Slipstream

Flying Rhino Records remain one of the most important labels in psytrance history. Slipstream is one of their most pivotal releases; it marks the point at which they fully embraced the implications of the “progressive” concept of electronic music authorship that has since become one of the dominant movements in the global psytrance scene. Slipstream builds on developments heard on Turbulence, the second compilation in the “Flight” series of compilations. The liner notes for Slipstream outline the intention behind the release:

“With this album we have tried to blur the lines between Trance, Techno, and Hard House whilst staying true to our heritage. This is the album that defines Flying Rhino’s new style… Evolution without compromise.”

Atmos opens the compilation with one of his most famous works: Klein Aber Doktor. This song really deserves its own write-up; it is the prototypical progressive psytrance anthem. Timeless.

Slide (Pete Martin) released his debut album Unstable in 1998, cementing his reputation for insanely chaotic yet devilishly funky psychedelic trance. Slipping in under the radar, Confusional State signified a major turning point in Slide’s career. No longer would chaos reign; it was subsumed beneath the funk, wrapped in a slick outer layer of gloss and polish. The results are magnificently smooth and utterly irresistible.

Stoop & Fidget is a collaboration between Gus Till and James Monro, both key figures in Flying Rhino history. Mudless is similar to Rumbling Toon in some ways; it develops gradually, stirring more and more psychedelic elements into the brew, eventually reaching a sustained peak of activity. This refined approach is an acquired taste, certainly—but the sheer quality of this song should be obvious to all listeners.

Next up, Kopfuss Resonator provides Holy Water, a piece of psychedelic techno similar to what can be heard on their debut album, Spect-® Module. German engineering at its finest.

Venom AKA N-Tropic follow with Try It, another pumping psychedelic techno track. It zips and whirls but never manages to drive the point home.

Dragon’s Freak The Greek builds on Venom’s insectile aesthetic, ratcheting up the intensity. This has a little more going for it but it still feels noisy and incoherent. I am intrigued, however: could one argue for this being an early precursor of the “darkpsy” style? A curiosity.

Bus (Gus Till’s solo project) restores interest with Something’s Always Out There, a fantastic work of cinematic psychedelic trance that shimmers with creativity. Something about the way in which Gus manipulates sounds in this song promotes a sense of awe and wonder. Blissful listening!

Blue Planet Corporation’s Micromega marks the climax of the compilation; this is the closest thing to classic Goa trance one will find here. Bubbling acid lines and chattering breakbeats leap through the air as the song opens up. Awesome stuff, and it can also be heard on BPC’s debut album, Blue Planet.

The compilation closes with Tribal Chord Projection by O.J. Project, a mysterious artist that might be an alias of Massimo Vivona. This is a stripped-down piece of progressive trance characterized by tight rhythmic programming and extremely deep atmospheres. It sounds a bit like the opening number by Atmos but lacks the same kind of spark. Although it is not the most successful offering on Slipstream it is easy to understand why it was selected for the compilation.

Slipstream is arguably one of the more important releases of 1998. It helped to pave the way for the rise of the minimal and progressive trends that dominated psychedelic trance for the next three to five years. Aside from being historic, Slipstream also makes for solid listening years down the line; its appeal is long-lasting. I would recommend this to all collectors with particular emphasis on anyone interested in the development of progressive psytrance.