Jon Cocco

I'm glad it won. I was back-and-forth between UX and Morphic Resonance, and ended up leaving UX at #1. I enjoyed both so much. Tastes are different of course. For me, Morphic Resonance was huge. Suntrip never released anything close to the dark/sleek edginess, and grandiose-ness (dark goa wise) as City of Moons IMO. Kudos to the artist and Suntrip for making (and getting out there) this radical gem. Here's hoping the second tops the first (no weaker songs!) and is the magnum opus it has potential to be. No rush! I would have added Max Million - Monogramma to my downtempo if I knew about it earlier. This is great moody stuff (attached). Just wow, bring on the LP or sequel LP. Beautiful work. Link: https://youtu.be/ZMrdhxjk8AA Also, thank you for taking the time to count the votes and so compile the Best of 2016 results!

Many of the songs are really good on this TRIPLE CD COMPILATION! You have to comb through them to find your favorites. The Filteria track I found underwhelming. It sounds too samey throughout and doesn't pop or immerse me like many of his other celestial bodies (songs). Fortunately the artists and numerous others knocked it out of the ballpark! Artifact303, Merr0w, Psy-H, Centavra Project, Celestial Intelligence, Morphic Resonance. STREAM the FULL 3 CD compilation on YouTube below! ( CD 1 https://youtu.be/FPXASvWBJyw CD 2 https://youtu.be/rmUAWxO22Eo CD 3 https://youtu.be/OKhXBYkZ5CI

Tracklist: 01 - Imbaba & 303 Trancers 02 - Hidden Paradise 03 - Cosmos In Her Eyes 04 - First Encounter 05 - Blacklight Beings 06 - Creature Of Heaven 07 - Digital Non-Sense (featuring Ephedra) 08 - Lydia Delay - After All (Imba Remix) 09 - Rising Sun I've been meaning to review this for months. Some of these songs will be great for dance floors. But for home listening (me personally) not so much. And for home listening I found a good amount to enjoy here. 1. Imbaba and 303 Trancers is very dance friendly, though that seems to be its priority above almost everything else. To me, this can be described as club (or more formulaic) Goa. For starters, the synths (acid lines?) are so in-my-face. They stand out too much. Furthermore, there are very few melodies. This relentless, rough approach (for me) grew grew tiresome and more repetitive than the song is, early on. There's hardly any room to breath! Moreover, the song left me with no room to explore, travel, or be tranced. I feel forced to dance rather than imaginatively lured into an adventurous fantasy reflective of so many great Goa tracks. The song has lots of energy and momentum. Morphic Resonance's City of Moons [the album] had that too. But its approach kept me immersed, hooked, and refreshed. I do like the segment from 4:39 to 5:06, but even that would eventually get tiresome. The fifth minute forward I found too similar sounding, and the hard-edged, in-my-face synth and beat tired me out before the song was over. That said, this is probably solid for dance floors, DJ's, and clubs, and with few exceptions, I can see general mainstream electronic fans saying it's awesome because of its relentless energy. I realize that my criticisms can be argued away since the artist was intentionally making this the way it is but that doesn't mean I have to like it (as a whole). B- 2. Hidden Paradise thankfully dives deeper into storytelling development and variety. There's a beautiful lead at 1:22 that reminds me of Transwave's Land of Freedom. It's very nice! However, the synth at 1:49 turns the track into formulaic club trance. What happened? The song went from promising to predictable quick! Thankfully 3:16 introduces hymns that add feeling. The skipping melodies sound great. The synths aren't too in-my-face like the opening track. I can breath. Also nice are several interludes and tempo changes, and the ambient influence is great. These aspects create a healthier, more developed, and satisfying chapter. There's a pretty cool Goa meets Psy combo in the sixth minute before another interlude. Here the artist reprises the epic Trance anthem via 7:30, unfortunately turning the song back into, what feels like -- a mainstream club trance influenced (commercial Goa?) song. I can see this divided audiences, at least Goa listeners, Imba fans, etc. The song is sure to appeal the general club trance scene. Compared to the first track, this is so much more varied and alive, and yet it could have been excellent if it lost the training wheels and let the spirit of Goa-Trance guide its soul throughout, or replaced those contrived segments with something more akin to Goa. Still I enjoyed many aspects of this song. Good track! B+ 3. Cosmos In Her Eyes has a beautiful, cosmic opening. Now would it be possible for a song to carry that gorgeous opening feel throughout the entire song while never getting repetitive? The first act, though a bit simple in arrangement, builds around an atmospheric backdrop with soundscapes. The voice sample at 3:25 is effectively used to enhance the story while doubling as a transitional tool for fresh ingredients. The second involves warmer melodies melodies coupled with very nice atmosphere with ambient elements to boot. It's engaging! There is a second voice sample at 5:25 before the last, delectably homogenous act. The song's dreamlike approach pulls me in, unlike the first track that kept associating my mind to dance floors, or the second Track that that infrequently made me feel like DJ Tiesto was trying to spin incorporate his House and/or Trance set to Imba's next visionary album. I'm all but swept away here by other-worldly landscapes. The song is vision driven. It sounds so passionately produced, full of heart and spirit. The song is a beautiful piece of work, and one of the artist's best tracks to date. Beautiful work! Well done! A- 4. First Encounter is more energetic. The first main lead at 1:30 stands out so much that it all but drowns out its supporting layers (a reoccurring issue I have with the album). It's joined with another main melody. The sound selection is great, though the arrangement is repetitive and predictable; also the leads stand out a little too much, thus not allowing supporting sounds to feel more rhythmic which could have produced more complex sound designs (another issue I have with the album). The main melody exits at 3:17. I realize Imba likes melody leads (which we so often praise), but they stand out so much that their sound volume in addition to their lack of variety in arrangement makes the songs (at times) feel less layered and more monotonous and close-up (obvious) than they are. The last act doesn't change in style obviously. I get bored. I want to hear something more intelligent, ambitious, and imaginative, as Imba proved he's capable of in his collaborative Sevilla In Trance track on Suntrip's Ten Spins Around the Sun compilation. Hearing that created excitement for his main albums. I miss hearing work with that infectious (never generic sounding) complexity. Where is THAT Imba? Sigh... This song isn't bad if you're looking to dance, or for clubs that play trance I suppose. it's Goa influenced, so it has that going for it. But not in the way I prefer. B- 5. Blacklight Beings appears to have less Goa influence than previous tracks which is ironic considering this sounds more distinct than almost every songs on the album. The first half is pretty unambitious, as though we're going through the motions. It would have benefitted from having a more intriguing buildup. From around 4:50 forward is where the song starts to get interesting to me. Crossing the fifth minute (at 5:14), the artist showcases a delectably engaging segment of mechanical complexity. It's excellent. Now why couldn't more of the album be as catchy as that? Not only is it super catchy for home listening. It's also super catchy for dance floors! A wave of ambient soon arrives. It's very nice! This follows a buildup to climax in the sixth minute. The last act is uplifting and fun, despite the simple arrangement. The closing ambient is nice too. Good track! B 6. Creature Of Heaven opens with evocative ambient. It's engaging, though I'm finding that the songs aren't always on the same level as the fantastic introductions to them. The energy picks up with a lead that, well I'm sure you can guess. The first half is pretty standard. I was expecting an epic, spectacular dance-friendly track after reading some of the praise above. What I got was a fairly catchy sounding lead without a memorable arrangement for a third of the song. There's a break. The beat disappears and at 5:13 a wave of emotive ambient arrives (very nice along with the intros), followed by a voice sample about wars, land, and power. It is here that I'm hooked. This part adds substance and character, but it should have a song that is on par and as powerful as a prominent, highlighted moment like this that compliments it. The ambient/voice (from a film) provides FEELS, despite the uptempo work not capturing the same magic. Still I have to consider the style. The music grows catchier in the last act, and the ambient compliments it. B 7. Digital Non-Sense (featuring Ephedra) again starts with a promising opening. The first act's melody work is nice. It sounds more layered and rhythmic thankfully. A transition gives way to bouncy (catchy!) synths via 4:33. The song's fifth and sixth minute are good too. The skipping ambient notes, also used earlier, are great. There is a really nice shift in arrangement and sound at 7:30. A voice sample arrives and the music returns. There's a lot that engages me in this song compared to some of the other songs on this album. The synths jump out, but enough supporting sounds compliment them, so I'm tired or bothered by anything lead-oriented thanks to a healthy variety of ideas, execution, and mixing. While nothing spectacular, this is a positive step in the right direction, Goa-Trance wise. It doesn't sound like standardized Trance influence nor formulaic. Cool track! B+ 8. Lydia Delay - After All (Imba Remix) is an example (at least in the first half) where the synths are more rhythmically integrated with the whole. This approach allows more enjoyable details e.g., ambient, atmosphere, and soundscapes to breath! The journey is seamless, fluid, and delectable; it's beautifully composed. Then we reach an interlude that is elegant, mystical, and intriguing. Everything sounds great thus far. There's a quick buildup after that. Unfortunately the returning music at 4:29 sounds too club trance influenced. What happened to the mystical vision and vibe? After this detraction to Goa enthusiasts, the song's sixth and seventh minute improve. Unfortunately, the second act takes away from the more mature GOA feel in favor of returning to a safer, more Trance-friendly sound. B 8. Rising Sun begins with a poignant, ambient opening. The arrangement early on starts nice, but grows a bit repetitive to me. An interlude and a voice sample allows a catchier, stronger segment and lead to arrive. The lead never appears too loud and prominent in the tiresome sense. It's good! The returning music is more energy and drive, very nice. We reach another island (interlude via 5:42 which ignites even tastier complexity. While no melody or particular section sticks to me in memory, no part of the song take away from the overall whole. The last third loses some melodies in favor of a zippier segment, and are thankfully joined by a very nice albeit fairly repetitive melody in the last 1-2 minutes. I love the final seconds. It makes me wonder how great a Goa-Influenced down (and occasionally mid) tempo album could be by this artist. Solid closing! B+ CONCLUSION There's a lot I like and don't like here. Where to begin? The intros are intriguing and mystical. But the overall style and the songs (at times) sound generic compared to them. I love the artist's use of ambient. It creates warmth and emotion, though the personality of the tracks does not always reflect the promising impression of the ambient introductions. I really enjoyed chunks of Hidden Paradise, the entirety of Cosmos In Her Eyes, the second half of Blacklight Beings, the first half of Lydia Delay - After All (Imba Remix) and Rising Sun. Unfortunately, I can't escape the more mainstream sounding style and Trance influence that makes certain songs (or parts of them) sound too formulaic at times. Some of these songs just sound too similar too, or at least extended parts of them do. It's as if the artist took Goa melodies, plus some extra Goa ingredients, and made a Trance structured album with them with exception to a few tracks. There is some beautiful work as the album progresses. I simply wish the artist would swim further away from the shallow waters and produce a definitive [stellar] Goa-Trance album if producing electronic music is going to be his legacy unless he prefers to do mainstream-influenced Trance Goa (if that makes sense). The end result here is a mixture of good, great, and some not so great work, the latter more likely to please the general Trance crowd despite Goa influence (more or less) in virtually every track. If Imba enjoys this type of style music, he should stick with it despite criticisms. He could improve this less elaborate approach, and take the safer (potentially more profitable?) route assuming this release is really that successful. It's bound to attract positive comments from a few those less familiar with Goa music, and probably a few who love Goa as well. To the contrary, many Goa listeners have stepped away from anything that sounds like general Trance. We prefer more spice to our tea, complexity (for the most part), fantasy, and depth. Unfortunately, I feel like these, with few exceptions and along with some other more advanced aspects of Goa-Trance, took a backseat to this album despite the enjoyable, fun parts. One of my biggest problems with this album, is that many of the synths that the artist selected, stand out too much on their own, instead of coming together more cohesively to compliment the whole. Another issue is the more club-friendly trance influence despite NO track ever sounding like "club trance" (at least not as a whole) per say. Nevertheless, these more standard (formulaic, predictable... call them what you will) influences take away from the more imaginative and delectable aspects of Goa-Trance. Maybe Imba was going for higher sales, tracks with appeal to a wider (less Goa alone) audience. Maybe the idea was to make Goa-Trance sound more mainstream friendly. I don't know. I mean, who doesn't want higher sales? I think Imba's great with Goa-Trance, and I'm glad his tilt is towards Goa here, despite some of the melody arrangements lacking complexity and appearing to go through-the-motions at times. The album has many evocative moments (mainly the intros and interludes), buildups, and other changes to keep the general listener entertained. I'm sure some of these songs will do well on dance floors and I enjoyed a handful for home listening (more or less). I simply don't know if Goa listeners (primarily when it comes to home listening) will feel the same, by and large. That said, those looking for fun, more mainstream sounding Goa-influenced tracks should find plenty to like here. Even in terms of Goa, the artist has done some great work. But for me, I expected more, or rather something different. I mean, if you want to make a more mainstream friendly Goa album with more memorable melodies, listen to EPHEDRA's Citric Storm song from 2016's "Flying Over the Universe" album. Or RA's 12th Hour (with. Menkalien) song. The leads on those albums stand out, but never too much for their own good, All in all, viewers should listen to this album, at least online, and decide what they think for themselves. Nitpicks and complaints (constructive criticism) aside, this is a pretty solid release. Favorite songs: 2, 3, 5, 7, 9 B Sample / Order https://www.suntriprecords.com/release/cat/SUNCD44/ Stream the full album here!

