its been 2 years since ’sorcery’ was released on yabai records. since then the phatmatix sound has been ever evolving whilst maintaining the highest quality with every release and now he has released his 2nd album ‘the divine comedy’ again with yabai records. lets get to the goodies.

1. babylon circus [144 bpm]:  the album kicks off with an ominous down tempo tune. think of spooky vocal samples, opera-like vocals, and an ever present feeling that there is something lurking in the shadows… this is a very creepy tune. production value is high - the sounds are crisp and clear, each of the melodic layers employed play a well defined role from the distorted metallic leads, to the little bits of piano playing about. this tune goes a far way in setting up the theme of the album, which is essentially the afterlife. lots of stylistic features presented here carry on to the other tunes, namely the appropriate usage of very creepy vocal samples… ‘fear’… ‘darkness’….’heaven’….’humanity?’…  really twisted stuff

2.  the labyrinth [145 bpm]: now things pick up with this tune. again some really creepy samples… ’save me ………. i am everywhere…..’ this is a nice crunchy tune with flat crisp kicks - the kind you can hear lots of twilight acts use nowadays. this tune wastes no time in setting up the melodies and by 1.47 you can hear the classic phatmatix leads bubbling about. by 2.20 the track just bubbles into full form. you can hear phatmatix experimenting with new sounds, especially these really sick sounding leads that just add a very looney deranged sort of madness to the whole ambience of the track. the melody structures used are very characteristic of what phatmatix has been releasing of late, subtle yet effective and above all, it gets across the feeling of sickness that nobody else does quite like phatmatix. the buildup in the 5th minute is interesting to hear as the track never really dies out but sort of just plays with the listener, and comes back roaring by 5.45. very slick drum rolls and some nice fx. by 6.02 there’s a new melody which is unlike anything iv heard before, very freaky very twisted! …. just when you think things couldnt get any more demented around 7.32 there’s a lead which literally cries out to you. this isn’t your run of the mill stomper, its different, sort of moody and introspective, but above all scary as hell! i can see lots of djs hacking their way into innocent minds with this one :D. 9/10.

3. the punishment [144 bpm]: as with the previous two tracks, this track also starts off an eery note, but this is definitely a more dynamic and charged tune. the kick bass is introduced by 0.50 and its  more power oriented than the labyrinth. the fx are crisp and stereo panning gives this track a crazy hypnotic feeling. the leads bubble all over the place, with nice flangering about and this really crazy opera like echo. the buildup around 3.00 is freakin crazy, i love the guitar riff like stabs that come about, and the surreal melody that develops is just a pleasure to hear. following up from the last tune this track definitely takes listeners to the next level on the power meters. the break around 4.50 is nicely introduced with the panned out faded kicks, and the tune that comes bouncing back is something completely new from the phatmatix labs. im talking about something very deranged, yet playful. this culminates in a melody that reminds me of older winter demon tunes. im talking about a low rumbling melody,that broods its way all over the place. lovely arrangements of squeeks and other melodic touches. this tune definitely shows a different side of phatmatix, with different leads and melodies that iv never heard from this act. especially the groovy bits that come and go. i definitely like the new sounds, especially the haunting end with those creepy opera singers. 9/10 :D

4.beyond reality live mix [147 bpm]: the original beyond reality was released a little while back on the 2007 matsuri festival cd/dvd. that track in itself was a monster, so the expectations for this tune were pretty high :). the track starts off on a really demented note with a melody straight out of a lullabye. heavy pads, and metallic stabs, followed by muted kicks leads to the kick-bass. this is a little more groovier than the previous tune. the whole melodic arrangement along with tight work on the highs lends this track a really looney feeling, but theres nothing looney about the melody which sets in around 2.30 . the melody is low and dirty - something which should scare the boogieman if you know what im saying. this track has a subdued buildup around 3.20 with the melody swirling about with the ever persistent kick bass. by the 5th minute new leads are explored, and the break that follows helps bring this roaring monster wake up. i really like the softer leads that add more depth to the lunacy being depicted. the 6th minute is where this track truely shines. the buildup is full of power, and you can see the guy pull out all the tricks he can think off before the power is cut loose. the newer sounds and effects added to this rmx are a delight, and give the track a more sinister feel than the original. this is a pretty good track but perhaps since its a rmx of something iv already heard it doesnt stand out as much as the previous tunes. none the less if you play this track in the night, expect some wild screams from happy stompers :). 8/10.

5. the void [145 bpm]: here we have julien from digital talk joining stephane, together forming the mindcore. anyone who has heard their earlier work know this is some serious music. after some spacey ambient pads and a vocal talking about searching for the void, the kick bass is introduced by 0.30. the percussion is dynamic and all about the power again, and the accompanying leads and samples of screams are remenescient of digital talk’s recent work. by 2.15 you have some heavy metallic leads introduced that lend the track some sharp teeth… by  3.00 you have the groove come in, definitely something to put an evil grin on your face  …. ‘we are in  a transition phase of the old world dying and a new world being born!’ the only phrase that can describe the feeling this track evokes is synthetic groovyness topped off with smooth flowing rhythm. the melody around 4.40 again sees a kind of playful lead which will defintely push dancers about as it alterantes between serious moods and playful moods. add vocal samples of evil laughter and softer slick leads that add a sinister aftertouch to this rolling monster and you have a really fun filled ride which will have the dancefloor begging for more. in comparison to the earlier tracks this one is kind of short, and it literally flies by without one noticing where the time goes. a serious party starter with a great flow. go mindcore :) 9/10.

6. dominator [145 bpm]: the mere name of this track is what attracted my attention the most. the introduction is a well controlled descent into darkness accompanied with a very short lived recurring sample of a female singer. this is accompanied with very ominous samples about the planet not being safe anymore….. ”they want you to know they are there’.. the melody introduced again is surreal in the way that it carries across so much emotion and really has quite a story to depict. the percussions are crisp and the track chugs along in a subdued fashion and listeners can really feel elements coming together slowly but surely…. ‘listen!…… listen to me..if you want to know what is going on… you have to listen to me…  you have to… because you dont know…’ cant make out what the rest of the sample say but regardless here we have stephane doing what he does best, introduce melodies which unnerve listeners and yet maintain the power quotient. this is easily some of his best work and its a real pleasure to hear him take things one step further with precisely placed fx. the arrangement of layers is always pushing the boundary to see how tension can be built up leading to a break….. ‘ how i can go on about how i can freak people out.. id like to forget but they’d like you to know that they are there’.,. damn i wish could understand all of the samples.. but surely anyone will recognise the climax of ‘dominator!’. the track comes rushing back in full force thereafter and the madness goes on, the buildup in the middle of the 7th minute is another piece of ear candy, with the tension being built in  ways that would make absolum proud :D. the track continues on in a similar fashion with lots of melodic variations thrown in for good measure. this is another stomper of track and one not to be taken lightly. 9/10.

