Suntrip Records: 2016
Nope, still not used to Ra having such a small discography. Forget having a brainfart over their 9th album only being their second, I just can't help but assume they have a far more robust catalogue than what Lord Discogs claims. Again, it's all those compilation contributions. Whether offering up tracks to Suntrip, other tunes to Altar Records, or even getting a few nods on the memorable Goa-Head series, they certainly have enough material for at least a double-LP of assorted musics. Mainline records though? Can you believe this here Earthcall, released eight years ago, is just their fourth album?
Heck, it's just their second for Suntrip, a surprise in of itself considering how much folks often pointed to 9th as one of the label's definitive early releases. Surely pressure was high for a quick follow-up, but instead they spent some time on the downswing, putting out a mostly chill affair on Altar between 9th and this. Then after Earthcall, barely a peep beyond the compilation market again, a lone EP on Altar the only thing since, and released just last year at that. Seems Ra really aren't in a hurry to flood the market with trance, content letting all the hep new cats on the scene grab all the goa glory.
That's what I find rather fascinating about Earthcall. Given how gung-ho the goa and psy goes from most of the artists I've heard on Suntrip thus far, it's quite refreshing having an album that plays things relatively smooth, easy, and dare I say, chill. Yeah, the beats are still at a brisk pace, and there's plenty of momentum in Ra's use of synth leads, all building to solid peaks as any other nu-goa trance you'll hear. It's all just really mellow about it too. Music that realizes there must be times for those build-up and lead-down moments within a set (or heck, a twenty-four hour bender), and Ra are completely content playing that roll.
You can vibe, you can sway, you can flail, but there's no tear-out climax to these tracks – let some of the younger lads on the Suntrip roster fill those slots. Christer and Lars are old hats at this game, after all, doing their thing since the early '90s. They'd like to retire to their tents at the festival early, I wager. Or maybe they've become early birds as all old people do. So here's a set for the wee morning hours while being served at the Vegan Rasoi Smorgasbord.
Six tracks make up the bulk of Earthcall, plus one collaboration with Menkalian dragging Ra closer to where most folks would expect of modern goa to go (tear out peak!), plus an obligatory downtempo closer. As with 9th, I can't say much of this stuck with me afterwards, but for some reason, I came away from Earthcall with an overall better experience. Just more pleasant listening compared to how bricked and full throttle some of Suntrip's trance can get. Gettin' old, I guess.
Showing posts with label goa trance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goa trance. Show all posts
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Friday, March 29, 2024
Filteria - Daze Of Our Lives
Suntrip Records: 2009
Khetzal's Cororlle may have been That One Album That Put The Label On The Map, but Filteria was the chap that gave Suntrip Records their early momentum. Indeed, three of their first thirteen releases, including compilations, were albums of his. Ask any fan of this whole neo-goa movement what are essential releases of this scene, and chances are high you'll see his debut album Sky Input within that list. Maybe this one too, but there seems to be some split of opinion on whether Daze Of Our Lives or Heliopolis is the worthy follow-up. Guess I'll find it in due time, since the entire Filteria discography was part of the Suntrip bundle.
Actually, I wonder if Daze is considered the black sheep of the lot. For one thing, it's got cover-art unlike anything else in the Suntrip catalogue. As is abundantly clear, the label loves its vintage psy aesthetics: fractals, kaleidoscopes, mysticism, far East iconography, fantastical sci-fi, and the whole lot. This one though has none of that. The landscape is realistic (if outwordly), the little space explorer looks like a practical model, and it all has that retro-future twee look I always associated with labels like Simon Posford's Twisted Records. This being early in Suntrip's lifespan, I guess they were still in a feeling-out process of where they could take their regular cover art (the mermaid-sporting Born Underwater from Merr0w, as an example, was the label's previous release). Interesting that Daze Of Our Lives is Suntrip's lone example of this particular kind, so I assume it wasn't a look they felt fit their mould.
Anyhow, for a producer so often hailed as one of goa trance's resurgent heroes, I'm surprised this album seems to lean more into psy's domain. Yeah, yeah, splitting hairs and all, but when folks think of goa, it's the more melodic side of the scene's music, whereas psy goes trippier and thicker on the acid benders. There's definitely melodic leads in the seven tracks presented here (plus a slower, prog-psy closer), but aside from a few prominent climaxes, aren't the driving force - holy Hell, does Earthrise ever have a blinder of one though! Mostly, everything's all about that forward thrust, with fluid basslines and rhythm's that have a real bounce to them. Even tracks where things are scaled back a little, like the overlong In The Heaven's Eye, still an undeniable spring in its step. Expert music for outdoor flailing, is what I'm sayin'.
Not being as ultra-melodic as his previous albums left a few folks a little turned-off, but that was in the past. Does it hold up fifteen years on? Solid enough, I'd say, in that this was more the direction neo-goa would go compared to the obvious homages early Suntrip offered. Whether Daze Of Our Lives truly is a black cheep of Mr. Tzikas' body of work, however, I can't say until listening to the rest. Ironically, due to alphabetical stipulation, his first will be my last. Maybe it'll be for the best?
Khetzal's Cororlle may have been That One Album That Put The Label On The Map, but Filteria was the chap that gave Suntrip Records their early momentum. Indeed, three of their first thirteen releases, including compilations, were albums of his. Ask any fan of this whole neo-goa movement what are essential releases of this scene, and chances are high you'll see his debut album Sky Input within that list. Maybe this one too, but there seems to be some split of opinion on whether Daze Of Our Lives or Heliopolis is the worthy follow-up. Guess I'll find it in due time, since the entire Filteria discography was part of the Suntrip bundle.
Actually, I wonder if Daze is considered the black sheep of the lot. For one thing, it's got cover-art unlike anything else in the Suntrip catalogue. As is abundantly clear, the label loves its vintage psy aesthetics: fractals, kaleidoscopes, mysticism, far East iconography, fantastical sci-fi, and the whole lot. This one though has none of that. The landscape is realistic (if outwordly), the little space explorer looks like a practical model, and it all has that retro-future twee look I always associated with labels like Simon Posford's Twisted Records. This being early in Suntrip's lifespan, I guess they were still in a feeling-out process of where they could take their regular cover art (the mermaid-sporting Born Underwater from Merr0w, as an example, was the label's previous release). Interesting that Daze Of Our Lives is Suntrip's lone example of this particular kind, so I assume it wasn't a look they felt fit their mould.
Anyhow, for a producer so often hailed as one of goa trance's resurgent heroes, I'm surprised this album seems to lean more into psy's domain. Yeah, yeah, splitting hairs and all, but when folks think of goa, it's the more melodic side of the scene's music, whereas psy goes trippier and thicker on the acid benders. There's definitely melodic leads in the seven tracks presented here (plus a slower, prog-psy closer), but aside from a few prominent climaxes, aren't the driving force - holy Hell, does Earthrise ever have a blinder of one though! Mostly, everything's all about that forward thrust, with fluid basslines and rhythm's that have a real bounce to them. Even tracks where things are scaled back a little, like the overlong In The Heaven's Eye, still an undeniable spring in its step. Expert music for outdoor flailing, is what I'm sayin'.
Not being as ultra-melodic as his previous albums left a few folks a little turned-off, but that was in the past. Does it hold up fifteen years on? Solid enough, I'd say, in that this was more the direction neo-goa would go compared to the obvious homages early Suntrip offered. Whether Daze Of Our Lives truly is a black cheep of Mr. Tzikas' body of work, however, I can't say until listening to the rest. Ironically, due to alphabetical stipulation, his first will be my last. Maybe it'll be for the best?
Sunday, March 10, 2024
Sun Project: Marco & Matt - Crazy Stories
Suntrip Records: 2022
In the beginning, there was only one S.U.N. Project, and it was good. Sure, a little silly with the metal guitars mashing with psy trance, but these chaps fully committed to the bit, going whole ham on the shredding action. Not wanting to get type-casted as just the 'buttrock goa' guys, the trio flitted about other forms of psy in the ensuing decade, even getting into that darker, minimalist vein many adopted for a spell there. Maybe hitching onto that potentially lucrative Infected Mushroom hype (“Hey, we guitars too!”). At the turn of the '10s, however, a split occurred, Maik Hinkelmann going off to create McCoy's S.U.N. Project, while Marco Menichelli and Matthias Rumoeller became Sun Project – Marco & Matt.
How... does that even happen? The retention of the project name for both parties, I mean. Like, could you imagine if Metallica split apart, but James and Lars got to both use the band name, save some minor punctuation differences – Hettfield's Metal-Allica versus Lars & The Metallicas. I'm assuming the S.U.N. Project members, not wanting to get all embittered, resentful, and tied up in legal courts over a silly psy trance alias, amicably came to this compromise. Which version should you check out if you want the more 'authentic' S.U.N. Project experience? Heck if I know, I haven't kept that close of tabs on either side. Heck, I only learned of this split when I started my preliminary research into this here Crazy Stories EP. It took me entirely too long to finally understand why it wasn't listed under S.U.N. Project's regular Discogs page.
Which still makes it something of a conundrum. Crazy Stories and the other tracks included on this four-tracker were initially made back when Maik was still making music with Marco and Matt. Although they remained unreleased in all this time, they are not credited to S.U.N. Project, but instead to Misters Menichelli and Rumoeller's Sun Project. And for that matter, why these particular tunes? Best I can glean, Crazy Stories, Space Dwarfs, Casio-Paya, and Out Of My Brain were songs Maik doesn't have writing credits on, so are fair game for Marco and Matt to re-release under Suntrip Records' 'classic goa trance' banner. Always something regarding copyright retention, I guess.
And the tunes themselves? Yeah, it's classic goa trance through in through. Driving rhythm, driving acid, spacey synths and pads. What's most interesting about these cuts is, as they're chronologically sequenced (from '96 to 2000), you can hear how psy was evolving in that time. From the straight-forward trance vibe of Crazy Stories (1996 Mix), to growing ever more darker and twisty by Casio-Paya (1998 Mix), to things getting stripped down by Out Of My Brain (Acid Remix). An intriguing snapshot of a scene morphing before our ears.
Oh, and the guitar action? Only heard on Out Of My Brain. Hey, I said S.U.N. Project wasn't just about the shredding, even if it was their most endearing trait.
In the beginning, there was only one S.U.N. Project, and it was good. Sure, a little silly with the metal guitars mashing with psy trance, but these chaps fully committed to the bit, going whole ham on the shredding action. Not wanting to get type-casted as just the 'buttrock goa' guys, the trio flitted about other forms of psy in the ensuing decade, even getting into that darker, minimalist vein many adopted for a spell there. Maybe hitching onto that potentially lucrative Infected Mushroom hype (“Hey, we guitars too!”). At the turn of the '10s, however, a split occurred, Maik Hinkelmann going off to create McCoy's S.U.N. Project, while Marco Menichelli and Matthias Rumoeller became Sun Project – Marco & Matt.
How... does that even happen? The retention of the project name for both parties, I mean. Like, could you imagine if Metallica split apart, but James and Lars got to both use the band name, save some minor punctuation differences – Hettfield's Metal-Allica versus Lars & The Metallicas. I'm assuming the S.U.N. Project members, not wanting to get all embittered, resentful, and tied up in legal courts over a silly psy trance alias, amicably came to this compromise. Which version should you check out if you want the more 'authentic' S.U.N. Project experience? Heck if I know, I haven't kept that close of tabs on either side. Heck, I only learned of this split when I started my preliminary research into this here Crazy Stories EP. It took me entirely too long to finally understand why it wasn't listed under S.U.N. Project's regular Discogs page.
Which still makes it something of a conundrum. Crazy Stories and the other tracks included on this four-tracker were initially made back when Maik was still making music with Marco and Matt. Although they remained unreleased in all this time, they are not credited to S.U.N. Project, but instead to Misters Menichelli and Rumoeller's Sun Project. And for that matter, why these particular tunes? Best I can glean, Crazy Stories, Space Dwarfs, Casio-Paya, and Out Of My Brain were songs Maik doesn't have writing credits on, so are fair game for Marco and Matt to re-release under Suntrip Records' 'classic goa trance' banner. Always something regarding copyright retention, I guess.