Thanks for the correction. I don't recall where I read that, or rather it's Simon + Nick aka Doof.

The mystery to me here is how so many people missed reviewing or even commenting on Alalog Trips considering it, along with Mind Rewind 3 made a handful of Top 10 Lists in the Best of 2016 Thread via General Psytrance Forum. 1. Medicine Drum - Angelic Force is fairly simple, yet friendly on the ears. It's unique, melodic, and develops nicely throughout. I really like this one. 2. Elysium & Yaco Vam - Tears In The Rain has far fewer layers and is too light with ingredients, development, and layers I feel. The song has a unique approach to Goa (almost in a minimal sense but not technically) and some very nice elements. I keep thinking things will develop or evolve, only to be treated to more of the little that works here. The track lacks a satisfying payoff too, but some may enjoy this atypical, old-school approach. 3. Gus BUS Till - That Sounds Swell is more varied, psychedelic, and layered. It gets quite catchy and infectious. It's atmospheric, melodic, and intriguing. Very nice! 4. Earglobe - Spherelobe is higher in energy, more psychedelic. The song is surprisingly a collaboration between Hallucinogen and Doof (Edit: I thought I read Etnica was involved somewhere but I guess not unless that's clarified, my mistake). I would have liked this story to compose itself into something more satisfying sooner. Fortunately that begins around 4:00 and the last act incorporates a really synth nice lead, elevating the whole! 5. Excess Head - Expo has some really catchy melody/sound (synth) work as it progresses. I really like the echoed synths, the thudding, pinging FX, and various other sound combinations, especially when those signature synths return. Good track! 6. Opale - Krakoa has stronger energy, rhythm, and synths (grittier as it progresses!). This is darker, more driving than previous tracks. Good/great track! 7. Green Nuns Of The Revolution - Lost & Found surprisingly doesn't sound like Green Nuns (to me), save the acid synths that grate on my after a while. The song sounds to samey to me, sound wise, with little in creativity, arrangement, or sound that engages me. Fortunately the song features healthier, more rhythmic and varied synth work in the second half. Decent track. 8. Etnica - Human Geometry initially I didn't like due to the approach of having melodies further from the fore-front. Rather they're integrated closer to the volume of the bass line and beat. After giving this a few more listens, I find it one of my favorite songs on the album. The synths and their arrangement isn't in my face, but they're catchy. There's a hypnotic buzzing sound throughout. The song's coupled with key changes and fresh development with each act that compliments the previous one. Soundscapes jump off the page more than melodies and in the end, I find this pretty unique and catchy, much more so than the previous one by another artist/group (song) I had higher hopes for. I love how the music returns (after the voice sample) in the final moments. Cool track! 9. Doof - Giving Godhead is another song I was really looking forward to. This sounds like it could be a closing track on a Doof album we never got. Sadly the track has little (at least for me) that hooks. It's lackluster. I'm excited, in anticipation for something more catchy, engaging to occur. The song's approach is so soft and develops so slowly that it's basically (arguably) over before anything interesting takes place. The second act seems to be building up before diffusing into similar sounds. The last act has a little more oomph melody wise, but the overall feel is so similar to the first two acts that I cannot help but feel that the song is repetitious and uninspired. Oh well. That's my feelings anyway. It's not bad. I simply expected more. Analog Trips is a good compilation full of unreleased [old school] Goa songs by famous artists. I feel that Mind Rewind 3 is stronger, comparatively speaking. Nonetheless, Analog Trip has some tracks even better than some of the ones on Mind Rewind 3 with that tasty old-school vibe and sound that we seldom hear anymore. A few songs are simple from today's standards but this is 90's Goa-Trance we're talking here and some of it's great. Some of these could be described as underrated rare gems while a few may or may not excite your senses. That said, it's hard to believe that some of these songs were never released. Favorite tracks: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8

Wow this is great! Atmospheric, emotionally resonant, melodic and mature space-travel bliss! I didn't know of this artist until the many recommendations I saw for his album Wonderers in the "Best of 2016" thread. The mid-tempo work is fantastic in his 2016 album, but the first two slower songs in addition to a few slower others take me out of the powerful, captivating ride achieved in this one. This release is more consistent in tone, energy, and rhythm. It's a wonderful, homogeneous, visionary I'd add, and intergalactic Mid-Tempo album with some dramatic heft and storytelling to boot. Well done. I'm impressed. He's attracting a lot of ears thanks to continually producing strong and imaginative work. Included is the full stream to this underrated gem.

They've gotten TOO SYNTHETIC for me, too machine-like, too NOISEY I miss their deeply musical, magical melody work. The video with the mushrooms dancing has a catchy tune, but that's about it, and when you hear the FULL track, you'll notice the tune part is the last third of it. Before it, the song is fairly minimal and just not very good IMO. And if you think there's no singing (or the vocals are creatively great) sample this halfway through. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNv6Y_0wfIE

I'm not impressed. Many of the songs sound too similar to me, noisy (or muddled) and lacking in variety. Of course you can argue this has acid lines, key changes, climax, unexpected moments, intensity, etc., and I wouldn't disagree. I like these elements or the ideas of them at least. Layers arrive and build, but there's little that gives me FEELS or excites me, takes me on a journey or that I find compelling. Tripping Astronaut sounds decent (or pretty good) for a full on party/dance track. Same with Alien Pursuit, though I enjoy the synths in Tripping Astronaut more; they seem a bit muddled in the latter. Goa Delirium has some pretty good melody work and an unexpected mid-tempo breakdown halfway though. Lost In Time has some pretty catchy zippy work too. However these songs rarely hook me throughout. The album's not a total misfire. It's just not my personal preference, style and sound. That said, we all share different tastes, so why not check it out and decide for yourself?

Thanks Padmapani!

