....::::Newsletter Psy v.1::::....

***NEW RELEASES***

>> Hujaboy - Hujajoy (HomMega Prod - 2002)
1 Virtual Anal(og)
2 The Day
3 Flying Sorcerer
4 Nemesis
5 Shaba Rain
6 Fresh Air
7 Counting Spirals
8 Save Ass
9 The People vs. Hujaboy

Hujaboy’s first album, this Israeli (formerly with Gorlation Corporation) makes sound which is mostly full on tech-trance, with great quality. He has released tracks on several compilations, and now unleashes his complete work on Dj Eyal’s label. I have heard Nemesis and it’s definitely a killer!

>>X-Dream - Irritant (Liquid Audio Soundz - 2002)

01 Irritant
02 Rewind
03 No Process
04 Thorazin
05 Peter's Hoover
06 Fall Out (Dong Edit)
07 Universal Chaos
08 Inter-Corporal Stimulator
09 Magic Moments Remix
10 All Rights Reserved

This is the long-awaited new album from German duo (Marcus C. Maichel and Jan
Mueller) X-Dream. I believe it follows the style of the track Irritant, the only one here I’ve already listened to, which is heavy and dark, albeit not as heavy as The Delta’s latest album (The Delta being Marcus’ side project). This album is ready for something around five months now, was supposed to release under Spirit Zone, but it got cancelled, and then Liquid Audio (part of GTN) decided on releasing it.

>>VA - Custom File (Exogenic Rec. - 2002)

1. Sienis - Flum Gum
2. Salakavala - after party
3. Eraser vs. Yoejalka - Hattivatti
4. Squaremeat - Pro Purenta
5. O.O.K - Worried Walrus
6. Hupoatossu Mononen - Always New
7. Matkatoimisto - Matador
8. Outolintu - Dance of the dirty dust diva
9. Kiwa - Rahat Mulle
10. O.O.K - Wool Fields
11. Texas Faggot - Back To Mad

This is here to expose people to different, highly psychedelic sounds. Exogenic is a Finnish label, releasing several different things for quite some time now, always in the typical Finnish style, that is, crazy as can be. I haven’t heard this disc, but I’m told it’s very nice. Just don’t expect traditional GMS-style full on, because here we have something very experimental and unique.

***REVIEWS***

>>VA - A Better Life Through Chemistry (Dragonfly - 2002)

Dragonfly has established itself as one of the premier labels releasing quality progressive music (take the series Order Odonata and Kamaflage as examples) and I believed this to be one more in a long series of morning gems. Unfortunately this is not so, and I’m quite disappointed by this disc, though I tend to think it is because of the wide presence of new never-before-seen projects. Anyway, at first glance this should please the fans of darker progressive sounds, not that happy, which is kind of a contradiction with the disc’s title, but never mind. Here we go for a track by track review:

1. 12 Moons – Beacon > follows the same path he started with “Bad Pets” (on DS’ Footprints). Progressive with a fat bassline (not El Audio fat though) some sound games well placed here and there, but with a nocturnal mood nevertheless. I still prefer his morning sounds anyway (USTA’s Sneaky Suspicion).

2. Natina – Rockclimber > new project releasing for the first time here, digging progressive, around 137 bpm, interesting, but somehow I think I miss something here, may be a well placed synth line, or a little snare or hi-hat, to add a distinguished touch to the music.

3. Transparent – Open the Sky > project joining the skills of the Natina guy above with another producer, it follows the same style as the previous track, though with a fattier and more digging bassline. With a stronger beat I believe this would wreak havoc on dancefloors, since it has a good dose of psychedelia, just the right amount, with some very neat melodic lines.

4. Aphid Moon – Upgrade > this had a track on Alchemy’s Conspirators of Pleisure which was quite enjoyable, dancefloor worthy full on, so I had high hopes for this one. I came out disappointed though, it seems he ran out of ideas, the music does not evolve, it gets stuck. Boring sounds, annoying even. Skip this one.

5. Black Sun – Invisible Cities (Tristan Rmx) > another project I hadn’t heard of, but since Tristan remixed it I knew something good would come out of it, as the guy always delivers some nice dark progressive tunes. So that’s exactly what we have here. Very interesting bassline, it will probably work well on club dancefloors. I think the intro should’ve been shorter, as the music starts rolling rather slowly, but from then on, it’s really nice, butt-moving stuff, which I really like.

6. Prometheus – Cambodia > Mr. Benji Vaughan, one of the grand masters of morning progressive, gives us some fantastic music here, with his usual uplifting bassline, very danceable, with some oriental touches that give the music a unique touch (and also it’s title). Very good track.

7. Noma – Instant Delivery > Magnus Anderson reappears after a long winter, showing his darker side here. Night progressive tune, rather uninteresting. It came out on 12” last year, so the Dragonfly could’ve put something fresh here. For Noma fans, I would much rather recommend the S-Range 12” just released on Spiral Trax, with his remix of Anthony’s Out of Range, a real morning gem.

8. Bamboo Forest – Awake > here the French boys give us a little taste of their upcoming album, soon out on Flying Rhyno. High quality full on, around 142 bpm, will most certainly be the most played track of the compilation. Nothing out of the ordinary though.

9. Killahertz – Bluerst > new English trio, they were helped by Gus Till in producing this track. Interesting sounds, tribal beats here and there, the same nightly dark atmosphere of almost all tracks, though it’s not exactly my cup of tea.

Conclusion: it will probably please the night-progressive diggers, though I still enjoy the Order Odonata style much more. My favorites: 6 (!!), 8, 3

***NEWS AND RUMORS***

>> Astrix’s (Avi Shmilov) first album is ready and should be HomMega’s next release, following Huja’s album. Further on, the label – which I personally consider the best in Israel nowadays – will release BLT’s new album (“God is Love”) and a disc compiled by shahar – of Isratrance fame – plus the second installment of the Clubber series.

>> After Skazi’s second album and Shulman’s (former Mental Orange) album, Shaffel is preparing Exail’s debut album and the follow-up to the widely successful compilation Zoo. Watch out guitar lovers, there’s tasty stuff for you on the way.

>> Sphere/Optica, labels which most people considered dead, apparently is back with a vengeance, with the compilation Orbis 2. Among others, there’s Dark Soho in it, and it sure looks interesting. Due out in a couple of weeks, stay tuned.

>> Who is preparing a zillion new things is the Digital Structures/Baluns gang. To name just a few, there is a disc with Ticon remixed by various people – like MOS remixing the classic We are the mammoth hunters – and also a debut album for Trimatic, Son Kite’s club-oriented side-project, which has awesome sound.

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