7. hominus nocturna [146 bpm]: this one starts off with some very strange sounding submerged sounds. very deep intense atmosphere followed by a really beautiful sample of a woman singing. i really cant make out what she is singing though, by the end of the 1st minute it doesnt matter. the power is flowing and the percussion is crisp and clean. the structure builds up, and the bassline is just unrelenting. samples like monks chanting, topped with this feeling that this storm is going to explode. by the 3rd minute, the track oozes power and terrifying leads poke about. the deranged lead that follows is something truely wonderful in all its terrifying glory. if the other tracks have failed to convince you that this is a true master at work, then hominus nocturna should make you a  believer:). the slowdown towards the end of the 4th minute transitions smoothly, and the unrelenting feel is ever present. ‘hominus nocturna……answer me….’ the rumbling melodies like those in the punishment are again shown, but with the female singing sample used really nicely. you can hear phatmatix trying new things and although at the core of it all its still that demented sound, the overall feeling that the track exudes is something deeper, something more introspective again. yet the track lets out enough to keep listeners hooked especially towards the end. definitely new grounds for the phatmatix sound and a wonderful psychedelic place it is. 8/10.

8. melodreams [144 bpm]: ‘i dream….. i dream im floating on the surface of my own life….’ an epic atmosphere accompanied with a sinister melody that foretells a wonderful story. the bassline seems a little more on the bouncey side, with interesting android fx and a very subdued progression pattern, with that wonderful intro melody spurring things on it leaves the serious impression that the music is literally talking to you like an old friend. the track builds a little more in the 3rd minute with characteristic metallic leads being introduced. the whole feeling of this one is sort of bouncey and carefree- very different from the stephane’s usual work. the leads evolve to take a looney edge, and there are playful bleeps and tweeps. by the 5th minute the introductory samples comes again ….. ‘and dream…. watching it unfold… observing …..’ if machines could find themselves waking and responding to humans- this is what i would imagine them talking like. the build up culminates in a nice dynamic melody which doesnt get too twisty, but with enough work on the fx to keep things really interesting. the melodies then adapt a sort of desperate feeling and the final buildup continues this story. in retrospect you really do find yourself floating about with this track, the whole ambience especially the pads towards the end are very dreamy. some really interesting stuff presented here - i feel this track is more for the mind than it is for the body. as a dj it would be really interesting to see the direction ppl would take listening to this track towards the end of a long night. 8.5/10

9. in tenebris [146bpm]: well this is the last track of the divine comedy and it starts off with a sort of epic chanting accompanied with samples in french. the muted kicks, and electric stabs, leads to a no non-sense bassline. with this tune the album is truely ending with a bang. the bassline jumps at all the right places, to keep the rhtyhm going, and distorted tweaked stabs accompanied with very subdued melodies leave space for a wonderful journey. the melody introduced in the 3rd minute is moody, and not overtly aggressive, but the other melodic touches around it lend it all it needs to scare the daylights out of you. the track just sort of creeps up on the listener not letting him/her slip once trapped. more french samples and a break that is packed with fun, will keep any dancefloor jumping and waiting… ‘this is who you are!’ more derangement with those long drawn out leads, and these leads let the tension build while the track sets forward once again. by the 6th minute fun time is over and the track takes on  a very serious tone as a new melody is introduced. this is more like a return to the source with classical phatmatix elements. but the tricks pulled off in the breaks are totally new - talk about muted leads, and glitchy phatmatix melodies, accompanied by whirling drawn out bleeps, eventually leading to screeching hault… and a melody that is breathtaking - it really does take a moment to come back to reality…. ‘its the only voice you hear.. screaming now!’ the story roars back with some female vocals which i cant quite understand. the track continues urging and pulling you in different leads with drawn out stabs, and regular surprises with arrangements of beats towards the end. this is a fitting end to the divine comedy, a beautiful yet haunting journey. 9/10.

conclusion: i dont think there is much more to say about this album - phatmatix has produced a real gem. phatmatix has in many ways re-invented his style, there are lots of new sounds and ideas, including great use of samples. there is also a great variety in the feelings the music evokes hear, you have tracks that are playful and dreamy and others that really take you to some very dark places, all the while maintaining some really clean production. what interests me is the way the music is sort of spaced out with moody introspective tracks accompanied with more dancefloor oriented ones. listening to this album is really like a journey. as a dj tool too, the album is really versatile with tracks ranging from 144 to 147 bpm. if you follow twilight music, then this cd is for you. if you have never heard any of phatmatix’s work before, then you have got to do yourself a favor and get this cd pronto. big up to yabai for another great release, this cd takes the toll up to 4 great releases from them in 2008. the art work is another aspect worth mentioning. its really quite beautiful and especially apt given the theme of the afterlife.

overall: 10/10 (totally worth the money)
recommendations - 1 through to 10 :P

where you can buy this:
psyshop:
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/yab/yab1cd015.html
saikosounds:
http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=7761

the artwork if anyone is interested:
http://212.227.206.198/cgi-bin/zoom.cgi?yab1cd015_b.jpg:CDs/yab/yab1cd015.html:;

Alright this is my 2nd attempt at reviewing this cd, i was nearly done the 1st time around but then my hard drive crashed resulting in some serious frustration. regardless, this review is going to be a whole lot more precise. alright, ‘macao’, latest offering from yabai. in short this cd is for twilight lovers, ppl who dig the cape town sound from labels like nexus, 3d vision, digital psionics. lets get with the music.

