Globular – Entangled Everything (2018)

Entangled

Ektoplazm

• Psybient 
• Electronic music 
• Alternative dance 
• Chilltronica 
• New Age 
• Spoken word 
• Psychill 
• Ambient trance 
• Organic electronica

Comment: this batch of 10 compositions is a sultry blend of psy-related styles with strong inclination toward New Age and other esoteric and transcendental practices, at least audible practices in the case. At times those skiddy rhythms and wobbly vocals add some exalting dub and reggae templates to the mix. As the title says – entangled everything (yet negative connotations of the word “entangled” and possible difficulties are naturally surpassed). Is this premise sustainable and could it result in an organic synergy? Indeed it does, at least in the sense of coherence between freely breathing beats and spacey and acid imbued upper layers. An additional flavour is added by slightly filtered vocals and spoken word snippets. Through the last mentioned elements it may remind of the music of The Orb. However, the more you listen to it the more you can hear elements coming from the bottom, from the left and right side. It is like a hidden reality which needs to be got aware of it (through the dimension of time and space), to be taken care of it. You will take care of it while listening to it again and again. Additionally, it does meet difficulties and possible conflicts and personal development in Heideggerian sense of Dasein. Entangled Everything is Morison Bennett's fourth album being released on Entangled Records and Ektoplazm. It is an outstanding issue worth to be added to best album lists of the previous year.

Wald Geist – On Fire (2018)

WDG Music

Ektoplazm

• Psytrance 
• Electronic music 
• Alternative dance 
• Goa trance 
• Rave music

Comment: it is a subsequent psychedelic trance issue I have listened to during a week. It appeals me due to those steeped and spiky rhythmic patterns, acidic synthesised grooves, and some mutant vowel effects here and there. Surprisingly at Blue Hour the mix is varied with guitar sounds in the beginning to later provide the path to a heavily stomping rhythmic moloch and throbbing electro frequencies. Throughout the course one can feel an exalted rave music feeling. The 5-track outing will be ended up with Wald Geist`s remix of Parra Nebula`s track Trick Or Treat. The issue is a part of the discography of WDG Music and of course, a part of Ektoplazm.

Bendja – Primitive Encounters (2018)

4Drops Productions

Ektoplazm

Jamendo

• Psytrance 
• Electronic music 
• Alternative dance 
• Psyelectro 
• Goa

Comment: before I started listening to this 4-track issue I had been listening to John McLaughlin's Molom (1995, Polydor), a very worth CD issue I once got from a second hand shop. Molom is a refreshing blend of world music having its peak particularly spotted on Mongolian music and on the other side by employing fusion textures, generic artsy explorations and New Age-y hovers. In a word, the warm-up was solid enough to continue with music having been produced in the mountains of southern part of France. Primitive Encounters is the artist's sophomore issue of which intention is to illuminate the forgotten tribes of our world. It is a fine example of how music should be produced to convey a wide and yet profoundly cultivating sweep over a listener's perception. All seems to be mind-provoking from scratch over there – from the mystically suggestive cover print to clear yet profound reverberations and clear-cut rhythmic lines and wobbly acidic electro whirlpools. Furthermore, Ben aka Bendja likes to incorporate Indian and Gypsy motives (Flamenco guitars used to shuffle back and forth) into the blend. Because of that the issue reveals some not so usual threads from inside out. The expressive outing is a part of the discography of 4Drops Productions which in turn is set up under the umbrella of Ektoplazm, the main platform for psytrance, darkpsy, Goa trance, and many other psy-affected styles.

Zis0ky – Into The Abyss (2018)

Sun Department

• Hi-Tech 
• Psytrance 
• Electronic music 
• Darkpsy

Comment: in fact, I have had few contacts with such styles as darkpsy, and hi-tech the music of an artist called Zis0ky is described for. There is represented a bunch of three compositions of which rhythmic frequencies extend to 180 to 190 bpm. It is very fast and tectonic like the gabber style or an accelerated jungle example, however, being imbued with slight psychedelic vines around the rhythmic backbone. In fact, the artist employs and treats vocal samples from TV series (at Brain Trip). Into The Abyss is the debut issue by John-Michael Heck AKA Tranonica and being released on Sun Department Records, and Ektoplazm as the biggest platform for psytrance, psybient, Goa trance etc.

