Trance2MoveU

Artist: Deimos Title: Ruptured EP Label: Diggarama Date: April, 2010 1. Ruptured (144 BPM) 2. Chest Pain (152 BPM) 3. Drifter (150 BPM) *Sung to Metallica's classic song* Master! Master! Master! Now...I don't think he is any of these. Although you could make an argument for Yoda due to his dominance in mastering releases. Don't believe me? Here's a list: Sky Technology & Nova Fractal – Versus Javi – The Aural Exciter Nova Fractal – Main Sequence Star Sky Technology – Next Visions PsiloCybian – Funny Farm Uth – Distant Instincts Mammal Footwork – Wallop Remixes VA - Pantheon VA - Future Architecture VA - Dimensional Gateway Croatian Igor Čeranić seems to be everywhere be it as Deimos or Perfect Blind. His style is also all over the map going from downtempo to progressive and now thanks to this EP, psybreaks. Ruptured- The synths attack and then recede as the breakbeat pushes on. The guitar (at least that's what it sounded like) reminds me of The Crystal Method. Back when they were good. Vegas was an awesome album. There is more guitar dominating at times and somewhere SUN Project is smiling. After a nice break, it gears up and gathers momentum for a blistering finale. Chest Pain- More breakbeats and undulating synths. This one stands out for its sample and lush break. Ha, stands out...there are only three tracks dude. It gets loud and becomes a wall of sound intent on overtaking all in its path. Drifter- It's a punishing breakbeat not unlike what you would hear in some Drum n Bass. The synths oscillate always being in continual motion. It's very cold and metallic sounding. There's not a lot of variation as it drones on. Hell it sounds like the previous track. In your face and pretty damn loud too. I liked it, bu not my favorite EP. Let me explain. There is nothing wrong with the sound. Sounds crystal clear. My problem is that there isn't a lot of room for tracks to grow when they are married to this beat all the way through. As I mentioned it drones on, not in a boring way, but in a heavy on the ear way. They all have similar song structures with the breakbeat starting out and then the synths adding up and growing into a cacophony near then end. Every now and then I would like this, but more than that and I grow weary. There aren't any nuances or twists and turns to challenge the mind. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Mammal Footwork Title: Wallop Remixes EP Label: Diggarama Date: December, 2010 1. Wallop (Deimos Remix) (128 BPM) 2. Wallop (Yashpal vs PsiloCybian Remix) (128 BPM) 3. Wallop (Odium Remix) (128 BPM) 4. Wallop (Sumea Natami Remix) (130 BPM) This is a 4-track EP that contains remixes of a tune by Mammal Footwork, aka Psilocybian. He had a good EP called Funny Farm and his album Wry Figments was also quite entertaining. I've never heard the original so for me this is like 4 new tracks. Hopefully. Wallop (Deimos Remix)- It's a slow progressive bouncer with washes in the Iono music style. Effects begin to pile up and the track gets thicker. Everything is smooth...the intro of leads, the way they fade out...really cohesive. He layers well as the track floats on rays of sunshine and never sounds too heavy. Awesome progressive. Wallop (Yashpal vs PsiloCybian Remix)- Oh the echoes! Computer whirrings and humming algorithms pop as a razor sharp lead sparkles. The break is juicy as bass sounds roll and synths flicker and new leads join the party. So very deep and dance friendly. Hell it almost...almost flirts with some goa flavor. So good I think I saw Jesus. Yep, there he is. Wallop (Odium Remix)- Washes, slow deep attack synths, and a straight forward groove. The funk sir...this track reeks of it. Lots of layers to keep you company for this piece of lush progressive trance. I'm gettin' down, I don't give a f*ck who is in my way. Watch out now! Wallop (Sumea Natami Remix)- With floating synths over a churning kick and bass this one is more subdued. Kinda like the end of a party. Been dancing all night so all you can do now is sway. Man I don't know what the original sounded like, but these guys crafted 3 progressive trance bombs and one closer. Rich and lush with beats to match. It sounded great and will definitely be on my playlist for a while. Even though it's the same song, they sound nothing alike. Get this if progressive is your thing, you shan't be disappointed. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Izmar Title: Inception EP Label: Diggarama Date: November, 2006 1. Foxhole (7:04) 2. Shelter (4:58) 3. The Grave Digger's Song (5:49) I came across this when I discovered more releases by Perfect Blind. I know I'm late with the Three Spires review, but I got a lot going on. Keep it together man it's coming. Diggarama is a netlabel that seems to like electro and techno type stuff. They like Ekto offer all of their releases for free. Foxhole- It begins with the gentle plucking of a mandolin in a sweet middle eastern melody as the electric piano chimes gently in the background. Maybe it's Greek. Hell, I don't know, but it goes down like a cold drink on a hot summer afternoon. Then all of a sudden a funky breakbeat drops in and I feel like I need to grab the mic and spit a few bars. But since nobody wants that how bout we just let the music play? It's chill and smooth with a great sunshine bridge. The electric guitar is soft like a spiders web and just as delicate. If there was ever sit on the beach and watch the waves music this is it. Shelter- Like a black man at a klan rally, this does not belong. How the hell did this overhyped vocal song get in here? And if you think it's not overhyped...and I quote: "we could very easily call it "the goal of the EP"... a masterpiece that REALY doesn't need any introduction or text info at all. Ambiental & fluid; with a beautiful female vocal giving this track a final extravagant touch. This is the song for a good morning... For the day that's right before you.. After just opening your eyes in the dawn, you could look out the window and just about say: "You are a mistery to me…" Numerous spelling errors aside, this reminds me of a lounge act that can only partially fill the house. All a matter of taste of course, but it doesn't belong on this EP. I skip over this every time. Exception- Super happy funtime sunshine! Nod your head delicious with chopped up synths and electric piano vibes. Gimme that microphone! I'm spittin'! "When I was young I used to hang with the 7th graders, little bad motherf*cker playing space invaders, Fucking with the girls in the 4th grade, either feelin on their butts or pullin on their braids. Walking with the schoolhouse bully By doin that, I had a lot of pull G, Cheatin on tests, makin a mess, cussing like a sailor at recess" Ok, I can't take credit for that verse. It's Ice Cube back when he rapped instead of directing kiddie movies. Anyway, that's what that beat does to me. So a nice little 3 track EP that has 2 good tracks. If it were a test that would mean a 67% so technically it would be a D in school. As in you dumb motherf*cker. But the other 2 are so good, that I think you throw track two out and grade on the curve. Nobody got that one right. Archive.org Mdk

Artist: Mukti Title: Amida EP Label: Ektoplazm Date: November, 2010 1. Entoptic Reverie (148 BPM) 2. Jazz Mutant (146 BPM) 3. Upon A Star (152 BPM) 4. Monoblock (150 BPM) 5. Amida (148 BPM) Hmmm...what's this? He's from the US? USA! USA! USA! My country is rapidly circling the drain it seems, so any good news is welcome. Lost the women's World Cup, dollar ain't worth sh*t, and we seem to like to war with the brown peoples. Enter Darren Harper with his 2nd EP release. He combines forest trance with stripped down ambient droning. Entoptic Reverie- The first minute or so is a decision. A decision whether or not to enter the dark forest as delicious sounds hover in the air. The atmosphere is wet with forest unease as the bass line shreds. Did you hear that? I thought I heard a...I don't know. Oh, look...a trail. Well I'll just follow that and see where it goes. Man it gets dark here early. The final melody scrapes above the bass line and maybe, just maybe...everything will be all right. Picturesque with a very descriptive atmosphere. Jazz Mutant- The minute echoing sounds give this track some real depth. This is how the hell did I get lost in the forest music. Spooky. The beat is nod your head good as the sticky forest slime starts cascading down the massive tree trunks. During the break I see little creatures hopping from branch to branch...hey! Did he...did he just give me the finger? As I'm walking (albeit more slowly now) I look back and notice the trail I just came in on has disappeared. What the f*ck? The forest knows...and it is loving it. If you're wondering where the jazz is, there is a hopeful saxophone blaring over dripping water at the end. Bizarre. Upon