1. xatrik vs kid x - jacks back [146 bpm] : the last time these 2 acts were together we got an awesome track, ‘wild card’ off va - future cuts. this time around these 2 out do themselves with a truely ripping track. im talking about no holds barred power flowing from every possible angle and leaving your brain scrambled. at 146 bpm this one feels like 148 at least. i love the crazy sounds and the breaks. by god this one could cause some serious dancefloor mayhem. xatrik’s newer tunes also reflect this new techy edgy style, a little similar to what lost n found is doing as well. all in all a banger of a starter track. 10/10.

2. b55 - chaos jam [146 bpm] : yabai regulars b-55 present one of their best releases yet. this track is crazy and looney. its really a very demented trip, the way only the japanese can pull it off. lots of crazy cartoon sounds, but then it takes over with a very crazy psycho trip. imagine putting together elements of phatmatix, damage, and say absolum or outer signal and maybe you could understand the kind of crazyness im talking about. im really loving their acid sounds. the track’s evolution is very brutal. the power level never really falls, always going up and about. really love that fading opera like vocals that comes and goes. they lend the track a really freaky feeling. great way to follow up the 1st tune. 8/10.

3. dirty motion - isolate [148 bpm]: frozen ghost + hiyarant = dirty motion = MAJOR chaos. thats what i think about this project and this track does not disappoint. with every release these guys are defining their sound a little more. this track is no different. unlike their earlier releases - which in my opinion was all about chaos and power, here they have a more refined story and well structured melody. each of the 2 acts give their own special touches to this tune, and above all there is that pounding bassline that you can relate with the 2 of them. on the whole, this track is pretty relentless, and the melody is nice with a little bit of an epic feel to it. if you liked their last track ’schizofrantic’, on the last vision records cd, you will like this tune. the layers that are added to the derangement are also noteworthy, some of them are plain noise, but some are just sick sick melodies. when you hear all of them at once, you can only help but smile and get ready for an intense stomp. 8.5/10.

4. mindcore - adoration (lost n found rmx) [145 bpm] : alright, this was one track i was really looking forward to on this cd. in short this is a masterpiece. lost n found has taken this classic and given it a smooth slick feel. you really dont know where the time passes listening to this crazy story. it feels alot faster than 145. the new arrangements are definitely on the right path with what a rmx should do - leave you guessing as to where the next new turn will come. above and beyond there is a certain bit of the track, around 5.10, which is all lost n found. at this point the track simply flips the fuck out. im talking about stuff of epic proportions. acid sounds all over the place topped off with this spooky chanting happening, courtesy of phatmatix . this is what the twilight sound is all about - raw power delivered with some epic melodies. lost n found is definitely going places and this track just cements that fact in my view. 10/10.

5. synergy - one step beyond [145 bpm] : alright this is cpu and absolum’s project incase no one knew. having said that, its a given that your in for a ride. the tracks got it’s cheesy moments, but its got that absolum touch to it, and it definitely goes that extra mile in getting that ‘heavy heavy monster sound’. ‘you better start to move your feet’. which is exactly what you will do. this one has this new flat kick iv seen shift and lost n found use alot recently. the most pleasurable part of this audio experience is hearing absolum tweak out those crazy leads we have all come to know and love over the years. this track is another story all about power which if no ones already noticed is a pretty central idea to this cd. cpu also lends the track his touch, very evident in the deranged melody that is introduced later in the track, around 6.30 . the track goes looney and its just hard not to love it. the melody adds a new twist to the track that you really dont foresee in the beginning. very good track with a lot of variation in it. looking forward to hearing the next 3d release even more after hearing this track. 9/10.

6. mindcore - universal prophecy [146 bpm]: iv loved the 2 mindcore releases so far and this one just raises the bar more. lots of sounds that remind me of the old azax syndrom sound (think of ‘how do u stop it’). lots of power on this one as would be evident from any mindcore creation. this track furthers the mindcore sound which is a unique blend of the crazy power of phatmatix and the beautifully sculpted rhythms of the digital talk sound. the culmination is a new crazy sound, that keeps the power flowing. perhaps 2nd only to the adoration rmx, this track is simply off the hook. im talking about leads laying it down the way it should be - raw power. the track truely starts off in the 3rd minute, with a creative and awesome buildup. the track goes from one strong point to another and theres really just too much adrenaline flowing over the place to keep up with whats happening. the buildup around 5.30 is ear candy. ‘we are intricately connected to the whole of the unviserse!’. enough said, its time the world got what it deserved - a tasty album from the minds of these talented demented musicians. 9/10.

7. azax syndrom - unconscious mind (winter demon rmx) [146 bpm] : the original track by azax syndrom is a classic, and winter demon’s made a pretty steller effort at rmxing it. its got that typical winter demon flare to it, he manages to pack in a fair amount of somewhat cheesy melodies into it, but he executes them so well that you have to wonder how he manages to get so much power packed into them. couple that with the new winter demon sound, especially those smooth bouncey basslines along with the original azax syndrom elements and what you have on your hands is a winner. perhaps not as nasty as the original but a worthy track none the less. 8.5/10.

8. 220 v - triple x [146 bpm]: never heard of 220 v before but i do know he has his debut album ‘overcharged’ which will soon be released on phantasm records. the track is a bit more on the cheesy sound as compared to the other tracks on this cd. think of what toxic and azax syndrom are upto nowadays and you’ll get a feel of what im referring to. the track takes a while to completely take off and does so after about 2.40. the last track kind of turned the cd towards a lighter perhaps more full-onish sound and this track continues the trend. i like what i hear, having had no expectations of this act before. only thing that irritates me is the work on the percussions, it reminds me too much of other lighter twilight music around, that is to say it sounds a bit generic. but thats just me. as for getting the cd ending on a lighter note i think this track does the job. i would have preferred that the samples saying this is what you wanted to be skipped but again thats just me. the track takes a nice aggressive turn around 5.50 which is fun to hear. i wouldnt necessary call this groundbreaking, but its a fun track to listen to and if you play this one on a loud system i am certain that there would be a few people who would appreciate it. all in all not a bad track but given the company it has on this cd not a terrific one either. 7/10.