This is VERY unique, creative, and engrossing release.. that is, when it's not taking tempos into hyperdrive. The album most likely isn't for the uninitiated to more extreme and elaborate electronic PSY journeys. The first track (Idir) may sound too sped up and experimental for some. I don't like the tempo, though the sound/melody work around 2:30 to whenever is surprisingly catchy! My other issues are Saturn Moon Matrix, Hyperspace, and Cern -- three additional tracks that have too too crazy fast (and thus to me, polarizing) tempos. Replace these tempos with user-friendly beats like those of Realms of Unseen, Spiritual Warfare, Quantum Entanglement, etc., and you have potential to attract a lot more listeners. The album has some very innovative, musically arresting, and dare I say or think groundbreaking work if you can enjoy or roll with crazy tempo mood swings. All in all, I'd love an album from these guys that provides a more digestible beat. They are no doubt super talented and maybe have done too many drugs, though I hope (imagine) not due to the insanely impressive display of creativity. Stream the full album and decide for yourself

STRONG ALBUM !!!! ​That I'm finding out about now at least (better late than never) thanks to you guys!

How the heck is this compilation not on more people's TOP 10 Uptempo Lists for 2016?!! Same goes for Analog Trips (DAT Records) that more people must have heard because that's on their TOP 10's too. If your like me, you're becoming aware of this for the first time now. Now I'm not going to sugar coat it. There are a few songs I don't like. On CD1, WEAK SONGS for me are: 2. Dharma 7 - Jubilation ... I find weak, REPETITIVE and lackluster, especially considering it follows the excellent opening by RA. 4. Shiva Chandra - Atmosphere ... sounds ridiculous! The howls. The sound FX. The song sounds immature. Enough said. 5. Little Blue Men - Dr. Snuggles Dilemma ... I find too wacky, silly and scattered, or rather over-the-top for my taste. Some will like it! These aren't bad tracks (well track 2 is at times IMO). Moving on. HIGHLIGHTS on CD1 for me include: 1. Ra - Questions .. a beautiful, ever-changing stream of colorful, mystical, and energetic complexity. Well done. 3. Alkaloid - Influx (Mix 2) 6. Magus - Black Holes (Remix) ... more dark and storming Goa. 7. Opale - Lord of the Minds 8. Wizzy Noise - Pleione 9. Blade - Anthropophagi 10. Mystery Machine - Psychedelic Concentration Granted some are stronger than others. And some of mine I'm sure are subjective to yours. Nevertheless, it boggles my mind that these were never released. Some on CD1 are fantastic and worth the price of admission alone. And I haven't even gotten to CD2 yet which some consider better than CD1. On CD2, WEAK SONGS for me are: 1. Karma - Harmony is melodic but not very engaging and lacks ingenuity. The Jack-In-The-Box (if you'd call it that) sound is about the only unique thing is has going for it. 2. Doof - Let's Turn On (Tuned-In Mix) is fairly repetitive, also unsurprising coming from such a great artist. When it seems to pick up halfway through, not much happens. 3. Ushuaya - 3 Months isn't bad either. It feels too genre mixed for me, alternating between rock (guitar) and middle eastern influence. HIGHLIGHTS on CD1 for me include: 4. Hux Flux - Time Slices is almost too in-my-face. But I admit, this is where the CD grabs my attention. Damn! 5. Deviant Electronics - Catacombs has a chill style and fairly moody backdrop that compliments its Goa vibe. 6. Cosmosis - Emanations has a SWEET accent synth, hi-hats, and grows crazy catchier as it progresses. 7. Semsis - Sound Vandal is like a kickass (same style) song that didn't make the cut for the Letting Go album. 8. Hiscore - Identify is surprising, from calm and peaceful to wild and amusing. I didn't see that coming. 9. Gangguru - X-3 is the next power synth track since Cosmosis. It feels like a Goa track to Tron Legacy! 10. Encens - Howl is atmospheric, driving, dynamic, and unique. Another underrated, unexpected gem. All in all, Mind Rewind 3 is one of the best GOA TRANCE compilations of 2016 along with VERY FEW others including Analog Trips also by DAT Records. Well done Drake and Dat/Mafia Records! Stream the full DOUBLE CD on YouTube here! https://www.youtube.com/user/draeke604/playlists

Remember Distant Systems - Spiral Empire? It's a fantastic space ambient Downtempo album from 2008. Review thread --> Distant System - Spiral Empire - 2008 - Psynews.org _. Does anyone know what happened to this artist? If he's still producing or has plans to ever make a sequel to Spiral Empire? Its been almost a decade. He's got a lot of fans out there. Full Album STREAM (YouTube) https://youtu.be/L9uP64511tc

Track list: 1. Back To The Roots 2. Inevitable Delusion 3. Melodramatic 4. Beyond The Illusion 5. Mental Processor 6. Zygote 7. Alinside 8. Tears Of Godess 10. Photosynthesis It's a GOOD album to say the least. Here's my brief breakdown. 1. Back To The Roots has an old-school, colorful, and juicy Goa sound that I love. The atmosphere is immersive too. Great track. 2. Inevitable Delusion is more exciting. The second half has a terrific stage of evolution that elevates and evolves the entire song. Unexpectedly catchy evolutions like that remind me of the debut to some degree, though I love the more positive sound here. This is one of my favourite tracks along with the opening so far. Great work! 3. Melodramatic is where the album dips for me, at least compared to the first two tracks. The song's general foundation, direction feels somewhat repetitive and uninspired. The synth don't hook me. I feel like the song goes through the motions to some degree, or lacks something that made the first two feel so immersive and enjoyable. 4. Beyond The Illusion returns to the more colorful and traveling Goa sound. It could have developed a little more as it progresses, or had an event or two to add variety. The song showcases some beautiful work. I found the album's first two songs more engaging so far. 5. Mental Processor is more mechanical sounding and exciting; it grows to be quite infectious with Goa streams (melodies) and complexity. Nice work! 6. Zygote is another colorful, juicy track that showcases some tight mixing and complexity. It follows one set direction, but the layers keep coming, melting together into harmonious bliss. A keynote or some unexpected evolution later on a la FIlteria's In The Heaven's Eye song or Pleiadian's Alcyone to take things to the next level would have been amazing, but the unpredictable never happens, at least not to me. The song is vibrant nonetheless and should please melody lovers along with many songs on this album. 7. Alinside hooks thanks to its skipping female and male vocals and hymns that add character. There's a fairly limited amount of sounds via feels as the song progresses, but the song develops, incorporating more melodies that are refreshing enough to avoid repetition. I would have loved to see more elevation of sound and/or evolution in the second half, or a beautiful ascending final act, something that takes it higher. Again, the song stands out with its skipping voice FX and sound work. Great track and one of my favourites! 8. Tears Of Godess showcases some beautiful work and incorporates more of an ascending feel that I like. The first half at some point seems to become a little repetitive (the overall feel). Fortunately the second half is very catchy. The general direction feels homogenous, solid, and fairly predictable like many of the songs on this album. Overall I like the previous track more, and this is nice too. 9. Photosynthesis has a distinct sound, though as it progresses, it grows a little repetitive in sound to me. There's many nice ingredients. Again, an interlude along with numerous other tracks would have helped to accommodate fresh ingredients and development. What the artist did though is quite pleasant. I may be being too nit-picky here. This is an extremely melodic Goa-Trance album that is bound to please many fans of the genre. Great job in that department. One of the wonderful things of Goa is being able to meet (sometimes exceed) your imagination as a music producer, via how far, exciting, unexpected, and/or engaging we can take something. In that sense, I'd love to hear more dynamic, unpredictable twists and turns, variety, and evolution as Morphic Resonance did via The City of Moons album. I was hoping for more dynamic, unexpected elements and interludes to increase development around the ultra-melodic approach that's beautiful, well done. One of my favourite parts is the second half of Inevitable Delusion because it shifts the entire song to refreshingly new and catchier IMO terrain; it's more evolutionary in that regard. That said, the song's do develop and quite nicely. A part of me misses the more intergalactic approach and style of the debut, yet I love the artist's more vibrationally-raising work. It's so juicy; the melodies really pop and engage and in that sense, this will please many Goa enthusiasts. Overall I love the ultra-melodic approach and would love to hear more evolution and variety in direction on the next one. And to each their own! It's a passionate product with excellent production/mastering to say the least. FAVORITES: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 Sample / Order https://www.suntriprecords.com/product/item/SUNCD39/

