["V/A - Moon Ritual"]

V/A - Moon RItual

Amakusa Records

Goa Trance (Compilation) 2014

 

 

Tracklist:

1. RA - Azure Child
2. Chi-A.D. - Transition
3. Dimension 5 - Transformation (Taiwan Remix)
4. Hunab Ku - Sun In My Hands
5. RA - Spiritual Odyssey
6. Dimension 5 - Fundamental Hippie
7. Chi-A.D. - Exit Eternity
8. Electron Wave - Temporal Distortion
9. Hunab Ku - Children of the Stones

 

Being that I'm a fan of RA, Chi-A.D., and Dimension 5 -- and being that Moon Ritual made many people's Top 10 lists of 2014 (#2 highest voted uptempo compilation on Psynews' via Best of 2014 thread (results), I had to check it out. According to the opening reviewer, these songs were unreleased, or only available on vinyl before, all except for Exit Eternity. So it's no wonder I hadn't heard these before. At this point I'm scratching my head as to how this compilation received so few reviews.

 

1. RA - Azure Child begins with an ethereal (ambient) opening. RA's first smooth melody kick in at 1:07. It's like ear candy, engaging. Echoed female voices reverberate through the atmosphere, producing an enchanting feel. There is an effectively catchy, vibrating layer that enters early on and enhances the whole. A brief transition enters at 3:48 and Act 2 begins. The music returns with more psychedelic ingenuity, development, and strength. The melodies grow catchier too. A second, more developed transition arrives at around 5:15. This one has more substance, harmony, and depth. Like a stream of euphoria, it seamlessly flows into the river of returning sound at 6:22. The ambient goes a long way here, lifting the song to new highs. The song somehow unifies the psychedelic and edgy, with the elegant and ethereal. Its mature approach and non-linear (unpredictable) direction provides fresh perspective on repeat listens, adding to the replay value. I read that previously, this was only available on vinyl, which seems unfair considering how good it is. Azure Child is an excellent Goatrance track. A-

 

2. Chi-A.D. - Transition follows the strong, old-school feel with unique samples, vibratory (bass) effects, and atmosphere. The introduction is two minutes of intriguing. The edited voice sample used for effect or as an accent early on compliments. One of the great aspects of Chi-A.D. is the artist's ability to develop his songs while keeping the spirit -- the song's energy grounded and in tact; his songs have a homogeneous feel, even as they evolve and take off. This song isn't high energy, for the most part. It remains more contemplative, intellectual, and enjoyable for home-listening, gripping in that regard. Maybe at the forth minute, there is a tad more voice sample (dialogue) necessary. Fortunately, it soon disappears for an enchanting melody lead enters at 4:53 that's superb. The last act really stands out from the less exciting, albeit intriguing first two acts. The song accumulates more energy and excitement in the final third where the song needed it most, producing a more vibrant and enthusiastic finale. I feel that the song could have utilized less voice samples overall, specifically in the middle and towards the end. Early on they sounded unique; I simply found them just a little distracting in the middle relative to the engaging music that's great throughout. That's more a nitpick though, as I find Transition catchier than Azure Child. This is another strong track. A-

 

3. Dimension 5 - Transformation (Taiwan Remix) is more energetic from the first minute. Whereas the previous song was deeper, more meditative and spiritual in nature, this is just as, if not even more tasty, and unquestionably more exciting. Psychedelic kind of goes without saying. The song is animated, determined, and comes equipped with juicy melodies in only the way D5 knows how. Additionally, the track evolves with less downtime between acts. It grows with a healthy dose of imagination, and artist' time spent on fluidly developing its seemingly endless evolution. As a listener, I feel like I'm soaking up the melodies -- their sound is delicious. I'm really excited here! The song is like one prolonged, infectiously developing ride through the cosmos, picking up tasty health packs as we go. There's also a really cool VAROOM effect at some point that's terrific; it adds to the eventful feel and fun of the track. This is one of D5's best songs, and one of the best Goatrance tracks. The song is imaginative, delectable, colorful(?), and arresting. There's never a dull moment. Superb! A

 

4. Hunab Ku - Sun In My Hands is high energy. If you thought the previous song was high energy, this may change your perspective. The compilation so far appears to be getting more energetic, without any dips so far. Initially with this song, after the catchy intro, I wasn't sure where it was going for the first two minutes, which are fast-paced, but less melody oriented. My concerns melted away soon after, as the song increased its Goa vibe within minutes, growing catchier as it progressed. The warm atmosphere brings balance to the high-octane ride; the latter at times seems like its picking up booster packets via emphasized effects. It's great. Also worth noting is the song's moving soundscape-field of supporting layers that sound like their mingling with the synth leads. As the scenery changes up, so do they, a morphing renascence of intangible energy and rhythm. Things could have gotten messy (too layered at one point, but the artist(s) evade any unnecessary blocks and harness the vision that supports the whole. The song feels like climactic surge. Many songs sacrifice an essential element of feeling to compensate for their high-octane feel, but this doesn't. It appears to make adjustments along the way that never distract from the whole; the adjustments themselves are simply more track development. This is another super song. A