9. winter demon vs toxic - nagisa [145 bpm]: the last time i saw these 2 making a track together was way back in the day, and they come out with a classic ‘ solid insanity ‘. you can hear the toxic touch from the very get go. you know that sound, its a bit on the fluffy side, but with only the dancefloor in mind. the percussions have that nice bouncey touch that i associate with winter demon. in the leads department, its really nice to see that these acts have really collaberated together. its hard to say who came with what idea, but around 2.40 this track really gets pushing, its got that nice winding drawn out power winter demon gets in his tracks, but its still the signature toxic seal to it. as far as the collaberation goes, these guys have a real nice chemistry together. the buildup in the 5th minute is a lot of fun with the guitar lead combining with a bunch of neat tricks, and the final eruption is really powerful. i dont like the ending with the guitar lead though, but thats a minor thing really. on the whole this is another fun track and a nice way to round things of on this cd. those expecting a repetition of solid insanity might not be pleased, but if you hear this with an open mind, your bound to appreciate the track a bit . 8/10.

alright so thats the end of this cd. ill keep my conclusion short, this is a great cd. after ministry of chaos i thought yabai would never get another cd with the same level of power and sheer energy, but this cd certainly rises to the challenge and sets the bar even higher if possible. a great job by atom and yuji in compiling this cd. it offers a fair amount of variation beginning with the harsher twilight sounds of xatrik and b-55, towards a more of a middle ground with tracks by synergy and winter demon, and ending off things on a lighter fun mode with toxic / winter demon n 200v. looking at the cover of the cd, its nothing mind blowing in my opinion, but the music more than compensates for this minor drawback. if you dig the twilight sound you have to get your hands on this bad boy ASAP
overall rating: 9/10
highlights: 1-7 (especially 1, 4,5 and 6)

forgot to add, you can buy this cd at the following link:
psyshop:
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/yab/yab1cd011.html

‘dark side of the mind’ is the second release from south african based label, vision records. i believe their first cd was sort of an experimentation to see what direction they’d take, and im quite happy with the path chosen. here we have some fine tuned twilight tunes. lets get to the music :)

1. n.r.s. vs kode six - cluster duster [146 bpm]: this is an interesting collaberation with englishman paul wright (n.r.s.) and a relatively new act from canada, kode six. starts off with some heavy atmospheres… ‘we live in a darkness of our own making blind to a habited world all but unseen by us’… what follows is some strange work with some kick drums, all the while long you can hear the track building and without wasting much time you have a slick bassline being dropped. there are some seriously disturbing fx and a very aggressive tone. the progression is much like n.r.s’s other work but the the work in the percussions department is something where both projects have tweaked. the track builds like a monster, taking its sweet time, but never quite missing a step. the break in the 3rd minute is well pulled off and the leads introduced are crazy. they have a certain edgyness to them. definitely some ear candy :P. judging from kode six’s last release id say this would be more along their sound. just when you think things are about to die down in the 4th minute there is some wicked work that im certain has n.r.s’s name written all over it. this squeeky little lead which is introduced, can be caught ever so often in nrs’s work. the break in the 5th minute again uses the sample from the start with the humourous kick drums, only this time around…. ‘are you sure there is going to be one unpleasant surprise before we are done?’ and boom! things go forward with some staggering energy :D. the leads from the beginning return to finish the job :P. there are some nifty little tricks pulled off in the background and the track ends as it starts - with an all business attitude :). overall this is an interesting collaberation. i think it might have the potential for more, perhaps a rmx in the future or something. overall a pretty crazy tune from n.r.s n kode six. 8.5/10

2. rubix cube - exhale [146 bpm]: this is the mmd new comer’s 2nd release after the widely appreciated ‘quibonomics’ off last year’s ‘cold conclusion’. starts off with a more dynamic atmosphere to it than the previous tune. ’space - the final frontier’…. by 0.27 you have a rock solid kick bass… damn you have to wonder where this rubix cube has been all this time? this is some good old south african madness with a very unique sound to it. what i appreciate is the clarity and space each sound has to itself, and amidst the derangement there are all sorts of crazy melodies. this tune literally talks to you and all i can do is smile and tap along to this tune. the melodic aspect here is very spacey. the slow down around 2.15 is packed with spacey sounds, and soon after derangement follows. i love the way this track picks up near 3.00. its like a massive energy ball just growing and growing :P. as the track comes back it gets across an element of deranged loooneyness with new leads which continue this story. the break at the end at 5.00 is where this tune just looses it. some very nice glitchy warped leads with the ever consistant melody. a steller tune and a great follow up to the previous track. im really looking forward to hearing more releases from this act, especially the debut album slated for sometime this year :). 9/10.

3. kode six - cell system reset [147 bpm]: here we have kode six back for round 2, this time with a solo tune. it starts off with some industrial pads, and quickly sets the pace for the mayhem that ensues. the bassline is all business and your left assured that this is going to be a hard hitting track. as the track progresses the bassline takes a more serious tone to it and the work on the leads is edgy and metallic, very reminscent of rabdom l to me. at 147 bpm this track is a bellowing beast and its structure reflects this. by the 3rd minute theres a nifty break with some nice tricks. samples, glitchy break down and slow down, finally amounting to a punch that will destroy a dancefloor. the melody that arises thereafter has a sinister feel to it that puts a smile on your face :). the track doesn’t let loose yet and this feeling is very aptly felt across. in the 5th minute the track gets a little quieter, and the synths are given space to conjure their magic. its from this point that more layers are added which give this track a shiny set of canines. the game of cat and mouse goes until nearly the 6th minute. soon another break is dropped and what follows is a buildup that would even make twisted system proud :P. im talking about some very serious aggressive in your face melodies which are tastefully pulled off without getting too noisy or cluttered. the track trails off towards a rumbling end. overall this is another great tune from this act and really makes you wonder why you dont hear more from these guys :P. the only complaint i might have is that this track is sort of sluggish at points and could use a little more oomph. or maybe its just the beer talking hehe . 8.5/10.

