Trance2MoveU

Artist: X-Dream Title: Brainforest/Stop EP Label: Blue Room Released Date: Discogs says 1997, are you going to argue with the mighty DISCOGS??!!?? 1. Brain Forest 2. S.T.O.P. "OH YEAHHHH.....I JOURNEYED DEEP INTO THE BLACK DEPTHS OF THE REVIEW NETHERWORLD AND SOUGHT OUT THE LONG DEAD TOPIC!!! i REACHED DOWN WITH THE HAND OF LIGHT AND GRASPED THE 10 YEAR OLD SUBJECT FROM THE COLD, BONY FINGERS OF DEATH! OH YEAHHHHHHHH!!!!! Back in the day, before Jon Cena and the Rock, there was Hulk Hogan and Randy Macho Man Savage. They were the faces of professional "wrestling." I put wrestling in quotes because over here it was more scripted than a John Woo fight scene. Nonetheless back in the early to mid 90's it entertained the masses, dazzling them with absurd storylines and acrobatic violence that if actually perpetrated on someone would kill them. How do you go from this: Who the f*ck dressed you, Stevie Wonder? to this: "No, steroids had no effect on me whatsoever." Really? So why do you now look like the lead singer of the Charlie Daniels Band? To show you how ridiculous he was check out this outfit I know you were the spokesman for Slim Jim, but you're supposed to eat them not f*cking wear it! The pictures really don't do him justice, because to really see how insane his character was you had to hear him. Total looney tunes, man. But, in his genre at the time he was one of wrestling's biggest stars not unlike X-Dream and goa trance. X-Dream are Jan Müller and Marcus C. Maichel and were true pioneers of the scene and like said scene, "evolved" (you snarky bastard)into whatever the hell they are now. There is a chick in the group now? Some say they are as good as ever and I say lay offum the peace pipe. But, taste can never be measured nor should it. This EP came out in the golden year 1997 and was very popular with 2 really good tracks. At least according to me. Brain Forest- Man this is old school all the way with the slow building of things. The slowed down vocal speaks as sweeps rain down and effects trickle by like...well, raindrops. That filtered lead rises and falls back into a break only to twist and turn out of it right to the end. Pretty cool. S.T.O.P.- Definitely in an alien land here, with effects crossing your ears and reverberating. Pure X-files vibe. A lead climbs and falls like the previous track, but this one has more atmosphere. Dark goa in every sense of the word with a deeper, more hypnotic feel. The groove near the end is very trippy as leads get stacked and I want to get my inner hippie on. So there you go. From one of THE names in old school goa trance comes a delightful EP that has melody, atmosphere, and that classic sound many clamor for. They make "different" music now, but wouldn't it be great if they came out of nowhere and dropped an absolute cracker of a goa album. As far as this goes, I don't know where you could find it, but even if you have to download it check it out. Mdk

Artist: RHoT Title: Land of Corrosive Liquids EP Label: Acid Chemical Plant Records Date: March, 2011 1. Land of Corrosive Liquids 2. Call and Answer 3. Osmosis 4. Smurfs on Acid Let me just get this out of the way. Anything that Filipe touches I'm interested in. I should say, anything musically. What he does on his own time is his business. This is his netlabel and if you have visited this forum at all in the past years, you know that he is a dominant force in the new school goa arena with more aliases than an FBI agent. This is some guy from Canada producing music in the acid style of trance. I don't have much experience in this type of style, so I don't know good acid from bad acid. But what I can comment on is whether I like it or not. Land of Corrosive Liquids- "And this is my house." Is this what acid is? It's very minimal sounding with sounds being added every 8 bars or so. Like that sample? Get used to it because it repeats throughout the whole track. It's a mid tempo jam that does make you bob your head. The bubbly quality is there and that creates a good groove, but it seemed a little on the thin side. Call and Answer- They have this thing called call and response in black churches over here. Being married to a wonderful woman who happens to be black gives me a window into things I might not normally see. Oh yeah, this chick likes your work Filipe. This is a higher tempo more aggressive style with a roaring 303 that you have to love. Funky as hell as you have taught this young grasshopper well in the art of 303 destruction. All it is is the manipulation of the 303, but it's damn fine work. Osmosis- Another mid tempo pace, with more 303 goodness. It's surgical in its precision, creating just the right vibe. Bouncy, swirling, and entertaining. Loved it. Smurfs On Acid- Anyone not see that coming? Anyone? Do you know how much perverted sh*t is out there on the smurfs? It's like a minefield of smurf porn with poor Smurfette on the receiving end of a lot of unwanted attention. Back to the high speed stuff for the final track. I think this track has the most layers out of all and it was nice seeing them develop. The only thing I didn't like about this was the abrupt end to the track. As I mentioned before, I don't have much experience with acid trance, but it seems to me that it is all about the 303. And that's fine with me. Check it out, that rhymes. With a 4/4 beat and the synth, there aren't many layers but the bubbly, driving sound is definitely present. This is a slow developing style, but when it grips you, it holds on tight with a lot of rhythm. Other than the first track, I would say this was a pretty good EP. The fact that they gave it away for free is just icing on the top of an acid cake! Psynews announcement Mdk

Artist: Afgin Title: Emotional Peaks EP Label: Premium Music Date: February, 2011 1. T.R.A.N.C.E. (138 BPM) 2. Without You (137 BPM) 3. The Sound Of Goodbye (135 BPM) 4. Touching Paradise (137 BPM) 5. Lonely Hearts (135 BPM) 6. Warm Breeze (130 BPM) Talent or ability isn't something you can teach. You either have it or you don't. Talent No Talent Dude, empty net, all you had to do is....sigh. Sure you can work hard, practice , or study to get better at a chosen field, but what separates the remarkable from the great is talent. Elad Afgin is one of those individuals. He has released free stuff over the net for years and has been one of the key figures in the resurgence of new school goa trance. Astral Experience on Suntrip in 2009 was a terrific goa trance joint with truckloads of sunshine and light. Not wanting to rest on his laurels, he released (for FREE) his Dream Master EP which began to stretch the boundaries of goa. With this his latest release (also for free) he further combines the elements of goa trance with uplifting European euphoric trance. First let's discuss the cover. If you wanted to be a part of the European trance community, you went about it the right way. Sorry Afgin, but the cover is cheese in all of it's European "No, really that's what the music does to me" glory. The track titles don't help either. Pure cane sugar. The only thing I found gayer is this Wow, that's gay. What? There's a volume 2? Ho-lee-crap. Get the f*ck outta here, a third one? Did the label just ambush a gay porn shoot and say,"F*ck yeah, this will work. Kick ass!" And before I get email from anyone saying I'm intolerant, I don't care if you're gay. You're gay? Good for you. It's not for me. But if you are gay, you have to admit...those covers are really gay. And a cigarette? Really? C'mon man, I know a lot of Europeans smoke, but that sh*t is bad for you. Unnecessary. Now that the superficial crap is out of the way, let's discuss the music. There will be some that hate this due to the fact that it isn't true goa. Sure, there are some goa touches throughout, but it isn't meant to be a goa album. He did that already. What I imagine he is trying to do is expand the limits of the genre. Usually when you make the move to the more commercial, teenage girl, glowstick type of chance it has more cheese than Green Bay, Wisconsin. But this is Afgin we're talkin' about. Homie puts layers in his track as well as surprises that keep it fresh. Yes it is emotional music (so maybe the music really did make him feel like that on the cover) but he's f*cking good at it. Melodic as hell, but he doesn't go for the easy melody, he creates feelings in others that they themselves find hard to understand.. His breaks are delicious and euphoric with great detail. When was the last time you heard trance music with piano in it and it wasn't douchetastic? Well, he pulls it off. And what the hell is wrong with music making you smile and feel good? Nothing that's what. So if you're looking for a great goa album, go check out Astral Experience. It ain't here. The only thing here is a good time. Damn good time. Get it from Ektoplazm Mdk