 

5. RA - Spiritual Odyssey begins less harmonious and more psychedelic than Azure Child. The intro's unique; its psychedelic opening lines up with the incoming beat, creating a supporting layer all its own! This experimental move is creative and works! I wish that artists took more risks with new school Goa in making the songs as infectious as possible, but sticking to this one here. The artist's approach shows someone unafraid to experiment with the more intense to the elegant and beautiful. The result satisfying gem filled with color, ambitious complexity, excitement, and light. Variously pitched frequencies marinate with some of the most capturing synth melodies, and atmosphere, sound. It's as if the artist absorbed concepts from Pleiadian's I.F.O. (those tasty, higher pitched sounds) and re-imagined them through the vision of RA. The result is an exciting, immersive experience, and one of the best songs I've heard, along with several of the others on this compilation. But I think this one may take the crown for me so far. Many of us are familiar with RA's super song, ROM from the album, To Sirius (2001). I personally felt that none of his uptempo work ever came close to the level of ROM, even though his "9th" album in 2008 was great, along with numerous singles he's made over the years on compilations. As I go through the songs in my head, I think this is the best uptempo track I've heard by RA since ROM. At the least it's up there, an outstanding work of art. Bravo! A

 

6. Dimension 5 - Fundamental Hippie starts off very oriental-influenced. The distinct sound is soon joined with a heartfelt piece of ambient synonymous to D5's emotive notes. It's very positive and pleasant sounding, and is joined by ethereal-sounding, echoed, female hymns. The first act didn't grab me initially, but the song really breaks out and takes off. There's a catchy voice sample (from The Beatles I think!) in the third minute. Here the song develops with greater strength and imagination. The second act is very creative. The song crosses the fifth minute and grows even more magnetic as it approaches and crosses the sixth minute! A good chunk of this song is perfect to me. Even the last act stands out, adding to the eventful feel throughout. This song's Goa melodies bounce around and shine. We hear everything in its fruition in the last several minutes; the song is very close to perfection. I think I liked D5's first song on Moon Ritual if I had to pick one so far. But I love how each one is so radically different and imaginative in comparison to the other. Each song offers so much that's plentiful and satisfying! I think this is a really great track! A-

 

7. Chi-A.D. - Exit Eternity is the only track I heard before from this compilation. This track had been released on several old, now dated (out-of-print) 90's compilations and it stands the test of time. I'll never forget the first time I heard this song, its powerful opening and epic chorus. I'll never forget the beautiful melodies along with the euphorically infectious finale. I have always loved and felt a deep connection with this song. Regardless of what it means to you, Exit Eternity is considered one of the greatest songs in Goatrance. Why? It's beautifully built, arranged, mixed, and designed. It has melody leads that have stayed in many people's heads; they're easily accessible, unforgettable. The song's mystical element adds to its unique approach. The song is epic too, showcasing strong buildup and climax pay offs that support its status in the genre. This is an example a classic Goatrance song, along with AP's Kabalah, Hallucinogen's LSD, RA's ROM, numerous songs on Pleiadian's I.F.O. album, etc. The artist behind Chi-A.D. has made many wonderful tracks, and this is one of my all time favorites by him. A

 

8. Electron Wave - Temporal Distortion is cosmic and catchy. Hearing this on good headphones (ear buds) makes a world of difference. The opening reminds me of RA (maybe too much), but wow is it ever catchy. The synth work in the first third (3:25) is dynamic and captivating. Synths jump out like mini-ignitions around the soundscapes and harmonious backdrop. From around 3:45 forward, the song twists and turns. I can see many people liking this snake-y (psychedelic) segment. For me, I found 3:45 through the 4th minute less magnetic than the first act's Hallucinogen-esque synth work. But that's me. My girlfriend digs this bit so tastes differ. From 4:49, the song grabbed my senses again, with its leading synths. I love synth work like that. I love how the song pick up more energy and improves crossing the fifth minute. The quick clicking effect (more or less throughout) really compliments. I think the last act, towards the end could have done more. I was most impressed by the opening act, though the last third pleasantly surprised me. Overall this is a solid number that showcases some excellent work. B+

 

9. Hunab Ku - Children of the Stones begins with enthusiastic voice samples, as if reflecting celebrations at sunrise party, or chanting around a fire. I feel like I've heard the second, more extended sample before, but I cannot pin point the film. The track has a really nice and fairly high energy sunrise/morning feel that I like. Its melody heavy sound is warm, euphoric, and uplifting. It moves to greater highs across the third minute to where an interlude emerges. The music's return is beautiful. I love this song's sound and I feel so absorbed when listening to it. I don't mind the returning voice samples since I'm no so hooked by the melodies and atmosphere. But in retrospect, I don't find them necessary, especially around the 5th minute. It almost sounds like a movie was left on at times while the song was recorded. Fortunately, the sound/melody work is so strong that the samples don't bother me so much. You know a song's good when you don't want it to end. Is that a voice sample of Russell Brand towards the end? I can't tell, but he's very funny and spiritually aware if so. This is a beautiful closing track! A

