Sally Doolally’s Trancexpressions

Trancexpressions is a more modern release from Transient Records, a label responsible for popularizing old school Goa acts such as Cosmosis, Slide, and Astral Projection many years ago. German DJ Sally Doolally received prime exposure for her involvement in selecting the tunes that appear here, as evidenced by the title. This release was followed by a long absence from which Transient has struggled to recover. It was also preceded by a period of low activity during which the label made no major releases. In that sense this is essentially an “interim” release divorced from any particular period in the label’s history.

Tristan & ManMadeMan open the compilation in fine form with an energetic and driving tune entitled Tetrapod. It sounds full-on, but the artists focus on precision-oriented layers of sounds. This song gains its intensity from the cumulative effect of these layers and the steady, pulsating rhythm. Not bad for an opener.

Ninja’s Wind Change is a step in a new direction for this French artist. Far from his early techtrance exploits, Wind Change is full-on similar in some respects to the sound of the Russian group Overlap (previously Neoris). The production is quite heavy, with a funky touch on the bass. There are strange hints of distorted guitar and other small details for those who are paying attention, but the approach is primarily direct. The bass line never really changes, but the sublime synthetic melodies mutate over time. Overall, it marks a great improvement in Ninja’s song-writing abilities.

Aphid Moon and Hydrophonic joined forces to compose Aphidphonics, a thrilling piece of distinctive psychedelic trance with a dark and nasty edge. The synthetic rhythms on this one are so deep and powerful, with tight layers of percussion that are as good as anything Aphid Moon has ever composed. Liquid melodies spiral around with the greatest of ease, displaying the hallucination-inducing abilities of these two talented producers. Years later, it remains a strong favourite. This is full-on psytrance the way it should be: filled with depth and richly produced. Amazing!

Chromosome was one of the big finds of 2004. They now have their own style, but sounded very much like a morning-friendly Logic Bomb as they emerged on the world stage. Final Fantasy is loaded with wordy samples about the human experience, the unconscious, Buddhism, and other lofty philosophical notions. Acoustic guitar also makes an appearance. The overall combination is not as palatable as I had hoped; the samples reduce the repeat listening value of this song.

For some artists, I am always keeping an ear out for the ultimate “representative slice”–the best track of an artist that I am not really into. Space Navigators is that song for Safi Connection, an Israeli full-on artist with a prolific output. This has all the cuts and quirks of D-Specialist with the addition of intense soaring melodies, huge evocative atmospheres, and some really cool Russian space program samples. The production is perhaps a bit peculiar, jumping around all over the place as it does, but there is no denying how effective this is at peak moments.

Don’t let the high speed fool you—Radio Burn by Bus (Gus Till) is a deeply hypnotizing track with a lot going on. Intricate percussive touches and an extensive use of layering ensures that this is a captivating creation. It may take some time for all the details to emerge from the chaos, but when they do, watch out! Play this one loud, pay close attention, and prepare to be convinced.

The rest of the CD isn’t all that great. Chemical Fantasy’s Space Fantasy is a rather basic full-on tune lacking in depth. Filler. Planet B.E.N. surprises long-time fans with Your Own Reality, a corny slice of guitar-driven full-on. It was somewhat fresh when originally released but just sounds plastic and superficial now. Finally, Blue Lunar Monkey’s Dance Around is a groovy morning tune that shows some promise but never really delivers. It is pleasant, but not particularly memorable.

Trancexpressions is a reasonable comeback for Transient Records, but doesn’t come close to their trail-blazing efforts of the mid-nineties. At least it reverses the trend for the label; Transient was beginning to lose their credibility in the psytrance scene after drifting off into mainstream club-friendly chaff. These songs don’t advance the movement in any way, but at least the selections are diverse. I would not recommend this release to anyone who didn’t enjoy the full-on side of psytrance, but it could serve as an decent introduction to the style for those who are curious. Those who love full-on will probably want to investigate. Overall, a reasonable return for Transient Records!