Zoo 1 made a huge impact on the psychedelic trance world when it was released by Shaffel Records in 2001. After the surprise success of Skazi’s debut album Animal, Shaffel struck back with this lightly mixed compilation packed with aggressive dance floor thrillers. It was a well-timed move; the scene was ready for something fresh as the old school Goa spiritualism was laid to rest. The punk ethos of Zoo 1 immediately captured the attention of DJs and punters worldwide. Before long, Zoo became a major hit—and these songs could be heard on dance floor absolutely everywhere.

Wizzy Noise opens the compilation with Acid Level 33, a notorious piece of post-millennial techtrance. The trailblazing Greek duo employ many of the techniques heard on their second album, Cyclotron. Half of the appeal of this song is found in the wicked drum programming—and even if the loops are borrowed from Swedish techno pioneer Adam Beyer (as I have heard claimed), at least they’ve been heavily processed and arranged to achieve maximum impact. With a crazy set of signature Wizzy leads, choral atmospheric work, and a great final run, Acid Level 33 is another excellent song from the early years of Wizzy Noise.

Lemurians provide Fieating And Moving, a pounding tune with a gloomy groove. As will become standard on this CD, the approach is dusted with squelchy electric noises. The repetitive speech can grow to be annoying after a while, but it surely would have had a desirable effect in situ.

True to form, Xenomorph’s Sociopath is creepy, sinister, and extremely dark. The mind-numbing monotony of the beat rapidly gives way to menacing melodies, slithering noises, and innumerable samples gleaned from a variety of (mostly horror) movies. Although it may seem sparse and even dull at times, once the song embarks on the final run, all hell breaks loose. Killer tune!

Skazi teams up with DJ Jörg AKA Shiva on By The Rivers. Jörg has a long history of collaborating with some of the biggest names in the business—Astral Projection, Infected Mushroom, Cosma, and Kopfuss Resonator, for example. Whatever influence he brings to the studio seems to energize his production partners—and great works of trance have resulted. This pattern holds true for this outing as well: the hard-hitting kicks, breathless rhythms, and eerie choral voices of By The Rivers combine to create a truly thrilling experience—one of the best from Zoo 1!

SX (Exaile vs Skazi) continue the assault with Cost Me, another brash piece of hard psychedelic techno with a take-no-prisoners attitude. Ripping metallic noises, hydraulic sound effects, and hair-raising screams form the backbone of this tune. The distinctive (and oft-repeated) vocal sample is very well-chosen given the feel of the song: “what’s it gonna cost me?” Whatever this is about, I am certain it is depraved. Memorable!

Skazi’s GTR shows what his sound was all about: tough bass lines, heavy guitar licks, deadly kicks, and abrupt transitions. The structure is basic and there is essentially no real depth to this song—but that is, in some strange fashion, precisely why it worked so well on millennial dance floors. The stripped-down sound, raw and direct, was exactly what people were looking for. Nowadays, it is a different matter.

Exaile make their debut with Tied Up, a crowd favourite from this compilation. They borrow a great deal from Skazi in terms of style and approach, but their sound is much more psychedelic. Sharp leads, killer beats, and a kinky sample define this as a monster anthem for the year 2001. Still solid.

Absolum’s Pulse is a grim and foreboding slice of cybernetic psytrance. Massive rhythms cycle through tightly controlled patterns while a staggering array of sleek futuristic sound effects glimmer in the dark. The huge siren-like lead that erupts during the final run is designed to send a party to the next level. As such, it is another dance floor-storming anthem, effective in its brutal directness.

Talamasca rounds it out with Thief, another slice of menacing Y2K-era psytrance. This one takes numerous vocal samples and sound effects from the video game of the same name. Another dance floor weapon, this tune breaks into an incredibly monotonous sequence shortly after the half-way point. The throbbing beat takes over for a while, evidently intending to pulverize whatever remains of your sanity, and the groovy return is almost an afterthought. Decent, but Thief is not among Cedric’s finest work.

