Turbulence

Turbulence is the second chapter in Flying Rhino’s flagship series of compilations that began with First Flight back in 1996. After gaining a worldwide following for their contributions to the old school Goa trance movement, Flying Rhino became increasingly experimental, brazenly pioneering new directions with each passing season. Turbulence is a landmark release in their history as it clearly demarcates the point at which the label embraces ribald unconventionality. Disposing of the glittering fractal patterns that shaped their early sound, Flying Rhino turned toward abrasive metallic textures, hypnotizing linear rhythms, and scratchy alien leads. This won them little praise at first—early reviews are peppered with derogatory slurs and outraged complaints. In time, listeners seemed to warm up to the new mode of thinking that governed the development of this release. With hindsight, Turbulence can be seen as an important early prototype of the minimal wave that swept the psytrance world at the onset of the millennium.

Turbulence features four songs sourced from the “silver series” of vinyl singles; a triptych consisting of the Jammy Mutants, Freak Disciple, and Beast EPs. Each of these singles features a silver metallic cover design seen nowhere else in the Flying Rhino discography. In addition, the opening track Rumbling Toon is taken from the single of the same name, released many months after the others. The rest are exclusive to this CD release; Turbulence was the first major Flying Rhino release not made on vinyl.

Turbulence begins with a song written by Bumbling Loons, a project formed by Flying Rhino veterans James Monro and Dick Trevor to explore the potential of the slow-building style that came to be known as progressive trance. Rather than throttle their listeners with wild acid lines and massive crescendos, Bumbling Loons operated on a more subliminal level, doling out small hints of a melody with calculated reserve. Rumbling Toon, produced alongside Gus Till of Slinky Wizard, is a fine example of the sort of sneaky business Bumbling Loons were known for. Fat kicks, dirty rasping hi-hats, hypnotic synths, and snarling sound particles develop gradually over the course of nearly ten minutes. It seems deceptively sparse for much of that running time, but there is a crafty peak hidden in there somewhere—the “gotcha” moment. For the complete scoop, check my full review.

Freak Disciple is the union of ManMadeMan and Tristan, two experienced Goa trance masters. Freedom Engine—their masterwork—opens with a cavalcade of mechanical sound textures that set the tone for the song. Soon enough, the pulsating techno-tribal rhythm wiggles into audibility with a strong fluid bass line and a brilliant set of clanking industrial drums. Lush synthetic noises spiral in and out amidst a bubbling cocktail of snarky psychedelic filter sweeps. A distinctly mischievous lead develops in the last half of the song, fulfilling all expectations. The trick ending with 30 seconds to go makes it a tough mix, but it’s worth a shot. This song was sourced from the EP of the same name, reviewed here.

Byte 1 is a unique collaboration between Graham Wood (one half of The Infinity Project) and Xavier Morel (a well-known DJ). Together they have forged a hauntingly beautiful odyssey into a murky realm populated by rippling organic bass and howling psychedelic guitar flourishes. Alternating in tone between sullen and sinister, Byte 1 glides through the night like airborne quicksilver, a gleaming artifact beneath the pale moonlight. This lycanthropic creation is easily one of the finest either producer has been involved in—and that is saying a great deal in Graham’s case. As this song is exclusive to Turbulence, it greatly enhances the value of the compilation.

Turbulence features both songs released on the Jammy Mutants EP, a landmark release for the legendary Flying Rhino Records, and the first to score a perfect ten here at Ektoplazm. Slinky Wizard pioneered the minimal aesthetic on this groundbreaking single, and Turbulence benefits greatly from the presence of both tracks. Gus Till and Dominic Lamb collaborate on the remix of Fist Full of Mutants, better known as Fridgefull of Mutants. This is a heavily funk-fortified trip through sound featuring highly textured percussive work and a smartly looped breakbeat sample. The subtle noises that ripple beneath the convoluted rhythms have a powerful dissociative effect. One of the most distinct elements is the seemingly random interjection of guitar notes, plucked with a demented fury, processed through effect units to produce something utterly alien. There isn’t much out there that sounds anything like this, though perhaps comparisons could be made to the Danish studio wizards Koxbox and Reefer Decree. Needless to say, it is a great piece of music!

Alienated is a side project of J.D. Jensen (of Orichalcum and The Deviant) in collaboration with Thomas Larsen. Injection consists of ten minutes of raw and dirty alien sounds arranged to challenge experienced psychonauts. The sample quips “I say, my patient needs another injection.” Bizarre hallucinatory sounds rip across the stereo field like electricity as metallic rain drops fall from above. The results are tumultuous, but that seems to be the desired effect. Injection was later remixed and released on FF, the debut album from Alienated.

The second offering taken from the Jammy Mutants EP is the infamous AngstRom Dispidooshan, a collaboration between three frequent Slinky Wizard members—Gus Till, George Barker, and James Monro—and Toby Smith (then a member of Jamiroquai). This is, in my opinion, the first truly brilliant piece of minimal psychedelic trance. The progression is one straight build from the first humming note, with tension and psychedelic content increasing slowly but steadily, suavely easing the sonic soup seep into the listener’s synapses. Distinctive tribal drums are teased and delayed to no end, giving the juicy mechanical groove an irresistible flair. Alongside the sick rhythms, a wild assortment of alien noises are spun into whirling patterns that would leave a dervish dizzy. Eventually a massive electric undercurrent begins to seethe beneath scathing atmospheric effects, and the track reaches a powerful peak without employing any overt melodies. The sole effort of the Jammy Wizard project is a pulsating hypnotic masterpiece of minimalist psychedelic trance.

Sharas is another one-off project—that of Xanu Senckel (one half of Dat Pirates On Dope), “Adrenalin” (André Schmitz AKA DJ Joyrider), and Maurice Larin. Granulated Rock sounds dreadfully old to my ears—which may explain why the early reviewers favoured this song over many of the others. The breakbeat patterns and warbling acid noises seem intricate enough, but the crusty guitar riffs strike me as slipshod. Unsuccessful.

Darshan is an acquired taste that I have never really picked up. Previously released on the Beast EP, The Beast is cited as the stand-out track in many of the early reviews, but I have never fathomed its appeal. To my ears, this sounds noisy, incoherent, and poorly produced.

Deflo (Laurent Deflores) completes the compilation with Implacable, an unusual production similar only to his work for Matsuri from the same period. Weird noises and aggressive rhythms form the backbone of this strange song, but the poor quality of the recording inhibits what enjoyment may have been had. A dud.

Turbulence features a number of incredible successes and a few minor letdowns. Slinky Wizard, Freak Disciple, and Byte 1 deliver a set of sterling classics, whereas some of the others are no more than failed experiments. Such are the consequences of a release that dares to push the envelope: sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. In this case, the strong moments certainly outweigh the disappointing ones. Flying Rhino went out on a limb with Turbulence, and for the most part, it works magnificently. Flawed though it may be, this compilation paved the way for the deepening exploration of the minimal trance aesthetic in the years to come, making Turbulence one of the more historically noteworthy releases of its time. It is certainly worth hearing, and serious collectors are sure to want to own a copy. Good luck finding one!