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Hello everyone! So yeah 2018 Top 10 vote so early? I think it's a good idea. You can always edit your post/vote along the way. A Top 10 list from now till the official will be announced and released in 2019. If you'd like to join, post your vote, and keep in mind that the first place get 10 points, and the second place get 9 points, the 10th place get 1 point and so on. You can as mentioned always edit your vote until the votes have been counted and published (april?) in 2019 by me or someone. MY 2018 TOP 10 UP- & DOWN TEMPO VOTE: Up-tempo: 01. Material Music - Love & Magic [The Dust Album] (Kali Earth Records) 02. Material Music - Magic Science of DNA (Ovnimoon Records) 03. V/A - Offspring of the Dragon (Manic Dragon Records) 04. Psykovsky & Friends - Prostra Potustoronnego Zertsala (Not On Label (Psykovsky Self-released)) 05. Overdream - Redux (Not On Label (Overdream Self-released)) 06. Sirius Music - Gaias Tears (Ovnimoon Records) 07. Material Music - Love & Magic [Master XXPSY Systems] (Kali Earth Records) 08. Anarkick - Eat the Mushroom (Anarkick Records) 09. Infected Mushroom - IM21 (HOMmega HD) 10. Ubar Tmar - Early Fusion (Zion 604) Down-tempo: 01. Conical Brazers - Crazy (Not On Label (chrncl brwsrs Self-released)) 02. Kaya Project - The Dust Remixes (Not On Label (Seb Taylor Self-released)) 03. Kaya Project - Up from the Dust (Tribal Shift Records) 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10. ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ YOUR 2018 TOP 10 UP- & DOWN TEMPO VOTE: Up-tempo: 01. Artist - Title (label) 02. 03. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10. Down-tempo: 01. Artist - Title (label) 02. 03. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10.

Triquetra - Ecstatic Planet 1.Gate to Happiness 08:45 2.Stormbringer 08:31 3.No Unexpected Errors 07:50 4.Homonculus 08:57 5.Gargantuan Tribes (Live) 08:24 6.Starbirth 08:26 7.Psychic Dissonance 08:30 8.Chosen By The Gods 08:36 9.Helios 09:01 Fresh. It is the word I'd use to describe Ecstatic Planet. What this album avoids pretty well is using useless and predictable melodies and instead opts for absolutely vivid and odd sound design. It doesn't really follow the footsteps of modern post-2000 goa where all tracks share same intensity and melody structures, but instead it feels like it's molded from the same clay that Goa originally was. It sounds weird and at all times varied, aside from the screeching acid lines that might be a little over-abundant. It is highly danceable while remaining an interesting listen at home. You could throw tracks from this album to any compilation from the 90s and you'd have a hard time saying it's not from it. There is a clear ravey and unexpectingly alien sound to everything you hear. The highpoints of this album are fantastic(Gate To Happiness, No Unexpected Errors, Homonculus, Starbirth). There are moments that will undoubtetly wreck the dancefloors with their unconventional sounds. Homonculus is a perfect example of the album not conforming to the mainstream goa sound, it's just so weird. There is a melody at 2:00 that just sounds like your auditory nerves just went into overdrive. The tracks that fall a little short from the highpoints generally have too much repetition and can sound even a little bit aimless. Just about every track brings something new to the table for this album, and while it's not perfect, like some tracks engulf too much of the aforementioned problems, it has qualities that full albums don't always have - Variance. The Tracks sound different from another! the only real repetitous sound in this album is the typical screeching acid lines that I mentioned before. If you skip albums released lately you will find the sound is quite homogenous, I didn't really feel the same here. Absolutely not what I expected! I hope that it'll stand the test of time!