 

 

CONCLUSION

Moon Ritual is one of the best Goatrance releases of 2014, and my favorite Goa release of 2014 if I had to pick one. I haven't heard a classic, old-school album this good since Pleiadians: Live In Athens 1996 (2012). Azure Child took a few listens to grow on me, which is now one of my favorite songs, and tracks 3-7 are superb. The greatness doesn't top there. This what appears to be re-mastered compilation of rare/unreleased classics is a landmark in Goatrance, and worth every penny. Moon Ritual showcases the magic reflective of old-school Goa wonderfully. If I had to criticize or nitpick anything, I'd say that Temporal Distortion was less super to me than some of the others. And at times (track 2, 9), the voice samples take place a little longer or more than necessary for me. Most other times, they compliment and incorporate well in with the music. Moon Ritual is the best (if I had to pick one) Goatrance compilation I've heard all year, and possible in years. It's a must have for fans of the genre. The only track heard before and have is Exit Eternity. Was this re-mastered? I don't remember it sounding so good? All other tracks are new to my ears. It's like listening to super songs from the golden days finally seeing the light in 2014. Moon Ritual as both a compilation and as a collection of rare classics is wonderful. Highly Recommended!!

 

Favorite tracks - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9.

 

A

 

Sample the full album here

https://youtu.be/uwr0QQ4cgZM?list=PLLefWjBvu-PKPPde9F9JJXdrYrqadpy1i

 

Order

http://www.discogs.com/Various-Moon-Ritual/release/6181686

 

Buy it through their Facebook here. They're very nice and send it out right away (photos below). I saw on Facebook that Moon Ritual will be available through Suntrip's online store soon. I couldn't resist and had to pull off these photos below.

https://www.facebook.com/Amakusa604?fref=nf

 

 

[Radical Distortion - 12 Dimensions]

Radical Distortion - 12 Dimensions
2015
Psychedelic GOA TRANCE
Zion 604

Tracklist:
1. The Score
2. Physical Reality
3. Homo Universalis
4. Quantum Gravity
5. Sunrise Zone (Acid Mix)
6. 12 Dimensions
7. 24 dB (Odyssey Mix)
8. Dragon Birth
9. I Am Locutus

Radical Distortion is back with a new Goa-Trance album. Correction: They released Back In Space in 2013 and I never fully heard it (till now).

Link: https://www.psynews.org/forums/topic/67324-radical-distortion-back-in-time/

 

Moving to THIS album. After a spectacular opening track IMO, followed by a dip (track 2 for me), the album picks up again. This release took TWO FULL LISTENS for me to say, hey I like this album. Before that I only liked maybe 2-3 tracks. I think many unique albums are like that though.

 

1. The Score .......................... Super track. Engaging, riveting, coupled with sweet cinematic touches to boot A

 

2. Physical Reality ................. Fairly Monotonous, uneventful, and unexciting compared to the opening, but not bad. I didn't care for it, but others might. C+

 

3. Homo Universalis .............. More development, catcher synth work and direction than track 2. Stick to what's great guys! B+

4. Quantum Gravity ............... Gripping synth work, solid development, cool ambient touches, FX/wobbly sound is catchy! The song feels longer than necessary though. B

 

5. Sunrise Zone (Acid Mix) .... I like how this starts with tight changes (sound/music variety) early on, then it weakens, grows formulaic and monotonous. This could have been great with some more polishing. C+

 

6. 12 Dimensions .................. The next high energy track. This feels focused, more confident, and determined. It's very good! B+ / A-

 

7. 24 dB (Odyssey Mix) ......... Effective is the RA-esque Middle Eastern opening, ambient, melodies, voice FX, psy feel, and direction. Nice work! B+

 

8. Dragon Birth ...................... Starts slow and gets better as it progress, with a MWNN-esque feel. This is a cool track for home listening, driving, etc. B

 

9. I Am Locutus ..................... Finally a tight downtempo GOA track to close the album. These guys have never let me down with their downtempo work. Good track! B+

CONCLUSION
This album took time to grow on me past the opening track which is a missile, and would have benefitted from at least 2 or 3 more super songs, tracks on par with The Score. There's some really good, interesting work on the album past the opening track. The artists take some chances when you least expect and incorporate some old school with sci-fi new school influence, which I liked. But the opening track sets the bar pretty high. Certain tracks could have used more work to grip harder, such as IMO tracks 2, 4, 5. Is an album full of super songs like The Score possible, so that I can give a new school Goa album an A for once in 6 years? These guys have that potential. Additionally, songs like Homo Universalis, 12 Dimensions, and maybe 1-3 (7, 9 followed by 8 for me) are well done. There is some really good work here. I just with the whole was stronger than the sum of its parts, if that makes sense.