Meaning behind pics: Luke obviously does better work when buzzed The reason squirrels get run over all the time is because they don't do well with booze Obviously we want the baby to be healthy and he can do that by drinking deep. Mdk

Artist: Sky Technology Title: Next Visions EP Label: Neogoa Date: March, 2011 1. Om 2. Lost Worlds 3. Back To The Future 4. Galactic Traveler The first several years of the Millennium were a dark time. Dark Times indeed. The Catholic Church was rocked with scandal as it was revealed sexual abuse not only ran rampant, but was covered up for many years. Here a Hungarian priest employs the "Look kids, we have skateboards" technique. Some were so bold that they flaunted their evil deeds right under our very noses. You smug sonofabitch.... Baywatch, a program responsible for the marginalization of soft-core porn in primetime as well as the coming of age of millions of pre-pubescent boys announces that the show will end. Reaction was immediate. What the f*ck? In that last image, either the kid just finished doing a bowl of cocaine or he demolished a dozen powdered donuts. My money is on the latter. Just sayin.... But most importantly,minimal trance inexplicably skyrocketed to popularity and attempted to choke melody out of existence. Names like Haldolium, Shiva Chandra, and XV Kilist held the world hostage with their repetitive beats, boring bass lines and absolute absence of melody. But then, something happened. A compilation called Blissful Moments by now defunct Tranceform records fired the first salvo in 2002. Anima Mundi by Ethereal arrived in 2003. All of a sudden there was a crack in the darkness. At first, it appeared to be a blip on the radar, but soon the black void was torn asunder by Filteria with the melody on crack masterpiece Sky Input. Since then we have been witness to the rebirth of melody, sunshine and light. Labels once timid now showed great strength and pride in their creation. Goa Trance is alive and well in 2011 with labels like Suntrip, Ezel-Ebed, Phototropic, Cronomi, UAF...I could go on. Neogoa is the latest warrior in the fight against tired, generic psytrance with 2 stellar compilations as well as an EP by Uth. This is their newest release, a free EP by one of the best up and coming artists in the genre. Sky Technology (Dmitriy Kolosovskiy) is back with his 2nd EP that picks up right where his Time and Space EP left off. Never again will you have to swallow the bitter stench that is minimal. Melodic music is back my friends. Drink deeply of its goodness. Om- A lead strangled within an inch of its life, chants, and a pounding beat start us off. And that's just the first minute! Oh the layers make this a delicious bit of cake my friends. There are space effects and a growling 303 that bubbles to the surface. It's melodic and aggressive with swirling synths and wobbly leads. Great track. Lost Worlds- More modulated synths and layers are easily digestible. Leads vie for position and the break undulates with sounds like the flowing tide. The beat punishes in true 4/4 style, while leads sear themselves into your brain. It's a frenetic pace for sure and it's like an Indian God Battle Royalle! Powerful man. Real powerful. Back To The Future- I don't this has anything to do with Michael J. Fox. But if it did, he would rave about the leads. Twisted and chaotic with one melody replacing another...there's so many. The layers are so thick with stuff going on all over the place. Awesome. Galactic Traveler- Like relaxing downtempo goa? Yeah, me too. This ain't it. Metallic sounds echo and sharp leads distort and waver in this homage to space travel. The synths scream, yep that's the right verb, as a solitary kick applies the reverb. Psychedelic? Sure. But if you're going to be a downtempo track, then calm me down. You've just spent three tracks kicking me in the head, can a brother get a time out? That said, it is nice and floaty in parts and even without a beat he manages to fill your mug with layers. It really is beautiful and another great track as long as you aren't looking for naptime. I don't know who Richpa uses for mastering, but he is doing a helluva job. It sh*ts on crystal clear it's so good. For me the similarities in style to Filteria are easy to see with the multiple layers and chaotic melodies. There is mysticism and sunshine throughout, but instead of the light caressing you it carves it's initials into your skin. I tell you, I'm waiting for this label to release some crap so you can see that I will call them on it, but the way they're going it ain't gonna happen. Until then, sit back and take all of this goodness in as it puts the dark days further in the rear view mirror. Here it is....BAM! Mdk

Seems like that is the general consensus. And what sucks is that we have all heard him do much better than this. Mdk

Great review! Payday cannot get here fast enough. Mdk

Thanks man, I really appreciate it. Mdk

Thank you very much for your kind words. This site gave so much to me back in the day, that I feel I should give back. Mdk

I don't care for his psytrance with Ananda Shake. His progressive leanings are quite entertaining. I feel his forte is in the progressive arena rather than in psytrance. Did you hear the last Shake album? Turrrrrible. Mdk