Tracklist: 01. A Way To Regret 02. Monkeys (Extended Remix) 03. Theory Of The Ghost 04. El.Es.Di 05. Mahabaratha (Live Version) 06. Dream Telepathy 07. Secret Trip 08. Flutes I LOVE the sound/melody (SYNTH) work, energy, and the majority of the imaginative elements throughout this highly addictive Goa-Trance album. 1. A Way To Target begins with experimental voice effects that morph into accents around the beat. The opening minute reminds me of Infected Mushroom before they got carried away with their experimental vocal work. Fortunately, it doesn't overstay its welcome. The first act is catchy, thanks to some creative synth work. There's a dreamy interlude and a musical shift to more positive sounding development halfway through via ambient, soundscapes, female hymns. The result's attractive and unique. But going by this track, I'd never expect the following songs to sound so different (Goa uptempo-wise). But I kind of like that (and the overall song), even if the Hallucinogen influence is obvious to me. It doesn't feel ripped off, but inspired and I like that. B+ 2. Monkey's starts out so dark and intriguing, with what appears to be subtle industrial/atmospheric elements. It's great. Turns out the direction of all three acts is dynamic, unpredictable, infectious, and stomping. This is evolving GOA-TRANCE, the way Goa should be. The synth work is FANTASTIC. I'm reminded of what Dark Soho could sound like at times if they returned with a wonderfully upgraded still to the strength of their debut. The key changes are GREAT! There's an incoherent sample roughly halfway through (and towards the end). It sounds like a child; I could have done without it. The song ends with an odd sample, kinda meh. Everything else is SUPERB. All in all I LOVE this track. A 3. Theory Of The Ghost appears more Psytrance driven. The first act has a mechanical (almost tech-trance) sound that's decent, but it doesn't develop much and drags a little. There's a brief albeit cheesy male laugh that's completely unnecessary. The second act is stronger, with catchier synths, energy, and Goa elements. It's solid until the silly male laugh returns. It seems juvenile (to me) compared to everything else I've heard on the album thus far. Fortunately the music (again) improves past it despite the fairly rote (predictable) direction. This is a decent to pretty good song, and arguably the weakest uptempo track on the album. I enjoy many aspects of it (synths, mixing, final act), but compared to the previous track, I can't help but feel letdown. This artist is capable of creating far superior (catchier), satisfying work. B- / B 4. eL.eS.Di begins with a strong, emotive backdrop. The chapter improves as it progresses and features some fantastic psychedelic MELODY WORK, bubbly/shuffling FX, a terrific climactic segment, and a strong, evolved second and third act. Excellent! A- 5. Mahabharata (Live Version) is one of the best tracks here. This vehicle's packed with energy, variety, development, infectious synth work, textures, and rhythms. Just when the first act seems to drag, it breaks out with delicious new moves and sequences that elevate its opening. Also the last act's excellent! WOW this things catchy! I can't imagine this not being a hit on dance floors and electronic music festivals! The song is super fun. It comes equipped with wonderful synth/sound work and remains highly addictive from near start to finish. A 6. Dream Telepathy is great, save the male vocals (singing). I get the idea of having ethnic influence (adding flavor to your songs). Here they however certain ones take away from the surreal vibe accomplished so well by the terrific music. Some may not mind the vocals. The effect is catchier when they skip. I can accept the difference (unique element) of them overall. Then there's that tasty mixing/beat/synth work to boot! Also the female vocal effect around the male hymns is VERY CATCHY, as well as the evolved, last act. Overall this is pretty great! A- 7. Secret Trip appears more Psytrance oriented. Fortunately there's Goa elements as it progresses. The reverberating backdrop is catchy. The synths and the Hallucinogen influence work to some degree. However, the song would benefit from having more development. The few voice samples are fine. The high-pitched indian chanting in the last act however is pretty distracting. This would have been a great opportunity to develop the song more. The melodies in the last two minutes are good, though they could've arrived and developed more earlier. It's fairly memorable due to its rumbling backdrop and a decent to pretty good track, but the least strong here IMO since Theory Of The Ghost. B- / B 8. Flutes is an experimental, PSY, downtempo number. There's a sound that reminds me of someone tapping their wet sneakers on the floor amidst a pleasently forming atmosphere. The song has one of the most cringe-worthy, albeit not-too-long voice samples. The ambient flute segment in the last 1-2 minutes is very nice, especially when the beat returns. I'd say the last act is very good, if not great. More scenery (eventfulness) and development would have been nice, but this thing does development. Regarding the flute, I love the idea of incorporating classical instruments into Goa-Trance. This is a nice way to end the album, though I think the artist could've taken it further. The song isn't bad. It's nothing spectacular either. Flutes is a unique, solid closing. Now just get that annoying voice sample out of there. Your album's too healthy for unpleasant ingredients! B / B+ CONCLUSION I'm impressed. I've never heard Artha before, yet I'd place this up there as one of 2016's best Goa-Trance albums. Same goes for.. - Morphic Resonance - City of Moons - Ultimate Xperience - Lazarus Rising - RA - Earthcall - Crossing Mind - Beyond Duality Dream Telepathy is creatively rich, exciting, immersive, and engaging. It has some of the best Goa-Trance songs I've heard all year on it, primarily Monkeys and Mahabharata. I'm loving much of the work on numerous other songs too, e.g., eL eS Di (what a pain in the ass to spell lol) and Dream Telepathy! Is there anything that could be better? Yes. The third song could have been stronger. Same with the seventh and last one. This artist is insanely talented, yet there's a few songs (and moments) that could have been refined when compared to the excellent/superb work surrounding them. I could have done without the brief laughing on Track 3, the hymns in Track 6, the chanting in Track 7, and the samples in track 8. None of these ruin the album for me, they're just noticeable when they occur and take distract from the strong and worth experiencing (many times!) journey. That said and for the most part, the Hallucinogen-inspired elements are SOLID. Most of the album is terrific, at least I think so, and many others (not all) seem to agree. There's an ingenuity to many of the songs that I like, that give this album a distinct flavor, style, and feel. There's room for improvement for sure. That said, this is a terrific release. Dream Telepathy is easily one of 2016's best albums IMO. HIGHLIGHTS: 2 (!!!), 4 (!), 5 (!!!), 6 (!!) A- Stream the full album on YouTube here!

Uptempo 1. Ultimate Xperience - Lazarus Rising (Neogoa) ......................................... An UNEXPECTED surprise 2. Morphic Resonance - The City of Moons (Suntrip Records) ..................... My FAVOURITE Suntrip release in YEARS 3. Artha - Dream Telepathy (Cronomi Records) ............................................ EXCELLENT (few nitpicks aside) 4. RA - Earthcall (Suntrip Records) ............................................................... Would've loved more songs but GREAT release 5. Crossing Mind - Beyond Duality (Suntrip Records) ................................... Complex, ultra-melodic Goa with INGENUITY 6. VA - Mind Rewind 3 (DAT Records) ........................................................... DESERVES to be on more lists IMO 7. Chi-A.D. - Earth Crossing (Amakusa Records) .......................................... Hard to place this Re-Released CLASSIC 8. Proxeeus - Weird Tales (Goa Madness Records) ...................................... UNDERRATED Goa album 9. VA - Analog Trips (DAT Records) ............................................................... Unreleased songs from old-school GOA artists 10. Ephedra - Flying Over The Universe (Goa Madness Records) ................ LOVE some of the work (tracks) here Honorable mentions: Mindsphere - Mental Triplex: Presence (Suntrip Records) ............................. Ultra melodic Goa Oforia - Read More (MDMA Music) ................................................................ Good comeback album Virtuart ‎– Virtuart & Friends (DAT Records) .................................................... Some great Goa tracks on this double album! Agnetivax - Achieving Mokesha ...................................................................... Ethnic influenced Goa gets tastier as album progresses Ticon - Mirage (Iboga Records) ...................................................................... One of the best Progressive Trance album's in years Downtempo 1. Perfect Blind - Wanderers (Ae Records / Neogoa Records) ....................... GREAT album though track 2 is too repetitive 2. VA - Goa Meditation Vol. 1 (Timewarp Records) ......................................... Finally found another EXCELLENT albeit double album 3. Aes Dana feat. Miktek - Far & Off (Ultimae Records) .................................. Crisp, Atmospheric.. I LOVE about 4-5 tracks 4. The Bhaktas - MODIFIED (Altar Records) ................................................... Includes a beautiful new song by ASURA 5. Scann-Tec - Unyt (Ultimae Records) ........................................................... Fairly subdued psychill, yet more or less gripping, great 6. Suduaya - Venus (Altar Records) ................................................................. Some great and melodic mid-tempo work. 7. Shamanizm Parallelii - Tales From Colored Tepee (Ae Records / Neogoa Records) ..... The "Temple Of Buddha High" song is magical. Wish more of the album was on that sexy, romantic, dreamy and euphoric level!!! NOTE: I haven't been that impressed with downtempo this year. Perfect Blind released a GREAT album, though the second track is too repetitive. Everyone check out VA - Goa Meditation Vol. 1 by Timewarp Records. The Asura Remix called Pitr Purusebhyo Namah on The Bhaktas compilation by Alter Records is so beautiful. Same with Chronos' song Keep In Your Heart; the album though is not on the same level of that track IMO. I don't mind that Suntrip didn't release a compilation. IMHO their artist albums were worth it. Best GOA comp for me is VA - Mind Rewind 3 (DAT Records) followed by V/A - Analog Trips though I really like (and don't like) a few on Analog Trips. Can't wait to hear Virtuart and Friends!

No, I had no idea. Thanks for sharing! I somehow missed this masterpiece. I can't believe the original released in 1975. Mind blown. I love the live Fukushima Version by them too via https://youtu.be/gg7CSMFpwao) --> That main melody is so beautiful. There's this version too that gets great after the first minute.. https://youtu.be/0EBTn_3DBYo Beautiful! I could be wrong, but UX's version sounds like a beautiful remake with many creative elements and samples that are in the essence (and message) of the original master work.

