Trance2MoveU

Artist: Etnica Title: Alien Protein Label: Blue Room Released Date: April, 1996 01. Screaming Butterfly 02. Chakra Active 8 03. Party Droid 04. Z Plane Sunrise 05. Microdrive 06. Starship 101 07. Deep East 08. Trip Tonite It makes sense that the country of Italy is in the shape of a boot. There are so many things about this nation that are kick ass. They invented pizza right? I'll be honest with you. If you offered me the option of a slice from Little Cesars or letting you take a sh*t in my mouth I would have to think about it. "Are you talking to me?" I know he wasn't born in Italy, but he couldn't be more Italian if you put him in a wife beater and a track suit and had him say "AY OH!" over and over. Save it for the next level Mario. But the undisputed king of Italy right now has to be this man "I'm not a gynecologist, but I'll take a look." Do you believe this guy? His hands are already in motorboat position. This is the new Godfather. No sh*t this guy is charged with more crimes than Hitler. Fraud, corruption, interfering with police, paying for sex with a minor...and don't forget the "bunga bunga" sex parties where he had underage women dress up and have sex with him. Then in his most gangsta move he said his accusers were just jealous because they weren't invited. I hear ya, playa! Everyone knows this was a group of four Italians that were also responsible for Pleiadians. A group that was responsible for some of the greatest goa trance music ever created. Ever. I would be willing to bet that 99% of this forum has this be it on CD, vinyl, or mp3. It is timeless and it never gets old. Screaming Butterfly- 2 minutes in and the melody moonwalks all over the track accompanied by gurgling synths in a grab a bunch of girls and dance like nobody's watching sexy party. It's a 303 beatdown that causes a shockwave. The intensity increases and the final bit is a wall of force. Chakra Active 8- After the opening blitzkrieg this one takes it down a notch. A combination of synths make spiraling melodies that change key. Where the opening track was a rocket ship ride into the sun, this is staying in the tanning bed too long. It's not bad, not at all, but it doesn't have the same impact. Still a good rolling piece of music especially the sparkling melody at the end. Party Droid- I love the dark way in which this one begins. The melody has both rumbling properties as well as sky kissing touches. The bass drop in the first direction change fits like a glove as more melodies shoot up like fireworks. The layers! The layers! Cool thing too is there really isn't a respite as new leads take over for old ones. Z-Plane Sunrise- So meticulous in the sounds it truly wraps around you like a blanket. Bubbling, racing...it's like the melodies sparkle with light every place they touch. It doesn't bludgeon you, but lifts you up with new arpeggios so real you feel like you can touch them. Love this track. Microdrive- Swagger, attitude. That's what this one's got. It's a bit of a grower but then that melody after 2 minutes comes in and it's all sunshine and beach parties. Twisting and turning like a roller coaster in an endless spiral it switches direction in smooth fashion. Starship 101- Falling synths and a bubbling undercurrent mark this as the last fast track. The synths stab with pinpoint accuracy and give way to a rampaging shimmer of a lead. Stand back, don't touch it! When the track deconstructs the 303 takes over but what's really awesome are the number of direction changes. It's powerful and magical taking you to the highest of highs. "So high I could kiss the sky." Deep East- Soft keystrokes touch the keypad as a smooth breakbeat taps out a rhythm. It crawls along, slowly as pads rise and fall and an Eastern melody unfurls over that same breakbeat. This is look to the sky and sway music. It's organic and insanely detailed in carrying the listener on comforting winds. Totally ethereal. Trip Tonite- Classic after classic, it's just mind boggling. The signature melody crawls across the sky and all you can do is stare with your mouth agape. . This track takes it's time. By no means is it a blaster, no it is a slow evolver that has a soft touch. It sneaks around on light feet but it's melody is lethal. Razor sharp with a withering touch while losing none of it's mystical focus. It's a perfect way to end this almost perfect journey. Unbelievable. One of the best goa trance released ever. If you call yourself a fan then this must be in your collection. Find it, hold it, love it. Mdk

While they're at it, book Boris and find out where the f*ck his head is at lately. Mdk

Artist: Anakoluth Title: Dwelling In the Void EP Label: None Date: October, 2008 1. In A Nutshell (132 BPM) 2. Achilles’ Heel (130 BPM) 3. Feinter Les Paupières (137 BPM) 4. Delphic Haze (134 BPM) I hate minimal. Hate it. It's just so...minimal. You don't go to Burger King and just ask for the bun. And minimal music has this habit of producing really long track times. Kick, small hi-hat, and bass line for about 5 minutes and then slowly add effects. And because there isn't a lot going on those 5 minutes feel like 10 even though I know they are attempting to build towards something. I don't have a lot to add to Psytones excellent review, but he obviously liked it. Hit or miss for me. It's definitely nighttime music and I can appreciate the effect it would have in the hours before dawn. The aspect that separates Roman's music from other minimal is that it isn't devoid of melody. Devoid, get it...see what I did there? He also can create quite the eerie atmosphere. Even though it's minimal it is still pumping and crystal clear. The goa touches are also appreciated. So for me there are times when I like this and times that I'm looking at my watch wondering what's on TV tonight. Depends on mood. One thing I can say is that it is quality and if I am in the mood for it, it's pretty tasty. In a Nutshell is an exercise in the eerie, but especially the last track, it's funky as sh*t. Me listening to last track: Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Silly Twit Title: Expedition Greenland EP Label: Neurotrance Records Date: December, 2010 1. Expedition Greenland (146 BPM) 2. Action These Days (146 BPM) 3. Espero P.C. Peace (146 BPM) 4. Caballemos (149 BPM) 5. Caminiesta (148 BPM) See that? This is what our government is doing to the American people. I've been reviewing a lot of free stuff lately because right now my financial situation mirrors that of the United States. Lots of debt and not enough coming in. However my credit's still good and I am actually in the process of taking care of it. That's where I deviate from the monkeyf*ckers that profess to run the country. You know what? I don't miss paying for releases. Not when Ektoplazm has my back. So much quality music for free. Sure, I would love to get the new Lost & Found disc as well as CBL's new one. All in due time I