For a taste of what was fresh and interesting for the dance floors of 2001, the first Zoo compilation is a great place to start. This was one of the biggest releases of its time—nearly everyone heard it, willingly or not. If you went out to dance in those days you were bound to hear Tied Up, Cost Me, Pulse, Acid Level 33, or By The Rivers. There was simply no escaping them. Surprisingly, this compilation holds up well after years of abuse. When it comes to raw aggression, these tracks still kick ass. There isn’t any art to it, but that was never the aim. If you enjoy hard psytrance with a nasty edge, Zoo 1 remains as enjoyable as it ever was.

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Discogs // Detailed release data.
Psynews // User-based review forum.
Isratrance // User-based review forum.

New Perspective is a progressive psytrance CD featuring nine tracks compiled by the Israeli producer Blackout. As with many other releases from Spintwist Records, New Perspective focuses on the festival-friendly side of progressive psytrance. This style is marked by fat rhythms, silky melodies, and an occasional use of vocals. There is no specific concept at work here—this is merely a collection of solid tunes designed for the dance floor. As a result, this release is much more likely to interest working DJs rather than home listeners. Continue reading the rest of this post »

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Saikosounds // Physical mail order shop based in Hong Kong.
Wirikuta // Physical mail order shop based in Austria.

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Discogs // Detailed release data.
Spintwist // Label home page.

DJ Sascha AKA Bitmonx compiled Stereoide in the midst of the golden age of minimal psytrance. As one of the movement’s leading proponents, Sascha selected tracks for their overall sound quality and extreme level of reserve. Stereoide is nearly uniform in style—every song is deep, hypnotic, and groovy. Sascha emphasizes the central European sound. Aside from Fabel (from neighbouring Denmark), every producer involved in this release hails from Germany. Rumbling along somewhere around 138 BPM, this compilation offers eight exquisitely monotonous productions that may seem difficult to differentiate at first listen. Patience and careful listening may be rewarded.

Jacques Gelee sets the tone with Texas Flanger, dealing out pensive rhythms manipulated with ornate effects modules. Bitmonx’s It captures the essence of the minimal sound with a pulsating groove, elegant hints of melody, and considerable attention to detail. Every sound is completely controlled. The grim austerity of Auricular’s Wasp Or Fly is as dark as it gets on this compilation. Daniel Vernunft (Shiva Chandra) and Mapusa Mapusa serve up a tasty sample of their debut album Audion with this piece. Prisoners Of The Sun share their vision of “scientific darkness” on Lima, pumping out fat and chunky beats glazed in an assortment of sneaky noises. Fabel (Alhad and Jeppe of Phony Orphants) provide a taste of the early Iboga Records sound with Trunk, a song that chugs along with considerable squelch but not much else.

Timetech is Mario Reinsch of Haldolium and Sebastian Plehn AKA Buzz. The compilation really starts to get serious with Nothing Else. Monstrous kicks and a beefy bass line provide a strong backbone for slick synthetic leads to develop. The sample fits perfectly: “nothing else but life.” Very cyberpunk. Peak Pilots (a side project of Intact Instinct) continue in this vein with Twisted Fancy, a moody piece of techtrance similar to early offerings from Midi Miliz and Spirallianz. Deadly haunting stuff, but it could have used something more. Lube is the project of DJ Sascha (Bitmonx) and Mark Lorenzen—the other half of Haldolium. Frog Rock is perhaps the most memorable song from Stereoide. Intricate tribal drum programming creates such an irresistible groove that the rest—what little of it there is—doesn’t really matter. This is very nice for the dance floor.

Stereoide is a reasonably good collection of minimal psytrance tunes from 2001. It never really seems to take off, although it comes close with Timetech’s Nothing Else. Then again, pure minimal isn’t necessarily supposed to make much of an impact. Bitmonx fans are sure to love this, but it isn’t the kind of release that is likely to convince listeners who aren’t already into the style. For something a little more upbeat, have a peek at the next compilation from Medium Records, Vibration 4.

