Trance2MoveU

Purchased CD! Mdk

Artist: E-Clip Title: Press Hold EP Label: Iono Music Date: November, 2011 1. Press Hold 2. Salva Divinorum This is Marko Radovanovic who was responsible for the best progressive trance release of the year for me called Shuma. Here he is with progressive masters Iono for a quick hitting two track EP. Did I need it? Of course not, but I didn't need that huge breakfast this morning, but I'm glad I made it. Press Hold- Thumping progressive with bass effects curl around the ears as sounds wail in the not too far distance. It's drifting and every sound is in its place. While not as descriptive as his work on Shuma, it is nonetheless a solid progressive rumbler. Salva Divinorum- Now this is more like it., balancing that line between psytrance and progressive trance. Plenty of effects make this a thick beast and it has an ominous atmosphere. New slant with the snare and kick break right into a pretty massive build-up. But it wasn't you're ordinary everyday buildup. Pretty good rocker. This was a nice little get. If you're a fan of his style then this will be a pleasant addition to your collection. It's melodic, drifting, and the 2nd track is more aggressive. It's a bit expensive for 2 tracks, so if you're a little short on cash, keep rocking his album. Can't go wrong there. http://www.beatport.com/release/press-hold-ep/832070 Mdk

Artist: Dark Nebula Title: Gateway EP Label: Planet B.E.N. Records Date: March, 2011 1. Steel Dawn 2. Supernatural 3. Three Dimensions of Sound This is Richard Rutter who has released a bunch of albums and countless tracks for compilations. His style was, you guessed it, dark with some melodic elements. It's been awhile since I have listened to his music, but what I do remember are his cool album covers. Wonder what he's up to these days... Steel Dawn- "There's something..very dangerous uh, unsustaining about the desert and this place, yet things live. Why?" This is a change in style for the Nebula that's for certain. What was once a darkpsy chaotic psytrance outfit seems to have mellowed in his old age. This has an almost progressive feel but still maintains that spacey vibe he is known for. It had some nice parts like most of his music, but nothing really stays with me. Supernatural- "You believe in premonitions? Do you believe that there is order and genius in a hundred thousand million galaxies similar to our own?" I believe that I'm not a big fan of your new style Richard. It's bland. This isn't you. What are you trying to impress a girl? Nah, I'm just playing with you. If this is the direction you want to follow then more power to you. Ah, I see you have a little goa sensibility in you, why don't you run with that? But the rest of this is just boring stuff that other artists have tripped over. See that? Yeah, that's my sad face. Three Dimensions of Sound- "Let's now explore the very front imagery...the first dimension." I don't know how much exploring I want to do with this new style. It sounds like a return to the 2001-2003 years of sparse layers and thin tracks. He brings a spacey, wavey synth, but I'm just not feeling it. At almost 9 and a half minutes you really don't get that much bang for your buck. So Richard has reinvented himself, but the results are rather vanilla and disappointing I'm afraid. Gone is the acidic craziness, the dark feeling and the layered music. This comes off as just average stuff that he appears to be messing around with. Far be it from me to criticize the direction an artist wants to evolve, but don't expect me to follow you if I don't like it. And....I didn't. Holy crap...did I just unfriend you? http://www.beatport.com/release/gateway/348367 http://www.psyshop.com/shop/Downloads/pbr/pbr1dw002.html Mdk

Artist: Alienn Title: One EP Label: Hypergate Records Date: November, 2011 1. One 2. The Access 3. Chemicl Kinetic Holy. Crap. What the f*ck was that? This is Patrik Ferreira and he loves him some acid leads. Nah, that wouldn't do it justice. That's like saying santa was a little upset at you this past Christmas season. "F*ck you, f*ck you, and f*ck you. Oatmeal Raisin cookies and skim milk? B*tch, I'm pissin' on yo flowers!" This Swiss gentleman released Cosmic Matter in 2009 and it instantly kicked down the doors of what twilight psytrance could be. Intense, melodic, danceable, and a heaping pile of acid that would rival all the fixins on a Thanksgiving table. So what does he do with this EP? Tops it. It's an all out war against trancers that think they are just gonna listen to this music and nod their head. Not possible. His music gets in you and controls you like the marionette you are. Survey1 gave a good review that pretty much covered it, but I am here to second his approval. If you love the twilight genre and thought that the air might've been let out of the balloon, he's going to blow you. Your mind, your mind...he's going to blow your mind. http://www.beatport.com/release/one/827837 Mdk

Artist: Annunaki Title: From Nibiru Label: Dharmaharmony Records Date: November, 2010 1. Illuminated Ones 2. 3600 years on earth 3. Blue Lights 4. Concade 5. Signal Distant 6. Planet X 7. Antikythera Mechanism 8. Sumerian Technology 9. Antikythera Mechanism (Herbivore rmx) *Read in the voice of legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell whom I awakened from the dead. For a nominal fee of course. Highway robbery really. For that amount I should get to kill him all over again.* The Annunaki...a group of superheroes who stand together to protect...what? Look, I'm just reading what he handed me. That's not them? Lemme see what other pics he gave me... The Annunaki...a group of intrepid crime fighters whose sole purpose is to right the wrongs of the sexually abused...wait, really? The Annunaki...5 young boys whose pelvic gyrations have sent countless tweens into ear bleeding ecstasy...That's it! I have had it! I did not sign on for this...No! I don't care, you tell him he can go f*ck himself....*slams door complaining as voice fades* "Hey! Hey, f*ck you Howard. You know Frank Gifford couldn't stand you right? They just wanted you to shut the f*ck up for 5 minutes. 5 minutes. But you couldn't even do that, could you?" Meh, I heard he was a cocky prick in life too. So what have we got here? From the North Carolina mountains? Holy crap that is right around the corner from me. I thought all we had down there was moonshine, scenery, and...*gulp*, kissing cousins. "Goa trance harmonies with heavy psytrance beats" sounds like something I could get behind. Illuminated Ones- Yes!!!! Yes, the pinpoint melodies that goa is known for begin to meld nicely together. This is the new school sound with the cutoff knob getting a workout. I like the twists and turns especially near the end of the track. Usually you see artists just ride that bit out, but there is something thicker, a presence as it comes to a close. Have I stumbled upon a hidden gem? What an awesome start! 3600 Years On Earth- "The Sumerians had a pantheon of gods. Living Gods who lived and worked, and had their lives among them." They start with a rapid bass line underneath some measured twinkling. If you like 1960's swirling psychedelia then you will love one of the leads here. Makes me dizzy just hearing it. The construction begins as layers begin to add up and there's a sharp drop into a break. Everything changes, keeping it fresh, as it becomes more of a machine gun finish. Not bad. Where the f*ck did this come from? Blue Lights- "A lot of people like to blame it on the aliens." Or Angelina Jolie. Homewrecker! Not for nothin, but I think Brad couldn't wait to get the hell away from Anniston. There is a level of crazy that you have to draw the line at. Listen to those goa riffs. It's wonderful. They churn, not with sunshine but just kicking up some dust. It had power, melody, and groove. Total win. Sorry Jen, but you don't have the right equipment for little Joey. Look at him...total disinterest. Concade- More twisted melodies and leads rising and falling. The groove factor is high on this one as it gets stronger as the track moves along. It isn't thick with layers, but what they have is pretty good. Signal Distant- "I received this information from an alien. This alien approached me. He started talking to me. I think he started using a ray...or a mind control device." By information you mean his wooden penis and by mind control device you mean he asked you. C'mon, Jennifer it's f*cking Chucky. Chucky. He's a doll with some guy's hand up his tukus. You didn't see all the scars on his face or the puppet strings? God, you really are stupid. You'll be picking splinters out of your junk for months. Cutting leads over a scratchy bass synth makes this one slightly noisy. But not in a bad way. Wasn't thinking much of it, but then they had to drag that growly 303 into the mix. You cheeky bastards. It ends in a flurry of synth melodies. I would've liked to have seen more 303 in it to be honest. Planet X- Didn't like it. It was more psytrance based with fewer goa melodies. So while not terrible at all, it just didn't hold up to the other tracks. Antikythera Mechanism- Not bad, got some twirling melodies in there, but it comes off as the full-on track it is. The climax starts filling things out, but there's a lot of rising and falling. Not stopping and starting, just not able to build some power. Nothing really special. Sumerian Technology- Ok, so we've sort of tailed off and all the enthusiasm I had for this release in the beginning is starting to wear off. Then this track came along. It's squirty lead is appealing and they start to layer again. Tension is built as the intensity increases. See, that's how you do it. There's a very Temple of One vibe here as they pilot this rocket home. Good stuff. Antikythera Mechanism (Herbivore Rmx)- Herbivore? You mean vegan non-showering occupy Wall Streeter? Hippie. This is slow with a reggae dub sway to it. Like I'm already on my 4th pass and the bong shows no signs of slowing down. I'm nodding my head, but I'm also wondering if my smokemates are making fun of me. I try to be sly like I'm not paying attention, but in reality I'm as obvious as drag queen. What? My wife's on the phone? Oh man...she knows. The samples are slowed down which made the almost 8 minutes feel like sixteen. Couldn't connect with it. C'mon. How many times do you read the ridiculous promo text and roll your eyes. Hell, I've commented on it numerous times. It's been on my desk since early this year and I now wonder what took me so long. This is the definition of exceeding expectations. They weren't kidding when they said goa melodies over big psytrance beats. Good for them. While not straight goa trance, it still is soaked in the sunny Indian beach sounds. It started off strongly, and kinda lost its way in the middle. They seem to do their most interesting and best work when playing in the goa medium. Their full-on is good, but not great. If you're going to call Artha's album goa, then you gotta give this the same respect. Of course it's not as detailed like an Artifact303 or an E-mantra, but it still has it's feet in the shore. This was an absolute surprise and I think it deserves some attention. Like Brandon Jacobs on a simple screen pass, I totally missed this. http://www.psyshop.c.../dha1cd004.html http://www.goastore....roducts_id=4113 Mdk

