Ektoplazm is the world’s #1 source for free and legal psychedelic trance downloads. Founded in 2001 by DJ Basilisk, Ektoplazm has mutated into a highly successful web site and netlabel. Initially chartered to spread awareness of psytrance culture throughout Canada and the United States, Ektoplazm has since gone on to achieve a global presence.

In order to take full advantage of our powerful digital distribution network, Ektoplazm established an in-house label in 2008 to promote homegrown Canadian talent and unconventional international acts. We offer high-quality free downloads and physical CD sales of our releases. This unique approach maximizes the promotional reach of our releases, empowers our artists with new creative freedoms, and liberates our listeners from industry-standard guilt trips about music piracy. Our concept represents a fresh way of thinking about how psytrance culture can move forward into the future.

The term progressive refers to a number of different aspects of electronic dance music. In a technical sense, the word progressive suggests deep rhythms, slow-burning arrangements, hazy atmospheres, and a subtle approach to composition. Progressive can also mean cutting edge, fashionable, or “forward thinking.” It is a slippery concept, always changing. I tend to fall back on the more technical definition of the word progressive—a consequence, perhaps, of paying little attention to passing dance floor fashions. The whole DJ world is so concerned with immediacy, gaining access to unreleased music, and caning the hell out of hot tracks before anyone else does—but this is not a game I play. I prefer to enjoy quality music and share my findings with others who might be interested. On that note, I have compiled a list of twenty progressive tunes that have been in heavy rotation here at Ektoplazm. These selections range from the deeper end of psytrance to progressive house and minimal techno territory, or whatever you want to call it. To me, this is progressive music—and it is much more fun to blend it all together rather than separate the strains. Without further ado, here are my recommendations for October (with links to release information on Discogs):

Behind Blue Eyes & Krusseldorf – The World Is Our Oyster [Iboga Records]
Duca – Snowman [Tribal Vision Records]
Fuzzion – Free Tibet [Boshke Beats]
Gregor Tresher – A Thousand Nights (Extrawelt Remix) [Great Stuff Recordings]
Human Traffic – Laughing Guys With Tits (Lish Remix) [Blue Tunes Recordings]
Kasey Taylor – Trapped (Dousk Remix) [Iboga Records]
Kino Oko – Remedy Express [Tribal Vision Records]
La Baaz – Trinity [Echoes Records]
Midi Miliz – Phenomena (Atmos Remix) [Horns & Hoofs]
Morax – Out Of The Blue (Perfect Stranger Remix) [Spiral Trax]
Nano Mechanic – Encounter [Flow Records]
Özgür Can – The Distance (AGS Remix) [Save Me Records]
Pion – Busted [Ultra Groove Records]
Psysex – Birth Of A Pitched Wave [HOMmega Productions]
Robert Babicz – Dark Flower (Joris Voorn’s Magnolia Remix) [Audiomatique Recordings]
RPO vs David Weed – Plovdiv [Open Records]
Tegma – What Time Is Up? (A Tribute To The KLF) [Tribal Vision Records]
True Lies – Whisper (Fiord Remix) [Blue Tunes Recordings]
X-Dream – Building No. 7 [Boshke Beats]
Zen Mechanics – Ground Control V2 [Neurobiotic Records]

Photo credit: Obojdite.