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Artist: Crop Circles Title: Full Mental Jackpot EP Label: DAT Records Date: June, 2013 1. Full Mental Jackpot 2. Different Species 3. Full Mental Jackpot (Etnica rmx) 4. Effortless - Cosmic Creative Rays Crop f*cking Circles. This is the other EP that was released by those crazy Italians and may be more massive than Lunar Civilization. I prefer to look at them as a whole however. A conglomerate of powerful and melodic masterpieces. The title track lays the smack down with numerous twists and turns each more twisted than the last. 11 and a half minutes of pure bliss. Different Species begins slower, but is no less involving and alien sounding. Sharp 303 ripples and spiraling leads tumble from the sky. Now we learned with the Live in Athens 1996 album by Etnica that it wasn't uncommon for them to make several remixes for a track. With the FMJ remix it's more subdued than the original...well at least to start. But this is Etnica we're talking about here so you don't have to wait long before it goes all Full Mental Jackpot on you. Is it better? That's like asking if the first piece of chocolate cake is better than the second. The most interesting track is the final one that due to a labeling error on the DAT master was originally credited to Crop Circles. In actuality, it is by Cosmic Creative Rays which is a Lotus Omega side project and easily the most chaotic and intense track here. Hallucinogenic with melodies that aren't as pristine or accessible, it is still layered goa to the bone. Purchasing these two EP's is a no brainer. These tracks are absolute classics that every goa head knows and loves. The sound quality is superb guaranteed to please. So it you love goa and don't want to take a second mortgage out on your house to buy the original EP's... get cracking. DAT Records Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Crop Circles Title: Lunar Civilization EP Label: DAT Records Date: June, 2013 1. Lunar Civilization 2. Antonomasia 3. Full Mental Jackpot (Pleiadians Remix) 4. Ghost Circles Crop f*cking Circles. Rising faster than an old man's erection on Viagra is the star that is DAT Records. This is a label run by Draeke that resurrects music from the golden age of goa trance that was unreleased or only put out on vinyl and then gives it the production values of today with new mastering. His 2 CD release of Etnica Live in Athens was one of the greatest gifts you could give an old schooler, but instead of standing on his success he continues to reach higher with his next offering. What do you get when you add Etnica + Lotus Omega? Crop f*cking Circles. Now this isn't his first date with this project. Remember the "lost" album Tetrahedron back in 08? So full of thick melodic layers he's been going strong ever since. And now we've learned that no task is too herculean. So it stands to reason that his long standing relationship with this Italian supergroup would continue to bear fruit. Like most of you I didn't have these vinyl EP's released back in 07 and even if I did what the hell would I play them on. So I had to make do with mp3's that I found on the net and I was happy to have them. But now I have the CD EP from DAT Records in its little cardboard sleeve cover and the planets seem to be back in alignment for this collector. The original vinyl EP from Auricle Records had just the tracks Lunar Civlization and Antonomasia. Awesome tracks full of spiraling melodies and complex layers to be sure, but then the CD version came out and it included the mind blowing remix of Full Mental Jackpot by the Pleiadians. But Draeke does you one better with the addition of a track I've never heard called Ghost Circles. It falls right into line with their crazy Italian style. Fast, multilayered melodies with tons of 303 goodness. To close this is another triumph for Draeke and DAT Records. He has succeeded in bringing some of the greatest goa trance tracks back into the light. The music sounds spectacular and keeps the genius that was Etnica alive. No longer do you have to shell out ungodly prices for this hard to find piece of goa history cause now he put it within everyone's reach. And you don't even need a f*cking record player, whatever the hell that is. Draeke you've got your had so deep in my pocket people are going to tell us to get a room. DAT Records Psyshop Beatspace Goastore Mdk

