was made by a guy who was into metal with the angry/dark track titles. But the music vassilates between pensive downtempo and outright rage with a remix of a Deadlock track at the end complete with the industrial screams that remind me a lot of FLA. Standouts? Well, I liked the track Wither with its soft pads and at times chaotic percussion. Gave me a feel of post apocalyptic regret. The interlude (-? What the f*ck is up with that title? That's what you came up with? How about...I dunno, B*tch gave me herpes or something.) sounded nice in its simplicity and the electronic scraping of Annoy was backed by a beautiful pad set that devolved into a drum n' bass hum. Pretty cool. Disengage had a nice soft synth pad before it devolved into a glitchy rhythm set. While not very deep it does stay within the confines of it's dark and mysterious theme. I say good for him for stepping outside his comfort zone and trying something different. I hope he continues in this vein as I would love to see how his music evolves. Not the metal though. I don't need my music screaming at me. I have a wife for that. You can get it here. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Still Fresh Vol. 2 Label: Spintwist Records Date: July, 2011 1. Still Fresh SIDEFORM 2. Floorward AUDIOMATIC 3. Nice Day DJ FABIO AND MOON 4. Osc On VAISHIYAS 5. Learning to fly INTERACTIVE NOISE 6. Windows of our soul (Krama rmx) AUDIOMATIC 7. Twist N Spin PHAXE 8. Audiolslave VERTEX 9. Fe Natural KULARIS 10. I dont want JISER I think I shall use that every time there is an album with a Zyce sighting. It's not a bad thing, but he shows up more often than the wary fat kid. Google it, you'll see. Poor bastard...just wanted to show up to Chong Lee's graduation and now he's infamous. Because I've been lucky enough to find several outstanding progressive trance compilations recently I felt I should try and keep the ball rolling. Spintwist Records is a label started by Vaishiyas and this is the 2nd installment of the Still Fresh series. The tracklist is impressive, but obviously the first thing you notice is the cover with the vampire teeth and the...what is that, a mango? I haven't been out of the country in 2 decades so I don't know how the world is taking this recent vampire infestation, but here it has flown past embarrassing levels. Vampires aren't real. F*ck where did you get bit, Key West? Whatever. They are not real. Lemme let that sink in . Go ahead...I'll wait. Yep, they aren't real. I realize I have just pushed every goth, pre-teen, and chick waiting for the perfect man over the edge so let's talk about it. Being a vampire sounds pretty cool doesn't it? Immortality? Oh yeah, until you outlive anyone you ever cared about. And God help you if you become one before puberty. An eternity without getting laid? Having sex with a 10 year old is still pedophelia you sick f*ck. Where's that f*cking wooden stake, I'll do it myself. No wonder that little girl in Interview with a Vampire was so pissed off. Say goodbye to eating normal food. Burgers, fried chicken, spaghetti...gone. Nope, now you have to feed on the blood of the living. This would have immediate impacts on three industries. Fast food, video game, and the swingset makers of America. There's a movie that hasn't been made yet. And why are there no fat vampires? You figure they would be the easiest to catch. Talk about a food source that can't get away. Anyway less food choices than a vegan. I saw this Swedish vampire movie where the chick had one piece of chocolate and got violently ill. One piece. As a vampire now you have to be wary of churches and their crosses. It'll burn you. There's a church on every corner like there's a liquor store and pawn shop in every hood. So now your movement is restricted even further. "Yep...I'm strapped." Most importantly however you cannot go in the sun because it will kill you. No surfing, going to the beach and checking out the bikini clad ladies...hell, you can't travel by day unless you're in a box of dirt. Can't even go to the store and get some milk and even if you could, you can't drink it. So...I love the beach, double whoppers, my family, and the ability to go outside way more than the "romantic" idea of being a vampire. They're just not real. If you feel the need to bite someone, go bite fatty over there. Now zombies...that sh*ts real. Still Fresh- Sideform are Drasko Radovanovic and Milos Modrinic and I haven't heard a bad track from them. Not one. They released their debut album Moving On this year and I've been meaning to check it out. This one has a driving beat with good effects and washes in typical wide open progressive style. Gots some ummph it does. Kicks in the door with a good groove and serves as a good opener. Floorward- German Benjamin Halfmann also released an album this year called Weekend Society. The bass