Artist: Moai Title: Full Moon Label: None Date: 2010 1. Liquid Blue Vision (11.00) 2. Full Moon part I (7.31) 3. Full Moon Part II (10.03) 4. Moontale (9.53) 5. Digital Placebo (13.17) 6. Troublemaker (7.01) 7. Crystal Elixir (10.56) You know, I remember when there was no cell phones or internet. F*ck you. Hell, go back farther. I can recall a time before ATM's and get this...we used to have to get up to change the channel on the television. I don't know why, there was only 4 channels anyway and they all sucked. Remote control? Go back to your science fiction trekkie. When the knob broke, we used a pair of pliers to turn the channel. Satellite? Do I look like I work for f*cking NASA douchebag? My point is that technology has bettered everyone's lives in countless ways. Since this is a music forum, at the very least it has exposed me to artists I have never heard of and allowed artists to upload their albums for free download. We used to have to go to the record store and buy albums. Not CD's you spoiled b*tches, but actual albums. Now you can download, stream with smart phones, and chat with people around the world instantly. It's like the motherf*ckin' Jetsons up in here. I was going to post a gif with the Jetsons in it, but the lions share of them are porn. That's another thing...we now live in the days of instant porn. It's almost cool to be into porn. Back then you were treated like a sociopathic deviant because you wanted to see some tail. Kid's just curious....Do you know what you had to do to get porn 30 years ago? Ahhh, don't get me started.... Moai is Jimmy Leonardson and Remi Despret who's brand of electronic music is EDM comprised of a lot of genres. I can't remember what site I was on (another by product of getting older) but I downloaded a few of their tracks. Surprise, surprise I can't remember them. But fear not, the best tracks from the past 10 years are put on this digital debut that they released themselves. Oh, by the way....it's free. Liquid Blue Vision- I love this track. Love it. Sure it's 11 minutes, but invest your time Bill Gates, it's great. It is what I would term epic progressive dream trance. The kick and bass are warm like caramel over a sundae. Melodies float by on puffy clouds as pads guide the way. It's never intense or harsh, but comfortable as a favorite pair of sneakers. The break is a cool swim on a summer's eve as the track gears up for a finale. Absolutely awesome work. Where are the labels for this? Full Moon Part I- More warmth in the kick and deep bass. The synths are like a wisp of smoke, just that delicate. They blend well with the pads creating a really lush atmosphere. Really melodic smooth sailing. Great work. Full Moon Part II- The beat bubbles from beneath the surface slowly making its presence felt. The bass is a wobbly affair, with house-like rhythms. Synths growl as they rise in volume and then fade away as another lead slides in to take its place. Smooth melodies with a dreamy quality echo into the distance, almost becoming loud, but never really reaching it. Groovy times 5 to boot. Another great track sirs! Moontale- With a sparkling melody that just shimmers the track is underway and then immediately undergoes a short tempo change before dancing back to 4/4. The layers begin to pile up and then what seems like their style is gets deconstructed. But it is done so smoothly that you feel like part of the track. Melodies twist around each other and float off into space like you just fell off the space station and are now drifting. Super! Digital Placebo- 13 and a half minutes? Holy crap! I was really doubtful about a track so long, but these guys have shown they know how to tell a story. The female vocal is ethereal, even when distorted, and the melody bounces along nicely. Allow yourself to get swept up with the pads and leads. The break allows for some much needed freshness, as the groove intensifies as leads copycat the bass. That never fails to get me going. Still, it could've been more elaborate and maybe even epic. Good stuff, just know what you're getting into. Troublemaker- Wow, that lead is freaky! Sparkly and detuned, just the way I like 'em. Bring on the funky percussion and layered synths and we have quite the track. Normally the bass rumbles, but here the synth is the screamer! There is a goa flavor here that didn't go unnoticed but the rawness of this one is great. Crystalixir- A midtempo groover with dubby bass does wonders to end and bring the pace down. It's melodic and very detailed. Funky drumming is sweet music, and the production really shines. Another great job. That was really impressive. I would think that with music this melodic and well produced that labels like Iono and TesseracT would be all over this. You know what this reminds me of...Blue Planet Corporation. Never abrasive, but melodic as hell with thick song structures. There is wonderful detail that makes the tracks enjoyable from beginning to end. This is really a revelation, and I cannot recommended it highly enough. It's not psytrance or progressive trance, or trance...but all three. Go and get this...now. Mdk

Thanks for the criticism. I see where you are coming from. The reason I began to do it this way, was because reading a wall of text for every review was tedious, boring and unmemorable. While I do not want to rely on gifs, how many times can you describe the same thing? I use the gifs for humor obviously, but I also try to describe the track in detail, just like I did in the past. Bottom line, you can't please everyone. I do this because I enjoy it and I hope it helps spread info about releases some might of missed. If it makes you chuckle while you're reading it, so much the better. Mdk

Artist: Phobium Title: The Time Is Now Label: Omnitropic Date: February, 2011 1. Lost Consciousness 2. Gazing At The Comet's Tail 3. Take My Hand 5. The Mirror 6. Stellar Pulsations 7. No End 8. Love Recycled (Part 1) 9. Love Recycled (Part 2) 10. Beats Recycled 11. Watch My Dreams 12. Cycle Of Life 13. Cycle Of Life (Vicious Circle) Omnitropic is a dowmtempo and ambient label started by Basilisk and Akhentek with some very good releases. Phobium is Henning Helland Ottesen (wow, that name is unfortunate) from Norway who released a psytrance album Future Uncertain. I think I heard it, but I also heard my Dad yelling at me when I was younger...that didn't stay with me either. Although this music was made over 5 years ago, it is only now being given for free. This comes as one downloadable file plus a .cue file. Oh for God's sake...if you insist on being a whinny pussy there are programs you can use to separate the tracks. Normally that's what I would do, but it works better as one file as it is mixed. If you keep it as one file the tracks flow seamlessly into each other and that adds to the scope of this endeavor. Lost Consciousness- The title of this track is so apropos. I think I actually did lose consciousness during this dull extravaganza. If I had paid for him to twiddle with the presets in a droning manner I would've been so pissed off. I mean c'mon, really? A 6 minute mixture of poor drone and silence? You've got a lot of balls, buddy. I understand setting the mood, I do...but Gazing At The Comet's Tail- OK, now I'm on board as pads float high above the scorched Earth. It's icy cold as you watch the sun reflect off the chilly waters of Greenland. Time slows as a glacier floats by while seals crawl upon its surface. Pure ambient. Take My Hand- More of the same dreamy, floating ambient. So far, the most complex piece with more than a couple of sounds. Imagine traveling in a spacecraft to a large space station positioned high above the Earth. Perhaps leaving family and friends behind and thinking of how simple life used to be. Left Alone- This seems like a continuation of the previous track as the melody slowly picks up where the other left off. More drifting and floating. Holy sh*t someone check my pulse. The Mirror- This is one of the shortest tracks here and go figure I really like it. It's got a fuller sound with thick strings. Where the other tracks were cold this is warm, as if looking at a planet through a huge window on a space station. De-f*cking-licious. Stellar Pulsations- Just like the title says, pulses fire slowly as you bear witness to the incredible activity of the cosmos. Deep, simple,and mesmerizing. No End- The pulses continue as perhaps you are viewing an alien battle from the same gigantic window. The ominous tone of the strings reveal that it probably isn't going so well. Love Recycled (Part One)- Rumbling drones as a percussive clinking rings down a dark corridor. Yep, that pretty much sums it up. I missed the connection with love, but I can be an uncaring bastard. Love Recycled (Part Two)- This is a little lighter with some actual pad and string melody maybe recalling love lost. Sounds chime high above all as a booming drum thunders below. Beats Recycled- F*cking hell, more recycling? All it is is the fading of the boom and a scratchy effect. So technically, I guess it is recycled. Dude that's weak, just tack it onto the last track... Watch My Dreams- I didn't like it. 11 minutes of floating pads and rising synths...I'm over that now. What else ya got? Cycle of Life- "One woman can make you fly like an eagle. Another can give you the strength of a lion. But only one in the cycle of life can fill your heart with wonder...and the wisdom you have in noticing her joy." This is the first track with any sort of motion in it. It's ominous with pads and a bass line churning below a soft hi-hat. After the above sample it's back to the beginning refrain. Not bad. Cycle of Live (Vicious Circle)- Holy sh*t a kick drum! Now just imagine the previous track in 4/4 time with the kick. Yep, you got it now. This basically made the previous track all but irrelevant. I'm glad I committed to this and gave it a chance. Beatless ambient is oftentimes hard for me to digest as I either cannot remain awake or I get lost in it's "airyness" that I lose focus. It took a lot of listens for me to interpret the story he was trying to tell. You can't listen to this as separate tracks, as it needs to be digested in it's entirety. The only thing I can really recommend if you are going to listen to this straight through...DO NOT take any pills because you might not wake up. Download from Ektoplazm Mdk