No problem sir. You deserve full marks for that wonderful piece of music. Mdk

Artist: Silent Horror Title: Seance Label: Devil's Mind Records Date: September, 2011 1. Inner Soul 2. Twinkled 3. Drum Ritual 4. Of None But It 5. Black Orb 6. Higher Access 7. Journey 8. Deja Vu 9. The Calling Do you like scary movies? Sh*t. Hold up...give me a sec... That's better. That's the scream I was going for. This is Jigar Shah, a marine engineer by profession, and he loves them. He apparently wrote all these tracks while he was on the open ocean. This is his 2nd full length album and if you cannot tell what type of music this is then I'm sorry your parents dropped you on your head. Repeatedly. Yep this is an album of dark atmospheres and rumbling grumbling bass lines as scary effects assault you at every turn. Sunshine and light have long since been decapitated and eaten and if you didn't leave a trail of breadcrumbs before you started this journey, well...you're f*cked. Maybe this will help Uh...nope. That made it significantly worse.Inner Soul is wet with fear as if a deranged lunatic with a chainsaw in a pig mask is stalking you in a deserted home. After a frenzied chase you seem to have outlasted him. For now. This was a great way to start. Twinkling is more of the same rampaging bass line and abject darkness, but I found it less interesting as there wasn't any building of dread. It just unloaded on you with typical darkpsy noise, but where he scores points is again with his very descriptive break. Scary, but too short. The break that is. Drum Ritual - Dark like the rest of the tracks with a deep, menacing bass line to be sure. But let's be honest...that's all it was. The only thing it made me want to do was see what the next track is like. Of None But It- Stop me if you've heard this one. Bass line + effects. Repeat. I liked his break once again, I just wish there was more of it. Black Orb- This one has a deep feeling of isolation, which makes sense if he created this stuff in the middle of the ocean. Wailing pads like forgotten ghosts moan but that is dominated by the scratchy and very loud darkpsy lead. "Oh yes...you have been hurt. Who hurt you Jigar? Who hurt you? *whispers* Who hurt you?" Higher Access- More very scary vibes from the start. But you knew that. I'm starting to think that making this at sea is almost like making it in a studio on land. We saw this before. It's called the last 4 tracks. I did like the last bit which had a bubbling quality to it. He's got talent, no question. Journey- "She took the midnight train going anywhere..." This is a much darker journey than candy corn 80's pop as you would imagine. He wields dark atmosphere like a scythe cutting through any and all feelings of hope and escape. This is more like it...every door you open you run into the lost souls that were violently murdered in this house. Oh thank God you're here, can you help me find the way out? What the f*ck! Deja Vu- Love...absolutely love the way this one starts. It's a nightmare of hallucinogenic proportions before the bass line begins to hammer away. Also with all the leads it seems to be more on the darker side of twilight so easier to digest. It's just a continuous downward spiral into terror. For me, the scariest track yet. The Calling- "The power of darkness." Undoubtedly the greatest surprise on the album with an ambient ending. After your body is murdered this must be what it's like to be confined to the limbo between the living and the dead. It's got it all...bass sweeps, zombie chants, eerie almost ethereal atmosphere...It's not until 6 minutes that a beat drops in, as if they didn't want to forget to torture your soul before sending you to the hereafter. I think you have to be a fan of this genre to really like it. It's angry and singular in purpose. A bass line and scary effects that don't quit. He does a good job on a lot of tracks creating a tense atmosphere, but it's heavily outweighed by what makes darkpsy....well, darkpsy. One trick pony bass line is nice but when it's deluged with almost ear bleeding leads it becomes tough to listen to. I guess it's like listening to your music with your parents. "Why you no study...be like brother. Be doctor!" So take this review with a grain of salt. I'm not that big a fan of darkpsy for the reasons mentioned above. If you are then you will probably love this. Perusing the big blue forum I found a review for this which was overwhelmingly positive. Mind you it was composed by someone with a screen name CinderVOMIT so he obviously has a taste for the finer things. I'm just Mike. http://www.psyshop.c.../dvs1cd007.html http://www.beatspace...ce+/detail.aspx http://www.goastore....roducts_id=4603 Mdk