and kick are punishing as effects echo and bubble to the surface. At the break the main melody arrives and picks up outlying melodies that thicken it up. The groove is pretty good also. 2 good tracks right out of the gate. But like a fat kid on a see-saw...it's going down. Nice Day- Don't know who these two are, but may I suggest careers as magicians rather than DJs? Only a magician could take a 30 second track and stretch it to 6 minutes. It's a Billy Idol sample used repeatedly over a weak beat. Craptacular. Hulk...gonna...chuck. Osc On- Label head on deck! Now this had a really cool percussive vibe and a great bass line trick that only shows up at the beginning of every measure. It's funky as sh*t and wished it would continue, but when the plucky lead sound and the hi-hat are on the same beat it sounds jumbled. There was potential here. Learning To Fly- This is Hugo Venegas from Mexico and he houses things up. Any points he got for a funky flow are summarily revoked with a God awful sample that kills all flow and coolness. Even Oj thought this was a bad idea. Windows of Our Soul (Krama Rmx)- Holy crap there is more cheese here than a porno with a story. Absolutely terrible but the worst is yet to come. We've all heard bad samples, but when this one said and I quote.."If you think you're not dreaming...you just forgot your dreams." How f*cking poignant. This is why people make fun of our music sir. Twist N Spin- Kevin, you can clean this sh*t up right? Well, not really. More housey style with a simple melody. It's like diet coke. They took all the stuff that made Coke great and you're left with this. What happened? Audioslave- Ok, we've made it to the Zyce appearance. Vertex is a duo that released the awesome Ocean album, so perhaps there is some salvation here. It's got some nice oscillating waves and a thumping bass line. I'll give you that. Not the most elaborate thing I've heard from this project, but it's a beacon of hope amidst a sea of crap that's for sure. Fe Natural- "Although there have been suggestions that space time may have a discrete structure I see no reason to abandon the continuum theories that have been so successful." Meh. Just throw it on the pile with all the other never to be remembered generic crap. It's not terrible, but I've had farts that hang around longer. I Don't Want- What a fitting title to end this exercise in get the hell out of my CD player. It may seem a little harsh, but you drove me to it. F*cking hell this went downhill fast. That sound you heard was the screeching halt my run of good progressive albums came to. I was going to compare this to chinese food, but at least with chinese food it takes 20 minutes to get hungry again. After the first two tracks and the Zyce appearance this was a brutal disc. Full of bad samples and unmemorable boring rhythms. Still Fresh? Hardly. Maybe you could get full on this if like an apple you cut out the brown areas. Maybe. But you would need like, 6 apples. Psyshop Beatspace GoaStore Mdk

Yeah, like I said it was fine, but I just wish they wouldn't have included over two minutes of nonsense with it. And thank you for the praise. I really needed that about now. These things take a long time to write and conceive. Mdk

Well well, what have we here? Mdk

If I tell someone I listen to psy they immediately make the kick and hi-hat noise with their mouth followed by the disco whistle. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Freaky Forest Label: Troll N' Roll Records Date: December, 2011 01 - Total - Freaky Forest 2004 (144 BPM) 02 - Trance-Ingvars - All The Answers (146 BPM) 03 - Toxic Anger Syndrome - Trollskogen (149 BPM) 04 - Gubbology - Monster Quest (147 BPM) 05 - Aremakki - Cream Delivery (140 BPM) 06 - Oliveira - Wednesdays (147 BPM) 07 - RotSystem - Uven (146 BPM) 08 - Katastrof - Oiije (144 BPM) 09 - SEKT - Sleten Horunge (163 BPM) 10 - Varanta - Mystical Temple (148 BPM) This is the debut release from this Swedish label with nothing but Swedish artists. The cover is pretty cool. 4 fat trolls with f*cked up hairstyles and huge noses sit around an old Gandalf type while the ghost of Kenny G serenades them in the background. All in nuclear waste green. What the hell did I just walk into? Freaky Forest 2004- What the f*ck is this? Really, what the f*ck? Over 3 minutes of Buddhist chanting with tribal beats before the lead becomes even more twisted than Dee Snider. You don't know who that is do you? Sigh. He was a member of a hard rock band named Twisted Sister that had a flair for the theatric back in the 80s and now he is a goofy parody of himself. Can't believe parents were afraid of this clown. He looks ridiculous. Different time I guess. This undergoes a lot of changes and it has to at over 12 minutes, but it sounds less forest and more experimental to me. If it was made 7 years ago I can cut