Artist: Various Title: SpaceDock Records Goa trance Legacy by Kanc Cover Vol.4 Label: SpaceDock Records Release: 26 December, 2018 1.Ephedra & Imba - From Star To Star 2. Hypnagogia - Cosmic Interference 3. Goasia - Polar Lights 4. Omegahertz - Kissing Nebula 5. Omnivox & Hand Of Damaru- Magical Mountain 6. M-Run - Vastness 7. Jikooha - Indigos 8. Via Axis - The 4th State (Psychowave 2018 Remix) 9. Nebula Meltdown - Epsilon Orionis Spacedock Records Goa Trance legacy series has, since Vol. 1 been a collection of fun tracks showcasing artistic talent from planet earth. Every comp has at least 3 tracks that are out of this world amazing, and a bunch of good-great tracks that open up themselves up upon more and more listens. A mix of old established artists and new artists can be found on their comps with little difference in track quality and direction. I thought Vol.3 was pretty awesome, I also thought that 2018 was done for albums after Proxeeus. But no, Spacedock sneaks one last incredible compilation of tracks to blow us all away. Ephedra & Imba - From Star To Star: A solid track all in all but it jumps into the main act pretty quickly and carries it throughout. I wouldn't pick this as an album opener but would certainly still place it on the comp. Lots of drive, strong sound design and great lead work. Hypnogogia - Cosmic Interference: A solid theme follows this track from start to finish. And boy oh boy does it get better and better. A pretty big climax at the end that Makes it one of my favourites. Goasia - Polar Light: A strong progression takes us into a track that really encapsulates its title I feel like i'm flying through the aurora borealis while i listen to this. When i listen in my car I get the urge to close my eyes and see where I end up. But then i realise I'll miss the rest of the track when I slide off the side of the road into a hot Australian bushfire where I narrowly escape with my life but then get pecked to death by Kookaburras, simply not worth it. The ending is bliss. Omegahertz - Kissing Nebula: Well. What can I say but that this inspired me to go back and listen to everything else I have by Omegahertz, it wasn't enough so I've gone through Stax and realised that I love his style. But I love this song the most. Pure psych up track that gets me in the mood for anything that i need to be in the mood for. Omegahertz is something of an anthem creator but nothing compares to Kissing Nebula. If he released another album I'd buy 2. This track is killer, which gives 2019 another stellar track that makes picking a favourite hard. Omnivox & Hand of Demaru - Magical Mountain: A little Darker than you would expect a track called magical mountain to be, but then again not all magic is light and fluffy 'turn you into a pumpkin marshmallow' sort of magic. And then again it's not that dark 'so shut up already Tsotsi'. Alright alright, after Omegahertz's track it's hard to like anything as much. The truth is that when I play this track it's a certified banger. Omnivox has had some fun with Hand Of Demaru before, her soundcloud is mostly ambient so I can't tell what her influence is here. Atmosphere? I can say that the sway potential of this track is 10 sways out of 10 sways. Another anthem that would have a crowd under it's complete control. M-Run - Vastness: A huge unexpected track from M-Run. I follow him on FB and it looks like his constantly cooking bomb ass tracks in his studio. But of all the tracks i've heard from him this is the most unique in structure. That uniqueness is what I love about M-run. The distinct sounds are still there but the structure has been flipped, turned, chopped & screwed. Oh did i mention that it was wild? I've seen M-run crowds, it looks like an earthquake is bumping people around on a trampoline. That's music for you. Jikooha - Indigos: We soften things down a bunch with a Jikooha track. this wasn't what i was expecting when i saw Jikooha follow M-run on a comp. I was thinking way more crazy leads zippig and twirling. But you know what, this track is infectious. A slow burner that burns brighter and brighter as it goes on. It has an oldskool feel to it in its style and is super cruisy. Via Axis - The 4th State (Psychowave 2018 Remix): Don't know the original, don't know Via Axis but I know Psychowave. 'Dont be proud of your ignorance Tsotsi'. Look, let's move on; nothing since Sunshine Reborn has really captivated me in the same way from Psychowave. However, there is a very noticeable improvement in clean production and many more collabs are coming out. The synths that come in at 3:20 make a big difference and feel like metal being struck with jolts of electricity. We also get to learn a little about consciousness and then we get a finale worth writing home about. Nebula Meltdown - Epsilon Orionis: the fastest track on the comp but hardly feels like it. To me this was Vol.4's follow up to Manmademans Vol.3 track. Only placed at the other end of the comp. Very progressive. But it's a progressive world. Peer reviewed thesis's about dog humping and heteronormativity with fake data are being published in the states. But what's that got to do with another favourite track from Spacedock Goa Trance Legacy by Kanc Cover Vol.4? I can't remember... Progression, that's right. A track that demands your attention and closes this bad boy off nicely. Also the track I wanted the most when i first heard it. I'm as happy as a little fat spider right now. My top 10 for 2018 is pretty much just going to be Goa compilations and I'm fine with that. All tracks were certified 100% grassfed, sustainably grown bangers. But Omnivox was definitely my favourite. https://spacedockrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sdrcd05-va-goa-trance-legacy-by-kanc-cover