4. gerasene - syllable lottery [146 bpm]: this is a new act i havent heard of before and according to the cd case its a project consisting of scam and anton krige. i cant say im very familiar with either of their work, but i do know that scam is the man behind vision records, and well this track shows that there is good reason for that :). it starts off with some wicked fx, lots of chaos muted yelps, machines clinking and faster than you know it there is a nice tribal bassline pumping. the track evolves smoothly with the highs and samples being brought in, buts its that bassline that really gets the adrenaline flowing. by the end of the 2nd minute you hear a melody being introduced. its hard to describe them but i guess it bears a resemblance to the timecode sound but yet delivers a distinct experience. the break in the 3rd minute is awesome, with the leads bouncing back and forth and the bassline just prowling about. very nice :D.
‘do you mind me asking a personal question..go on.. well forgive me for being so inquisitive but during the past few weeks i wondered if you were having second thoughts about the machine…i dont .. .why not… its rather difficult to define… perhaps im just projecting my concern….. ‘
i couldnt quiet get the whole sample because that damned sinister melody was making it too hard for me to concentrate. the melody is awesome and there is a nice spacey feel to it.. sort of like what one would hear in shift’s music. the track moves smoothly and should keep a dancefloor well satisfied, if it hasnt already then the break in the 6th minute should definitely close the deal. another very serious buidup with the bassline changing to add more energy to the overfeel of the track. what follows is ear candy, creepy fx with the ever present melodic layers giving an intense and unrelenting story. another steller tune :). 8/10.

5. zion linguist - freakenstein [148 bpm]: here we have one of the founders of mmd records delivering a fast paced angry monster. from the get go you have this muted little kick leading up to a solid strange sobering reality of sound. this is intense, aggressive music with a solid attitude and not to forget a super solid kick bass. i hear new sounds and a tribal kind of groove with these flat heavy kick of sorts. the lead is a wailing metallic beast and zion linguist create a crazy atmosphere. the break in the 3rd minute is interesting with the playful bassline and noisy leads, the soundscapes are creepy and eery. throw in a wicked jumpy bassline and what you have is a monstrous bouncy ride. new laser-like leads are also used which dinstinctly reminds of technodrome’s sound. the story evolves and the energy is maintained. the leads go through a number of changes and pick up a very catchy melody by the 5th minute. its incorporated well in the 5th-6th minute break. the track pretty much wails itself back to life, and grooves back into action. a really great track meant to liven up things up on the dancefloor. this is an awesome tune and is an indication of what to expect from this act in the future…. i can’t wait for the next mmd release :D. 9/10.

6. frozen ghost - frozen meat [148 bpm]: frozen ghost is no stranger to the psy scene, with the 2 awesome albums and 1 monster of a compilation under his belt this guy has become a household name in my books :P. anyone believing otherwise should definitely give this track a careful hear. starts off on a spooky note, ‘remember that it is my will that guided you here… it is my will that gave you your seperate meat … (couldnt understand)…. the only meat you need you call a body… if you value that meat … you will do as i tell you……’
and the kick bass lands. by god that is an intense intro to a track. not to forget to mention that eery soundscape that flows all over you. the tune doesnt waste any time and some very wicked leads are introduced. by the end of the 2nd minute the track starts its thumping trot. the melodies are sick and give you that dirty gluttinous feel that frozen ghost packs into his work. by the 3rd minute theres a new layer of synthetic leads that take things a notch higher. awesome awesome stuff. the break at the end of the 3rd minute is just mad with a barrage of hyper metallic leads just shredding any sanity you have. the story evolves seamlessly and this track just grows and screams. i hear many new sounds here and the tracks production is top notch, not as noisy as most of frozen ghost’s other works, but well placed clean sounds. the bit around the beginning of the 6th minute is epic and full of chaos. there are so many intricate layers that its hard not to appreciate the method to this madness. all in all this is a great track that lives up to the frozen ghost standard of dementia. 9/10.

7. hiyarant - driven [146 bpm]: continuing the madness, here we have the first release from hiyarant since his epic debut album ‘collision’. this wastes no time to set the jungle groove. the groove is full of power and the feel of the track is aggressive and smooth flowing. steller job on the mechanoid fx, they help bring across a jumpy bouncey groove. the track evolves wonderfully and the melodic feel to it is kind of epic .. the 3rd minute the track gets very serious with some awesome tricks being pulled off and soundscapes that would make you want to take off to the cosmos! the gritty metallic leads that hiyarant is known for make an entry towards the end of the 3rd minute …. and then comes an awesome buildup. split beats, and chaos of epic proportions! the track erupts in a ball of energy, the melody is metallic and distorted yet coherent. later the buildup in the 5th minute is crazy.. it kind of reminds me of frozen ghost.. the bass comes and goes and leaves you hanging by a thread. soon after comes that wonderful lead. sounds alot like something from a twisted system track. the track builds up wonderfully and the suspence builds and builds and builds…. and the track comes back roaring! the leads are insane and the production is super clear. i love the melody thats incorporated in the background. this is another monster from hiyarant. this act is really going places :D 9/10.

8. scam - high in disguise [150 bpm]: here we have the brains behind the cd delivering ‘high in disuise’ - the fastest track here @ 150 bpm. now your wondering how the hell a track at that pace landed on a cd like this? well i have no clue either but damn its a monster! it starts off the the sample of someone describing some sort of creature.. and out of nowhere there is a raw tribal bassline. this is pretty straight forward raw power music. i love the tribal drums used and the overall feel is gritty and unpolished. considering its at 150 bpm the overall effect is like a serious stomping session in progress. the leads glitch in and out. there is a cool break in the 3rd minute with the metallic lead sort of glitching around, and some really long drawn yells. the track comes back screaming more than before with some awesome energy. the melody is very industrial, it doesn’t really progress much but i feel that there is more emphasis on the solid groove. the story evolves into some more glitchy insanity as scam throws in new leads with a demented spin on things. around the 5:00 the break uses some pretty cool wayward swoops and sweeps along with these spacey industrial effects. its builds up very well after that and explodes into energy soon enough. i wouldn’t say that this track is very captivating, with there being space to do much more, but what hooked me onto this tune is the bassline and tribal feel it brings forward. if a dj were to play this at the right time i can foresee some serious stompers raving near the speakers. 7/10.