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Saikosounds // Physical mail order shop based in Hong Kong.

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Pulsar is the seventh CD release from Oxygen Records, a label known for their focus on psychedelic trance for the morning hours. DJ TV has compiled an interesting line-up of artists from around the world for this release. With contributions from as far afield as Brazil and South Africa, he manages to shake up the usual European line-up with several different approaches while maintaining a common theme. As always with Oxygen Records, impressive graphic design ensures this CD will make a nice addition to your collection. Each individual track is also available for purchase from the usual online distributors. Continue reading the rest of this post »

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Saikosounds // Physical mail order shop based in Hong Kong.
Wirikuta // Physical mail order shop based in Austria.

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Discogs // Detailed release data.
Isratrance // User-based review forum.
Oxygen Records // Label home page.

Compiled by Astrix, Nu-Clear Visions Of Israel 1 represents an attempt by TIP.World to profile the best of contemporary Israeli psytrance. The relationship between the Ibiza-based label and the warm shores at the other end of the Mediterranean is not new; TIP has had an ear for the exuberant Israeli style ever since 1995, when the original crew introduced Astral Projection to European audiences via Trust In Trance. What is this special fascination with Israeli trance all about? In their words, “Israel has the spirit: the top parties, the most parties, and the highest energies and smiles.” Some may disagree—Israeli psytrance is notoriously divisive amongst fans and critics online—but the focus of this review is the release itself. Let’s see if TIP.World’s high aspirations pan out.

Sub6 opens the compilation with Pounding, a killer track featuring tough synthetic rhythms, sophisticated effects, and a deadly drive. Alongside early releases such as To Experience, Teder Beseder (with Pixel), and El Novasion, Pounding established Sub6 as one of the most promising artists rising from the depths of the Israeli psytrance scene. No wonder—it’s a solid tune.

Astrix himself contributes Disco Valley, a seemingly formulaic piece of Israeli full-on psytrance. It sounds like nearly any other full-on track released over the last few years, but wait! It is immensely important to recognize that Astrix was instrumental in developing the template that so many others have beaten into the ground over the years. The sharp hooks, rolling bass lines, and snarling melodies take on new life when context is taken into consideration. Nice one!

Psysex (Udi Sternberg AKA DJ Goblin) takes us back with a modern remix of an old classic—Alien Cop—originally released on a vinyl single with Krembo Records in 1998. For me, this is the essence of psychedelic trance: plenty of layered hooks, memorable leads, killer builds, surprising twists, and solid production. Five years after the fact, Alien Cop still kicks ass.

Hujaboy provides insight into the darker side of Israeli trance with Flake. Enshrouded within eerie atmospheres and rippling layers of synthetic noises, this track simply oozes hallucinatory excess. It digs deep into the psyche—is this an attempt at brainwashing the listener? Substantial work.

Cosma passed away shortly before the release of this compilation. Some might say that we are more likely to elevate the work of the dead to greater heights than their art deserves, but I don’t feel this is the case with Avihen Livne. Cosma truly was the brightest star to rise from Israel in a long time, and his loss is unfortunate to say the least. As for Nonstop—the title track from his posthumous album of the same name—it’s simply brilliant, in my opinion. I am swept away any time I hear it. And that is all I shall say about this modern classic.

Xerox & Illumination released an album by the name of Temporary Insanity in 2004. Strangely enough, the track of the same name is not on the album—it is exclusive to this very compilation. I happen to think Xerox & Illumination are some of the most consistent Israeli producers but this song is merely mediocre. It will work well on the dance floor but doesn’t possess the depth many of the previous tracks exhibit.

Dynamic Force by Delirious is about as close to the Israeli norm as this compilation gets. Although it is well-produced and—as is the case with most full-on filler—sure to have made an impact on the floor, there really isn’t much to it.

PsyCraft’s blissed out morning anthem Top Gun blends sultry female vocals, a funky groove, and plenty of skillful guitar work. An intricate blend of acoustic and electric riffs manifests a tropical atmosphere that is surprisingly nuanced. Understandably, this song was licensed for release on no less than four other compilations—a rarity in the modern era. Another favourite.