And the tunes themselves? Yeah, it's classic goa trance through in through. Driving rhythm, driving acid, spacey synths and pads. What's most interesting about these cuts is, as they're chronologically sequenced (from '96 to 2000), you can hear how psy was evolving in that time. From the straight-forward trance vibe of Crazy Stories (1996 Mix), to growing ever more darker and twisty by Casio-Paya (1998 Mix), to things getting stripped down by Out Of My Brain (Acid Remix). An intriguing snapshot of a scene morphing before our ears.
Oh, and the guitar action? Only heard on Out Of My Brain. Hey, I said S.U.N. Project wasn't just about the shredding, even if it was their most endearing trait.
Friday, March 1, 2024
Khetzal - Corolle
Suntrip Records: 2005
This is a big one, maybe THE big one, cementing Suntrip Records as that label you went to for your goa trance fix in the modern era. How big was this record? Corolle was so big, it even got covered at TranceCritic! Okay, we were covering sporadic psy already, but I do remember quite the hullabaloo over this release when it came out. It let the scene know that classic goa was alive, even if barely by a thread, and that it could still offer material of high quality.
I can't stress enough just how shocking that was in ye' olde year of 2005. Israeli full-on was completely dominate, while dark psy was gaining ground, with prog-psy establishing itself as a trendy alternative. As with most electronic music of the early '00s, the general mentality remained things had to keep evolving, growing, trying new things. Even the '80s revival was more a reinterpretation than a complete retro return. And the rest? Forget it, not even acid house having a comeback yet, much less any other genre of electronic music, to say nothing of got'dang goa trance! Heck, I'm sure you'll find early criticisms of Corolle for being too on-the-nose with its vintage vibes. Given how fondly the album's regarded now, it just goes to show how time and distance can change even the most stubborn holdouts. I mean, technically this album's closer to goa's glory years than whatever is getting released on Suntrip now. Holy cow, it old!
But yes, Corolle does hold up, if for no other reason than it isn't a complete throwback of an album. In fact, the first couple tracks are basically prog-psy in that wide-screen way you'd hear out of Ultimae or Sunline/Altar Records of the day. Which makes sense since the second cut, Anamatha, is actually a DJ Zen track with Khetzal on the rub. Yet even there, you'd suspect something a little different from the contemporary norm was afoot, the track rather brisk so early on.
Then with Bells Of Sarnath, Khetzal is done playing coy, going full gonzo goa for a four-track run. Squiggly acid lines! Indian tonal scales! South Asian chants! Tabla beating! Bansuri tooting! Elephants trumpeting! And holy cow, that high BPM! Every cliche you can think of classic goa trance having, it's here, and somehow sounding not one bit tired or rote. All that was old is new again, so gloriously resurrected as though the scene had never experienced a creative crash.
As if to drive the point home, the final run of uptempo tunes sound more of the time than the strict goa exercises preceding them, including those rather plastic synths commonly heard in full-on. They're still solid tunes, indeed would have been stand-outs in their own right, but coming off the ultra-melodic material earlier, are somewhat of a let-down. All's well that ends well though, with a requisite downbeat closer with Avasari.
Surely nothing but great things from Khetzal following this smashing debut, right, Ani? ...Right, Anikan...?
This is a big one, maybe THE big one, cementing Suntrip Records as that label you went to for your goa trance fix in the modern era. How big was this record? Corolle was so big, it even got covered at TranceCritic! Okay, we were covering sporadic psy already, but I do remember quite the hullabaloo over this release when it came out. It let the scene know that classic goa was alive, even if barely by a thread, and that it could still offer material of high quality.
I can't stress enough just how shocking that was in ye' olde year of 2005. Israeli full-on was completely dominate, while dark psy was gaining ground, with prog-psy establishing itself as a trendy alternative. As with most electronic music of the early '00s, the general mentality remained things had to keep evolving, growing, trying new things. Even the '80s revival was more a reinterpretation than a complete retro return. And the rest? Forget it, not even acid house having a comeback yet, much less any other genre of electronic music, to say nothing of got'dang goa trance! Heck, I'm sure you'll find early criticisms of Corolle for being too on-the-nose with its vintage vibes. Given how fondly the album's regarded now, it just goes to show how time and distance can change even the most stubborn holdouts. I mean, technically this album's closer to goa's glory years than whatever is getting released on Suntrip now. Holy cow, it old!
But yes, Corolle does hold up, if for no other reason than it isn't a complete throwback of an album. In fact, the first couple tracks are basically prog-psy in that wide-screen way you'd hear out of Ultimae or Sunline/Altar Records of the day. Which makes sense since the second cut, Anamatha, is actually a DJ Zen track with Khetzal on the rub. Yet even there, you'd suspect something a little different from the contemporary norm was afoot, the track rather brisk so early on.
Then with Bells Of Sarnath, Khetzal is done playing coy, going full gonzo goa for a four-track run. Squiggly acid lines! Indian tonal scales! South Asian chants! Tabla beating! Bansuri tooting! Elephants trumpeting! And holy cow, that high BPM! Every cliche you can think of classic goa trance having, it's here, and somehow sounding not one bit tired or rote. All that was old is new again, so gloriously resurrected as though the scene had never experienced a creative crash.
As if to drive the point home, the final run of uptempo tunes sound more of the time than the strict goa exercises preceding them, including those rather plastic synths commonly heard in full-on. They're still solid tunes, indeed would have been stand-outs in their own right, but coming off the ultra-melodic material earlier, are somewhat of a let-down. All's well that ends well though, with a requisite downbeat closer with Avasari.
Surely nothing but great things from Khetzal following this smashing debut, right, Ani? ...Right, Anikan...?
Sunday, February 25, 2024
Median Project - Constellation
Suntrip Records: 2019
I guess this marks a minor milestone in my current forever-coverage of Suntrip Records. Not only is this the twentieth item from their catalogue I'm reviewing (only fifty-some more to go?), but it's the first instance of a repeat artist in this venture. Okay, technically Emanuel Carpus is, in that I've covered an E-Mantra album, plus that one-off Night Hex side-project EP he did. I don't really count that as the same though. I'm talking about an actual established alias used by the same producer, in this case Sergei Petrenko.
I didn't get too much into the man's background in my first review of Median Project, spending most of my word count lamenting other nonsense. So let me make amends here. Based out of Moscow, Sergei released a handful of EPs and albums on labels like Timewarp and Global Sect Music before landing himself on Suntrip with this record, Constellation. Floating about after with a couple items elsewhere, he put out Another Galaxy, then has remained relatively quiet on the production front since. Yeah, I wonder why that may have happened...
Anyhow, I liked this album more than Another Galaxy. It still has some issues, similar to the ones I brought up in my other review, but overall, I feel there's more musical momentum going for the tracks on here than the latter record. It's the overt Astral Projection influence, goa trance designed to send your mindspace soaring as the relentless rhythms keep the heart rate pumping. Not so focused on earworms, but containing enough melodic backing that effectively keeps the auditory cortex fully stimulated. Oh yeah, this is definitely a psy trance album that knows all the subtle tricks of working the brain chemicals into a frenzy.
Unfortunately, its greatest feature is also its critical flaw. There's little variety between tracks, each just dropping you into a full throttle goa session, each piece playing out its assortments of spacey synths and squiggly acid and delayed arps in mostly the same fashion as the last. The kicks are perhaps a bit too punchy, leading to some degree of ear fatigue, making a full playthrough of the album a bit of an endurance test. And when there aren't any obvious hooks for your brain to latch onto, that feeling of something missing can't help but persist.
Granted, it's not as bad a feeling as a came away with from Another Galaxy, some definite strong peaks heard on Constellation. Tracks like Infinite Space, One The Edge, Pandora's Box have killer climaxes. They're also rather similar too, such that if you played just those peaks one after the other, you'd swear they're the same track, save some aesthetic differences.
Fortunately, the whole record isn't like this, a bit more melodic variety found later in Constellation. Still, everything is so go-go-go in that neo-goa fashion, folks will either adore or grow weary of it. Great for those right moments when out at a party, but a little tiring when taking it in on the home front.
I guess this marks a minor milestone in my current forever-coverage of Suntrip Records. Not only is this the twentieth item from their catalogue I'm reviewing (only fifty-some more to go?), but it's the first instance of a repeat artist in this venture. Okay, technically Emanuel Carpus is, in that I've covered an E-Mantra album, plus that one-off Night Hex side-project EP he did. I don't really count that as the same though. I'm talking about an actual established alias used by the same producer, in this case Sergei Petrenko.
I didn't get too much into the man's background in my first review of Median Project, spending most of my word count lamenting other nonsense. So let me make amends here. Based out of Moscow, Sergei released a handful of EPs and albums on labels like Timewarp and Global Sect Music before landing himself on Suntrip with this record, Constellation. Floating about after with a couple items elsewhere, he put out Another Galaxy, then has remained relatively quiet on the production front since. Yeah, I wonder why that may have happened...
Anyhow, I liked this album more than Another Galaxy. It still has some issues, similar to the ones I brought up in my other review, but overall, I feel there's more musical momentum going for the tracks on here than the latter record. It's the overt Astral Projection influence, goa trance designed to send your mindspace soaring as the relentless rhythms keep the heart rate pumping. Not so focused on earworms, but containing enough melodic backing that effectively keeps the auditory cortex fully stimulated. Oh yeah, this is definitely a psy trance album that knows all the subtle tricks of working the brain chemicals into a frenzy.
Unfortunately, its greatest feature is also its critical flaw. There's little variety between tracks, each just dropping you into a full throttle goa session, each piece playing out its assortments of spacey synths and squiggly acid and delayed arps in mostly the same fashion as the last. The kicks are perhaps a bit too punchy, leading to some degree of ear fatigue, making a full playthrough of the album a bit of an endurance test. And when there aren't any obvious hooks for your brain to latch onto, that feeling of something missing can't help but persist.
Granted, it's not as bad a feeling as a came away with from Another Galaxy, some definite strong peaks heard on Constellation. Tracks like Infinite Space, One The Edge, Pandora's Box have killer climaxes. They're also rather similar too, such that if you played just those peaks one after the other, you'd swear they're the same track, save some aesthetic differences.
Fortunately, the whole record isn't like this, a bit more melodic variety found later in Constellation. Still, everything is so go-go-go in that neo-goa fashion, folks will either adore or grow weary of it. Great for those right moments when out at a party, but a little tiring when taking it in on the home front.
Sunday, February 11, 2024
Various - Classic Goa Trax
Suntrip Records: 2022
Some half-decade ago, Suntrip got it inside their heads that, while it's all well and fun keeping goa trance alive with new talents, what about the unheralded acts of old? The big names managed to keep their stock alive, whether through retention of label rights or re-issues through other sources. Could there be others though, who never had enough scene clout to keep their music out of legal limbo, forever lost to publishing purgatory, their original CDs demanding stupid sums of second-hand market money? Some, yes, so they launched a sub-label dedicated to digging deep into psy's history for such trance artifacts: Classic Goa Trax. It started rather small, but has since seen digital re-issues of material from luminaries like Prana, Etnica, and Pleiadians.
Well, some folks must have been itching for something tangible, as we now have a double-disc compilation of Classic Goa Trax. Acting as a means of additional promotion in case folks somehow missed the sub-label's existence doesn't hurt either. Regardless, surely this will serve as a nice highlight of all those digital releases, right? No, not really, nothing from them making it on here. Ah, then it's a proper classics showcase then, consolidating the best of the best from goa's glory years! Nope, not that either. In fact, there's only a handful of featured artists among these two CDs I'd consider actual 'classic' worthy. S.U.N. Project, Bypass Unit, Mystica. I also recognize Twisted Travellers, but by and large, we're dealing with some ultra-obscure projects on this compilation, many having never released more than a couple tracks back in the day.