Artist: Zed Reactor Title: Interplanetary Entity Label: Ezel Ebed Records Date: November, 2011 1. Horus 2. Dna Blocking Agents 3. Message from space 4. Bellatrix 5. Hades Of Gates 6. Beyond Galaxies 7. Phobos Two 8. Dark Nebula 9. Zedess *Doof doof doof* What was that? *Doof Doof Doof* No...it can't be... *Doof Doof Doof!* It's the return of Nitzho! As of late I've immersed myself in all music goa. Artifact303 Back To Space was brilliant. New E-Mantra album Pathfinder was another colossal win. So what have we here? From the people that brought you the compilations Spiritual Rising and Elixir of Life comes their first artist album. This is George Antonopoulos from Greece. Like you couldn't look at that name and figure it out. Says here that he makes Nitzho with a darker edge. What's not to like? Well, I guess if you detest Nitzhonot then you probably won't like it. But I must warn you, studies show that if you detest Nitzhonot then you are probably also into bestiality. Just presenting the facts. "Fine, you had your fun. Now where are we with that tuna salad sandwich? And so help me God there better not be any onions on it!" Since Agneton is a better musician than a reviewer, allow me to step in and do some heavy lifting. If I had to describe what this release is in gif form: So you would be thinking to yourself, "What a goofy looking alien. Those eyes are totally fake. They even walk like a stupid puppet. And what's with that voice? I'm suppose to fear this?" And that would be right before he lasered you into dust. Moral of the story? Don't judge a book by its cover. People say Nitzhonot and the first thing that comes to mind is some cheesy sh*t. Don't lie, you were thinking it. Fast bass lines with even more hyper melodies that race up and down ad nauseum... Exhibit A-E for the defense your honor? Your honor if it would please the court I would like to channel my inner Matt Damon? "You like apples? How you like dem apples!?!" Yessir, these are all examples of aggressive and melodic albums that should quell any notion that Nitzho can't equal quality. So George sees the writing on the wall. Greek uplifting is going down quicker than an Italian prime minister on an underage hooker at a bunga bunga party. But he doesn't see this as a negative. He sees opportunity. Opportunity to flex some creative muscle and bring Nitzho to the dark side. So like some crazy scientist he goes to the lab and comes up with this dark and twisted offering. Darker! More twisted than radioactive babies Pedophile Ewoks? O-o-ok...that's...uh, that's a little too far. That the guy from Penn State? But still dark! Horus- "Our computer is picking up a strange signal." Probably the Lohan virus. Really tough to get rid of. Infects not only your hard drive but also sets your genitals aflame. Good luck. Are you sure it's not a typo? I'm just sayin' it's an easy mistake to make, we've all done it. Just switch the r and u and...Ok, Ok...whatever. The first track is a perfect illustration of where his head is at. Yep it's got those faster than fast melodies, but it comes at you with that dark feeling. Sure it has the stereotypical slow downs and speed ups with funny samples, but they're well done. DNA Blocking Agents- "After running tests tomorrow...I must decide the best way of breaking the news to the medical association." Ok so not every at bat can be a home run. Everyone has times where...well... Not his strongest effort with sounds like the blue opera singer from 5th Element. I mean I liked it, but it does come off as pure Nitzho cheddar compared to most of the other tracks, lacking any of the interesting stuff. Message From Space- "Seems almost a message coming from space." This one has nice dark melodies twisted to the nth degree. Rapid fire doof kicks abound and I think Agneton would be in Nitzho heaven. Those leads morph and shine and the break is like a campy 1950's sci-fi movie spaceship landed on a mysterious planet's surface. Fun to be sure. Bellatrix- "All magic and no miracles is against the rules." I really liked this one. It is a combination of Max Headroom vocal manipulation with racing nitzho melodies. There's more of that retro horror modulated leads and he puts all the elements together well. Gates of Hades- "I am the eater of worlds. And children! And You!" I think he is reveling in the cheese. Evil sounding title that may have been so back in the 50's, evil sample that is probably from a 50's movie somewhere. He's got key changes and it's real fast. But that kick is a massive doof doof doof as the synth layers coalesce twisting and spiraling outward. The tone is dark of course and while not as an accomplished mixture of goa as stuff on Sita Records, it's still a good time. Beyond Galaxies- More aggressive as leads switch sounds and he just can't get away from that retro 50's sci-fi vibe. Synths sparkle and come together to make this one quite good. Phobos Two- "Proceed on present speed and trajectory." Another powerful mover with piercing leads sprinkled like confetti over the ever present doof kick. I like what he does with the leads at the break making them sound like a full brass orchestra. It's another different direction he takes Nitzho in so that has to be applauded. One of my faves. Dark Nebula- Those leads are like scrambled eggs. What the f*ck does that mean? I dunno, just came to me. Spacey pads form the framework as the melody races at supersonic speed. At the break a lead that sounds like an electronic frog barks out some tones. But it doesn't sound stupid like when X-Dream did it. Good stuff. Zedessa- And he ends this journey with a midtempo track. Dark and brooding, and he has some more fun by having a sample that speaks his name. C'mon, you know he's laughing his ass off. Good for him. Greece has been in the sh*tter for a while so some harmless fun is just what the dr. ordered. The swaying vocals remind me of a cult serenade just to add to his weirdness. This doesn't take itself too seriously. I think George had a lot of fun with this. And why wouldn't he? He combines Nitzho craziness and quirkiness with darker elements to make something that is different. The more I listened to this the more I liked it. There are loads of sci-fi samples that add to the retro cool factor. While it's not the first thing I would go to for my goa fix, it is playful and nice to have something that is so outside the box while still getting some goa crack that addicts like myself require. Recommended. If you like to have fun. since you seem to like 1950s era schlock films Right back at ya! P.S. Just to go along with the dark theme of the album...that chick is probably dead. http://www.psyshop.c.../eer1cd004.html http://www.beatspace...ity/detail.aspx http://www.goastore....b6ee8a4630076c6 Mdk

You are of course welcome. Need to check out your latest stuff. Mdk

While nobody can argue taste, perhaps you're over thinking things. I believe this is Arcana 2.0 with stronger melodies and deep atmospheric storytelling. And it's f*cking awesome at that. Like you said, he is going to make what he wants to make but since Suntrip has been top dog for a while, the "in" thing that people seem to want is "darker" goa trance. It seems that if you don't make that type of goa, then you what you are making is sunshiney fluff and that it is a disappointment. Emmanuel has his style and it's easily recognizable on everything he does. Personally I find his melodies darker than your average goa. Never once do I listen to his music and say "wow, now that is some cheesy cotton candy." Not to single you out Penzoline, but only because you replied, it seems that instead of listening to the music and appreciating it for what it is, we are always pointing to what it isn't. As if that je ne sais quoi that we imagine it to lack prevents the music from being good. Mdk

His Orange EP was how psytrance is done. I am really looking forward to this. Mdk

Spelled the artist name wrong in the title. I've had a hard time with it also. Mdk

Artist: E-Mantra Title: Pathfinder Label: Suntrip Records Date: November, 2011 1. Pathfinder 2. Metamorphic Resonance 3. Dansul Ielelor (Neurosect Edit 2011) 4. Valley of the kings 5. Above the skies 6. Distant Signals 7. Afterglow 8. Approaching Nibiru (Eleusyn rmx) 9. Deep Descent 10. If there is nothing Gesundheit. You know, in 2011 our cup truly runneth over. If you love goa trance as the majority of us do, then you cannot help but be pleased with this years output. The dust has just begun to settle from Artifact303's Back to Space and the label that has resurrected melodic goa trance has delivered another release from a titan of the genre. Romanian Emmanuel Carpus is responsible for the absolutely stellar space exploration goa trance epic Arcana in 2009 and aims to pick up where he left off. Questions abound of course since he is the reigning king of goa at the moment. Did his style evolve? And if so, what shape did he take? Will we all like it? Will there still be people that complain? Pathfinder- "If intelligent life could evolve here on Earth, then why not elsewhere? We'll be the first generation alive to find out." The beginning breathes like something alive and this track could very well have been on Arcana. Filtered leads spiral through space as the layering increases. It's a meteor shower with chunks of melody that break up as it hits an alien atmosphere. Shimmering and sparkling with some light touches that you could actually reach out and hold. Metamorphic Resonance- The space vibe continues with more bubbling synths and warm layers. There is a feeling of great distance and mammoth size with tracks like this. As if light speed wasn't fast enough. Churning and turning over as nameless moons pass by in silent watch. Welcome to deep trance. Population...all of us. Dansul Ielelor (Neurosect Edit 2011)- Here is the first remix of a track that was on Arcana and it isn't long before that recognizable melody appears. But only briefly. I look up and 5 minutes have bone by in the blink of an eye. Sharp 303's snap in the friction of space as one lead tumbles over another. All in a race to reach the planet's surface. Delicious. Valley of the Kings- While not a Nitzhogoa track per se, this is as close as Emanuel gets. The kick says nitzho, but the melodies sparkle with goa energy. Leads twist and ricochet off each other in his most powerful showing yet. His signature dark and drifting style is present with loads of layers. It doesn't get more outer space than this. Above the Skies- Clearly we have crossed a line into a more aggressive style as this one comes out swinging. Leads crawl from dark places like tendrils from some unknown beast. His breaks are short and only there to change the direction of the track. The leads blur and shimmer like a mirage as they stike and then fade. Wow. Distant Signals- What sets this track apart is the length of the break as the intensity builds. The leads continue to echo and even seem more tactile with sharper attack rates. It plows straight ahead like a comet with numerous off shoots. Afterglow- Melodic droplets stir the surface of a vast body of water. This is a lighter track with its feet firmly planted in deep trance as much as goa. The drifting continues with a 303 sparkle and bite. Layers increase as the track moves on. There is a mystery about this one as if unearthing a tomb from long ago. Approaching Nibiru (Eleusyn Remix)- This is the 2nd track from Arcana to be remixed. Floaty and distant like watching a pitched battle from a safe vantage point. It's short, but has powerful arpeggios that act as guide rails with a screaming 303 in protest. Deep Descent- Here is where this album separates itself from Arcana. No stranger to downtempo, Emmanuel brings a slow, pensive feel to this outer space jaunt. Astronauts converse as mystical synths uncoil. Warm pads reveal a massive horizon or maybe the rubble of a destroyed civilization. The winds of change are blowing my friend as this melancholy tune fades away. If There is Nothing- The 2nd downtempo track has a wonderful alien ambiance as whatever remains from the destroyed civilization crawls its way to the surface. It's cold and futuristic with a post apocalyptic timbre, as a bubbling lead slowly meanders through the wreckage. The first thing I want to say is that there is not one single 303 ripping stormer of a goa trance track here. If you want that go check out the Portamento album. But that's not what Emmanuel does. His tracks can be likened to a massive oak tree. The trunk is the solid foundation and as you climb farther up the tree melodies spiral and branch off in a myriad of directions. If you continue to venture further onto a branch, there are a massive amount of twigs you can follow. But the trunk is the solid foundation. His sound is truly entrancing and not focused on Arabic or Indian melodies we often see in goa trance. Nope, he is all about the farthest reaches of space and a mystical component. Like layers? There are tons of them here. It's like climbing into satin sheets the way leads and synth juxtapose for position. So smooth. The production sounds marvelous even on my sh*tty headphones. And on top of that he ends his album with two very nice downtempo tracks. You know, I suppose it's normal to become spoiled as time goes by. The technology helps make the music better, the sound quality improves, and we even become jaded by cover art. Reading the thread in the Label Announcements section you'll see people complaining about him sounding like Astral, the cover art sucks...yadda yadda yadda. I suppose I could've written the same descriptions for the first eight track. They all have the space vibe in his dark melodic style that will carry you away. If you loved the dark, drifting style of Arcana then you should love this. There are more melodies of a darker tone and atmosphere, but they are just as hypnotic with an insane amount of storytelling. The two downtempo tracks are a treat and a great way to end the album. It is my opinion that this is just as groundbreaking and awesome as his first album. Congrats to E-Mantra and Suntrip. Long Live the King! http://www.goastore....roducts_id=4676 http://www.beatspace...er+/detail.aspx http://www.psyshop.c.../sut1cd023.html Mdk

