Pyramidal Trancendence is the debut compilation from Metapsychic Records. It is an impressive piece of work, charting a course through the mystic realms of spiritual Goa trance. Nine artists provide modern interpretations of the classic style popularized by bands such as Etnica and Astral Projection ten years ago. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this release is the sheer quality of the presentation. With an excellent cover design by Astrancer and mastering by Kenneth of Colorbox, Pyramidal Trancendence has been assembled with quality in mind.

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Japanese DJ So compiled Kodama for Plusquam Records, a label well-known for their classy progressive psytrance releases. The first five songs hit the 136 to 138 BPM sweet spot, while the last three cruise at 130 and below, making for a nice balance of tempos. The artwork, also by DJ So, is great, but the running time feels rather short at 64 minutes. Is there enough substance to make it a good release?

Decoy opens the compilation with Cat Magic, a languid tune that breezes by along without hitting a nerve. This is minimal, remote, and reflective, yet the producers still manage to inject their cozy creation with some warmth. It is nice, but Decoy’s debut album is much more engaging.

Sensient advances the state of the art with Dissolve, a nasty tune loaded with all kinds of wicked elements. The dark tribal rhythms are incredibly intricate—the producer’s sense of timing is impeccable. Genuinely haunting atmospheric flourishes sprawl across the sound canvas, evoking a chilling response. The last half features a number of catch samples stating “progressive” and “house music,” a technique which usually would not appeal to me, but Tim makes it work. For a while, Sensient’s compilation appearances were beginning to sound the same, but this is a step in a new direction. I hope to hear more like this—what a gem!

Sunglider breaks no new ground for FREq, a prolific producer known for his fat melodic style of progressive psytrance. While this song may be impressive on a technical level, it is devoid of new ideas. It will appeal to anyone unfamiliar with FREq, but provides nothing fresh or interesting for anyone who already has a few of his tunes.

The same could be said about Bitmonx and Fabio’s Deep Sense, a lazy groover immediately recognizable to anyone who has heard their work before. The production quality is very well balanced, and fans will surely enjoy it, but it isn’t remarkable in any way.

Earsugar is a new project from Nicola Capobianco (Liquid Soul) and Martin Knecht (Mikrokosmos). Foretaste is much like any other track from Nico, with deep synthetic rhythms, a spacious morning vibe, and plenty of effects wizardry. After a promising beginning, the progression of this song comes to a standstill in the second half. It is not, as the sample proclaims, a “deep life-changing experience,” but it would make for a good DJ tool.

Fitalic slows it down to 130 with My Destiny, a simple song featuring lush chords and a clattering progressive house groove. Aside from a couple of floating breakdowns, the arrangement is extremely straightforward. Fans of warm, drifting trance might enjoy the hypnotizing effect of this repetitive song.

Ryan Halifax delivers more filler with Chocolate, a good song in his usual style that takes about as many risks as the last five tracks. The round synthetic groove—a Halifax trademark—is solid, and the cheeky samples may delight, but the track chugs along without striking upon a really exceptional moment. This is decent material to fill up a progressive set, but Ryan has done better!

André Absolut rounds it out with a serene voyage through smooth trance pads and crispy drum loops. The fat and funky rhythms provide a striking compliment to the ebb and flow blissful atmospheric layers that smoothly flow overhead. It advances and recedes like waves caressing a white sand beach under the moonlight. This uncommonly majestic trance odyssey is one of my favourites from Absolut.

Kodama is a standard progressive compilation with few outstanding moments. While each song is produced and mastered with great skill, many lack a vital creative spark to set them apart from the rest. Sensient and Absolut impress me with their contributions, but the rest of these songs are nothing new. Now don’t get me wrong—this compilation contains good music—but the bulk of the material lacks a distinguishing hook. Kodama is still a decent release, of particular interest to anyone who doesn’t already own music from the featured artists. Progressive psytrance DJs and fans may wish to pick it up anyway, as the production quality is uniformly satisfying, and there are at least a couple of good songs. In the highly competitive progressive psytrance market, Kodama is no better than average, but it is still a substantial release worth investigating.