What this should actually be called is Goa Trance In A Classic Style. Or, more accurately, Unreleased Goa Trance From The Classic Era. Neither have quite the same marketing punch as Classic Goa Trax though, do they.
With that in mind, I can only recommend this compilation for those who can't get enough of the vintage '90s sound because, hoo boy, does the production and songcraft ever show its age. I'm sure Suntrip did all they could to beef the quality to acceptable modern standards, and there are those who are weary of how bricked a lot of contemporary tunes are. When you're dealing with a bunch of artists that never got much shine, however, offering up tracks that originally never saw the light of day, you're gonna' have to keep your expectations fair and low.
Of course, it's not outright awful or anything – Suntrip does maintain some standards, even if many cuts are rather basic and frequently wibbly. Still, as a comparison, I threw on one of those Goa Trance discs from Rumour Records, that stuff clearly weaker than what's heard here. If even the likes of Astral Projection or Total Eclipse never did it for you though, then this collection of tunes hasn't a hope in Hell. Props to Suntrip in having the gumption for even releasing such a compilation, but this one's strictly for hardcore fans of an ancient style.
Some half-decade ago, Suntrip got it inside their heads that, while it's all well and fun keeping goa trance alive with new talents, what about the unheralded acts of old? The big names managed to keep their stock alive, whether through retention of label rights or re-issues through other sources. Could there be others though, who never had enough scene clout to keep their music out of legal limbo, forever lost to publishing purgatory, their original CDs demanding stupid sums of second-hand market money? Some, yes, so they launched a sub-label dedicated to digging deep into psy's history for such trance artifacts: Classic Goa Trax. It started rather small, but has since seen digital re-issues of material from luminaries like Prana, Etnica, and Pleiadians.
Well, some folks must have been itching for something tangible, as we now have a double-disc compilation of Classic Goa Trax. Acting as a means of additional promotion in case folks somehow missed the sub-label's existence doesn't hurt either. Regardless, surely this will serve as a nice highlight of all those digital releases, right? No, not really, nothing from them making it on here. Ah, then it's a proper classics showcase then, consolidating the best of the best from goa's glory years! Nope, not that either. In fact, there's only a handful of featured artists among these two CDs I'd consider actual 'classic' worthy. S.U.N. Project, Bypass Unit, Mystica. I also recognize Twisted Travellers, but by and large, we're dealing with some ultra-obscure projects on this compilation, many having never released more than a couple tracks back in the day.
What this should actually be called is Goa Trance In A Classic Style. Or, more accurately, Unreleased Goa Trance From The Classic Era. Neither have quite the same marketing punch as Classic Goa Trax though, do they.
With that in mind, I can only recommend this compilation for those who can't get enough of the vintage '90s sound because, hoo boy, does the production and songcraft ever show its age. I'm sure Suntrip did all they could to beef the quality to acceptable modern standards, and there are those who are weary of how bricked a lot of contemporary tunes are. When you're dealing with a bunch of artists that never got much shine, however, offering up tracks that originally never saw the light of day, you're gonna' have to keep your expectations fair and low.
Of course, it's not outright awful or anything – Suntrip does maintain some standards, even if many cuts are rather basic and frequently wibbly. Still, as a comparison, I threw on one of those Goa Trance discs from Rumour Records, that stuff clearly weaker than what's heard here. If even the likes of Astral Projection or Total Eclipse never did it for you though, then this collection of tunes hasn't a hope in Hell. Props to Suntrip in having the gumption for even releasing such a compilation, but this one's strictly for hardcore fans of an ancient style.
Monday, January 1, 2024
ACE TRACKS: November - December 2023 ...and an EMC Update
Well, that was certainly a productive December on my end, especially that flurry towards the finish. Nicely made up for the lacklustre November (or as I liked to call it 'Mopevember'). There's just something about the block of 'B' albums that always inspires me to haul writer's ass. I'm serious! Two years ago, I had another productive month finishing off another bundle of 'B' albums. And earlier that year, another solid run of writing about, you guessed it, albums with titles starting with the letter 'B'. Man, if every album I forever did now was like that, I might even get back to my pre-Pandemic rate of output! Yeah, no, I wouldn't count on it.
Or maybe I just need a little recharge break? I've had lulls and inspiration blackouts, but I'm talking about a deliberate 'time-out' from writing new reviews. Haven't taken one of those since... um *checks* Holy cow, April 2018!? No wonder I'm feeling burnt-out.
That settles it. I'm kicking off 2024 with a month-long sabbatical. I'll still do my 'Sportsing Surveys' but methinks I'm well overdue for a mental recharge. Gotta' come up with fresh angles to cover all that goa trance in my 'To Review' pile, after all.
Speaking of, here's the ACE TRACKS from the last two months!
Full track list here.
MISSING ALBUMS:
Humanoid - Built By Humanoid
N:L:E - Botanical Adventures
N:L:E & Kiphi - Blurred Milkway
N:L:E - Bioluminescent Forest
N:L:E & Kiphi - Between Dreams And Reality
Distant System - Astral Map Error
Percentage Of Hip-Hop: 12%
Percentage Of Rock: 10%
Percentage Of Psy Trance: 52%
Hey, look at that, a new category! Figured if I'm gonna' be reviewing that much goa going forward (and I apparently can't count on N:L:E to break up the monotony some), I should warn folks ahead of time.
Hoo boy, is it ever dominate in this playlist. Even at a 'mere' fifty percent of the 6.5 hour runtime, it sure feels like there's so damn much of it. You'll hear two, maybe three tracks of psy at a time, then a lone ambient or synthwave or hip-hop track will come in, then another run of three, maybe four psy trance cuts again. Considering I reviewed only eight items from Suntrip these past couple months, it sure does come off over-weighted. And I'm only showcasing the cream of the crop circles here!
Alright, I'm (mostly) peacing out for now. See y'all in February!
Or maybe I just need a little recharge break? I've had lulls and inspiration blackouts, but I'm talking about a deliberate 'time-out' from writing new reviews. Haven't taken one of those since... um *checks* Holy cow, April 2018!? No wonder I'm feeling burnt-out.
That settles it. I'm kicking off 2024 with a month-long sabbatical. I'll still do my 'Sportsing Surveys' but methinks I'm well overdue for a mental recharge. Gotta' come up with fresh angles to cover all that goa trance in my 'To Review' pile, after all.
Speaking of, here's the ACE TRACKS from the last two months!
Full track list here.
MISSING ALBUMS:
Humanoid - Built By Humanoid
N:L:E - Botanical Adventures
N:L:E & Kiphi - Blurred Milkway
N:L:E - Bioluminescent Forest
N:L:E & Kiphi - Between Dreams And Reality
Distant System - Astral Map Error
Percentage Of Hip-Hop: 12%
Percentage Of Rock: 10%
Percentage Of Psy Trance: 52%
Hey, look at that, a new category! Figured if I'm gonna' be reviewing that much goa going forward (and I apparently can't count on N:L:E to break up the monotony some), I should warn folks ahead of time.
Hoo boy, is it ever dominate in this playlist. Even at a 'mere' fifty percent of the 6.5 hour runtime, it sure feels like there's so damn much of it. You'll hear two, maybe three tracks of psy at a time, then a lone ambient or synthwave or hip-hop track will come in, then another run of three, maybe four psy trance cuts again. Considering I reviewed only eight items from Suntrip these past couple months, it sure does come off over-weighted. And I'm only showcasing the cream of the crop circles here!
Alright, I'm (mostly) peacing out for now. See y'all in February!
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Denshi Danshi - Brain Chemistry
Suntrip Records: 2018
I've got a lot of goa CDs to get through, but don't think it's some sort of chore for me. Yeah, there looks to be a fair bit of repetitive material in Suntrip's catalogue, but I wouldn't have bought the whole damn discography without anticipating a few items. Names like E-Mantra, Khetzal, and Ka-Sol, who I've seen beyond the close confines of the morning trance scene. Or old vets like Prana, Astral Projection, and Ra making appearances. Even the ones I haven't a clue about, but at least have intriguing cover art beyond the usual fractal weirdness. The Merr0ws, the Radical Distortions, and the Celestial Intelligences, all with albums that get my imagination sparking. It cannot be overstated how important cover art is for us LP snobs.
So it goes when I spotted this Denshi Danshi duo among my Suntrip pile. Holy cow, a psy act with a logo! No, I'm not talking about having their name in some fancy fonts. There's structure in their art, including both Western alphabet and kanji, the latter enclosed within diamonds. It's eye-popping, it's distinctive, it's made really darn trippy with all the added fractal bullshit included in their sophomore album, Brain Chemistry.
Of course, I've been led astray by cool cover art before, especially within the psy trance scene. Still hedging my bets going into this one, but the first track, Parallel Universe, bodes well. It's clear Denshi Danshi aren't interested in fussing about with elaborate intros or pretentious concepts, strictly go-go-go full-on psy trance from the jump. Yeah, it's retro leaning with the synths and acid – wouldn't be on Suntrip if it wasn't – but that ultra compressed rhythm is strictly nu-skool. Yet what's this: a change of key and tone two-thirds through? Oh yeah, psy trance used to have multiple sections within single tracks, not just relentlessly going on the same idea for the duration. Now that's a retro notion!
Wish I could say all the tunes on Brain Chemistry do that. This is pretty much a full-on outing wrapped in goa accoutrements. And that does grow weary for a full-length, the sort of peak time party music that's wildly fun flailing under the stars but in desperate need of some variation when sitting at home with chai and malpoa. I'll grant the climax of these tracks are generally strong enough to sustain my interest, and the usual wibble that comes with full-on doesn't overstay its welcome. There's also some rather cliche stuff though, the track Sukha really laying the Indian influences on thick – I want to love that drop, but gads, its so hammy. That said, I know I'd go wild hearing it live, so there's that.
Yes, Brain Chemistry is very much a 'get out and do shit' type of album. Play it while going for a run, or a power walk, or shuffle under a bridge. Denshi Danshi make no apologies for the energy they bring, so best make proper use of it wherever you can.
I've got a lot of goa CDs to get through, but don't think it's some sort of chore for me. Yeah, there looks to be a fair bit of repetitive material in Suntrip's catalogue, but I wouldn't have bought the whole damn discography without anticipating a few items. Names like E-Mantra, Khetzal, and Ka-Sol, who I've seen beyond the close confines of the morning trance scene. Or old vets like Prana, Astral Projection, and Ra making appearances. Even the ones I haven't a clue about, but at least have intriguing cover art beyond the usual fractal weirdness. The Merr0ws, the Radical Distortions, and the Celestial Intelligences, all with albums that get my imagination sparking. It cannot be overstated how important cover art is for us LP snobs.
So it goes when I spotted this Denshi Danshi duo among my Suntrip pile. Holy cow, a psy act with a logo! No, I'm not talking about having their name in some fancy fonts. There's structure in their art, including both Western alphabet and kanji, the latter enclosed within diamonds. It's eye-popping, it's distinctive, it's made really darn trippy with all the added fractal bullshit included in their sophomore album, Brain Chemistry.
Of course, I've been led astray by cool cover art before, especially within the psy trance scene. Still hedging my bets going into this one, but the first track, Parallel Universe, bodes well. It's clear Denshi Danshi aren't interested in fussing about with elaborate intros or pretentious concepts, strictly go-go-go full-on psy trance from the jump. Yeah, it's retro leaning with the synths and acid – wouldn't be on Suntrip if it wasn't – but that ultra compressed rhythm is strictly nu-skool. Yet what's this: a change of key and tone two-thirds through? Oh yeah, psy trance used to have multiple sections within single tracks, not just relentlessly going on the same idea for the duration. Now that's a retro notion!
Wish I could say all the tunes on Brain Chemistry do that. This is pretty much a full-on outing wrapped in goa accoutrements. And that does grow weary for a full-length, the sort of peak time party music that's wildly fun flailing under the stars but in desperate need of some variation when sitting at home with chai and malpoa. I'll grant the climax of these tracks are generally strong enough to sustain my interest, and the usual wibble that comes with full-on doesn't overstay its welcome. There's also some rather cliche stuff though, the track Sukha really laying the Indian influences on thick – I want to love that drop, but gads, its so hammy. That said, I know I'd go wild hearing it live, so there's that.