Artist: Etnica Title: Live In Athens 1996 Label: DAT Records Date: December, 2012 1. Intro 2. Plastic 3. Floating Universe 4. Antidote (Etnica rmx) - Blue Planet Corporation 5. Nice Toys 6. Vimana 7. Lunar Civilization (Etnica rmx) - Crop Circles 8. Time Dilation (Etnica Morning mix) - Pleiadians 9. Mankind 10. Electric Shower 11. Rotating Fields 12. Fluorophilia Camps Bay 13. Blinded Moon 14. Jungle Trax (Etnica rmx) - Pleiadians 15. Mental Puzzle 16. Phthalic Vibes You said Key. Where do I start with this one? This is a release that thanks to label head Draeke had every goa trance fan salivating. Whether you call them Etnica, Pleiadians, or Crop Circles these Italians are legendary in this genre and arguably responsible for the greatest goa trance tracks ever. I.F.O...classic. Alien Protein...classic. Tetrahedron...you guessed it, classic. So thanks to an act of theft (some guy actually recorded their live set to DAT) we have one CD of their performance in Athens. So what do you get? You have one disc with the recording of their live set in Athens in 1996 and another of unreleased goodies. The booklet contains a bunch of cool info about how this release came about and also the stories of the unreleased tracks. Highlights? They had to carry all their equipment with them to every show. Everything. What a pain in the ass. Now a pimply faced kid only needs to bring his Sony Vaio loaded with ProTools and he thinks he's Paul Van Dyk. Oh how the times have changed. As far as the artwork goes, I can take it or leave it, but one things for certain...you know it's Etnica when you see it. Live In Athens 1996 Intro- This monumental release begins with an intro that they played during all their sets. Maybe to set the mood or to f*ck with the seriously stoned, I cannot say. It is what it is...a slow percussive intro. Now on to the good stuff. Plastic- Plastic... Ewww. I wonder if silicone comes out when she blows her nose. First thing I noticed when comparing it with the EP is that this version is almost 2 and a half minutes shorter. Seeing how this disc is partially mixed perhaps they took out the bits that might've slowed the momentum. Again, I wasn't in the room, but you've got that signature melody that builds like a tsunami so no worries. With a constant thump the sparkling acid flickers like they were using a blowtorch. I wasn't a fan of the transition into Floating Universe, but that's minor. Floating Universe- Just an absolute stormer. Leads that are searching like the dendrites of an axon with lightning fingertips. There is no respite as it backs down in places and then regroups. You get the entire track that sounds great with the energy of a live wire. Antidote (Etnica Remix)- We've all heard the Pleiadians remix of the BPC classic, but I've never heard this one before. It's got a nice bottom end complete with a growl that's just waiting to erupt. Let the knob twisting commence! And boy do they. Guttural and squelchy at times this one leaves scorch marks when the leads aren't getting all twisted up like a nasty DNA strand. At almost 11 minutes this one is quite the ride. Nice Toys- This is another one I've never heard before. There is a reason this was released in time for the holidays. Ouch. Santa needs another AA meeting. Rest assured mine made it in time, so that above must've been the afterparty. More cloud bursting leads that twist and turn making the people below look like ants. Feel like the Silver Surfer as that bass growl is my surfboard. I wouldn't recognize the melody, but I sure do love the ride. Vimana- Oh boy we're in the meat of things now aren't we? And that melody is like getting wrapped with barbed wire. So sparkly and spacious, my twisting controls have been on auto pilot for a good while now. Lunar Civilization (Etnica Remix)- With a smooth transition we're onto the Etnica remix of a classic Crop Circles track and it doesn't take long for the twirling to begin again. THE melody comes in at 4 and a half minutes and the smile that you had to start has just been widened. A happy smile doofus. Not like somebody just cornholed you. It's a cluster of melodies from space thrown together in a shower of stardust. This is the holy grail people, this is what goa heads have been searching for. Time Dilation (Etnica Morning Mix)- According to the booklet this track was built around a beautiful sample and you hear it right from the get go. At over 15 minutes I don't have to tell you this is the longer version and it's worth every second. That voice is heavenly and makes me think of an ethereal Lord of the Rings wispy vocal. But in space. It's a softer track (their words) and was only played during morning sets. Takes a while to get going and it builds along the way. Like the booklet said even though this one is not as aggressive, you can tell it is form the minds of Etnica. Best of Unreleased Mankind- The bass and pads make this seem other worldy and like all their tracks it builds with each measure. Halfway through Mankind takes a storming posture as if daring you to look at it. The shimmering wall of color is there, probing, showing you the way. I like this one because while it's also big, it reveals the guts in places. Know what I mean? Like that drum n bass rhythm? So did they because they built the track around that. Electric Shower- That would electrocute you...right? Might as well throw a toaster in the bathtub. Whoa whoa...don't do it yet. You gonna eat those pop tarts? From 1998 this track marked a time when the way they made music had changed. They took a bunch of samples (From the first ever sample CDs) and put them together