suppose. This is Matakana and Sequin who are so popular that they need only go by one name. Like Madonna I guess. The artwork is in the style of simple drawing and colors that seems to be so popular these days. Some hallucinatory stuff here, yessir! This EP actually tells the story of the search for a sheep that strayed from the Austrian forest. I know Oprah, right? Too much hookah pipe. *puts finger to ear* My lawyers tell me that I need to clarify that this is not Oprah, Precious, or the chubby black girl from Glee that can sing really well. Expedition Greenland- You know Greenland was named in an effort to mislead people into thinking it was a fertile and great place when actually it has more ice than Puffy did before he killed Biggie. It's true, look it up, he killed him. *puts finger to ear again* Really? Jesus, everyone knows he did it. Why do I have to say allegedly? It sounds like most darkpsy with the monotone bass line and scratchy synths, but then it gets a little more forest friendly around 4 minutes. Still it had it's moments...it was a little cool. Uh, no...it wasn't. Action These Days- The break (yeah I know there really was one!) was fairly cool and then right back into action. The same action you've heard let's see what's the count now? 465,258,853 times. Same bass line, abrasive lead...yadda yadda. Espero P.C. Peace- "Nice to finally meet you." And you as well! Pretty good darkness here with forest bubbles popping up all over the place. I think it needs more farting sounds though. Not enough liquid bubbling if you know what I mean. You know the type when you are just praying that the backwoods rest stop that you may be fortunate enough to get to doesn't already have a chocolate bar in the pool. Not great, but not bad either with a little more focus on atmosphere. Caballemos- "Some people lose their faith because Heaven shows them too little. How many lose their faith because Heaven shows them too much?" What an awesome sample from a totally awesome movie. Now my German is a little rusty, but I think that means take you and your melodies and *Sighs heavily and rolls eyes after putting finger to ear yet again* I know it's not German, that's part of the joke. You got one more time before I rip this f*cking thing out! This actually is the most foresty track. Lots of sounds and some actual eerie, wailing strings. The darkness is still firmly in place and it's my 2nd favorite one here. Caminiesta- You better not spread this around, if people find out that you're putting melodies in your darkpsy they're gonna kick you out of the club. Just kidding, don't get your panties in a wad darkpsy people. This is the most melodic track in the EP and a perfect bridge to bring people like me to the dark side who are not usually comfortable there. The bass line still rumbles but there is a small pinprick of light to not drive me away. Plenty of cool effects too. It even gets a little acid wash near the end. Kudos! I swear you look at all the comments for releases and you'd think you were at Isratrance or an artist's family reunion. Nothing but praise which is good I suppose. Mom always said if you don't have anything nice to say...I'm not a darkpsy fan or a connoisseur if you will, so take this review with that in mind. I'm just having a little fun. As always, judge for yourself. This may've been a little too heavy for me and sounded samey for most of the tracks. Moments were there but it just was too dark and uninteresting. *rips earpiece out of ear and crushes with foot* No! F*ck you I'm done! Done! Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Unusual Cosmic Process Title: Weightlessness Label: LookingLook Records Date: June, 2011 1. Final Race (126 BPM) 2. Lighted Up (126 BPM) 3. Connected Trough An Ozone Hole (92 BPM) 4. Weightlessness (95 BPM) 5. Place On Earth (118 BPM) 6. Emotional Trip (120 BPM) 7. Maximum Depth (103 BPM) Holy f*cking long track times batman! 11, 12, and 13 minutes? "I'm gonna have to get reaaaaly high to delve into this audio journey" is what I would be saying if I still got high. So instead I have to wait until the kid is asleep and all the lights are out. LookingLook Records, the label responsible for the V/A Dancing Mavka (still haven't heard it) brings you a Ukranian downtempo project. He's obviously going for a space vibe and having never been to space I look forward to what he comes up with. Final Race- We got ourselves some pretty funky breakbeat going on here. The bass sounds whip around like an Indiana Jones forehand as synths echo from a perch of safety. Not a whole lot of variation but I liked what I heard. Lighted Up- Now that's what I call a long intro. Effects and percussion echo simultaneously and we don't get a beat until almost 4 minutes. And even then it doesn't stay very long. Very spacey indeed. Maybe a little too much so because it seemed like he took a 4 minute track and tried to turn it into 10. Connected Through The Ozone Hole- Better pack a lunch for this motherf*cker. The atmosphere is thick with the deep cold of space and chatter that is soaked in reverb. Another long intro, but when the track is almost a quarter of an hour, you got a little time to kill. I mean I'm not saying it takes a while to get going but...nope, that's exactly what I'm saying. The break at 6'15" allows a reorganization of sorts and it grinds out a slightly quicker tempo complete with some frenzied drum and bass tendencies. It devolves to where it began but I feel it missed the epic mark by a long shot. Pretty slow and waaaay too long. Weightlessness- Now this is more like it. No delays, just right into it with layers of synths that sparkle above the bass line. Undulating tones guided by the foundation of that bass, it really portrays a feeling of weightlessness. It just flows and he brings some percussive riffs that ricochet off the ships hull. The track just fades away as if going behind the dark side of the moon. Pretty good. Place On Earth- "Do you want to know? Do you want me to tell you..." Where the hell did this come from? Easily the gem of the compilation with its measured pace and intense goa vibe. It's loaded with mystical atmosphere and great effects. Eventually it becomes a progressive stomper with screaming synths that place me on the top of a mountain in the Himalayas. Super! Emotional Trip- It started off very flowy without a beat but then he kicked it up a notch. Definitely a reflective track, perhaps looking back on a situation in your life that you might've done differently. It's ling but doesn't feel that way. Nice. Maximum Depth- We be seafarers now, with the sounds of a ship swaying in the ocean. Another long intro as the pads radiate sunshine and the bass feels alive. New leads replace old ones in a seamless, dreamy menagerie. Truly relaxing. This guy has talent...loads of it. While a couple of songs went on too long most struck a nice chord of relaxing atmosphere and deep meditation. Obviously the goa track was my favorite, but the lions share of them are very good. He builds slowly, rides the horse for a while, and then softly deconstructs his track. His use of effects is...effective and the sound quality was great. Do yourself a favor and check this one out. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Elegy Title: Sleeping Giant EP Label: Panzar Produktionz Date: June, 2011 1. Sleeping Giant (135 BPM) 2. B.I.L.L. (132 BPM) 3. Voices (135 BPM) 4. Tree-Dimensional (135 BPM) 5. Holy Mountainz (136 BPM) Panzar Produktionz recently delivered the Pusherstreet Ep which I promptly tried to give back. Don't feel bad, they can't all be home runs. Some people don't like exercise, what are you gonna do? But to those that don't like exercise I would say... Dude...what's not to like? Everyone deserves a 2nd chance ain't that right Lindsay? What are the odds that another disappointment is on the horizon? Hmmm...that might not be the best example. So here I go again checking out one of the latest releases from the Panzar armory which is again supplied for free over at Ektoplazm. Elegy is Daniel Mair based in Italy with a progressive style that reminds me of those titans of the genre Flegma and Nerso. Sleeping Giant- And it is just that with deep sweeps and slow attack rates that echo a tribal feel. The synths are spider web delicate touches that dance above the low bass line. It's packed with emotion and super smooth without being in your face. B.I.L.L.- "The world is like a ride at an amusement park. And when you choose to go on it you think it's real cause that's how powerful our minds are." Hold up, I can figure this out. But I Love Lesbians. Big Ideas Live Long. Who knows, but Daniel continues where he left off with wonderful effects creating a nice atmosphere. The tempo is not too fast and possesses a drifting quality with a subdued, eerie, melody. The above sample is superbly placed and fits the mood of the track as it is expounded on. More cool pulsating smoothness. Voices- I hear voices...they tell me to do things Who wants cake? One of the most emotional breaks. Ever. So f*cking smooth with soft progressive touches. Alien skittering effects and a change in tempo. Another triumph! Tree-Dimensional- This guy gets off to smooth starts with no jarring sounds or buildups to generate his atmosphere. All his synths are like soft rain on a pond with small ripples signifying the growth and evolution of the track. The sample is very brainy but slides in nicely with the keystrokes. Good stuff. Holy Mountainz- As I told Liam from Pusherstreet, I love z's. So if you put a z on the plural of mountains, it makes the mountains seem more relaxed. And they need it. Sweeps and echoing effects set the table to create movement. Twinkling leads prance above the spiritual space high atop great peaks wrapping one in a warm embrace. Nice and light as new sounds are added as the track evolves. Super! Wow that was a thick slice of awesome! Smooth, melodic and deeply atmospheric progressive trance. Make no mistake, this was dark with an emotional component. Never overbearing, but always entrancing. You know how a lot of progressive makes you wish you were on the beach? This is for sunset watching in the winter atop the highest peaks. This guy needs to be paid for his work and Panzar should ride this pony for all it's worth. I will be gleefully looking forward to more stuff from Daniel. Get it. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Radioactive Cake Title: A World of Delights Label: None Date: April, 2011 1. Monkey Hi Five (90 BPM) 2. Goat Herder (88 BPM) 3. Elephant Parade (85 BPM) 4. Walking On Strings (110 BPM) 5. Balls In A Slow (115 BPM) 6. Henowei (75 BPM) 7. The 5th Dementia (80 BPM) 8. Chongo (106 BPM) 9. Pistol Shrimp (100 BPM) 10. Rolling Stone Gathers Dirt (125 BPM) I thought I stumbled upon some hidden gem that the masses decided to overlook. Should've known Lemmiwinks was on the case. His review is spot on and I almost just let it go there, thinking there really isn't anything to add. Ah, but that wouldn't be my style. And this release deserves all the attention it can get. Check out that cover art. The track titles are represented in the artwork. Most anyway. I have no idea what a Henowei or a Chongo is. Cool in the way I hang my son's pictures on the fridge. As Lemmi stated, it's another free release offered on Ektoplazm which is like a treasure trove of goodness. Really, labels should look at what this guy is doing before they put out some of the crap that they do. Here's their site which explains that the two of these guys are from another planet named Slice One and Slice Two. May I suggest a little less medication? Monkey Hi Five- Hope you got that picture framed Boots, because Dora's growing up and you got kicked to the curb. Is it because you hi fived with the wrong hand? Maybe. Get your sh*t straight or you won't work in this town again. But this monkey's got beat! He's also got some pretty cool melodies and it's a nice start. Goat Herder- Check out the big beat on the goat herder! The guitar plucks out a funky and ethnic groove while the singing takes it to a Middle Eastern level. The break is full of sadness as a violin brings you home with a nice funky beat. Sweet. Elephant Parade- "Today is the day we celebrate our freedom!" What you cannot see is the poor bastard who was sitting on the tailgate 5 seconds before the stampede began. That sitar riff sounds like something Jay-Z would drop. The bass is a lurking while synths rip by. Another good break with sky clearing melodies and soft pads as it gets more intricate. That was a smooth ride. Walking On Strings- Ah yeah, this sounds a little post apocalyptic with fluttering synths and a breakbeat. Beautiful strings play off a cosmic lead and this track is laden with regret. What a wonderful trip that had me hitting the repeat over and over. Get it, repeat over and over? Balls In a Slow- Rhythmic drums and a jazzy bass line give this one a shadowy cool, with whispers guitar chords strummed below a slinky lead. Some nod your head goodness right here. Henowei- With a slow attack I feel like I should get all chanty! We drop the tempo here with a slow groove and wailing guitars and vocals. It's really full sounding with lots going on in the effects department. The 5th Dementia- Deep bass and some hectic percussion coupled with some great synths make this one a treat. After it fades out a new melody emerges and brings it to that Middle Eastern level. The 2nd break is eerie and makes me want to look over my shoulder. Chongo- Playing with that cool James Bond guitar are we? It gives it a sense of the old west. The bass chugs along as a mysterious melody chimes. I liked the cool break which had some interesting voices in it. Pretty cool atmosphere. Pistol Shrimp- Where's my f*cking camel? This is a hot hip-hop beat with ancillary percussion that makes it oh so funky. Good ride. Camels everywhere die just a little bit when that song is played. Rolling Stone Gathers Dirt- Insert Keith Richards joke here. Seriously how is that guy not pushing up daisies yet? This is another breakbeat dub style, as waves of synths shower over the track. Halfway through it floats with some dreamy vocals and catches a ride on the sunshine express. They trot out a squirmy Shpongle type lead that just adds to the depth for me. Great job! This was such an interesting release. Plenty of genres to sample from with most of the tracks being marvelous. There is so much detail and intricacy that it didn't get old after numerous listens. Great breakbeats and eerie melodies. These two aliens got it right and if you are in the mood for some varied downtempo climb aboard their spaceship. Well done guys! Ektoplazm Mdk