Yes, Brain Chemistry is very much a 'get out and do shit' type of album. Play it while going for a run, or a power walk, or shuffle under a bridge. Denshi Danshi make no apologies for the energy they bring, so best make proper use of it wherever you can.
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Merr0w - Born Underwater
Suntrip Records: 2009
And back to mermaid psy-trance again. No, wait, is that really a thing? I know U-Recken had one on his debut album Aquatic Serenade, an image that really stuck out to me because of the lake-bound lass tootin' on a flute. Like, that just doesn't make a lick of sense, a wind instrument working underwater. At best you'll generate bubbles, not much of a melodic sound. Unless it's a magical flute, which given that its a mermaid playing it, must be. Sorry for this tangent on something I reviewed well over a decade ago, but that incongruity still nags at me.
Where was I? Oh yes, mermaid trance. Are there any others? I feel like there should be, and if I dug real deep into the bowels of numerous psy labels, I'd find more covers sporting ichthyian-hominid hybrids. Can't say I'm in any hurry to confirm this, but it does seem rather rare. This here Born Underwater is just the second time I've come across it, at least within my own music collection. I'm sure if I searched through insipid vocal trance releases, I'd stumble upon mermaids aplenty. Seems like a genre replete with sirens of the sea.
Anyhow, Merr0w. One Brice Fruyt from Paris, he's another in a long line of psy artists getting their break with Suntrip, contributing to a compilation or two before releasing a full-length. That partnership didn't appear to last long though, his Discoggian data showing a half-decade hiatus from producing before striking things out independently. He seems to be on another producing hiatus, his last album Odysseus (complete with mermaid cover art!) released pre-pandemic. Boy, did that ever mess up a lot of music careers.
I want to say this is another top notch neo-goa release on Suntrip, as it does all the things I like hearing from the genre. Solid leads that get the blood pumpin' at the peaks, check. Good use of acid without overstaying its welcome, check. Little in the way of wayward wibble, every track progressing in logical fashion, check. Rhythms... okay, they're kinda' soft, but that only adds to the retro charm, so I can give it a pass. There's even a couple downtempo cuts, though bookmarks of the album, so nothing adventurous there, but at least some variety is provided.
Yep, Born Underwater does about everything I could hope from this genre, but something just holds it back from truly sticking in my head. Best I can figure, its the somewhat 'soggy' aesthetic applied to much of the synths and acid. I know that's a weird description, but it's the best adjective I can think of. I'm assuming it's intentional, Merr0w aiming for an aquatic vibe and all (cover art gives it away, to say nothing of track titles). I just don't think he quite achieves it, acid at times sounding squishy and such. It's honestly a minor quibble, but enough to hold this one back from being among the upper echelons of Suntrip CDs I've thus covered.
And back to mermaid psy-trance again. No, wait, is that really a thing? I know U-Recken had one on his debut album Aquatic Serenade, an image that really stuck out to me because of the lake-bound lass tootin' on a flute. Like, that just doesn't make a lick of sense, a wind instrument working underwater. At best you'll generate bubbles, not much of a melodic sound. Unless it's a magical flute, which given that its a mermaid playing it, must be. Sorry for this tangent on something I reviewed well over a decade ago, but that incongruity still nags at me.
Where was I? Oh yes, mermaid trance. Are there any others? I feel like there should be, and if I dug real deep into the bowels of numerous psy labels, I'd find more covers sporting ichthyian-hominid hybrids. Can't say I'm in any hurry to confirm this, but it does seem rather rare. This here Born Underwater is just the second time I've come across it, at least within my own music collection. I'm sure if I searched through insipid vocal trance releases, I'd stumble upon mermaids aplenty. Seems like a genre replete with sirens of the sea.
Anyhow, Merr0w. One Brice Fruyt from Paris, he's another in a long line of psy artists getting their break with Suntrip, contributing to a compilation or two before releasing a full-length. That partnership didn't appear to last long though, his Discoggian data showing a half-decade hiatus from producing before striking things out independently. He seems to be on another producing hiatus, his last album Odysseus (complete with mermaid cover art!) released pre-pandemic. Boy, did that ever mess up a lot of music careers.
I want to say this is another top notch neo-goa release on Suntrip, as it does all the things I like hearing from the genre. Solid leads that get the blood pumpin' at the peaks, check. Good use of acid without overstaying its welcome, check. Little in the way of wayward wibble, every track progressing in logical fashion, check. Rhythms... okay, they're kinda' soft, but that only adds to the retro charm, so I can give it a pass. There's even a couple downtempo cuts, though bookmarks of the album, so nothing adventurous there, but at least some variety is provided.
Yep, Born Underwater does about everything I could hope from this genre, but something just holds it back from truly sticking in my head. Best I can figure, its the somewhat 'soggy' aesthetic applied to much of the synths and acid. I know that's a weird description, but it's the best adjective I can think of. I'm assuming it's intentional, Merr0w aiming for an aquatic vibe and all (cover art gives it away, to say nothing of track titles). I just don't think he quite achieves it, acid at times sounding squishy and such. It's honestly a minor quibble, but enough to hold this one back from being among the upper echelons of Suntrip CDs I've thus covered.
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Various - Blacklight Moments
Suntrip Records: 2013
And right back to Suntrip again, with yet another compilation at that. I wonder if I should start taking bets from folks guessing how many releases I'll get to cover before the next one crops up. Or maybe enough precedent has been set (roughly 2-1 odds), making bets far too predictable. Perhaps, but surely that's more coincidence of alphabetical stipulation than patterns? Heck, I'll give a freebie: there's absolutely no Suntrip albums in the 'Q' block, and even Cryo Chamber has one of those!
While we're on the subject of my owning excessive amounts of label catalogue, I actually (now) have a larger Cryo collection than Suntrip. The only reason it doesn't seem quite so extensive is because I've gathered their releases in spurts for nearly a decade rather than one huge bundle. If I'd jumped on the Suntrip bandwagon from the get-go (which would have been... gosh, the early TranceCritic years?), I wouldn't be dealing with such ham-handed progression through the label's history. The lesson from all this, then? Don't go bulk-buying music catalogues if you intend to review them right after, or at least with a better contingency plan of breaking potential monotony than “bulk-buy other massive bundles!”.
Anyhow, Blacklight Moments. This was Suntrip's annual compilation contribution for 2013, showing the label exactly where you'd expect it to be: goa trance for days, featuring names familiar and new. Artifact303 is here, with a rub from E-Mantra, and the tune is about as peak time neo-goa as it can possibly get. It almost seems unfair instantly designating this the best track, given how much both these names have stood out thus far in my Suntrip sojourn, but it's hard arguing the pedigree. Khetzal's also here, who I know is Very Important to the history of this label, but I want to save his talking points until I cover his albums. Other names recognized include Cosmic Dimension and Mindsphere, though they weren't exactly Suntrip regulars by this point.
K.O.B. definitely was though, or at least the man behind the alias, Jannis Tzikas with Filtera. This project sounds like a dabbling into something a little more dark-psy, which is nice in providing variety to Blacklight Moments, though perhaps a bit harsh sounding for second track status. And speaking of harsh, it's amusing hearing that classic 'doot-doot' kick in Mindsphere's cut. Surprised it hasn't made more of an appearance but perhaps its too retro sounding for most neo-goa producers.
Most producers on here, like Skarma, Uth, Daimon, and Javi & SkoOma, don't appear to have done much beyond an album and some compilation appearances. Heck, this is Psychic Voyag's lone appearance anywhere (so sayeth Lord Discogs). And frankly, I can hear why, their offerings of goa and psy mostly solid but doing little to stand out from the pack either. Which is about where Blacklight Moments stands in my head as well. It was fine as it played, but its another Suntrip CD I doubt I'll return to much either.
And right back to Suntrip again, with yet another compilation at that. I wonder if I should start taking bets from folks guessing how many releases I'll get to cover before the next one crops up. Or maybe enough precedent has been set (roughly 2-1 odds), making bets far too predictable. Perhaps, but surely that's more coincidence of alphabetical stipulation than patterns? Heck, I'll give a freebie: there's absolutely no Suntrip albums in the 'Q' block, and even Cryo Chamber has one of those!
While we're on the subject of my owning excessive amounts of label catalogue, I actually (now) have a larger Cryo collection than Suntrip. The only reason it doesn't seem quite so extensive is because I've gathered their releases in spurts for nearly a decade rather than one huge bundle. If I'd jumped on the Suntrip bandwagon from the get-go (which would have been... gosh, the early TranceCritic years?), I wouldn't be dealing with such ham-handed progression through the label's history. The lesson from all this, then? Don't go bulk-buying music catalogues if you intend to review them right after, or at least with a better contingency plan of breaking potential monotony than “bulk-buy other massive bundles!”.
Anyhow, Blacklight Moments. This was Suntrip's annual compilation contribution for 2013, showing the label exactly where you'd expect it to be: goa trance for days, featuring names familiar and new. Artifact303 is here, with a rub from E-Mantra, and the tune is about as peak time neo-goa as it can possibly get. It almost seems unfair instantly designating this the best track, given how much both these names have stood out thus far in my Suntrip sojourn, but it's hard arguing the pedigree. Khetzal's also here, who I know is Very Important to the history of this label, but I want to save his talking points until I cover his albums. Other names recognized include Cosmic Dimension and Mindsphere, though they weren't exactly Suntrip regulars by this point.
K.O.B. definitely was though, or at least the man behind the alias, Jannis Tzikas with Filtera. This project sounds like a dabbling into something a little more dark-psy, which is nice in providing variety to Blacklight Moments, though perhaps a bit harsh sounding for second track status. And speaking of harsh, it's amusing hearing that classic 'doot-doot' kick in Mindsphere's cut. Surprised it hasn't made more of an appearance but perhaps its too retro sounding for most neo-goa producers.
Most producers on here, like Skarma, Uth, Daimon, and Javi & SkoOma, don't appear to have done much beyond an album and some compilation appearances. Heck, this is Psychic Voyag's lone appearance anywhere (so sayeth Lord Discogs). And frankly, I can hear why, their offerings of goa and psy mostly solid but doing little to stand out from the pack either. Which is about where Blacklight Moments stands in my head as well. It was fine as it played, but its another Suntrip CD I doubt I'll return to much either.
Saturday, December 9, 2023
Hypnoxock - Beyond The Wormhole
Suntrip Records: 2016
Yep, right into another one. No buffer between these two Beyonds. Is this a title psy trance artists like using? I kinda' see it, music so out there, it goes beyond what our feeble monkey brains can comprehend. Or maybe its paying dutiful respect to Juno Reactor's Beyond The Infinite, a proper O.G. psy trance album. There's also a Beyond The Machines compilation among my Beyond CDs, but that one's an Infonet showcase primarily focusing on various Bandulu projects. Most decidedly not psy trance, is what I'm saying.
I was of two minds going into this particular one. Yeah, another Suntrip album, from an artist I know nothing about, probably serving up another solid slice of goa that I'll unfortunately forget shortly after. Or at least until the next Suntrip CD, however soon that'll crop up. (spoiler: too soon enough) On the other hand, I thought maybe this would be a good 'compare and contrast' having just come off Crossing Mind's album. I cannot deny my sense of sonic redundancy among so many psy selections may have more to do with burning through them so quickly before needing to move on. It's not Suntrip's fault I'm trying to digest nearly two decades worth of catalogue in such short order. Maybe hearing two albums back-to-back, some key differences will leap out and that, yes, they aren't all the same neo-goa tunes my stupid monkey brain is tricking me into believing.
And sure enough, opener Personal Matrix lets me know I'm in for something different. Oh, it's not exactly representative of Beyond The Wormhole as a whole, but with how deep, dark, and downright minimalist this track is, it's a far cry from the squelchy psy of Cyclotron. In fact, Personal Matrix rather reminds me of the moodier tunes off of Tristan's Audiodrome, a welcome surprise since I've had a small hankering to hear stuff like that elsewhere.
