shahar@isratrance

What an opening- I recommend to leave a few candles in the room, turn off the light and turn up the volume- like crossing an unseen curtain to another dimension- foo! And on the other side awaits you a mellow alien atmosphere, which oozes out of this piece of plastic. You just cross and start your journey. And do not worry if it is a hot day, because here it's chilled, almost physically chilled, everything here is blue and aquatic, watery, it's dripping! Wonder around through the soundscapes and you'll discover weird and beautiful places and creatures- it's all there in your mind, and here's the music to extract it out. I just love this beautiful album of this Swedish duo. It's very relaxing, very emotional, very musical- almost visual, yet very powerful. These guys now how to create music and sounds that really touch you inside. And when your music has a strong feeling in it, when it can really touch something inside, it's there to stay. And I know that this is an album that is gonna stay with me for long. I will listen to it in times I'll feel like immersing myself in sounds that paints another world, in times I'll need to chill or cool down, in times I want to feel. Bottom Line: Feel the chill! My best chill album of the summer, so far. Favorites: 1(!!!), 2, 3(!), 4, 8, 9, 10(!), 11.

V/A - Talisman Artist: Various Title: Talisman Label: Interchill Date: 2003 Track listing: 01. Manasseh And Feat Knati : Temper Dub 02. Neil Sparks And The Last Tribe : Talisman 03. Eat Static : Caridwen 04. Jumbo Layer : The Lily Dub 05. Jan Wobble And The Invaiders : Lam Tom Way Dub 06. Suns Of Arqa : Ark Of The Arqans 07. Gargoyles : Evil Do Ers 08. Ott : Scilly Automatic 09. Jan Wobble And Bill Laswell : Orion 10. Stress Assassin : Time 11. Adham Shaikh : Sabadub (G-String Mix) 12. The Kumba Mela Experiment : That Which I Could Only Sense Review: Another Interchill release on their mission to chill the world, it is a blessing as all of their previous ones I've heard. This time Andrew's doing it the rasta way with a dubby compilation filled with varied interpretation of the staggering wavy beats and floating delayed sequences originating from Jamaica. And varied it is, starting with more traditional dubby vibes, then touching some tribal influences with a side trip to more loungy spaces with Eat Static (T3) and the excellent Jumbo Layer track (T4). Then comes the most special track here, a crazy hypnotic chanting piece involving the legendary Jah Wobble, that is yet to return here. Lam Tam Way Dub is like nothing you've heard before, though it kinda breaks the flow of the music. Then things turn more psychedelic with the too weird Suns of Arqa track (T6) and two Ott tracks. The first is with Mr. Posford as Gargoyles- amazing moody mellow psydub piece, though the sexy samples in the middle don't fit the mood of the track, and ruin it a bit for me. Then it's the Twisted prodigy on his own, with Scilly Automatic (T8), an amazing psydub journey with a great sample. From here things stay pretty much excellent. Jah Wobble returns teaming with electronic world music guru Bill Laswell with the amazing penetrating mellow Orion (T9), Stress Assassin takes things to space, and Adham Shaikh supplies a real trip in Indian sounds (T11), till it ends with the psychedelic aquatic That Which I Could Only Sense. Bottom line: great chilled varied psydub release that melts well few worlds of music. The beginning doesn't flow flawlessly, but then things just all fall into place, and it's a real joy, with some shining sparks of genius. Favorites: 3, 4, 5(!!!), 8(!), 9(!!), 10, 11(!!), 12.

Filur - Together Again Artist: Filur Title: Together Again Label: Iboga Date: 2003 Track listing: 01. Curved Air (Reefer Decree Rmx) 02. Together Again Review: Filur is a project of Sebastian Mullaert, half Son Kite. It started more clubby, but lately we got some more psychedelic Filur tracks, and that sure made me happy. Here both sides are represented. On the A side we have Seb's remix to the big Reefer Decree hit, Curved Air. An excellent remix and a beautiful track, full of feel and the music induced kind of psychedelia, the one I really like and been missing the last couple of years. A perfect dawn track for the woods. On the B side, Together Again is a more clubby tune with a nice atmosphere, but nothing special really. The ones among you with good ears may detect some Ooze sounds that are probably nice to be met on the dancefloor. Bottom Line: A must for the Curved Air remix.

