Light From The Depth Of Chaos is the fourth CD from Manic Dragon, based out of Hong Kong. They have embarked on a mission to bring psychotic sounds to the minds of freaks worldwide, gathering material from across the globe to suit their infernal aims. Their peers in the field include Nabi, Mistress of Evil, Noise Poison, Dropout, and Tantrumm, amongst many others. Manic Dragon is clearly aligned with the darkpsy movement, with their sound focusing more on traumatic insanity than organic forest goodness or Parasense-inspired hardness. The cover design is by Quasga (Androcell) while mastering is provided by darkpsy pioneer Xenomorph.

The Greek artist Kulu makes a theatrical introduction with Twilight Of Fear, a harrowing journey into the dark and twisted realms of psychedelic trance. Grinding synths seethe in the interstices of brain-bashing kick drums, filling the air with the shriek of tortured electronics. Clever breaks whip up the energy levels and return with additional layers of corrosive noises spiraling out in every direction. This is quite a good beginning!

Baphomet Engine’s System Failed is a powerful night-time anthem that shows a remarkable improvement in the skills of this Brazilian group. As the title might suggest, this has a cybernetic edge to it. Heavy rhythms, thick with murky layers of bass, swarm from the speakers. Sharp metallic noises serve as percussion, while grinding industrial noises rattle around in the mid-range. A whirling assortment of high-ends riffs provide stimulation in the top end, exploding into chaotic disarray at key moments. The arrangement is more artful than usual for the style, making for a much more compelling experience. A nasty treat for those who like it hard!

The Maltese act Kemic-Al offers up the harshness of Illuminatus, but it doesn’t sit well in my ears. Aside from being gratuitously abstract, with no discernible flow, there is something very strange and unsettling going on with the beat. Is it supposed to sound improperly synchronized? Aldo has better material out there.

The Self Revealing Boris by The Replicants (a four-man mega-group formed by Quasar, Dejan, Dylalien, and Alien Mental!) is another weird odyssey into neurotic sounds. The writhing rhythm is formed by a deep chugging bass line, growling kick, and menacing tribal drums. The rest of the song in undeniably bizarre, stumbling between frantic outbursts and the absurd, perpetually mutating. This is very psychedelic; a real mind-melter for the whole family!

Kalilaskov A.S. vs Natinel – Beethoven’s Dragon is typical of the aimless amateur productions that tend to pad most darkpsy compilations. Inundated with random squelchy noises, backed by a chortling beat, it neither captivates nor entertains. The poor production level doesn’t help either.

Alien Mental drops in with Take A Break. Hey, what’s this? An actual introduction? After setting the mood for close to two minutes, the wriggling beat finally kicks in. It contains more pop than punch, jiggling around in the mid-range rather than dipping into the lower frequencies, somewhat similar to what I’ve heard from The Fractal Cowboys. As expected, the sound canvas is slathered with abstract noises and sluggish acid dabbling. As it builds towards a sublime peak, the call of a cuckoo bird begins to spring up with increasing frequency. Interesting, but I am not convinced.

Blisargon Demogorgon opens Leaving The Real World with one hell of a creepy sample: “he’s dead… and now it’s my turn… I’m leaving this world… I’m leaving my memories…” The faint caress of acoustic guitar compliments the initial raising of the resurrected rhythms. Now this is more like it! Sick beats, chaotic sound patterns, unexpected twists and turns, horrific leads, and a relentless ball-breaking pace make this one a real killer. Madness!

Kerosene Club follows up with the hard-as-nails Baba Cannibal, a forlorn dance floor destroyer strongly reminiscent of the best from Fungus Funk. Menacing rhythms drone in the depths, slipping beneath ripping leads and haunting acidic flourishes. Demonic intentions become manifest as the storyline unfolds, the rish atmosphere growing more oppressive with every minute. The eerie voice of the cannibal spirals out of the vacuum of a fifth minute respite, catalyzing the energy levels and initiating the final run. The meandering conclusion isn’t nearly as focused and compelling as the rest of the song, but it will do. Genuinely frightening!

N3xu5, a prolific Portuguese artist, begins to fulfill the prophecy of the compilation’s title with Mass Meltdown. The first few minutes are nothing special, featuring little more than a grimy zombie beat with a few scattered effects. Around the three minute mark a clear melody enters, sounding like something straight out of the Spun Records pool. Lush atmospheric pads begin to surge shortly thereafter, driving the track into a simple break and return. Listeners expecting night-time trauma sounds will be shocked at the melodious qualities of this tune, but it makes for an interesting experiment. I remain apprehensive, but I might return to give this another chance in the future.

Talk Sick shut it down with The Final Cut, a wonky slice of demented full-on loaded with riotous bass lines and corny guitar stabs. It is certainly ill-fitting given the flow of the compilation thus far, and I am not a fan of this group. They sound like Azax Syndrom after a visit to the circus. My objection is solely focused on the style of the piece; the production quality is otherwise satisfying.