Release Data

Title: Kodama
Label: Plusquam Records
Format: CD compilation
Released: 2006

One full year after the release of Set 4, Yuli Fershtat returns with another compilation on Iboga Records: Hibernation. With a frosty winter theme, the energy level is quite mellow, although many of these songs are quite warm and upbeat. Israeli artists provide the bulk of the material, scooping up six out of nine slots. This compilation is lightly mixed.

Veterans James Monro and Dickster (Dick Trevor) are up first. Wash Out is slow to develop but the long wait is worth it. The song begins to satisfy shortly after the four minute mark as a dazzling set of classy atmospheres blossom over the casual groove. As the track wears on, a fat bass line begins to twist around, adding a subtle rhythmic hook that will prove to be a delight on the dance floor. This is deep and funky progressive house for the sunshine hours, crafted with skill and sophistication.

Yotopia’s New Born sticks to the group’s typical style: groovy, punchy, upbeat, and quaintly simplistic. Serene morning sounds glaze the upper reaches while a ponderous tribal textured beat meanders beneath. The break introduces a happy melody that invites comparisons to a pitched down Protoculture. It is nothing special.

Morax—here to present Out Of The Blue—is one half of the excellent Israeli techtrance group Triac. Superficially, this is a standard progressive tune featuring soft chords and drifting melodies. Attentive listening reveals a raspy edge to the production, crispy effects, and a technoid shuffle in the rhythm. It is a good attempt, but the results are not memorable.

Ace Ventura’s R.I.S.E. is a stunning tribal progressive trance anthem. The highly textured drum loops are simply incredible! There are several moments where the vibe is dark and almost minimal, but the tough rhythms and subtle atmospheric sounds maintain engagement while clever tension-raising techniques are introduced. Seductive melodies, flowing in sinuous waves, are teased from the depths for powerful results. The clean arrangement, logical progression, and smooth production style help make this one of the most satisfying songs of the year. Excellent work!

Perfect Stranger’s Bliss is an epic piece of trance music with considerable emotional depths. It cruises along with a serene grace, soothing the soul with wistful melodies and seductive atmospheric hooks. The arrangement is divine, casting a hypnotic spell with an expert use of layering and a slow yet dynamic progression. Bliss is a testament to Yuli’s mature song-writing abilities. Simply gorgeous!

Annarchy, Dickster, and George Barker collaborate on Eargate, another solid track loaded with class and style. The drum programming is detailed and captivating, metallic snarls pierce the air, and a sublime assortment of vocal snippets and digital effects keep it interesting. The big sample that leads the track into the second half is weird and delightful, ushering in another round of deeply synthetic grooves. I am reminded of FREq when the energy picks up, although this is not quite as overproduced. A stand-out song!

Sun Control Species – Push Through may be the fastest track on this compilation, but it is surprisingly mellow. Digging into deep realms of sound, the artist dabbles with tribal rhythms, spacious atmospheric surges, and vaguely Oriental themes. Relaxing material for the late afternoon. Charming!

Buggy One is the debut release from Elegant Universe, an Israeli progressive group formed by Miki Litvak and Amir Hardon. Miki has a long history in the trance scene, but has not released very much in the last few years. This track is deep and serene, with calming atmospheres and a sparse breakdown. It is too meek to make much of an impression, perhaps due to the softer production technique.

Fish is a new project from Yuli and DJ Zombi. Gotta Get On seems to take a few hints from the Antix side project Fiord, dealing in moody tribal drums and droning progressive sounds. A touch of breakbeats and clubby vocals gives it some mainstream appeal, but the production approach is fuzzy enough to appeal to psytrance listeners. Not bad for a first offering.

Yuli has good taste in progressive trance music! There are no bad tracks here. R.I.S.E. and Bliss are outstanding highlights, but the old Flying Rhino veterans provide quality tunes, and I have a soft spot for anything by Sun Control Species. Even though the compilation is not consistently amazing—some of these tracks drift along without much personality—the quality level is remarkably consistent. Another quality release from Iboga, well-suited for progressive psytrance fans who enjoy softer morning grooves.

Release Data

Title: Hibernation
Label: Iboga Records
Format: CD compilation
Released: 2006

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