Here is the best chill album I heard in quite a while. Solar Fields, who is Magnus Birgersson from Sweden, presents us with a deep psychedelic trancey ambient CD that does beautifully just what ambient is supposed to do: be a relaxing musical background and in the same time offer a musical landscape to dive into with your mind. Blue Moon Station does both and in a way that makes you experience it literally, diving into relaxed and very chilled moments only to surface back dramatically and suck your mind and heart to alien landscapes. Some must be mentioned highlights here are the beautiful strings peace Elevator Sunshine Girl, the dramatic Cosmic Dessert that gives me goose bumps, the excellent trancey Infection 268-7, my favorite and most powerful track here- Majestic Feeling- fading and exploding dramatically again and again with tons of feel- sends shudders down my spine every time, and the aquatic beautiful and with a Jazzy-afternoon-feel Swimming with Stones. But it's all just great. Bottom line: Best psychedelic chill album I heard in a long time. A real must. Favorites: 2, 3(!), 4, 5(!), 7(!!!), 9, 11.

I took my time with this album, and after really absorbing it I can tell you that Ticon proudly stood the second album test. Aero is everything a good trance album should be a decade after the first trance album was released. It has its share of dancefloor stormers (Waiting for the Knights, Ghost in the Machinery), yet it has the deeper subtler and more musical tracks (Some Simple Sounds, Snooze da Booze). It has indoor clubby and even housey moments, but also more psychedelic progressive outdoor moments. It has enough that breaks the 4/4 formula: the dubby opener, the amazing dubby electroish It Breakz My Heart & the interluding Vox Pubsicum. Hell, it even has the comic relief (Bonanza- sure brings good childhood memories, but aren't these guys too young to remember this one?). And as you can understand from the above it is diverse enough to keep it interesting for a long time. Take note though, that this album is less on the psychedelic side of things. To sum it, the Ticons have managed to create an album that diverse, interesting, varied, moving, touching, emotional, very musical, keeps growing with time and even funny. Bottom line: Great for any bouncing environment. No weak moments, only stronger ones. Best trance album of 2003 so far by far. Favorites: 1, 3, 4(!), 7(!!), 9(!), 10, 11.

Iboga has been going through some changes in the last two years, touching new musical directions, also in a bit of a confused way. If this compilation is to show the new Iboga way, then I pretty much like it. Still your Scando-progressive sound, with clubby touches, but with enough feel and psychedelia to keep it interesting. It start with a new Jaia track- it's nice, interesting, and even groovy, but hasn't got the deep emotional feel I'm used to from Jaia (I miss it). Frogacult continue much more of what for me is the right direction. Lucky Strike is progressive in feel, yet caressing and beautiful. Oryx next (T3) with a very psychedelic and drippy tune- excellent! Then it's Filur with Underrated (T5), the best track here really, so much feel and powerful atmosphere, and much more psytrance- I like the new Filur way. This track is something else, and it gets so much better every time I listen to it. It's been a while since I said that, but, here goes... this one's worth the compilation all by itself. Feels good to say that. With Double Dragon things start to get clubbier, but still the kind of clubby music that keeps it interesting for the brain.Cex (T6) has nice tight grooves that pull well and together with the nice feel carry the slow evolving patient build very well. Didn't get the sample though. Emok, care to explain? True to nature start taking us on the way out with Pulsar (T7)- beautiful spooky melody with tons of feel. Excellent pre-dawn track. Ending the CD is another beautiful caressing progressing track- the name of both the artist and the track say it all perfectly. Nothing to add. Bottom Line: An excellent progressive psychedelic trance flowing nicely between these two poles, while keeping it both interesting and moving. Favorites: 2, 3, 4(!), 7, 8.