You needy bastard... Workin' on it dude! Mdk

Artist: Phyx Title: Corruption EP Label: Timecode Date: May, 2010 1. Corruption 2. Fountainhead Now lest you think I found some extra cash, or...lifted some green from my wife's purse I assure you that nothing of the sort has occurred. I had this review done on my hard drive and recently found it. Apparently it doesn't belong with all the porn. Sheesh....labels. I love it when a new Timecode release comes out. I said it before and I'll say it again, but South African psytrance just sounds better. I don't know how they do it, they just do. Ian Summs is a major force in the South African psytrance scene. He's part of Twisted System and Brethren two giants in this genre. Do you remember what you felt like when you first heard The Dealers? Yeah, hide the women and children, it was an evil ass kicker. This is the solo project (I'm sure most of you enthusiasts knew that already) of Ian and this EP is grittier, with a harder edge than his album Kiss The Blade. One thing, I don't understand the cover...are they saying that the Arkansas Razorback athletic program is corrupt? It's true, surely, but how do they know that? Corruption- This one drops a bass line with laser light focus that makes your dead grandmother want to shake it. The break talks about the perfect chord and is filled with sinister feelings. The two don't really go together but their use of effects creates that atmosphere. The climax rips and sounds crystal clear. Expect nothing less from this guy. Good job. Fountainhead- More crusty bass and ringing metallic sounds create the darkness that hides. You can see the similarities between the two tracks with the dirtier sound. The distorted synth is like a tsunami, crushing all that it touches. Synth stabs echo over the bouncing bass line and when the break arrives it is like the proverbial calm before the storm. Another good track. Man it is sh*it like this that really whets the appetite for more. Ian has done it again with two very good thumpers for those that love the twilight. Oh, good God...can we grow up? Love the South African sound and can highly recommend this puppy. Plus it was less than 3 bucks. Nice. Beatport Mdk