I was right there with you. I've been listening to it for quite some time, but couldn't put my thoughts together. It's such a great release with almost no flaws that it's difficult to describe. Finally just put it on and let the review write itself. Mdk

Artist: Artifact303 Title: Back To Space Label: Suntrip Records Date: May 2009 1. Magnetic Fields 2. Trancemission 3. They will communicate 4. For a better world 5. Tropical Sunset 6. Mysterious Fantasy 7. Beyond Lightspeed 8. Close Encounter 9. Delirium Remember that telescope that your Nana and Papa gave you for your thirteenth birthday? You do know that it ain't just for peeping into the window of that hot chick across the street with the big, big titties, right? Look, look, look...she's bendin' over! Penzoline wrote an awesome review so no need in rehashing the particulars. If you have a vivid imagination and a willingness to travel (damn bag fees) than this is an album that will take you past huge galaxies and through nebulae of limitless color. If the definition of our music is "to put into trance" than this is the illustration that Wikipedia would use. The comparisons to Astral Projection cannot be helped. And hey if you want to equate his music to a project responsible for some of the greatest goa trance ever created, I'm sure he would be ok with that. Who wouldn't want to hear that they f*ck like a porn star? The sound is as big as all outside with leads that intertwine and leave trails of color in their wake. Back To Space is a perfect title because your feet won't touch the ground until it's over. This is melodic fire in zero gravity as wave after wave scorches through you. It surrounds and caresses, with warm layers that bubble and undulate. It's drenched in storytelling detail and not jus another full on neo-goa clone. Magnetic Fields bristles with cosmic energy and lush atmospherics as it switches directions more often than a NYC cab driver. There are also introspective moments like the almost joyous Tropical Sunset placed smack dab in the middle of the album. Some say that it kills the flow, but I disagree. I think it enhances it and serves as a signpost informing you not to get comfortable. The 2nd half of the album shows that he can also blister you with a melodic assault that won't have you questioning his power. Mysterious Fantasy deluges the listener with a relentless acid shower in a kaleidoscope of hues. Beyond Lightspeed is an aggressive beast that builds, becoming more massive with eah passing measure. Besides, how can you not like a track with a Spaceballs sample in it? You can't. Unless you're a dick. Give Rick Moranis a break, it was the last movie he did where he could look in and the mirror and not feel shame. Close Encounters is another awesome track that brings back fond memories of Etnica and Crop Circles with it's delicious acid arpeggios and laser light focus. We're fortunate to have so many goa trance releases that seem to get better and better with each effort. The artists are really exploring their creativity and providing us with powerful music that can also evoke passionate feelings. Whether you like it dark or tribal, floating sunshine or deep space, goa trance is f*cking awesome these days. Congrats to Zsolt and Suntrip because this is a landmark in not just goa trance, but psychedelic music. One of the best. Ever. My apologies for anyone I send into an epileptic seizure with this gif. Psyshop Beatspace Saiko Sounds Goa Store Mdk

Artist: Astropilot Title: Emptiness EP Label: Sun Station Records Date: November, 2011 1. Emptiness 2. Emptiness (Flucturion 2.0 Remix) 3. Emptiness (Dream Stalker Air Mix) Russian label Sun Station Records releases a free EP by Dmitry V. Red'ko who at least for 2010 has been extremely prolific, dropping 4 albums in that year alone. Tells me that he had a lot of material stored up. My favorite was Solar Walk as he crafted some really beautiful ambient. He is known for his downtempo goodness, but this is a progressive track along with two remixes of the same track. Let's see how it goes. Emptiness- It's the type of progressive that is full steam ahead without any changes in it's foundation, but the effects give it depth. The break is really spacey with choirs, cold electronic computer blinking, but it's really short. Makes me feel like I'm alone in outer space and nobody is coming to rescue me. Emptiness (Flucturion 2.0 Remix)- Same style of progressive with different effects. It actually seems a little bit more alive. Sparkles more. It pulsates and shimmers in a more understated tone. Liked it a little better. Emptiness (Dream Stalker Air Mix)- "Our bodies are given life from the mist of nothingness." Ah, but Dmitry saved the best for last. The sample adds a futuristic and mystical air as it chugs along with bass sweeps. The break is reflected sunshine on chrome on a winter's day slowly bringing warmth where there was none. It bubbles and whines with more outer space samples and liquid sounds as it coasts to a conclusion. This is a nice little EP and an example of how remixes are supposed to be different than the original, yet still maintain some of the character of that original track. It's churning progressive that sounds very good loud and is easy to get lost in. Is it the best progressive I've heard? No, of course not. But it ain't bad at all. Couple that with the price (zero. zilch, nada) and you've got nothing to lose. http://www.ektoplazm...pilot-emptiness Mdk