Crossing Mind - Beyond Duality Suntrip Records 2016 Tracklist: 01. Cyclotron 02. The Foolish Mind 03. No Hazardous Materials Signs 04. Hypnotropic (2016 Remix) 05. Alpha Centauri 06. No Event Horizon 07. PsyKo-Mind-Porteur 08. Life Forms Beyond Duality is the long-awaited sequel to Inner Shift (2012), a dynamic, unique, and flavorful little gem that caught listeners by surprise when it released in 2012. Since then, the artist (Stephanie) has made a handful of songs, ranging from good to superb on numerous compilations including one of my all-time favorites: Virtual Mind Cleaner. 01. Cyclotron's opening is warm and atmospheric, thanks to the euphoric space ambient influence early on before the beat at 1:38. The song incorporates plenty of nice synth work, and although the storytelling aspect is great, the smooth albeit less dynamic direction feels almost a little too safe and unexciting to me. And yet what a solid track. Energy picks up in the second minute where we're treated to a galactic space pie (segment). It's as if a door to a new dimension is opening, exposing us to a vast selection of mystic ingredients (that will be explored more deeply in following tracks). The rolling baseline compliments the story's healthy development. The fifth minute is enhanced with key notes and warmth. I feel like a more dreamy synth could have arrived at some point, elevating the music a la Filteria's Filtertraces (Abstract Dream RMX), but that's not what the artist was going for. I love the ambient notes around 7:20, as well as the changes in the eighth minute, etc. Such improvements keep things engaging. This is a very good, if not a great opening track that appears more flawless than my [current B+] score suggests. B+ 02. The Foolish Mind has a wonderful, atmospheric, and dramatic opening. Can we order more of this please? The song's personality is dynamic, showcasing terrific sound/melody work and mixing more on than off throughout. Also the song is unpredictable and highly infectious. Unfortunately there are some frustrating moments; the first begins at 2:45 and grows increasingly childish by 3:26, as if a bunch of TV chipmunks are doing an anthem! This segment affects the quality of the work around it, and reminds me of Talpa's "When the Somberness Becomes a Game album that was buried under its own childish melodies. Thankfully from 4:06 to around 5:45, the artist returns the track to its moody, magnetic, and ecceentric personality. It's so catchy and imaginative! What the heck happened back there?! Unfortunately, the cheesy, cirus-esque (think Alvin and the Chipmunks) synth sound work returns at 5:46. Maybe the artist thought this clever/creative fun, but it sounds juvenile and distracting from the greatness of the song's ingenuity around it. Could Stephanie not have found something more complimentary in place of these childish parts to heighten the song's appeal? Furthermore, I would've and wanted to give this song an A. Anyway, from 5:38 forward, the song returns to its masterful direction and sustains it. The last act is wonderful. This song may be the most flawed masterpiece I've heard so far in 2016. It needed some refining! That said, this is an excellent track when it's not falling off the ledge (getting too crazy or in this case childish/silly) roughly 15% of the time. B+ / A- 03. No Hazardous Materials Signs begins with beautiful soundscapes and textures. We're back in the cosmos, and about to enter a celestial body full of interesting, dynamic detail. An early synth lead is supported with another but never too close up as various atmospheric ingredients take shape. The effect is immersive, and breaks for a brief interlude to adjust and re-collect. There's an accenting effect, like an echoed ping-pong ball in the second act that I find very catchy. Also arriving is fresh, even tastier melody/sound work. The creativity and mixing combined with the production here is excellent. The second act serves up a consistently delectable course two a thankful appetizer that preceded it. But it's the last, more emotive act, thanks to a deepening in arrangement that I fall in love with. Around being zippy, bouncy, creative, and fun, there's heart, a warm feeling that the third act serves us that I find incredibly pleasing. This chapter is mature and danceable, but it's also great for home-listening. The song has great momentum without ever sounding hyper. It's complex, intelligently created, refined, and full of feeling. Just listen to it on a good pair of ear buds and you will see what I mean. Here the artist took a fresh list of ingredients and developed it beautifully, without incident. Excellent song, well done! A 04. Hypnotropic (2016 Remix) is even zippier and higher in energy than the previous track. I love the sleek, crunchy synth and drum work in the first minute. Also infectious are the high pitched FX via 1:55. The arrangement changes, increasing with complexity. All of this works, though I feel a little mixed with the twisted-orchestra segment that runs from 2:56 to 3:42. It's by no means bad. Naturally I'm all for making a song more musical, moody, and dramatic. Some will like it. Simply put, I don't find it as catchy as the more moody or musically emotionally conveying segments on the previous two tracks. Past that, the fourth minute introduces new moves (arrangement, sounds, etc.), and it's here that the song evolves with much higher, delectable degrees. The result is sleek and complex. I love the skipping effect at 5:23 and the drum changes from to 6:02. These passages are crisp and tight! Having the layers drop-off at 7:02 was smart, allowing us to catch our breath, decompress for a moment before the next wave arrives. Even the last two minutes accent via drums, etc. The end result is a unique, complex, and dynamic track. It takes a few minutes to clarify some thoughts, but once it gets going, it's really great. Hypnotropic is further proof that the artist has wonderful skills with with intricacy and fluidity. A- 05. Alpha Centauri has a stand out opening. It's so euphoric and dreamy, captivating. I would have loved if that continued or possibly another (more homogeneous to opening) down or mid-tempo track can come out of that one day that's transcendently infectious like Astral Projection's Liquid Sun but in Crossing Mind's celestial vision. What follows in this track anyway is bouncy and exciting. There's some really fun synth work in the first minute, complimented by drums. The third minute has terrific pickup in energy (3:21) and development too, and the forth showcases a beautiful melody (4:21). I love the forth minute! It's so bubbly and vibrant, just wonderful. So far this song is near full of infectious passages! The fifth minute is great too, that is, until a childish sounding synth enters at 5:38 and runs to 6:15. Ouch, and I was loving this track before that. Man! I'm all for experimenting, but please avoid the silly things. I feel like the artist gets a little too carried away at times (in the silly sense, though rare) which distracts from the otherwise wonderful music. Past that little blip (irritation), at 6:18 a harmonious interlude occurs. It's solid! Energy soon increases and the world is healthy and crisp again, coupled with ice-chilling notes and additional delectable synths (7:28) until the end. As a whole, Alpha Centauri is great fun when it doesn't momentarily dip for a forty-five second bite of cheese halfway through. A- 06. No Event Horizon begins in the deep cosmos. A wave of soundscapes pass by. They're complimented by a brief hymn at 1:18 that surprisingly works. I'm all for experimenting, but on the previous track, things got a little too distracting and cheesy at times (however brief). This avoids that trap and reaches greatness, though I find the vibrating synth at 2:28 more attractive than the many layers around it; it merges delectably with the former (still active) tingly lead. That said, the first act is somewhat emotionally distant and abrasive (a bit noisy) to my ears. Thankfully, the interlude at 4:25 allows the artist to re-imagine the direction of where the song can go. It is here, halfway through, that the song develops into something with greater feeling, direction, and arrangement. The melody at 4:52 works well, adding to the euphoric rhythm. Also the last, more intricate act deserves attention for its beautiful complexity and creativity. I love the ambient chords just before the seventh minute, and the wonderful synth progression at 7:04 is excellent! It sounds as if a genius is playing the piano. I remember feeling this way about Infected Mushroom before they fell off the deep end and began singing to their music. This artist is an elaborate composer, and appears to be (maybe) inspired by Infected Mushroom in their prime. He has to be careful not to fall into cheese (or experimentals that don't work) kingdom though. This is another track that reaches greatness, but as a whole, I found the last three songs more satisfying so far. Still I have to say, well done! B+ / A- 07. PsyKo-Mind-Porteur is another song with a great opening. This has more energy than the previous track. It's musically rich, elaborate, and dynamic, incorporating tasty E-Mantra-esque accents, but through the lens of Crossing Mind). It's highly addictive. Brief atmospheric interludes pave way to new channels of sound and unpredictable surprise. Unlike The Foolish Mind however, this seems to play its cards right throughout. And then the entire song elevates at 3:53, thanks to moody ambient-elements and instrumentation. I LOVE that. I'd love more moody, surreal, and atmospheric, provocatively magical MELODY elements (overall songs) like this one. Another intriguing interlude massages the sixth minute before fronting yet another musical evolution across the seventh. All of this engages. It's highly creative and complex, and best of all, it's catchy. It's fun! The artist takes chances and avoids childish toys like the few he broke out via The Foolish Mind (maybe with intent to initially sound fun but it backfired). This on the other hand is musically varied, tightly woven, and infectious throughout. Terrific! A 08. Life Forms concludes the album on a soft albeit peppy and light-hearted note. Initially I found it too repetitive, but it's grown on me since. That said, it's very different from the musically sleek and cosmic work that preceded it. The first act is fairly monotonous to me, though its pleasant sound prevails. Words like monotonous and Crossing Mind are two things that should never exist in the same sentence. Some may feel otherwise and enjoy the more chill-esque and simplistic influence. Unfortunately, the song seems to go through the motions to some degree, with little (for what this artist is capable of) but some development. I'm all for positive vibes, and although I would have enjoyed a more engaging and varied closing. The last act introduces a peppy synth that I find a little irritating. The subtle ambient sounds are very nice though. I go back and forth, between liking and feeling this is short of expectations. Something catchier with stronger development would have been nice. Again I'm all for positive and awakening, light-filled songs. I love that this artist stepped into something light-filled, though it doesn't appear all that awakening. It simply isn't that memorable. Fortunately it's not bad and the pros far out-weigh the cons on this wildly inventive and elaborate album. B- CONCLUSION If you like your Goa music complex, dynamic, intelligent (for the most part), and varied in structure, direction, and arrangement, Beyond Duality may be for you. The album is imaginative, visionary, addictive, and unafraid to take risks (what I like to see!), though at times it gets a little carried away. It's mature for the most part, though briefly childish. Production values are through the roof, and some refining would have been helpful regarding those few childish segments in The Foolish Mind and Alpha Centauri. The album combines heart with intellect, and being a mental trickster. It's impressive on a technical level and very enjoyable! Naturally I encourage more FEELS and taking what works to higher degrees and pushing the envelope to one's heart's content and desires (just look at what Dimension 5 did with Deep Space 5D!!). In the future, I'd love to hear some climaxes. Of course there are some really climactic parts. I'm talking about those stand out climaxes, often preceded by buildups to wildly fun explosions of infectious energy. Naturally I can't deny this artist's ability to create delicately complex, articulative, and meticulous songs. I simply wish Beyond Duality was free of those few childish segments (noted above) because the artist seems to have pretty high high standards. I get the idea of taking risks and having fun. I just think it's important to be mindful to avoid certain impulsivity via silliness that could off-set superb work. As a whole, this album is fantastic. It's a big improvement over previous Crossing Mind albums and expands on the genre. I love it. Beyond Duality is musically rich and rewarding. It's full of ingenuity and one of the best albums of 2016. Highly recommended! Favorite tracks: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 A- Sample / Order Here http://suntriprecords.com/product/item/SUNCD42/ https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-duality https://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/sut/sut1cd042.html http://beatspace.com/9828/Suntrip+Records/CROSSING+MIND/Beyond+Duality/detail.aspx https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Crossing_Mind_Beyond_Duality?id=B6dfuifbmfqq4zt534oqqdm4ig4

Celestial Slice!!!!!! This album's still great years later! The only two tracks I'm not in love with are Lifethread (Serena Mix) and Lightspark, yet they have great elements. I'm surprised this review thread's only 1 Page (to date). I think many people missed this album when it released in 2012 for whatever reason. I feel like I was a little hard on it at the time. Here's the full album on YouTube, totally worth it. We need more releases like this!