Xprompt – Generator (2018)

Pureuphoria

Ektoplazm

• Psytrance 
• Electronic music 
• Hi-NRG 
• Chilltronica

Comment: Xprompt is the new project by Alexei Ovtchinnikov aka alex.neon also being known as Neon, a DJ and psytrance artist who resides in Denmark. This handful of tracks is a tight blend of bouncy trance beats, channelized tricks, wobbly electronics, psychedelic hisses and sustained reverberations and electronically modified and cut-up vocal bits. Eventually it results in sultry yet chilled-out moods. As if standing in the middle of a rainforest yet having no power to abandon his/her civilization sustained symptoms. At least it is a better way to spend your time there rather than taking plastic bags and other garbage along. The life goes on in that way recently. The outing is a release in the discography of Pureuphoria Records, being one of those imprints under the umbrella of Ektoplazm.

Ryanosaurus – Kaleidosaur (2011)

Ektoplazm

Bandcamp

• Psytance 
• Breakcore 
• Tekno 
• Electro 
• Alternative dance

Comment: Ryanosaurus is a musician from Sydney, Australia whose 5-tracks outing is based on crisp rhythmic patterns that relentlessly used to change within each track and throughout the course. On the other side, those variegating paces are spiced up with sustaining delays and agile synthesizer threads thereby constituting the dense psychedelic trance, electro and tekno-tinged issue. However, the last composition Plibt (featuring Poseidon & Forrest) involves firstly intriguing adjacent motives flicking in and out of the centre and then it is followed by a piano-driven part.  Added Additional Extra includes a catchy (neo-) krautrock-alike synthesised motive in the first half, which makes me fairly aroused. It could be said Ryanosaurus knows very well what he is doing – a carnival of colour saturated rhythms and rhythms.                  

Kadasarva – Steamagination (2011)

Sun Station

Ektoplazm

• Psytrance
• Rave music
• Alternative dance
• Dance music
• Electronica

Comment: thanks to this 9-track issue I discovered there had been existed an imprint called Sun Station for some years which was an umbrella for trance-related music. Today we know Ektoplazm has an analogue purpose to put into practice. More profoundly, Kadasarva`s Steamagination is a skewed instance of trance music where frequently quite obtuse rave-up rhythmic vibes are variegated with electro noises, and some sonic effects to broaden the soundscape and search for new combinations in sound and stylistic aspect. Let`s be honest to say trance music as a genre is relatively bumptious and simplistic because the genre`s aesthetical nature is anchored to higher levels of rhythmic burning only and at times the artists operating within it go beyond good taste, however, psychedelic tendencies within it help to alleviate and balance it (In the mid-90s there was a thread of mainstream and club acts which were tagged as “German trance” by underground people). For instance, listen to North Pole, a track with a more breezy insight into the style and album. Indeed, the album embraces a bunch of chord and pace changes to be a solid shape-shifter inside the borders. By the way, one track called The Krypt was originally created by another Ukraine-based project called Submatukana but there is Kadasarva`s remake. On the other side, regarding the cover print of the current issue and the ones under Ektoplazm it could be said this and those are fascinating ones either. On the whole, the result is masterfully produced and channelized because the thin line of “bad music” has been avoided throughout the course.

Ripple – Land Crocodile (2014)

Ektoplazm

/Breaks, Experimental techno, Experimental electro, IDM, Leftfield/

Comment: Ripple is the nom de plume of Daniel Craig, an Australian producer whose 4-track issue does embark on with heavy stereo effects and intricate rhythm patterns as if were a counterpoint to mathematical formulas. The rhythm patterns used to melt into blobs to lose its angular shape and thereafter re-solidify again into incisive cadent sequences. Later on, the aforementioned elements will be compounded with some aquatic, atmospheric and noisy sounds. At times the listener can enjoy artificial quacks hovering atop altered beats. Because of getting more multi-layered the result will be changed into fairly playful and amusing. You can feel a funky essence within it at times. Although it is thoroughly rhythmic music it is obviously not thought to be presented for playing on dance floors. Although it can be considered an example of intelligent dance music it does not mean it is totally a part of the style called with such title because of remarkably deviating from it. It might sound slightly paradoxically but it seems in this way. Highly pleasurable.   

Cybernetika – Solar Nexus (2014)

Ektoplazm

• Breakbeat
• Jungle
• Psybient
• Alternative dance
• Crossover
• Kosmische Musik
• Chill out

Comment: in fact, what we could expect from an album which is entitled Solar Nexus? Indeed, it should filled with sci-fi sounds, to be at least a little bit murky and brooding, full of spacey sounds and feeling of alienation as if you have been a space traveller very far from the Earth for years. If we consider another fact the recording platform comes out from Ektoplasm that it should point out psychedelic trance and ambient blended sounds. In reality, all these elements are represented on Cybernetika`s 9-track release, though, it is probably the most stormy issue I have ever heard under Ektoplasm. More profoundly, those glacial-alike reflections and imposing sonar beams and trance-y rhythms and melodic layers are tightly mixed up with breakbeat and jungle-near cadences and corroded robot voices. In a word, Cybernetika`s recent sound emits nearly like an antidote for traditional New Age music. Last but not least – the coverprint is eye-catching. Recommended.

