Widescreen

Under the guidance of DJ Laureth, Plusquam released the by-the-numbers progressive psytrance compilation Widescreen in 2003. It was hailed as a commendable offering of satisfyingly deep grooves, and I would wholeheartedly agree. This was in fact one of the first modern releases I purchased after making the switch from vinyl, and I was not disappointed.

Paste cracks open the comp with Smash It, a moody track in their signature style that begins with a long introduction. A sly sample from Austin Powers fits well with the wiggling bass thrums and mildly tribal beats. As any fan of the group will know, the sound is a sublime mixture of dark and groovy with a slightly minimal approach. The quality is evident, so a listener’s response to this one will depend largely on personal taste. For me this is a bit too dry.

Next is Sound of Science by Shaman, who later released his full-length album Foretaste on this very same label. This is very static and linear techtrance with progressive sensibilities. The bland body of the song would be redeemed were the last segment worth the journey, but it doesn’t work out that way. After a somewhat dramatic breakdown with tribal flourishes the beat drops back in layered with a disappointing drone that has no dynamic properties. For minimal fans this might satisfy, but I don’t find that the track has enough going on to maintain a semblance of interest.

Ticon’s See Us at the Zoo is worth the price of admission! This is an uncommonly energetic dancefloor-friendly song composed with the group’s trademark fat-ass funky rhythms. Crystal clear effects work populates the passing moments, providing an expert balance of sophistication and melodic sensibility. The surprise feature is no doubt the late breakdown in which we hear a familiar disco sample digitally manipulated to great effect. This is just the sort of thing to bring out the smiles and lots of hard dancing!

Tegma presents a live mix of Canacas, a unique track with the roar of a jaguar and a very elastic groove. The rhythms leap and pounce across nine minutes of shaking synthetic beats. Snarly hooks keep it interesting and the drums are huge! A busy soundscape full of whirling noises vertiginous sweeps keeps it psychedelic, balanced by some seductive atmospheric pads to round out this distinct offering. Great work!

Elephant is easily one of the best ever singles from Vibrasphere, displaying their incredible talent for forging morning grooves that are an irresistible dance floor treat. The recipe is fantastic: extremely deep bass lines fuse with round kicks, perfect tribal percussion, and dubby stabs. The flow is ideal, moving smoothly through rolling rhythms to expose a tangibly emotional storyline that is both touching and beautiful. Elephant is one of the very finest morning songs ever made as far as I’m concerned!

Buzz and Symphonix team up to deliver the silky smooth Perfect Day, a light-hearted piece of Germanic progressive. The song is mainly reliant on persistent samples which encourage a positive view, while heavy bass grooves throb beneath. It’s a nice one but doesn’t stand out so much, though I imagine that Buzz fans will get a kick out of it.

Sensifeel – Look Around is a rougher progressive track with a slightly more aggressive kind of bass line and percussion combination. Ultimately I find this early offering from the Swiss group to be rather banal and uninspired, but it’s not terrible.

Bitmonx team up with Antix to bring you Tane, a song that easily could have been featured on the Kiwi group’s debut album Lull. Easygoing pacing with perfect placement of funky rhythmic elements makes for a relaxed journey through soulful housey grooves, layered with all the lush pads and sweeps you would expect from the groups. The high-quality production value rounds out what is one of the better Antix singles to be sourced from this era.

Lastly we have Absolut & Blade’s Outpost, a song which would have introduced many to future progressive star Andre Absolut. The groove has a lot more clunk to it than the comparatively mild-mannered psychedelic prog at the same tempo. Smooth restrained atmospheric chords provide the connoisseur with sublime satisfaction, leading the compilation to a satisfying finale.

Widescreen turned out to be a very good progressive compilation with some lasting value. These tunes have not gone out of style years after their release, and the CD continues to make for pleasant home listening. With this combination of accessibility and a handful of great tracks for the DJs, the value of Widescreen is assured. A few dull tunes might mar the journey, but the great ones more than make up for it! If you’re into the progressive psytrance sound and like the artists featured here you can bet on enjoying this release in your collection. Recommended.

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