V/A - Chillosophy 3 Artist: Various Title: Chillosophy 3 Label: Digital Structures Date: 2003 Track listing: 01. Omnimotion : Life Hymn In Dub 02. Ooze : Snowflower 03. Jens Buchert : Reflections 04. Ticon : The First Moment 05. Legion Of Green Men : Hot Box Highway 06. Stress Assassin : Martial Meditation 07. Spirit Jack : Nano X 08. Vibrasphere : Manzanilla 09. Foxglove : Part Of You 10. Son Kite : Million Wishes 11. Aztech : Manifesto 12. Mere Mortals : Aloft 13. El Lcd : Snoe Pa Hisingen (Cbl Rmx) Review: The third in the excellent series from Digital Structures offers more places to sit, and is indeed in a more homely atmosphere. The third Chillosophy is more loungey, more mellow, less brain manipulating and very relaxing. The mellowness is felt almost all through the journey, I can just guess that winter in Scandinavia must have its effect- so this feels very much to me like sitting by the fireplace with snow dancing outside holding a cup of alcohol boosted hot beverage, and relaxing, thinking about different realms. The journey starts ethnic flavored and mellow, gets more complex with amazing singing in the Ooze track, then takes a more loungey atmosphere with Jens and Ticon, topping in the best tune here by Legion of Green Man- totally Jazzy, great track- but why so short? Long developing version please! Things slow down and get more hypnotic with the mysterious Stressassassin track and the monotone and more Psychedelic Nano-X. Then comes the amazing Manzanilla by Vibrasphere from their latest album, relaxed and floating with lots of feel. Mr. Seb "Shakta" Taylor, shows where his heart really lies and where his talent is spent as well probably with the dreamy Part of You. More singing but in hypnotic lo-tech moody feel from Son Kite and continuing in the same surroundings but in more experimental soundscapes comes Aztech. On the way out we get the more optimistic Aloft with beautiful Bjorkish singing and the finishing track is one of my favorites here, with that melody sending chills down my spine and giving me goose bumps! Bottom Line: Just beautiful- a bit moody, but still beautiful and with an optimistic streak going through it. It all flows totally clean and grew on me with every listen, each time finding new favorites, till I can say I like all tracks. Favorites: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13.

V/A - A Step Beyond Compilation Session 1 Artist: Various Title: A Step Beyond Compilation Session 1 Label: Zillion Mental Anarchie Date: 2003 Track listing: 01. Shaman : Fill And Thrills 02. Trioptimum : Tiefsee 03. Sun Control Species : Faith In Chaos 04. Tegma : El Cabron De Tulum 05. Mantik : Bazar Bizzare 06. Sun Control Species : One Size Fits All 07. Sensient : Off World 08. Mockie : All Moments 09. Neogen : Misty Mights Of Whisper Review: A new compilation from ZMA of psyprogressive tunes with feel, psychedelia, subtle melodies and after the sunrise overall atmosphere. Shaman gives us again a perfect opener with Fill n' Thrills, a mellow relaxed yet moving piece full of psychedelic and emotional sounds. I dub Shaman as the official perfect opener of good morning sets! Trioptimum continue, nice one, but I don't like the production and overall sound. Sun Control Species with a great Faith in Chaos (T3)- excellent moving psyprogressive tune for the morning moments. Tegma follow with percussion mayhem, great hypnotic tune that continues the feel in more intense and melodic direction. The Mantik track I really don't like, much to develop here. The second Sun Control Species tracks here is just as good as the first- two excellent tracks by Andrew Davidson here, which leaves me eager to listen to his upcoming album expected through ZMA. One Size Fits All (T6) is just a deep morning tune surrounding you with psychedelic atmosphere and a capturing rhythm that'll send you galloping around the dancefloor. Sensient is a promising upcoming talent from Oz that already captured my ear before, Off World (T7) is another grabbing psychedelic morning tune with an irresistible groove and an overall mysterious yet happy feel to it, opening in the end with a nice floating melody. Beautiful. Mockie takes it down a bit with the percussive tribal All Moments, nice hypnotic moving piece. Neogen takes the surprise of the CD spot with a beautiful open airy track that really touches me. Nothing life his previous release and here's definitely an artist to watch in the future. Bottom line: A fine piece of plastic with beautiful musical morning moments and a strong together feel to it. Favorites: 1, 3(!), 4, 6(!), 7, 8.

Son Kite are back with a new 12", which in a way gives us a new Son Kite sound and feel. Slow, full of emotions, more melodic, very open and with a strong outdoor feel. If this is a sign for the upcoming third Son Kite album that is in the works now, than I'm a happy man. The A side, Receive part 2, is just amazing, the best way to describe it will be as a blend of Der Dritte Raum's Hail-Bopp and early Union Jack. Mellow, moving, emotional, really grabs you from the inside and sends your spirit flying around. So full of music. Excellent. Best Son Kite track in my stereo for a long time. The B side, Sunset Street, has more of the familiar Son Kite tribal rhythm, but topped with penetrating flying melodic lines and a mellow yet optimistic feel. Later the story develops into a happy ecstatic tribal explosion. I must say if feel more as a Sunrise Field than a Sunset Street to me. Bottom Line: So much music. So much feel. Just beautiful. Two amazing track, no B side here really. Own it. Now.