and well, manipulated the hell out of them. Hence, electric shower. It's noisy and not their usual layers of melody and probably my least favorite of both discs. Rotating Fields- "Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? I ask that of all my prey?" Made entirely by Maurizio in Milan in 1998 after their first trip together in Brazil it's an acidic chunky b*tch. Groovy with lots of effects he dedicated it to someone special at the time. Very psychedelic with the six million dollar man effect when he does something bionic. Remember that? Remember, remember when that was... *sigh* you kids weren't even alive. It started off strongly, but lost steam on the way down. He mentioned that he wanted to make some changes but never got around to it. Fluorophilia Camps Bay- Made in 1997 by Carlo and Maurizio in South Africa after they released I.F.O. it bubbles with intensity and finds its legs halfway through. Forest sounds or effects made to sound like the forest are present throughout. There is a lot going on while it surges and recedes. Pretty good track with numerous melody changes. Blinded Moon- Well no wonder it's a blinded moon, there's a f*cking muppet dancing on it. Based on a techno track (Trans Pact) back in 1997 this one is of a darker nature. But that said, it's very melodic to my ears with several leads and a true outer space vibe. This is great Etnica stuff with more shimmering synths and unfriendly extra terrestrial life. If this was on Alien Protein it wouldn't be out of place in my opinion. Jungle Trax (Etnica Remix)- Ah a remix of the Pleiadians classic. According to the insert they used to make a bunch of different versions of a track (which probably means there is more gold in them thar hills!) and the main thing I notice about this one is that it doesn't have that key change found on the original. Which is good cause I didn't like that. Otherwise it's a churning track that seems to go on for awhile, wrapping you up in its spin. Sparks fly after 5 minutes culminating with a solid finish. Mental Puzzle- Quite possibly the rarest of the rare this track was heavily damaged and required some serious restoration. Like if you peed all over the Mona Lisa I guess. Not quite, but kid's got a future. Made back in 95 it crushes the competition with its relentless pace and varied melodies while keeping true to the bubbling goa sound. 15 minutes. That's f*cking insane. Do you have any idea how many galaxies you can visit at light speed in 15 minutes? Like...3 I guess. Sparkling, intense, and an old school gem to be sure. It seems unending with it's many spirals of sound and if I had to put it in layman's terms. This track is a Labrador retriever plowing a kid over in a flooded field. What? Phthalic Vibes- Ah the final track in this unbelievable journey. And what a f*cking track it is. The last one composed by Etnica as a quartet it was meant to be released on a Fluorophilia album that never was. It's a killer with more bounce than a chick with double D's. Forceful and a fabulous way to end this trip. Holy f*cking Cow. That was something else. I imagine this review is going to read more like a promo with correct English than a review, but what do you expect? It's Etnica from their golden goa period. Did you think Draeke was gonna waste his time uncovering turds? Work his ass off for something mediocre? I could've written this review in one word. Awesome. The vast majority of the tracks are stellar and what goa trance should be. Melodic, driving, trip inducing...It sounds great and a perfect way to close a chapter in goa history. Unless they have even more gems that they are waiting to release at a later date. Congratulations to these pioneers of the genre and congratulations to Draeke and his label for bringing these wonderful tracks to light. DAT Records Psyshop Beatspace Saikosounds GoaStore Mdk

Hello Everyone, most of you know my love for DAT tapes and unreleased oldschool goa trance, but there is something that bothers me, and that is unknown unnamed tracks and obscure untraceable artists. I long time ago joined Pavlos in the venture of organizing and categorizing the unreleased tracks on discogs to have a guide, a reference and know who made what and what was never released. But during my DAT ripping ventures I have found obscure project names, no name tracks, fake names etc and therefore I decided to give the good old youtube a go. Why not post the first 4 minutes of all my unknowns? There is a chance someone knows them and can help me out. So I have started uploading the first 23 tracks I had around, here they are, more coming soon! http://www.youtube.com/user/draeke604/videos?view=0 Any help, comment, idea, is welcome. Feel free to comment below the videos on youtube. Draeke PS: the goal, beside categorizing and classification, is to help me compile the compilation I want to release on DAT soon enough, I want to use some of these no names and I wouldn't like to have to release them as "name it yourself" tracks on the sleeve