the guy a break. All the Answers- This leaves me with more questions than answers. When the ritualistic tribal percussion comes in I'm on board though. Hallucinatory synths rise and fall in the firelight like a record being played at the wrong speed. I know this was made by Swedes, but it's random enough to stray into Suomi territory. It's interesting, but at this point it's just a collection of sounds. While I like the funkiness of the guitar riff, it's not what I'm looking for in my forest. Trollskogen- Not to sound like a loud mouth American, but the Swedish language here sounds like something Adam Sandler made up. I realize I probably just offended and entire nation and for that I apologize. What are you laughing at Norway? Have you heard yourselves? More weirdness with bass line changes and goofy laughs. But unlike a lot of normal music that doesn't stay with me, I will be repeating Trollskogen over and over while my wife looks at me like I just smeared poop on the wall. This is weird. Bizarre. Do the "normal" forest creatures look over here and say, "Whoa...don't go over there. Those motherf*ckers are sick." Monster Quest- "The only way out of here is to try one of these doors." Got news for you they all lead to kooky town. It's almost comical, like it's making fun of itself. But damnit I kind of like it. Random sounds pitched up and down, wobbling synths, and a lot of changes which I think is cool. Think of a friend that would put you at ease, but instead he's a schizophrenic. Cream Delivery- "I'm a delivery man and I have some cream for you. Let us f*ck!" No he didn't just sample from Zack and Miri make a porno. It's so corny its awesome! Cool break beat intro and great use of the panning effect as a synth moves from side to side. This is a type of forest trance that I'm not used to. It's not dark, but it's odd enough to make you want to keep your distance from these people. I mean really, forest porn? "You want your cream now?" Wednesdays- "I'm sorry we seem to be having some technical difficulties." Who farted? It's a chunky lead with some goa atmosphere in the background. The most musical track yet and it doesn't rest for a second. Not as weird as the other tracks and that percussive hit had me looking all over the house to see who was banging on my door. Not bad. Uven- The weirdness and chaotic randomness is beginning to tire me out. Creature mumblings give way to cyber breakdowns and then it's off to the races again. Only you're going the wrong way dude! That's cool though, it's different. So many twists and turns, it's tough to follow them all. Like I mentioned, you won't be scared in this forest, but you will be pissed off because you can't get out of this b*tch! Oiije- You know what that is? I don't f*cking know either, but to me this is a representation of this track. Monkey, car, window, Darth Vader... Just tack a whole bunch of sh*t together and call it Voltron. Sleten Horunge- You know what this is? It's hyper mosh pit trance. It's Marge Simpson on speed. Metallic and squelchy sounds bubble over a bass line that obeys zero speed limits. Imagine watching a slasher film at double speed. Pretty funny actually. . "A little LSD is all I need." Mystic Temple- This is about as downtempo as it's gonna get. Piano and a hopeful melody? What the f*ck kind of forest is this? When did Yanni get here? A saxophone too? No, no...take your damn sitar and shove it. It's too late. Then the Doors show up with a hammond organ and pound out a gospel tune? When did this become and open mic jam session. Ain't nothin' mystic about this temple. Ok, first off this is not your typical forest compilation. When I think forest I think layers of intense music designed to scare and disorient you. Stories of old to be told where the acid sticks on you like thick carpets of green moss. This is not that. Nope, this is a bunch of phrases strung together that are both quirky and weird. At no time are you afraid of the denizens of this forest. You want to avoid them in the same way you avoid the homeless. Not because they are a threat, but because they make you uncomfortable. It has moments where it's enjoyable, but mostly it's so disjointed that I didn't want to bother with it. So do what I did. I threw 'em a few sheckles and my pastrami on rye and got the hell outta there. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Extrasensory Perception Part 3 Label: Mikrokosmos Records Date: March, 2011 1. Galactic Mantra (Liquid Soul rmx) OVNIMOON 2. Beat it EARSUGAR AND DOUBLE CLICK 3. Phantasy MA'CO 4. Dark Matter (Egorythmia rmx) ACE VENTURA 5. Outer Space NERSO 6. Psy Tribe E-CLIP 7. Wide Awake EARSUGAR 8. Unity Consciousness AQUAFEEL 9. Ages of history (Human Element rmx) MIDIMAL This is the 3rd installment of the Extrasensory Perception series compiled by Martin and Liquid Soul. Don't know much about the label, but they seem to have assembled quite an impressive tracklist with all well known names. Both of the previous parts had some really good tracks so I'm liking where this is going. Besides, after the excellent Forensic Science and Future Nature 2 this could shape up to be a natural hat trick. You see a hat trick is when All right, all right...keep your shirt on. Galactic Mantra (Liquid Soul Remix)- Not this again...a 10 minute remix and you leave this in there? The first two minutes is a robotic voice telling me all that it is. Liquid Soul tackles a track off the Ovnimoon album Geometric Poetry or, the one with that jellyfish on it. The rest of the track is fine with a break composed of some delicate synths that grow louder and more distorted. A good track that would've been better without that annoying crap in the beginning. Beat It- Yeah that's not in here. I've never been a fan of Earsugar, but that descending bass will get your backfield in motion. Nobody was more shocked than I when I found my kid's babysitter was this talented. It changes to a more common galloping bass line and then goes on to lose all the originality it once briefly posessed. The break is nice as a lead shimmers across its surface but for a track to come out so strongly it certainly did exit with a whimper. Phantasy- While nothing stands out, it's a solid progressive track with plenty of stabs ripping across open space. Good effects and soft synth touches. Dark Matter (Egorythmia Remix)- Because nothing says I can do anything better than you like a remix, Bob Lazovski comes correct with a remix of a track by Ace Ventura from the 2nd part of this series. If artists think of their tracks as their children, is remixing a track from someone else like spanking someone else's kid? It's definitely dark sounding and pumping just like the original. But where it tops the original is in the bigger bottom end and thicker effect set. There is a lot more going on and it comes off as a stormer with a sinister smirk. Like the guy who banged your wife and it was so good, she left you for him. Can you imagine if remixes were like that? If someone remixes your track and it's better than the original, they get the rights to it. Nasty business that. You don't mow another guy's lawn! Outer Space- The Dragon is one of the best progressive trance producers around. Period. Did you hear Exploration of Infinity yet? You should. His tracks are loaded with effects that create big wide open spaces and make for great storytelling. This is a smooth jaunt through space that has a drifting quality. Deep, rumbling sounds provide a backdrop as effects ring off the ship's hull. There isn't one big melody to grab on to, just small ones that act as guiderails. Good stuff. Psy Tribe- Geez having this guys go right after one another isn't even fair. Marko released Shuma which is one of my favorites this year. He and Dragan make the same type of stuff. Hugely lush, melodic soundscapes stuffed to bursting with effects. This one is more aggressive than anything else on the comp, crossing into that psygressive area. Wait...they're twins aren't they? That would explain their similar sounds. "Dragan what's with the sour puss? And Marko...damnit you couldn't find a clean shirt?" Wide Awake- Earsugar is back for another go and I still don't feel what he's trying to do. I guess his minimalistic style doesn't appeal to me. I like big melodies and huge soundscapes, and that's not what he makes. We can try pounding a square peg into a round hole, but it won't ever fit. He's the atari 2600 to my PS3. Unity Consciousness- This is Vladislav Koumpatidis who was brought up in Greece but was born in Siberia when I was a senior in high school. Dick. He brings the galloping bass line to the table and loads up on effects. The break is pretty wide open as he introduces a new lead and the bounce is maintained. I like it, with it's shimmering quality and acoustic guitar touches. Ages of History (Human Element Remix)- This is why nothing is more important than the Human Element. I loved the original from the Sunday compilation (very good btw), with its massive scope it was like standing on top of a mountain. This is DJ Martin with the closer and it has a bit of a sleek house groove. Imagine floating through a dream where everything is just out of focus with minimal interference. The break is an ethereal bit of cloud surfing where you're feet never touch the ground. It's smooth and far from intrusive. Superb. This is the definition of a strong finish. The first three tracks were ok if a bit on the light side, but from the Egorythmia remix to the outstanding Human Element Remix, this was a great ride. Well, minus the Earsugar tune, but I don't care for his music anyway. Quality melodic stuff with lush atmospheres. While not as good as Forensic Science, it's