[catscratch]

OK, so I love psy/goa of all sorts and sizes, but I don't actually have a good psy/goa collection. I guess going to trance parties and festivals for about 5 years now didn't actually motivate me to get anything on hardcopy (mp3 doesn't count). So, I figured I'd ask what you psyheads think are the essentials, especially given what I like and what I don't.

I really loved old-school Astral Projection, but starting with "Dancing Galaxy" I thought they lacked inspiration. I also liked old-school Infected Mushroom, but didn't care much for them after "Classical Mushroom" once they started leaving their classical influences. Juno Reactor was pretty good back when they were doing psy ("Beyond the Infinite"), and I still like them now that they've diverged into new territory (though I didn't care for the latest... way too commercial. I guess their Matrix fame went to their heads). I like Hallucinogen; Simon played the best live set I've ever heard, but the two Hallucinogen disks don't quite have enough energy for me, though they are absolute masterpieces of production and psychedelia. Doof I thought was excellent, both the older full-on sound and the newer minimal sound, which I like even more. Other stuff I like is Cosmosis, BLT, Protoculture, Dark Soho (I only have a few tracks from the latter two), and the single best compilation disk I have is "Raja Ram's Stash Bag #2." On that note, Raja Ram completely and utterly owns live. I listen to the psy/goa channel on di.fm quite a bit, and like about half of what they play (a lot of Morlack mixes, and more minimal stuff like Bitmonx).

With that in mind... What would you recommend for my tastes? And what do you think are the essentials for a psytrance and goa collection? No, I don't want any vocal trance, hard trance, hardcore, house - basically anything with any rap/hip-hop influences or a commercial sound goes straight out the proverbial door. Besides, why do they call it "hardcore" when Goa is so much heavier anyway?

 

[xantus]

a lot of psy has gotten really bad lately.. its just buildup after buildup and the same uninspired random synth lines...

do you have the Shpongle cd's? they're a must.

Psypilot - Destination Future is a recent effort that I think really touches on the older goa sound but is still very 'full-on'.

Mr Peculiar - Mind-dala is also in the same vein. very good.

Space Monkey - Psychotic Episode has a real warm sound to it, even though he does kinda stick to the same ideas throughout the album its pretty solid stuff.

Cosmic Tone - Going Solo is a bit more minimal, yet very well done...

this one is real old but, The Infinity Project - Beyond Color (compilation) has a lot of good stuff on it.. especially the track Blizzard of Ooze, it's all over the map.


there's so many psy compilations.. it's hard to reccomend cause off of many of them there's usually only a few tracks that stick.
I'd love to connect with you on AIm/Ym or whatever to share some real gems...

 

[catscratch]

Yes, I have the Shpongle disks. How could I pimp Shpongle in pretty much every thread in which it's even remotely applicable, and still not have the disks

Spongle's what got me into this whole mess to begin with!

I agree, a lot of psy has become very formulaic and repetitive. The scene is getting much bigger, and naturally with more exposure you have more talentless hacks becoming popular among those who cannot tell the difference (most people). Still, there's good stuff to be had, and, well, I'm looking for it! *Monthy Python Flashback* [...]

Don't have AIM/YM - yet.

Thanks for the suggestions, will check them out.

 

[xantus]

well here's some more, with the tracks that stuck with me the most.


Lemurians - Secret Message tracks 5,7 and 8

Contra Polar Activity (ambivalent records comp) the scorb and rinkadink tracks on here are tops.

Pure Imagination Vol.1 worth it just for the last track by Ananda Shake(sadly both of their albums have sucked..but this track is king)... goes through every mood so well.

Beat-ific worth it for the Enterprise track...this is seriously what it would sound like if Shpongle made psytrance..and it's superb.

Origin starts out with a good Protoculture track..you might like some others on there too.

Sirius a mexican comp that is worth it just for track 8 by the Melovskys... the most rocking buttrock goa you'll ever hear.


hmm, also.. in the downtempo side.. if you have not heard both Shulman releases (Soundscapes and Modern Tales, and In search of a Meaningful Moment) I highly reccomend them. there are journeys to be had aplenty...

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

My main gripe with the electronica that most people have played for me over the last few years was that it all sounded slow and boring as hell, or monotonous and boring as hell, or simplistic and boring as hell,...... well you get the idea.

That was until someone recommended Hallucinogen's "Lone Deranger." My first listen I sat slack-jawed through the whole CD. To this day it's still one of my favorite CD's, though perhaps ecplised by "Classical Mushroom."

However, outside of Hallucinogen, IM, Juno Reactor, and some MP3's of Astral Projection and Astrix, I've not gotten too far in this genre. It's hard to find the albums online, and ever harder to find them for sale in the U.S. Due to my relative newb-ness in electronica as a whole, and this subgenre, it's really hard for me to pick CD's to try and order from overseas entities who charge you out the rear, when I can't understand half of what people talk about in reviews of these bands.