 

 

Sample the full album here

 

[Filteria - Sky Input Remixed EP]

How in the world am I finding out about this for the FIRST TIME today?!?!

 

I searched Suntrip's Shop but couldn't find it on there. This is great. I love that he went back and remixed such already awesome tracks with new improvements and skills. Great work and mastering!

 

Listen to it here. It's so good. I bet most Filteria fans don't even know this exists! ?!

 

[V/A - Ten Spins Around The Sun]

How only one page of reviews? It's one of the best Goa compilations of 2014. Three CD's and 3 hours and 47 minutes long. Just saying

Stream the full thing here

[Filterias "Lost In The Wild" is one of very few masterpieces of our time]

Everyone has their preferences.

 

Sky Input blew me away the first time I heard it, regardless that it wasn't as fluid or as elegant as its Pleiadian's style and influence, and their masterpiece, I.F.O. I'm glad that Jannis evolved his style.

 

Heliopolis (2006) made some improvements by introducing a wider range of sounds, key changes, etc. Some tracks were great (Reflected, Rotate to Vibrate), but the few weak tracks (track 2) took away from the whole. Also, the Pleiadian-influence began to grate on me after a while.

 

Daze of Our Lives for me was the biggest stretch of evolution for Filteria (and for a new school artist in Goatrance) IMO to date, album and improvement wise. His style felt freer, more open, fluid, elegant, and colorful than ever before. I also noticed his re-imagining in some ways relative to Hallucinogen's style, which was (during these times) refreshing and infectious. I just heard it again last night. DoOL is the first new school album in Goa Trance that I ever gave an A to, to date!

 

Lost In the Wild was an improvement in some ways from DoOL, with great Halluciongen influence that was quite infectious for the most part. But the fluidity on LitW was at times inconsistent around an overall excellent album. For instance, tracks 3 and 5 could have been better refined. Track 3 just got too busy for me at some point. I understand the maximal approach, but I'd take really layered, fluid, and infectious over that almost any day of the week, which is what he did with the opening track. I really liked tracks 1+2, but I loved 4, 7, and 8, with the final track 9 being sweet remix too. These tracks are the level of what the whole album could have been, thus getting another A from me. LitW felt like an evolution since DoOL, but some of it felt like a continuation, rather than an evolution from his previous growth and development as both a creator and technician.

 

I've enjoyed all of his albums. Jannis continues to impress me with each release. You can tell that he really takes his time before releasing an album. He has standards and doesn't just release albums because he's made a name for himself in Goa-Trance. LitW (the album) while not perfect, is one of the best Goa albums of our time IMO and deserves more credit than its gotten. I think the same goes for a handful of Goa-Trance albums these past 10 years from numerous record labels.

[Psynews "Best of 2014" Results]

Congratulations to everyone who voted and the artist' albums who made the list! There were many great releases in 2014.

 

Overall I'm very happy with the results. The order is not what's so important to me, but seeing that these albums get recognition. I love seeing underrated artists and albums getting exposure. They deserve it. And of of couse it's interesting to see how everyone tallied up on Psynews this year!

 

Thank you Psynews Team, whoever made the list.

 

I kept switching my favorites around last minute, coming across new stuff from the Best of Thread. You know how it is.

 

One small observation: I noticed in the downtempo section... 16=: Shakta - Retroscape (Suntrip Records)

That should only be in the uptempo list only (as it is), no?

 

Some of my favorites are in the 20's and further down which tells me that there's some amazing releases I haven't even heard yet!

["V/A - Moon Ritual"]

This is one of the best Goa releases of 2014.

The tracks on Moon Ritual have that magical sound from the golden days, primarily because it's full of rare and unreleased re-mastered old-school goatrance classics.

Full Review Coming!

[Cybered - Acid Box]

Cybered - Acid Box

Dark Trance, Tech-Trance, Psytrance, Goa

Horns and Hoofs

 

1. Acid Box

2. I'm Bad

3. Nobody

4. Wild Tuba

5. Stalwart

6. Analog ID

7. Micron Saluter

8. Vasya Exhale (Cybered remix)

9. Kraken (feat. Chumahod)

10. Blunder (feat. Eldar Stuff)

 

This is such a tasty, underrated release. When I think of tech trance, I think repetitive. That's not the case here. The album's VERY catchy, atmospheric, and intriguing. It goes BEYOND tech trance. The introductions are interesting. At times a song becomes down right powerful, intense, and uncompromising. T

 

This is dark (NOT MAINSTREAM FORMULAIC) Trance with evocative melody/sound, ambient, and industrial(/metal (?) influence. Wild Tuba anyone? There's an emotive (somewhat sad, deeply personal) feel at times that really hooks me. Maybe this is what people call Psy Dark Prog... The album's never cheesy. It's dark and absorbing, introspective, and occasionally provocative (via voice samples that are NEVER overused). There appears to be touches of Goa and Psy too, maybe some Delta meets Eat Static influence (from back in the day) that underwent a wild evolution. I finally found something dark that grabs my attention and is vastly different from what I've been listening to for years. Every song on this album is well done.