I can't believe Chi-A.D.'s Earth Crossing album never received a proper release until now. This is one of the best Goa-Trance albums. It grows to be magical and mystical, innovative and psychedelic, a melody-fans dream with moments (entire tracks) of exquisite power and ingenuity. Only thing odd to me is the track list. My old "unreleased" copy reads the following: 1. BLACK LIGHT 2. BOOK OF EDEN 3. HAMMERHEAD 4. X-ISLE 5. TRANSPARENT SEA 6. ZERO BARRIER 7. BLUE EFFECT 8. LIQUID NEON SKY Black Light, Book of Eden, Zero Barrier, and Liquid Neon Sky are worth the price of admission alone. IMO X-Isle and Hammerhead are the least strong tracks on the album. Nonetheless, they're not bad. I love this album. Earth Crossing is arguably the artist's best album to date. His second album, Anno Domini is excellent too, incorporating heavily atmospheric, moving backdrops unlike anything I've ever heard. But Earth Crossing is super, visionary, and way up there too. Highly recommend! Thankfully the videos on YouTube are raising awareness of this artist and album(s) existence. But it would make sense for the label to upload the re-mastered (assuming it was re-mastered) copy in higher quality to YouTube (if they haven't already) and include buy links there. I'm a little surprised Suntrip never went ahead and re-mastered (released) this underrated Goa favorite over the years. It's a classic. Stream Earth Crossing and all Chi-A.D.'s albums at the YouTube link below. NOTE: To begin Earth Crossing, skip to 3:48:34 as shown in the description box. Link: https://youtu.be/sITczLsxm3c

RA - Earthcall Suntrip Records 2016 Tracklist: 1. Terra 2. Predator (Remix) 3. Sacred Sands 4. Crossing Planet 5. 12th Hour (with. Menkalien) 6. Touch a Star 7. Causatum RA's 9th (2008) is considered by many to be one of the best albums in Goa-Trance. It was a treat considering many artists from 1996 to 2001 stopped producing Goa music in or around 2000. We lost many of our best Goa artists, but a few didn't abandon one of their greatest talents: to create. One of my favorite Goa names to stay was RA who gave us 9th, a superb, spiritual, intellectual, and deep , trance-inducing (at times) album that told a story while expanding on the possibilities of Goa-Trance. It even gave us a stellar downtempo song in the end; Light Receiver is one of the most poignant, beautiful songs I've ever heard in my life. So my expectations for RA are very high, and for many listeners as well. It's been 8 years since 9th. I've read info in the forums, talk that a new album was in the works, but it never arrived. As the years passed, I began wondering if or when we'd ever hear a new RA release. Regardless of how good it would be, I'd rather get a RA album that's good or great than not one at all. And so Earthcall has finally released in the brink of 2017. Where did all those years go? Upon pressing PLAY, I notice changes right away relative to production (an improvement), sound design and delivery (different), but solid and still Goa thankfully, still with those classic Egyptian RA elements more or less based on the track. From what I read, Cosmic Dimension put the finishing touches on a couple of the tracks, maybe to get it out in time by year's end. A full review ensues. 1. Terra begins beautifully. The intro is magical, warm, and euphoric, thanks to lush atmosphere, warm ambient, and distinct melodic ingredients. The ethereal sound is pleasant throughout and produces a rare Goa sound we rarely hear anymore. The song feels a little safe to my ears, despite its melody-heavy approach. Fortunately, the melodies are bubbly and in the forefront, very nice. I feel that the artist could have dug up more surprises and events along the way. In other words, the song could have gone deeper, yet I find myself preferring this smooth opening at times just the way it is. The music is crisp and catchy, albeit less psychedelic and complex than 9th. Then again this is the opening. The first few times I heard this, I was fairly disappointed and expected more. For an opening track though, it's pretty good, with enough to please the general listener. Naturally, Terra is joyful. It connects to the more elaborate songs. RA albums often begin gentle, and Terra is no exception. Good track. B 2. Predator (Remix) is the first and only remix on Earthcall. As with the Terra, this one's grown on me. I believe it was made soon after 9th. The remix retains the catchy sound of the original while improving upon it in so many ways that I've lost count. The direction and melodies are smooth and catchy. They blend together seamlessly well, never falling to repetition. The arrangement improves as the vehicle covers more ground, with fresh beauty and development. As with the original, this is an emotive, contemplative, and story-driven number that thrives on harmony, warm atmosphere, and a beautiful melody/sound design. It's superior to the original, though it reminds me of the more homogenous, visionary album (9th) that preceded this one. My only nitpick is that this song reminds me of 9th and I'd love to hear more songs that represent the vision of this new story (album) since all RA albums seem to go above and beyond in that regard. The story feels weak so far on Earthcall, yet the songs have a special sound to them. Beautiful work. B+ 3. Sacred Sands begins with the artist's signature, Egyptian-sound that we all know and love. To me this is the first really substantial, updated in ingenuity, great [representing the new album's story/vision] track on the album. The melody/sound work, accents, impact-esque FX, arrangement, and direction are excellent. The ethereal sound and atmosphere works wonders to the increasing psychedelic subtle, the core driving rhythm. This is an example of what I love about RA. The song bursts with ingenuity, passion, and vision. It's determined, characteristic, and confident, a world all its own as the songs were on 9th. The overall sound feel feels trance-inducing at times. I'm hooked from start to finish. The growing lower pitched synth (like an undercurrent) adds subtle intensity to the mystical feel, the ancient old truths buried deep in history of the foreign-influence. This is classic RA rejuvenated and healthier than I've heard in a long time. I can't find an ounce of fat, of filler. Quite frankly, the album could have started here and replaced the first two songs with two stronger, more current sounding numbers, but that's a nit-pick. I'm simply recalling nostalgia from 9th. This is one of RA's best tracks. Now all we need is a more climactic song on Earthcall (we're getting there!). Sacred Sands is imaginative, rich, and captivating. A- 4. Crossing Planet is the exciting number I've been waiting for. An exciting lead breaks out at 3:02 and is enhanced with rhymic layers and soundscapes. New moves enter at 5:15, off-setting repetition and keeping things engaging. We're given a moment to catch our breath at 6:58 before the next burst of adrenaline. The beat disappears from 8:16 to 8:55. Soon the vehicle takes off for an excellent finale in the ninth minute. Along with Sacred Sands, this is one of my favorite tracks of 2016 and by RA to date. I was hooked for nearly all eleven minute. The song has a strong, returning climax towards the end and there's never a dull moment. Crossing Planet doesn't top RA's revolutionary track R.O.M., but it comes closer than almost every uptempo track by RA in the last 15 years. I go back and forth with my score. The song's great and very enjoyable to hear over and over again! It simply doesn't put me in awe as most other songs I've given a solid A to. The artist hasn't topped R.O.M. when it comes to uptempo to date, but don't let that dissuade you from enjoying this stellar missile. A- / A 5. 12th Hour (with. Menkalien) begins more raw and edgy before choosing the path of light. There is an intended (or not) Trance influence to this Goa song. It's would probably sound great on dance floors. Thankfully, it never sounds clubby or contrived. It has a more mainstream friendly sound I think, but that is due to the more linear element via chrous-esque lead. I find that this element works. A beautiful lead lifts the tone at 2:33 and it is here that I see some (not all) Goa fans finding this a tad too mainstream (or commercially) friendly. My answer to that is Vavoom! by Man With No Name. Few argued that Vavoom! wasn't good. 12th Hour is similar in concept in that regard. It combines Trance elements with a tilt towards Goa. I too was a little unsure the first time I heard this, even the second.. but its grown on me. The music is uplifting and optimistic, yet ethereal (at times) and contemplative. Noteworthy parts include 3:25, 3:52, and 3:55. This track has the feels. The melodies lift me up. I don't find them cheesy, but I can see if some Goa enthusiasts perceive the chorus-esque segment as such. The general direction's a bit predictable due to the chorus-esque element, but the combination of this approach via Goa vs. less Goa (more Trance influence) works here. It's pretty atypical for RA and less risk-taking than what we've come to expect (what the artist is capable of) Goa wise. Nonetheless, 12th Hour has a lot going on, developmentally and that engages, for dance purposes; it's friendly, energetic, and fun. The song adds variety to the album and it'll likely grow on you too. Nice work! B+ 6. Touch a Star is far less predictable than the previous solid combination. This is non-linear in that each act sounds different from the one before it; there is little crossover influence, nor chorus-esque parts. Each time I hear this song, it sounds fairly new to my ears. The song's more digitized approach is matched with balance and harmony at 3:40. Once those sounds coalesce, I feel great, like the song is no longer lacking something or sounding too computerized. This is another story-driven song, though each chapter on this album seems to tell a story. The song bursts with melodies and grows harmonious in progression. Layers blend together in a stream, creating conscious unity and solidarity, oneness. The second half is great! There is a terrific part at 7:37 when a musically rich shift arrives out of virtually nowhere. It's a wonderful moment, so vibrationally raising. I love it. I just wish there was more magical moments like that, magical moments that lift us up. This song took some time to grow on me, more than the others. It has rare, special sound, primarily in the second and third act that we rarely here in Goa music anymore. This is a beautiful and interesting, experimental Goa track that seems to get better with age (repeat listens). A- 7. Causatum is like the sequel to the self-titled closing number on RA's debut album, To Sirius. This is so unique, interesting, and different. The Egyptian touches are fantastic. This is such a satisfying way to end the album. Good voice samples too relative to the consciousness and the Universe. The transition at 5:30 is very catchy, and the following beat (buildup) soon after. And the melody work in the second and third act is just . At the end of Filteria's Daze of Our Lives (2009) album, Jannis ended with a crunchy Goa downtempo closing. It was great, though I felt the intro and outro was less homogenous. I felt that the best part of that track was way too short in that it was only two minutes (roughly) long. I reference that because this takes the best part, concept-wise (Goa rhythm) of that number and makes it the near entirety of the song! Moreover, the song gets catchier as it progresses. At first I thought this was a little too digitized, thin on substance, and synthetic, good but not great. But the updated sound of this song (and the overall album) has really grown on me. Although I found the closing track on 9th (Light Receiver) more poignant, substantially deep, spiritual, and memorable, Causatum is an excellent closing number. A- CONCLUSION This is an engaging, unique release in Goa-Trance that includes some very experienced programming as well as some of RA's best work. There's a tad less Egyptian influence, though the story/melody-driven RA influence is present throughout. Certain tracks like Sacred Sands and Causatum ooze with classic RA elements revitalized wonderfully. Others such as Terra and 12th Hour seem more interested in exploring new terrain. I'd say the songs range from pretty good, to very good, to great/excellent. Although the first two songs are very good/great it's Track 3 via Sacred Sands forward where the album sounds refreshingly new to my ears. Crossing Planet is a strong, high-octane number that echoes the rawness from the days of R.O.M. It has potential to blow up dance floors. Same with 12th Hour (with. Menkalien) due to its uplifting sound. 12th Hour is the most mainstream-friendly Goa track that I've ever heard by the artists on a main album, and as with Man With No Name translated various club-friendly Trance elements and made a Goa song with them, it. That said, I love the deeper, more intellectual, and spiritual numbers, and feel like the album could have benefitted from an extra down or mid-tempo number just before Causatum in the end considering the artists' solid down/mid-tempo release, Earthly a years before. Touch a Star incorporates more of a symphonic, experimental sound, yet wins in the end due to its heart, ascensional melodies (feels) and that wonderful [signature, Egyptian RA] influence in addition to a wonderful final act (and a strong second too for that matter). I like the other-worldly feel of Causatum and the RA influence throughout. I didn't find a song weaker due to experimentation. If anything, the experimenting added something different and new to the experience. That, for the most part I like. Earthcall is more accessible than 9th, but I find 9th better due to it being more visionary and story-driven as an album whole. To Sirius and 9th were both visionary releases that appeared to be made within a certain (shorter but more focused) timeframe, and so the track list felt more cohesive and related to the story as a whole. I feel that if the artists were more focused and committed to the vision of Earthcall, it [the album's story and the track chapters in that regard] would have sounded more congruent and comprehensive like the first to RA albums. In that sense, this is my third favorite RA album even though it considers some of RA's best tracks. The good news is that Earthcall's songs are visionary and story-driven. The tracks were simply made between 2008 or 2009 (I imagine) and 2016, so certain songs feel more old school than others. I was initially concerned that the album would turn into a compilation of old, unreleased tracks thrown together to cheaply double as a third album. Thankfully that doesn't seem to be the case despite the album not being what I consider a masterpiece. After letting it sink in, I think it's really great. I'm thankful to finally have another RA album after all these years, and I've stopped comparing it to 9th which dove deeper into the exploratory and mystical, spiritual realms of Goa. Those elements are still here, simply the album's seems less substantial due to its fewer songs when compared to 9th, and to its credit, some of the tracks on Earthcall go over 10 minutes (though you could say the same about 9th ). That said, I love heavily [melodic] Goa-Trance with the level of development that we've seen by Pleiadians, RA, Hallucinogen, etc. In that regard, I'm not disappointed when revisiting this release and enjoying it many times over. While the album may not raise the bar, it seems to comprise some great and inventive work, and expand, even improve in some ways on past applications. I don't feel as a whole, that it offers us as much substance via mash and potatoes as 9th did. But it is in the realm of what many of us were looking forward to. Earthcall showcases work that exceeded my expectations on repeat listens, though I would have loved an additional 1-2 tracks even if they were down or mid-tempo. After all it's been 8 years since the last Goa release by RA. On a side note, I also recommend checking out RA's Unearthly (2012) album if you haven't. It's mainly down and mid-tempo and features some wonderful, magical work, as do all RA albums to date. Overall and despite some shortcomings, this is a great release. Let it grow on you and whatever you thought, comment below. Each of our experiences and perspectives add to the whole. Thanks for reading and thank you Suntrip, RA, and Cosmic Dimensions for making this happen rather than no RA release for several more years. Favorite tracks: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 B+ / A- Sample / Order here: https://www.suntriprecords.com/product/item/SUNCD43/