The final track is something special; Sub6 provide a remix of Valirus by Astrix that can only be described as a progressive gem. Fat beats and deep bass weave a compelling tale as the deliciously slow and thoughtful arrangement develops. The melodies are obscure yet tangible, emphasizing the subtle strength of deliberate reserve. The final climax yields an excellent return that floats the compilation to a satisfying conclusion.

Nu-Clear Visions Of Israel 1 is an exceptional compilation that defies all the stereotypes. Astrix comprehensively covers some of the best and brightest full-on artists from Israel in 2003 without running across a single bad Hollywood movie sample. There are a few dull moments—more toward the latter half of the work—but this compilation is nonetheless a creative success. Cosma, Psysex, and Sub6 provide the best moments, and most of the rest manage to satisfy in their own way. This release might not appeal to listeners with no taste for full-on at all, but I would maintain that it is highly representative of what Israel has to offer in the high-energy department. Recommended for full-on fans.

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Saikosounds // Physical mail order shop based in Hong Kong.
Wirikuta // Physical mail order shop based in Austria.

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Discogs // Detailed release data.
Isratrance // User-based review forum.

DJ Bim and Medium Records were heavily involved in bridging the gap between late-nineties Goa trance and the progressive sound of the new millennium. Floor captures the development of DJ Bim’s winning formula: a blend of German reserve, Scandinavian refinement, and British ingenuity.

CHI-A.D. (Dave Young) opens the compilation with one of his more inspired creations: Waverider. Building on a foundation of heavy kick drums and throbbing bass lines, he cautiously introduces subdued electric guitar riffs, catchy melodic hooks, and futuristic atmospheric twists. The direction seems firmly established, but this track is loaded with surprises—saccharine emotional themes hesitantly emerge in the second half of the tale. There is something magical about the way this song unfolds—the contrast of tough rhythmic elements and a genuinely uplifting spirit makes for a beautiful morning anthem. Strongly recommended!

Human Blue takes a cautious approach with the mild-mannered Environmental Boogie, a slow-building tune that progresses in small increments. Based around elegant tribal-organic rhythms, the song amasses a subtle multi-layered arrangement of burbling acid lines and obscure atmospheric themes by the time it concludes. It may pass unnoticed.

Matenda explores similar territory with Fjaka, another streamlined example of Scandinavian trance, this time with discernible influence from Atmos. It cruises along without registering for much of its running time, sounding as if it were designed for background consumption. Attentive listening might be rewarded, or perhaps this track is simply past its prime.

Visionary shatters the spell with the strong beats of Glass, one of the highlights of the Floor compilation. Thick synthetic rhythms provide a solid foundation for the development of drifting melodic themes. Alluring in its simplicity, the artist weaves a captivating storyline that never seems to grow old. This is one for the ages.

Rastaliens had few releases behind them at the time Magwa was released. As one of their earliest productions on record, it shows a number of interesting characteristics. The creepy music box melodies that mark their later work are present, although remote. What I find particularly interesting in this piece is the mean bass line; it gives Magwa an almost Scandinavian feel that I’ve not heard in other releases from this group. Although the Rastaliens sound is only in its prototype phase on this work, I find Magwa to be surprisingly good.

D-Fundation (Detlef Funder, one half of Four Carry Nuts alongside Tim Schuldt) plunges the listener into the merciless domain of cold German techno with Chiccadilly Circus. The throbbing beat overwhelms the barren sound canvas; the surrounding noises are almost an afterthought. As with many contemporary applications of the minimal aesthetic, the technical quality of the song is acceptable, but the lack of creative focus means it is better suited for DJ usage than home listening.