1.1 KhetzaL - Garden of Nyagrodha Trees 1.2 Cosmic Dimension - Deviant Behaviour 1.3 Triquetra - Electronomic 1.4 Sykespico - Visit Earth 1.5 Hada - Emaginary 1.6 Crossing Mind - Over Time Frame 1.7 Clementz - Trilafon 1.8 Median Project - Life Line 2.1 Battle Of the Future Buddhas - Faster Than Light 2.2 Cosmic Serpent - Fractal Colors 2.3 Everything Turns - Darkness Falls 2.4 Proxeeus - ...But the Joke's On Mankind 2.5 Triquetra - Torturing The Machine 2.6 Morphic Resonance - Wonderland 2.7 Ka-Sol - Hysterical Mass 2.8 Hada - Magic Of Nature NOTE: Each track review is being updated as I hear this more over winter break. The 50th Parallel is a 2 CD compilation that celebrates Suntrip's 15th year as a Goa-Trance label. The first CD is dedicated to the sun, and is more melodic. The second CD is dedicated to the moon, and features darker Goa-Trance. CD 1 1.1 KhetzaL - Garden of Nyagrodha Trees has such a clean, organic sound. The song includes almost everything you'd expect from one of Suntrip's most beloved artists, e.g., crisp melodies, sounds, and harmonies in healthy, warm atmosphere. The song is very homogenous, developing gradually. A part of me feels that the first half could have been punchier and more memorable despite the elegant Eastern-Indian influence and attention to detail. There is a beautiful interlude in the forth minute. The energy increases at 5:48 and is accented at 6:18, and this is where I felt most immersed, thanks to the exciting, psychedelic development. At 6:44, the artist alters the arrangement, adds fresh sounds, and key notes. It's beautiful. Before the journey's end, the listener is rewarded with a beautiful, climactic finale that's almost too good for words. All in all, the first two acts were solid; they could have stood out more. Thankfully, the world grew into something more enchanting and enjoyable as we progressed. Great track. B+ / A- 1.2 Cosmic Dimension - Deviant Behaviour begins with a beautiful, ambient-influenced opening. It sounds like it should be in a Castlevania film and deserves its own [non Goa] song. Act 1 is more psytrance oriented (to some degree) until an attractive synth enters at 2:47. It's very nice! After a beat-free transition, Act 2 begins. It starts out similar to Act 1. Actually, 3:42 to 4:35 could have developed more; it got fairly repetitive, but the second part of Act 2 (forth minute) is curious, more exploratory. Here the acidic synths fade for a more traveling, unexpected, and atmospheric offering, and although my girlfriend felt that the middle act was less memorable, I liked the non-acidic shift in sound. Variety is good, and this middle act, though lacking in a star sound or element to punch it up more, made the song more interesting to me. The last act is solid too. I enjoyed the climactic, dance-friendly synth at 7:17 that elevates the energy in its final minutes. Good track! B+ 1.3 Triquetra - Electronomic -- I just reviewed Triquetra's Ecstatic Planet (2018) album that included some of my favourite songs of the year. The first two minutes alone are great. An intense synth arrives at 2:31. It's too in-my-face loud, but ignites the music. The supporting synths is creative. The music is varied, and the 2:31 lead thankfully disappears at 3:38. A brief transition takes us to Act 2, a trippy segment with an edgy synth at 3:57. It's smart and punchy. The brief accents and nuances are delectable, strengthening the second act. After a brief drumroll via 5:25, I feel like the artists' missed an opportunity to elevate the final act. It's catchy, but the last few minutes (I feel) did little to improve the whole, as if the artists' ran out of ideas or ingredients early. Musically I like the complex, punchy sound/melody work and mixing. This is a tight track that ends with a tight continuation in development rather than a bang. That said, the song takes risks, sounds distinct. It's engaging and stands out. Strong track! B+ 1.4 Sykespico - Visit Earth has one of the best dramatic opening tunes (like a symphony) I've ever heard in a Goa song. It's so simple and captivating. It adds FEELS (!!!). As the beat kicks in, so does the empowering tune that grounds the music emotionally. The first act is excellent, simply in that it merges the dramatic (epic/backdrop) tune with strong sound/melody work and atmosphere. After the 3:11 transition, I would have loved if the middle act maintained the feels, taking us to new, dramatic highs. The artist(s) remove the emotive theme however, opting for a punchier, higher octane approach and it works! The Hallucinogen-esque synths at 3:37 are excellent, maintaining an infectious sound across the forth minute that knows when to end via 4:30. The second part of Act 2 (4:51) involves new synths and sounds. It's catchy, though it feels like it could have been in a different song. The Eastern-Indian melody from 5:58 to 6:25 I could have done without. Some of these elements are underwhelming to the wonderful, dramatic opening that seemed so storytelling perfect. Fortunately, the signature tune returns for Act 3 at 6:25, anchoring us with the hook and feels before the terrific synth at 7:19. The song took longer to fade out than necessary, but that's a nitpick. Although the middle act (at times) could have been a little more congruent and complimentary to the opening/closing acts, this is one of my favorite tracks on the compilation. Well done. A- 1.5 Hada - Emaginary reminds me of Ka-Sol. No intro. Hard beat and accompanied sound. The first 2-3 times I heard this song, I didn't like it. I can't deny that the core sound though is pretty hypnotic, psychedelic. Around it, creepy FX echo across the soundscapes. There are some catchy synths in the first act, but the music gets repetitive and less interesting by (somewhere in) the third minute. A much needed and improved change takes place at 4:32 where the music feels more confident, congruent, and satisfying. We soon return to less memorable sound/melody work (by comparison), but the creepy atmosphere is very nice! The seventh minute on grew increasingly more interesting and warped. Weirder doesn't always mean better, and by the eighth minute, the song becomes a little too dependent and repetitive on the distorted effect, before switching gears to something more solid that avoids repetition from being shorter. I'm back and forth with how good I think this song is. It has some very good/great elements, but it's one of the less interesting and engaging songs on the album for me. That said, this is a pumping dark number for the less conventional crowd. B- 1.6 Crossing Mind - Over Time Frame begins with an enchanting opening. It's like something out of a romantic sci-fi film or fantasy fable. Is it possible for the artist to develop a track with the more enchanting sound developing throughout (I wonder)? I'm thinking Chi.A-D. for inspiration but taking it further. Occasionally I hear an intro by Crossing Mind, and it's so sublime that I wish the song was mid or down-tempo to increase its chances of retaining the warm sound throughout. I've been following CM ever since the release of their album, The Inner Shift in 2012. hoping that one day they'd return to the futuristic and super funky candy land of sounds that made their Inner Shift album so memorable and endearing. The first act was decent. It could have been more interesting and varied with ideas, as it became fairly monotonous until a tune arrives at 3:00. The transition at 3:25 led to more gripping development at 3:40, and the song hooked me from there. I enjoyed the synths at 4:38, the trippy transition, and how the psychedelic infected the last act. That said, the last act seemed so short-lived. It could have done more and in that sense, felt underwhelming to me. The final cloud-walking segment was nice. B+ 1.7 Clementz - Trilafon begins with a wave of dark and atmospheric ambient. It's interesting. The first act builds a psychedelic rhythm with distinct sounds. It's pretty good, but grows repetitive. The artist(s) disengage a floating hymn, but we need something to vary up the sound, to keep us hooked. At 4:26 we get our answer. This next part is radically different, lower in tone, deeper in sound, and incorporates some experimental (?), almost funky electronic work to the mix. I like that the music broke free and opted to do something different and catchy. The last act via 6:11 incorporates fresh energy, development, and synths. The music here felt more flexible and realized. The artist even reprises a synth and accent from Act 2 that enhances the music, bringing the best elements together. The song is less memorable, elaborate, and felt a little minor compared to some of the other tracks IMO, but I liked it. B 1.8 Median Project - Life Line a refreshingly sleek and dualistic journey track. The song has feels (!), determination, and optimism. Act 1 is interesting and engaging, thanks to strong sound/melody work and atmosphere. The melodies are tight, psychedelic, and tastefully layered without sounding too acidy. My only complaint with the first act is that it could have used a little more variety, nuance, and development as it progressed. Act 2 lets its bouncy (very nice) tunes breathe, introducing harmony to the storytelling development. The end of the 5th minute involving a band of melodies moving together is elegant, gripping, and beautiful. Act 3 adds fresh ingredients and ingenuity, maintaining the inspirational sound I often miss in Goa. The track is traveling and easy to digest. It develops and evolves, and is easily one of my favorite songs on both CD's. Great work!!!! A- NOTE: I googled Median Project to learn that his main album released in 2018. It's in the Psynews review thread, In the Depth of Space (and it's good). CD 2 2.1 Battle Of the Future Buddhas - Faster Than Light begins with an interesting sample and synth. The synth at 1:14 is good, though the minor tune (segment) at 1:44 was less engaging. A brief transition takes us into the more psychedelic second act thanks to stronger synths from 2:45 to 3:29. The synths exit without something catchier from 3:30 to 4:16, and I feel that something more interesting could have replaced it. Another solid part is at 5:13 where the song rebounds. But I really liked when the 1:14 synth returned at 6:14 mixing in with the remaining music. This synth is so simple and catchy. Why not build on that catchy sound rather than have it infrequently come and go? Why not build stronger segments around