Templar, you really are testing my budget. How can you refuse the British psytrance sound? Mdk

Thank you Liam for your comment and to you Templar for coming to my defense. It's all taste. All of it. Some people like Venus de Milo and some wonder where the f*cking arms went. I didn't like this particular release Liam, so what? I'm one guy and by complaining about one guys opinion you do three things: One you sound like a primma donna that can't take criticism and two you give more power to my words than they actually have. Perhaps you're smart like a fox though as the third thing it does is bring attention to your release. Now people who might not have known about it will check it out and make up their own mind. That can't be bad, can it? Mdk

Artist: Toi Doi Title: Mother Pitch EP Label: Underground Alien Factory Records Date: July, 2011 1. Frogs Party (146 BPM) 2. Oxigen (146 BPM) 3. Worm Twist (146 BPM) 4. D-Liss (Recycled Mix) (146 BPM) UAF headed by our own Imba is out with their 22nd release and it's by a true veteran of the scene. I don't know if he had to promise his first born or worked out the kinks on that deal with the devil, but we have some material from the legendary Toi Doi. Gilles released his first album back in 1998 called Technologic that loads of people love. I never heard any of his stuff after that, but am always eager to see what new goa trance Imba delivers. As always, it is free. Frogs Party- If you guessed you would hear frogs on this one give yourself a cookie. Thankfully it never approaches annoying like my most hated song "The Frog" by X-dream. If you like that come to my backyard at night, we got plenty of frogs, crickets, and birds. Go nuts. The leads he uses are a little left of center, definitely not from the new school playbook. It's dirty with more of an underground sound rather than beating you over the head with layers of melodies. It churns along with no break whatsoever. Cool. Oxigen- More modulated filthy leads at both the low and high ends. Again no break, but he switches leads with ease. It drifts with a progressive attitude and with the crunchy bass it's a gritty affair that is quite danceable. For the last time, get off my f*cking desk! Worm Twist- He's got his dirty leads weaving amongst themselves as some tribal chants shout with joy. His leads are pretty awesome I must say. I liken his style in this way: While corporate heads fly off to exotic locales in their jets, the working man stays behind to make sure the company doesn't go belly up. He's a working mans goa producer. And this was another groovy feather in his cap. D-Liss (Recycled Mix)- This is the darkest track yet. It's got lasers, crazy good groove, and twisted leads. He just keeps hitting you with squirmy synths with that dirty appeal. It churns on with no rest breaks putting me in that state of trance. Perfect for spinning like our favorite dandruff queen. I know that a lot of people have looked forward to this release and to his return to the scene in general. Anytime someone wants to release some goa trance they should be welcomed with open arms. Gilles is a veteran who has been doing this for a long time. The fact that his first album is still talked about speaks to his talent and quality of work. If you liked Technologic you will no doubt like this. Sure I liked it. It was gutteral and crunchy when the majority of artists leap for sunshine and light so the change is a welcome one. But I'm not so quick to put this above other UAF releases. Sky Technology, Persistent Aura, Trinodia, Beast 303, Goa Overdose...I liked those more. If I had to put a number on it, I would say 4/5. Solid. Personal opinion and nothing more. I'm glad he's back as well and look forward to more stuff from him. Thanks for bringing him back Imba and for free no less. Recommended! Ektoplazm Mdk

Fabulous! If the point of a review is to educate and entertain then you scored on both accounts. It takes some time to do reviews as you well know and sometimes the humor as the reviewer sees it might not come across to the readers. Always a tightrope to walk. Way to go survey1 I'm flattered. Mdk

Is this Alex? Thank you for the compliments! I really enjoyed your album as the review indicated. My reviews are just one man's opinion and it's good that other people have differing conclusions. It helps me to see things that I might have missed when I go back and listen to the music. Above all I just try to make reading these things a little more entertaining. Also if it brings new people to the scene, all the better. Mdk

Artist: Organikka Title: Mind Control EP Label: Neurotrance Records Date: March, 2011 1. Mind Control (148 BPM) 2. Halloween (148 BPM) 3. E3blue (148 BPM) 4. Zero (148 BPM) God I hate rap music today. When the hell did it change from rapping with style and having a good time to the hook laden bullsh*t of today? Even Kanye used to be good then his head exploded and it's been a sh*t sandwich ever since. Remember when gangsta rap used to be cool? But then white kids stopped being afraid of it and now the latest rap jingle can be heard in a McDonalds commercial. Buh da buh da da, I'm lovin' it! But really I'm not. So for my birthday I boarded a bus and beat the sh*t out of Lil' Wayne. How to Love indeed. I mean, he's like your slow witted cousin that speaks with difficulty and stares a lot. I don't deny that he's had a rough upbringing and if the world is gonna lap up everything he regurgitates then he deserves his success. Just don't expect me to fall in line. Anyway, rant over. Since I'm still broke I have been all over Ektoplazm and their fine selection of free music. This is Bruno Faria from Portugal with his debut. I do love me some Portuguese psytrance almost as much as the stuff form South Africa. He appears to be a jack of all trades as he did the mastering and the artwork as well. Mind Control- "Do not translate this message. Just listen." Oh yeah, I'm gonna like this. With a heaping amount of acid and lasers (you will find he REALLY likes this) he does the twilight sound proud. It swirls and echoes with a dark tone as he switches