Hello guys,

Over the past few months, I’ve been looking kinda hard for some good psytrance. It’s not simple because my only references are those fanous names from goa trance in the late 90s and early 2000s, and as everyone knows the scene changed A LOT after that which is probably the reason I got disconnected for so long.
I even bought blindly a couple of recent records after reading randomnly some reviews, notably earthling - hyper nature, AMD - big fish, tristan - chemisphere, etc, which are from what seems to be the 2 hot labels for psytrance today, neurobiotic and nano records. These albums may all be very impressive in terms of production techniques, and they may be not too bad musically they still don’t carry me away as much as the older goa trance albums.

I like the power and energy of the new psytrance, compared to the older stuffs, but what I don’t like their monotony, lack of creativity in song structures, melodies etc..It also seems that before, most of goa trance albums would be like a story, with a concept or idea behind it that would tie all the songs together, today most albums(at the least the ones I’ve listened to) sound like a random collection of high calibre production tracks aimed for the dancefloor and packaged into an album.

The most recent(well from 2005 so not that recent!) psytrance tracks that blew my mind away were actually from twisted records, in the compilation uunsual suspect 2, tristan - lost and profound and audio chemists - long long arms. I think these tracks combined perfectly the energy and production of the modern psytrance with psychedelism and dreamy soundscape of older goa trance.

With the amount of psytrance being produced these days and the popularity the style has gained recently i just can’t believe that there aren’t some gems somewhere…

So anybody thinks the same? Or knows or heard something great? something that stands out from the mainstream? Know a particular promising label?

try not to focus only on labels. There’s a lot of good stuff being released independently or on very small unknown labels.

I found this guy on CD Baby called Psychoid who released an album called Mind Over Matter which I think is really great and has a unique sound for full-on which bores me anymore. You can buy his mp3 album for only $2.00. highly recommended if you’re looking for something different. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/psychoid

Also @ ektoplazm.com there are a few great albums for free download:

http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/ekoplex-journey-of-the-turtle/

http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/disco-hooligans-clear-skies/

http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/manmademan-free-to-listen/

http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/jikkenteki-flights-of-infinity/

http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/xamanist-initiation/

Look up Dickster’s latest tracks.

I feel the same… So in order to help you, I can only tell you what psytrance albums I liked from this decade.

Filteria - Daze of our Lives (I also like his first album Sky Input. Didn’t like his 2nd, Heliopolis, as much. But this third one is very good!)

Xerox & Illumination - Temporary Insanity (and their XI album also has some good tracks. After that they got way worse, alas)

Wizzy Noise - Sabotage Pt1 (Wizzy Noise is 50/50 for me, they have good stuff but also a lot of filler stuff. I also liked their Stereo Electric album a lot, but it sounds a bit outdated now)

Dark Soho - Combustion (their Light in the Dark album also has some good tracks)

Penta - Pentafiles (and Funraiser has a lot of fun tracks too! He seemed to have gotten much more monotone and dark after that, a real pity. Pentafiles is a gem for me.)

Xenomorph - Demagoguery of the Obscurants (not my style usually bit this album seems really well composed and has enough elements to keep it interesting)

Talpa - The Art of Being Non (very good album IMO. His followup, When the Somberness Becomes a Game, is also good but sounds a bit ‘light and clean. Nevertheless there are interesting tracks on there.)

Psysex - Come in Peace

Nyeah I think that’s about it. And of course Twisted stuff, but I don’t think I have to say that here :D Yea and of course Infected’s work up to B.P. Empire.
And Juno Reactor is not really psytrance anymore but I very much like all of their stuff

Try out Sienis and see if you like his style. Not Goa style anymore but certainly not monotonous.

Sienis Myspace or check out his site Sienis homepage

Also check out another mate of mine metzAnima. He uploaded a track ages ago here on the twisted sessions
metzAnima track Mescalito or check out metzAnima homepage

You most likely may have not heard of them. That’s why I mention them.

Kodara - 10 December 2009 03:32 AM

Yea and of course Infected’s work up to B.P. Empire.

that’s too bad…you’re missing out on a lot of amazing work post B.P. Empire.

psilogod - 10 December 2009 04:47 AM

Kodara - 10 December 2009 03:32 AM

Yea and of course Infected’s work up to B.P. Empire.

that’s too bad…you’re missing out on a lot of amazing work post B.P. Empire.

Which one, the legend of the black schwarma? :D

generix - 10 December 2009 04:51 AM

psilogod - 10 December 2009 04:47 AM

Kodara - 10 December 2009 03:32 AM

Yea and of course Infected’s work up to B.P. Empire.

that’s too bad…you’re missing out on a lot of amazing work post B.P. Empire.