Artist: Deliriant Title: Miracle Cure Label: Nexus Media Date: August, 2011 1. Edge of the Universe 2. Miracle Cure 3. Anti-God 4. Chronic 5. Face It 6. Peaches (Deliriant Remix) - Pitch Hikers, Shane Renew 7. One Sound Fits All 8. Final Thought 9. Recollection A little to the left...a little more...ok, one step right....perfect! Smile! This is what it feels like to have let this slip under the radar. Kind of a poor choice of words, because whoever was driving that tank obviously wasn't watching the radar. Maybe it was me. Between the new baby and this being the hiking season I haven't really been paying too much attention to music. Who am I kidding, I haven't been able to do much hiking at all. Be that as it may I will attempt to get my sleep deprived brain a new injection of music. This is Shane Renew, another South African that can bring the power in that twilight style that I love. His first album Chemistry...c'mon. I just wanna....C'mon mother f*cker let me rename the link...Damn this updated and obviously smoother running board! Damn you to hell! Actually, that's minor...I really like the new setup here. As I was saying, Chemistry (link below) was astoundingly awesome and if you haven't heard it I urge you to purchase a copy. http://www.psynews.o...__fromsearch__1 Wow, look at that old review. So sparse and...vacant. No pictures or nothin'. Anyway, this was mastered by sHiFt so it's got that going for it. Also, it is a digital only release as far as I can tell, so they apparently got tired of paying Joe Blow and Jill whoever the f*ck for CD costs, printing, and all that crap. I know some people love having the physical release, but let's be honest where are you gonna put it hippie? Something comes in means something goes out and we all know you're not gonna get rid of your bong. Yes, yes, we know you want a Kindle that plays music. Well they have that, it's called an mp3 player. Now you don't have to cart around all your Lil' Wayne Cd's. F*cker releases one every other week. Edge of the Universe- "This is Earth. Silicon and oxygen based with a metallic core. It teems with life and rotates once every 24 hours while orbiting a star called the sun every 365 days. Let us travel now at the speed of light departing from our home star on a trip across the cosmos toward the edge of the known universe. Our imaginary journey begins when we prepare to launce into space at the speed of 186,000 miles per second." With a crunchy beat and acid splatter the journey is underway. It's gutteral and feels like he just made Chemistry part two. Very groovy with dancing leads that combine in a bouncing melody. The break is also crystal clear bringing a bubbling synth to the front. Not storytelling rich, but it'll make you want to shake your ass in a co-worker's face. "Yeah! Yeah, can you smell that? I had tacos for lunch!" Miracle Cure- It sounds very futuristic and has me believing there is a miracle cure for all maladies. "WHAT THE F*CK IS WRONG WITH YOUR FACE!!!" So...maybe not a cure, but definitely some type of banishment. I see people in white coats with beakers full of colorful liquid and the whole environment is sterile. Sparkling leads ricochet off each other as lasers fire with reckless abandon. The acid starts flying with impunity and it was pretty good with a futuristic break. Not bad. Anti-God- Toxic chemicals drip from metallic surfaces and a lead peeks out from the darkness, giving you just a taste. It begins slowly but at 4 minutes the synths take over and the groove kicks in. Acid lines flash brilliantly and the track ends on a strong note. Chronic- I'm not about to review a track twice. You ain't payin' me. So here is what I wrote for the same track on the Secret Transmission compilation. "So how long before we find the answer to the question we all really want to understand." I thought this was ground that was covered. Three licks. Three licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop. This is Shane Renew from South Africa with a track that is also on his 2nd studio album Miracle Cure. It's got some bounce as lasers fire from places of concealment. The lead is spacey and fat as he fades into a break but he then brings the acid back for a thorough soaking. Face It- "Thank you ladies and gentlemen. It's a pleasure to be with you today." With a rolling synth arpeggio the dark mood continues. Thick acid leads are painted with a broad brush and true to form the climax gets uber groovy, but I just wasn't feeling this one. It's good, don't get me wrong, but in a way I also found it empty. Peaches (Deliriant Remix)- This was a great Pitch Hikers track off their Twilight Zone album. It bubbles but let's face it with that ominous synth you really can't go wrong. Would really like to know what the f*ck that has to do with peaches. You have scratchy synths, a f*ckton of acid and some pretty good groove going on. What Deliriant track would be complete without some lasers, am I right? Loved it. The only thing it needs is a midget firing a machine gun. Ahhh...lovely. One Sound Fits All- This is an alien lurking within the hidden corners of the spacecraft. This is you thinking you heard something, but can't locate it. It shows up as a blip on your heat scanner, but it's constantly shifting. Several times you thought you pinpointed its position only to find nothing. By the time you do find it, it's too late. It's large hulking mass is right behind you, ready to give you an acid soaking you won't soon forget. A good night time stomper this is. Final Thought- More dark feelings emanate from this track and the first break makes me think of that scene in Alien where the creature slowly drops behind the unsuspecting victim. I really need to watch that movie again. The acid starts to fly like spittle from a hungry predator as the climax has a nice bit of groove to it as the arpeggiated lead spirals off into space. Not bad. Dark, acid heavy twilight stuff! Recollection- Final track and it has a moderately paced swagger, like a firefight for all the marbles. Scratchy leads and acid blasts are the main course as they dance nimbly between artillery rounds. It's dark and introspective as more acid skitters away. Great way to close. In the end this is exactly what you would expect from Deliriant. Acid heavy stomping psytrance. All of the tracks have a dark vibe and are very danceable. If you loved Chemistry then you will love this also. Congrats again to the crew at Nexus Media. http://www.junodownl...ure/1786925-02/ http://www.beatport....cle-cure/392792 Mdk