9. technodrome - gate for hate [146 bpm]: technodrome has been releasing some really great work off late with tunes on noize conspiracy, metatron and yabai, and ‘gate for hate’ does not disappoint. you can hear those deranged leads of his from the very get go. as the melody fades out and comes back, the kick bass is introduced. slowly all the elements are put in place. laser like leads along with bits of random white noise. as the track moves forward there is a more characteritic technodrome lead introduced and the white noise is sort of given more form. the track progresses along smoothly and there is this hyper feeling that is easily brought across as with many of his other works. around 2.00 there is a haunting melody added to the mix, sort of like spooky theme from a horror movie. the break before the 3rd minute is awesome with the kick bass going into a very serious tone. the track takes its time to come back with laser like stabs accompanying a synthetic melody. reminds me very much of psychotic micro’s older work, minus the fluff. the buildup in the 5th minute is awesome with things going down and slow and boiling up to some seriously zipped out madness. the 5th minute has an eery melody floating about. it sounds so much like twisted system that its just uncanny. soon after a break comes followed up by one of the best buildups iv heard in a long time. the melody literally lands and yells out in all its glory. im talking about high tech, squelchy metallic dementia at its very best. there are a few mind games with some start stops until finally the track just lets loose. this is a signature technodrome tune that stands out amongst the impressive company it has on this cd. 9/10.

10. tested extension - virginity [144 bpm]: iv never heard of this act before, but at 144 bpm tested extension are finishing off things on the cd on a slower note. it starts off with some strange filtered effects and a pretty creepy atmosphere. there is an eery fairytale tune that lingers for a short time and then a very old school kick bass is introduced. the track develops a very quircky groove and reminds me a bit of artifakt in its strangeness. with every jump the track takes it takes things down a very twisted progression. the melody structure used is interesting in the way it has a nice old school goa feel to it. but the derangement that accompanies the melody is anything but happy. the break around 2.45 is interesting- there is an epic melody introduced. with water trickling there comes a clearer cleaner version of the melody, which has a sort of surreal feel to it. it feels misplaced with the way things are going and is quite beautiful. after a moment of absolute silence (and confusion :P) the track comes bumping back. after some bouncing back and forth an epic melody welcomes you. it has a very classical feel to it, as though your watching an opera, but it doesnt last for too long as the kick bass and bassline deliver a well placed push in energy levels. the melody around 6.00 is epic - it sort of just captures and ensnares you in its dementia. the track comes back roaring with all sorts of twisted arrangements adding to the mayhem. this is a very interesting track and a cool way to end things on the cd. there are lots of great ideas on this one, and the only way i could relate to it is to think of it as a demented opera in play. my only complaint with this might be that the production could have perhaps been a little sharper. none the less this act presents a very unique sound and provide for an interesting debut release. 7.5/10.

this is a pretty awesome twilight cd which includes a great mixture of lesser known names of the scene, acts like rubix cube and kode six,as well established artists like frozen ghost and technodrome. the journey this cd provides covers many different kind of sounds from the hyper to the deranged to the god damned creepy. vision record’s 1st release ‘what is psychedelic’ was sort of all over the place in terms of the direction it was taking, but here we have a cd with a more well defined direction - twilight madness. with tracks ranging from 144 to 150 bpm this is a really versatile selection of tracks. in my opinion this is one of the best cds from 2007. the cover art is cool showing a skull with a mind in it being pretty much shattered. all in all this cd is well worth the money for any fan of the south african/ twilight sound. big up to scam for putting this cd together and here’s to looking forward to vision record’s next release :)

overall - 8/10
fav - 2,3,4,6,7,9

where you can buy it:
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/vio/vio1cd002.html
http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=6999

this is yabai’s 9th release and one of its strongest ones so far. ministry of chaos is compiled by mindcore, which is phatmatix and julien (from digital talk). what they have put together is this year’s first big twilight release, and by the sound of it, it will probably be one of the highlights of 2008. well lets get to the music.
1. digital talk - acid talk [145 bpm]: any cd which starts off with digital talk is a winner in my books. what we have hear is another gem from the digital talk labs. what i like most about this track is the somewhat happy and at times looney feeling it carries with it. something i dont normally associate with their music. as always their rhythmic basslines are a pleasure to hear. these guys are on the top of their game, and this tune builds wonderfully. the track evolution is mature - it takes its time to get moving but isnt rushed at all, it moves when it wants to and pretty much takes over the listener. the bassline is full of energy and groove. around the end of the 4th minute they have some steller fx and subtle melodies taking over… what starts as break in the beginning of the 4th minute leads up to a monster of a ride. the break lasts over a whole minute and throws you in all sorts of directions before finally delivering a punch that would blow your socks off. it doesnt quite explode in your face but moves along smoothly until 6.19, when these really silly sounding twisty leads just take over :P. what follows is an alien ride full of rhythm and energy . i wouldnt call this an absolute stomper but a wonderful way to start the cd and let people know what they are in for. this is the acid test :) 9/10.

2. outer signal - hokus focus [146 bpm]: outer signal have recently released some great collabarative tracks, and so the expectations were high. this one starts off sounding alot like the new 3d/nutek sound, like painkiller or madnetic. a dirty little sleeze of a bassline that somewhat borders on the verge of what cpu used to belt out. it doesnt waste any time and the progression is pretty smooth. by the 2nd minute the track is moving without a hitch. the break in the 3rd minute is pretty sweet, lots of new tricks and ideas employed and the track comes back with a nice serious tone to it. these guys have a nice sound they lend to themselves, lots of metallic leads to cause some damage but never getting too noisy. the melody in the 5th minute is pretty sweet and reminds me alot of abomination. its builds up like a monster in the 5th minute with some really nice tricks. this is one hell of a tune to follow up acid test with, and it certainly keeps the energy level going. perfect for those nice little stomp sessions. if you dig these guys previous tunes, you wont be disappointed with this one. its certainly not as crazy as their last 2 tunes (unstoppable and el diablo) , but hell it packs quite a punch. 8/10.

3. multistate - roberta sparrow rmx [145 bpm]: after the monster that is future cuts, ill hear just about anything these guys get their hands on. here we have them remixing a tune that was on their debut album released way back in 06. i really liked the original with its bizzare intro and crazy sounds, so i was looking forward to this one. this time around the basic melody from the original is retained and there is a mystic creepy element with the synthetic synths being used. the overall tone of the track is pretty serious, they know what you want and they are going to give you one hell of a dose. by the end of the 1st minute the kick bass is set and the tune builds up like rather nicely. the progression on this tune is interesting, i guess if you have heard the original its going to play games with you, and if this your first time hearing this tune, your going to be smacked all over with some very serious music. by the 3rd minute you can distinguish original elements, and then there are some new elements added to the mix. a new glitchy lead which adds a new melody to the track. the break in the 4th minute is new, and will definitely take listeners to another level. im talking about epic melodies and deep pads. the track progresses just seamlessly and gets that classic metallic riff coming along from the original, with a new twist to it all. this track is ear candy all over… perhaps the most interesting bit is in the 6th minute, where the original tune is introduced with wonderful goodies thrown in for good measure. i could really go on and on about how amazing this track is. this is music for the deranged. the production is clear and explicitly psychedelic. its not as noisy and crazy as hq part 2 but still pretty interesting, more introspective. the original has more groove than this one, but this rmx lives up to its name of an extreme live mix :P. 9/10.