 

This is one of the BEST, most SOLID releases of 2014. I'm so glad I became aware of it via 2014 "Best of Psynews Poll" thread in time and added it to my Top 10. It's easily one of my favorite albums from 2014. Virtually every track is great. The only one I find noticeably weaker is Blunder (Eldar Stuff); the last it seems to play it safer than the others, but it's still fun to listen to. This release is CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED. I'm impressed.

 

Steam a full track here. Steam them all on YouTube and decide what you think!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ootly60EDG8

 

Samples / Order

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/hah/hah1cd009.html

 

Favorite tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

[Hux Flux - Circle Sine Sound]

Hi guys, you can stream the full album here and decide what you think! Whoever uploaded this -- it gives the artist and album more attention, feedback, and potential sales. I keep noticing more full album streams online, a smart move. Most people do NOT like 0:20 or 0:45 sec samples.

To whoever opens a review thread, please include the full track list. Here you go, and Bill thanks for the review!

Tracklist
1. Collapse Of The State Vector
2. Disco Dissociative
3. Snake Oil And Charlatans
4. Finite Automata
5. Bring Your Own Bios (Logic Bomb rmx)
6. Tarantula
7. Monkey Business (Feat. Bgm)
8. Neural Growth
9. Witches And Wizards
10. Dub Mantis (As Illuminus)

My opinion is that some of it's pretty tame, minimal (for Hux Flux) and uninspired unlike Cryptic Crunch. I miss the Goa influence, the melodic ingredients, and global album innovation. Yet other parts are great. Why not just make the whole thing great?

Collapse Of The State Vector is okay. I didn't like it the first time, too risk-free and general Full On sounding to me, but not bad! Disco Dissociative is more psychedelic, varied up in mixing FX. But the track's pretty minimal for Hux Flux. It lacks being daring, imaginative, and infectious. I enjoyed the previous song more, though the second half grows a bit more lively. Finally we come to Snake Oil And Charlatans which starts good and gets great IMO. The song develops. It's rhythmic and exciting, and grows catchier as it progresses! Thank you. Yes! I love the melodies, the beeping echoed FX, technical mixing aspects, and more. The songs fun, darkly composed, and magnetic. The brief, minor, FX moment without the beat seemed unnecessary but didn't ruin the song for me. Great work! Then there's Finite Automata which is... also great, for some this will be stronger! Next up is Bring Your Own Bios (Logic Bomb dmx), a more driving and intense, determined sounding. The song changes up and stays interesting. It shows off yet another bundle of developed skills. Oh man this is nice! Tracks 3-5 blow the first two out of the water. Furthermore, they show me an evolution in Hux Flux that's different from Cryptic Crunch and I really, REALLY like it. Next is Tarantula. The first half is great. The second half isn't bad either, just less exciting. The last act is pretty forgettable, typical psytrance sounding actually. I'm not sure why the artist didn't go all out and build on the midway climax, taking the song to the next level. That would have been amazing on the dance floor because the direction was great for a while. Monkey Business (Feat. Bgm) is different. I'll give it that. Now I'm gonna go watch Planet of the Apes (the not shitty version). Was that a dog barking too? This artist has made far better tracks before. Neural Growth is back on track, it's catchy! But the cheesy (over usage and manipulated) voice samples distract from an otherwise sleek and slick vehicle. Dub Mantis (As Illuminus) is pleasant, though the male hymns I could have done without. Dub was never my thing. The melodic element's nice, unique. I would have preferred a kickass PSY downtempo number with atmosphere and goa influence, personally.

CONCLUSION
The middle third of this album and a few tracks (or parts of tracks) around it is VERY GOOD... proof that the artist & label could have benefited from releasing a non-mastered video link to the forums for feedback on how to improve the whole before the official release. The artist still processes serious skills. The album's not high on great tracks. In that sense, I wish the artist took more time to make every track count because it's been a while since we received a Hux Flux album. The stronger an album, the more excited people get obviously, the more attention, etc. With a few more super songs, this could have been a super album. While it's a mixed bag to some degree IMO, some of it really shines. Check out the free stream and decide for yourself.

Favorite tracks: 3 (!), 4 (!), 5 (!), 6, 8

[Psysutra - Gamma Phoenicis]

I didn't know about this release until seeing the Best of 2014 forum here:
Psynews "Best of 2014" poll

This is a beautiful, old-school influenced Goa Trance album with a fresh style! I'm sampling the full tracks below. It's great, really. This deserves more reviews, comments, whatever you have time for. Enjoy!