Holy hairy nuts! He's a f*cking pimp! Mdk

I like the dark color and the green. There is a certain amount of pop which is easier on the eyes. Good job. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Ease Division 4 Label: Spiral Trax Date: May, 2011 1. Treebeard Speaks His Mind - VONOOM 2. Melting Touch - KLIMENT 3. The Last OCB - KRUSSELDORF 4. Wide awake - ESCAPE VELOCITY 5. Plasmaland - SIEBZEHN 6. The Purrts Of Navarone - ILLUMINUS 7. As Summer Gave Way To Autumn - KUKAN DUB LAGAN 8. Ffly By - TOR.MA 9. Water Cooler - KRUSSELDORF Spiral Trax is a Swedish label that closed up shop in 2006 when its distributor folded only to be reborn and taken over by Germany. Some big names have come through this label...Human Blue, Logic Bomb, Hux Flux. So there is nothing to be ashamed about if you've been taken over by Germany. I mean it happened to Austria, France, Italy and Poland and that worked out pretty well...right? I mean, you say Germany to me in the 40's and I'm thinking this guy. Sure he ran a camp for POW's, but they looked well fed and every week it seemed like there was a lot of laughs. He's such a lovable character I'm sure the whole country of Germany was just like him. Oh. That was there? Wow. That is no way to run a label. Sure it was a "hostile takeover" but this is business, it happens all the time. It's not like they made giant robots whose sole intent was to crush the Fatherland. Ho.Lee.Crap. Those motherf*ckers. What a terrible slice of history. All we can do is hope that it is never repeated and that a continent doesn't fall prey to a charismatic yet insane individual. IT'S THE END OF DAYS! HE'S BROUGHT BACK ZOMBIE GARY COLEMAN AND A KILLER 1980'S TRANS-AM! Treebeard Speaks His Mind- Michael Sundo drops a serious dubby tune for your ears. That bass will rattle a few windows in Kennebunkport this summer I betcha. Simpsons reference? Anybody? The slow piano chords provide stability as bubbly sweeps rain down like afternoon sunshine. He slides a squirty lead in there near the end for a pretty good track. Nod your head goodness I would say. Melting Touch- Haven't heard a whole bunch from Mr. Dichev, but what I have had the privelidge to hear was pretty damn good. He's got twinkly synths that make like sparklers on the 4th of July as a deep bass hums below. Cloud surfing melodies spiral throughout, and the clip clop of percussion makes me think of open meadows. Kinda like the cover. It's got it all really...piano, soft vocals, dreamy melodies. It's like being high and adrift without having to hit the pipe. Only one thing missing... Hey! How you doin'? What? Kids, no...no *pushes kids into pool* Those are my brother's kids! The Last OCB- R.I.P. Dirty. You were...different. What? Oh. OH! OCB. I'm sure Simon will be thrilled to have his name linked to a fool that showed up in a limo to collect food stamps. This is Simon Heath aka Atrium Carceri (which is one of my all time favorite dark ambient projects) With a deliberate melody and deep bass this track has a frenzied percussive style. You know, like the bpm would say 170 but it's a downtempo joint. Floating melodies combine with some earthy almost forest sounds. Can a track be relaxing yet also feel a little rushed? That's how this one made me feel. Mind Wide Awake- Oooh, juicy percussion! Like I stepped in a puddle. The pads are of course dreamy and the bass drop is a nice warped style. Shimmering leads reflect like chrome in the sun and the break beat hits me just right. And then right in the middle of the track he slows it all down. It's an extended break that brings forth what seems like an arbitrary melody before the beat shifts. Kinda weird transition, but I liked it. Plasmaland- Remember how Michael Jackson in the Billie Jean video stepped on a square and it would light up? That's how this makes me feel, though instead of squares it's clouds. And the view down is...breathtaking. If I were any more relaxed I would be comatose. Thankfully he throws a little soft percussion my way and it highlights how detailed and spacey this track is. So what are you gonna do when he speeds things up at a drum n bass pace? Know what I did? Just smiled. Purrts of Navarone- "And when I got started with psychedelics it was because I was...uhh, interested in a mystical experience." At first when I thought this was going to be an ambient piece I was on board. But after the Shpongle-esqe quirkiness and weird sounds I was turned off. This doesn't seem to fit in with what I have heard so far. It's not that the pace is quicker, but I found the chanting and sounds rather intrusive. On it's own it's fine, but put with these tracks just doesn't do itself any favors. As Summer Gave Way To Autumn- I've heard this before. Piano chord arpeggio and rastafarian sample telling me to choose one. But where? Bah...I can't think of it. Maybe I heard it whilst I was asleep and thought I heard it somewhere else. At least where back to the relaxing pace even though I don't care for the lead and its distorted, detuned self. Come to think of it, the piano is obtrusive as well. Yeah, I don't like this. And being almost 10 minutes long it'll take 2 weeks to get through it. Is it good? Eh. Fly by-You got your sitar appreciation ears ready? Good, you'll need 'em. The breakbeat lends an air of funk to it and the electronics give it a mystical vibe. Not bad. "Hot dog hot dog yes sir no sir!" Water Cooler- With a jazzy feel the funky drummer comes out to play. The emphasis is on real world instruments in a let's get everyone in the room and jam. What? Nah, f*ck the sheet music, follow my lead. Gimme a c, a bouncy c! Weird. I like the Ease Division Series as the number gets highger. 1st one not so much. The 2nd was better and the 3rd was really good. With the 4th one I think we have reached a plateau. It started off pretty good but then kinda lost its way. Lots of dub, some ambient, reggae...so there's plenty of different genre's to stick your teeth into, but it didn't blow me away. There were a couple of really good tracks so it might be worth checking out. http://www.psyshop.c.../spt1cd032.html http://www.beatspace...n+4/detail.aspx http://www.goastore....roducts_id=4416 Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Straight Forward Vol. 2 Label: Spintwist Records Date: May, 2009 1. SSH - MORTEN GRANAU 2. Galaxy Traveler (Neelix rmx) - FELGUK 3. Shockwaves - MIDIMAL 4. Sun Spot - LISH 5. Straight Forward - AQUALIZE 6. Prophecy (Zyce and Flegma rmx) - LIQUID SOUL 7. Controlled Emotions (Audiomatic rmx) - AUDIOMATIC AND VAISHIYAS 8. All 4 You - DAY.DIN AND DJ FABIO 9. Dreamless - PHAXE AND TIME IN MOTION 10. Perimeter - ORGANIX Spintwist is a Gernan label that makes progressive trance in the slowly evolving style. Where Iono and TesseracT Studio major in melody and atmosphere, I think this label took a few courses at the community college in groove. Not saying it's bad, just different. Their focus is not on tons of layers but in making you dance I guess. Still, their resume of releases is impressive on both the CD and the digital side. Ssh- Never heard of him, but what a nice groove to start the compilation. I'm sitting on my deck in the afternoon sun with a view of the mountain in my backyard and this just feels right. Toe tapping, head nodding, melody makes the November sun feel extra toasty. The break has oscillating waves of ligh that conbine with churning synths. When the 2nd break arrives it's blue sky as far as the eye can see as sampled voices get chopped up in staccato moments. Right now? Perfect. Galaxy Traveler (Neelix Remix)- Space pads and long whooshes open things up with more sliced voices and sound stabs. You can really hear the slap bass and speaking of slapping, someone hit the sequencer, it's skipping. That sample is irritating, but happily it is overtaken. IIRC, Neelix had a habit of including petulant samples in his work. And then over using them. Meh. Shockwaves- Let's not make any shockwaves, I've got 2 kids sleeping at the same time. Do you know how difficult that can be? This is Christian Merkis from Switzerland who recently released his 2nd album In Pursuit of Happiness this summer. Rest assured this boring track won't wake anybody with a lot of up and down bass work. It's the same crap until the break mercifully arrives at 5 minutes. Which is nice and littered with echoing sounds, but