A good album with some GREAT tracks for those who can get past Aries. This was his last good or great album IMO. Its a bit similar at times. Fortunately there are lots of catchy melodies (synths) and a handful of stand out, memorable songs. I love the edgy, psychedelic, uplifting, and climactic elements, creativity, and direction of a handful of tracks. I don't like the opening track. I find its guitar usage distracting and unpleasent. But 12 tracks !! This artist knew how to combine Goa and Psy ... and Full On and Psy (more or less here) without getting cheesy, generic, and formulaic which ironically is exactly what happened. Unfortunately. Favorite tracks: Cancer Gemini Libra Leo Cancer Capricorn Scorpio I like Leo too and can tolerate, enjoy the others to some degree (save Aries)

When you see the amount of "hits" on this album compared to his more creative Goa (Beyond the Mask) and Psy (Musica Divinorum) albums, you'll know why he keeps making these, though Zodiac got many hits and people seemed to really like Musica Divinorum and Beyond the Mask. This is less complex, more generic, and less thought-provoking (intellectually stimulating) trance. The first track's not bad. But those cheesy melodies that begin in track 2 (and other tracks) are not fun to me. Many similar sounds appear to be used throughout too. This album sounds way TOO SAFE and TYPICAL to my ears. But the general person doesn't know OLD (more edgy, imaginative) Talamasca from new (more mainstream friendly, formulaic). Oh well. I wouldn't buy it. There's just too much more creative stuff out there. After finding new appreciation for his MUSICA DIVINORUM (2001) album, I'm going to go listen to ZODIAC (2003) and BEYOND THE MASK (2000) again. I own Beyond the Mask (!!!) and Musica Divinorum (!). You gotta admit though, this artist produced a lot of great music before selling out to more typical, full on cheesy melody trance to appeal to a wider audience. It's like watching a sequel to Cars if you've never seen Finding Nemo or a good Anime like Princess Mononoke, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Akira, Grave of the Fireflies, Wolf Children, or Vampire Hunter D. If Cars 2 was my first animated film, I'd probably be in awe too.

I miss THIS Talamasca. Whatever happened to THIS Talamasca? This album is so creative, catchy, and fun! Great for dancing and home listening. Enjoy this thing here https://youtu.be/v3Xv4WdWGEE