melodies. It's a frenzy of nighttime madness. Halloween- The word Halloween evokes all types of evil imagery so this is a track tailor made for twilight sounds. His bass line is a deep rumbler, while lasers and acid splattering everywhere. It's lean, mean and ready to drive right over you. Power and attitude are its calling card with just no regard for safety. I really liked it. Boom! Eblue- This guy loves the ladies...I mean, lasers. Fine by me, because he's good at it. Some of his sounds remind me of The Frog from X-dream. Unfortunately this one is kind of thin with no real direction. It would seem he was building towards something, but then it would just fizzle out. Zero- "Well, the only way you're going to get order is if the Batman takes off his mask and turns himself in. Every day he doesn't people will die. Starting tonight." Get ready for an all out assault on the ears with lasers firing at will, a rampaging bass line and rising synths. There is no rest it's just the foot mashing the accelerator. Look, Gary Busey will tell you, this guy is just cramming this track straight up your rectum. This was a good twilight EP. Plenty of lasers and acid for those (like me) who love that stuff. The only complaint I have is that it seems the leads are lacking in power or fullness, whereas the bass seems a little too prominent. Believe me it's not enough to take away from this rampaging ride. Recommended for all lovers of the twilight freak show. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Synthetic Forest Title: Min Egen Lilla Vaerld EP(Oh yeah, you got that right!) Label: Sacred Evil Records Date: January, 2011 1. Ogcocephalioidei (138 BPM) 2. Trollish (138 BPM) 3. Min Egen Lilla Värld (138 BPM) The first thing that drew me to this was the unbelievably good looking cover. Dark, foresty, scary...The second was my burgeoning interest in the forest genre. I suppose it doesn't get any more forest than an artist named Synthetic Forest. This is a 3 track EP that combines the forest style with tech-trance. Right off the bat you can see the BPMs are lower and there are a lot of stops and starts as well. I've crucified artists for that sh*t but here it adds to the...eerieness. Ogcocephalioidei- "The difference between the LSD experience and the DMT experience..." The first track has enough vowels to give Vanna White a heart attack. I can't even pronounce it, but what I can tell you is that bass can't get too much lower. It's super spooky and laden with effects. Hell, there's even a chick's high-pitched sneeze. It's dark without being threatening but it really feels organic. Like tendrils curling around your arms. Trollish- Guess what, the bass got lower. It's more frenetic, but has a super descriptive breaks. Alien sounds roll out of the forest in waves as larger winged creatures fly above the canopy. I thought I heard Treebeard, but who the f*ck knows. Sometimes it was a little too chaotic, but that is a minor quip. Min Egen Lilla Värld- The formula seems to be deep rolling bass line with high toned effects clanking above. Add more effects. I didn't feel connected to this one as more often than not it resembled noise. A little on the minimal side at times but I like what he tried to create. Forest trance can be really complex and tough to follow sometimes, so thank you for the moderate track lengths. It was dark and delicious to experience. Visceral and alive. I would recommend a little more variety in tempo because it would keep the mind focused. But this is a small EP so you get a pass. It will be interesting to see how this artist's music evolves. I tell ya, I'm starting to like this type of trance. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Grower Label: Lookinglook Records Date: May, 2011 1. Atati - Versions (60 BPM) 2. Spectrum Vision - Outsiders (100 BPM) 3. Mahaon - Leaving The Limit (feat. Locus) (75 BPM) 4. Vonoom - Dirty Dishwater (80 BPM) 5. Overdream - Mystique Cabalistique (92 BPM) 6. E.R.S. - I Went Irie (The Orient Funk Experience) (100 BPM) 7. Irukanji - Muti Cappa (88 BPM) 8. ShizoLizer Gin - Sweet Dino (100 BPM) 9. Xylonite - Thermal Expansion (125 BPM) 10. Unusual Cosmic Process - Cosmic Harmony (96 BPM) 11. Liquid Crystal - Raindrops (90 BPM) 12. Kalpataru Tree - MetaLullaby (77 BPM) Part eight and the final chapter in the series "That's it? After 6 months that's what you f*cking came up with" brings a beautiful cover in the vein of Ultimae releases. Letterbox format with pretty vibrant flowers amid blowing tall grasses...I can feel the stress just melt away. The lion's share of these artists are unknown to me, but I treat that like a good thing or a new adventure. Like that party I threw a while back. It was supposed to be just for family, but I guess you can't control who your family...brings. Grandma! Grandma!! No more gettin' low...you just had hip surgery! Man, Pablo got hammered. At least we found him a ride home. Might as well kid. If the Henny don't get ya, judging from all the snacks on that table, the Diabetes will. When asked for comment Satan replied, "Whoa, whoa! Don't pin this on me. I didn't tell that crazy b*tch to do that!" Versions- Great way to start the compilation. It's a slow, drifting piece of ambient that has swirling synths and a constant bass line with no drums. Sporting a nice melody and growing more bold as time progresses until it slowly slinks away. Outsiders- This is an abstract bit of music with elements of glitch, downtempo, and tribal influences. The title suits the track being kind of stand-offish. With spacey melodies and soft synth touches it switches between percussive styles. Not bad. Leaving The Limit- This one has a funky little beat with more outer space melodies. Different synths fade in and keeps it quite interesting. Very thick track and very enjoyable. Dirty Dishwater- With loads of effects and a dubby beat we get into some dirty dishes. Sunny afternoon type stuff with a smooth reggae flair. The whole track just bounces along like it hasn't a care in the world. Mystique Cabalistique- With techno and tribal leanings, this track has an eerie tone about it in an Alice in Wonderland kind of way. Chopped up voice samples and rining sounds echo mysteriously throughout. There is some pretty piano and string parts that make me feel I have just stepped into the frying pan. The pace quickens and becomes quite frenzied with all the comings and goings. Interesting, getting all flutey at the end. I Went Irie (The Orient Funk Experience)- I see your bouncy beat and raise you one funktacular track. You wouldn't think a gentleman named Manfred could get down, but man fred got down! His basses were crisp and he mixed in some percussive wizardry that had this reviewer dancing. Felt like I was at a block party. And the cool thing was he kept introducing new sounds and phases to make that 9 minutes fly by. Good job! Muti Cappa- This one was a strange mix of outer space sounds and