Vibrasphere join the Digital Structures family and brings us their second album packed with their dubby atmospheric penetrating music, all with a very relaxed feel to it. So much open and relaxed that after the first time I listened to it what jumped out to my mind is that this is chillout-trance. This is an album that you can both dive into or play in the background and enjoy just as well. There's enough here to dance to, or you can just float in it while you're chilling. All the familiar Vibrasphere characteristics are here. Be it the dubby sequences and feel which are present through the album, or the great musicality, which you can feel so well in Soul Wire, Newport, Silver Sun and the great relaxed floating Manzanilla, which gives me back the feel of the early trancey chillout that was made in the mid 90s. The dancefloor feel is present in Newport, the excellent pre-dawn tune- Infusion, and the groovy and funky Purple Floating. The hypnotic vibrasphere effect is also here, especially in the great Time Shifter. Some of the tracks are more clubby in feel (Lemon Phase, Silver Sun), some are very outdoor (Newport, Purple Floating, Infusion, Time Shifter), but all are very musical. Bottom Line: Excellent album, like lime it is refreshing, yet can sting you a bit. Also good word to DS on the cover and the booklet inside. Favorites: 1, 3, 4, 5(!), 7, 8.

V/A - Candy Artist: Various Title: Candy Label: Candyflip Date: 2003 Track listing: 01. Charasmatix : Society FX (Pumpin Pad Rmx) 02. Synchro And DJ Nina : About Time 03. KURO : Matrox 04. Sententia : Progress Stop 05. Drone : In Search For 06. Phacelift : The New You 07. Igneous Sauria : Tarnkappe 08. Bent Sentient And Pied Piper Paul : Malice In Blunderland (Starspine Rmx) 09. Loopus In Fabula : Panfilo (Fucked Rmx) Review: Candy is the second compilation of this young Greek label and it is by far their best release so far. Quality release from the special cover (no plastic) through the artwork and the music of course. A blend of smooth groovy progressive trance with depth and power with some exception, but read on. The compilation starts airy and floating with the first two tracks, which just blend perfectly into each other. Both Charasmatix and Snychro & DJ Nina with powerful caressing atmospheric pieces that get my body moving and mind flowing. Then Kuro is back with one of the most hypnotic track I’ve heard in a long while- Matrox is just totally hypnotizing. Nothing more to say. I just wish Kuro would release more. Then its time for some Greek stuff and things get a bit rougher- Sententia with groovy techy rhythm tricks dipped in floating pads. Drone with hypnotic dark catchy tribalistic tune with great darbukas, another of my favorites here. Igneous Sauria goes into more psychedelic realms with great jumpy groove drowned in metallic voices calling you from the other side. Dramatic and demanding first half, relaxing in the end, a bit of an anti climax really. Phacelift with The New You, sorry but can avoid saying this- this track needs a facelift. A bit immature I think. Then things get confused a bit. It’s Malice in Blunderland remix next, the original released on the first compilation from Candyflip- Etsi. Hectic and quite psychotic track, very special and I quite like it, but can’t help feeling its out of line here. The crazy Loopus follow that line and end the compilation. Now, I love Loopus in Fabula, they're probably one of the most original and interesting acts around- but their production still needs work. The track itself is amazing, weird, musical and fresh, as only they can make, but again it’s hard for me to enjoy it like this. Bottom Line: One of the best compilation I’ve heard in a while, until track 7 things are pretty much perfect, then get a bit confused, but still this is an excellent release, highly recommended, and stay tuned to Candyflip. Favorites: 1, 2, 3(!!), 4, 5(!), 9.

Highpersonic Whomen (AKA Haltya Project), with the surprise album of 2002, that arrived in the last moments of the year. People! We're talking about the album that puts the psy into trance again, as a good friend of mine said. A diverse musical experiment that has it all: originality, liquidizing music that will take you to another dimension, great atmosphere, stories, feel and emotions. In short, good psychedelic trance the way it should be. HPW are breaking and melting the borders of the different trance genres, which is just as good as this music was always not about genres. Its all here, the more pushing Wunderbaum & Clone Collective, the killer hit that will always get the floor spacing- Des Pudels Kern, with one of the best breaks I heard the last year, the dripping liquidish E.T. FM & Wormhole, the hypnotizing Standard Procedure, and the beautiful penetrating melodic twist of Piece of Cake. And in the end it's Easy Does It. My next mission in life: a beautiful sunrise in nature with few hundred more beautiful people and a HPW set. Bottom Line: If you want to feel what psytrance is really all about- buy this one NOW! Favorites: 1, 2(!), 3(!!), 4, 7(!!), 8.