still a worthy addition to my collection and a worthy sequel to the last one in the series. Good stuff Mikrokosmos! Psyshop Beatspace GoaStore Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Future Nature 2 Lablel: TesseracT Studio Date: August, 2011 1. Sunrise Tonic - Vertex and Pion 2. Disturbings - The Riddler 3. Orange Bad - Phaxe and Vice Vs. Vertex 4. Particles - Nerso 5. Source Code - Zyce 6. Four Kings - Sideform feat Zyce and Flegma 7. Lunar Drive - Middle Mode and Ectima 8. Crowd Control - Ectima and E-Clip 9. City of Pula - Hardy.Veles 10. Evaporation - Zyce and Flegma Tesseract is out with the 2nd installment of the Future Nature series. Not unlike Iono's Forensic Science (which was f*cking awesome) it's a who's who of progressive trance brilliance. One name that you will see a lot of is Zyce who must've had a sh*tload of tracks lying around because he is all over this thing. I had the opportunity to play this for the good folks at my local establishment and they seemed to enjoy it. Sunrise Copy- Vertex is Nikola Kozić and Slobodan Gaćeša who released the stellar album Ocean last year. Here they team up with Pion (Vladan Jarić) on the opening track. The first 4 minutes are nice, but nothing remarkable. The break erupts with true analog synth chords that warm the soul. They wind it down and this one remains an underground groove. Those chords make a final appearance near the end and are clearly the star of the show. Disturbings- Goran recently released his 3rd Talpa disc called The Path and I'll have to check that one out. Especially since I ripped his 2nd album a new a**hole. But here in his Riddler persona it's all about the funk. And he has a distinctive style. Eerie melodies twinkle and shimmer before he drops the funk hammer that induces involuntary booty wigglin'. Oh, you and your groupies... His basses are groovetastic and he twists dem sumb*tches like he's trying to contact Tokyo on a ham radio. Funky as always sir. Orange Bad- See I imagine the title came from the Hulk's intense dislike for citrus. You know..."Orange bad...hulk smash!" But I have a lot of non-sensical crap rolling through my neural pathways. The Vertex duo take on Kevin Josefsen (Phaxe) and Martin Daltoft (Vice). Another groovy progressive ride with little melodies that crop up from seemingly everywhere. The bounce is nice and it's a sunshiney piece that will put a smile on your face. Particles- Progressive master "The Dragon" fresh off his release of Exploration of Infinity rocks things in the same dark style. Bubbling basses, moody pads, and genre encompassing effects make this thing a monster. It just thumps with a driving spirit as it totally envelops the listener. Massively lush and descriptive...he is to progressive what the Pleiadians are to goa trance. Yeah I said it. Source Code- Zyce is Nikola Kozic aka one half of Vertex. He's another Balkan that rules this genre and is quite prolific. Sharp synths echo over a monotone bass line as effects scratch and claw in an attempt to gain purchase. The middle of the track sees the bass line change and a nice bright feeling peeks out. The break is truly shiny setting you up for a good time. But like any good progressive track he's building towards it and if you have patience you will be rewarded. Nice job. Four Kings- "Yes...front desk? Send up a bottle of your best champagne and 4 bustiest hookers cause it's on." Hey it's Zyce again, surprise surprise. They do love the delay don't they? It's all over the place as sounds echo across the horizon. The same roadmap is followed here with the accumulation of effects and similar if not identical bass line. I like this style so it doesn't bother me, but I can see people hopping on the "damn this sounds too samey" bandwagon. Still, it's so lush and positive that I can't help but like it. It's drifting and melodic with a nice ending bit of melody so thumbs up from me. Lunar Drive- Motherf*cker Zyce, did you not get enough hugs from your parents? You're part of Ectima also? That is 70% of the tracks on this compilation you're on. I imagine the compiling went something like this... "No! No!! I want that track too! F*ck you Nesho! Mine! Mine!!" Awww...I can't be mad at you. This is a trip on the darker side of things with wild and spooky Silent Hill type atmosphere. The middle has a weird rhythmic element that continues out of the break with a boom boom bass. Like it. It returns to its original form to continue the eerieness. Good stuff. Crowd Control- Ectima (Zyce + Flegma) takes on Marko who is in strong contention for album of the year from me with his release of Shuma. They try to control the crowd with a thunping snare....stay back, we bite. Once they add all their progressive elements together it becomes quite groovy. Where the previous tracks were pretty melodies this is darker and more abrasive. I