Artist: Synergic Title: One Mystery Left Label: Space Baby Records Date: February, 2011 1. One Mystery Left 2. Galaxy Rider 3. The Finest Day 4. Can't Stop Dreaming 5. Time To Change Holy crap the Germans are coming and they brought some pussy! I don't think these are the same guys. As my poverty continues I found this at our good friend Ektoplazm. Synergic is Torgen Anton & Benjamin Neiss and this is their debut EP. Since I'm poor I've been diggin into the Ektoplazm vault and have found some very good stuff. If you're one of those who thinks free music sucks than you haven't been paying attention. This is a gem that crosses a lot of genre boundaries. The production is top notch and exact as only the Germans can do. One Mystery Left- The first two minutes weren't very memorable, but the track began to build in scope. Sounds were combined and layers were added. The bass lines these guys use have a very techno feel, which give their tracks more pop. Every now and then there are some goa flashes, but they don't last long. If they're there at all. I might be imagining everything. The other day I was driving and a motherf*cking rainbow almost hit my car! Galaxy Rider- Oh f*ck the alarm horn...please don't. Aside from that cliche, this was also impressive. These two Germans layer sounds very effectively keeping the ear occupied. When they slow the beat down, it loses none of it's psy atmosphere. Hell it intensifies. Still, out of all the tracks I think this was the weakest. And by weak I mean not as awesome, so use that in your comparison. The Finest Day- Boom! That kick and bass together can rattle some windows baby! Set your phasers to funky as this groove is dirty like a Lindsay Lohan papsmear. Wow, that was too vivid even for me. The progressive bounce thunders along as the bass line rumbles. At the end, the synth wail makes it for me. This is a track that if you heard it at a club it would seem to go on for hours, but if you were able to peer through your top shelf liquor haze you wouldn't care. You know you're a baller! Super track guys! Can't Stop Dreaming- Bring that beat back! They're making fun of you Tom...stop it. It's like getting funky underwater. Churning synths with interesting breaks that fill the air are everywhere. This is where this project excels if you want my 2 cents. Even if you don't. Warm and nurturing is the sound here, as those pads wrap around you like a fleece blanket but the funky beats let you know that you're still camping. Funky good times! Time To Change- Packing a big beat and a bass line that knows where it's going this track is nice. There is a futuristic and cold feel to it, as melancholy strings wail in the distance. With it's moderate tempo and choir chants I feel like I popped in an old Enigma disc. Enigma wasn't that long ago was it? Creeping along in the dark the final break was a sweet treat. Great track! I really liked this EP. It's rated very highly on Ekto and now I see why. Psytrance, progressive, downtempo, breakbeat...something for all here. Awesome job gentlemen! Download ici Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Anima Mundi Label: People of the Butterflies Date: February, 2011 1. RAZ - 4 The Music 2. Soladria - System Surfer 3. Sienis - West Meets East 4. Killer Buds - Our Reality 5. Paratox - Ape Escape 6. Efflorum - Hora No Shinrin 7. Captain Kirk - Bee Sting 8. Kashyyyk - Yuca 9. Fractal - Traumturnberg 10. Nebula Meltdown - Fractal Ethics 11. Intriga - Running With Scissors First off this is not brought to you by a hippie cult. People of the Butterflies is an actual netlabel. Second, let's be clear. The only Anima Mundi that you need concern yourself with is But, since I am still broke, this comes along at a good time. Ektoplazm releases quality music for free, and since the price is right I'm all in. Good thing too, because this was a nice treat with very good tracks that I wasn't expecting. 4 The Music- This is Raz Kfir and believe it or not he has released 3 albums and a handful of compilation tracks. I know, I couldn't believe it either. Production wise this sounds great, but it is just pure generic full-on. If you use the number instead of spelling it out ("4" instead of for) then you can pretty much guarantee that there will be less flavor than a vegetarian dinner party. Or to put it another way... System Surfer- Another mystery artist, but this track has a little more punch. The effects help and what stands out most is the female vocal humming. Interesting and wholly unexpected. Sure it's full-on, but surprising stuff like this is a nice treat. Some slight goa flavors make this pretty good and heading in the right direction. West Meets East- Eki Jokisalo is now the face of the Sienis project and is responsible for 1 wonderful album From A Nutter's Perspective and then there was whatever Seriously Unserious was. Here he brings a ragged and unrelenting bass line that turns the funk meter up to ummm... He changes tempo, adds acoustic guitar with a nice melody and drops right back into the trance realm without you even realizing it. Awesome layering and a fun time. Everything you could want in a psy track. Great job. Our Reality- Brazilians Marcelo Espindola & Tarcisio Mainardi are established twilight music mavens with 2 albums to their credit and a sh*tload of comp stuff. They bring it here, although I feel they rely a little to much on the computerized voice like I do with gifs Too subtle? Nonetheless, it is pretty good, but we have all heard them do better. What do you want, it's for free?!? Ape Escape- I think this is the first track by this artist and if the ominous melody and SAW chuckling mean anything we have ventured into dark territory. The bass is fast paced (go figure) with other bass sounds bubbling like a well used bong in a college frat house full of trust fund babies and their popped collars and beamers. Ah, there you go. The lead rips over all else and creates a good groove. I like the break which brings back the beginning melody and the track continues to power on. Good twilight stuff. Hora No Shinrin- For all I know this is your mom behind the decks and let me tell you she's got the goods! Good bounce to this one as pads wail somewhere far away. Your mom chokes that chicken like a geek spending the night trawling for cybersex. It's dark and has cool effects. Light on melody, but thick with eerieness. Think Braincell's latest, but with some more direction. Love the percussive clanging, so pretty good stuff. The climax is pretty sweet, but then again aren't they all? Bee Sting- Man, Uhrua is not going to like where this is going... With a groovy bass line and forest atmosphere, melody lines take an atonal turn, driving deeper and deeper into the woods. Deliciously dark with rhythm that doesn't quit. The percussion runs I could've done without, but that is minor. This artist is good at layering sounds and effects keeping the vibe tight. Awesome night-time journey into the forest. Yuca- Any artist with that many consonants in their name has to make Darkpsy right? Well, he does and it is just what you would expect. Droning bass line with effects all over the place. Melody? Yeah keep walking. The only light you will see here is in your rear view mirror. While not as intense as some DarkPsy I have heard, this would be perfect for Satan's waiting room. Pictures of tortured souls on the wall, old magazines, and of course the mountain of paperwork you would have to fill out because you're a new arrival. Kinda like this... "Now serving #876,598,356,123..." Traumturnberg- More darkness without light and that's cool if you're into that sort of thing. Even without melody it is still kinda groovy, but that will only take you so far. Eventually it becomes a little silly. Like this: Fractal Ethics- This is Kristian Aro who had a great track on the Temple of Chaos disc so I was curious to see what he conjured up for this compilation. For about 3 minutes I took a quick snooze, but then he broke out with a nice chiming melody sort of like a child's lullaby. Kinda creepy. I thought it went on a little too long, but new sounds were added to thicken it up a bit. The last minute really shines. A little more detail in the beginning would've made this better. Running With Scissors- One of the main reasons I checked this out was this artist. I used to frequent mikserri.net or whatever the f*ck it was and download his stellar goa trance tracks. Countermine. Stupify. Orgy, just to name a few. I would love for him to release a goa trance album as I find his style similar to Artifact303. With his track here it is psy all the way. A racing, eerie melody scrambles above an ominous pad and an equally quick bass line. I'm not even close to being a conisseur of Suomi and all its weirdness, but this sounds only slightly crazy. He's got the circus organ sounds working like an evil show is coming to town. I said crazy not retarded. That's not fair, I like some of their music believe it or not. Not impressed really, but that's because I was hoping he would sneak some goa in here. This sounds like he had some sh*t he was messin' around with and decided to give it away. Not much in the way of imagination. Sadness. Pretty good for the price of zero, I must say. Darkpsy isn't my thing so I preferred the 1st half of the compilation to the 2nd. There are a few really good tracks here so if you're looking for some good tunes and all you got is lint in your pocket, get to downloadin'. Download Mdk

Artist: Oberon Title: Sacred Chants For Universe EP Label: Neurotrance Records Date: February, 2011 1. Pray For Dawn (145 BPM) 2. Time Expander (145 BPM) 3. Crystal Formations (Remix) (145 BPM) 4. Earth II (84 BPM) 5. Eternal Universe (Odyssey Mix) (85 BPM) I got's no monies. None. Like a dumbass, I tried to move my wife's car and instead of waiting for the snow to completely melt, it slid slowly, ever slow slowly into a tree at about 1 mile an hour. Total damage: $1500. That's right, I said 1500. Sure I have insurance, but there is a $500 deductible which I have to pay before they cut me a check. I asked my wife if she wanted me to f*ck anything else up on her car before I submitted the claim. Point is, I got's no monies. Therefore I'm visiting Ektoplazm more frequently for my musical fix. Doesn't cost me a thing. That's not a knock on Basilisk's site. Not at all. For those of you who think that free music sucks, get your head out of your ass and check out what he's doing over there. I swear some labels need to take a closer look at what they are releasing and maybe re-evaluate. Anyway, this is Stathis Tsitsiliagkos (If you put a gun to my wife's head and told me to save her I would have to spell or pronounce his name correctly, well...widower party table for one!) and he has released some other EP's for free at Ektoplazm. This is a mixture of full-on and goa flavor with an added bonus of 2 downtempo tracks. Awesome. Pray For Dawn- Now that is a long chant! Some kind of Shiva something or other. It's mystical for sure but it isn't until the 4 and a half minute mark that the goa starts to show it's colors. The break is nice as hell, as a wavering synth chimes in as the chant continues. Not a lot of evolution but it is fairly hypnotic. Good work. Time Expander- Nice atmosphere in this one. Effects bounce all over the place as smooth pads hum over the bass line. Layers and lasers dot this track really giving it a lush sound. The groove is also high making this quite a complete psytrance track. Great track! Crystal Formations (Remix)- This is like walking through a cavernous space station by yourself. Echoes above a nice bass line, but to me it's a rather boring track. Moving on. Earth II- Now onto the downtempo portion of the program. Jungle sounds until a nice trip-hop beat bangs over a sharp bass line. Piano riffs echo amidst some wailing synths. Nice, but a little thin. Eternal Universe (Odyssey Mix)- Now this is what I'm talkin' about! Very spacey with echoing, eerie synths and skitterings like cockroaches with the light on. The bass sounds a little distorted, but I like how the whole track is set up. Groovy with a watch your back vibe. Nice touch at the end. You'll see what I mean. Very nice; with a little better production this one could've been a cracker. Nice little EP by the Greek. The promo pretty much nailed it, if you can believe that. Nothing groundbreaking but an enjoyable listen. Ektoplazm Download Mdk