A Star- No intro here as the forest crackles with life. Black birds fly overhead and acid bubbles out of bog holes. The effects are the star here, creating such vivid imagery. They layer and this track feels deep as it just rains down with...dread. It's not heavy, but a perfect mix of fear and storytelling. Crackling energy. Hear that break? Su-fu*king-perb. I felt like I could hear every insect. That, uh...was an insect. Right? Monoblock- More cyber style darkness and a racing bass line snakes out of nowhere. The effects just percolate screaming and humming with an industrial force. No melodies. Just effects over the bass line. And me crapping my pants. Amida- What the hell did you do? Why...why the f*ck is he still talking? The subject of the Amida Buddha is interesting, but a sample over 3 minutes at the beginning of a track? At least it wasn't a flow killer. After that it's full steam ahead as the effects get louder and the forest gets darker. The break at 8 minutes sees the beat drop out as digital wind rustles the leaves. What you thought was a break continues as the trail out of the forest suddenly appears. Was it all a dream? I don't know anything about hosting parties. No idea what music is perfect for what time. Leave that to the professionals. But what I do know is lush atmospheric music and that is what this is in spades. You can tell the guy is fluent in ambient as he sets the stage for fear so well. It's like he's writing a horror movie soundtrack. Then when the forest sounds and effects jump in it is a wonderful ride for the hallucinatory. Dark and lo-fi (like da promo says) without being overwhelming. This is great music to get wrapped up in and let cascade all over you. So do it...get taken. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Brujo's Bowl Title: 900 Label: Glitchy.Tonic.Records Date: June, 2011 1. 900 (135 BPM) 2. Sub Minimal Message (135 BPM) 3. Reality Edit (128 BPM) 4. Train Of Thought (135 BPM) This is Saxon Higgs with another free gift. Actually it's his debut. I reviewed his other EP right here. He throws glitch, downtempo dub, and some of the fattest bass you've ever heard in a pot and brews up some goodness. The promo says psystep but I still don't know what the f*ck that is so I didn't mention it. 900- "How long have you been here? 900 years? That's a very long time." Deep, deep bass that can wobble some speakers. It changes from mid-tempo to breakbeat but make no mistake it is a minimal experience. Some other bass sounds and the odd sample, but after that...*cricket* And unfortunately this is the cream of the crop. Sub Minimal Message- "This might actually cause people to wake up." Hahahahahah!!!! Really? With the word minimal in the title and over 11 minutes? This track has a medium speed with more of his grumbling bass. I'm really running out of adjectives to describe it, but deep it is. And if you like bass and can focus on it for 11 minutes then man this is for you. You're gonna love it. Not me. I had to get a band aid because I cut my head on my desk when I nodded off. Reality Edit- Sparkling synths pluck above more sub bass and this is minimal all the way. That moderate pace makes it seem like it goes on forever. Ugh. The break in the middle is interesting but this track feels like slow motion and at almost 10 minutes...don't be driving when listening to this. Train of Thought- Not meaning to be literal, but I can imagine myself in a grand train station as the echoes thunder forth. Man that bass is deep and wobbly! It rumbles minimally until a pleasant breakbeat and then squeezes out low digital noises with a far away melody floating above. Real after party type relaxing stuff. I know this was his debut, but the other EP has a different and IMHO a more entertaining style. For the minimalists this will go down like hot tea on a cold day, but for me it was too boring. The long track times didn't help. He has a real talent for dub and breakbeats which is very evident even on this EP. Even though I will pass on this I will continue to follow him because he has shown that he can craft a great track. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Disia Title: Disorder EP Label: GS Concept Records Date: November, 2009 1. Inconstancy (115 BPM) 2. Slow Way To Chasm (100 BPM) 3. Phone Knot (110 BPM) This is a debut EP from Dennis Popov that combines glitch with slow downtempo grooves. Only 15 minutes? I've sat on the toilet longer than that. Hey f*ck you Leo, ever eaten at Taco Bell? Be that as it may, don't sleep on this. It's a haunting 3 track EP that has loads of descriptive layers and samples. Eerie piano melodies and twinkling synths that remind me of a horror movie centered around children. You know, innocence, but surprise! Not really innocent. Inconstancy is very short with aggressive snares and those twinkling sounds I was talking about. Slow Way To Chasm is really depressing with samples from a chick that sounds like she wants to end it all. Add in the piano, warm pads, and glitch and it's very beautiful. Phone Knot gets glitchy with the phone and sports a funky breakbeat. My favorite here. Well, there you go...it's like listening to the soundtrack of Silent Hill. Spooky with great effects. As always it's free at Ekto so go nuts. Ektoplazm Mdk

Wow, this really turned into a great discussion and educated me about something I knew nothing about. Thanks to all involved. Here I just thought Pusherstreet was a cool sounding name. As far as "fleshing it out" a bit...didn't sad Rupert Murdoch, hiding under a desk and repetitive Ralph do that? I think I made it perfectly clear in print and picture that IMHO it was boring . That was the vibe I got. It's never personal, and I'm not here to attack the artist. Just writing a review explaining how the music made me feel and trying to entertain. Thanks to Raz and Liam for their comments and the information about the genesis of your name. Very informative. Mdk

Artist: Cybernetika Title: Colossus Label: Ektoplazm Date: August, 2011 1. Gagarin (175 BPM) 2. Devoid Of Gravity (175 BPM) 3. Close Your Eyes (175 BPM) 4. Anomaly (177 BPM) 5. Ghost Of Midas (174 BPM) 6. Humanity: Static (Cybernetika Remix) (176 BPM) 7. Forged For Battle (175 BPM) 8. Electron Tracker (177 BPM) Sure he gets cable, but you should see the champagne room... If you don't know who this is then let me help you get out from the rock you've been living under. This is Lars Goossens whose Scythe of Orion was the best free psytrance release of 2010 voted on by Ektoplazm visitors. Didn't hear it? Get crackin' f*cknut, it's a whopper of a good time. But you can go farther than that as this guy has consistently produced quality music and all for free. Atropos, Nanospheric,...the list goes on and on. He is gifted in a lot of styles but what I think sets him apart from most artists is his attention to detail and atmosphere creation. Sure he is all about melding psytrance and drum and bass now, but he has done psy, goa, darkpsy...Go to this site and you can get all his music for free. Beside the awesome cover, you might notice the BPM's are pretty high. Don't be scared, just jump right in. Idiot. Gagarin- Epic science fiction beginning. He just keeps getting better and better. Can you feel the cold embrace of space? The slow glide of a star freighter as it passes between a moon and an alien planet? The Russian broadcast confirms that it was 50 years ago that Yuri Gagarin was the first human in outer space. Drum & Bass rhythms bounce as synths race to the planet surface. Let's face it layers and atmosphere is where Lars rules and the break is no exception as a dark melody slowly appears from the dark side of the moon. The pads maintain that cold feeling as machinery hums in the background. Beautiful and chilling effects top off this masterpiece. Devoid of Gravity- Icicle pads echo in the dark as the temperature drops well below -100. A slow breakbeat gives way to the more rapid fire drum & bass. Metallic effects scream in protest and it is those effects that keep my focus as the track rages on. A bass lead slithers as higher pitched synths trickle down. Smooth pads continue through a sparkling break as percussion gets filtered and knobs get twisted. A massively fast lead speeds across the bass into the next break and wouldn't you know another lead is waiting in the ready to take its place. Technical, cold and like ice crystals floating in zero gravity. Don't think it's easy to craft such a powerful and atmospheric track that lasts over 12 minutes. Bravo sir. Close Your Eyes- This track sounds like all the drum and bass stuff, but his layering of synths and atmospheric pads make it better. His break once again shines, with a melody that switches the direction. Unfortunately it doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the better tracks on the album. Good, but didn't bowl me