Earthy flavor. You had acoustic drums, a strumming guitar, and some screeching and moaning. Not my idea of relaxing. Didn't care for it. Sweet Dino- Yeah he's sweet, but didn't he get into a lot of sh*t too? This is upbeat in the progressive style but bursting at the seams with effects. It sounds like something Aes Dana would do, you know there floaty progressive ambient style? Yeah you do. The synths are deep outer space and radio knob twisters. Thermal Expansion- With a crunchy kick and soft tones this track is a drifter. Synths gallop through computer generated realities as pads form the framework. There is a very futuristic feel here with analog synths screaming as they fly past you. And the end is like falling into a down comforter surrounded by pillows. Bravo. Cosmic Harmony- You don't normally hear a gun being cocked and the word harmony thrown around together, but I suppose that could forge a type of...nah I can't even finish this sentence. But this track should be listened to. Epic. Truly massive in scope and detail that made me feel like I was moving even though I was standing still. Superb! Raindrops- Holy crap that really does bring forth images of rain falling. Well done without sounding cheesy. Very full with nice melodies and changes in direction to keep it from becoming boring. Because at over 9 minutes...well ya gotta do that. MetaLullaby- Ethereal voices float over plucked strings as electronics click deliberately underneath. It's really just an outro but a perfect way to end this business. This was a great compilation. I'm telling you I have heard just as much great free music as I have sh*t I had to pay for. Really, this close to no longer buying stuff. You had a lot of styles here and it sounded great. No question, this was a good one. Ektoplazm Mdk

According to Discogs it's for sale! This sounds like great news! Organique And it can be purchased here! Juno Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Yggdrasil Label: Yggdrasil Records Date: September, 2005 01 :: PhasePhour - Evolution of Space 02 :: Heggmatech - There Is A Place 03 :: Trold - Fruit Juice 04 :: Krussedull - Lord Vader 05 :: Tech Republic - The Incredible Machine 06 :: Phobium - Self Interest 07 :: Loke - Twisted Nerve 08 :: Psy-Fi - Wind Chapter 7 in the series You Motherf*cking piece of Sh*t is an oldie but a goodie. I am fairly late to the forest party, but what I have discovered is that not only is it insanely trippy, but it can also be melodic and groovy as hell. This is a free promo that the label put out 6 years ago full of Norwegian artists. Since the massacre (hence the title of the review) in Norway I figure it's the least I could do to shine the spotlight on our very good friends way up there. Norway. Up until recently the only other country that gets less attention is Lichtenstein. Seems like all the other Scandinavian countries steal all the notoriety. Denmark has Hans Christen Andersen, Finland has reindeer, Sweden has hot blonde chicks, and what does Norway have? Fjords? I'll tell you what they have...some seriously twisted musicians. Evolution of Space- I wasn't aware these two guys made forest music. Ah, but here you go. The bass lead is the big feature here and it gets twisted this way and that. With echoing effects it feels more outer space than Scandinavian forest. Not a lot to be afraid of though as it doesn't really evolve into anything. There is a place- "When and Indian is lost he must reach into the spirit to find a way. We are lost right now." Now this is more like it. Trippy sounds rising and falling and did you see that? That motherf*cker pushed me down this hole! This is rife with the stink of fear but has some melody to give you just enough light to see the overgrown trail. Spooky animal sounds call from the dark to let you know you're not alone. Creepy. Fruit Juice- "Hey! What kinda party is this?" A f*cking awesome party, that's what! This has melody, plenty of effects, and a groove factor that's off the charts. It throws my entire perception of reality into question. I feel ya. But you expect nothing but the best from Trold or do you not recall Time of Illusion from 2007? Hit the books, Poindexter! Lord Vader- "Lord Vader....Yes master?...Rise." 10 and a half minutes means you better pee now because you have a lot of digital farts to get through. The lead at the outset blends into the next one as if hiding behind a thick mossy tree. New synths sprout out of the ground quickly like a plant biologist's wet dream. Too much? I liked it, but felt it went on a little long. Recession is f*cking with everyone's paper. The Incredible Machine- Bingo. It's hot as a b*tch here. F*ck Al Gore's internet, greatest invention of all time right there. Lots of echoes and wobbling and I have my hallucination set to high. This is look at your hand and see it quivering type freakout sh*t. I can see every molecule tumble out of the plastic bottle as I pour it in a glass. Rumbling, and I mean RUMBLING bass as static rises to a fever pitch. What the hell is going on here? Kill it! Kill it! Kill that motherf*cker!!! Self Interest- This one switches direction a lot from muffled hi-hats to screaming alarm like leads and chopped up bits of sound. The layers fall nicely into place as the synths play a cat and mouse game at high velocity. Not bad at all. Twisted Nerve- Don't leave me. This is what I would be saying if I were in this nightmare. To the untrained ear, it would sound like a bunch of noises echoing over a constant bass line and kick. But the modulated leads and delicate synth tones speak of downed trees and fog so thick you can cut it with a knife. Harsh tones and evil whistles don't help. Did it just get colder in here? This reminds me of Jeepers Creepers when I'm a mac goes down that pipe and sees all those people sewn to the ceiling. Not something that I would choose to listen to, but if you're looking for a hallucinatory soundtrack...you found one. Jeepers, creepers...where'd you get those peepers... Wind- For a track named wind it sure has a bunch of loud washes. Eerie leads lead me to believe this is what happens when you realize you're lost in a forest the size of Manhattan. F*cked. Wow, that was demented. There were parts that were melodic and parts that were just plain scary. And I mean that in a great way. This is Alice in Wonderland on acid with strong atmosphere. As I mentioned, I'm just getting into the whole forest thing, so any recommendations would be appreciated. This was delicious. If I find myself in a Norwegian fores at nighttime, I'm sure you'll find me with well soiled trousers. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Tactic Tech Title: Mechanism EP Label: Drumlore Date: February, 2011 01 - Calgary (128 BPM) 02 - Mechanism (128 BPM) 03 - ReRun (130 BPM) 04 - Angels (125 BPM) Part 6 of the series, Wait...