4. phyx - fall of babylon (lost n found rmx) [145 bpm]: the original track was released on mmd’s va - erratic distortion way back in 2006. the original was a monster and having lost n found remix it was a monster of an idea. It starts off with some of the original’s ambient pads, and by the end of the first minute you have a rock steady bassline pounding. The bassline is pretty serious and sounds like the original with a massive power upgrade. The track evolves with a mixture these little glitchy little sounds and original sounds. On the whole the feeling of this track is dynamic and aggressive. The break in the 4th minute is pretty cool, and the track comes back with a very serious rhythm. I really like the incorporation of new elements and the way the original sounds are used to lend the whole track a powerful fast feeling. By the middle of the 5th minute you have the original leads and that demented phyx melody. The best part of the track is in the 6th minute where there is a break. The break uses nice panning effects and there comes a sample from the tv show lost, ‘ill see you in another life brother’…. soon after the main melody just bubbles up, glitches in, gets jammed up in a spiral of madness only to explode in your face. The bassline changes that are pulled off add a very nice feel to the melody, and there is some tweaking with some ambient pads which add an epic touch to the tune. Towards the ends you hear more lost n found, and the track ends with ‘5 .. 4.. 3… 2… 1… system failure… system failure…’ which is pretty much how your left :P. overall a definite monster of a track, is pretty similar to the original I think but there are subtle differences that add up to a whole lot of fine tuned mayhem. 9/10.

5. twisted system - necessary evil [145 bpm] : here we have south african super team twisted system giving us necessary evil. incase you haven’t heard of this act before, this is the combined effort of shift, phyx, and rabdom l. this one starts off with power just waiting to ooze, and without wasting much time the kick bass is introduced. the soundscapes are spooky and eery. early on you hear rabdom l like leads with this pretty unrelenting bassline. there are some well places fx along that provide for a very focused and tight story. the first big jump comes at the 2nd minute, where the bassline gets a little jumps and some epic leads are creeping about. this is the twisted system sound we all know and love. by the 3rd minute the track is moving forward in full steam, you can hear lots of shift leads at this point. the bassline is energetic and things move along with a crazy edge about them. the break in the 5th minute is awesome with some great samples …
” he ships more merchandise in a day than i do in a year…. sometimes its embaressing to have his fingerprints on the guns… sometimes he needs a freelancer like me to supply forces he cant be seen supplying so …. and unfortunately for you im a necessary evil ”
what comes next is madness :D. long leads with a pumping groove thats bound to make you more than just bop year head around. the track goes through some interesting changes later and you hear each of the 3 masterminds add their own special touch to the track. i’ll admit that i didnt really dig this tune when i first heard it, but damn this tune grows on you. maybe not as steller as their stuff on core (which in my opinion is the best stuff this act has ever made), but never the less this one will destroy many an innocent dancer. 8.5/10.

6. phatmatix - malediction [146 bpm]: now we have the other master mind behind this cd. phatmatix has been producing some very serious music over the past year, with ‘don’t get me mad’ being the last thumper released. this tune starts with the sounds of someone struggling, and a creepy atmosphere. without wasting much time the goods are brought and you have a nice steady bassline with sinister overtones flowing everywhere. the track builds up very well and in the 2nd minute you have this have melody in the characteristic phatmatix lead just taking over. this tune is all about power and it takes you all over the place. the break in the 3rd minute is awesome with squeaky leads and some other awesome tricks. as the track progresses it imbibes a very organic feel to it, and flows all over you. theres a cool little kick beat portion in the 4th minute, where the track sort of takes a breather and sees where it can go.. you hear spooky orchestra, groans of men, and that phatmatix sound i can only describe as tentacles of dementia :P. the track thereafter peaks out in the 6th minute with new dimensions being added to the main leads which makes for a very interesting journey. whats evident from this tune is the new direction that phatmatix is taking, a very raw powerful sound, with a lot more groove than his previous work. just listen to the buildup in the 7th minute and i think you’ll know what im saying. another awesome tune from the phatmatix labs. 9/10.

7. mindcore - ministry of chaos [146 bpm]: finally the brains behind this cd present the title track, ‘ministry of chaos’. from the very start you can hear that distinct digital talk sound and before you know it you have this massive bassline just pounding away. this is some very awesome stuff. the production is crystal clear with every sound having a nice crisp feel to it. there are a number of well placed fx that help the story progress, and you can sort of hear that demented feeling of phatmatix on the bassline. overall the feeling of this track is more along the lines of just pure power. no demented overtones just some aggressive and serious music. the fx add a cool synthetic feel to it and by the middle of the 4 minute you have a heavy riff of a lead come up, phatmatix style. yet this act maintains their own identity in the way the elements just bring across a nice techy feel to it. the break in the 5th minute is a pleasure to hear and the bassline that comes in is a monster. a new melody is introduced which is just awesome… ’search and destroy’…. the power just builds thereafter until its ‘time to get up and dance’! wow! this tune just flows so seamlessly, god damn! in the 7th minute and in general towards the end theres a touch of dementia but the overall feeling remains the same, unrelenting all balls out power music. its a pleasure to hear julien and stephane work together and what’s even better is that they manage to come up with a different sound from their respective primary projects. this one well lives up to the expectations of a title track. 9/10.