But no, this is Suntrip we're dealing with, and they have a musical manifesto to maintain. Thus follow-up Wormhole ratchets the synth leads up from menacing simmer to propulsive squeal, and third cut Big Crunch drops any pretense we're dealing with anything other than modern goa. Well hey, I at least appreciate the gradual lead-in, unlike other CDs that just drop you into the action from the get-go.
As for the rest of Beyond The Wormhole, it's a fun assortment of tunes. The beats definitely have more beef behind them compared to Beyond Duality, always handy in maintaining momentum in music as peppy as this. The acid feels chunkier, and some of the leads even hook in my mind while they're playing out. Yes, this album certainly sounds superior to the prior, my totally objective and unbiased analysis comparison has concluded. Thus has spoken the monkey brain.
Seriously though, I did like this more, but it feels like an unfair contrast. Hypnoxock clearly set out to make straight-forward psy, while Crossing Mind tried something less conventional. Sometimes though, the simpler style satisfies one's synapses.
Yep, right into another one. No buffer between these two Beyonds. Is this a title psy trance artists like using? I kinda' see it, music so out there, it goes beyond what our feeble monkey brains can comprehend. Or maybe its paying dutiful respect to Juno Reactor's Beyond The Infinite, a proper O.G. psy trance album. There's also a Beyond The Machines compilation among my Beyond CDs, but that one's an Infonet showcase primarily focusing on various Bandulu projects. Most decidedly not psy trance, is what I'm saying.
I was of two minds going into this particular one. Yeah, another Suntrip album, from an artist I know nothing about, probably serving up another solid slice of goa that I'll unfortunately forget shortly after. Or at least until the next Suntrip CD, however soon that'll crop up. (spoiler: too soon enough) On the other hand, I thought maybe this would be a good 'compare and contrast' having just come off Crossing Mind's album. I cannot deny my sense of sonic redundancy among so many psy selections may have more to do with burning through them so quickly before needing to move on. It's not Suntrip's fault I'm trying to digest nearly two decades worth of catalogue in such short order. Maybe hearing two albums back-to-back, some key differences will leap out and that, yes, they aren't all the same neo-goa tunes my stupid monkey brain is tricking me into believing.
And sure enough, opener Personal Matrix lets me know I'm in for something different. Oh, it's not exactly representative of Beyond The Wormhole as a whole, but with how deep, dark, and downright minimalist this track is, it's a far cry from the squelchy psy of Cyclotron. In fact, Personal Matrix rather reminds me of the moodier tunes off of Tristan's Audiodrome, a welcome surprise since I've had a small hankering to hear stuff like that elsewhere.
But no, this is Suntrip we're dealing with, and they have a musical manifesto to maintain. Thus follow-up Wormhole ratchets the synth leads up from menacing simmer to propulsive squeal, and third cut Big Crunch drops any pretense we're dealing with anything other than modern goa. Well hey, I at least appreciate the gradual lead-in, unlike other CDs that just drop you into the action from the get-go.
As for the rest of Beyond The Wormhole, it's a fun assortment of tunes. The beats definitely have more beef behind them compared to Beyond Duality, always handy in maintaining momentum in music as peppy as this. The acid feels chunkier, and some of the leads even hook in my mind while they're playing out. Yes, this album certainly sounds superior to the prior, my totally objective and unbiased analysis comparison has concluded. Thus has spoken the monkey brain.
Seriously though, I did like this more, but it feels like an unfair contrast. Hypnoxock clearly set out to make straight-forward psy, while Crossing Mind tried something less conventional. Sometimes though, the simpler style satisfies one's synapses.
Sunday, December 3, 2023
Crossing Mind - Beyond Duality
Suntrip Records: 2016
Well, at least there was a little more space between this Suntrip CD and the last: three whole releases! Maybe there will be even more between this and the next. (Spoiler: nope!)
This here is Crossing Mind, one Stéphane Bèze from the nice region of France, erm, Nice. That's honestly a bit unconventional a home base for psy trance artist. You'd think someone residing on the northern Mediterranean shores would be more influenced by the Balearic vibes of house, disco, and Italian eurodance. Nope, seems the wiggly, squiggly sounds of goa was his calling, and fortunately for him, a Belgian print gave him a prime opportunity to share his sonic wares.
I've apparently crossed paths with Crossing Mind (he's... crossed my mind? Eh? Eh...??) a couple times before, on Suntrip compilations. Didn't seem to make much of an impression on me beyond a casual namedrop there, and I'm honestly not surprised why. Mr. Bèze makes competent goa, but that's about par for the course with most artists on this label.
Opener Cyclotron does all the right things out of retro-nu psy: spacey synths, squelchy leads, burbly acid. The rhythms sound somewhat flat and plastic though, a trait I more associate with '00s full-on than anything '90s. Yeah, ol' school goa can its share of hollow, *tchok* beats, but these have that modern sharpness so much computer produced music comes with. I wouldn't call it a deal-breaker or anything, but many Suntrip artists have provided plenty of beef in their beats. Spoiled for options, y'know.
Drat, I'm already sounding unintentionally negative, aren't I? Well, let's hear what else Beyond Duality has to offer. The Foolish Mind: a little more twisted in a dark psy sort of way. No Hazardous Material Signs: a little deeper in the squelchy synths. Alpha Centauri: a little more bouncy, in a space jaunty sort of way. No Event Horizon: a little more driving, in a space adventure sort of way. Psyko-Mind-Porteur: back to the deeper side of psy, and quite long at over eleven minutes in length. Life Forms: hey, this rather reminds me of vintage Terra Ferma on good ol' Platipus.
And that's the album done. I mildly enjoyed it as it played, but can't say much leaped out to me either. Well, aside from those beats, but more for how out of place they sounded compared to so much else I've heard from Suntrip thus far. Who knows though, maybe that's actually the standard, and I've just been fortunate to hear rhythms with more power behind them from the likes of E-Mantra, Artifact303 and Clementz.
As for Mr. Bèze, this seems to be his last Crossing Minds album. In fact, much of his musical output dried up just before all that pandemic business went down. Aw, man, I hope nothing terrible happened. I couldn't find any info elsewhere, so maybe just another case of a musician needing to refocus their priorities on other things in the wake of lost touring business.
Well, at least there was a little more space between this Suntrip CD and the last: three whole releases! Maybe there will be even more between this and the next. (Spoiler: nope!)
This here is Crossing Mind, one Stéphane Bèze from the nice region of France, erm, Nice. That's honestly a bit unconventional a home base for psy trance artist. You'd think someone residing on the northern Mediterranean shores would be more influenced by the Balearic vibes of house, disco, and Italian eurodance. Nope, seems the wiggly, squiggly sounds of goa was his calling, and fortunately for him, a Belgian print gave him a prime opportunity to share his sonic wares.
I've apparently crossed paths with Crossing Mind (he's... crossed my mind? Eh? Eh...??) a couple times before, on Suntrip compilations. Didn't seem to make much of an impression on me beyond a casual namedrop there, and I'm honestly not surprised why. Mr. Bèze makes competent goa, but that's about par for the course with most artists on this label.
Opener Cyclotron does all the right things out of retro-nu psy: spacey synths, squelchy leads, burbly acid. The rhythms sound somewhat flat and plastic though, a trait I more associate with '00s full-on than anything '90s. Yeah, ol' school goa can its share of hollow, *tchok* beats, but these have that modern sharpness so much computer produced music comes with. I wouldn't call it a deal-breaker or anything, but many Suntrip artists have provided plenty of beef in their beats. Spoiled for options, y'know.
Drat, I'm already sounding unintentionally negative, aren't I? Well, let's hear what else Beyond Duality has to offer. The Foolish Mind: a little more twisted in a dark psy sort of way. No Hazardous Material Signs: a little deeper in the squelchy synths. Alpha Centauri: a little more bouncy, in a space jaunty sort of way. No Event Horizon: a little more driving, in a space adventure sort of way. Psyko-Mind-Porteur: back to the deeper side of psy, and quite long at over eleven minutes in length. Life Forms: hey, this rather reminds me of vintage Terra Ferma on good ol' Platipus.
And that's the album done. I mildly enjoyed it as it played, but can't say much leaped out to me either. Well, aside from those beats, but more for how out of place they sounded compared to so much else I've heard from Suntrip thus far. Who knows though, maybe that's actually the standard, and I've just been fortunate to hear rhythms with more power behind them from the likes of E-Mantra, Artifact303 and Clementz.
As for Mr. Bèze, this seems to be his last Crossing Minds album. In fact, much of his musical output dried up just before all that pandemic business went down. Aw, man, I hope nothing terrible happened. I couldn't find any info elsewhere, so maybe just another case of a musician needing to refocus their priorities on other things in the wake of lost touring business.
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Artifact303 - Back To Space
Suntrip Records: 2011
Welp, here we go again with another Suntrip CD. No sense beating around the bush, let's get this over with.
The opening track Magnetic Fields doesn't waste any time giving us some solid music. The establishing sounds are nicely spaced out, the acid laid out with finesse, and the supporting squiggly sounds are tasteful. By the time the driving synth leads emerge, this tune is well into high gear, and gosh darn it, it just keeps building that energy, and I'm somehow more hype for another Suntrip CD than I've been in a while! Wait, wasn't I feeling kinda' 'meh' going in? How did my mood do a complete one-eighty in a mere five minutes? Holy cow, Magnetic Fields is awesome!
And yet, I can't help but have a bit of trepidation in my quick enthusiasm. Oh no, is Back To Space gonna' be one of those albums, with too much of a good thing? I've heard a couple out of Suntrip like that already, artists who know how to craft a solid tune, but tend to repeat their formula for an album's duration, unfortunately leading to monotony. Well, I'll worry about that when I have to. For now, yeah, let's keep vibin' to that strong climax in the opening cut!
Okay, second track is another barn-burner, and holy shit, doesn't waste any time in getting to the dope. Then things take a turn for the... deeper? Trancier? Oh, wow, They Will Communicate actually sounds like regular ol' progressive trance – or at least a blend of goa and prog as potentially rinsed out by Paul Oakenfold when he used to do that. Yeah, the peak still rips pretty good, but it's not so tear-out as I typically hear from Suntrip artists. Heck, same as with For A Better World, the sort of psy regular trance jocks once wouldn't have much fear rinsing out.
We're at the mid-album, and I'm already rather impressed by what I've heard, and then Artifact303 does something I never would have dreamed any artist on this label would do: he changes tempo! Tropical Sunset drops the BPM several notches to groovy prog-psy levels and...
That's it. Back To Space is the best album I've heard out of this label, hands down.
I'm serious! For as much as I've generally enjoyed what I've heard thus far, each release tends to be rather samey, showing little in the way of variety or diversity. Which is fine, since Suntrip is very upfront about being a goa trance label through and through. That doesn't mean artists can't throw in a few dalliances, but few ever do.
Anyhow, the back-end of Back To Space gets back to the blistering psy and acid, but I'm already anxious to see what else this Artifact303 has done for Suntrip. According to his Discogs page... not a whole lot. In fact, this album seems to be about it. Wait, seriously, the best Suntrip record I've heard, and it was a one-and-done deal? How cruel!
Welp, here we go again with another Suntrip CD. No sense beating around the bush, let's get this over with.
The opening track Magnetic Fields doesn't waste any time giving us some solid music. The establishing sounds are nicely spaced out, the acid laid out with finesse, and the supporting squiggly sounds are tasteful. By the time the driving synth leads emerge, this tune is well into high gear, and gosh darn it, it just keeps building that energy, and I'm somehow more hype for another Suntrip CD than I've been in a while! Wait, wasn't I feeling kinda' 'meh' going in? How did my mood do a complete one-eighty in a mere five minutes? Holy cow, Magnetic Fields is awesome!