Ticon - Knights Artist: Ticon Title: Knights Label: Digital Structures Date: 2002 Track listing: 01. 09'19"Waiting For The Knights 02. 08'51"There Is No Plan Review: A new vinyl from Ticon with two new tracks as a teaser for their new album expected in March 2003. Ticon have been releasing quite a lot on compilations in different labels and in different names (also as NDSA) and somehow, while producing very good dancefloor material, failed to innovate. So what does this EP tells us about that much-expected album? Waiting for the Knights on the A side is a powerful crunchy piece of music with grabby groove, airy atmosphere and powerful crunchy moving sounds. Strong and extremely dramatic break in the middle turns it into quite a powerful dancing experience (I've tried) with a lot of power and feel and quite an optimistic feel. A real dancefloor hit. The B side- There Is No Plan- we get a totally grabbing percussive Ticonish groove right from the start, unfortunately it is topped by banal lifeless melodic lines radiating no emotion, and pretty much get lost. Well, B sides are usually either leftovers or experimental different tunes. I prefer the second type of course. Bottom Line: So the question is still unanswered really.. guess we'll have to wait and see. The A side is an excellent floor killer as only Ticon can do. The B side, well, I hope they do something else with that basic groove... Real innovation though, I haven't found here- I'm waiting patiently.

First of all, I gotta say that Element hit me hard when they released Transform (and if the bastard that borrowed it to listen and still haven?t returned it is reading this- you better return it or when I remember who you are, you?ll be sorry!). So even that my policy is that I write only about what I like, I really tike Element so this review, while not positive, comes from a positive place. This is nothing like Transform. Some very good musical moments (though not comparing to Transform), but very very bad lyrical moments. 3 songs have lyrics, done very well production-wise, but the lyrics, ppl... Anyone remember Modern Talking? That's what it is- Modern Talking. What on earth these guys where thinking? Spirit Zone? Did you listen to the lyrics? Wakey Wakey! Anybody in there? Here are some quotes: "baby baby one more day let me wash your tears away you take my heart you burn my soul you blow my mind and I lose control babe..." And everybody together now: "I wanna feel your magic flow, yeah yeah yeah..." or the real strong one: "baby baby one more thing I'm gonna buy you a diamond ring and if the diamond ring won't shine we're gonna do it one more time, yeh" And it goes on. Funny stuff. But also a bit sad for element. Is this what you have to convey to us??? Is that your vision of the full moon experience? I hope that?s not the case- I still have Transform in my head, and I can still feel it here in some excellent powerful musical moments like Rocket Exciter. Bottom line: That?s just not it. Some deep musical moments and very shallow embarrassing lyrical moments. Great production, of course. Element- please come back!!! Favorites: 1, 3, 5(!), 6.

V/A - Emergence Artist: Various Title: Emergence Label: Nanorecords Date: 2002 Track listing: 01. 09'16" Protoculture : Ultra Phunktional 02. 06'57" Rinkadink : Ultima 03. 09'16" Hydrophonic : Disorient Express 04. 09'55" Boogie Section And Bent Sensient : Freak of da Week ! 05. 07'13" Whiplash : Syntax And Whiskey 06. 08'15" Hydrophonic : Reality Game 07. 08'54" Hydrophonic : Elephunktitus 08. 09'51" Protoculture : Synergism 09. 08'44" Protoculture : Metaphysical Review: Nano records, a new South African label supply what is for me the freshest compilation of 2002. All made by South African artists, it shows the vibe is very much alive down there. This makes me wanna go party in South Africa!!! It starts dark with Protoculture but right in the middle of the track you understand we’re talking happy morning vibes here. Rinkadink asserts this with Ultima- total morning madness. Then it just rolls on with the cute Freak of da Week!, the thrashing Whiplash track, the bouncy guitary Elephunktitus, Synergism with its psychedelic guitars, and the heart penetrating Metaphysical (which reminds me the good old Etnica days in a way). Strong morning tracks with powerful atmosphere and a story that is not afraid to be long and build up and totally succeeds in doing so- I had enough of 6-7 minute long formulated tracks with expected boring build ups and the same old sounds and tricks, and totally no soul. We got some inspiration here at last!!! I keep playing this everywhere for a month now and still didn't get bored, and I get A LOT of music every week! Bottom line: Surprise CD of the year! Excellent morning psychedelic trance with the right spirit, great vibe, good story, real music, strong atmosphere, and a lot of optimism. Own it!!! Favorites: 1, 2(!), 4, 5(!), 8(!)