Samples:
http://cronomi.bandcamp.com/album/psysutra-gamma-phoenicis

[Shakta - Retroscape]

So few reviews.. This is so old school with new production sounding!

 

Initially the first 3 tracks did nothing for me. It was Fearful Symmetry, a track I never heard before that won my attention. I never heard any of these tracks before.

 

From track 4, I was hooked. More great numbers include: Indra's Net (!) Cosmic Trigger, Solar Origins (!)... I love this stuff. My excitement just wasn't there on the first 2-3 songs. Some tracks have many nice sounds but don't go above and beyond, lack magic, etc. For instance, I love the ambient notes in Amber's Mantra, but little else arrests my attention. Having said that, 11 tracks at nearly 80 minutes is a very good thing, especially when there's no bad songs and more than half of the album's great. Sure if you're an old school fan you'll appreciate this more. Some people fairly new to Goa will probably love some of the work here too, its intricacy and creativity. Retroscape, though not perfect is a very good album and one of 2014's best releases in Goa Trance.

 

Favorites: 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

 

Samples

http://suntriprecords.com/product/item/SUNCD34/

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/sut/sut1cd034.html

http://www.beatspace.com/8344/Suntrip+Records/SHAKTA/Retroscape/detail.aspx

[Psynews "Best of 2014" poll]

Just an observation: why are so many posts in this particluar thread riddled with seemingly random colour tags. I'm on the Deviant theme (which is quite dark compared to the default one) and can't read lots of the dark coloured text here.

 

I just checked my text editor and noticed tons of inputs that I never added, and I deleted them. All I had done was copy and paste the albums I liked (from other sources including here) for convenience. I didn't realize it would look different on other screens. I think others may be unintentionally doing this too.

[Astral Projection - Goa Classics Remixed]

Astral Projection: Goa Classics Remixed (2014)
TIP

I didn't see the track list above so..

Tracklist:
01. X-Dream - Rain (Astral Projection Remix)
02. The Infinity Project - Stimuli (Astral Projection Remix)
03. Blue Planet Corporation - Overbloody Flood (Astral Projection Remix)
04. The Infinity Project - Feeling Very Weird (Astral Projection Remix)
05. Prana - Mugen (Astral Projection Remix)
06. Hallucinogen - LSD (Astral Projection Remix)
07. Electric Universe - Rain (Astral Projection Remix)
08. Blue Planet Corporation - Midian (Astral Projection Remix)

When were these remixed? I ask because this is AP's best album in over 10 years. Some of it's pretty awesome!

Mastering isn't great, but not bad! Tim Schuldt's more experienced. Still the album's pretty good, better than AMEN IMO that lacked heart and magic. It's so nice to hear AP making good GOA music again, regardless that they're remixes. I really like this album!

Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 are really good. Tracks 1 and 7 are noticeably weaker. I'd rather an album started off with an okay (decent) track and got stronger (as here), rather than throw a sub-par song at me when things are peeking (also here). Rain (Astral Projection Remix) seems quite tame and more mainstream-anchored, as if to condition listeners with something OK- fairly catchy [but safe] before the more imaginative ones arrive. Electric Universe - Rain (Astral Projection Remix) I like even less than the opening. It's not bad per say. It's just so soft, unexciting, and uninteresting (lacks zest, infectious ingredients). It changes the mood, and is pretty forgettable compared to the others. Moreover, by the time 7 arrives, I'm hooked after the strength of 4-6. It would have been fun if they included another great remix in place of 7... feels like a bump to an otherwise stellar ride.

 

The voices (robot fx) in Feelign Very Weird I always could have done without in every version (remix) I've ever heard. Still it's a really cool song. There is something retro-cool, kinda nostalgic about the sample fx when in the right mood! And yes, I even enjoy this version more because of them (at times). The whole "I am feeling very weird" words in itself I always felt were a little out-of-place and cheesy. This version is a big improvement over the original; the musical, even the sample mixing is more catchy IMO.

 

I didn't even touch on how great the majority of this album is... for starters, that Prana track

This album is one of the most unexpected surprised of 2014 and in the genre of Goa Trance. AP made a cool GOA album with classics remixed. I'm very curious when this was made. Because if they did these remixes in the last few years, that means they still have the skills to produce an excellent (all new tracks) GOA album! There is nothing wrong with evolving a style. In this case, AP applied their evolved style to remixes with (for the most part) tight delivery and execution.

[Psynews "Best of 2014" poll]

This thread helps me find some of my favorite releases of the year!