And yet, I can't help but have a bit of trepidation in my quick enthusiasm. Oh no, is Back To Space gonna' be one of those albums, with too much of a good thing? I've heard a couple out of Suntrip like that already, artists who know how to craft a solid tune, but tend to repeat their formula for an album's duration, unfortunately leading to monotony. Well, I'll worry about that when I have to. For now, yeah, let's keep vibin' to that strong climax in the opening cut!
Okay, second track is another barn-burner, and holy shit, doesn't waste any time in getting to the dope. Then things take a turn for the... deeper? Trancier? Oh, wow, They Will Communicate actually sounds like regular ol' progressive trance – or at least a blend of goa and prog as potentially rinsed out by Paul Oakenfold when he used to do that. Yeah, the peak still rips pretty good, but it's not so tear-out as I typically hear from Suntrip artists. Heck, same as with For A Better World, the sort of psy regular trance jocks once wouldn't have much fear rinsing out.
We're at the mid-album, and I'm already rather impressed by what I've heard, and then Artifact303 does something I never would have dreamed any artist on this label would do: he changes tempo! Tropical Sunset drops the BPM several notches to groovy prog-psy levels and...
That's it. Back To Space is the best album I've heard out of this label, hands down.
I'm serious! For as much as I've generally enjoyed what I've heard thus far, each release tends to be rather samey, showing little in the way of variety or diversity. Which is fine, since Suntrip is very upfront about being a goa trance label through and through. That doesn't mean artists can't throw in a few dalliances, but few ever do.
Anyhow, the back-end of Back To Space gets back to the blistering psy and acid, but I'm already anxious to see what else this Artifact303 has done for Suntrip. According to his Discogs page... not a whole lot. In fact, this album seems to be about it. Wait, seriously, the best Suntrip record I've heard, and it was a one-and-done deal? How cruel!
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Various - Aurora Sidera
Suntrip Records: 2015
What is this, a Suntrip CD every other review now? Is this, like, gonna' be my whole next year of reviews? Hey, the probability of it is high, but not stupidly so. When I look at two of my 'to review' CD towers, one of which is filled with discs from the goa trance label, the other filled with everything else, it certainly seems like it will be so. Ah, but that doesn't factor in the digital items lodged between them all, of which there are many. Honestly, almost all of my purchases these days are digital, mainly in support of Bandcamp Friday. So... maybe a mere third of my current queue is Suntrip CDs? Yeah, that'll break up any potential psy trance monotony, I'm sure!
Still, it feels weird that half of the half-dozen CDs I've covered thus far have been compilations. Suntrip isn't really heavy with the label showcase collections, letting artist albums do the lifting. One a year, sure, and perhaps a celebratory edition every now and then, but even with a near two-decade lifespan behind them, not a seriously robust number. Not such that they should have been so front-loaded in my alphabetical queue anyway (as if 3 out of 70+ is significant).
Anyhow, Aurora Sidera. Seems even Suntrip weren't entirely sure where to go with their annual compilations, what theme to explore each year, as the little Bandcamp blurb provided is almost a shrug. 'Cosmic Dawn' is the loose translation of this Latin phrase, and the reason for choosing this title is... because it sounded cool, I guess? Yeah, they claim this compilation is all about showing how the neo-goa movement isn't just about paying sonic tribute to the scene's roots, but also evolving into new forms as the years move on. Well, I dunno' about that – I mean, I've heard some of the releases that came after this CD too – but let's at least hear what Aurora Sidera has on offer.
Things kick off with acid. Welp, not gonna' complain about that! Three tracks worth, actually, growing more dynamic with each cut while still retaining those ol' school vibes. Then Morphic Resonance's Altered Perception adds squealing synth leads to the TB-303 action, while E-Mantra gives Artifact303's In Your Mind a thumpin' rub as the acid takes a backseat. Oh, and there's L.S.G.'s Microfish again. I'm starting to wonder if Oliver Lieb is the original source of that distinct spaced-out twisty-bleep sound, hearing it so much in psy trance over the years. On the other hand, he made the most memorable use of it, melding it with the vocal from Netherworld and all (itself a sample), so can you blame me for forever (and a day) linking it to him?
Ah, whoops, got distracted talking about Lieb again. Um, the rest of Aurora Sidera leans heavier into goa trance after that, solid enough stuff as always from Suntrip Records. Excuse me now, I want to listen to Vol. 2 again...
What is this, a Suntrip CD every other review now? Is this, like, gonna' be my whole next year of reviews? Hey, the probability of it is high, but not stupidly so. When I look at two of my 'to review' CD towers, one of which is filled with discs from the goa trance label, the other filled with everything else, it certainly seems like it will be so. Ah, but that doesn't factor in the digital items lodged between them all, of which there are many. Honestly, almost all of my purchases these days are digital, mainly in support of Bandcamp Friday. So... maybe a mere third of my current queue is Suntrip CDs? Yeah, that'll break up any potential psy trance monotony, I'm sure!
Still, it feels weird that half of the half-dozen CDs I've covered thus far have been compilations. Suntrip isn't really heavy with the label showcase collections, letting artist albums do the lifting. One a year, sure, and perhaps a celebratory edition every now and then, but even with a near two-decade lifespan behind them, not a seriously robust number. Not such that they should have been so front-loaded in my alphabetical queue anyway (as if 3 out of 70+ is significant).
Anyhow, Aurora Sidera. Seems even Suntrip weren't entirely sure where to go with their annual compilations, what theme to explore each year, as the little Bandcamp blurb provided is almost a shrug. 'Cosmic Dawn' is the loose translation of this Latin phrase, and the reason for choosing this title is... because it sounded cool, I guess? Yeah, they claim this compilation is all about showing how the neo-goa movement isn't just about paying sonic tribute to the scene's roots, but also evolving into new forms as the years move on. Well, I dunno' about that – I mean, I've heard some of the releases that came after this CD too – but let's at least hear what Aurora Sidera has on offer.
Things kick off with acid. Welp, not gonna' complain about that! Three tracks worth, actually, growing more dynamic with each cut while still retaining those ol' school vibes. Then Morphic Resonance's Altered Perception adds squealing synth leads to the TB-303 action, while E-Mantra gives Artifact303's In Your Mind a thumpin' rub as the acid takes a backseat. Oh, and there's L.S.G.'s Microfish again. I'm starting to wonder if Oliver Lieb is the original source of that distinct spaced-out twisty-bleep sound, hearing it so much in psy trance over the years. On the other hand, he made the most memorable use of it, melding it with the vocal from Netherworld and all (itself a sample), so can you blame me for forever (and a day) linking it to him?
Ah, whoops, got distracted talking about Lieb again. Um, the rest of Aurora Sidera leans heavier into goa trance after that, solid enough stuff as always from Suntrip Records. Excuse me now, I want to listen to Vol. 2 again...
Sunday, November 5, 2023
Afgin - Astral Experience
Suntrip Records: 2009
Diving into a two-decade old catalogue the extent of Suntrip's is gonna' expose me to many artists, some I'm familiar with, some not so much. If they have a robust discography, they may even become new favourites, eagerly anticipating whenever their next record comes down the pipeline. Others may not have released much, but will do something truly unique leaving me wondering what could have been in their careers. Many more, however, will likely end up like Afgin here, a comparatively small amount of music released, good enough in its own right, but not enough to make a strong impression long-term.
I shouldn't go saying Astral Experience is completely forgettable, as there are things that do stick out to me (especially with Median Project's Another Galaxy already fading fast in the rear mirror of my memory). For instance, I haven't heard much in the way of chants in the CDs I've thus far covered, and this one has two instances of them: in the opening of second track Old Is Gold (Part 2), and in the downtempo closer Aden Prayers. Look, I'll take what I can get, because there's oh-so many more of these to come, and like any pile of music that's such a strict genre exercise of micro-niche interests, things blend together real fast. Especially when you're hitting a solid chunk of it in such short order. (on the plus side, at least the 'A's will knock off ten percent of my total!)
Anyhow, some vocals can't be the only thing that stands Astral Experience out, is it? No, but again, context is everything. In case the title wasn't apparent, this is another collection of goa trance very much feeding off that vintage Astral Projection sound. Heck, the titular opener even has some samples about the practice, though clearly is more in homage of the famed Israeli trance duo. Pretty much every track maintains a similar style, with Journey Through The Acid leaning heavier into a TB-303 showcase. Most have plenty of time to build things out, some have fun lead synths, others have strong basslines in support. Again, all solid stuff, and for the neo-goa neophytes, sonic manna after dealing with so much drab prog-psy and full-on rubbish the psy scene was inundated with when this came out.
Since I'm well beyond said neophyte stage in this Suntrip excursion, I need more than Astral Projection homages in my regular psy trance diet before I have anything excitable to say about it. Why aren't other artists from The Golden Era emulated as often? I've heard some Etnica nods here and there, but surely there are more. Are some cows simply too sacred? KoxBox too quirky? Eat Static too esoteric? Juno Reactor too rarefied? Total Eclipse too, um, un-eclipsable? This isn't meant to lower the value of Afgin's offering, I'm just hoping to hear more diversity down the line. I'd hate to think I'll have heard nothing but the same ol' by the time I get to, say, Toï Doï's Synaptic Electrophoresis.
Diving into a two-decade old catalogue the extent of Suntrip's is gonna' expose me to many artists, some I'm familiar with, some not so much. If they have a robust discography, they may even become new favourites, eagerly anticipating whenever their next record comes down the pipeline. Others may not have released much, but will do something truly unique leaving me wondering what could have been in their careers. Many more, however, will likely end up like Afgin here, a comparatively small amount of music released, good enough in its own right, but not enough to make a strong impression long-term.
I shouldn't go saying Astral Experience is completely forgettable, as there are things that do stick out to me (especially with Median Project's Another Galaxy already fading fast in the rear mirror of my memory). For instance, I haven't heard much in the way of chants in the CDs I've thus far covered, and this one has two instances of them: in the opening of second track Old Is Gold (Part 2), and in the downtempo closer Aden Prayers. Look, I'll take what I can get, because there's oh-so many more of these to come, and like any pile of music that's such a strict genre exercise of micro-niche interests, things blend together real fast. Especially when you're hitting a solid chunk of it in such short order. (on the plus side, at least the 'A's will knock off ten percent of my total!)
Anyhow, some vocals can't be the only thing that stands Astral Experience out, is it? No, but again, context is everything. In case the title wasn't apparent, this is another collection of goa trance very much feeding off that vintage Astral Projection sound. Heck, the titular opener even has some samples about the practice, though clearly is more in homage of the famed Israeli trance duo. Pretty much every track maintains a similar style, with Journey Through The Acid leaning heavier into a TB-303 showcase. Most have plenty of time to build things out, some have fun lead synths, others have strong basslines in support. Again, all solid stuff, and for the neo-goa neophytes, sonic manna after dealing with so much drab prog-psy and full-on rubbish the psy scene was inundated with when this came out.
Since I'm well beyond said neophyte stage in this Suntrip excursion, I need more than Astral Projection homages in my regular psy trance diet before I have anything excitable to say about it. Why aren't other artists from The Golden Era emulated as often? I've heard some Etnica nods here and there, but surely there are more. Are some cows simply too sacred? KoxBox too quirky? Eat Static too esoteric? Juno Reactor too rarefied? Total Eclipse too, um, un-eclipsable? This isn't meant to lower the value of Afgin's offering, I'm just hoping to hear more diversity down the line. I'd hate to think I'll have heard nothing but the same ol' by the time I get to, say, Toï Doï's Synaptic Electrophoresis.
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
E-Mantra - Arcana
Suntrip Records: 2009
Wild to think it's been seven years since I last talked up Mr. Carpus in any significant fashion. Okay, I technically did recently, starting this Suntrip, erm, trip with his one-off Night Hex EP, but I'm referring to his most famed alias, E-Mantra. Way back when I was consuming copious amounts of Altar Records music, his Silence album was among my many morsels, grabbed for my most cliche of reasons. I liked it well enough, but not such that I was rushing out to hear more from the chap anytime soon. Maybe if I'd sprung for this debut CD, I'd have rushed out quicker for more?
