Dreams Like Deserts

Dreams Like Deserts, the debut compilation from Golden Dawn Records, is limited to 500 copies world wide. Firmly entrenched in the darkpsy movement, this compilation features sounds sourced from the thriving psytrance underworld. Most of these artists should be familiar to followers of the style. Distribution is limited—it seems to be available exclusively from Wirikuta and Beatspace. I’m not sure what’s up with the spelling errors in the track list, but I’ll just stick to what it says on the release itself.

Paranoize open the ritual with Long Time No See, a scathing-hard track full of psychedelic sounds. I had taken note of this new artist from Israel after hearing Fucking Evil Noise, originally released on the In Crypto compilation from Ketuh Records. There is no question that Paranoize is tweaking and polishing the style first laid out by Azax Syndrom and Psychotic Micro, but he’s doing a damn fine job of it. The production value is great for the style, the rhythmic contortions are just as appealing, and the track is slathered in richly psychedelic atmospheres. Some of the acid riffs are so beefy, spitting frothy streamers of crazy sound off in every direction, that this sound might make your mind melt into a steaming puddle. With the usual crowd-pleasing arrangement full of intense builds and sick drops, this first entry turns out to be a killer for the dance floor, sure to receive a great response. An excellent track to open the album!

Dominator Project follows up with New Generation, another single release from this brand new producer from Russia. I hear a lot of influence from Parasense in this, but it lacks a clear focus. It muddles through several minutes of chaotic sound, making it a rather ordinary track for the style.

Wizard Lizard’s remix to Nightmare opens with some great dark atmospheres, probably from a movie. The sound on this one also carries hints of Psychotic Micro in some moments, with screaming samples and some wiggly acid riffs. It shifts from stomping to curiously playful at times, leaping into new sequences with a smooth transition. This is not bad, but the song doesn’t have enough depth or a big enough hook to really register.

Blisargon Demogorgon provides Programing Concentration to fill in for the fourth slot. This sound comes from the dark and noisy discipline, relying mainly on pounding rhythms and scratchy effects to achieve a neurotic atmosphere. There is an occasional droning sound that can be heard, much like that of Claw’s Disturbed Galaxy, that provides an eerie atmosphere. A few good samples round it out: “I had a splitting headache, from which the future is made,” for example. It never really deviates too far from the initial pattern, and begins to wear out its welcome at close to nine minutes, but it is still one of the better tracks I’ve heard from this project.

N3XU5 digs deep into a fusion of techtrance and darkpsy with Cybergothic, a track that has a few things in common with the style of Deviant Species. This track is hard and repetitious, with a rippling undercurrent of bass. The eerie background atmospheres are subtle and restrained, contrasting strongly with the otherwise adrenaline-charged beat. Distinction is provided by a very odd and unsettling melody that wiggles in later on. If you are seeking relentless pounding rhythms with a techno orientation, this may hold an appeal.

A veteran of the style, Psychotic Micro drops a solid tune with Imorality. This is a mean and nasty track for heavy stomping on the dance floor. It is somewhat sparse, but all the loops are masterfully manipulated, showing off slick production skills on this straight-forward tune. The melody is clear and distinct, seldom accompanied by more than industrial-strength noises that cycle around in the background. The builds aren’t as massive as some other tracks by Psychotic Micro and Azax Syndrom, but this one is still a decent piece of work. It makes for a competent tool for building a set.

Sungirl’s Inoy suits the mood of the compilation, offering another sputtering rhythm laced with bubbling and snaking effects. Light breakbeat patterns are infused into the jittery rhythm, and plenty of samples interject words in what I assume is Russian from time to time. Dark and squelchy, somewhat like the one from Wizard Lizard earlier on. Again—decent stuff, but nothing outstanding.

Kemic-Al is a dark psychedelic artist with one of the most original sounds in the underground movement. I haven’t liked the work of this Maltese maestro before, but Sophisticated Vampires is undeniably distinct and richly psychedelic. The complexity of the rhythms and ceaseless technical games remind me of the old school artist Orichalcum, which is an odd connection to make, but there nonetheless. While the song is primarily minimal, there is always so much going on that it’s hard to lose the binding thread that unites the song into a disturbing vision of psychedelic trance. With such a focus on intricate breakbeat manipulation and dry, scratchy sounds, it is certainly a uncommon creation. Surprisingly good!

Claw and Paranoize close the album with the best tune here. Not in a long time have I heard such a sick manipulation of a breakbeat sample! One of those great thematic entrances kicks it off, and then the track is on the prowl, instantly developing an ominous mood. The tension-building leads into blunt and brutal beat sequences, thickly layered in rich psychedelic effects. Devastation will overtake the dance floor when this bomb is dropped at high volume! The late break is pure class—sick rhythmic games that don’t mess around, building energy on the critical tension levels. In essence, Lochnes is one of the sickest hard psytrance anthems to emerge from the genre yet.

Dreams Like Deserts proves to be above average for a darkpsy release. The quality standards for the style are usually somewhat lower than the other burgeoning movements of psytrance, but this one is satisfyingly consistent. There are a handful of highlights, with some absolutely wicked material provided by Paranoize. The remainder I’m not sure about highlighting, but I find the Kemic-Al and N3XU5 tracks are a cut above the rest. General psytrance listeners who aren’t all that deep into the dark side might be a little put off by the sheer relentless quality of these tracks, and for the very same reason its home listening potential is suspect. Nonetheless, this is a solid release—one of the better ones in the field, in fact. Darkpsy fans should take a listen!

Share This

Transmit a Comment

Name (required)

Email (required; never published or spammed)

Web Link/URL (optional)

Check this box to subscribe to the Ektoplazm newsletter for infrequent updates, special promotions, and more.

Check this box to receive an email whenever additional comments are made.