he shoulda stopped there because he jumped right back to the pre-break pablum. Reminded me of a blind date my mom set me up on... Yeah, we're still not speaking. I just don't think this is proper attire to go to the movies. *Gag* I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. Sun Spot- Lior Maimon and Shay Tiab released one of my favorite albums ever with Free Fall in 2005. Whooshes, oscillating synths, and bass sweeps give this some massive scope. But what I will always remember about this track is the effect that sounds like a phone is ringing off in the distance. I was lookin' all over for that thing. It chugs along nicely right into a deep space break where a thick lead taps out a chunky melody. Good stuff. Straight Forward- This is Vladislav Koumpatidis & Koinis Anastasios and I usually like most of their work. This one has shimmery leads with a chunky bass line. Kinda eerie vibe with the chopped up synth coming and going. Good I suppose. Prophecy (Zyce & Flegma Remix)- I've been on these two projects nuts like a speedo but that's because they consistently produce music of the highest quality. Their trademark effects are there, echoing beautifully through all the layers. It's a slow crawl as it takes its time. The break has a bit of a break beat rhythm to it and the effects don't stop. Once again their tracks are deep and only appreciated on numerous listens. Was this before or after Revenge of the Nerds? In later sequels he became the nerds's friend. Sellout. Controlled Emotions (Audiomatic Remix)- I've had Benjamin's latest album on my desk for weeks but my wife had to go and have a baby so I've been kinda busy. And this track is a little busy. It has more layers than I'm accustomed from this label and seems to be in a hurry. I haven't heard the original so I can't comment on whether it's better or even different. I can tell you that the sample isn't winning me over but the music ain't half bad. But I defy you to find one thing in this track that will make you want to play it again. It's like all these tracks are the hot chicks friends at the club only the hot chick stayed at home to study. Hey...sweet cheeks. Book's upside down. Now stop wasting that mouth on that skinny pencil. All For You- Yeah I didn't like this at all. Forget the chopped up vocal sample in the middle of the track even though that was annoying enough. It's just straight boring. They throw a token melody in at the very end like that should satisfy you. When I wan't some steak, don't give me a dog biscuit. And by the way, why did it take two of you to produce this boring mess? Dreamless- Love the work from these two projects and I have reviewed a bunch of their stuff. Go ahead, look it up. I'll wait. It's catchy and their work in the break is seamless. Twinkling synths echo far into the distance as they add layers. Believe me the filter knob is getting a workout as they twist that lead. It's positive and has plenty of sunshine but lost a little oomph towards the end. Very enjoyable for an afternoon at the beach though. Perimeter- Get it? They put it at the end of the...perimeter? Sigh. This is Daan Van Hamersveld & Pim Van Horssen and just a shot in the dark, but I bet they're Dutch. Haven't heard much from them. The first 4 and half minutes are are about as vanilla as it gets, but the last bit has a quirky groove to it. Oscillating synths, whooshes and a delicate melody that sparkles. Other than that it won't stay with me after the period at the end of the sentence. I think to call this anything other than a disappointment would be wrong. Too many mediocre tracks that outweigh the nice ones. For my money, get the first one and the Zyce & Flegma remix and be done with it. http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/spn/spn1cd025.html Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Southern Breeze Label: Echoes Records Date: May, 2011 1. Inter - KARL JOHAN 2. Supernova (Magitman rmx) - WEEKEND HEROES 3. It's Tech No - SAVE THE ROBOT 4. Necessary Activity (Fiord rmx) - ANDREA BERTOLINI AND LISH 5. Greatest Peace - GLITTER 6. Call Me (Victor Ruiz rmx) - D-NOX AND BECKERS 7. Dengue Express - ERIC ENTRENA AND SOMETHING GOOD 8. Mantra (Roy Rosenfeld rmx) - LUIGI ROCCA 9. All Nighter - GUY MANTZUR AND STEPHAN BAZBAZ Somehow this ended up in my pile of stuff to listen to. I can't explain it. Based in Israel, Echoes Records is owned by the guy who did the compiling and the promo says it is a massive release which is deep and pumping. Look, I've been doing this long enough to know when I'm being fed a line and this line is larger than the coke that went up Rick James nose. Inter- Let me be the first to tell you that this track will not blow anyone off the dancefloor. And I don't think it's supposed to. It's intro progressive house to the core with little evolution. Sounds get added as the measures tick by rising to a fever pitch. Let's see where they're going with this... Supernova (Magitman Remix)- This is Igal Magitman aka Etic with a remix. It's another progressive house joing with not a whole lot going on. If it was a chick at the club and they were getting ready to close I suppose I would take her home. Wait...how drunk am I? Cause while she has a slight funky side I would bet this librarian might have to work in the morning. Damnit, why are the lights so low in the club? This is not what my mind saw. It's Tech No- This is Alien Project + Quadra and no matter what theorem you use it all adds up to mediocrity. Seems like they have changed their style since their earlier albums. I would say this is a step in the right direction. The track itself has a funky sway to it with a popcorn lead. Nothing here is going to make you redefine the genre, but it has its charm. Necessary Activity (Fiord Remix)- The Strom brothers remix a Lish track with a lulling, pulsating effect. If you're looking for change and variation that ship has sailed. The first 4 minutes set the stage for a nice bridge, but then it's right back to what got you here. The suspense grows as the track seems to climb a never ending set of stairs. Meh. Picture going to work and killing company time on high speed internet and then having to come home to watch porn on dial up. Yeah, that sucks. Greatest Peace- This guy? He's still making music? Wasn't he diddling children or something like that? Probably not the same guy. All these tracks follow the same pattern, what the hell. Slightly groovy with not much change and a build up. Man this was boring. If I wanted to be bored I would ask my wife how her day went. Dont uh...don't tell her I said that, ok? Call Me (Victor Ruiz Remix)- Wow, you know how cool repetitive samples are? Good God this is going from bad to worse. Call you? If I see you in a crosswalk I'm gonna try and hit you. Quit jay walkin motherf*cker! Dengue Express- See if you name your project Something Good it gives ammunition to bored critics like me to poke fun at. It's a high standard that can be hard to attain. Still, this had some funky qualities to it. If only it wasn't so annoying. Whatever momentum it had was lost quickly along the way. F*ck me if I had a white flag I would wave it. Mantra (Roy Rosenfeld Remix)- This project might as well be my mail carrier because I have no idea who any of the participants are. The sample talks about...you know, I wasn't really paying that much attention. I was busy marveling at the save that goalkeeper made. I wonder if his country had that forward killed before he got off the plane. All Nighter- You sonofabitch. You made me wade through all that sewage for the best track? It's groovy with a casual style. I didn't wet myself over it, but compared to the rest it is a fountain of melody. You can hear the melody from the Bee Gees classic all housed up. But at this point I'm ready to go. If you are a fan of this type of progressive house I apologize. Not for what I'm about to say because I don't care if I offend you. I want to apologize for the record label making you waste your money on this crap. There is nothing interesting about this release. It's the same sh*t over and over with little to no melody or any twists or turns which may keep the listener from chucking it out the car window. Feel that breeze? Yeah, Echoes Records just farted in your face. http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/ech/ech1cd013.html Mdk