over. Anomaly- This one has an odd time signature and...whew it's a pummeling. Very heavy beat and thick sounding. Once again he makes his mark at the break with effects and an evolving melody that touches the farthest stars. Nebulous twinkling sounds race from point to point and man, I'm just tired from listening to this. Good but exhausting. Yeah, but not six dick sticky where the hell are my panties I need cab fare exhausted. Ghost of Midas- Man I love his intros. So f*cking lush. It builds slowly with metallic banging and laser cannon bursts. A computer voice drones in the background and then the beat hammers away. A synth churns underneath the firefight and then the leads speed up the attack. More racing synths into the break where pads guide the listener as new leads bubble. Spectacular. Humanity: Static (Cybernetika Remix)- Never heard of Vortech, but here Lars remixes one of their tracks. No time is wasted as he jumps right into the beat. There is a computer voice that speaks unintelligibly, well at least to me. Sounds like Frontline Assembly with the industrial vocal. I don't like it as I feel it intrudes on the music. Personal opinion. Which is weird because I love FLA...well until the vocal style gets to be too much. Forged For Battle- I swear he takes the best part of Atrium Carceri and owns the atmosphere. When the beat drops he modifies the drum kits, I'm guessing switching kits in the jungle style. The effects and pads rumble and growl as the drums rocket at blinding speed. The break is a fluid thing, alive with guitars and thunderous drums. Alien, yet oh so welcoming. Powerful brother, what a track! Electron Tracker- A chopped up synth at light speed leaves a trail of destruction in its wake. It's pedal to the metal breakbeat that has spiraling melodies twisting like a pretzel in motion. A deep space lead trails colors in it's comet like tail. The break shines yet again with grumbling discontent moving with the slowness of a sloth. The leads are supersonic however, and a new one rings out of that same break. You would think over 13 minutes would be fatiguing but not so much. He changes leads so often that it remains fresh. Big finish people. The man has still got it. Easily one of the most accomplished electronic musicians. Period. The only reason I can think of he isn't signed to a label is that either they cannot afford him or he just doesn't give a f*ck. Does it for the sheer joy of it and the joy others get out of his creations. He excels where he always has with passionate and descriptive music. His layers produce the lushest of tracks as it has many twists and turns. That's the good. Two things. Penzoline seemed to be right on with his mastering comment. Now I will be the first to tell you that I am in no way qualified or a master of anything (except chocolate chip pancakes, that is where I rule). But even to my untrained ears it seems like all the sounds are of equal volume. The bass and kicks Lars uses should have the concussive force of a car accident and the synths should be scraping the cloud ceiling. Is it a problem with the mastering? I'll leave that to the experts, it's just something I noticed. Sounds great on my headphones though. Number two, IMHO (very important I stress that) I think the Drum and Bass has run its course. He's been doing it for awhile now and it sounds great, but I start to grow weary of the same beat style in all the tracks. It gets a little tiring to make it through the entire album. Nobody does it better than him and he has clearly made his mark. Some may say that about my reviews (stop with the gifs already!) but unlike me, Lars can do other genres. And do them exceedingly well. Since the dog ate the DVD that had the 5 hours of psy-polka obviously he needs to get that dog to sh*t it out and reassemble the pieces. Until then I think it's clear what direction his music should take. We've had darkpsy, goa, psy, breaks, dnb....I am convinced that if Lars decided to tackle a downtempo album it would be the greatest of all time. This one is still an awesome piece of music with just some minor flaws. A worthy addition to his musical resume. Enjoy this guy now before Hollywood snatches him away for paying work. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Hypnagog Title: Dreaming in Pieces EP Label: UP Records Date: November, 2009 1. Still Dreaming (128 BPM) 2. Funkdiddle (90 BPM) 3. Tiny Little Pieces (120 BPM) 4. Reflections No. 2 (129 BPM) Tired of downtempo being too "feel good" and lacking in psychedelia? Want something a little different? Feel like busting a cap in someone's ass? Then check this gentleman out. This is Felix Greenlees from down under with a 4 track EP that combines breaks and a PHAT beat that is dripping with psychedelic sounds. Still Dreaming- Eerie melodies and a funky ass beat but you had me at Spit that sh*t homie! The bass is a deep rumbling earthquake of funk and brings to mind some old Prodigy sh*t. Psychedelia whips back and forth while it sounds like The Riddler is on keys. Love the underwater tapping and how the tempo changes all in flow. The melody at the end is haunting and fits like a glove with this groove. Awesome! Funkdiddle- Did you get Gregory Hines to tap over this track? He's dead you know. Long time now. Your wobbly bass tipped over my tea. Now I gotta clean that up. Thank you. The tempo is slow and then increases and then hits the George Clinton funk mothership that is nod your head friendly. Super fast keyboard riffs cascade over a bouncy melody before the whole thing slows back down. Nice. Tiny Little Pieces- "Well the very big questions that uh, humanity has posed always, are where we come from, what are we made of, what is the future of the universe. But the universe like everybody else is made of tiny little pieces..." The Shpongle influences here are front and center as soft pads hum a forlorn melody. Acoustic guitar strums delicately as the track speeds up and devolves into a series of clicks. When the electric piano comes in I thought we were in the beginning of Cry Me a River by Justin Timberlake. The breakbeat is cool with the bass having a seizure of funk. Tender female vocals sing as melodies are tapped out. This is a real pretty song that seems to have it all. Reflections No. 2- Strings baby, beautiful soundtrack strings. So passionate and full of emotion. This is the most upbeat of tracks with lots of blips and blops from space popping and being tuned in like a radio. This is what catching a ride on a comet must feel like. Or being in the center of a kaleidoscope. He throws more acoustic guitar at you and it's like getting laid with your new girlfriend. Perfect. F*cking stunning. Absolutely superb and if this is just a sample of what this guy can create than anything he does is a blind buy. I urge you to check him out because his music sounds great. Beats, psychedelics, and warm atmospheric pads and strings. Get it. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Ork Monk Title: Speaking Stones EP Label: Ektoplazm Date: May, 2010 1. Barlang (154 BPM) 2. Speaking Stones (153 BPM) 3. Sweet Delight (154 BPM) 4. Slendrian (155 BPM) Who the f*ck am I to say your name is wrong, but according to the good book, clearly Orc is spelled with a C. Man, I used to read that thing for hours. But then I hit puberty and grew a pair. Ask my friend in the Star Trek uniform with the massive acne problem he'll tell you. "Worst review ever. Rest assured I was on the net voicing my displeasure within minutes." If he can tear himself away from the net arguing over probable plot holes in the Avatar sequel that is. Aw, who am I kidding...he'd have to get out of mom's basement first. Give 'em a break man, his hold on the job at the video store being a condescending prick is tenuous thanks to Netflix and the city bus stops running at dusk. If you are able to catch him at home I'm pretty sure masturbating time is between 7 and 11 though. Just don't want it to be...you know, weird. Anyway, start saying Ork and you conjure up images of this guy, Gandalf Last thing we need right now is a nonsensical verbal outburst from this speed freak. Sure he's had a couple of great movies, but there's a reason Mork & Mindy aren't in syndication. But I digress...the cover of this one brings me back to the good old days of funny shaped die and +4 broadswords. Back to a time when chicks would look at a group of us and say...ewww. It's ironic that today it's cool to love sh*t like Harry Potter, but back then you couldn't get a girl to go near the dungeons and dragons crowd. Get back dorks, I saw her first! Think we might have to adjust spanking time here... This is Zoltan Vajda from Hungary and his EP is offered for free over at Ekto. "I wish I were big..." I bet you do sweet cheeks! Why you gotta be such a racist prick all the time? Barlang- "Fix your mind on me." We start on the light side of the forest. Birds chirping, dog barking...but a short jaunt into the forest can get you turned around. The breakbeat and Shpongle esque vocal manipulations give way to the dark. Rising and falling leads whirl across the ears, sometimes skipping a step. It's pulsating and brings some digital farts to your ears. Not bad. Speaking Stones- "The speaking stones have lain a long time looking at the sun." It gurgles and crunches as if just chewing up the bones of its last victim. Laser bursts fire rapidly and a melody unfurls right into the break. A new melody fires out in short pinpricks and it's twisted. I like the layers as they weave into each other. Sweet Delight- "Every night and every morn, some to misery are born. Every morn and every night, some are born to sweep the light." More pounding rhythms while sweeps crawl through the trees. After the sample a small but smooth melody twinkles into view and the layers begin to grow. Full steam ahead. Could've used a little more twists and turns for me. Slendrian- "What you are about to see is inspired by true events." With some electronic glitchy regurgitation this sounds less like forest trance and more a trip down experimental Suomi avenue. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it. Cause I did, with it's eerie bubbling melodies and strumming guitar. Not the first thing that I would reach for but having heard it, I appreciate it. Especially the brass and the Star Wars alien at the end. What the f*ck? This wasn't your everyday forest release. First I don't think it was that dark, and who says that all forests are dark? I was in a forest the other day that was nice and light. There were some nice transitions that you don't see in a lot of forest trance and also it wasn't so heavy that you need to take a break. It's a nice take that sounds pretty good. Driving, melodic in places, and fresh with cool breaks. I would definitely say and up and comer. Not my favorite, but not bad either. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Eldiavolo Title: Forest Inside Me EP Label: Psymoon Records Date: August, 2010 1. Darkness Lies In The Forest (120 BPM) 2. Vicious (148 BPM) 3. Forest Is Inside Me (150 BPM) 4. Darkness Sound (150 BPM) This is Simic Vladimir from Serbia with a 4 track EP that begins with a downtempo track. Love the idea of a downtempo forest track to get your mind right into the thick of things. Tellin' ya Serbians, Croatians, the Balkans...they're takin' sh*t over. Darkness Lies In the Forest- "The full moon approaches." A downtempo forest track? F*ck yeah! It's short, but nicely dark and twisted. A slow breakbeat with forest slime cascading down the trunks of ancient trees. Some twinkling sounds echo in the dark sounding like some old Exorcist sh*t. It heralds the coming of the dark but could've scared me even more. Get your popcorn ready. Vicious- The longest track here. Twinkling synths ring above a rumbling bass line and dark samples as a scratchy lead escapes the sarcophagus. It just hammers away at the senses striping nerve endings to the bone with its relentless and unchanging assault. Creatures of the night lay in wait sensing an opportunity. Dark and atmospheric, just the way I like to be spoon fed. Forest Is Inside Me- Hmmm, another short track. But how long does it take for the sounds of torture to scare the crap out of you? Angry voices scream in a language I can't possibly understand and a galloping melody rings with detuned satisfaction. The voices mock me and I am lost in this forest. How the hell did I get into this mess? Darkness Sound- The melody is dark and eerie reminding me of a Trold or Derango nightmarish vision. A new lead slithers from behind a great moss covered oak in the manner of a cobra and without much variation snakes a path across the forest floor. Ashes from its touch flutter up in the air and just like that it's gone. I like the atmosphere and mood. Not too heavy, but melodic and sinister. This guy has got the goods people. His music is dark yet melodic. Groovy and scary at the same time. He stays away from the darkpsy cliches, but still manages to create a nice atmosphere. His music is straight ahead and if there was one weak spot, it was that there needed to be more evolution in the tracks. But seeing as how this is an ep, perhaps it's just a taste. Not only did he make the music he did the mastering and the artwork which I liked a lot. Look forward to more from him. Ektoplazm Mdk

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Furion- This one starts as a bit of gloomy electro that reeks of sci-fi regret. Very rich pads float past bubbling tones as it veers into the trance direction. oft like a lover's embrace this drifts along as if one were performing a space walk on the space station. Yeah it's 11 minutes but I didn't notice. Super. Weakness- "Your bones don't break, mine do. That's clear. Your cells react to bacteria and viruses differently than mine. You don't get sick, I do. That's also clear. But for some reason, you and I react the exact same way to water. We swallow it too fast, we choke. We get some in our lungs, we drown. However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I." I don't remember this part. Was it after the train accident? This is straight full-on but there is a lot of emotion behind it. The pads are lush and the sample is superb. It picks up the pace with some groovy synth work and nice layers. Don't overlook this. Antistatic Circle- Artha busts out the whooping stick with a absolute blister of a psytrance track with goa trance touches. The leads sparkle and the whole thing has more power behind it than an Ivan Drago jab. Wait, he was Russian wasn't he? Sorry I don't know any Polish boxers. Definitely a highlight of the compilation. "Whatever he hits...he destroys." Tempus Fugit- Got your sunblock? You'll need it as this is a very sunshine oriented progressive rambler. It's got positive vibes aplenty with bright pads and likeable melodies. Effects thicken it up and make this very good. Crows Symphony- Again with the crows? Space Element gets two tracks in a row and if you thought there would be crow sounds here well you're a f*cking genius aren't you? It's kinda cool the way the melody sounds like it was done on a violin. There is a certain rumbling to it that I find appealing. Full-on sure, but enjoyable. I'll tell you what, this compilation is reminding me a lot of my favorite movies. Aural Pleasures- "Do you like it hard?" Ugh, that sample. Luckily it's brief and the show can continue. More full-on with a bunch of layers is how I would describe this. You know when you go out and your friends have a scotch and soda or a Jack and Coke? This is like having an appletini as you try and chase the straw in the drink. Deus Ex Machina- "Banished from humanity, the machines sought refuge in their own promised land. They settled in the cradle of human civilization, and thus a new nation was born. A place the machines could call home, a place they could raise their descendants. And they christened the nation 'Zero One'." With a futuristic sample and a focused goa melody laser beam the battle is joined. The sample is from the Animatrix and has that cyber feel to it. It's a pretty good track with good pace and effects. Last Foray- Good groove to this one with a nice, punchy bass. There are some nice layers and the pads give it more of that outer space feel. It churns, kicking up dust as it goes. Another one of those tracks that has that slight hint of goa just beneath the surface. Impressive. From Life To Life- This is the 2nd Artha track and of course big things are expected. It undulates and twinkles with high tones as a lead screams in the forefront. It then switches to a new sound with some metallic clanking. More layers combine as it gets thicker. It's interesting and I think it begs for further exploration. Haunebu- Sundial Aeon is the other project I have heard before being a really big fan of the album Apotheosis from 2007. This is a plucky breakbeat track with echoing synths and emotional melodies. It's funky like something the Chemical Brothers should've been able to create. Wow, that was a lot of tracks. If you go into this thinking it's going to be just the Artha show, you're going to be missing out on so much more. There is some really good stuff here. Sure his tracks are what you would expect, but some other projects really brought their "A" game. As the promo says it brings together different styles that everyone should be able to enjoy. It sounds well produced and the cover artwork is very beautiful. Is that in Poland? Congratulations Templar and here's to seeing another 10 years from psytrance.pl! Man a review with a halftime show? Don't think that's been done before. Ektoplazm Mdk

Halftime Show We now rejoin our regularly scheduled review already in progress...

