A Chain of Mind will undoubtedly please those listeners and DJs who are looking for a heavier soundtrack focused more on the higher end of the BPM spectrum.  At its high points, it presents a sharply intense sonic ride that keeps its relentless attitude without ever crossing over the line to coarse aggressiveness.  The opening track from Russian duo Neutral Ethos titled “High Sky” is a perfect example, pulled along by a thumping low-end which reveals a hint of groove, over which metallic synth work constructs a semi-minimalistic sound structure that never overloads with excessive sounds.  A heavy influence from e-MO’s homeland is felt through a quartet of tracks from Japanese producers forming the heart of the album.  While I must confess that the first three of these quickly lose my interest through their rapid and often seemingly disjointed hopping through various noise collages, the final of these four, from one of the country’s more recognized producers Far East Ghost, is quite possibly the peak of the CD.  Clocking in at a breakneck 162 bpm, “Computadores Fazem Arts” is elegance thinly veiled in power, an adrenaline-fueled romp through psychedelic soundscapes that cuts a focused path straight to its dissonantly eruptive climax.  A more freestyle ending awaits listeners, with a pair of experimental pieces closing things out to mixed results.  Enichkin’s dark and moody “The Light of Reason” is a deeply entrancing number that refuses to fit any mold, hurtling along through a series of appropriately unanticipated twists and turns before closing in a surprisingly ideal chorus of trumpets.  The finale, “Sistema Uomo” from Switzerland duo Sectio Aurea will certainly appeal to the fans of the more adventurous abstract mental splatter-paint variety of sonic onslaught but falls victim to a cluttered sense of misdirection for my own ears.

Ultimately A Chain of Mind likely won’t change any minds about this particular style of psychedelic trance but will undoubtedly be a favorite amongst the devoted of the more extreme side.  As with any compilation there are a couple head-scratchers that cause a mass neuronal misfiring, however its finest moments have the touch that can keep me sucked into the dancefoor for hours without any ability or desire for escape.