V/A - Digital Emission Artist: Various Title: Digital Emission Label: Digital Structures Date: 2002 Track listing: 01. 10'14" Son Kite : Massive 02. 08'49" Vibrasphere : Newport 03. 08'48" Tarek Mansur : Showtime 04. 07'51" Etnoscope : Drumsession 05. 07'31" Wizzy Noise : Prototype 06. 08'09" Ticon : Mr Leatherman 07. 08'29" Atmos : Force Five 08. 07'08" Shaman : Interchill Review: Finally a third compilation, or I should say only a third compilation, from the label that made so much impact on the trance world since they arrived. Digital Emission is an essential piece of plastic for anyone who loves psyprogressive sounds. It starts with the slow penetrating Massive by Son Kite- thick atmosphere, touching moving mellow sounds and beautiful music. A very powerful opener. Vibrasphere letting us know about their new album due in DS very soon, continue the mellow atmosphere with the nice melodic sounds of Newport (T2). Wait till you hear the Son Kite remix... Then things get thicker with a new name- Tarek Mansur, who delivers a good tight dancefloor piece, but it doesn't hold me at home- not enough happening. Etnoscope continue with their own tightness, and Drumsession (T4) is all I dreamt of when I first heard their tunes. Massive non-stop psychedelic tribalistic dancefloor percussion and drumming mayhem. Can't wait dance to it and play it. Wizzy Noise with a nice tech-trance tune (T5), but heard people doing it much better. Ticon soften things up again. Mr. Leatherman is a typical Ticon tune, really nice, but maybe too typical? Force Five pops up the big question- is Atmos back finally? I think my answer is yes. This is far from Headcleaner in feel, true, but it's a killer hard penetrating tune with a deep powerful penetrating feel to it and an engulfing atmosphere. I'm waiting for more. Shaman ends the CD with the soft repetitive chilled Interchill. Nice, but I prefer his more powerful ones. Bottom Line: An excellent progressive release, with the usual good DS material, and some shining diamonds. Favorites: 1(!), 2, 4, 7(!)

Shaman - Hippie Holy Days Artist: Shaman Title: Hippie Holy Days Label: Digital Structures Date: 2002 Track listing: 01. 07'51" Hippie Holy Days 02. 08'44" Tantrum Review: Hippie Holy Days is a hypnotic percussive piece with strong atmosphere, a grabbing drive, a strong break and taking a morningish turn in the second half. Excellent. Tantrum on the B side is more clubby in feel right from the start. It's groovy and jumpy but a bit tired and I keep losing interest in the middle. Long breaks that don't carry and don't innovate. And BTW, is everybody in the DS crew starting to sound like Son Kite, or is it just my imagination??? Bottom Line: I like the A side much. The B side not.

Deeper In Zen - Balance Artist: Deeper In Zen Title: Balance Label: Soular Date: 2002 Track listing: 01. 07'13" In Between The Outside 02. 07'03" Sacred Truth 03. 08'44" Intelligent Energy 04. 06'58" A Way In 05. 07'49" Process In Motion 06. 08'11" Vast Expanse 07. 08'07" Simply Infinite 08. 07'40" Integral Approach Review: A debut album for New York based act Deeper in Zen after few tracks in the first New York based Soular's compilation- Awakening. Something good is coming out of the big apple. This is a bouncy full on psychedelic album, that is more than just a collection of sounds, from an artist that I think really tries to say something in his music for a change. It's a very danceable and psychedelic album, with strong drive all along and a nice build, and full of dancefloor stormers. Tight! Standouts are the dark hectic Intelligent Energy, penetrating A Way In, and explosive Simply Infinite. Bottom Line: Full on all the way- and in a good way. Favorites: 2, 3(!), 4(!), 6, 7.