Which one, the legend of the black schwarma? :D

there’s a few really great tracks on it, yes.

End of the Road
Herbert the Pervert
Project 100
Franks
Slowly
The Legend of the Black Shawarma

the rest of the album is good to me as I don’t mind the vocals as much as other people, but the production and song writing is as good as it gets for electronic/trance music and to me still has a classic IM sound.

Is it their best album ever? no. But it is a good album with song writing better than most other artists currently in the trance realm.

I forgot though, IM are sellouts so it means all the effort they put into an album anymore automatically = shite.

I think Infected Mushroom was good up to “Supervisor” but “Vicious” and “Schwarma” somehow went off on a vocal metal trance tangent that absolutely sucks in my opinion. They still have great production skills but the character and soul of the music has taken a back seat in my opinion. No more WOW factor to my ears.

In my opinion I really think that the lack of great electronica, especially great monumental trance is due in part to artists saturating their attention on the exploding technology (VST instruments and plug-ins galore) available to them instead of learning the art of quality production and understanding at least basic music theory. It’s easy to layer a 4x4 kick and hi-hat with digital rompler presets but to actually compose and arrange a song that has any artistic originality that keeps your attention seems to be what’s missing in my opinion. Another thing that I’ve noticed is the lack of artists wanting to share their production skills and tricks with anyone outside of their studios. It’s their right in my opinion but the lack of shared knowledge has to have a slowing effect on new artists that have to spend years developing their own skills by trial and error. Kind of like going to school where you sit in an empty classroom with no teacher but access to a few books and the internet. If you have the desire and talent you might be able to teach yourself something that becomes unique. This is probably the best way (self taught wise) to become artistically unique but having some of the technical hurdles cleared out of the way sure would be helpful and motivating.

I wish artists like Simon, Ott and Benji would create a DVD or online (fee based) subscription conservatory that opens the doors and takes you through the development of a song from start to finish. Probably a long shot this would ever happen but you have to think that it would be a serious money making venture. I think Alan Parsons has something like this coming out soon. Until then thank god for the internet and Google.  : )

Give Ephedrix a listen

Bonzaisushi, no disrespect but I think Ephedrix is exactly what Generix was talking about when he mentioned “what I don

Airspeed - 10 December 2009 07:20 AM

Bonzaisushi, no disrespect but I think Ephedrix is exactly what Generix was talking about when he mentioned “what I don

psilogod - 10 December 2009 05:11 AM

generix - 10 December 2009 04:51 AM

the rest of the album is good to me as I don’t mind the vocals as much as other people, but the production and song writing is as good as it gets for electronic/trance music and to me still has a classic IM sound.

Is it their best album ever? no. But it is a good album with song writing better than most other artists currently in the trance realm.

I forgot though, IM are sellouts so it means all the effort they put into an album anymore automatically = shite.

Well, I kind of assumed everybody thought the same here about IM! But I don’t think they’re sellouts, it’s just that I don’t like the direction they’re heading to. And if they chose to do more live shows wiuth guitarists, vocals, drummers and all, and do things which are more accessible, to eventually make more money, why not? I’ve seen them in live and listened to their latest stuff and I just dont like that metal thing, to me it’s not the spirit, but what the hell, artists can do whatever they want in the end.

And if there’s one thing no one can never take back from them, it’s surely their production skills, talent and originality, they’ve been through so many different phases and sounds and they’re never imitating anybody else.

But come on, if there’s one thing we can just all agree on, it’s their choice of album titles! Legend of the black schwarma??? Converting vegetarians? What the hell is that supposed to mean? 

generix - 10 December 2009 10:32 AM

But come on, if there’s one thing we can just all agree on, it’s their choice of album titles! Legend of the black schwarma??? Converting vegetarians? What the hell is that supposed to mean? 

what about Ott’s titles?

it’s all tongue in cheek… not taking yourself so serious is a good thing and I can see the humor in it. In the end its the music that counts, not the song names.

One thing that I really respect about Erez is that he makes a point to interact with fans on the IM forum. He’s really good about answering technical production related questions. Lots of goodies in there. I don’t mind the metal trance tangent if Erez would do an independent project and slip in a really good old-school style, (NON Duvdev screaming), full on acidy make you want to put the CD player on repeat, psy-trance album.  : )

Airspeed - 10 December 2009 01:01 PM

One thing that I really respect about Erez is that he makes a point to interact with fans on the IM forum. He’s really good about answering technical production related questions. Lots of goodies in there. I don’t mind the metal trance tangent if Erez would do an independent project and slip in a really good old-school style, (NON Duvdev screaming), full on acidy make you want to put the CD player on repeat, psy-trance album.  : )

have you even checked out any of the newer non-vox IM tracks?