Ultimate Xperience - Lazarus Rising [Neogoa] 1. Andromeda 2. Kingdom Of Heaven 3. Across Thee Universe [space Time Continuum] 4. LAZARUS [sanctum] [Mix XIII] 5. High Energy Protons [Deus Ex-Machina Mix] [vs. Juno Reactor] 6. Radio-Activity [eXtinction 13] 7. Thee Audssey [Continues] [The Faithealers Remix] UX returns with an unexpected surprise after a roughly two-decade departure from Goa-Trance. The result is NOT a pure Goa album, nor a Goa album, but an album that HAS Goa influence and.. well.. let's begin begins-- 1. Andromeda opens with beautiful atmosphere, ambient, and a fantasy/mystical feel. I LOVE the first 1:40 of this song! The beat arrives at 1:42, although the second and third minute sound like generic albeit well produced Full On to me. The first act incorporates many ideas to keep us entertained, but little magic takes place after the first 1:40. Enter terrific synths at 4:34 that make me all but forget the more generic (predictable) approach and direction. A tune at 5:41 adds to the creativity, mood, into fairly Juno Reactor-esque territory. The darker tone at 7:13 is intriguing. The ninth minute forward is pretty cool. A criticism is that the song takes time to sound more congruent and engaging around its many nice sounds. Also, the overall direction and approach feels a little safe to me. I feel that the general Full On style is limiting what the artists are capable of. Of course I'd rather an album start good and improve from there rather than start strong and disappoint later. That said, I think this is a great track, although "the whole is weaker than the sum of its parts" in my opinion. I'm also basing this on desiring to see an album not depend too much on sounding like Juno Reactor! To me the song mixes two visions: 1.) A visionary song via intro and later synth work [with] 2.) a song made to appeal to more general audiences and in doing so, limits what UX are truly capable of. The result is a catchy song that I go back and forth between because I agree that it's entertaining overall! A- 2. Kingdom Of Heaven showcases greater feeling, melodies, ethnic influence, and direction. I love the clunk effect at 1:21 (that repeats like an accent without being overused), the atmosphere, the euphoric/uplifting feel in the second minute in addition to its keys, progression, the key changes, and more. After a brief transition, the energy suddenly shifts at 4:27 and we kick into high gear via adrenalized Juno territory. Fortunately UX's approach prevents the song from feeling like a JR rip-off. Beautiful ambient, atmosphere, and sound/melody work captivates the last act. The JR feel returns at 10:15 and merges with angelic that compliment the intensity. This track lifts me up and gets me to feel something! I'm no longer an observer but now one enjoying the experience. Fantastic! A 3. Across Thee Universe [space Time Continuum] is more psychedelic and edgy! The opening is strong, coupled with ambient and atmosphere. Initiation to lift-off begins around 1:15. The sci-fi influence is so satisfying! The melodies in the second minute intrigue, enhanced with voice samples. The energy picks up (love those background, atmospheric sounds) as the song grows, showcasing more variety, imagination, and complexity(!). Yet it remains edgy, never falling to generic middle Eastern-Indian influenced melodies that would soften the infectiously futuristic feel. The cybernetic synths in the 5th minute are captivating and unique. The ethereal touches, ambient, and zip (fantastic synth work!) in the second third is great too! I love the twisting, distorted sound via 7:35 as well as the song's finale! This is another more imaginative, stellar number with strong direction, defining rhythms, synths, aggression, and intelligence. A- / A 4. LAZARUS [sanctum] [Mix XIII] has a very attractive and calming, ethnic-influenced intro. A catchy sample breaks tranquility at 1:13 and the ride begins. The song combines elegance (heart and feeling) with aggression. I love the simplicity in the synth work at 2:25. The synths in the third minute grow fairly repetitive though, and the female voice sample specifically from 3:45 to 4:15 are annoying. They detract from the more visionary, imaginative, and riveting aspects of the song and AGAIN, make it feel safe. On the plus, the emotive notes via 4:31 are great. After a lengthier than necessary transition in the sixth minute, the song soars! I love the ambient notes at 6:47. They fuse beautiful with the synths. The third act includes another strong section in the eighth minute thanks to awesome DRUMS (with tempo changes, yes!!!), OVERTuRE, and other infectious SYNTHS. These dynamic ingredients blaze across the ninth minute. The female vocals at 10:28 are very pleasant. Unfortunately those SAME ANNOYING OTHER FEMALE ONES return at 11:28. They're repetitive and the effect used towards the end is distracting, not fun. The song incorporates more "feels" at 12:05. I love the ethereal elements; they add feeling to the visionary world. Overall this is a pretty great song that could have used some refining and trimming to transform it into an even stronger vehicle. A- 5. High Energy Protons [Deus Ex-Machina Mix] [vs. Juno Reactor] is a remix of one of my favorite tracks (and remixes) ever. Somehow the magic and power is compromised to the traps often associated with Full On via tossing nice sounds around a safe beat and baseline. The greatness and essence of JR's classic original and remix of High Energy Protons can be heard for miles in this distinct, beautiful, and strong - infectiously relentless remix. The first act is great. The middle act is phenomenal. And the last act is full of heart, zip, and excitement! The song appears more Goa-influenced too at times. It would be so amazing if the artist incorporated more Goa influence to his new, updates style. I have to mention the returning layer at 9:54 in addition to the overture synth at 10:08 on top of everything else. That is so catchy/spectacular! I love nearly every minute of this song's roughly twelve minute run time. Excellent remix, superb! A 6. Radio-Activity [eXtinction 13] has a wonderful, reflective, and atmospheric opening. I love it. The ambient-driven song is emotionally compelling, with beautiful and inventive sounds, arrangement, and direction. It's like a movie that never feels sound track-y thankfully. The song's provocative, loaded with feels, and the samples compliment. The melodies work wonders too; they convey the story being told -- of concern, debate, and hope for the future, humanity, etc., with so much feeling and warmth (optimism). I'm impressed by how catchy and gripping this number is, considering the lack of beat, though drum work enters (and enhances) the second half. The music is like emotions pouring down like rain, showering our spirits, consciousness. I'm so happy he artist created this. It's passionate, creative, full of hope, and beautifully designed. It also shows that he can produce superb work both with and within the Juno-influence that I enjoy so much too! Part of me wishes the song was longer due to how captivated I was before it ended. I could almost hear it continuing, developing, improving further, and yet this thing is nearly perfect to my ears in every way. I love when artists experiment and come up with something completely different and wondrous. Now if only Morphic Resonance had a track at this level of tempo, engagement, and strength in place of his Mindwarp (track 7) via the otherwise excellent City of Moons album. This song's gentle approach oozes with strength. Love is the answer. It is multi-dimensional. Increase your vibration. Stay elevated! A 7. Thee Audssey [Continues] [The Faithealers Remix] is one heck of a closing number. It begins with what I'd describe as cinematic ambient -- the developed (with other elements) kind that I LOVE throughout this album. The song has "feels" too; it's inspirational, motivational, contemplative, and determined like a character setting off on a journey full of great discovery, magic, adventure, love, etc. Soft hymns and vocals accent the first act before the beat arrives at 2:23. Here, delectable synths lock braids as a wave of cold atmosphere soaks in. One of the first delicious segments arrives at 3:38. We get some experimental vocals towards the end of the fourth minute. They're OK. Really though, it's the synths at 5:09 that elevate the second act along with the heartfelt layers via 5:54. The kinesthetic "feels" develops into the sixth minute, complimented with tribal-y, harmony, key change(s), and more. Atmospheric and arresting, the last act's transition is far catchier than that of the self-titled track before an exciting passage arrives at 7:56. I love the storytelling aspect here and on the overall album. The emotive element at 8:28 is rich and rewarding. Yet ANOTHER awesome frame enters at 9:08. The song keeps developing and improving with greatness, incorporating many catchy ideas done before but with fresh delivery, and many new ones as well. Heartfelt and engaging, the artist combines beauty and intensity rather seamlessly, producing an experienced and satisfying finale. The Juno Reactor influence appears fairly less here (at times) as well. The result's terrific. I think this artist can take a step away from Juno Reactor (influence wise) as Filteria did (Pleiadian influence wise) with his amazing Daze of our Lives album. In doing so, Filteria's newer, more evolved style blossomed in groundbreaking ways that made me think of no other artist when hearing that album (DoOL) other than Filteria. In other words, this artist is obviously talented, passionate, and experienced enough to lose the JR training wheels (for lack of better words, influence is a better to say) and take his imaginative (less safe) visions to gob-smacking proportions. If you build it, they will come, just like JR did, hey! It's UX after all and what a comeback. I want to thank this artist for such a fantastic, imaginative album. This closing track is A LOT more imaginative and visionary than the opening (catchy but safer comparatively speaking) track led me to believe. This is yet another excellent track that embraces its vision and leaves me often starting the album from the very beginning. And that folks, is the mark of a great album! A- / A CONCLUSION This sounds nothing like old UX and it's AMAZING!!! After 15-20 years I didn't expect this. I love the approach. The album gets better as it progresses. I love the atmosphere, the heart (feels!), It's edgy, dark and mystical (more or less), daring, provocative, mature, and powerful. I love the excitement, mystical and ethnic (worldly) elements, the sound/melody (synth) work, accents, power, etc., etc. This never feels like a generic full on release with exploitative touches of [insert artist name's] former self. For me, the album gets really JUNO-esque starting in Kingdom of Heaven (4:27), but UX influence hybridizing JR's inspiration with what they [UX] brings to the table is superb. I'm so happy that this artist took time to make something special. The work invested really shows. You can tell he didn't take the cheap (generic) Full On route like many former artists who return X years later. INSTEAD we have a beautiful releases worth listening to and recommending. Now don't be discouraged when I say Full On. This is not pure Full On. Nor is Juno Reactor. As with JR, this UX album doesn't fit into one sub-genre of electronic music and yes the Full On influence is stronger here than in Juno but THIS is how it's done while maintaining integrity, the imagination, and expanding/pushing the envelope (not limited to the cookie cutter formulaic approach most albums fall into via Full On). The approach is the opposite of lazy. It grows congruent, more cohesive and enjoyable as the journey deepens. To say something's perfect or not perfect sounds so silly to me as I become more couscous aware. If I were to pick a favorite so far, it'd be High Energy Protons [Deus Ex-Machina Mix] [vs. Juno Reactor]. My GOD I love this song!!!! I love the previous versions too but WOOOOWWWOooooOWWWWWW WHOA.... WOW!!!!!!! I have few constructive criticisms, like the opening song's first half could have been tighter, more mystical and visionary (contextual in that sense) like the other tracks. The album grows more enchanting and exciting (love that) after the rocky path to strength opening. The other songs are so strong (though I find things I like more here and there but the same goes for everything) that it's hard to over analyze. I love the atmospheric and fantasy (sci-fi) elements and hope this talented artist continues in this (that) direction via imagination, vision, etc. Not only does he develop but at times evolves-- he EVOLVES songs!!! Some tracks do this more than others and you'll know when you hear the giant development to the point it's like going through another dimension of sound/creation that compliments (elevates) the vision of the song. The FEELS (!!!) go a long way when the artist innovates on top of his JR influence. This is a SUEPRB release. Ultimate Xperience's highly anticipated Lazarus Rising is a gem and easily one of-- if not the BEST uptempo electronic album of 2016. Post your comments/reviews good or not. This album deserves it. Highly Recommended!!! Favorite tracks - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (that's all of them and I'm not ashamed to NOT be nit picky when I feel that EVERY song is so MEMORABLE and well done!) 9/10 ... A Stream the full album on YouTube --> https://youtu.be/G7yBBzUnAds Support the artist and label ---> https://neogoarecords.bandcamp.com/album/lazarus-rising