Three Point Turn - Remixes Artist: Three Point Turn Title: Remixes Label: Hadshot Date: 2002 Track listing: 01. 06'15" Thriller (The Delta Rmx) 02. 06'32" Paris Parano (Authentik Rmx) 03. 06'20" The Order Of Things (Synchro Rmx) Review: Another CDS in the new blessed Hadshot Haheizar way of things. Three remixes to three 3.Turn tracks as an appetizer for their upcoming second album- Explicit, coming soon. You like it rough? This is for you. It starts with a tasty mechanic remix by The Delta to Thriller from the new album- can't compare with the original yet, but this is pure driving mechanic energy with catchy groove and rhythm and spooky breaks. Follows the guys own remix to Paris Parano from their first album, metallic spooky sounds still present, horns as well, all on a totally twisted rhythm and groove and driving hard techno beats. Synchro ends things in a bit of a different atmosphere (a good thing), with his interpretation to The Order of Things, cleaner penetrating sound, a bit more psychedelic twists, totally hypnotizing, and full of surprises. My favorite of them all. Bottom line: for hard techtrancers this is a bliss- power, groove and atmosphere.

Etnoscope - Tribal Interference Artist: Etnoscope Title: Tribal Interference Label: Digital Structures Date: 2002 Track listing: 01. 10'19" Tribal Interference 02. 08'47" Pigs Go To Hell Review: A second vinyl from this promising duo, with releases spread on many compilations lately. On the A side you're surprised with Tribal Interference, which lacks the typical Etnoscope tribal percussive mayhem. This is a more relax, laid back tune, very Ticonish in feel, with a nice vocoder singing break which sounds weird at first but grows on you later. Sunrise track- the Swedish way. For me it's chillout. On the B side, it's more typical Etnoscope, right from the start- crazy percussion games, fast and chaotic on top of a soft kick. Fresh, groovy, nutty, and very very psychedelic. Excellent track, not much more to say, except maybe that you really gotta smile to the that break... pigs go to hell! Bottom Line: two different tunes from Etnoscope for forest nights and Scandinavian sunrises, another step in their promising trail for a debut album. Another excellent 12" from Digital Structures.

V/A - Digital DJ Artist: Various Title: Digital DJ Label: Digital Structures Date: 2002 Track listing: 01. Etnoscope : Tribal Interference 02. Eargear : Housetranceexpress (DDR Rmx) 03. Allan And Healy : Buzzing 04. Morphem : Ambrosia (Son Kite Rmx) 05. DJ Nukem And Chab : Shaiva (Heavy Duty Mix) 06. Vernon : Wanderer (Son Kite Rmx) 07. Antix : I Wanna Be 08. Raygun : Rotorblatt 09. Qlap : Went Mental in Mexico 10. Ticon : We Are the Mammoth Hunters (MOS Rmx) 11. Son Kite : Reewo 12. Ticon : There's No Plan 13. Shaman : Tantrum 14. Emou : Summer Is Old (Space Safari Rmx) Review: Smooth is the word I think. DJ Marcus, half Son Kite (and the rest of their endless projects) mixed for us a smooth journey in the MPDQX realms, jumping over to visit some other nearby territories, with two turntables and two CDJs we slide easily through clubby realms, progressive realms and psyprogressive realms. The story builds nicely, the mixes flow, and it all sits tight together. The sound flows between indoor and outdoor, as does the story. Standout sites in this trip are the Quirky couple, Nuckem & Chab, Son Kite's Vernon remix, Raygun (more info anyone?), and the finisher- Space Safari remix to Emou. Bottom line: If you like progressive trance, don't miss this. If you don't, this is a good introduction. Good for chilling out with some beats at home as well. A goodie. Favorite parts: 3-6, 8-10, 14.