Nerve—a side project of Mittlestandskinder Ohne Strom—explores the dehumanizing effect of clanging mechanical rhythms and minimal soundscapes with Rocket. Horrific droning atmospheres provide an unsettling compliment to the monotonous drum work. The sheer power of the massive beat is enough to carry the song; the resulting effect is somewhat like X-Dream on sedatives. The other Nerve singles might be better, but Rocket is still solid.

The final offering is a remix of CHI-A.D.’s Monsters, originally from the Neighbourhood compilation. Tim Schuldt and Detlef Funder tighten up the somewhat unfocused source material to create a powerful dance floor anthem fusing industrial guitar riffs with deadly rhythmic programming. As one of 4CN’s greatest hits, Monsters was eminently recognizable back in the day—in part due to the sample of Alec Guiness as Obi-Wan: “one cannot be betrayed if one has no people.” Removed from the original context in which it was initially elevated to such high regard, Monsters might not have the same impact on first-time listeners, but it remains a classic of the industrial psytrance style nonetheless.

Floor is a substantial release but not a classic of the genre. DJ Bim has selected a good batch of music, crossing the spectrum from dark to light with a confident movement through the elements. Several of these songs have an enduring quality, whereas others are merely decent. At any rate, Floor is worth owning if you’re interested in this chunk of trance history. Although many of the better songs were licensed for release elsewhere (see my review of Reincarnation), the Four Carry Nuts remix is exclusive to Floor. This is one for the collectors.

More Information

Psynews // User-based review forum.
Psytrance.pl // Polish-language review

Ultrapop 2 is the second compilation from Fabularecords, an independent label founded by Loopus In Fabula in 2003 to provide an outlet for their distinctly unconventional style of electronic dance music. Although the label operates within the psytrance realm, the Fabula sound defies strict classification. They’ve carved out their own niche—a mutant blend of styles jokingly referred to as “funkypsydiscoteknimal.” True to form, Ultrapop 2 sports a diverse array of weird and groovy selections from around the globe. This will surely be of interest to those listeners and DJs who exhibit an appreciation for the experimental fringe of progressive psychedelic trance. Continue reading the rest of this post »

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Saikosounds // Physical mail order shop based in Hong Kong.
Wirikuta // Physical mail order shop based in Austria.

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All Boundaries Are Illusion is the first full-length release from 21-3 Records, an influential label that briefly emerged as a key player in the UK trance scene during the “psybreaks” explosion of 1997 and 1998. Legendary UK labels such as Matsuri, Symbiosis, Blue Room, and TIP were also heavily involved in exploring the broken beat frontier, but 21-3 rapidly became synonymous with the new movement. Adopting a release philosophy adeptly expressed in their motto “all boundaries are illusion,” label founders Jaki Kenley and Simon Wild successfully broadened the scope of psychedelic trance in the late-nineties to include breakbeat rhythms. Despite their original intention to continue exploring the leading edge of psychedelic dance music, the efforts of Kenley and Wild were cut short in 1998 with the collapse of Flying UK, a major distributor. Subsequently, several prominent labels (TIP and Symbiosis among them) were forced to declare bankruptcy with devastating consequences for the nascent psychedelic breaks movement. Since then, 21-3 has faded into obscurity, but their contribution to the development of psytrance should not go unrecognized. Luckily, Nova-Tekk re-released 21-3’s two compilations as a double-CD package in 1998, dramatically increasing the availability of this otherwise rare CD release.

Tristan begins the experimentation with the tweaked-out Space Sage, an anxious breakbeat tune filled (in customary style) with countless little sound particles that squirm and writhe to the rhythm. It makes for an intriguing introduction. Process (Sean Williams) provides an interesting remix of this tune on Tristan’s Inside Out EP.

Factor, an infrequently used alias of AM Synaptik AKA Volker König of Ololiuqui, provides Pol Zirkular: a gripping tribal trance anthem loaded with ethereal melodic flourishes and an irresistible groove. This is a special sort of song—perhaps the most outstanding to be heard on All Boundaries Are Illusion. Reaching into the starry void as much as it delves deep into the far reaches of the primeval jungle, this awe-inspiring tale captures the imagination and sends it travelling. Although few other reviewers have expressed praise about Pol Zirkular, I consider it an overlooked classics of Goa trance.