Artist: Various Title: Panta Deus Label: Ektoplazm Date: July, 2011 Part 1: Carpe Noctem 1. Swen (Dzoncy) strOOp - Forest In Peace (7:00) 2. JetMan - Alliance (9:41) 3. Saikotune - Ravens & Crows (7:42) 4. Prophets Of Orion - The One (8:22) 5. Stellar Magnitude - Timeshift (10:26) 6. Alien Bug - Total Eclipse (9:18) 7. Reflection Of The Mighty Shadows - Dead End (7:11) 8. Neuro Vortel - Liquid Face (7:17) 9. Aquilpra - Fearful Symmetry (7:56) Part 2: Carpe Diem 1. TLG - Furion (11:16) 2. Mesca - Weakness (8:26) 3. Artha - Antistatic Circle (7:17) 4. Space Element - Tempus Fugit (8:20) 5. Space Element - Crows Symphony (7:20) 6. Psychotrop - Aural Pleasures (7:16) 7. Psysutra - Deus Ex Machina (7:03) 8. Seismic Activity - Last Foray (8:41) 9. Artha - From Life To Life (6:33) 10. Sundial Aeon - Haunebu (6:36) This is a free compilation that is being offered to celebrate Psytrance.pl 10 year anniversary. Congratulations! Compiled by forum regular Templar it consists of only Polish artists in a variety of styles. There are a lot of artists that I have never heard of but let's be honest. Once you look at the track list one name is going to stand out. Artha. Yep, I checked...he's Polish. He delivers 2 tracks here but I caution you not to skip some of the other artists. When a large compilation of material is released they usually throw a whole lot of sh*t against the wall and see what sticks. Not the case here. I went to Poland once. The year was 1992. The Dream Team from the United States dominated the world of basketball, Nirvanna ruled the radio, and Nick Nolte was named the sexiest man alive. The world has since caught up to USA basketball, Kurt blew his head off, and well... Oh, the times they are a changin. Anyway, my cousin and I were taking the train throughout Europe and Poland had recently emerged from the dark side. When we arrived in Krakow (we wanted to see the camp) we were met by an older gentleman who offered to house us instead of using a hostel. Being 19 and not being so smart we accepted and looking back now this could've been the inspiration for Hostel. House was grungy and run down, he was creepy, and everything was dirty. We made it out ok, but when I think about it today, it wasn't the smartest move I have made. Still have some Zloty lying around I think. Yeah that's it. What? Every story can't be riveting you know. I could've told you that we escaped with our lives after being stalked by a homicidal maniac, but that would be stretching the truth. Actually that would be butt f*cking the truth. I would love to go back to Poland and see the country properly, that's for sure. Forest In Peace- This is a tribal downtempo opener complete with drums and chanting. Very mysterious as it shambles along but while atmospheric I felt it went on a little long. Alliance- With an electo feel this is a mid-tempo progressive track that sounds like it's feeling its way through the night. Like a car without a steering wheel it goes one way. At over 9 minutes it's long...maybe just a wee bit under 6 minutes...too long. Ravens & Crows- Another progressive track with deep bass sweeps and an ominous feel. Normally I would sh*t all over this minimalistic style but I just had a smash. Also with the alien effects and groove I'm liking this. Some of the sounds even resemble the cawing of crows. Maybe a break to intensify the feeling wouldn't hurt. Not bad. The One- "The function of the One is now to return to the source, allowing a temporary dissemination of the code you carry, reinserting the prime program." A little more intense here with galloping synths and detuned pads. Dark wailing sounds descend right to the end. Pretty good. Timeshift- "5 billion people died in 1996 and 1997. Entire population of the world. Only about 1% of us survived." Now those are some thick atmospheric pads! Right out of the gate I'm lovin' it's dark style as the leads begin to layer. Bouncy with increased intensity it makes for a great twilight track. The evolution is awesome with no boring parts. Not an easy thing to do at over 10 minutes. Bravo sir. Also, one of my all time favorite movies 12 Monkeys withholds the sample until the last third. Nice. Total Eclipse- "I'm getting off this rock. If you stay here, watch your back. It's not safe here. Trust no one." Good old fashioned twilight track right here people. Twisted and mangled vocals along with dark pads make this rather tasty. The two breaks add to the atmosphere and it is also rather groovy. Thumbs up! "Hey, Woman. Hey, Woman! Listen here. Since your old man ain't got no heart, maybe you like to see a real man. I bet you stay up late every night dreamin' you had a real man, don't ya? I'll tell you what. Why don't you bring your pretty little self on over to my apartment tonight, and I'll show you a real man." That movie quote might be a little before your time. Just think Bieber needed to hear it. Dead End- Listen to that track growl as cyber sounds whip past you. Like it? I do. Evil aliens with malicious intent are lurking in the shadows. At times it's a shimmering wall of sound and the percussion gives it a ritualistic feel. Like an impending sacrifice. Dark and brooding, it could've used a little more variation, but it's still good. Liquid Face- Whew, that bass line is quicker than a politician's promise as metallic sounds waver from all sides. Lots of noises so if you like noises, this one has a lot of noises. And that's about it. Fearful Symmetry- With a long space ambient setup, the galaxy opens before you. Colorful nebulae catch the eye as stars shimmer brightly. The break reveals how vast space really is with this dark and cold track. Very reminiscent of Cybernetika's work. Great track. Due to the length of this review we now join our halftime show already in progress...