Noosphere- Aqua (Spirit Zone, Jul. 2002) 1. Hyperfocus 7:20 2. Plan-B 7:27 3. Vector 6:36 4. Anenomy 4:17 5. How Do You Like Me Now ? 6:25 6. Waterproof 5:25 7. The Return 8:26 8. Changes 5:49 9. Quicksand 6:13 10. Captain Proton 7:27 11. Expect the Unexpected 5:22 Ok, better late then never. Just got this excellent album, and it didn't age yet. Noosphere deliver a fresh diverse album, touching lots of spots on the known trance space and exploring some new uncharted territories as well. Fun, groovy, everchanging, psychedelic, strong mind factor- great cover as well. They start in your face right from the start- rock'n'roll!!! Great percussive interphase and back to business. Excellent- who said full on can't be original? Then it's time for Plan-B (T2)- good kick change move- very nice opening. Atmospheric melodies. Crunch. Hypnotizing groove. Vector's next. Well- everything have been already said. After all these parties it's still a joy to listen and to dance to. Anenomy is a down tempo break with beautiful mysterious touching lines. Then we move to driving percussion with happy, grabbing groove. Great. Waterproof (T6) is a nice chilled blusey piece, very relaxed and with a totally drunk melody. The Return (T7) reminds me of old Etnica stuff in feel- and that is a good thing. Changes (T8) is the only fall down here- and not that it's not a good track- it's an excellent loungy hypnotic piece- it's just that it's totally out of place here, and should have been left for another more suitable place. Things really change with Quicksand, which besides the great name, is a sneaky twisted tune that will sure make you smile. Pure joy. Captain Proton (T10) is my favorite here, with Vector being everywhere for a long time now. Melodic psytrance at it's best- just the way I like it- so much feel! Can't wait to play it pitched up in a morning somewhere in nature. A second team up with Marcus Michael (after Vector) ends the story- the most aquatic piece in this Aqua story. Bottom line: It's been a while since an album got stuck in my changer for weeks- that says all, I think. Just buy it- that's all. Favorites: 1, 3(!!), 5-7, 9(!), 10(!), 11.

hehe, where did you dig that one from. I remember that my first impression when I got it when it was released was: trance party in an arcade. Funny stuff. Great cover.

V/A - Etsi Artist: Various Title: Etsi Label: Candyflip Date: 2002 Track listing: 01. 06'43" Das Medikament : Kikma 02. 09'37" Drone : Contagious 03. 08'24" Bent Sentient And Pied Piper Paul : Malice In Wonderland 04. 08'27" Igneous Sauria : Cookies For Rookies 05. 08'17" Unearthed : Voices Of Electra 06. 07'24" Wizzy Noise : Process 07. 07'04" Eargear : Dependence 08. 06'26" Skizofrenic Society : Obsession Review: A first compilation from Candyflip after their first release, Wizzy Noise's album. This is a nice compilation with a solid minimal psychedelic line, but with a limping start. Still it has few killer tracks and gives us one very promising new Greek act. The opening track I really don't like, I find it boring and I don't like the sound. Drone, a new Greek act shows some promise, a nice three phases track with a killer return from the break- I would prefer a global cut here- too long and looses the plot. Malice in Wonderland- the sample and the track name are great, the track itself doesn't do it for me. All three openers don't impress in the sound department. Igneou Sauria gets things moving with Cookies for Rookies (T4), a fast, happy and catchy groove, with constant head twisting rhythm changes surrounded by a multitude of effects. Unearthed, another new Greek name for me (how do you manage with these long surnames guys?) with a real discovery- a killer psycho track that keeps changing and evolving with good music and good samples, will be a joy to drop on the dancefloor. The kick could use a facelift, though- but I'm writing down this name for sure. Wizzy Noise do their thing, Process (T6) is a real dark atmospheric intense piece, with scratching storming splashes of sounds. Excellent. Eargear follow (T7) with a totally clubby track, but in no way you have ever heard before- totally catchy and will make you smile for sure- I just love this one, found myself using the repeat button with this on. The closing track is a breaky slow piece, nice, but not more. Bottom Line: a weak start, gets better in the middle- four excellent tracks, real gems, inside- Candyflip shows potential. Favorites: 4, 5, 6, 7(!!).

Segment - 01 Artist: Segment Title: 01 Label: Zillion Mental Anarchie Date: 2002 Track listing: 01. 11'26" Whooky's Wha 02. 08'09" The Gelfing (Uru Mix) 03. 07'00" Function 04. 08'35" Individual Ants 05. 06'56" Shut Up 06. 08'20" We Sold Our Souls 07. 07'34" Hollow House 08. 11'55" Human Bit's Review: A nice to listen to album from Segment and ZMA. Starts soft and caressing with a nice intro into the album with nice guitars, and some good soft progressive tracks that follow. It all rises up slowly and totally rocks with Individual Ants. Then it takes a more clubby direction in the second part of the album. It all ends with the excellent Human Bit's- a great chill track- I heard it 3 times in a row when I got to the end of the CD the first time. Bottom line: Nice diverse album with different tunes. Fun to listen to at home with few good dancefloor tunes. Favorites: 1, 4(!), 6, 8(!).