Globalize 1

Globalize 1 is a major compilation release from the Portuguese label Flow Records. Compiled by Yotopia, it features nine tight selections covering some of the hottest sounds in contemporary trance music. Crossing between tough psychedelic progressive and lighter electro-influenced fare, this is a top choice for the working DJ. The cover is not much to look at, but the contents more than make up for it. To proceed…

Yotopia opens with Bubbles, a harmless example of fluffy progressive trance. Perhaps it is too clean, but it serves well enough as a pleasant introduction.

Flash Brothers – Past Will Be Future receives an effective tune-up from electro-progressive superstars D-Nox & Beckers. There is nothing deep or complicated about this production, but it has all the qualities of a cross-genre dance floor hit. With Past Will Be Future, D-Nox & Beckers forge another easily digestible peak-time anthem.

Ace Ventura (Yoni Oshrat of Psysex) is rapidly building an excellent reputation within the prog-psy world. Go With Da Flow features a solid groove with a tribal edge, a languid atmosphere, light melodies, and good production value. It is not as amazing as R.I.S.E., released on Iboga’s Hibernation, but it still makes for above average set filler.

Next up, Perfect Stranger (Yuli Fershtat) remixes an unreleased track he made with Morax as BLT. Implant is just what one would expect: cool and groovy. Polished rhythms with intricate depths charge forth with a steady drive, establishing the self-assured quality of this piece. Pure class.

Liquid Soul has been pumping out plenty of mediocre compilation appearances in recent times, but Transmission is better than most, even though it lacks an intelligent use of layering. The crispy synthetic rhythms sound great, and the strong lead melody is pure euphoric power for the morning. As it is quite simple and to the point, it is a prime choice for crossover DJs seeking to emulate the likes of John ‘00′ Fleming in bringing a psychedelic touch to “mainstream” trance. I like it.

Ryan Halifax rolls in on giant waves of synthetic bass, delivering another fat tribal killer: Opposites. Not only are the rhythms sick, but the arrangement is as tight as ever! The sample really works: “then something unusual happened / a marriage of opposites.” Another solid cut from Halifax.

Antix & Rob Salmon meld their talents for a surprisingly upbeat romp through pleasant progressive trance with Tame The Beast. The drum programming is as excellent as one would expect from Antix, and the distinct melodies are a welcome addition to the flow. This was also released on vinyl with an André Absolut remix that is worth checking out. Good stuff!

Spanner aka Zen Mechanics provides my clear favourite of the compilation: Pagan Pulse. Although it churns along at 130 BPM like most of these offerings, there is something deep and undeniably psychedelic about the composition on this one. The male vocals are going to dissuade many listeners, but I have a soft spot for adeptly manipulated lyrics of this nature. Their presence limits the contexts in which this tough tribal song will make a good impression, however. This is not suitable for an indoor venue, nor will it work at morning time. Pagan Pulse is a progressive anthem for the long hours of darkness, out under the stars, in the midst of a full-blown festival. In the proper set and setting, this is simply fantastic!

Gaudium captures the modern essence of clean and refined Scandinavian trance. Their style features significant influences from early Human Blue, little of Noma’s austerity, and a touch of Vibrasphere and Atmos. Sonic Substance rounds out the compilation with a sleek and hypnotic journey composed with attention to detail. The arrangement, although clever, remains appreciably subtle. Although it never truly lets loose, this is a satisfying slice of smooth trance, crafted in the Spiral Trax tradition.

Globalize 1 is one of the best progressive compilations of the year. Without a theme, it feels as if the potential is not quite met, but it is difficult to argue with the sheer quality of the material Yotopia has compiled. There are only a few tunes on this compilation that I would not reach for when dropping a progressive set—an uncommon response, to say the least. Spanner scores the most exceptional hit, but there are no less than six other favourites here, all of which deserve some air time. As far as I am concerned, this is the best ever compilation from Flow Records, and absolutely essential for all progressive psytrance DJs and enthusiasts.

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