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PsiloCybian GodHead BMSS Records, 2015 01. PsiloCybian & Braincell Mad As A Baloon 02. PsiloCybian I Can Feel My Brain 03. PsiloCybian OddWood 04. PsiloCybian GodHead 05. PsiloCybian Sphagnum 06. PsiloCybian Fatline 07. PsiloCybian Flitzed Out 08. PsiloCybian Trippy Looking Sunsets 09. PsiloCybian & Audioform From Another Dimension 10. PsiloCybian & Deimos Unforeseen Consequences https://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/bms/bms1cd014.html PsiloCybian is a Croatian artist Saa Dukić, whos active on the scene only from 2010 but just like his countrymen is incredibly prolific and managed to release 5 full-length albums already, including a down-tempo one. My collection so far included only his 2013s Dreamtime printed by Ovnimoon Rec. and I liked that album very much, because it successfully merged the full-on and progressive trance stylistics. Therefore I eagerly anticipated his latest CD GodHead to be released in Dec 2015 as the samples sounded very juicy, suggesting further evolution of the artist in the direction of heavier, more acidic and psychedelic sounds. However, after listening to GodHead good 20 times, I have ambivalent feelings about it. I like the style of the record: the balance is tilted compared to Dreamtime even more to the full-on side, but one can still hear those house / progressive influences: the sounds are smoothed-out, with relatively slow attack when it comes to both volume & filter envelopes, therefore rare are the very harsh, aggressive tones even though the album gets darker in 2nd half. Theres a lot of space, echoes and reverbs and in general the production quality is very high: the sound picture is meaty and dense, but at the same very clear and transparent. The mastering seems a bit more quiet than other CDs out there, but on the other hand this gives the sounds a room to breathe and theres always a volume knob to compensate I very much like the sound of bass on this album, which although typical has this swing, the syncopated funk to it. Personally, when I hear this records then on a most basic organoleptic level it feels as if someone was pouring hot honey to my ears and was covering me with a gentle, plush blanket it is so pleasing! When it comes to style, it is similar to Braincells (theres even a collaboration here), albeit slightly more psychedelic in the background one will find lots of interesting, testy detail and the foreground is ruled by acidic lines: from the typical, heavily accented and resonating 303-s to more elastic, wiggly and springy squiggles in the sonic mid-range. Most of the tunes are similar, though there are a few breaking away from the conformity: I Can Feel My Brain filled with samples from the sci-fi flick Lucy is propelled by turbo-charged spirals in rhythm section and finished-off with ornamental flourishes in 2nd half, OddWood enchants with slick synth work, where 3-4 loops interweave and transform between each other to create intricate sonic patchworks, the titular GodHead is a hard, relentless acid-bath, Fatline overwhelms with deep, electronic screeches and the mid-section acid run wouldnt be out of place on Cosmosis Synergy, while the finishing Unforeseen Consequences is an intriguing, rock-reggae party wind-down. All in all, the album is very even and theres no filler in sight, unless and heres the but one categorises it all as a filler in general. You see, the records *sounds* incredibly well and pleasant, is very correct and technically accomplished, but same could be told of his previous work. What I miss is the next step either in more melodic, atmospheric route or completely to the opposite, into more experimental, far-out sounds, forms and tempos. Theres something to it, because you can hear that 1st part of the album is lighter, more melodic and the 2nd more heavy and psychedelic; but the difference is delicate, barely perceptible and may as well be a figment of my imagination. What can clearly be heard though is that PsiloCybian exerts expert control over sound & rhythms, but gets more uncertain when it comes to melodic work he doesnt know how and where to lead the melodic progression, so he ends up stumbling on few notes repeated in sequence to mixed results. My impression is he could do wonders working in team with some talented musician, but then again this is true for majority of producers on our scene of bedroom DJ-s. Summarising, it is a good album and one can hear that PsiloCybian develops as an artists, although at this moment hes at the cross-roads looking for his own signature sound and direction. Personally I recommend buying this, because even if its not compulsory right now it may sometime in the future be viewed as a stepping stone for great artist. It doesnt hurt that the album looks great on CD shelve, with the hand-painted (I think?) cover depicting the titular god with head full of stars and body composed of plants and creatures of different kinds. Simple, but very effective and to the point. 4/5 Review by Antic