Flembaz - Magic Mint (2013)

Ektoplazm

Soundcloud

• Tech-trance
• Alternative dance
• Progressive trance
• Smooth fusion
• Electronic pop

Outstanding tracks:

The Playground

Bridging Time

Etnoscope – Drums From The Dawn Of Time (2010)

Ektoplazm

9.1

/Psytrance, Chilltronica, Tribal, Chill out, Goa trance, Psychedelic electronica, Experimental electronica/

Comment: these 11 tracks used to interlace psychedelic (electronic) music vibes with thudding (goa) trance rhythms and tribal influences into a floating whole. However, at times it is disturbed with electronic effects and booming high chorded drones. There are some exceptions either - Hidden Track hides in itself amusing "country" music, and Dawn Of Time toys with the frequencies and drones of didgeridoo in heavy way. Or beatific Sunrise exploiting oriental female vowel singing. All in all, it is relaxing and inspiring at the same time by Etnoscope, a Swedish psytrance legend being active since the year of 2000.

aXid – Rave Addicts (2011)

Ektoplazm
Neurotrance

8.6

/Psytrance, Electro, Rave, Club dance/

Comment: AXid is a producer from Israel providing a handful of piercing, electro-drenched psytrance notches, however, a pair of them are co-operated with XSlash, another producer from the same country. These tracks can be evaluated due to their changeable shapes filled in with lots of minutiae veering out from machine-alike visions to more amusing enterprises.

Sky Technology & Nova Fractal – Versus (2011)

Ektoplazm

8.8

/Trance, Psychedelic electronica, Psyambient, Psytrance, Crossover, Remixes/

Comment: Dmitriy Kolosovskiy aka Sky Technology meets and mixes Nova Fractal (Renato Brnić), and the way round. The second track Dark Energy is made in liaison, and seems to be the best result there. All the sound goes on at the crossroad of psychedelia, trance, ambient, and outer space undercurrents. Actually this split/collaborative issue is a grower, more concretely, with each listening time you are allowed to discover more segments and magic from within.

[Artistid] Highpersonic Whomen

Ektoplazm
Exogenic Records
Myspace
Lastfm

Highpersonic Whomen Critical Moments (Ektoplazm)

Soome muusikas on palju legende, kuigi suurnimed pärinevad peaasjalikult underground`ist (eeldusel, et need on maailmas omas nišis tunnustatud tipud). Pan Sonic, Jimi Tenor, Jori Hulkkonen, Vladislav Delay, Paavoharju, Kemialliset Ystävät, Lackluster, Islaja, Haltya ning Highpersonic Whomen. 2001. aastal Jürgen Sachau ja Tommy Sirkiä loodud jätk (tuntud ka kui Frank Further & Jason Space) projektile Haltya võitis kiiresti tähelepanu, kuivõrd nende debüütalbumit "Alternative Energysource" (Thirteen Productions) peeti trance-muusika ringkondades üheks 2002. aasta parimaks reliisiks. Hiljem Sachau lahkus ning asemele tuli Sirkiä võitluskaaslane Markku Luohio projektist Headphonics.

Käesolev album sisaldab 4 träkki, millest üks, Space Elevator, tuleb algusaegadest pärinevalt 12 tolliselt singlilt "Clone Collective". Ülejäänud osised, sh miksvariant loost Critical Moments, olid seni avaldamata. Hüpnootika, psühhedeelia, ämbientsus on allutatud trance`i rütmikale, muusikale, mida tuntakse progressive trance`i, psytrance`i, aga ka psyambient`i nime all. Loomulikult on nimetatute vahel žanrilised erinevused olemas, kuid Highpersonic Whomen teeb seda stiiliüleselt, inkorporeerides ka klubimuusikaga (house, techno, tekno) külgnevaid mõjusid. Samuti ei pääse mööda dub-kihistustest. Siinkirjutaja lemmik on ülejäänud tervikust eristuv lõpulugu Homegrown Human, milles ambient dub`ilikud allhoovused toovad meelde algusaegade The Orb`i, kuigi loo kese kahtlemata koondub meeleolukalt hüplevate meloodikasämplite ümber. Väärt teos.

Kuula albumit siit

8.8