Artist: Wizack Twizack Title: Breeze of Heaven EP Label: Digital Distortion Records Date: January, 2011 1. What Are You Doing? 2. Breeze of Heaven 3. It's OK Now I wonder what this guy's dreams are like? I'll be back...I think I just crapped myself. What the f*ck? Tommy has always tended towards the darker side of trance, but he is equally adept at quality twilight full on. What makes his music great is the atmosphere and detail which is his signature. Sure he can do melody, but he can also make you a little hesitant to shut off the light. This is a small EP that I came across released by Digital Distortion Records. What Are You Doing?- I like the lead in the beginning and he adds a little Shponglese vocal manipulation contributing to the weirdness. The leads come fast and furious as the bass line scrambles. Tempo changes keep it fresh, and the "What are you doing" sample raises the tension. Truly psychedelic in an Alice in Wonderland type of fashion with lots of twists and turns. Good track. Breeze of Heaven- This one suits me better as it is darker with loads of effects. As the lead grows in intensity it wields a twilight hammer only to leave quickly. Hallucinatory atmospheres fly by as if I were on a 3 day peyote trip. More twists as synths come and go as this one winds down. Pretty good job! It's Ok Now- This is done by Art of Existence which I guess he has some involvement in. My favorite hands down. Melodic, dark and effects laden. Sure the title says it's ok now, but don't you believe it. The sample doesn't help either. Eerie. Squelches and scratchy leads increase the darkness quotient and the track continues to add synths to thicken it up. Hi paced scary clown sh*t, man. Awesome! Well, you know what you're going to get when you listen to his music. Dark, melodic, spooky, forest, eerie...I don't care what you call it. The atmospheres are rich and vivid and he still manages to make you want to dance. $6 is a lot for 3 tracks, but if you're a fan of his music like me and have some coin lying around, then it's no big deal. If money is tight (and in this crappy economy) and you have to make a choice, I would download the 3rd track. Great stuff Tommy you Swedish psycho! Beatport

Artist: Sunspot Title: Tales of the Green Dragon EP Label: Gliese 581C Date: February, 2011 1. Demanding Happiness (78 BPM) 2. Experience Expanded (73 BPM) 3. Grapeyard Shift (85 BPM) Like the beach? Sure you do, everyone does. Well get your suntan lotion and beach towels because you are about to take up some sand real estate. Dutch artist Sunspot offers up a short 3 track EP in which he uses real instruments combined with some electronica to create a chilled out vibe. It is released by Gliese 581C (netlabel) and distributed by our great friend at Ektoplazm. I have never heard of him, but when the words downtempo and dub are used, my interest is peaked. Demanding Happiness- This has reggae jam written all over it. From the small vocal samples to the live instrument bass, the beach is right in front of you. Not psychedelic at all, but it brings a calming peace. Not a lot of variation and I could see where it might get boring, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Experience Expanded- Another track that seems to use real live instruments. I like it, but he knows he can use a computer right? More reggae vibes which sound like a soundtrack to an afternoon on a windy beach. There is good acoustic guitar work and some electronics but this is all about nodding your head. Grapeyard Shift- Deep sweeps and a funky drummer in the beginning make this one my favorite. Soft percussive thumping makes me almost believe I have a Corona with lime in my left hand. The track has the same characteristics as the previous two and truth be told, this EP could be one long track. This is a nice EP that is all about relaxation. True all the tracks sound the same, but I believe one of it's strongest points is the use of real world instruments. It's not about psychedelia because, well... there really isn't any. Imagine sitting on a beach in Jamaica in the early afternoon under an umbrella as the wind blows across the waves. Maybe you're on your 3rd or 4th Corona and then you realize...there are still 5 more days left in your vacation. It's not very intricate and there is no stories to be told, but it is super relaxing. If you still have any doubts, just remember that it's free. Download here. Mdk