it? I suppose I'm nit picking since the song does have a pretty catchy sound to it. The last two minutes were good. I just expected more as a whole coming from the legendary BotFB. B 2.2 Cosmic Serpent - Fractal Colors is very psychedelic and atmospheric. We get an icy synth at 1:38 and at 2:11, it sounds like a pianist playing an ice cube piano (catchy)! Once that leaves, the music felt less focused. The psychedelic backdrop remained, and the icy (ascending/descending) effect at 2:32 was good. Unfortunately, without more emphasis on sound/melody work, the song becomes almost too abstract for its own good. An attractive synth enters at 4:14, though minimal in development, short-lived. Could this part not have led to something more exciting and fun? The last act builds on the artistry. But I feel that the sound/melody work is triumphed by the imaginative world of textures and atmosphere. Missing for me are tunes, melodies, leads, buildup, climax, feels! Have fun with it, but being mindful of your crowd. Hallucinogen's Twisted and The Lone Deranger albums for instance were both fun while being wildly inventive. I admire the ambition. This is trippy track with some great elements, plenty of experimentation, and some clever sound usage, mixing, and editing. Just make it more fun the next time around! B 2.3 Everything Turns - Darkness Falls has a solid introduction that develops nicely. The atmosphere is good. The synths are lively, characteristic, and fun. The song continuously sculptures (improves on) itself. It flows well. There's no big event or climax, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'd like to hear a main album by this artist showcasing the variety of greatness (in dark Goa) that he can do. Each act is focused, punchy, and beautifully mixed, with soundscapes, accents-- enough to keep me hooked. A nitpick is the sound at 4:02. It's not bad, but it stands out so much that the song feels a little less creative, and more repetitive from 4:01 to 5:22. The sound continues, altered like a supporting synth, and I don't feel like it enhanced the song in any way, although it's not bad (there's plenty of great sound mixing around it). That said, Act 2 met rather than exceeded my expectations. Darkness Falls is a strong track, and the first one I'm calling a favourite on CD 2. A- 2.4 Proxeeus - ...But the Joke's On Mankind begins dark and mysterious. The main melody enters at 1:21-- a bouncy, ebullient synth. It's good and the supporting sounds add to the dance friendly number. Around unique accents, e.g., 2:25, the artist continuously switches out ingredients, no matter how subtle, to support the main melody. The latter could have grown repetitive, bland, but it doesn't, and I think I'd enjoy this song most on the dance floor. We get our first break from the main melody at 4:48. The segment adds variety and the few drum accents are nice, though a bit brief. The last act seemed more refined, with new variation, note changes, and minor details. I liked the atmospheric interlude because of the chilling sound, like the stirring of a Tibetan bowl at 7:50, and that it continued beyond the interlude, into the main music's return. Little things like that are unexpected, creative, and catchy, a duding to the fun. Although the song has a similar sound from the lead, I feel that the approach works, especially for dancing. This is a trancey fun song! B+ 2.5 Triquetra - Torturing The Machine continues the unconventional approach. The first several minutes are a fairly experimental and feature little more than buildup to the best parts. I wasn't hooked until 2:27 thanks to the synths. But the song's first half has issues. It seems indecisive in development. The interlude from 3:20 to 4:26 was too long considering its purpose (basically) was to get us to 4:24 where things take off. Everything past 4:24 was so much more enjoyable thanks to the beautiful sound/melody development. Also, the mechanized atmospheric effect (whatever sounds excellent. It's frustrating that the first or second act by these artists is often so underwhelming compared to the rest of the song. Compared to Electronomic, I'll take a superior second half over a less memorable third act almost any day of the week. I hope this positively influences the artists because they're very talented and have endless potential. I love that this song kept improving throughout the second half. In short, the music started at 4:24 for me. Everything else was forgettable. Once the song grew confident, decisive, and a set of balls halfway through, it was [still is] a pleasure to listen to. B+ 2.6 Morphic Resonance - Wonderland is like JAWS on a bad trip. The song has a few short-lived murky spots before rebounding to stronger waters. The core sound (baseline and synth) is solid, stands out. The first few minutes are electric, fully charged and captivating. The synths grow to be magnetic at 1:38, again at 1:50, and crossing into the third minute. I love the supporting synths and atmosphere around the leads. The first act is exciting, punchy, and intense. The arrangement (being so short) in the third minute grew slightly repetitive, but i'm nitpicking. The middle (4th minute) act started out great, but from 4:22 to 4:49 the music sounded too muddled (over-stuffed with layers), producing an unpleasant (less punchy, focused) on the ears. This took away from an otherwise stellar song (thus far). Having something less maximal and refreshing in place of 4:22 to 4:49 would have better better, and I hope this feedback helps to improve things. The music rebounded soon after, but something about the sixth minute was less punchy (dynamic?) and did little to hook me. The energy of the music is strong, sure, but it's missing something that made the song's first half so tight. Fortunately, the seventh minute onward grew increasingly magnetic, and the finale is fantastic! That's what I'm talking about! My issue here is the same recurrent one I had on the artist's 2018 album, Perplexity. Around its few less captivating moments, this is a great track that showcases some amazing work by one of Suntrip's best artists since Filteria! A- 2.7 Ka-Sol - Hysterical Mass remind's me of Hada's Emaginary to some degree. No intro (well okay, a brief one), and a hard beat and sound at 0:24. The distorted effect to the music is unique, hypnotic. It's also repetitive and went on for too long. Act 2's soundscapes were nice, adding something different. But the synths sound more like effects then actual sound/melody development. I imagine that was the intention. I find this song so hard (literally, the beat), repetitive, and chaotic though, due in part to the relentless core 0:24 sound that I lose interest. It's too much. I'm looking for a focus, a lead to hook onto, something to enjoy. Act 2 breaks the beat in place of a trippy segment, followed by a catchy bopping accent. Both are nice, and some synths (initially) seemed catchy. But the music ultimately grew too muddled and repetitive for me, despite the end even having some pleasant (less jarring) work. This song is a relentless dark stomper that's sure to appeal to some. Give the song a listen and decide. Different perspectives is what adds to the whole anyway, but I digress. I'm sure some will connect with the music and enjoy this more than I did. Hysterical Mass is just not my cup of tea. C+ 2.8 Hada - Magic Of Nature is a bit of a mixed bag. Parts are rich and engaging, while other parts are repetitive and bland. The first act starts okay before devolving into monotony from 1:32 to 2:35. Repeating the same short arrangement, primarily when it's not very good, over and over again is one way to lose your audience. After a quick fade out, the music returns at 3:31 with more creativity and development. Act 2 is a huge improvement that's topped with a strong lead at 3:54 that adds variety. Why couldn't the first act have been better considering this is the same artist who did the second act? Unfortunately, the synths (general sound) from 4:23 to 5:41 grew repetitive. The music soon rebounded, thanks to an infectious, bouncy synth at 5:47. This is a terrific part, but after a short while it became less satisfying as the music crossed the sixth minute, offering little to further develop, enhance, or reboot the climax after the lead's disappearance. This resulted in a less memorable last 1-2 minutes. The last act could have been great, but it's good intermittently. Magic Of Nature is boring one minute, and exciting the next, and that's the issue. You have to ride your winning horses, stick to (and develop) your best work. I feel like this song along with Ka-Sol's would have been better on a different compilation. It makes sense that Suntrip wanted to offer different styles of dark Goa-Trance. They succeeded. I'm simply less a fan of these last two songs. B- Conclusion For a double CD, The 50th Parallel showcases music that is sometimes marvelous, often times great, and few times disappointing. Both albums are very good, but far from perfect. I heard impressive work by many artists including: Median Project, Sykespico, Everything Turns, Triquetra, Morphic Resonance, Proxeeus, Khetzal, and Crossing Mind, and was surprised by the unconventional approaches that some of the artists took. It's fun to see artist's taking risks (at times), and Goa music continue to expand, to some degree. I feel like Suntrip was mindful to avoid generic Goa. But a few of the songs I didn't like. Maybe the inclusion of BotFB, two Hada songs along, and KaSol's was to attract fans who may be less inclined to buy Suntrip albums unless they see a familiar artist. I don't know and am merely speculating. I wish the few weaker songs were replaced with stronger ones obviously, but at least most of the songs were good. A nitpick is that there are a couple songs on CD 1 that sounded dark to me, and I thought CD 1 was supposed to showcase the light? I'm not sure where I'd rank The 50th Parallel compared to Suntrip's previous compilations. Time will tell. It's very good overall and worth checking out, especially for those who are fans of quality light (more melodic) and dark styles of Goa-Trance. Very nice artwork and cover btw! Favorite Tracks: CD 1 ... 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 CD 2 ... 3, 4, 5, 6 B+ Sample / Order https://www.suntriprecords.com/releases/ https://www.suntriprecords.com/release/cat/SUNCD50/ https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-50th-parallel