would've loved them to take all the synths out and have a period where it was just percussion, but hey, that's me. Hey whattya know, they did it! This what Artifakt would sound like if he did progressive. The end more resembles the rest of the tracks on this compilation with it's echoing effects but it has an angry swagger. This one grew on me. City of Pula- Goran (no, not that one) released a quality EP called Shumska Majka last year and he also had a track on the first Future Nature compilation. He chops up a sample and makes it fit nicely in the mix. Funky even. It has a reeaaaalllly long sample in the middle that is slightly on the cheesy side. It dominates the track because he keeps using it. Too much. It's fun to knock out a few knuckle children, but eventually you have to give it a rest. I can pass on this one. Evaporation- I think this one is the slowest on the track as it plods away in midtempo style. It's also Zyce's last appearance on the compilation. 7 out of 10 tracks, why not just release this as an artist album? I tease him, but that's because his music is that f*cking good. It's a slowdown groove that makes you nod your head with nice percussive work and cool effects. Like all the artists on this label use. The melody is pure sunshine and man does it feel good on this rainy day. TesseracT continue to release quality progressive trance. It's deep and atmospheric with echoing melodies that are good enough to eat. The tracks go from light grooves to dark epic monsters. I'm not certain if all of the artists are Serbian, but damn if that area isn't a fountain of talent. If you like your progressive trance larger than life with loads of effects and melodies than you cannot go wrong with this. Psyshop Beatspace GoaStore Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Forensic Science Label: Iono Music Date: October, 2011 1. Perception - Mindwave and Sphera 2. Black Light - Time in Motion 3. Spin it - Ritmo and Egorythmia 4. Sub System - Pop Art 5. White Tunnel - Egorythmia Vs. Ace Ventura 6. Science - Nerso 7. De Ja Voodo People - Ritree 8. Doing his magic (Static Movement rmx) - MUTe 9. Flying Circus - Phaxe Ain't love grand? I said grand, not grand piano. Jesus, learn to say no. The most powerful force on the planet. It can make the pain go away and can make good times great. It's just a feeling that I hope everyone gets to experience in their lives. I'm lucky enough to have found my soul mate and together as she embarks on her career we will hopefully share many years together. But I also love some other things. Sure, not in the same way, but it's still love. Love hockey fights Night night. Love porn. Oh yeah, you dirty little whore... But like all of you, I also love music. Our corner of the world is a hotspot for creativity mostly free of the commercial toilet. Between goa trance, twilight, downtempo and progressive trance my plate is overflowing with succulent dishes. Iono music is the king of the hill when it comes to progressive. They've had more releases that I have hairs on my head and most of what I've heard has been quality. Melodic and atmospheric storytelling with stellar production is how I would describe what they do. Compiled by Egorythmia it's a who's who in the genre that further reinforces Iono Music's dominance in the genre. Perception- This is Anton Maiko (Mindwave) and Liran Elkayam and Rami Shalom (Sphera) to open things up. And what a great job they do. It's all sunshine and smiles with great weather and great friends. Bouncy with several changes to pique interest. Leads galore and layers aplenty should satisfy the discerning progressive listener. The break rises like the phoenix and attracts a soft vocal. Dare I say a perfect start? Yes I do. Black Light- This Danish (Mmmmm...Danish) trio had two EP's this year that cemented their status as kings of the hill in this genre. Great bounce, great melody, and long on atmosphere. The effects fill this thing up as it picks up the pace and fills out. There is no wasted space as it's all very complex with lots of things coming together. The wavering melody over the breakbeat is a nice touch and this is a tasty danish indeed! More please. Spin It- Two titans collide in another massive effort. The deep bass rumble has me fully invested and the break in the beginning reminds me of some old Front 242 Headhunter sh*t. Effects ricochet and echo everywhere as this undergoes tempo changes but never loses its appeal. The searing pads wobble as leads as it grinds it out with a popcorn arpeggio. Man this is delicious. Sub System- Written by Klopfgeister but the artist was Indra? What's going on here? First I've ever heard from this project. It's got a good beat with some synths that oscillate and some that whizz past you like you're in the middle of a Nascar track. Echoes, echoes, and more lovely echoes. The