Well, I don't know about that, still mostly in a prog-psy state of mind when all of that was going down. Like, I'd heard there was a 'neo-goa' movement out on the fringes of the psy trance scene, but was more taken in by the sexy sounds of Altar and Ultimae to give much care. Or maybe I'd simply spent too much time scoping out full-on and dark psy that I couldn't possibly fathom anything so deliciously retro would exist without some caveats attached. Some, sure, but E-Mantra didn't seem preoccupied with those, coming out with a hard, fast, 'deep' selection of tunes right out the gate.
I really wish I had caught this wave of goa trance when it was first emerging, because holy cow, it doesn't waste any time sucking you back to the '90s glory days. Yes, I've oft repeated that sentiment over nearly everything I've covered from Suntrip now, but there's just no denying it. Opener Praying Forest sets a brisk rhythm (not the rubbery full-on kind!), synths oscillating with spacey echo and delay effects, acid squiggling in the background, and ooh! Some of those sounds remind me of Etnica at their best. Is it any wonder nostalgic goa-heads fell in love with Arcana, such that they felt E-Mantra never recaptured that magical vibe in the following years? Sure, I can believe that, if you're hardwired to only accept one strain of psy trance as the most noble and true. And boy does Emanuel ever offer up that singular style in spades.
Yeah, Arcana's great strength is also kinda' its one weakness, in that there isn't that much variation from track to track. In a way, I rather like the album like this, imparting something of a live, free-flowing vibe as things play out. Little leaps out as “d'at hook!”, but I'm fine with it, letting things play out as though you're hearing a set out in the woods at peak tweakin' hours. If anything, I almost wish these tracks were continuously mixed, further enhancing my engagement.
Things slow down in the final two tracks, Ninive Under The Stars a chuggier groover with acid to spare, while Beyond The Boreas throws a token nod to the trendier prog-psy of the time. Bit of a comedown, but eh, lots of old psy albums ended on the downbeat too.
Wild to think it's been seven years since I last talked up Mr. Carpus in any significant fashion. Okay, I technically did recently, starting this Suntrip, erm, trip with his one-off Night Hex EP, but I'm referring to his most famed alias, E-Mantra. Way back when I was consuming copious amounts of Altar Records music, his Silence album was among my many morsels, grabbed for my most cliche of reasons. I liked it well enough, but not such that I was rushing out to hear more from the chap anytime soon. Maybe if I'd sprung for this debut CD, I'd have rushed out quicker for more?
Well, I don't know about that, still mostly in a prog-psy state of mind when all of that was going down. Like, I'd heard there was a 'neo-goa' movement out on the fringes of the psy trance scene, but was more taken in by the sexy sounds of Altar and Ultimae to give much care. Or maybe I'd simply spent too much time scoping out full-on and dark psy that I couldn't possibly fathom anything so deliciously retro would exist without some caveats attached. Some, sure, but E-Mantra didn't seem preoccupied with those, coming out with a hard, fast, 'deep' selection of tunes right out the gate.
I really wish I had caught this wave of goa trance when it was first emerging, because holy cow, it doesn't waste any time sucking you back to the '90s glory days. Yes, I've oft repeated that sentiment over nearly everything I've covered from Suntrip now, but there's just no denying it. Opener Praying Forest sets a brisk rhythm (not the rubbery full-on kind!), synths oscillating with spacey echo and delay effects, acid squiggling in the background, and ooh! Some of those sounds remind me of Etnica at their best. Is it any wonder nostalgic goa-heads fell in love with Arcana, such that they felt E-Mantra never recaptured that magical vibe in the following years? Sure, I can believe that, if you're hardwired to only accept one strain of psy trance as the most noble and true. And boy does Emanuel ever offer up that singular style in spades.
Yeah, Arcana's great strength is also kinda' its one weakness, in that there isn't that much variation from track to track. In a way, I rather like the album like this, imparting something of a live, free-flowing vibe as things play out. Little leaps out as “d'at hook!”, but I'm fine with it, letting things play out as though you're hearing a set out in the woods at peak tweakin' hours. If anything, I almost wish these tracks were continuously mixed, further enhancing my engagement.
Things slow down in the final two tracks, Ninive Under The Stars a chuggier groover with acid to spare, while Beyond The Boreas throws a token nod to the trendier prog-psy of the time. Bit of a comedown, but eh, lots of old psy albums ended on the downbeat too.
Monday, October 30, 2023
Various - Apsara
Suntrip Records: 2005
It's remarkable how one's impression on a CD can have such a turnaround the deeper you dig into it. Right off the bat, I figured Apsara would provide something a little off the norm from Suntrip Records' music. Aes Dana is on here, opening the compilation with an exclusive track titled Digitalys. Wait, Vincent appearing on a label who's musical manifesto is nothing but retro-nu goa and psy trance? How did that happen?
Unsure, but Aes Dana really does feel like the odd-man out on Apsara. If you know your ol' school Ultimae prog-psy (oh God, it really is an 'old school' era now, isn't it?), you'll know this track, a solid, pulsing rhythmic rudder with widescreen pads and multi-tap synths and voices. Really makes me want to throw on Season 5 again. If I'm getting such vintage vibes off this one Aes Dana track though, then this compilation must be from way early in Suntrip's catalogue, right?
Right, Apsara in fact their second release ever. Ah, that would explain why, following that One (1) example of (then) current prog-psy, the rest of the compilation features a pile of goa trance very much on that retro tip. In an instant, the BPMs jump by twenty points, and Yesod's On The Edge Of Time goes hard on the squiggly acid sounds with slightly Indian tonal scales. Same with Avigmati's Babylone Beach, and Filteria's Tiny Universe, though also bringing the the spaced-out atmosphere to the party. And through it all, that unmistakable Suntrip adherence to the classic goa sound, maybe even a bit too much so. Like, compared to the Aes Dana track, these sound a bit flat and unpolished, but hey, it is early in the Suntrip story, before the folks making these 'return to the roots' tunes realized it was perfectly fine beefing things up to modern production standards.
Aside from the Ka-Sol cut Scraqp getting wickedly twisted, the rest of Apsara was good enough for what it set out to do. I didn't have much else to say about it until noticing something odd about my digital copy of the compilation: there was a track missing. I double-checked my CD copy, and sure enough, a ninth track, Lost Buddha's Metamorphosis, wasn't available on the Bandcamp page. Weird, but not uncommon, original artists sometimes retaining rights to their works for their own distribution.
I didn't think much else of it until spotting a recent comment left on Apsara's Discogs page. Well, not so much a comment, but a snarky screed, from a Filipe Santos. That's when I noticed the production credits to the Lost Buddha track went to a chap of the same name. Ooh, juicy, what's the deal with this guy, then? His Discogs stats are rather cluttered, and could only tell me so much. If I wanted more, there was only one place I knew would have details, the website with ties to Suntrip since day one: the psynews.org forums!
And, my friends, the rabbit-hole went deep there indeed.
It's remarkable how one's impression on a CD can have such a turnaround the deeper you dig into it. Right off the bat, I figured Apsara would provide something a little off the norm from Suntrip Records' music. Aes Dana is on here, opening the compilation with an exclusive track titled Digitalys. Wait, Vincent appearing on a label who's musical manifesto is nothing but retro-nu goa and psy trance? How did that happen?
Unsure, but Aes Dana really does feel like the odd-man out on Apsara. If you know your ol' school Ultimae prog-psy (oh God, it really is an 'old school' era now, isn't it?), you'll know this track, a solid, pulsing rhythmic rudder with widescreen pads and multi-tap synths and voices. Really makes me want to throw on Season 5 again. If I'm getting such vintage vibes off this one Aes Dana track though, then this compilation must be from way early in Suntrip's catalogue, right?
Right, Apsara in fact their second release ever. Ah, that would explain why, following that One (1) example of (then) current prog-psy, the rest of the compilation features a pile of goa trance very much on that retro tip. In an instant, the BPMs jump by twenty points, and Yesod's On The Edge Of Time goes hard on the squiggly acid sounds with slightly Indian tonal scales. Same with Avigmati's Babylone Beach, and Filteria's Tiny Universe, though also bringing the the spaced-out atmosphere to the party. And through it all, that unmistakable Suntrip adherence to the classic goa sound, maybe even a bit too much so. Like, compared to the Aes Dana track, these sound a bit flat and unpolished, but hey, it is early in the Suntrip story, before the folks making these 'return to the roots' tunes realized it was perfectly fine beefing things up to modern production standards.
Aside from the Ka-Sol cut Scraqp getting wickedly twisted, the rest of Apsara was good enough for what it set out to do. I didn't have much else to say about it until noticing something odd about my digital copy of the compilation: there was a track missing. I double-checked my CD copy, and sure enough, a ninth track, Lost Buddha's Metamorphosis, wasn't available on the Bandcamp page. Weird, but not uncommon, original artists sometimes retaining rights to their works for their own distribution.
I didn't think much else of it until spotting a recent comment left on Apsara's Discogs page. Well, not so much a comment, but a snarky screed, from a Filipe Santos. That's when I noticed the production credits to the Lost Buddha track went to a chap of the same name. Ooh, juicy, what's the deal with this guy, then? His Discogs stats are rather cluttered, and could only tell me so much. If I wanted more, there was only one place I knew would have details, the website with ties to Suntrip since day one: the psynews.org forums!
And, my friends, the rabbit-hole went deep there indeed.
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Median Project - Another Galaxy
Suntrip Records: 2021
It's such a strange sensation, not knowing what to say about something you generally enjoy. At a fundamental level, there's little I find fault in with Median Project's Another Galaxy. Yet I'm barely a half-dozen releases deep into this Suntrip Records bulk buy, and I already feel like I'm running out of talking points beyond general particulars. I know there's future releases with more than that, so I needn't worry about drawing blanks on some... sixty, seventy (?) more of these to go? When a label is so hard-wired to its musical manifesto – in this case, vintage goa and psy trance for the modern ear – you're gonna' get a lot of repetition. I'm sure I'll come across more diversity the deeper into Suntrip's history I go, but for now, it does all feel a bit like treading psychedelic waters.
And I really don't want to sound unjustly critical about this one specific CD from the Sergei Petrenko project. As I said, it's all properly solid psy as I've come to expect from Suntrip. That's just the issue though: I already feel like I'm too hip to the label's tricks, so that initial thrill of discovering something new and exciting is already waning, and Another Galaxy is just the unfortunate album that got caught in the initial backwash of personal apathy. I like what I'm hearing when I'm hearing it, it just doesn't stand out much from what my expectations were going in. And when you know you've more of this stuff in the pipeline, such expectations grow ever more tempered indeed.
It does make me yearn for the days when all of this was unexplored sonic territory for yours truly. Yeah, the '90s had its fair share of unmemorable goa trance too, but at least it all was fresh to our ears. The following decade left lots of that to the dustbin of history, so when Suntrip provided retro goa releases, it all felt new again ('neo', if you will).
They've been in operation for nearly two decades, however, and have possibly cranked out more psy trance in that time than some of those fabled labels of old. It's undeniable they've kept a consistent quality through it all – indeed, Median Project's Another Galaxy would stand tall and proud with anything the best of classic Astral Projection. Yet at the same time, I can't help but worry being so dedicated to an ol' school that was so cool has left Suntrip in something of a creative rut. Again, not the best takeaway when I've only just started this icebergian deep-dive into a catalogue, but I'll never be nothing if not honest with my present thoughts on what I'm hearing.
As for Median Project, yeah, he deserved a better 'review' than this from me, but this won't be the last time I'll cross paths with him. Regarding Another Galaxy, it's another collection of solid, modern goa trance, and if that's what you're after, then this will give it to you.