Artist: Ufomatka Title: Off The Beaten Track Of The Universe Label: Cronomi Records Date: June 29, 2018 1. Transition To Hyperspace 2. The City Of Acid Trips 3. Sliders 4. Space Chronicles 5. USS Enterprise 6. Nebula 7. Drifting Across The Universe 8. Voyager-1 (Leaving The Solar System) This is the first album from Ufomatka aka Alexandr Yemelyanov from Ukraine. I am not familiar with his EP's or his tracks from compilations, so I had no idea what to expect with this album. The sound here can be described as cybernetic/dark psytrance, similar to artists like UX, Cydonia, Portamento, MFG Genesis era, etc. 1. Transition To Hyperspace: Starts off with a nice memorable bassline, slowly and methodically building upto 2:26, where the song starts taking off. I really like the second half of the song from 4:31 where the layers keep piling up till the outro. 2. The City Of Acid Trips: City? Song title feels out of place compared to the rest of the album. Anyway, we get a nice goa melody in the intro, then around 1:00 the song takes off, no slow building this time. I love the rapid, fast paced sounds here: the percussion, the synths, make it seem like the song is about to erupt. There are a lot of different psychedelic sound effects and subtle melodies on top of a steady rhythm. At 5:22, the song changes up and introduces a melody which could be considered the climax. This song is more aggressive than the previous one. 3. Sliders: I love the electric intro here, probably my favorite on the album. We get a simple, growly lead at 1:58, with other layers and melodies complementing it nicely. At 3:32, the simplistic growly lead takes a backseat, but I find it overstayed it's welcome. At 5:30, the song recovers itself when the climactic melody of the song appears, and then a few complementary melodies. 4. Space Chronicles: This song is similar to the previous one in that there is a simple, repetitive, techno-ish rhythm that overstays its welcome, but the layers and melodies keep it very interesting. I love the progression in this one, and it's subtleness, especially the cool background synth from 3:25-3:38. The climactic melody at 5:36 is fantastic as well. Overall, this song is packed with tons of ideas. 5. USS Enterprise: This one is a midtempo, journey-esque, laidback song, and it is perfection. There really isn't a climax in this song, but things are constantly changing, shifting, evolving with layers coming in and out gently. My favorite track on the album, and the longest song so far (but felt the shortest). 6. Nebula: Another midtempo song, similar to the previous one. Very atmospheric intro, but then it kinda becomes generic goa trance. Things get interesting and less generic at 4:35, and it fully redeems itself in the second half. I like the electric melody at 7:18, reminds me of UX. I felt like this song didn't need to be this long, he could have easily trimmed the first 4 mins. 7. Drifting Across The Universe: Intro really does make it seem like you're drifting. I love the creativity in this one, especially the synth from 2:25-3:18 and 6:16-6:45 which feel funky and free-styli. The dark, gravy boiling sounds at 4:50 reminds me of something from Growly Family GMS. Another great mid-tempo song. 8. Voyager-1 (Leaving The Solar System): A sample about Voyager, and an uplifting intro. Not a fan personally of the first 3 mins. But the song recovers quickly after that. The rest of the song has so much class, so much swagger, and you just don't hear this kind of style and fashion in Goa trance often. Does this guy play saxophone in his spare time? I thoroughly enjoyed this album from start to finish. The production is great, and I've always preferred this style of cybernetic goa trance over the traditional style. I also like how few samples are present in this album, they are quiet and non intrusive. The one complaint I have about this album is the lack of variation: similar to MFG's Project Genesis, the album really likes to repeat synths for extended periods of time, which is I guess what the artist wanted based on the promo "His musical flow follows the tradition of the avant garde and psychedelic trance/techno movement". Now I need to listen to his EP's. 4.5/5 https://cronomi.bandcamp.com/album/ufomatka-off-the-beaten-track-of-the-universe