$5 for a f*cking gallon of milk? brings in Nikola Markovski from Serbia with a 4-track EP. I tell you, the Serbians are taking sh*t over in the psytrance world. It's released by a Canadian netlabel which I assume provides him with tickets to hockey games and a RMCP escort where ever he goes. That's a stereotype? Next thing ya know you're gonna tell me this is also. Herro, wercome to shitty wok! That's just wrong. No black woman I know would mix patterns like that. Not true. Arabs hate slurpees. And that's why we are at war with Islam. F*ck them. Oh f*ck, that one's true. Calgary- Did the label make you put that there? Is this what it's like in Calgary? Big house beat with a swagger as you go down a dark alley. And that's it. I still liked it. Mechanism- "When you watch something growing, it works exactly in the opposite direction. It works from the inside to the outside." More funk. Big beat with a plink plonk that is infectious. The sample is repeated and then it goes full-on house. Some washes and the sample again. So I see how it's gonna be...strong groovy beat with no evolution. But I don't mind. Because that plink plonk is addictive. Get it Jimmy! ReRun- More of the same heaping plate of funk that forces involuntary dancing. Jesus, this is addictive. Must...resist...temptation...to post...ah f*ck it. Angels- See track 1,2...and 3. So basically it's hit a button and let the sequencer run. These tracks ain't gonna take you to that other level of hallucination. Or even the first level. But that's not what they're here for. Like Morris Day he wants to see some asses wigglin' and some titties jigglin'! Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: LuneCell Title: Cosmic Dreams EP Label: None Date: December, 2010 01 - Cosmic Dreams (130 BPM) 02 - Expand (140 BPM) 03 - Terraform (140 BPM) 04 - Alkaloid (90 BPM) Part 5 of the series Spare $100 for a hotel room and a hooker? brings Tim Howe from Maryland in the good ol U S of A! I chose this EP to review because of the pretty blue cover. Never heard of him, but did I mention the EP has a pretty blue cover? He delivers one dark progressive shot and 3 downtempo rumblers that were mastered by Tim Schuldt so sound quality shouldn't be an issue. And it isn't. Cosmic Dreams- It's kind of an off tempo track to start but then it gets its 4/4 legs. The effects ring of deep cold space as the bass line hums. I'm sorry, but did that sample just say frutition? He sure did, but proper English aside, the track is dark and brooding with a taste of forest evil. Definitely like a nightmare. F*cking Ikea...they have some twisted furniture. Or...what the f*ck was that? I actually saw this movie when I was a kid. It's called Xtro. Pretty weird. Expand- There was a thread about digital farts and this is full of em. More like digital diarrhea. Slow, funky psydub with a dark intent. Synths waver and wobble as the aliens walk among us. Creepy. Terraform- More downtempo goodness as the effects wash over you like a bloodbath. Digital gurgling. It's evil creatures with no use for humans treating us like so much detritus. Alkaloid- Evil whispers of a tortured soul echo over a break beat. And what a big beat is. My absolute favorite, with dark, twisted effects. If the previous track was casting us aside, this is the scavenger coming to feed. This was pretty cool. Nothing groundbreaking but you can see his talent for atmosphere. His strength seems to be the downtempo stuff and as you can see by my gifs they create potent imagery. At least for my sick mind. Maybe I listen to too much Wizack Twizack...might be rubbing off on me. As usual Ekto provides this free so don't hesitate to check it out. He is definitely on the right track as I hope he'll get more intricate. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Pusherstreet Title: Can't Be Stopped EP Label: Panzar Produktionz Date: May, 2011 01 - Some New, Old (140 BPM) 02 - Cant Be Stopped (140 BPM) 03 - ZnowZtorm (140 BPM) 04 - Acid Test (140 BPM) In part four of the series touch my 401k and I'll kick you in the crotch, brings Raz from Etnoscope and Liam from InYourPhaze. I just typed that and I have no idea what it says. I do know they are a Swedish progressive project and released their debut in 2009. Love the name and cover btw. This is released by a label that has more z's in it than my snoring. I really hope they don't sound the same. The promo reads 3 new tracks and one classic. Anyone else think we are a little to liberal with the word classic? Eleanor Rigby...classic. Stairway to Heaven...classic. Bohemian Rhapsody...classic I guess. Now there is a Pusherstreet classic? I dunno... Some New, Old- Aside from a nice groove this is as empty as the News corp apology. Nothing's happening. There isn't a law that says you can't have it both ways. It's very minimal sounding and by minimal I mean boring. Rupert is sad panda. Can't Be Stopped- 11 f*cking minutes!?! Why not just shoot me with a horse tranquilizer? I love long tracks when they're interesting. This was anything but. No offense to the Japanese, but I was hoping for an earthquake to 7 minutes into this thing. ZnowZtorm- What's with the f*cking z's? Ah, I like z's. They make you sound like you have a French accent. This is the most interesting track so far with more sounds but it still pales in comparison to..well a lot of stuff. Acid Test- "You are freakin' out...man." Maybe this is just party music. You know stuff to get the crowd hyped up before the main act. It bumps pretty well, but...sorry, I just nodded off. How the f*ck did this get a 90% rating on Ekto? Family vote? And some of the comments...so psytrance? Acid shit? Look, I'm one guy with an opinion and hardly the authority on music. But I have listened to a sh*tload of psytrance and acid...this doesn't have any of those qualities. It's just one beat all the way through with very little to accompany it. I even went back and listened to it more often than usual just in case I just "didn't get it." Yep, same result. So for all that liked this, congratulations. I'm happy for you. To me it was boring and empty with nothing interesting at all. It's free so you can of course judge for yourself (which is ultimately how you should do it anyway.) Ektoplazm Mdk

You've never heard one? Hmmm...you're right. It mustn't exist. I found releases like U-Recken's Deeper Into Man to be very deep. But watch out...here we go getting all subjective! Mdk