Light From The Depth Of Chaos is the prototypical darkpsy compilation, loaded with projects of varying quality, interspersed with a number of intriguing tracks that shall satisfy deviants seeking unholy psychedelic dance music. The attempt to cross over into the lighter side of underground psytrance is not particularly successful, and while this compilation may have been conceived as a journey, it doesn’t feel like it. Regardless, this is sure to appeal to die-hard darkpsy freaks, and there are enough notable tunes here to please those with a passing interest (such as myself). Manic Dragon won’t be making any converts to the style with this release, but it was a good try. In the end, this compilation is one for the darkpsy DJs and fanatics.

Release Data

Title: Light From The Depths Of Chaos
Label: Manic Dragon Records
Format: CD compilation
Released: 2006

Stella Nutella compiled Amazon in 2002 for Turbo Trance Records. At the time, Psytrance had not yet split into full-on and progressive subvariants—artists were taking risks, and exploring their creative potential. Stella gathered nine tracks from around Euopre, primarily from France and the U.K., with this in mind. Her selections are diverse, interesting, and compliment one another. Amazon—the title—has a clever double meaning, referring to the tribal theme of the compilation as well as Stella herself. Son Kite mastered these songs, ensuring a clear and powerful sound. The journey begins…

Cameleon is a side project formed by Stéphane Dureisseix of Bamboo Forest and Stéphane Djani aka Ninja. Clear Vision is a heavy driving piece of psychedelic trance, relying on pounding technoid rhythms covered in a thick layer of digital haze. Tribal drums put a natural touch on the intensely synthetic sound. The producers avoid overt melodies, but there are many subtle tricks and layered patterns to follow. Quality work!

Evangelica is the very last truly psychedelic release from Tim Healey and Mark Allen (Quirk), appearing here under their Quixotic guise. This is downright strange! The unruly rhythm tumbles out of the speakers with nervous energy, punctuated by the sound of a vinyl record whipping backwards. An angelic vocal sample, looped and manipulated to an extreme degree, fills the air with a heavenly sound that seems wryly ironic in context. Allen and Healey achieve one last success with this bizarre operatic experiment loaded with freakish charm.

Aphid Moon’s Funk is an unexpected treat from the producer of A Lot Of Radio, a classic single released in the dying days of Flying Rhino. Initially cold, Funk begins with a brooding groove, a chrome-plated mechanism assembled from gleaming parts. The spacious machine-driven rhythm achieves a sublime metamorphosis towards the fourth minute as a slick bass line enters. Gradually, the sound field begins to open up, as lighter themes and layered acid riffs begin to compete for attention, eventually drawing the song to an energetic peak. The progression is slow and determined, but the energy levels grow to be quite substantial, making this an interesting hybrid of styles.

Triptych – Cranky Stevie (Tribal Remix) is standard fare from this French artist. Funky drumming provides the most alluring feature of this track, although the brash hi-hats sometimes upset the flow. The composition lacks subtlety; the arrangement has no real direction. Sloppy and undeveloped, but still listenable.

Tortured Brain (Dino Psaras) and Sterilizer (Ian Rive) provide an interesting diversion sweetly named Totally Fucked. This offering is similar to Cydonia’s Bass Monster, released on Atomic Powder one year previously. The immensely funky groove is hyped up with repetative samples and a few corny acid riffs. It remains trite and superficial for the duration—a happy dog wagging its tail. One could develop a soft spot for something so cute and inane, but it will not suit everyone.

Hyper Frequencies digs into the grime with Robotomix, a nasty tune bogged down by repetative samples from Lost In Space and other sources. The hard driving rhythms are relentless, layered in corrosive noises and shuddering sound effects. It must have been an exciting change of pace for 2002, but the overused samples are too much for my ears. Nonetheless, it is an interesting artifact—an early precursor to the modern darkpsy movement.

Next up, Etnica provides a live version of Liquid Forms, based on the original released with their fifth album Chrome. The caustic robotic rhythm is an interesting blend of dry kicks and snappy percussive nuances, united under a menacing techno drive. Squelchy synths populate the upper realms with intricate layers and subtle hooks, filling the atmosphere with countless details. Any loud sound system will make the stunning quality of this song readily apparent. Listen for the small sounds, and this is bound to hypnotize!

Tristan & Jon Om deliver a sublime shocker with Future Fizz. It takes no time for the heavy beat to kick, and an incredibly clever progression builds tension to screaming heights that might seem unwarranted were one to skim through. Devilish drum programming makes the most of the basic rhythm structures, leading up to an explosive peak towards the fifth minute. The rest is purely cerebral, with a stimulating array of smart melodic flourishes. This one takes the cake!

Ticon display their formidable percussive mastery with Obi Not The One Kenobi, a majestic tribal journey into the deepest reaches of the rain forest. The arrangement is steady, simple, and extremely polished. Moody and mysterious atmospheres percolate through the canopy while a tasteful array of ethnic samples are put to excellent use. This is a very nice way to end the compilation!