Youtube Link Tracklist: 01 Cypher - Starting To Feel Very Weird 02 Denstrow - Alley Cat 03 X-Dream - Out Here We Are Stoned (Shpongle Remix) 04 Prometheus - One Cell Short Of A Brain 05 Denstrow - Cybister 06 Noosphere - Vector 07 Man With No Name - Teleport (Nick Sentience Remix) 08 Sas,Ban,Tony - Xtra Terresticle 09 Metal Spark - Spring 10 Nervasystem - Scarlioni's Angle 11 Hallucinogen - Thugs In Tye-Dye 12 BUS & Planet B.E.N. - U-Boat (2015 Re-Edit) 13 Doof - Dawn Of A New Error 14 Shpongle - Dorset Perception (Gaudi Rmx) 15 Infected Mushroom - Tasty Mushroom 16 Hallucinogen & Lucas - Pipeworm 17 Denstrow - Brawler 18 Double Dragon - Encrusted Filth 19 X-Dream - Freak 20 M.E.E.O. - Lowrider Mono to Phono 21 Squarking Jazz - Buddha's Whisper (Denstrow remix)

Artist: Ephedra Title: What The Future Brings Label: Goa Madness Records Release: May 18, 2018 Tracklist: - 1. In Search Of Flying Saucers 2. Flying Into The Night 3. Twisted Keys 4. Machiavellin? 5. Savannah Monk Trail (Ephedra & Imba) 6. Cosmic Collaboration (Proxeeus & Ephedra) 7. Return To the N Life 8. Deep inside Feelings 9. Floating Souls Ok whats going with you bunch? Triquetra, Morphic Resonance, Sab Kuch, Lectro Spectral, Geomagnetic/Timewarp comps and the rest of the 2018 release gang (you're all great) and now Ephedra. You graduate from middle school? Finally got yourselves real jobs? Get yourselves married? Have a couple of kids? Cause 2018 has been a year of mature music. A year of well thought out, technical bangers that have got me hitting puberty. Now Ephedra comes in to bring to add a little extra flavour. To show that the big boys know when to hold back till just the right point, when to build but not explode, when to reserve their tracks to create anticipation, when to just make nice sounds and not stress about all the hooha. 2018 got us all grown up. In search of Flying Saucers - UFO's. mystery. space. aliens. New Mexico the home of the Roadrunner. The kick Is hot the leads are perfectly reserved coming in and out but never to insane. This is the patience Im talking about. A really really good track. Flying Into The Night - a little break beat introduces us into spacier and faster feeling track. The leads twirl and slice away in the back, being brought forward at perfect moments as the rest of the track balances out. The melody is infectious as its shot at you over and over again. The track is pure hyperspace listening material, put it on and before you know it you’ve reached galaxy NGC 7320 All Aboard Twisted Keys - we don’t slow down here, a short moody intro keeps the journey rolling. Little tribal drum taps in the background are beat out with the lightest of fingers before leads takes centre stage & zip us away. Once again Ephedra balances the elements and layers out with exquisite grace. Nothing in this song is monotoned & just as you think the frenzy has ended Ephedra takes it up a notch and finishes with some great knob fiddles. Machiavellian - Ah señor Niccolò, the espouser of the old greek and roman value systems as well as the man that had the personality trait of deceit, self interest and manipulation named after him. The only manipulation in this song is that of Ephedra’s tools over your brain. Ephedra darkens things up a bit while keeping a coherent flow throughout the song. A perfect track for workplace craftiness, backstabbing a trusted confidant and dancing in any dark location of your picking. Epehdra & Imba - Savannah Monk Trail - Love the choral vocals and the drums in the intro. Another cool baseline and kick combo then takes us off to a happier place where elastic leads extend in and out. More squelches, an elephant and tribal chants set this track apart from the others. Imba and Ephedra’s mojo works in fine balance with each other, proven as the track increases in intensity from start to finish. A fav Ephedra and Proxeeus, Cosmic Collaboration - I gotta say I was excited when I saw these two together on a track, even more so the the title suggested that these two came up with some sweet sweet hallucinogenic Himalayan Cliff Bee Mad honey for us all to sip on. They did, much more melodic than I expected while still completely psychedelic and of course totally banging, another welcome and successful combination of talent. Return to the N Life - A title that would also work well for an Ice Cube album, Return to the N life takes us back into the land of classic ephedra. Another mature track that despite not really standing out I would still play at any party, yea even my nephews 6th birthday party. Once again Ephedra shows a lot of skill with his instruments and thought in production. Deep Inside Feelings - Ephedra gets all sentimental and opens up his electrifying feelings to us. I love when he strips the baseline away, a metaphor for his struggle to balance an minimalist life with the pressure to succeed (I don’t know, sounds cool though). The song is hot hot hot but nothing prepares you for whats next. Floating souls - The closing track. What's it gonna be? Which way will he take this? Many questions and only one answer. Ecstasy. Ephedra takes us away from all earthly feelings and into a land of the beyond. I don’t know exactly what it is….Yes I do, the intensity, leads, melody, dreamy floatiness and all the other things that make Goa trance just so incredible. This goes up there with Experiments into some of my favourite Goa trance tracks of all time. That’s that, what I will call a perfectly balanced album. This is by far my favourite Ephedra album, the patience in the track development all the way to the actual track development really stand out here. It’s a skill that comes with experience and with 3 albums under his belt it seems like Ephedra is getting plenty of that. Like all good middle school graduations, Ephedra has matured his sound into something completely delightful for the ears. Big shout out to Goa Madness for their support of great artists and 3 big blasting Ephedra albums. https://goamadnessrecords.bandcamp.com