Artist: Messy Mass & Baba Gnohm Title: Night of the Living Kebab Label: None Date: March, 2011 01 - Yes, I Like Shawarma (118 BPM) 02 - Cream Fresh (126 BPM) 03 - Dear Dr. Döner (123 BPM) 04 - Splatterbrain (127 BPM) 05 - Night Of The Living Kebab (115 BPM) In Part 3 of get your f*cking hands out of my pocket comes a collaboration between Messy Mass (you mean like what I just cleared out of my son's diaper?)and Baba Gnohm. They are two Danes and while I'm not familiar with Messy, I have heard awesome tunes from Baba when he paired with Luage on the Monolith EP. This is another EP that brings together a lot of styles and quirky samples. What? Don't mind those douchebags up there, I just told congress to jump in a hole. I suppose it could also be a metaphor for not being a lemur and following the crowd to really bad releases. Which this EP does, but you don't come here for philosophizing, you come for the info. But you stay for the humor. Yes, I Like Shawarma- "You hungry? Yeah, I'm starving. You like shawarmas? Yes, I like shawarmas." You've got some deep bass and wobbly synths here. After the seemingly out of nowhere sample (which is cool as hell, btw) the tempo takes a hard right into groovetown. Population: you. The track is a tale of two halves with the 2nd one being more funky. Cream Fresh- "I've seen you around...but I had no idea you were a queer." We're all on the same page here, right? I mean, has there ever been a more homoerotic cartoon than He-Man? This is another quirky tango of bass and break beat. The sample is the gayest thing I have ever heard and just as left of center as the rhythm. Funky, yes. Like the guys working the carny rides. You know they're human, but you can't help but feel they're a chromosome shy of a set. Yeah, Ill uh...I'll make my own funnel cake.... Dear Dr. Döner- Yes Dr. may I have another. I feel like these guys should have back up dancers. Funky times 10. And some forest scratchiness as well? Talk about going out of your comfort zone. Splatterbrain- These guys are really working the break beat. Plenty of synths whirling around too. Right in the middle of the track they switch bass sounds and veer off into a different direction. Very Suomi with funk riding shotgun. Night of the Living Kebab- NOTLK? With a little maneuvering... I knew it! It all makes sense now. And by that I mean no sense. The style is similar to the other tracks, but here they float an eerie melody to make you think the Kebab zombies are on the move. I felt this was pretty funky. Not as deep or involved as Mr. Bill, but not bad at all. Sometimes it seemed like they were just throwing some electronica at you instead of having a certain direction. The break beats were cool and there are plenty of synths to keep you occupied. While not PS3 quality, it definitely is nod your head music with a super NES retro feel. Liked it. Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Mr. Bill Title: Suave Label: None Date: April, 2011 01 - Calligraphy (110 BPM) 02 - Majoram (105 BPM) 03 - My Little Helper (95 BPM) 04 - Osseous (160 BPM) 05 - Spatiala (160 BPM) 06 - Staunch (140 BPM) Part 2 in the series the government if f*cking with my money brings me to a delightful bit of music. Mr. Bill. No, not that one. Wait, maybe that one. I don't know. Actually it's Bill Day from down under with a brief 6-track EP that brings together loads of styles in a mish mash of funk. Electro, dub, techno, jazz, hip-hop beats...you name it. It's on Ekto so of course it's free of charge. Calligraphy- is a slow saunter with you and your girl on the dance floor. It's got 8-bit video game sounds, juicy bass, and skittering electronics that don't fake the funk. The melodies are infused with jazz touches that sound wispy and fine Nasty business, this. Get low! Marjoram- Ummm...did the bass get deeper? It sure got nastier, now with more *pop*! After it slows down it totally changes gears with a jazzy electric piano. Then it goes all wah-wah on you while keeping the funky bass Groovy man. No sh*t I just said that. My Little Helper- Someone make sure his driver's license doesn't say George Clinton because he keeps funkin' sh*t up in here. This gives new meaning to the word wobbly as his guitar licks you like my kid does a lollipop. Man, I just had a Puttin' On The Ritz moment only with more funk and less gayness. His electro layers work well with his break beat that's for sure. Great stuff! Osseus- Not a huge fan of DnB but I felt this one. Nice to know he can do different styles. Even though it's not my favorite style, he brings frenetic keystrokes and punchy synthlines. Is it possible to be mellow while being uptempo? He did it. Spatiala- Very electronic with a glitchy undercurrent. With numerous layers out front, the stings are very melodic and soft. My favorite bit. And talk about a shift in direction half way though! It becomes a trance track complete with chopped up electronics and a break beat. Super. Staunch- F*cking gangsta! Yo grandma...you gonna let someone else hit that? This is on some old Compton sh*t. Sippin on some gin and juice flavor. Crafty bass and another switch in style at the midway point. Aggressive synth riffs roll over the boom boom of the kick and he finishes with a break beat as electronics whizz by. Man this guy is full of twists and turns. His site is right here and I'm gonna have to check it out cause this was great! If you like electronic music there is something for you here. I love psy, but sometimes you need a break from the 4/4 time signature. His beats are fresh and his bass is funky as hell. More of this please. Super whether you listen at home or you're rollin down the street in your 64. Westside! Ektoplazm Mdk

Artist: Brujo's Bowl Title: Healing With Sound EP Label: Arkona Creation Date: June, 2011 1. Realization Dub (80 BPM) 2. Gyananakashu (The Eye Of Knowledge) (80 BPM) 3. Brujo's Drift (80 BPM) 4. Healing With Sound (80 BPM) Have you heard? My government can't stop arguing with each other about the precipice the country is on and we are set to default on our debt for the first time in the nation's history. F*cking fantastic. While not trying to sound like an economics course that means an increase in interest rates which will affect mortgages, credit card rates, car loans, student loans... In short we are headed for a a world of sh*t. I'm really thinking about sending my bills to those a**holes in Washington. You f*cking pay them. So seeing as how my monetary situation is soon to be in peril, I might as well get used to spending less. But that doesn't mean I still can't enjoy good music. The fine fellow at Ektoplazm has seen to that. This is Saxon Higgs from Wales with a 4-track EP that promises dubby sounds and "a warm and zingy character, sending waves through the senses" Brother does it deliver. Booming, dubby bass and skittering sound effects warble on Realization Dub. With high speed percussion and a wobbly synth it takes the listener to the beach with a cool drink. Super emotive guitar work on Gyananakashu as the accordion riffs above the soul clap. It goes on a little long, but still a great piece of work. Brujo's Drift does more wobbling and well...drifting. Great groove to nod your head to. The final track Healing With Sound saunters with the attitude of a gangsta as clicking noises scatter around the deep, deep bass. So this is dubstep? It can be funky, melodic, rhythmic...very good listen that you should really check it out. And remember...even Congress can't charge for something that's free. Right? Ektoplazm Mdk