Artist: Wiz of Oz Title: Emerald City Acid Party EP Label: Acid Chemical Plant Records Date: October, 2011 1. Fuck that mainstream shit and start banging your head 2. Acid Snowflakes 3. Alice in Technoland "To the living...let now the dead...come alive." So I came across this in the Label section and since it was from Acid Chemical I felt I should give it a look. Then I saw the name. Oswald Pfeiffer. None other than PharaOm, aka Baron Samdi and now...Wiz of Oz. Makes sense doesn't it? Filipe has 43 aliases and if you're gonna release something under his label might as well do it under a different name. While I was less than impressed with the Baron's effort the stuff from PharaOm always left me with a smile. This is supposedly acid trance and if you pressed me I couldn't tell you what the f*ck that means. Got some goa sounds and it seems more raw than the ultra melodic goa we hear these days. The first track is the best with a slow saunter that has some major attitude. The bubbling 303 is a hallmark of this sound and you get over 7 minutes of it. Really entrancing with a break that you can almost feel curl around you. Couple that with the greatest track title ever and it's really win win. I also love the title of the second track as you can just picture it. It starts out with that 303 growl that snaps at you like a dog while a small percussive element knocks in the background. Not bad, but could've used a little more bubbling, a little more meat on the bone. The final track is the fastest and also the shortest. It seems like this was a sketchpad with a few ideas, but unfinished. First off this is free so check it out, there is nothing to lose. 2nd, if this is the definition of acid trance, then I like it. As I mentioned it is less layered and intricate than goa, but still has some of those elements. More groove oriented. The first track was tops for me as it had it all. The rest...I could take them or leave them. Good stuff Oswald, I would be interested in hearing more stuff like the first track from you. http://acprecords.ba...y-acid-party-ep Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Secret Transmission Label: Nexus Media Date: September, 2011 1. Delete Me - Pitch Hikers 2. Chronic - Deliriant 3. Blind Submission - Algorhythm 4. Crystalline Glass - Sidhartha Vs. Photonic 5. Reef Break - sHifT Vs. Tickets 6. Timewave - Khopat Vs. Tryon 7. Gees Fees - Biorhythm 8. The Worm - Sub-Zero 9. Devils Playground - Mantis Vs. Dr. Throb Oftentimes life comes down to choices. At some point you have put down the toys and get some age appropriate material. Say goodbye to Alien Project and introduce yourself Nexus Media. This is a digital only release from Twilight masters who have quite the impressive resume. I have all their releases and they are excellent. Pure power, melody and a depth that is hard to come by in psytrance these days. Sometimes you look at a tracklist like that and can be a little skeptical. Not with this label. South African to the bone. Delete Me- This is Chris Hoy (sHifT) and Liam Gibbs (Slug) both owners of the Nexus Media label. The amount of crushing hits between the two of them is too numerous to count so this seems like a good pairing. They released two studio albums (Twilight Zone & Sting) which were true to the twilight sound. Metallic synths and globs of acid scrape the wall until the break gives you a, ummm...break. The next lead you hear is a staccato one and then the track begins to fill out. Acid, screaming leads, and intensity follow. Nice opener, but just a taste of what's to come. Chronic- "So how long before we find the answer to the question we all really want to understand." I thought this was ground that was covered. Three licks. Three licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop. This is Shane Renew from South Africa with a track that is also on his 2nd studio album Miracle Cure. It's got some bounce as lasers fire from places of concealment. The lead is spacey and fat as he fades into a break but he then brings the acid back for a thorough soaking. Blind Submission- No clue who this is and you know maybe if Nexus Media would update their site more than once a year this wouldn't happen. Get with the f*cking program. Cause I gotta tell ya, I like this track. Robotic effects and twisted synths swirl in an unholy dance that should make Azax remember how this is done. Acid flies like it's from rapid fire bazooka and man it's nasty. Not as nasty as that girl who gave you herpes though. Remember her? Thought no one could see you didn't ya? Yeah, you're gonna need more than penicillin. Crystalline Glass- We all know the music of Nuno but Photonic is much more elusive. Well this is a great team because the acid is raining down like a typhoon as the bass line thunders across the track. Not only is the acid great but the lead brings the funk down from heaven in relentless waves. Intense and beautiful like twilight music should be. Really powerful psychedelic stuff. Reef Break- Joseph Summs and Chris Hoy combine for an electronic tour de force that is both powerful and gets caught in your throat like a chicken bone. It has techno vibes and a dark groove with its fair share of acid. Echoing synths create a nice eerie atmosphere and the climax is stacked with layers like my new bookcase. Ikea...where you can find some f*cked up sh*t. Timewave- Vasco Pedrosa and Telmo Pereira drop a screamer into your lap. Those leads are ear piercingly good and the whole thing is Exorcist movie dark. Evil washes couple with alien noises as acid erupts like an infants diarhea and trust me...I would know. Awesome stuff and we are getting back to where twilight belongs. Hey if you see my grandpa send him home will ya? I dunno...just tell him they got 5 flat screens and they're all showing Matlock. Gees Fees- Best.Track.Ever.From.Biorhythm.Period. Do I need a period after the word period? It's squelchy good with racing arpeggios and growling bass. So thick as leads snake their way about and the layers pile on. I didn't think this duo had it in them, but they proved me wrong. The lasers blast from all directions as the acid takes over. The final bit is armageddon that you will love. This is a track you dream of. I haven't had a dream this good since... Down goes Bieber! Down goes Bieber! The Worm- How delightfully alien to begin and this is where the compilation takes a slight turn towards the more...dark areas of the mind. It shimmers with an analog fatness that echoes into those darker areas where worms like to tunnel. The lead itself is unremarkable however and I feel this is an introduction to a new artist. Nothing more, nothing less. Devil's Playground- "Won't you stay and play with me? I'm having a tea party." Final track and it's the darkest one. Bubbling cauldrons of synthetics spill over into the dark underground prison. The bass line is really deep, and with the effects this could be the Devil's timeshare. I mean, other than the one he has in Orlando. Man, he really loves Epcot. More shimmering synths slide on rivers of fire and with the sample it sounds quite evil. The track has a great conclusion with a pad to add layers. Great ending. There you go. Nexus Media continues to be the leader in twilight psytrance. Intense, blistering, atmospheric...f*ck choose your own adjective. All of that and it makes you want to dance too. You really can't beat it. Like that chick that used to sit next to me in Calculus with the really short skirt... they got all the answers to your psytrance needs. http://www.beatport....smission/675085 Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Manga Vol. 3 Label: Yabai Records Date: September, 2011 1. A long time ago - Phatmatix 2. U.F.O - B-55 3. Clean page panic - Damage and Orca 4. Dude Rude - Bliss Vs. Brave 5. The Moment - A-Team 6. Freaky Boyz - Mesmerizer 7. A man on acid - Azax Vs. Bliss 8. Dangerous - Brain Hunters 9. Final Line - Toxic There are certain labels that you follow without question. For me, it's Suntrip for goa trance, Iono and TesseracT Studio for progressive, Ultimae for chill, and Timecode, Nexus Media, and 3D Vision for the twilight genre. Oh and don't forget Yabai Records. This label is responsible for some of the best twilight compilations as well as the stuff from Frozen Ghost, Phatmatix, and the Manga series. You know that whatever they release it's going to be quality. Well, the last Damage album sucked sweaty goat dick but even God made the platipus. I mean, not to question his unquestionable authority, but....what the f*ck was that? So yeah, Yabai has earned some credibility from me. Think of it like this. Know how in the US the bunny tries to steal the Trix cereal but he is always thwarted? Well Yabai has been a label with such strong releases it's a different story here. "That's my motherf*ckin' Trix!" Therefore it was with great happiness that I heard of the 3rd installment of the Manga series was on the way. Here come the people who know how to get the job done with dark, atmospheric, twilight music. Except this sucks. Good early but then the wheels came off. Let me show you how I got there. A Long Time Ago- It seems like a long time ago that we have heard from Stephane Rault. His two studio albums Sorcery and The Divine Comedy are benchmarks for me in the twilight genre. Fast, atmospheric, and melodically dark. Here he is channeling his inner French Renaissance with classical strings mixed with electronica. It's groovy no question and he uses great sounds to maximal effect. The break is an evolving entity as he twists voices and the end shines with an even funkier groove. I enjoyed it once I got past it not being a dark symphonic tale and took it for what it was. A good time. UFO- This Japanese duo have been twilight music staples and fixtures on Yabai compilations. They bring a rumbling bass line and loud effects with which to melt your brain. It's pretty layered with tons of sounds giving the track some thickness. No real melody to focus on, but that's all right as it's a driving straight ahead track. Clear Page Panic- "I'm gonna ask you a bunch of questions...and I want to have them answered immediately." Firstly, where does harmless office fun end and sexual harassment begin, eh governator? "No Herman Cain, No! No! Very bad!" The acid work is superb and this relentless track will have them dancing in the streets for sure. It's a pure power track that is the unquestionable gem of the compilation. Dude Rude- Hey a Bliss sighting! Welcome back, I hope you enjoyed your vacation from making quality music and are ready to get back to work. I mean, did you hear Looney Bin? I haven't seen someone fall that fast since Tiger Woods bagged all those hoes. I believe Brave is an alias of B-55. This is a quirky track that is full-on all the way. Build up? Yes, of course. Cornball sample? Absolutely. And right about here the tide started to turn. Guess he's still on vacation. The Moment- "And this is the moment the entire world has been waiting for." Yep. The McRib is back. You know they have a McRib locator so you can go online to find it. I'll give you a hint f*cknuts it's at McDonalds. I know, I know...they're hard to find. So much wrong here, where should I start? First, there is only one A-Team. B.A. Baracus would be turning over in his grave. If he were dead. I think I saw him pimping a gold chain on QVC. Poor name choice aside, this one had some good musical moments with a screaming lead and a nice break, but all of that was undone with the painful build-ups and guitar. Freaky Boyz- Let's leave the "z's" to the hardcore gangsters like N.W.A. And Chris Brown. Yeah, that'll help album sales. Yabai I don't know if you've had some layoffs due to the poor economy, but clearly the quality control guy needs some more re-certification. This doesn't even sound like stuff you would release. Full-on, build up. I was listening to this around Halloween and well... Look at him...he's in such pain. Why would you do this? A Man On Acid- Let's not even get into the discussion of how far Azax has fallen. Common knowledge that I feel has been well documented. But since you continue to align yourself with psytrance poison Bliss you only have yourself to blame. Think of a bland scoop of vanilla ice cream, in a plain white bowl, served in a purely white room with white furniture. Now repeat it for the rest of your life and you will have this track. Dangerous- Brain Hunters is Alfonso Zambrano and I think he tried to set the build-up record in one track. If you keep building up, the track never reaches its peak. Musically there were some strong bits but not enough to combat the avalanche of crap that rained down from up high. Finish Line- And then we have this. The only thing Toxic is his music as he fell off the psytrance wagon and got run over by all the oncoming traffic long ago. I'ts intense, I'll give him that. I also like the kick drum + guitar + cymbal stab. But the problem with beating a horse to death is that you're left in the middle of nowhere with no f*cking way to get home. The sample is screaming at you, the build ups were excoriating, and...for God's sake I'm thinking about taking up those chicks on their threesome offer... "No...No! Look what you drove me to!!!!! Damn you! Damn you to Hell!!!!" Oh Yabai, I expect so much more from you. Generic and incredibly annoying full-on loaded with painful build-ups without any of the dark, storytelling atmosphere that you're known for. What happened that you would ruin this once proud series of psytrance? Are you mad at me? Was it something I did? Tell me what it is and I'll change it. Look...I still like this label and think they can come back from this. But like the beginning of the Lion King you never got to see... Oops. http://www.psyshop.c.../yab1cd021.html http://www.beatspace...l+3/detail.aspx http://www.goastore....roducts_id=4577 Mdk