surprise treat is the breakbeat so you don't go home without a little funk. Good stuff. White Tunnel- Sunshine right in your eyes with sparkling synths that rain down in countless waves doesn't even have me worrying about the 11 minute track length. Oscillations pump with vigorous life over a solid bass line as sounds echo for what seems like miles. There is a break of course and with it comes the obligatory change in tempo. But the rich atmosphere continues as it churns like a violent sea only to change back to it's orignal path but with a 303 whip session. Massively deep and drifting stuff. It's like me feet didn't touch the ground. Science- With perhaps the progressive album of the year with Exploration of Infinity, he continues his progressive beatdowns with a lush and atmospheric stalker of a track. Juicy bass stabs and long winding pads make this drip with an eerie feel. The break is a thing of beauty while creatures slither from the dark. Who knew science was so sinister sounding? Hit the books kids, this science f*cking rules. De Ja Voodoo People- "Let this be a reminder to you all that this organization will not tolerate failure." Those movies were awesome. Well, Goldmember reeked of trying to hard, but you could do worse than staring at Beyonce for two hours. The Ritmo and Suntree combo has been gold each track I've heard so...you know, big things. And them wielding a 303 is a big thing as this gets all progressive goa on you. Sunshine and ocean breezes. I didn't really care for the middle where they broke it all down...kinda killed any momentum. And it took forever for them to reclaim it so while good, I feel they made a mess of things in the middle. Doing His Magic (Static Movement Remix)- Hold up...am I getting this Janet or...Jenny Craig Janet? Magic? Like the push up bra? That's not magic. That's blatant fraud. And it's deadly because if I take you home on the assumption I'm hookin' up with Janet and discover I'm stuck with Michael I'm liable to throw you out a window. One of Iono's newer artists, Shahar Shtrikman gives a MUTe track from the On/Off album the business. Lots of effects in this and it feels fuller than the original. The original had that really angry darkpsy drumming that was intrusive and this is melody heavy. Much more enjoyable to listen to in my opinion. Good remix. Flying Circus- Kevin Josefsen had 3 EP releases this year with mixed results as far as I was concerned. I have always liked his compilation work however. This is a bubbly sunny afternoon at the beach where you can reflect on the good times of the day gone by. It has some breathy moments that Ibiza things up a bit if you know what I mean, but the beat is good and this is nice light fare. If you have read my reviews on Iono Music releases then you can probably tell I am a huge fan. But it's releases like this that continues to show why they are the leader when it comes to progressive trance. Layers, atmosphere, melody...it's all here. Light and airy to deeply dark and sinister. Not one bad track in the bunch and numerous stellar ones. Get it. http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/inm/inm1cd051.html http://www.beatspace.com/6712/Iono+Music/Various/Forensic+Science/detail.aspx http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=8903 (Holy sh*t 10 bucks? 10 bucks? What the f*ck are you waiting for?) http://www.goastore.ch/compilation-forensic-science.html Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Interweaving Dream Magics Label: Visionary Shamanics Date: November, 2011 01 - Seti - Animals Are Beasts But Men Are Monsters 02 - Gu - Adventurers World 03 - Shotu - Imagination 04 - Vertical - Plastic Plants 05 - Shadowls - Lemarchands Box 06 - Aegolius - Spheres Of Life 07 - Koala - Tree Fern In A Twisted 08 - Fractal Error - Mythodia 09 - Therange Freak - Gruunach (The Black Dragon Of The Great Swamp) 10 - Paganololiuqui - Ayuwaska Jungle Visions This is another forest/darkpsy compilation brought to you by our great friend over at Ektoplazm. That means it fits right into my budget of free. This is the debut compilation from Visionary Shamanics based in the UK and mastered by Mr. Onkel Dunkel. I don't know who that is, but a lot of people seem to like him. The artwork was done by Hypomicro and looks really good. Animals Are Beasts, but Man Are Monsters- Nine minutes? You needed nine minutes to tell this story? C'mon Fedro, no you didn't. Other than the slight break near the 3 minute mark the first four minutes were an 8 bar measure on repeat. So, on the conservative side, take 3 away and we're already down to 6 minutes. The break on the back end has some good sample manipulation, but then what do you do? Jump right back into boring town. Taking 9 minutes for this track is like saying a trip to McDonalds is a 4 course meal. Burger, drink, fries. Done. Adventurers