Artist: Praheya Title: Dawn of the Golden Age Label: Banyan Records Date: July 17, 2018 1. Dawn of The Golden Age 2. Remover Of Obstacles 3. Master of The Matrix Praheya is Andreas Mayr and he has been making forest trance since 2012. His music can be described as spiritual, hypnotic, and intense, and this EP is no exception. The sound here is dense, atmospheric, and layered with plenty of interesting sounds. Dawn of the Golden Age is perfect from start to finish, and I can't really pick out a favorite track. Best thing I've heard this year. Not really a fan of the cover art though. https://banyanrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dawn-of-the-golden-age

Artist: Lectro Spektral Daze Title: Infinitely Intricate Unfolding Kaleidoscope Label: Neogoa Records Release: Feb 23 2018 Tracklist: 1. Experiences And Encounters 2. Acid Feels 3. Observing From All Around 4. Matter Into Energy 5. Seen Something 6. Thoughts They are Like Flames 7. Yellow And Green And Blue Patterns 8. Wave After Wave I gotta say at first i was confused. Lectro Spektral Daze does some great stuff, some of my favourites, his use of breaks is intelligent, the builds keep me guessing and the fun just jumps from all his tracks. The confusion however came from my first few listens on my car speakers and a pair of little in ear phones. The highs and Lectro’s use of sweeps caused me to wince in pain. For example in Acid Feel at the 4 minute mark the washed out sweep made me pull my earphones out and turn the volume down. At 6 min the highs build to a similar discomfort I went through some of his older tracks and heard similar sweeps and highs that didn’t cause me the same discomfort. Then Neogoa were all ‘lets review this bad boy aye’. So i thought, it must just be me, the team themselves couldn’t have messed mastering up that badly (I'll always believe in you Neogoa). And so I should, on proper speakers everything changed. 'When you face animosity you don't give up, you turn the biggest loudest rig you have access to on and hit play' 1. Experiences and Encounters - Nice little intro, and a cool kick and bassline, very Lectro Spektral styled. The progressive influences come through in the beginning and it doesn't take long before the track (Almost explodes into energy), if those leads were just a little louder, if they just roared a little more. Regardless the melody doesn't get old and we soon come to the first big break, it’s a good one too, then the track really blasts off, i love that lead that comes in around 6:20 coulda listened to that for the rest of the track really. 2. Acid Feels - A warm acid filled track, that doesn't take long to draw you into a deep trance. Overall a pretty positive track. The pain from the washy sweeps is gone and the high builds teetered on the edge of painful without actually crossing the line. 3. Observing From all Around - Starts without much messing around, cool knob turning and big drums lead us into our first melody. The use of one off sound effects and connected samples is pretty sweet. It really takes off at the halfway point. And that break at 6 min! Thats what im here for, This really where Lectro stands out from the crowd, the change of direction is awesome. A great track and favourite of mine. 4. Matter into Energy - Another short intro, very educational all the same, and we are met by warm full-on sounding pads.A floaty sense of funk surrounds fills this track. As the promo track to the album this didn't really grab me, after a few more listens I’m turnt right up. Another great break, this time more intense. Instead of over-layering with melodies other sounds and fx are used to keep your interest. 5. Seen Something - A light star spangled first act leads us into another cool melody which takes center stage. I would’ve liked the leads after the first melody to roar at me a bit more, instead they are placed deeper into the track drawing me in. The broken beats around 5 min are sweat and another LSD trademark i appreciate. This is one track however where we coulda dressed the kick drum up in a little tree costume and sent it to the backstage to offer the rest of the song more room to move. 6. Thoughts They are Like Fire - They do don't they? Who'd have thought. We get some cool loops and wacky sounds drawing us into the track before the melody takes over, not overly complex but lasts longer than the other melodies we have heard so far. 7. Yellow And Green And Blue Patterns - Goa trance can be a little bit like a game of rugby. Sometimes the Full Back has the ball and takes center stage, other times they just sit there to support the rest of the team. Sometimes the Wing gets the ball and takes center stage, they get some help from the others but it's really all them going for it. For the first half of this song i would have liked more focus on the ball carriers. So much coolness happening but not a lot taking focus...It deep tho. That being said, this was without a doubt my favourite track, Why? You guessed it, that break is beautiful. Tear inducing, uplifting, beauty. This is what i came here for. The purity of the second half of this track is unreal. 8. Wave After Wave - Who is that lady? Is that the weird girl from American idol, i gotta find her . . . - Mary roach, My God Lectro, did you get Mary to talk about acid on your track? My lord, has she changed her name to Guilbeaux yet? The rest of the track is too hot to trot, another favourite of mine, the chopped up melody and broken beats take over and make me to jump around. The voices in the back are a great addition. Lektro’s strong focus on breaks, nice use of builds and jump inducing fast paced changes have been mixed into a deeper style of trance. While at any point he could have brought parts of his track into stronger focus, what we get instead is balanced deep listening journey. I agree with the label when they say “...putting the listener into a unique state of deep trance led by trademark LSD melodies and pulsating drum-kicks…”. I enjoyed all tracks and loved three. I think Lectro has real talent, the album isn’t crawling with influence from other artists which tells me this amigo has his shit together. The work also shows that Neogoa is willing to release something a little bit different and unique. That being said I think the album could have gone a different direction into masterpiece territory, it’s art no doubt, good art too. Random snippets of sound, good melodies and awesome changing flow, more focus could have gone into bringing out some of the ‘bigger’ sounds, This may have taken away from the deep trance state induced rhythm of LSD, but it could have paid off big as well. Don’t get me wrong, the work is incredible and i was happy to purchase it, but i feel LSD has the potential to release the Magnum Opus. I read somewhere that what really separates the great originals from the rest is sheer volume of work. From art to engineering, more albums means more greats. If you catch my drift. https://neogoarecords.bandcamp.com/album/infinitely-intricate-unfolding-kaleidoscope

https://soundcloud.com/collectiveone/concepts-of-vibration-2-july-2018-full-on-psytrance-mix