Artist: DoHm Title: Swampology EP Label: Ektoplazm Date: February, 2010 1. Cenotes (DoHm & P. Tale) - Freaking In The Distance (150 BPM) 2. Domaki Peledaki (150 BPM) 3. It's Coming (148 BPM) 4. Sharange Varange (150 BPM) Domas Gudelis from Lithuania was kind to release some of his tracks on Ektoplazm. It's a mixture of forest trance with twilight atmosphere. Apparently the swamp is focal point for this type of music as TheRange Freak also drew some inspiration from that locale. Freaking In The Distance- "This fear...like the fear of noise, is inborn." What do you get when you cross ancient tribal chants, evil forest darkness, and a scalding goa riff? I mean, besides a bunch of people who think a shower is luxury or a matter of choice. A pumping track that's what. Twinkling chimes provide a low ceiling as the souls of the damned wail. When that goa riff hits, it will scald the skin right off your bones. Voodoo chants echo as the forest comes alive. Wow, what a start! Domaki Peledaki- Oh, you stepped in it now. You know you f*cked up, right? You know that. Forest creatures drag their talons across your skin and vanish in an instant. They're teasing you. Warning bells sound and their last victim can be heard choking on her own blood. It's darkness the whole way without becoming boring. He wields layers of terror and stacks the chips against you. Better run. It's Coming- "You are listening to an emergency broadcast from the US military. If you can hear this please use the microphone while pressing the send button immediately." Oh this is so deliciously dark. The rumbling bass sound curls around your throat threatening to cut of your oxygen. There is plenty of forest sounds that flicker above the bass line. Horror movie scary strings wail and moan and the only light is that of the moon high above. Totally alien with nice juicy layers of fear. Not darkpsy, but forest with the creatures closing in. It's too late when the transmission gets chopped up. Very nice. Sharange Varange- How cool is the humming beginning of this track? Life is in slow motion and I'm wondering if this is real or a dream. Forest with a twilight bend. The bass is punchy as the layers pile on like sharks that smell blood. Acid splatters and the forest sprites look to see what wandered in. It's dark and scary with a grungy, filthy sickness. What a pleasant surprise this was. Fully expecting another forest release, this was so much more. Dark, scary, yet not overwhelming to where it becomes heavy. He's got melodies and some powerful beats but don't worry he doesn't forget how to make the forest sounds. Highly recommended. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: New Age Hippies Title: Flight EP Label: Cyan Music Date: October, 2009 1. Wake Up Call (144 BPM) 2. Metamorphosia (140 BPM) 3. Love And Peace (138 BPM) 4. Im Over You (135 BPM) This is Marco Koeller who is responsible for the above project as well as Smooth, Tenonaki, and Smooth Genestar. His style is a nice blend of psytrance and progressive having released the very good Entrance and the decent Dive EP. Like this, both can be found free at Ektoplazm for your listening pleasure. Love the cover with the floating white circles. Reminds me of white blood cells traveling down the circulatory system. I'm a science geek, sue me. Wake Up Call- Sometimes the best track is the simple one. The one that has a foundation of a good beat and evolves as it goes on. There is nothing spectacular about this track, but each facet of it is good. Bouncing beat, simple bass line as well as non complicated melody. It's got an attitude. Danceable good stuff. Metamorphosia- More of the same with effects that screech by. The break sees another lead weave its way in and take control. It's like the British sound that just powers its way through a track. There is a certain dark feel to it as pads flutter and you can hear the depth. I can anyway. I've got real good hearing. Not a fan of the German language sample but I still liked the track. Love and Peace- This one has a grungy sound to it as well as popular trance touches. Almost euphoric. The evolving and filtered pad and vocal samples has me thinking Van Dyk is behind the decks. When he drops the breakbeat I smile as it keeps things flowing. Not bad. I'm Over You- With the slowest BPM of the EP there is a true house feel and that is cemented with the "I'm over you" sample that makes me grind my teeth. The music itself ain't bad, but I can't get past that sample. I liked it and definitely think it's worth checking out. He seems to be good at a lot of styles and not afraid to try some. There's power, melody and groove so I can't ask for more than that. The fact that it's free is the cherry on top of the cake. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Reactant Title: Initial State EP Label: Uroboros Records Date: January, 2011 1. Cultivated Abductee (135 BPM) 2. Ramble On! (137 BPM) 3. Tangled Brain (135 BPM) 4. Gloom Conclusion (132 BPM) Australian Dave Sharman releases this 4 track EP with the promise of tracks that will "rock the dance floor from dusk to dawn." See I didn't get that. Sure I'm older and the idea of partying from dusk to dawn makes me tired. Not to mention the hell I would catch from the wife for being out so late. But maybe you guys could handle it. Just like the promo says it is some dark progressive beginning with the minimal style of Cultivated Abductee. Basically a simple track with a bouncing bass line and effects layered over spoken samples. Atmospheric yes. Rock the dance floor? Maybe we have different definitions. See, Bluto gets it. Ramble On! "It's hard to come by honest work when the whole world's against ya." continues with the bubbling cyber atmosphere and it sounds great. I see humming machinery with glowing LED's as servos perform scientific tasks. Not very fast or rocking as this is an atmospheric churning rather than an ass wiggling track. How the f*ck would you dance to this anyway? Yep, as awkward as I imagined. Tangled Brain- With the same undulating bass sounds this one brings some eerie choir pads and they sound like some f*cked up Children of the Damned. It bubbles with evil purpose that hums with delicious darkness, but is far from rocking anything. It is also on the minimal side choosing not to overload the brain with layers. Gloom Conclusion- "That's what I'm afraid of." See tracks 1,2, and 3. Methinks the person in charge of the promo text was a little...distracted. That's it, keep huffing. I'm sure everything seems much clearer now. This was dark but it neither rocked or was groovy. But don't take that to mean it sucked, because it didn't. It's a cold autumn night when all the kids should be in bed and God knows what is roaming the forest looking for it's next meal. Very atmospheric while being simplistic at the same time. Enjoyable. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: SeaMoon Title: A Twisted Downbeat Adventure EP Label: Chillbasement Date: February, 2010 1. Outbackfrogz (76 BPM) 2. Purple Juice (91 BPM) 3. Tricky Transients (92 BPM) 4. Pink Elephants (90 BPM) 5. Chill Spice (84 BPM) Yeah, I'm still a little cash poor. It's nothing to laugh at sir. Ma'am. What the f*ck are you...and what's with the triangle head. I suppose I should be thankful for what I have. Nice home, beautiful wife, super son with another baby on the way. Sure I can't get around town like these ladies But I'm also not a morbidly obese drain on society. We all have our crosses to bear. German Simon Neumann releases his debut on Chillbasement Records. And what a debut it was. From the slow motion forest churning of Outbackfrogz to the cunning ogre daring you to drink the Purple Juice. Go ahead...taste it. You'll love it. It's dark and eerie when he turns the atmosphere up to 11. The kind of music that makes you nod your head to his undulating beats while still having to look over your shoulder. Tricky Transients continues the trend as leads peek from the cover over darkness. Yep, it's still following you so keep running. Pink Elephants might sound like a cute title, but make no mistake you're still deep in the dark forest and all out of bread crumbs motherf*cker. Only this time he breaks out the funk stick and scars you with it. Chill Spice ends it with a swagger Suge Knight wishes he had. He's still in jail, right? Oh. When did he get out? Really? *sound of footsteps running down hall and slamming door* Forest, breakbeat, downtempo atmosphere with a kick ass groove. What the hell are you waiting for? One of the best EP's around. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Setanic Title: Glowing Mushrooms EP Label: 2To6 Records Date: November, 2010 1. A Walk In The Woods (146 BPM) 2. Glowing Mushrooms (146 BPM) 3. Awake In Their Vision (145 BPM) 4. Gadinka S Gadulka (145 BPM) The above picture sums up how I felt after listening to this. This is Delian Kristoff from Bulgaria and boy does he craft some insanely twisted forest trance. Check out that cover...a mushroom with an eye on it? It basically tells Alice and Wonderland to go f*ck itself. As previously mentioned, only recently have I been enjoying the depth of the forest sound. While capturing the darkness of darkpsy it also delivers the bubbling and hallucinatory properties of LSD. I think LSD does that. I'm guessing here, as I have never tried LSD. But I have farted in the tub and that made bubbles so I like to think I know what I'm talking about. A Walk In the Woods- With a hard driving bassline sounds erupt from all sides in frenzied abandon. The synths wobble and waver like a 6 foot tall Jenga block. It's intense but not disorganized chaos. All the sounds seem to fit and enhance the what the f*ck are you doing walking in the woods in the wee hours of the morning by yourself b*tch vibe. Glowing Mushrooms- "Oh look...glowing mushrooms. Delicious looking glowing mushrooms. Maybe I could try just one." It always starts with one. Then before you know it the whole pack is gone and you're lying face down on the grass with no pants and a tube of whipped cream shoved up your ass. So I've heard. That sample is so delightfully off kilter it just makes the track. Twisted synths shimmer and wobble to make this truly hallucinatory and the stuff of nightmares. Awake In Their Vision- Continue the descent into madness. Sounds that normally wouldn't and shouldn't be put together flow into a nightmarish vision that only someone who has been on the end of an 8 hour trip could appreciate. Did I like it? Hell yeah, but now I also think I need professional help. Cause...I'm seeing some things. Really bad things. Gadinka S Gadulka- You know my first grade teacher had the same name. I would say "Mrs. Gadulka I need some more glue" and she would reply, "You've eaten three bottles already." Take a violin sound and then cross it with a sound you can make with your mouth, modulate it and then take one of the chromosomes away so that it suffers from crippling down's syndrome and you have the lead in this track. Clear enough for ya? Not a fan of this one as it sounded like a pile on of sounds. Wow. This guy makes some trippy music. It bubbles and is full of random scary noises. But unlike darkpsy there is a cohesion that when put together creates a great atmosphere. This is wandering in the creepy forest late at night when you should be saying your prayers. I liked most of it even though the last track became a little too overbearing for me. If you like the forest sound, then check this out. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Sky Technology Vs. Nova Fractal Title: Versus EP Label: Neogoa Date: August, 2011 1. Nova Fractal - Through Our Senses (Sky Technology Remix) (145 BPM) 2. Sky Technology vs. Nova Fractal - Dark Energy (Versus Mix) (146 BPM) 3. Sky Technology - Back To The Future (Nova Fractal Remix) (145 BPM) Man it has been a long, hot summer. I hate summer. So f*cking hot. I live in the mountains so you would think there would be some kind of relief but no. 98 degrees and humid like a Costa Rican jungle. Gotta find things for the kids to do so they don't drive you batsh*t crazy. Took 'em to the new petting zoo. I'm gonna have to talk to the manager. How dare they have my child out there with no pants on. Figured the beach would be a good place to cool off and check out the ladies... You sonofab*tch! So I'm back home and figured I'd teach the kid how to ride her new bike. How the f*ck to do fall off a bike with training wheels? You looked like Neo avoiding bullets in the Matrix. Needless to say what this summer could use is some goa trance. And through my many contacts in the scene (and by that I mean Richpa if he wants to talk to me) I was presented with the latest offering from the Neogoa stable. Dmitriy and Renato both had great EP releases with Next Visions and Main Sequence Star. Here they each remix a track by the other as well as combine on the second one. Got that? Through Our Senses (Sky Technology Remix)- I prefer the original to this one. This track is four on the floor straight ahead full-on goa trance that lacks the depth of the original. It's straight ahead without any of the twists and turns that made it interesting. Also, the lead annoys me. Ok, but I expect much better from Dmitriy. Dark Energy (Versus Mix)- Now this is more like it. With a darker mood and swirling melodies this track is a beast. The layers are thick bringing the heat like a double barrel shotgun. The break is full of crystal pads and bubbling effects allowing a reorganization of sorts. Wonderful! Back To The Future (Nova Fractal Remix)- The original track was brilliant and this is a worthy remix. Melodic synths dance lithely as they get filtered and switch positions seamlessly. It's got power to boot, so good job. Like Meatloaf said, two out of three ain't bad. But any goa trance is welcome and it's not like the first track sucked because in no way am I saying that. With Sky Technology due to his own talent the bar is set ridiculously high. Thanks again to the artists for dropping some more goa for free and for Richpa for continuing to provide what this sun baked trancer needs. Coming Soon! Mdk

Artist: Therange Freak Title: Tales From the Swamp EP Label: Liquid Tune Records Date: July, 2010 1. Lsd (150 BPM) 2. Nightshade (150 BPM) 3. Dmt (150 BPM) 4. Jazzcid (150 BPM) This is some spooky sh*t. Therange Freak aka Jar Jar Binks (stupidest name out there...why would you choose that? Everyone hated that motherf*cker. Unless that's your real name in which case my apoligies. Not because I'm sorry for insulting you, but because if your parents really named you that, then high school must've been a bitch. Never had a chance did you?) Anyhoo, he is from Macedonia. Where? Is that where they make them nut thingies? Excuse my ignorance, but in case you haven't heard the US education system lacks, oh I don't know...education. See, instead of shopping for a belt, this kumquat is looking for the latest Iphone. At wal-mart. That's not gonna hold your pants up f*cknut. But Walmart has long been the destination for that more...discriminating shopper. Haha, f*ck you Target. Now I'm gonna go out on a limb here, but I think this individual has experimented with drugs. I know, I'm clairvoyant. LSD- From the dank smoky rooms of the east's opium dens comes this bit o darkness. Hallucinatory to the core with wailing and bubbling effects. It's layered nicely and I can see the visions closing in. Nice. Nightshade- With a skittering of sounds the curtain rises on the Louisiana bayou. It's dark and other worldly, but it lacks the presence of the previous track. Kinda just straight ahead. Did he just say, "Get some lube in there." C'mon baby, you'll love it! Hey! Get back here! dmt- LSD & DMT on the same EP? Add Jazzcid and we might have to stage an intervention. Squelches and a rolling bass line join an eerie twinkling. Love the grungy breakbeat and layering of the sticky icky. Good track, but it kinda faded towards the end. Jazzcid- A piano right out of a 1920's speakeasy in a forest tune? Hmmm...one of these things is not like the other. Kill it! Kill it before it has time to spawn! F*ck a duck that b*tch is huge. It ain't long before the whippoorwills descend on lily pads and the liquid darkness begins to ooze. Chopped up synths add a little melody as the squirty effects continue to rain down. Some I liked, some I didn't. The chanting above the breakbeat was unexpectedly funky. Not too shabby. Nice little forest EP. He brought some interesting transitions into his tracks to keep them interesting. Dark and moody with some eerie touches. Sometimes is descended into average, but mostly it was pretty good. Give it a go. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Under The Moss Label: Forest Freaks Date: November, 2009 1. Triphonic - Vibe (140 BPM) 2. Gido - Controling Fx (142 BPM) 3. Ziog - Good Looking Ghost (145 BPM) 4. D.F.S. - Zero Degrees (145 BPM) 5. Schizoid Bears - Growing (145 BPM) 6. Re-Horakhty - Dreamy Cybernetic (148 BPM) 7. Cenotes - Creeps (148 BPM) 8. DoHm - Tabby Tail In Heaven (148 BPM) 9. MagicFungus - Deep Vortex (149 BPM) 10. Cto Gram - It's Too Late For The Fall (152 BPM) The very first release from Lithuania! I said...the very first release from Lithuania!! It's ok guys, you can applaud. Nah, don't worry about it he's gone. We f*cking killed him. No he's dead too. Geez, you guys have certainly been oppressed. Welcome to the world of psytrance and congratulations on your first release. I don't know any of these artists but who gives a f*ck? Well, that's not true, I know of Gido and DoHm as I reviewed some EP's they released. Know what sold me? Ok, so it's free and I didn't have to be sold, but do you know why I downloaded it? Because it had the coolest cover in the history of covers! It's like the darkness possessed Snuffleupagus! Waitaminute....that IS him isn't it? When he's not punching a clock and being surrounded by all these annoying kids and puppets he heads to the forest for some night time fun. I knew it. He probably eats children. Man....you think you know someone. Vibe- "Any place in the path of a hologram where you make one little change...if you make one tiny change...it's mirrored throughout the rest of the hologram." So we begin with a progressive trance track that starts to grow like...uh, moss. Pretty minimal at first, but the effects take care of that and the eerie melody at 2 minutes sent chills down my spine. Infrequent to start but then he built around it. Kinda came out of nowhere, you know? The break is short but sweet as the track growls to its conclusion. It's dark and creepy as if daring you to enter this forest. Loved it. Controling Fx- Gido had one of the colored EP's. Oh bullsh*t! No it isn't. He did, he released green or blue or purple whatever the f*ck it was. Hold on let me go into the vault and find it. Gotta be down this...no. Wait, I think once I turn the corner it'll be...What the f*ck!?! I swear I just went down this motherf*ckin' hallway! Who the f*ck painted this sh*t? Here's my review of his EP. You're welcome. This is another "psygressive" track that has some forest elements in it. It bubbles and spurts and it's done very well. The effects work well and it reminds me of British psytrance like you would find on Temple of One. Only with a dark and twisted intent. Good Looking Ghost- So...when does the track start? Wait..it's been going on? Wow, I thought I heard something in the background... I dunno anonymous gay black guy, but I think they fell asleep at the sequencer. Zero Degrees- It gets going at around two minutes with a psy sledgehammer and a goa sounding lead. I see we didn't forget to pack our dancing shoes!?! Reminds me of Kiriyama. Halfway through the lead switches and there is virtually no change for the rest of the track. Loses big points there. 