Amazon starts strong, dabbles with the bizarre, goes funky, slips into the darkness, tickles the brain, and finally drops the listener in the heart of the rain forest. What a trip! The intensity is suitable as much for home as it is for the dance floor. Stella Nutella did a fantastic job selecting such enduring material for this stand-out compilation. All psytrance fans could probably find something to like on this commendable release.

Release Data

Title: Amazon
Label: Turbo Trance Records
Format: CD compilation
Released: 2002

Further Ambivalent Tendancies shatters nearly two years of inactivity from the mavens of menace at Ambivalent Records. FAT gathers original efforts from Ady Connor (Scorb), Paul Konrad Wright (NRS), and Santos De Castro (Deviant Species), with some help from a few guests. The sound is exactly as one would expect: hard synthetic psytrance, with a dark and demented twist.

Paul Konrad Wright, in his Serious Porn Collector guise, opens the album with a slow and creepy techtrance tune entitled Bloodlines. Chunky synthetic rhythms pound away at 130 BPM, punctuated by snarky percussive flourishes. This one features a mutated rendition of the sample written out on the inside sleeve: “law makers, law breakers, let us fight them all.” Weird squelchy themes, bizarre vocal manipulations, and cinematic atmospheres complete the picture.

Squid Inc. (Ady & Santos) kick up the energy level with Tilt, a sly and subtle midnight roller. The composition is rather plain, with little more than a beat and a number of creaking psychedelic sounds. The production quality is ace on this one; everything is clean and pristine. Reaching the peak moments, the sound takes a turn towards conventional full-on psytrance. This is like the low-fat version of the Ambivalent sound.

Rave From The Grave features a staggered beat that some psytrance fans have mistakenly referred to as “triplets” over the years. In fact, the producers have shuffled up the rhythm, arranging the drums and bass line into a lurching zombie groove that seems perpetually out of balance. Spooky atmospheres and tweaked out leads top it all off with an appropriately undead mood. Decent.

Deviant Species vs Scorb – Jack The Kipper has a lot more going for it. The first half is very dark, fast, and will achieve a strong impact on the big rigs. After crossing the mid-point threshold, warped hoover sounds begin to flare up all over the joint. Everything becomes mighty squelchy, weird, and even a bit silly. Count Chocula does 3D Vision, basically. Quirky and fun!

NRS teams up with Far East Ghost on Knocked Out Goner, reprising their collaboration on the original LPS compilation Unhinged. The setup is practically pre-ordained; a monotonous beat flops around like a fish out-of-water, crispy drum loops add a satisfying crunch, and eerie atmospheric notes induce a sense of dread. Driving into the more active sequences, intense snare drums pound over the kick for additional emphasis. The peak is reached as a tortured lead snakes out of the darkness, whipping around and shuddering across the stereo field. The sound of some infernal demon breathing in the background is chilling. Seriously sinister!

Scorb’s Resonant Evil is a sick carnival of violence. Rolling beats chatter alongside unnerving electric tones in the early moments. The sample in the main breakdown says it all: “pure evil!” The return brings more haunting melodies, wild bass lines, and paranoid atmospheres. The wailing background sounds get to be insanely intense as the track peaks. This is another tight production from Connor.

Deviant Species has managed a very unlikely fusion of hard techno and high-energy psytrance with his modern work. Iophant is more active and involved than some of the more minimal pieces on his 2004 album In The Hands Of The Randomiser, but the style is pretty much the same: menacing, moody, and loaded with intelligent sound design and effects wizardry. It is no surprise that the Ambivalent crew identify so strongly with the giant squid: this is a crackling behemoth swimming through the abyssal depths.

RAM – (Theme From) Cole’s Law is another twisted brain basher filled with small hooks, demented hoovers, and subtle melodies. Droning atmospheric pads flow smoothly into the gaps, rise serenely from the major breakdown, and cushion the eventual fall following the peak sequence. It is complex enough to reward detailed listening, and sufficiently aggressive to suit the night-time dance floor. Another solid tune from Connor and Wright.

Orzels Machine (Ady Connor & Mike Rucinski) rounds out this collection of dark and devilish tunes with something entirely different. The beat doesn’t have the deranged snap and roll that is the hallmark of the Ambivalent sound. Instead, the chrome-plated rhythms throb and grind with a slick mechanical edge. Cold acid riffs pulse in a hypnotic fashion, accentuated by choral atmospheres. This is an interesting new direction to explore; more would be welcome.

Further Ambivalent Tendancies provides more quality tunage for the zombie rave massive. FAT does not manage to exceed the standard set by some the more daring LPS releases such as Symptoms of Compliance, but fans of the Ambivalent posse will not be disappointed. Most of these songs are fairly techno-oriented, relying less on overt hooks and massive melodies and more on intelligent atmospheric composition. I have found fewer favourites as a result, but the quality remains consistently good throughout the CD. There is a risk that the appeal of FAT will be limited to DJs and fans of the style, but any psytrance listener with a taste for the dark side will find something to sink their teeth into. This is another solid product of the devious intellects at Ambivalent Records.

Release Data

Title: Further Ambivalent Tendancies
Label: Ambivalent Records
Format: CD compilation
Released: 2006