Uptempo
1. VA - Moon Ritual (Amakusa)
2. VA - Gamayun Tale (Lookinglook)
3. VA - Analog Dreams (DAT)
4. VA - Colors of Goa (Timewarp)
5. Ovnimoon & Rigel - Omnipresent Technology (Ovnimoon)
6. Astral Projection - Goa Classics Remixed (TIP)
7. VA - Ten Spins Around The Sun (Suntrip)
8. Shakta - Retroscape (Suntrip)
9. E-Mantra - Nemisis (Suntrip)

10. Cybered - Acid Box (Horns and Hoofs) ............................................ Criminally underrated.

Honorable Uptempo mentions

Ephedra - Journey Through My Head (Goa Madness)
Morphic Resonance - Chromatic World (Neogoa)
PsySutRa - Gamma Phoenicis (Cronomi)
Virtuart - Sacred Drop EP (DAT)
Ajna - Search for the Divine ( Ovnimoon)
VA - Future Architecture 2 (Neogoa)
Goasia - Amphibians On Spacedock (Suntrip)

Downtemp
1. Koan - The Way Of One (Blue Tunes Recordings)
2. E-Mantra - Echoes From the Void (Altar)
3. Astropilot - Iriy (Altar)
4. Circular - Moon Pool (Ultimae)
5. Asura - Radio Universe (Ultimae)
6. Psyfactor - Retro Scientific (Sentimony) ...................................... love the 2nd half of this album
7. VA - Passangers (Ultimae)
8. Chronos - Spiritus (Mystic Sound)

Honorable Downtempo Mentions
Bioscape - Living Connection (Gliese 5811c)
Flooting Grooves - Antimony (Flooting Grooves Music)

[Asura - Lost Eden]

Man I was harsh on this when I first heard it, giving it a B. This is one of the best albums, one of my favorite albums. Several of my friends consider this their favorite of all the Asura albums to date, followed by Life2.

 

Thank you Asura for consistently making strong releases over the years. Truly uncommon and passionately beautiful, talented energy is reflective throughout each and every Asura release.

[Asura - Life²]

I LOVE this album.

 

It's lush and magical, dreamy and atmospheric, beautiful and enchanting, absorbing and deep.

 

Life² is favorite by Asura to date, though sometimes I go back-and-forth between Lost Eden and this one as to which one I favor most.

 

Lost Eden is my girlfriend's favorite by Asura to date. I think that Lost Eden has more variety as a whole, though the first 4 tracks on this album (and several in the second half) are wondrous. Both albums are excellent. Asura's never released an album that isn't solid.

 

Stream the full album here:

 

[Ovnimoon - Trancemutation of the Mind]

Ovnimoon - Trancemutation of the Mind
Ovnimoon Records
2013

 

1. A Necessary Tool
2. Quiet My Mind
3. Hooponopono - Ovnimoon with Lupin & Edit Ballai
4. Superlight in the darkness - Ovnimoon with Via Axis
5. Transmutation - Ovnimoon with Pragmatix, E-Mantra and Nova Fractal
6. Sat Nam for me, Sat Nam for you
7. La Danza Espiritual - Ovnimoon with Spirit Architect
8. Learning
9. Power of positive mind - Ovnimoon with Lyctum

I agree 100% with the reviews here. This is one of the best Electronic (Progressive / Psytrance with Goa influence) albums I've ever heard. The song' direction, melody.sound and synth work, atmosphere, bass lines, mixing, mastering, and production are all excellent. Everything flows extremely well from beginning to end. The samples are great. The melodies are rich, beautifully textured, and articulated, easily digestible, exiting and calming at the same time. Are there isotonic sounds hidden in here somewhere to stimulate trance, mediation? I don't know. It doesn't matter. I feel more positive, inspired, and whole listening to this, as if somehow the energy that predates positive intentions manifested into the album.

This is a wonderful release. It's seemingly perfect, imaginative, and arresting. I don't have a single gripe. Check out the full stream below. This one's worth buying and supporting the artist. It's fantastic! Well done and thank you for this beautiful, magnetic, and conscious aware release!

 

A

[Vaccine electronic]

Here it on YouTube. I just found out about this, and heard it for the first time this week. It's a great album, overall much better than the last for long time fans. I don like the original version of SHINE more though. I imagine a review thread was never opened for this one?

 

[Children of the Bong - Sirius Sounds]

I just found out about this album today. It is... fantastic. OMG.

 

The entire album is uploaded to YouTube in great quality.

[Koan - When The Silence Is Speaking (Blue Tunes, 2009)]

Where is the review thread for this?

 

Selena's Song (Blue Mix) is one of the oat beautiful song's I have ever listened to. It fills my heart with hope and joy.

 

The album is great.

 

His 2014 one, The Way of One is also strong.

[Ajna: Search For The Divine (Ovnimoon Rec.)]

I just saw this and numerous others at Sentries' online shop. Boy I'm behind. They've really been stepping it up lately.

 

I'm listening to this on YouTube. Sounds good so far but lacks powerful and unpredictable moments. Ultra melodic and overall pretty solid. I like the track list and the representation of consciousness, ascension, etc.

[UNTR - Darkmoon]

The music is great, exciting, and edgy. The overuse of voice samples (echoed voice samples, etc.) heavily distracts from the experience. Some of the songs aren't as voice heavy as the opening track, fortunately.