It's such a strange sensation, not knowing what to say about something you generally enjoy. At a fundamental level, there's little I find fault in with Median Project's Another Galaxy. Yet I'm barely a half-dozen releases deep into this Suntrip Records bulk buy, and I already feel like I'm running out of talking points beyond general particulars. I know there's future releases with more than that, so I needn't worry about drawing blanks on some... sixty, seventy (?) more of these to go? When a label is so hard-wired to its musical manifesto – in this case, vintage goa and psy trance for the modern ear – you're gonna' get a lot of repetition. I'm sure I'll come across more diversity the deeper into Suntrip's history I go, but for now, it does all feel a bit like treading psychedelic waters.
And I really don't want to sound unjustly critical about this one specific CD from the Sergei Petrenko project. As I said, it's all properly solid psy as I've come to expect from Suntrip. That's just the issue though: I already feel like I'm too hip to the label's tricks, so that initial thrill of discovering something new and exciting is already waning, and Another Galaxy is just the unfortunate album that got caught in the initial backwash of personal apathy. I like what I'm hearing when I'm hearing it, it just doesn't stand out much from what my expectations were going in. And when you know you've more of this stuff in the pipeline, such expectations grow ever more tempered indeed.
It does make me yearn for the days when all of this was unexplored sonic territory for yours truly. Yeah, the '90s had its fair share of unmemorable goa trance too, but at least it all was fresh to our ears. The following decade left lots of that to the dustbin of history, so when Suntrip provided retro goa releases, it all felt new again ('neo', if you will).
They've been in operation for nearly two decades, however, and have possibly cranked out more psy trance in that time than some of those fabled labels of old. It's undeniable they've kept a consistent quality through it all – indeed, Median Project's Another Galaxy would stand tall and proud with anything the best of classic Astral Projection. Yet at the same time, I can't help but worry being so dedicated to an ol' school that was so cool has left Suntrip in something of a creative rut. Again, not the best takeaway when I've only just started this icebergian deep-dive into a catalogue, but I'll never be nothing if not honest with my present thoughts on what I'm hearing.
As for Median Project, yeah, he deserved a better 'review' than this from me, but this won't be the last time I'll cross paths with him. Regarding Another Galaxy, it's another collection of solid, modern goa trance, and if that's what you're after, then this will give it to you.
Monday, October 9, 2023
Goasia - Amphibians On Spacedock
Suntrip Records: 2014
I hate the word I'm gonna' use to describe this album. It's such a loaded adjective, one that has gained too much negative connotation for my liking. It needn't be so, plenty of positive sounds equally associated with its use. Yes, a lot of that is in a sort of ironic way, but not always either. Some musicians have parlayed this particular stylistic choice into highly successful careers, a few even attaining 'national treasure' status. Unfortunately, such examples remain few and far between, the rest getting this descriptive tag often mocked and derided in the process. And hey, I've been no less guilty of this too, using this word in more negative light than positive. I suppose this obfuscating paragraph is just me trying to assuage a guilty conscience over my imminent use of the word, as I don't intend to mean it in a harshly critical manner. I could just not, but I can't think of any better one within the entirety of the convoluted English language than what I'm about to use to describe my impression of Goasia's Amphibians On Spacedock.
That all sorted? Right, then. I find this album rather corny.
It's corn I like, absolutely, but I cannot deny it being there just the same. The reason calling a goa trance album corny comes so loaded is because the genre – indeed, the entire psy trance scene – cotinues having credibility issues, with good cause. A bunch of cyber-crusties flailing about the woods or desert under the stars during significant astrological events? It's just not serious dancing, mate, not like huddling as sardines in a grimy warehouse or hopping in a spot with a phone in the air while million-dollar visual spectacle barrages your senses. Okay, electronic music in general can be corny, if you stand back a bit, but the outsider's nature of the psy scene always works extra hard for acceptance.
Some of this duo's choice in melodies though, I can't help but call them corny, in a pulpy sci-fi, Buck Rogers sort of way. Opener God, Good Morning is just so gosh-darn plucky and earnest, I half expect a young Jerry Mathers to pop up in a Space Cadet outfit waiting for his first adventure. Hell, maybe that is supposed to be Lil' Beaver on the cover! Tracks like Promised Land and Sundance are no less over-eager in their leads, while cuts that lean more into standard goa riffs don't fare much better. Gotta' hand it to Goasia though, they don't hold back, fully committed and competent in the style of psy trance they want to make. I just need to be in a the right type of mood to take in that there corn, y'know?
Fortunately, it's not all maize straight through. The titular cut has some proper acid tear-out moments, while Dolphins Of Jupiter gets more 'serious' with its squiggly acid sounds. And as far as final track Tetrodotoxin goes, that's some mighty fine vintage Tristan vibes I'm hearing there, b'gosh.
I hate the word I'm gonna' use to describe this album. It's such a loaded adjective, one that has gained too much negative connotation for my liking. It needn't be so, plenty of positive sounds equally associated with its use. Yes, a lot of that is in a sort of ironic way, but not always either. Some musicians have parlayed this particular stylistic choice into highly successful careers, a few even attaining 'national treasure' status. Unfortunately, such examples remain few and far between, the rest getting this descriptive tag often mocked and derided in the process. And hey, I've been no less guilty of this too, using this word in more negative light than positive. I suppose this obfuscating paragraph is just me trying to assuage a guilty conscience over my imminent use of the word, as I don't intend to mean it in a harshly critical manner. I could just not, but I can't think of any better one within the entirety of the convoluted English language than what I'm about to use to describe my impression of Goasia's Amphibians On Spacedock.
That all sorted? Right, then. I find this album rather corny.
It's corn I like, absolutely, but I cannot deny it being there just the same. The reason calling a goa trance album corny comes so loaded is because the genre – indeed, the entire psy trance scene – cotinues having credibility issues, with good cause. A bunch of cyber-crusties flailing about the woods or desert under the stars during significant astrological events? It's just not serious dancing, mate, not like huddling as sardines in a grimy warehouse or hopping in a spot with a phone in the air while million-dollar visual spectacle barrages your senses. Okay, electronic music in general can be corny, if you stand back a bit, but the outsider's nature of the psy scene always works extra hard for acceptance.
Some of this duo's choice in melodies though, I can't help but call them corny, in a pulpy sci-fi, Buck Rogers sort of way. Opener God, Good Morning is just so gosh-darn plucky and earnest, I half expect a young Jerry Mathers to pop up in a Space Cadet outfit waiting for his first adventure. Hell, maybe that is supposed to be Lil' Beaver on the cover! Tracks like Promised Land and Sundance are no less over-eager in their leads, while cuts that lean more into standard goa riffs don't fare much better. Gotta' hand it to Goasia though, they don't hold back, fully committed and competent in the style of psy trance they want to make. I just need to be in a the right type of mood to take in that there corn, y'know?
Fortunately, it's not all maize straight through. The titular cut has some proper acid tear-out moments, while Dolphins Of Jupiter gets more 'serious' with its squiggly acid sounds. And as far as final track Tetrodotoxin goes, that's some mighty fine vintage Tristan vibes I'm hearing there, b'gosh.
Monday, September 11, 2023
Various - The 50th Parallel
Suntrip Records: 2018
This is what I mean. Time skip a decade later, many releases between, now the quality of retro-leaning goa and psy trance coming out of Suntrip Records is much improved over what was heard on Ra's 9th. And their album wasn't even bad! It just felt a tad safe and mild compared to what I knew what was coming down the line. So it goes when indulging a label catalogue in non-chronological order. Sometimes the older stuff just can't hold a candle to the newer stuff. Then again, same can be said the other way around, but I cheated a little, splurging on Suntrip because I heard a couple newer releases first. Their ol' school rep' just helped sell the impulse buy.
By logical standards, I should be reviewing The 50th Parallel after having reviewed fifty of Suntrip's releases, but I don't do things that way. Instead, alphabetical standards decrees I must review this anniversary compilation super early into this discography dive. Yes indeed, this double-CD set marks the fiftieth outing for the little neo-goa trance label that could, no small feat considering how ultra-niche their sound is in the new millennium. Never mind folks hearing it always enjoy it, goa trance simply doesn't get the same broad recognition as popular full-on psy or trendy prog-psy does. As for why The 50th Parallel, I'm assuming it's referencing where Suntrip Records' head office reside in Belgium. And is just one parallel north of where I live, incidentally. Ah, the good ol' 49th, forever dividing Canadians and Americans across vast swaths of mountain and prairie.
As befitting a milestone release, all the Suntrip heavy-hitters are on hand for the party. Khetzal is here! Ka-Sol is here! Clementz is here! Cosmic Dimension is here! Cosmic Serpent is here! Uh, Crossing Mind is here. So is Hada, Triquetra, Morphic Resonance, Battle Of The Future Buddhas... Okay, I can't front – I have no idea if these are the A-listers of the label or not. Like, I know for certain Khetzal is, as his Corolle album put the label on the map. And I know Clementz because I reviewed his album last year. Ka-Sol I recognize more for the unique artwork of Fairytale than anything else. The rest though? Not a got'dang clue. Guess I'll find out in the coming year!
As or the music, eight tracks make up each disc, the first designated Sun (re: goa trance), the other Moon (re: psy trance). And, um, that's kinda' about it, if I'm honest. Whatever sound you associate with those genres, these CDs offer them in spades. Soaring melodies with a slightly Indian tonal scale? Sure thing. Twisty acid tear-outs with peppy rhythms? Yep, that too. I rather like the ones that dip close to vintage Juno Reactor waters, but that may be recency bias, having just re-listened to some of their early albums again. Regardless, The 50th Parallel is '90s as fuck, but it wouldn't be a Suntrip Records collection if it wasn't, right?
This is what I mean. Time skip a decade later, many releases between, now the quality of retro-leaning goa and psy trance coming out of Suntrip Records is much improved over what was heard on Ra's 9th. And their album wasn't even bad! It just felt a tad safe and mild compared to what I knew what was coming down the line. So it goes when indulging a label catalogue in non-chronological order. Sometimes the older stuff just can't hold a candle to the newer stuff. Then again, same can be said the other way around, but I cheated a little, splurging on Suntrip because I heard a couple newer releases first. Their ol' school rep' just helped sell the impulse buy.
By logical standards, I should be reviewing The 50th Parallel after having reviewed fifty of Suntrip's releases, but I don't do things that way. Instead, alphabetical standards decrees I must review this anniversary compilation super early into this discography dive. Yes indeed, this double-CD set marks the fiftieth outing for the little neo-goa trance label that could, no small feat considering how ultra-niche their sound is in the new millennium. Never mind folks hearing it always enjoy it, goa trance simply doesn't get the same broad recognition as popular full-on psy or trendy prog-psy does. As for why The 50th Parallel, I'm assuming it's referencing where Suntrip Records' head office reside in Belgium. And is just one parallel north of where I live, incidentally. Ah, the good ol' 49th, forever dividing Canadians and Americans across vast swaths of mountain and prairie.
As befitting a milestone release, all the Suntrip heavy-hitters are on hand for the party. Khetzal is here! Ka-Sol is here! Clementz is here! Cosmic Dimension is here! Cosmic Serpent is here! Uh, Crossing Mind is here. So is Hada, Triquetra, Morphic Resonance, Battle Of The Future Buddhas... Okay, I can't front – I have no idea if these are the A-listers of the label or not. Like, I know for certain Khetzal is, as his Corolle album put the label on the map. And I know Clementz because I reviewed his album last year. Ka-Sol I recognize more for the unique artwork of Fairytale than anything else. The rest though? Not a got'dang clue. Guess I'll find out in the coming year!
As or the music, eight tracks make up each disc, the first designated Sun (re: goa trance), the other Moon (re: psy trance). And, um, that's kinda' about it, if I'm honest. Whatever sound you associate with those genres, these CDs offer them in spades. Soaring melodies with a slightly Indian tonal scale? Sure thing. Twisty acid tear-outs with peppy rhythms? Yep, that too. I rather like the ones that dip close to vintage Juno Reactor waters, but that may be recency bias, having just re-listened to some of their early albums again. Regardless, The 50th Parallel is '90s as fuck, but it wouldn't be a Suntrip Records collection if it wasn't, right?
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