1st half...pretty good. 2nd half...ZZZzzzzz.... Growing- First I hated it, but this one grew on me. It has elements of forest of course, but also some tribal touches which give it an ancient feel. The saxophone lead sound kinda puts me off and it feels thrown together, but it's still an enjoyable listen. Lots of kooky sounds that you wouldn't put together. Dreamy Cybernetic- Is that a coyote? Shut the f*ck up coyote! I'm enjoying this dark themed track with nice pads and forest atmosphere. I wouldn't call this forest trance though it is leaning towards the dark side. It has shimmering synths and a driving beat. The pads and ping pong lead are futuristic but it's a delightful contradiction in styles with some forest sounds thrown in. Halfway through the scary effects come out to play and what is out there is a lot bigger than I had feared. A nice post apocalyptic track with some symphonic qualities. Creeps- "A reddening of the eyes, lowered body temperature and lights up a joint in honor of his visitors." Undulating sound that grows in intensity amidst the backdrop of eerie strings. The forest sounds erupt in a frenzy from behind every moss covered tree it seems. The screaming lead gets twisted all to hell as the lasers fire intermittently. It's evident that everything before was leading up to this...this moment. Great track! All right...maybe just one hit...but then I gotta go. Tabby Tail In Heaven- His EP Swampology was f*cking awesome so this should be a treat. His ability to combine fear and melody without beating you down with darkpsy is very appealing. Like his EP it's forest meets twilight and the only light you can see is from the full moon. The track moves well and it feels like a chase with something dark and evil right on your tail. It loses a little steam towards the end but it's dark and entertaining. Deep Vortex- Skittering sounds flutter past me but every time I turn around they are already gone. The bubbling is visceral and gets thicker like the muck I just stepped in. In the forest, everything can kill you. Don't know whether to look up or down as it seems everything moves. Pretty cool, with all the gurgling and liquid sounds you realize that the more you struggle the faster you sink. It's Too Late For the Fall- "Some thoughts have a certain sound, that being the equivalent to a form. Through sound and motion, you will be able to paralyze nerves, shatter bones, set fires, suffocate an enemy or burst his organs." A quote from the movie that spawned a generation of sci-fi nerds busts out with a very fast track. Your forest sounds are palpable and I can feel them all around me. What the hell was that!? I dunno but it sounded hungry. Wobbly synths are starting to weigh heavily upon me, almost forcing me into the abyss, but I persevere. Warping sounds and juicy forest blasts are the stuff of nightmares. Powerful closer. Don't turn away from this gif...unless you're you know...scared. Cre...wait for it...py. This was quite good. Nah, damn good. The first half was a dark progressive style and the second dumped you right into the forest. Both halves had their strong tracks. The ones that were good were really damn good. I highly recommend this if you like it thumping and dark. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Yarema Title: East Plazderm EP Label: Resonanced Records Date: January, 2010 1. First Planet Mystery (105 BPM) 2. Long Way (70 BPM) 3. Pure Ajust (85 BPM) This is an interesting EP. It is the definition of a mix mash of styles. I have no idea who this individual is or anything about him other than he is Ukranian. This was the first and so far only release from this netlabel. It is composed of downtempo beats with crunchy techno breakbeats that rumble below mournful melodies. Nod your head music with a conscience that brings the same mood that is evidenced on the cover. Grey, moody, music. So is it any good? You bet. There are plenty of layers of rainy day sadness in the tracks, my favorite being Long Way. Pure Ajust has a glitchy DnB quality and sounds a lot faster than its 85bpms. Probably not the first thing you would reach for, but if you're in the mood for some pretty thick techno and downtempo tracks I urge you to check it out. I hope he decides to release more stuff. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Indoor Title: Progressive Trance Label: NMC Music Date: 1995 1 Vertigo (7:14) 2 Mad Horizon (7:38) 3 Amora (6:39) 4 Naxus (9:49) 5 Sweet Coming Home (7:12) 6 Sid (7:02) 7 The Key (8:29) 8 Camel (8:03) 9 Shiva (9:56) After reviewing the latest release Versus from Neogoa, I got a hankerin' for some classic goa trance. The good old days or old school if you must. When there was no Cubase or Logic, just midi. The internet was just beginning and not every teenager with a copy of Pro Tools was mass producing the next killlargh track. When creativity ruled and some of the greatest music of the genre was produced. This project was comprised of three Israelis: Avi Algranati (Space Cat), Marko Goren (half of Tandu), and Ofer Dikovsky (Oforia, Pigs In Space, and half of Tandu). Vertigo- Compared to today's goa it may sound a little sparse, but listen closer. The gurgling lead is snakelike in its movements and when the pads kick in another lead rises to the front with a shimmering quality. The break past 4 minutes isn't grandiose, but it just feels so feral with yet another lead popping across the track. Truly mystical. Mad Horizon- Such a powerful lead at 1 and a half minutes, as if it was climbing out of the abyss. They switch lead sounds yet again and it just feels right. It doesn't bring the heavy handed power, but guides you on the journey. The main melody screams above its supporting cast and ends in the popping of bubbles without losing its momentum. The final third it is full of layers and manages to bring a happy vibe. Amora- "Let's get to work." This was one of the tracks I wasn't initially fond of but man has it grown on me since. The leads grind their way forward as lighter sounds weave around the hulking beast. Squelchy best describes the sound, and if it touches you it's gonna leave a mark. Coming in waves of ever increasing intensity they even throw some tribal sounding drums in there. The end is a shimmering entrancing twirl on the dance floor. Super! Naxus- I always wondered if they misspelled this. Nexus, right? It's a bubbly tune that progressively gets more involved. But it has this mellow groove that I can't help dancing to. It floats into deep trance territory into cold space as it picks up layers. Near the end it picks up a more ominous tone and dives right into a massive outer space break with a wall of pads. Super smooth. Sweet Coming Home- Now this is just a great sunshine track. Feel good melodies sparkle above a churning bass line. It's got layers that engage the ear and just put a smile on the face. Less goa and more trance. A Very happy song. Sid- If I had to pick one track that was showing its age it would be this one. Right out of the gate it sounds very sparse and simple. The leads are indeed snarky and I think this one is low key. Groovy sure, but less detailed and intricate than others. The Key- One of their most popular songs it undulates goa trance. Leaks in rivulets from every pore. The only way you're not twisting to this is if you're in a wheelchair. I, ahem...stand corrected. The lead gets a little abrasive with a hard edge to it and continues spinning. Love the break as the sounds of aliens flit about. Awesome. Camel- Ahhh....one of my favorites. Mysterious leads wrap around each other in a spiritual dance. Synths bubble and skitter in tandem carrying me higher into the clouds. It has a thick melodic arsenal to it that immerses the listener in a deep state of trance. Yummy. Shiva- At almost 10 minutes this is the longest track on the album. Another track emblematic of the true goa sound. Whirling leads and layers of melody to twist the soul right into the break when it takes a sharp turn into the mystic with chopped up vocal samples. Heavenly indeed. This was their only album but what an album it was! If you are going to speak of the titans of the genre I don't see how this cannot be in the conversation. Even the tracks that I wasn't so fond of when I first heard it, are now Goliath. I love the new goa trance with it's better production and technology, but this is raw and untamed. It's the difference in going to the prom with the hot chick at your high school or showing up with Salma Hayek. Yeah she's a little older, but experience goes a long way. And let's face it, when you age this well... Good God I would breast feed until I finished my PHD. Here's the Avatar Reissue that was remastered. Mdk