Artist: Merrow Title: Hybridization Label: Self Release Release Date: January 28, 2018 Tracklist:- 1. Hybridization (Lemon head mix) 2. Squid in your plate 3. Buddha's awakening 4. Floating city (Morpheus mix) 5. Xenomorph Prime 6. Cosmic Comics 7. Space Jockey (Speed light mix) A collection of new and old tracks made new again coming at cha. I of course haven't heard any of these before so to Tsotsi they are all new. We are assured plenty of acid and big leads, on that front Merrow delivers big time. The Lemon Head mix of Hybridization doesn't waste any time giving us what is promised, with a thumping kick and wild electro leads being held back until just the right moment before they are released into an explosive climax. one of my favourites on the album and a great way to start. Squid on your Plate comes in hot with more acidic bubbles than the Black Triangle. The main melody soon takes centre stage and throws us into a fit of arm flailing madness as Merrow works his tools. Almost and anthem Squid on your plate does the job and ticks the 'melody stuck in my head' box. Yes We Can Buddhas Awakening is just what you need to stir the great Gautama out of his meditations. Although it would stir the Siddhartha right into another plane of ecstasy. The song explodes at 3 minutes, I love those Astral Projection Enlightened Evolution sounding Vvraaarps. (Of course AP don't own that sound I just don't know what else to describe them as). Another stormer of a track. Morpheus does some work on Floating City not wasting any time with silly intro's. It feels like the track might progress a bit slower than the other but that would be a mistake to assume. the leads build and build into a new melody comes and takes over while the old leads slash away in the back. Pretty epic and a little less conventional (in a good way) than some stuff out there. The song twists and turns right to the end and with every bit being enjoyable. Goa baby. Xenomorph Prime is a mix of Bobo the ape pushing the space buttons to make noises and more of the hectic leads we've had so far. it works well and slays along until it turns itself into one of the most memorable tracks on the album. We get to bounce along to Cosmic Comics (Great song name) nice and early. I'm getting use to knowing what to expect and sure enough another anthem surrounds us. A little less variety than the other songs so far but still plenty to make me smile. Space Jockey comes in with an epic intro to take us home at the speed of light. The kick is not really to my taste but these things generally fall back into the track as leads come in. it take a little longer than normal but finally the tracks other elements come in to keep me engaged. It's probably not the fastest track on the album but it sure feels like it. Everything comes in at such a flurry of epicness that I can't catch a glimpse of what is going on. Entrancing me through the pure speed of the track. Merrow delivers us a hot album of tracks with exactly what he promises. Each track is baked to perfection, crisp on the palette and refreshingly zesty. You could say that the tracks are similar to one another, but you could also say that post modernism has created a world devoid of truth and meaning. You'd be better off saying that American college students can't spot a hammer from a ratchet and simply don't know which tool of philosophy to use for the job at hand. Any whom, Merrow comes in remind us all exactly how epic the anthems of this genre are. The songs don't go for to long and never make your ears tired, instead I find myself always wanting more which the next song always expertly delivers. https://merr0w.bandcamp.com/album/hybridization

Artist: Perfect Blind Title: Replika Label: Self-Released Date: April, 2018 01. The Doctor (Dr.Who Theme Cover) 02. Metropolis (Kraftwerk Cover) 03. Dark Train (Underworld Cover) 04. Immobilized (Front Line Assembly Cover) 05. Replicant (Covenant Cover) 06. Oxygene (Jean Michel Jarre Cover) 07. Dej Mi (Croatian folk song - V2) 08. Sheyn (Haustor Cover) 09. Our Darkness (Anne Clark Cover) 10. A Forest (The Cure Cover) 11. It's No Good (Depeche Mode Cover) 12. End Titles (Vangelis Cover) Perfect Blind (also Deimos) is Igor Čeranić from Croatia and if you do not know who he is stop feeling sorry for yourself and do your homework. This is a fantastic electronic musician that leans towards the darker more industrial side of psytrance. Didn't catch his latest Stratum album? It's so f*cking good. Moody, atmospheric, industrial paradise. That said the guy is a wizard when it comes to electronic music having stretched his programming muscles with downtempo and goa trance music as well as the industrial stuff. With this release he takes a bunch of songs that had some strong personal meaning to him and puts his own spin on them. You know those moments right? First kiss. Ugh, we arrested Michael Jackson for less. First date. I'm not going to lie to you. This might come back to be a problem later. And who could forget the first time you got arrested and the po po wouldn't take you to the bathroom. Good times. So he made a cover album with more modern sounds and an industrial sound. As he himself said it can hardly be classified as Perfect Blind material, but he had a good time doing it so who the f*ck cares. Most of the songs I had never heard so in that respect it made me hit YouTube to see what he did. I have always been a fan of his work and his industrial downtempo version of Dej Mi was very appealing. It's not something I can listen to very frequently, but I applaud him for doing something different that makes him happy. If I made a cover album with songs that were the soundtrack to my life you would think I was a pre-pubescent little girl. Take...on...me! Perfect Blind Bandcamp

New psy-trance tune is out now !!! Hope you can give a few minutes and enjoy it. Good vibes https://soundcloud.com/audio_wave/audiowave-sonoro-out-09-april

After about a year of silence, I'm back with a new track titled "Pashupati" Chillgressive with a pumping bassline and melodic atmospheric sounds. Enjoy! https://dhamikamusic.bandcamp.com/album/pashupati-24bits

Music is the only real magic i have encountered in my life. There is no way to describe its influence and there's no explainable trick involved. Music is the Queen of all art-forms. It's pure, it moves, it heals, unites, heightens, expands one's consciousness. When the quality is high and long-established principles are preserved, the music never expires.. it's timeless, it's classic. Tracklist: 01. Open Source - The Wicked Witch Of The West (New Edit) 02. Aquatica - Break It All (Open Source Bootleg) 03. Open Source - Alaska 04. Vini Vici - Ravers Army (Open Source Bootleg) 05. Ghost Rider - Shamanic (Open Source Bootleg) 06. Open Source & Space Vibe - Spirit Warrior (Classical Edit) 07. Space Vibe - The Lord 08. Open source - True Lollipop 09. Open Source - Legends Never Die 10. Sagi Abitbul & Guy Haliva - Stanga (Open Source Bootleg) Follow Open Source on: Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | Instagram | Mixcloud

Can someone please help me in identifying the tracks on this mix,