Infinite Excursions 1

Infinite Excursions 1 is the seventh full-length release from TIP Records, arguably the most famous psytrance label in history. After the great success of their three original “colours” compilations, TIP gambled on taking a deeper approach. The Infinite Excursions series of compilations “was introduced to reflect the morning and post party sounds” (from TIP: The Story). The first edition—subtitled “Softer Psychedelic Sounds”–arrived with this short explanatory passage in the liner notes:

Infinite excursions… the relaxed side of electronic trance dance.
Experiments in psychedelic music to give us something between ambient and full on.
An ectoplasmic flash, taking us to higher realms and dimensions. This is the soundtrack of our lives.
Lyserge and merge.
Thrill and chill!

Trance fans worldwide were not entirely sure what to make of it. Looking over comments made on the old TRiP review site, SHAQ expresses a typical opinion by declaring Infinite Excursions 1 “Very poor indeed. This is possibly TIP`s worst release to date.” Others were not so unforgiving; one anonymous writer deems this “an incredible selection of pioneering and inovative, gold medal tunes that stir the heart. Tip are at the forefront of progressive music in their genre.” plm write “I just love it. We must all consider the fact that it peeks into the other side of psychedelic trance, and I think Raj and the other scientists did a great job in creating the T.I.P. kind of atmosphere.” In 1999, psytrancer@usa.net provided an insightful review, which I shall quote:

Even now this is an awesome collection. Kicking test is phenomenal. This compilation is a hidden classic and I still listen to it regularly after 3 years. If you can track this down, or stumble across it, do not miss your opportunity. [...] Perfect last thing at night or first thing in the morning. Not bad at tea-time either! And not as ambient as you may expect…….

This compilation is lightly mixed on CD. Unfortunatly, the transitions between tracks can be very rough. On vinyl, the compilation was only released as a 2×12″ sampler. There is a limited edition that features an embossed TIP logo on the side opposite Rumours of Vapours. This is mainly of interest to collectors.

The compilation opens with the very first appearance of Shpongle, the legendary collaboration between grand wizard Simon Posford and The Infinity Project’s Raja Ram. Rumours of Vapours is remarkable for being the stepping stone between the ethereal sounds of TIP’s Mystical Experiences and the vivid psychedelic experiments of Are You Shpongled? Needless to say, it is nothing less than brilliant. Rumours of Vapours is featured on Shpongle’s debut album, but credit must be given to Infinite Excursions 1 for being the very first place it appeared.

Atmosphere suits the theme of this compilation very well; Elysium has always possessed a soft, tribal sound. The song opens with a spacious introduction and a good sample: “when I was in space, the most profound experience was to see this little planet, at a distance…” The attention to detail on this piece is quite remarkable. The rhythms are nicely constructed, fading right into the background. The atmospheric programming proves to be the key focus, lending this track a serene sense of significance. Sublimely gorgeous.

X-Dream’s Relax Vortex—not to be confused with the similarly titled track on their second full-length album—enjoys a sterling reputation amongst the trance elite. It was featured on Top Of The TIPs 2, a “best of” compilation released several years later. Gus Till touts it as his favourite track of all time on the Eternity Vol. 2 compilation. The beat is slow and heavy, with a muddy organic atmosphere and a perfectly appropriate sample: “this is a very old song, and this is about ganja…” Nothing else really sounds quite like this; X-Dream were in peak creative form with this deep piece of trance.

Plastic Birth is the title track from Anesthesia’s obscure 2×12″ release of the same name on the short-lived UK imprint Cosmic Communication. This is mighty strange. It leaps and capers like a adolescent android through an electric cartoon fun house. The producers flirt with darkness at times, adding depth and complexity to the journey.

Kicking Test is one of the first releases from The Antidote, a side project of Serge Souque from Total Eclipse. Despite the short duration (under six minutes) Serge manages to conjure a vivid sense of mystery and wonder with echoing drums and haunting melodies. Spooky, hypnotic, and utterly charming.

Sundown has the distinction of being one of the most ancient Goa trance tunes around. Originally released in 1992 on the Organic + single, it has been modified to fit this compilation by being pitched up and cut short. It seems that all future psytrance anthologies that made use of this track have worked with this new version, “remastered by Ian Ion and The Eagle Has Landed,” and sometimes designated the “Ionizer ‘96 Remix.” Sundown is retro in the best way possible! The loping snare hits, primitive bass stabs, majestic melodies, and nature samples work so well together. What really grips me is this incredible sequence in the very heart of the song: the mood darkens, as if a storm has passed overhead, and the pressure grimly intensifies to an inexplicably dire climax. An abrupt silence lets all the tension run out, but wow—what a moment! The next phase is primarily upbeat and carefree, but there are complexities to the tale that will continue to confound and delight. What a timeless piece of music! Too bad the lead-out is clipped in this version.

Typhoon is a side project from Total Eclipse members Stephane Holweck, Serge Souque and Loic Van Poucke in combination with Daniel Toby. Typhoon Prelude sounds close to the softer work from Delta Aquarids; do not expect any wailing leads or big breaks. True to the concept of the compilation, there is a soft organic quality to this piece. Pan-pipe melodies and orchestral atmospheres take the story deeper, weaving a contemplative spell. Lovely.

The final track is an “excerpt” from The Mystery of the Yeti, “a kind of Psy-ambient super group” that featured contributions from Hallucinogen, The Infinity Project, Doof, and Total Eclipse. The liner notes for TIP: The Story state that the Yeti material “was recorded at a long session at Youth’s Dragonfly house in Brixton [...] in 95.” This particular piece is accredited to Raja Ram and the three members of Total Eclipse, with Simon Posford providing mixing and engineering duties. It is a calming piece of work features plenty of bubbling analog acid lines, mystic melodies, and light trance rhythms. Unfortunately, by the very nature of it being an excerpt, this piece feels incomplete. It is best to acquire the actual Mystery of the Yeti CD to fully appreciate the products of this intriguing collaboration.

TIP were way ahead of their time with this noteworthy release. It might not be perfect, but it does feature a lot of good music. I suspect there was a shortage of suitable material on hand, which may explain why Infinite Excursions 1 features some previously released material and that dubious excerpt. As much as it may have been billed as a chill out album, only Shpongle and the Yeti track really qualify. The rest is low-key Goa trance. It’s a damn shame about the transitions between songs, but what can you do? At least the music is consistently good. Shpongle, X-Dream, The Overlords, and The Antidote steal the show, but there are no really bad tunes here. Infinite Excursions 1 is recommended for Shpongle and TIP collectors, classic Goa trance enthusiasts, and fans of softer psychedelic trance.

Release Data

Title: Infinite Excursions 1
Label: TIP Records
Format: CD/Vinyl compilation
Released: 1996

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