Artist: Various Title: Future Architecture Label: Neogoa & Underground Alien Factory Date: February, 2011 1. Somnesia: Sunlight (143 BPM) | 10:28 2. Blackstarrfinale: Icarus One (145 BPM) | 09:15 3. Project Shidartha: Astral Levitation (145 BPM) | 08:28 4. Nova Fractal: Perplexed (146 BPM) | 07:47 5. Grand-Cheff: Lady Of Steel (147 BPM) | 08:38 6. Sky Technology: Indian Spiciness (148 BPM) | 08:51 7. Stellarians: Penumbra's Sanctuary (144 BPM) | 06:49 8. Siam: In Void (140 BPM) | 10:08 9. Trinodia: No More War (131 BPM) | 07:31 Man, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Richpa's package...Hmm, wait a minute.. Creepy. That didn't sound right. What I meant was that I was salivating waiting for what he was gonna give me... Wow. This really isn't going well. Richpa (Ivan Parić) has been doing some outstanding work on his all purpose website Neogoa. It is a one stop shop for information including reviews (you're welcome), info about releases, and now releasing music. Did you happen to catch Dimensional Gateway last year? No? Bullsh*t, even this guy heard it. So popular was it, that it was voted the best free compilation of 2010 on Ektoplazm. Know what number 2 was? A little album known as Goa Overdose put together by netlabel UAF that has been kicking ass and taking names in the new school goa scene for quite a while now. So what happens when two great tastes come together? You get this combined effort from the two labels who join forces to combat crappy psytrance releases like an episode of Voltron. And yes I did find a gif of Voltron dancing. What can't the internet do? Starting with the cover, it reminds me of the Helium cover from Transwave back in the day. It is a beautiful mix of purples and whites and greens in a hypnotic pattern. Designed by Mr. Do It All himself (Richpa) it looks great on my large monitor. The purpose of this compilation was to introduce some new artists as well as provide some tunes from the more established guys. Lately I have been reviewing a lot of psytrance stuff because there hasn't been much goa released, but that is about to change as 2011 is going to be a busy year for the genre we love so much. Some may be concerned that since I write the reviews for Neogoa that I may be biased and not have an objective opinion about this release... I pride myself on being honest and if this sucked, believe me I would tell you. Sh*t, it ain't like Richpa pays me for all this hilarity. Sunlight- Christophe has had a strong run lately with good tracks on Goa Overdose, Energy Waves, and of course Dimensional Gateway. He begins with a long mysterious intro as it is almost 3 minutes before you hear a kick drum. It's a bubbly, flowing track with leads weaving patterns alongside each other as one melody replaces another. Glorious, cascading beauty as melodies rain down like a summer storm and man you can just feel the warm weather returning. Awesome track! Icarus One- Luis Pabon is another up and comer having released a few tracks. The leads are a little more chaotic, but it's balanced out by the soothing pads. Kinda like if you shot a laser gun in a mattress store. Yeah you would get hit, but you would have a comfy landing. And that's how Sue Sylvester "C"s it. It has a spacey feel to it with lots of laser shots and floating pads while being less intense than the first track. Not bad, not bad at all. Everything doesn't have to be about buddhas and sunshine you know. Astral Levitation- "But the time traveler can take the short route. By outrunning light beams he can travel back in time." What? Nah, never heard of 'em. But isn't it funny how certain words can get your attention. With the above sample we are in space territory as the pillow soft kick thumps. Scratchy leads give way to a panned melody that swirls between your ears. The break is short ,but allows the track to generate some punch. Pretty straight forward with catchy melodies. Nice track. Perplexed- I love it when there are tracks by unknowns (at least to me) as you never know what you're going to get. Very bubbly with a fly buzzing around is how the track begins. When the goa lead breaks, it has lots of company. The break is delicious as it marinates, grows, and erupts with force. Great track! Lady of Steel- Sammy! "No sh*t baby, my stuff is like this!" POW!!! I've only heard his EP Voodoo GoAttack, but Samuel Senlanne has a penchant for putting weird samples in his tracks. No exception here, but what he also puts in the track is a hippie ass whipping. Twirling goa melodies that rise and fall, and an old school sound that made Slinky Wizard take notice. F*cking awesome track. Indian Spiciness- This guy generated a lot of buzz with his Time and Space EP as it hit the scene with the force of a bomb. Here he tells you to f*ck your intro because he don't need no stinkin' intro. He launches right into the tumbling leads that fire at a rapid pace like a machine gun. Sounds change, but the pace remains fast. Echoing chants provide a background, but the stars here are the leads which continue to layer. So many, so f*cking many! Get your popcorn ready... Penumbra's Sanctuary- I feel bad for whoever this is because he has to follow what I just heard. It's slowed down with a lot less intensity; more of an eerie track with smooth pads. There was a change in key that didn't seem to fit and felt a little awkward. Once it hits its stride though the leads tumble over each other in prime goa fashion. The choir added to the mood as this track got better and better as it went along. I would be really interested in seeing how this artist progresses as his darker melodic style intrigues me. In The Void- I think I have heard some of his tracks on Psynews, but I listen to a lot of music so he may have gotten lost in the shuffle. It seems like the compilation is winding down with some more pensive tracks, no longer intent on damaging your brain, but nursing it back to life. This one is a thinker, with twists and turns and layers of sounds joining and melting with great transitions. It's really like a book with chapters each introducing its part of the story without beating you over the head with it. It ebbs and flows, gives and takes. Very good track. No More War- "Pursuing peace is the only avenue which is compatible with our culture and...Let there be no more war." I know the Swede more for his psytrance stuff, but he has uncorked a goa stormer here and there. This is another groovy effort with chopped up synths and goa flavor. Leads dance alongside the bass line as more layers get added. It's not in your face, just smooth. Like if you made a goa sandwich with house groove bread. Perfect for dancing like no one is watching. I tell you I don't know how he does it. Richpa works his ass off and to bring this kind of quality AGAIN is really stunning. This was another great compilation put together FOR FREE that rivals a great majority of stuff that you have to pay for. You have intense tracks as well as the more subliminal style being represented. New artists as well as some established guys. The sky really is the limit for Neogoa and UAF as they have added another beautiful feather in their goa cap. Don't walk, run to your computer to check out Richpa and Imba's package. Neogoa Mdk

For those of you with slow internet speeds, I apologize for putting gifs in my reviews. I realize that it can slow things down and take time to load. Reviews with just text seem boring and laborious to read. I try to make the review an enjoyable read, and if I feel a gif would work there, well, so be it. You can't please everyone and I enjoy doing reviews. If you don't like how I do it, well without trying to be a dick, don't read it. This is a public forum and you can write reviews your own way. I'm just some guy with free time that enjoys writing reviews. Mdk