Any tips you guys have on getting your hands on good psy/goa trance in the U.S. would greatly be appreciated. As well as groups that would fit my general taste (i.e. I find shpongle a bit sleepy, I don't understand how people group them with Hallucinogen, for instance). As I am a metal fan, I generally like fast and crazy music.

 

[xantus]

Well one thing you gotta understand is that the majority of psytrance is produced with the purpose of being mixed by dj's. so every track will have a minute or 2 on each end where things build up and break down so the dj can mix it... the middle 3-4 minutes are where the main event usually is.

The psy albums that most people have heard are produced more like albums instead. Stuff like hallucinogen albums and earlier infected mushroom/juno reactor albums are like this...
just so you know if you are looking to branch out in the psy world... you're not really going to find any more albums like these.


as far as actually getting these albums... www.psyshop.com or www.saikosounds.com are basically the only internet options. I used to live in a house where everyone was a psyhead so we would pool money to buy everything when the local music shop that sold psy got its shipments. so that's where most of my collection came from..

as far as it sounding slow/boring/monotonous/simplistic... remember it is trance... its always going to be 4/4 or 6/8... and also.. much of it is made with psychotropic substances in mind

 

[catscratch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xantus hmm, also.. in the downtempo side.. if you have not heard both Shulman releases (Soundscapes and Modern Tales, and In search of a Meaningful Moment) I highly reccomend them. there are journeys to be had aplenty...

I just ordered the Shulman disks from psyshop, actually

Also getting some Sesto Sento and Protoculture, as well as Entheogenic for the downtempo stuff. So, I guess we're thinking alike.

I really wish there were more Simon Posfords out there, but that's asking too much. There was only one Rachmaninoff...

Quote:

Originally Posted by xantus as far as it sounding slow/boring/monotonous/simplistic... remember it is trance... its always going to be 4/4 or 6/8... and also.. much of it is made with psychotropic substances in mind

Let's just say that Hallucinogen or Shpongle in the... right circumstances can blow your mind. Literally.

[Edit: Have you heard OTT's "Blumenkraft"? Somewhat similar to his work on "In Dub" but far more melodic, and more, well, Shpongle-esque, especially in the vocals. Hardly surprising, since OTT collaborated with Simon and Raja Ram on the second and third Shpongle disks, and the exact same vocalists that sang on the second disk were also there on "Blumenkraft." It is more consistent stylistically, though, sticking mostly to dub.]

 

[Zenja]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer (i.e. I find shpongle a bit sleepy, I don't understand how people group them with Hallucinogen, for instance)

They are very different sounding IMO, but it's probably because the same guy is behind both Shpongle and Hallucinogen (I'm not sure if you knew that).

 

[MacGyver]

Atmos - Headcleaner

I'd definitely check this album out - it ranks up there with the best psytrance albums I've heard. I haven't listened to Atmos' second album, but I'll get around to it eventually.

 

[xantus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch I just ordered the Shulman disks from psyshop, actually Also getting some Sesto Sento and Protoculture, as well as Entheogenic for the downtempo stuff. So, I guess we're thinking alike.

if you end up liking Sesto Sento... I highly reccomend you snag Can you Pick me Up, and Take a Look out There, both by Eskimo. (also both of the title tracks are the stars

)

 

[Ozric]

Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch Let's just say that Hallucinogen or Shpongle in the... right circumstances can blow your mind. Literally. [Edit: Have you heard OTT's "Blumenkraft"? Somewhat similar to his work on "In Dub" but far more melodic, and more, well, Shpongle-esque, especially in the vocals. Hardly surprising, since OTT collaborated with Simon and Raja Ram on the second and third Shpongle disks, and the exact same vocalists that sang on the second disk were also there on "Blumenkraft." It is more consistent stylistically, though, sticking mostly to dub.]

OTT effin' rules! Brilliant production and use of samples. Just delicious.

 

[TempleOfEar]

[size=small]SHPONGLE- DIVINE MOMENTS OF TRUTH[/size]

in my opinion, it's the holy grail of modern psy songs. make sure you take some bong hits before it tho. why? cuz it's good for you... and it will enhance the experience.

 

[TempleOfEar]

oops double post... well, go check it out anyways.

 

[HippieTom]

You must not forget the two Talpa albums. Amazing guy


Talpa - The Art Of Being Non 8/10

Talpa - When The Somberness Becomes A Game 10/10

this album is just so beautiful, twisted, funny and very nice on my grados. makes me very awake.

Here are two tracks that give a taste of the sound. They are not on the albums but on some compilation albums.

Till We Meet Again

+ YouTube Video​

ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.

Four Leaves Clovers

+ YouTube Video​

ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.

But i say it again. The Somberness album takes the cake.

Anyone heard this here before?

 

[Squirsier]

Celtic Cross - Hicksville, for fans of Simon Posford (Posford + Youth), 1998 release, still great!

And Younger Brother too (Posford + Benji Vaughan), both albums, tho I tend to prefer the first one!