World- When you first listen to this, the beginning sounds like it might be a Barry White slow jam. "Don't be a baby lady...just be a lady baby." But then the forest kicks in with wailing sounds and bubbling synths. Whoever this is is very good with layering as digital washes cascade down and the bass line rumbles. More squirty sounds fit right into the mix as this track reaps a vivid atmosphere. See that Fedro? See it? Imagination- Even though I've never been a fan of his work, the guy can create a nice scene. Shimmering pads and loads of stuff to chew on. With a thunderous beat and spooky French whispers, his style fits this compilation wonderfully. It's a walk down where the f*ck am I lane to be sure as a lead scrapes the skin off your body with whiplike precision. The break is a collage of sounds and squeaks that is very disorienting. Perfect for when you're lost in the forest. Plastic Plants- Attention, we have a Finn on deck. I repeat, a Finn on deck. Prepare for maximum weirdness. I don't know what plants he's been talking to, but I want in on this conversation. Straight ahead punchy bass line and great effects make this sandwich a treat. He doesn't beat around the um...bush, just jumps right in. "Hey...you think this popcorn tastes weird?" "I dunno dude...where'd that gay pretzel go? He was funny." LeMarchands Box- I don't know who this is, but do you think they know there is no l in shadows? I'm sure they do. Just keep moving, because this is dark. No, no!! Don't make eye contact, you'll...great look what you did. Now they're coming over. The deepest bass line yet with moaning and wailing like you just entered the netherworld. Did you hear him slide the C3PO sample in there? Clever. It's a straight forward march without any ups or downs, but it sounds very thick with despair. Bubbling, digital farts, whistles...very lush. Like walking through a psychedelic zoo where the aliens are behind a velvet rope. Don't worry they can't reach you. Can they? What the...? Get the f*ck off me! Spheres of Life- I haven't heard this much tinkling since I had 5 glasses of ice tea. More wailing and insect scratches as we are deep into the forest with whipporwhils of sound taking off like moss encrusted alien helicopters. Aw, sh*t we ran out of bread crumbs. Do you like scary movies? Because this is some old psychopathic Jack Nickolson Shining sh*t. Knock Knock motherf*cker. Tree Fern In A Twisted- I don't get the title. Sorry, I don't get it. This has all the ingredients for what makes a good forest track, but there isn't any presence to it. It just seems like a random collection of sounds that has no direction. No building of tension or fear, just...sounds. Just because you have a dark suit, dark glasses and stand on a corner in a bad neighborhood doesn't make you a pimp. "I say get back here main! B*tch better have my money. Don't make me slap a knee." Mythodia- Now this uses the tools effectively. Less than a minute in and I'm already afraid. Great effects with chopped up synths make this a tasty treat. Creatures of unknown origin exhale deeply and peer through red eyes. It bubbles and rattles the chains of fear. It undergoes so many changes as it's a long one, but the twists and turns are enjoyable. At this point if you are lost in the forest and hear this, you may commence the sh*tting of pants. Gruunach (The Black Dragon of the Great Swamp)- Gruunach. Even the name sounds ancient and powerful. Like a viking. Long beards and great halls full of benches and dogs fighting for scraps. The typical darkpsy sounds are present, but they are layered and man there is a lot of them. Chopped up synths echo in those same great halls and this is dark. No light. It's a bit overwhelming to tell the truth. Ayuwaska Jungle Visions- "I think it is fantastic...that we're here tonight. This is the year of doom and gloom isn't it?" Wow. How does one describe this? If the previous track was the escalotor to hell, then congratulations you have arrived at your destination. Sounds pull at you from every direction, all dying to get a piece. You don't dance to this...you weep to it. F*ck they even have a goat. A goat! Pretty sure that was sacrificed a few minutes back as this laughs at your feeble attempt to escape. The end is really the stuff of nightmares. What a great compilation. Treat it like an exam where you throw out the score of the two or three guys who smoke and spend all their time in wood shop. They didn't want to be here anyway. What you have left is a bubbling cauldron of sounds that stack up like a 3 year old on a lego binge. It's scary without sending you on the express train to hell. Well, aside from that last track. Most of the tracks were really good at building to something and twisting you around. I'm really starting to get into this forest genre. http://www.ektoplazm...ng-dream-magics Mdk