Artist: Osher Title: Twilight Label: Blue Tunes Recordings Date: February, 2011 1. Staring at the moon 2. Twilight 3. Age of love 4. Fight Club 5. The music of yourself 6. Sweeping up (Osher Remix Live Edit) - Symphonix 7. Miles and more 8. Beauty Free 9. Backspace 10. Alcohol and Buzz I have to say that I was looking forward to hearing this one. When I was just getting into the psychedelic genre I came across an album called Emtion in Motion. This was Ananda Shake's debut back in 2005 and it was like most discs at the time: some really great, powerful tracks and some pure WTF moments. With each consecutive album however, the quality began to dip. Finally, by the time The World Is Yours came out, well... Yeah, I was pretty horrified. Osher is back on his own and after some quality progressive results like his track on the Beach Atmosphere compilation I think he has hit his stride. Instead of bringing you the latest in commercial disappointments that Ananda Shake has come to signify, he delivers a wonderfully melodic progressive experience that shows some true talent. Staring At The Moon- "We didn't understand how a human could spend so much time staring...." Sometimes the best thing you can do is keep it simple. Easy grooves with sound effects can go a long way to setting up atmosphere and here he wields a sharp scalpel. The melodies are eerie and echo lightly over the very simple bass that changes key. So tasty! Twilight- "You can't trick us, you know." More simplicity that works wonders. Washes, bass line and dreamy effects. A deep and very emotional break left me floating in the clouds. This was another wonderful track. Age of Love- This one was a little more aggressive with slightly harsher sounds, but was still trip-inducing. Less grandiose, I would say. Fight Club- Another track in the psy-gressive vein which wasn't as impressive. It plodded along and wasn't as deep as the previous stuff. The Music of Yourself- "I remember when I was in the special forces.." A slow burner, this one bounces along and picks up steam. When the break arrives, the melody is epic and really sounds great above the churning synth. I liked it, and before I knew it the track was over. Sweeping Up (Osher Remix Live Edit)- Here he takes on a Symphonix track, again applying the keep it simple formula. A lead climbs as effects ring all around. Another melody echoes softly in the distance and still has some power in it. Good job! Miles & More- Filtered leads and effects are all over this track with lots of layers. And then just like that...he deconstructs. Very deep with numerous sounds that really come together well. The way he twists that lead it sounds almost like a distorted guitar. Groovy, melodic and hypnotic. Great track! Beauty Free- This is an awesome track. Sliced up synths careen from the left and right creating beautiful melodic lines. It is super danceable with a rich and vivid break. Like trickling water in a forgotten grotto. Tremendous! Backspace- Inevitably there has to be a letdown after the previous track and unfortunately it's this one. This one isn't bad, but compared to Beauty Free, well it's like getting eating Hershey bar after you just got a bag of Kit-Kats. I like Hershey, but...it's a f*cking Kit-Kat man. Animals could die from eating them, but they are so good they don't give a sh*t. Don't believe me? It's like crack bi*ches. Alcohol A Buzz- And with the final track a great way to end what has been an eye opening ride by Osher. Melodic, smooth like a milkshake. Bouncy, bouncy. Has this talent been there all along? This was an excellent artist debut and in my opinion he is wasting his time making psytrance. Instead of creating generic and commercial crap, he should be concentrating on music that is passionate (no, you're gay!) and brimming with emotion. He has great skill in taking the listener from multiple layers to just the bare bones building atmosphere by the truckload. Great job Osher! I can still make fun of Ananda Shake though right? Right?!? Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: PsiloCybian Title: Funny Farm EP Label: Again with the questions...I think Ektoplazm. Date: When it comes out 1. Funny Farm 2. Up And Atom 3. Bonkers Now that my son is doped up with cough meds I can get down to business. That's not my son by the way, but that's how they do. This was given to me to review in advance by my man Richpa and I was only too happy to oblige. Sasa's debut album Wry Figments was a very good start to what looks like a promising career. This will be released for free on Ektoplazm very shortly. According to his site these were a few tracks that didn't fit in with his new album. Instead of letting them become lost, he is releasing them for free. I like the cover; it seems fun and shows that they don't all have to be fractals. Now you know where Chick-Fil-A gets their cows with the broken English. Funny Farm- Nothing funny about this track. I got a supernatural vibe from it with its pulsating bass and kick-hammer drum. The synths swirl around a far away vocal, continuing during the break. Very pleasing with it's dark overtones. Good, straightforward psytrance track. Up and Atom- Love the bass here; it's bubbly and deep. The whole track is fun as it bounces along with wailing synths and a twinkling melody. Another lead scratches the surface with a chopped up sample. Not Shponglesque though. Another good track. Bonkers- Totally different from the previous two. I can see him just coming up with a mid tempo jam and running with it. There are the dark tinged melodies and guitar riff to go along with the juicy bass. There is a delicious break that combines the filtered vocal in a house-like groove. Add in an Arabian style scale and you have a good time. It is so rare that you can get something for nothing. Sure you can find porn on the net and not have to pay for it, but once you're done, now you have the shame of being a deviant. Sorry Homer, no amount of foliage will wash that stench off you. Anyway....One: This guy produces good music. Two: This is free. What else do you need to know? Mdk

Artist: Shpongle feat. Benji Title: The God Particle EP Label: Twisted Records Date: October, 2010 1. Before The Big Bang 2. The God Particle What is iconic? Webster's defines icon as usually a pictoral representation or an object of uncritical devotion. Yep, that qualifies. Well if you overlook the gambling problems and incredible amount of infidelity. Allegedly. Surely. Well, minus the pedophilia, elephant man bones collecting, Bubbles loving, and Elizabeth Taylor connection. Or because of them. Who's got the Jesus Juice? No question. I would guess that more people know who this is than know who Justin Beiber is. Shpongle is Simon Posford and Raja Ram who have written the book on psychedelic downtempo ranging from beautiful ambient to experimental...I don't know what the f*ck. There are many that think music ends and begins with Shpongle. Hell, there is even a thread on this forum saying just that. The late Justice Potter said this: "I shall not today attempt further to define pornography; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it…." I would say that defines Shpongle's music. It is so out there with a ridiculous amount of stuff that it defies genres. But you know it when you hear it. This is a little EP that sees the duo work with Benji, aka Prometheus. Which shouldn't be strange because Benji works with Simon on the Younger Brother project. There are only 2 tracks so to not go through each one in detail would just be lazy. Before The Big Bang- The beat is a booming quake slowly trudging its way forward as sounds trickle across your ears. It has a futuristic feel as if something is unraveling. The sounds are like echoes in a cave with a bouncing percussive element. A breakbeat emerges with a running synth. When the beat drops out I feel as though I am adrift in space. Psy-chill that is done pretty well. The God Particle- Wow, the first dozen times I heard this I was like Wtf? Skittering sounds and nothing downtempo to speak of. It's like a techno nightmare complete with a flute appearance. A synth warbles out of the blue amid squeaky effects and picks up speed, hurtling towards certain doom. The short breakbeat is thunderous and funky as hell. But soon it's right back into the fast paced delirium. It becomes noisy and just when you can't take anymore the beat drops out and we are treated to some fine spacey ambient with soaring pads and floating melodies. Booming bass drums rumble as if you had front row seats to the big bang. I, ummm...still don't know what to make of this. I am convinced that this sums up Shpongle and their approach to music: Nudity warning! They have seemingly achieved so much that they can do whatever the hell they want. Some will like whatever they do as their fanbase is pretty rabid and think they can do no wrong. I listened to these two tracks so many times trying to get to the meat of them and I feel I still have a long way to go. There is so much in there that I can appreciate the complexity. The only problem I have is that sometimes I feel they add sounds just to make noise and create entropy, which takes away from my enjoyment. If you are in the mood for some experimental music with lots of details, then sink your teeth into this. I liked it....I think. Beatport Mdk