Double Helix is a standard offering from Digitalis (Seb Taylor), who is also known from his work as Shakta and (much more recently) Kaya Project. Primarily a pumping 4×4 tune with bouncy beats, analog acid lines, and sizzling percussion, it is good but not nearly as memorable as some of his other work from this time.

Eat Static tone it down with Elektro Implant, a coyly titled downtempo remix of their well-known 1994 hit Implant. The B-movie samples and strange Arabic flourishes meld well with droning tones and lazy breakbeats. Sublime.

Similar in many respects to his work as Digitalis, the sole release made under Seb Taylor’s Chaos By Design moniker attempts a wholehearted fusion between psychedelic trance and spaced out drum ‘n bass. Playful bass tones cavort beneath rattling breakbeat loops while oscillating acid lines flutter wildly in the upper reaches. At times it may seem generic, but I’d say this experiment is a successful one. Both influences shine through loud and clear.

Taken from Brainwashing Is Child’s Play, the debut album from UK producer Deviant Electronics (Ciaran Walsh), First Machine is as close as this compilation gets to energetic Goa trance. The frantic broken beat breakdown firmly establishes its crossover credentials, however. Rippling acid lines, thumping kicks, and a smooth UK-style arrangement make for a solid piece of work.

Also released on a vinyl single from AAA Recordings, ManMadeMan’s Karmaflage is an enchanting piece of Goa trance that features gorgeous guitar work, tribal chanting, and blissful morning melodies. This is easily one of the finest offerings from Paul Baguley and Sonya Bailey. Wonderful!

Skwirm is accredited to Andy Guthrie (a former Prana collaborator) on the back cover, but it was later released on a vinyl single as Funkopath (his psybreaks alias). Skwirm is widely regarded as Funkopath’s big hit, largely due to the prominent use of samples from the patron saint of psytrance, Terence McKenna, who can be heard to declare “consciousness expanding… bursting!” Although it is superficially appealing to the ear, I have never been exceedingly enthusiastic about this particular piece. Drowned out by shrill acid riffs, the beat has no bite, even if it is nicely programmed.

Andy Guthrie returns on Medicine Drum’s Slipstream Dub, a track that appears in its original form on Supernature and Transient Dawn. This shorter version lacks the main melody and ethnic singing of the original, which have been stripped away to create a less distinguished final product. Despite lacking some of the more interesting features of the better version, this one is still quite decent.

Pan (Matt Katz and Si Wild) provides the finishing touch to All Boundaries Are Illusion with the melancholic Adios Amoebas. This is a comedown tune: a song for the last moments, when thoughtful reflection overtakes experience. The arrangement steadily grows, weaving complex breaks together with deep thrumming bass, capping it all with mysterious hints of melody. The results are captivating, artistic, and genuine. I have sometimes wondered how much 21-3 contributed to the growth of the nu skool breaks movement, of which TIP side-label 10 Kilos was an instrumental part. If there were in fact any sort of cross-genre infection, I would cite Adios Amoebas as one of the key instigators. It is surprisingly sophisticated for its age.

All Boundaries Are Illusion is a commendable release gathering a diverse arrangement of songs into a cohesive whole. As a result, the overall quality of the compilation is greatly strengthened, and it remains highly listenable a decade after conception. The music of All Boundaries Are Illusion is not universally groundbreaking—what makes this compilation stand out is the sheer variety of influences that can be heard on a single CD (or triple LP). 21-3 would go on to greater success with the release of their second compilation, Elastic, but this early effort is still worth hearing. Tchankov I.V. makes an accurate assessment of the historic importance of All Boundaries Are Illusion, describing it as a “good tiny step forward for the time it was released” on the Psynews review thread. For those listeners and collectors keen on the intersection between breakbeats and trance, this is an essential purchase. It is also likely to appeal to those with a taste for the experimental side of late golden age Goa trance.