[Entheogenic - Enthymesis]

I''m not a big fan of this album. I like the opening and some of the later tracks. I was hoping for more magic throughout. They experiment more. For me its a hit-and-miss, i.e. vocals. They innovate at times with the music which is pretty nice, sometimes quite beautiful.

 

Autopsia is mystical, atmospheric, and interesting. The Terrance McKenna samples I could have done without, but the don't make or break the song or album. Otherwise, solid track.

 

Infrasensory's voices are okay, but they do little to hook me. There's a very pretty and relaxing ambient segment in the 12th and 13th minute, but the majority of the song is not like that. I would have preferred more engaging (less vocal being the focus) musical development in the first two-thirds akin to the attractive end.

 

Planetary Medicine starts our promising, with running water and a well orchestrated approach. The voices that son enter don't really grab me though, and since they take precedence over everything else, I lose interest with the overall song pretty quickly.

 

Silent Knowing is the second track to grab my attention. The voices took some getting used to, but they're more harmonious here with the music. The music is good and the vocal work is unique. Good track.

 

Enthymesis starts out with guitar and reminds me of Hicksville. Music has feeling and seems to tell a story with the vocals which I cannot clearly understand (what they're saying) on any of these tracks. The sound/melody work is very nice here.

 

Eluesis is another solid musical track with harmony. I have trouble getting used to the incoherent voice lyric/singing on the song (and overall album) though. Maybe I'd enjoy this more if they were singing in English? Musically the song sounds good.

 

Spinning Elementary Matter thankfully has less lyrics. I have a better chance of floating away here. I could have done without the Terrence McKenna samples, and again, they don't make or break the track. Overall good track.

 

Terma is good for an uptempo track. These guys may as well come out already and produce an uptempo album. This song is catchy; it develops, evolves; it's involving throughout. It would have fit best probably being alongside 7 other uptempo tracks (as Solar Fields has done on his few uptempo albums), but I find it quite refreshing, and one of my favorites on the album actually, even if purists would have preferred a chill track to close the album.

 

Favorite tracks - 1, 4, 5, 7, 8

 

------------------------------------------------------------

 

I really love their track, "Invisible Landscapes" (from 6:30 forward) on their Module 01 album. You can stream it on YouTube which is thankfully helping these less known, talented artists to get wider exposure. The whole song is solid but the last act is filled with magic, feeling, and heart. It's everything I love about an evolution in Entheogenic's style to more mystical, magical storytelling tracks. I love it. Evocative tracks that awaken my senses, open my heart, and expand (uplift my) mind is was what I was hoping to experience more of with this album.

 

Invisile Landscapes

 

Not a bad album by any means. Just not one of my favorite releases by them as a whole.

[Rigel - Blue Star On Green Sky EP]

These artists are getting my attention. I heard the song, not bad - I've heard better.

 

Sorry if this sounds off topic but where is (or can someone post the review thread on the collaboration album by Ovnimoon and Regal called Omnipresent Technology. The album's great. The self-titled track is even better.

[Hux Flux - "Circle, Sine, Sound" (Z-Plane Records)]

If they produce another super album like Cryptic Crunch, I'm down!

 

The style on that album was so unique, catchy, and psychedelic, though a little sterile (impressive technically) and lacking in feeling IMO. They can produce something even more infectious, deep, and imaginative if they're passionate enough and take their time. Call Cryptic Crunch Goa or Psytrance. I don't care which term people would rather use. Let us not allow our preferences to cause us to waste energy over associations so trivial.

 

Most of us agree that Cryptic Crunch was/IS psychedelic. I enjoyed the style on some of their tracks more than others, but still consider it a cult classic in music.

 

I've heard the samples, but unsure which ones are from their upcoming album. The samples have the ingredients; some of the tracks would sound better with more creative/infectious direction, POWER, development, evolution, feeling, and melodies. Paradigm Shift is a lot better than Neural Growth (which is thankfully a work in progress). Finite Automat is pretty catchy for an unreleased demo. I'd probably remove Neural Growth (unfinished work...) from the samples because it's quite incomplete sounding and doesn't reflect well the new material. Somnambulant (V.A. Reboot...) sounds great too, but for a comp it seems. The way it starts off it pretty climactic. I like that and hope that the artist(s) have some wildly exciting (climactic synth/melody) work on the upcoming album. We Celebrate Life has good melodies and synth work too while keeping the song psychedelic. Same with Collapse of the State Vector, though less melodic; I like the driving sound and rhythm. That little beeping sound in Sanke Oil is catchy too and seems to have an old skool goa influence at times. Witches and Wizards has potential too. Again I'm going through the samples on their page:

 

soundcloud.com/huxflux.com

 

To the artist(s) if you read this thread. You are so talented. It is exciting to hear that you're producing a new album. Please take your time to make another otherworldly and superb masterpiece. I'll wait 1-2 more years if it means churning out 8-12 great songs. The stars are not even the limit.