8. materia - help me (khopat rmx) [145 bpm]: the original tune was on 2006’s va-event horizon. i cant say im really familiar with it but khopat has been releasing some very strong tunes off late, so i was a little curious about this one. starts off with an innocent tune and muted beats… you get the feeling that this is going to be another adrenaline filled ride with the aggressive beat arrangement. and then the kick bass is finally introduced. its a very serious tune with warm pads. there are lots of tricks and stops and pushes as with many other of khopat’s works. this tune evolves pretty well although some people might find the constant stop and go approach a little frustrating, but everything has a purpose and once the tune finally settles by the 2nd minute, things get a little interesting. i was kind of lost with the way this tune came back, in the sense i saw the potential for more but maybe thats just me. the track chugs along smoothly a serious tone and some nice melody work. the break in the 4th minute is where the story moves forward with the sample, ‘god damn perfect’ being glitched in and out and some interesting little changes being introduced. its at this point that things get changed up a bit and you have some nice chopped up leads added to the mix. the innocent tune from the start is kept around. the track goes on this way till the end. i dont really dig this tune, i feel there is space for more to be added. or maybe its just me. production wise its nice and clean but i think there are some ideas lacking on this one. it just doesnt take off like the other tunes here. but maybe this tune was intended to slow down things towards the end of this cd, which is something it does pretty effectively. 6.5/10.

9. principles of flight - inferno [145 bpm]: principles of flight are a french act who released their debut album back in 2006. they have a truely unique style combining many elements of classical music with some old school psychedelic music. the tune starts with some very epic pads which take me back to the lord of the rings :P. the atmospheres are very well thought out and you know these guys are building up to something interesting. i especially like the way that the kick bass is introduced and the final percussion arrangement is pretty interesting. there are some cool effects thrown about and i again feel like im on my way to mordor :P. these guys really know how to work their melodies. the layers they use to create the atmosphere are a pleasure to hear and the track picks up well. the melodies are not so pronounced but they are lurking about and are tastefully pulled off. im really digging the sound these guys have. perhaps the best bit is around 3.15 when the track withdraws to kick bass and this nice innocent melody plays. along the background there is this twitchy squeeky lead that makes you wonder if there is a monster somewhere in the speakers. the buildup in the 5th minute is wonderful as the story progresses forward. think of the minutes preceeding an epic battle, and maybe then you’d understand the epic feeling being presented here. towards the end they have this sinister melody just ease itself and you have these beautiful fairytale melodies just usher in this monster! what follows is a wonderful journey that takes you all over this crazy fairytale. this is a wonderful tune that is high in its psychedelic content. imagine the theme to an epic fantasy and maybe you’d come close to conjuring this. a wonderful way to end this awesome cd. i look forward to hearing more from this act. 9/10.

well what can i say about this cd that i havent already conveyed. i think this cd along, with last year’s samurai, is the best compilation yabai have released. this is hands down one of the best cds iv heard this year. every track is well constructed and the whole cd is a powerful powerful journey starting with digital talk’s bouncy acid test, to the monster rmx by lost n found and finally ending things off with principle of flight’s epic - inferno. this is a MUST have for all those who dig the twilight sound - labels like timecode, mmd and nexus media. a big up to phatmatix and julien for putting together this awesome cd and another big up to the yabai crew for letting this monster out. the album cover on this cd is also pretty impressive, its just what id like to imagine the ministry of chaos to look like!

tracks to look out for: 1,3,4,5,6,9.. hell just about all of them :P
overall rating: 9/10

incase you’d like to see the album cover:
http://212.227.206.198/cgi-bin/zoom.cgi?yab1cd009_b.jpg:CDs/yab/yab1cd009.html:;

where you can buy it:
psyhop: http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/yab/yab1cd009.html
saikosounds: http://saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=7065

well this album has been destroying minds all over since its release in september 2007. this is yabai’s 7th release following their last compilation ‘matsuri summer festival’. this is also frozen ghost’s 2nd solo album and definitely shows the goodies that have come with an upgrade to 2.0 :). lets get started.

1. ned’s mental [145 bpm]: to start off this cd we have a scary, god damn demented acid filled ride with a guest appearance from none othen than the simpson’s ned flanders. god damn crazy :D. starts off with some spacey creepy atmospheres accompanied with some simpsons samples and then a phat phat bassline. around the 1st minute there are some really hilarious samples again from the simpsons with the doctor at the mental institute talking to the simpsons about flanders. soon after we have the simpsons theme there in all its glory, a glutinous dirty ugly groove yelling at you with all its rage! hell what a ride! the synthetic take on the tune is even more sinister with the bassline taking on a rough glitchy edge to it amongst squeeling leads and distorted white noise like fx. the break around 3.45 is just too much and lives up so much to the name - ‘NED’S MENTAL’! the diddly doodly diddly dooodly madness is something that took me totally by surprise, and the sinster mood that comes after is something so wicked that it shouldn’t be let out of its cage. stabbing metallic distorted leads with serious lazer like leads spell out damage in more ways than one and the track ends with some krusty the clown samples leaving you laughing with some very very demented atmospheres. an insane way to start the album - 9/10

2. frozen toast v2 [148 bpm]: here we have a remix of ‘frozen toast’ which was on the previous yabai cd, ‘matsuri’. i really dug the original with its gritty groove and this remix does not disappoint. it starts with the original pads and what follows is a heavy groovy bassline with intense atmospheres. the track actally starts by 1.17 with some very menacing leads that remind of me an angry damage :P. ‘they want you understand… they want you’, f*ck yeah! this is an andrenaline filled ride which goes looney in the 3rd minute with some cool tricks with the beats. lots of scratchy leads accompanied by melodies that bubble back and forth. the samples in the beginning of the 3rd minute are sinister and build up that follows is massive. the track comes back in serious mode with skippy beats and an ambience carrying across the feeling of a storm coming. soon after the chunky metallic leads are introduced which simply shred any sanity you have left. this is a deranged, stretched out monstrosity and its a joy to hear. maybe not as fun filled as the last track but a serious tune none the less. 8/10.

3. multiprey [148 bpm]: this one starts with a sinister atmosphere… ‘this world is full of stories… and from time to time… they permit themselves to be told’…. heavy atmospheres, with a very serious bassline, this one does not taking any prisoners. like a marauding beast this tune slowly evolves with a heavy metallic melody telling us what to expect. this one isnt as noisy as frozen ghost’s other tunes and the buildup is clean and focused, with the leads getting that sick feeling that every one of his tunes manage to exude… ‘ we had no idea we’d become their prey’ - wow the buildup that follows is intense with new layers adding to the melody. this one has a more synthetic jungle feel to it. the bit around 4.33 with the clear gritty melody being introduced is pretty awesome and the melody itself is insane. the spooky sample work coupled with the very alien soundscapes combine to give this track a very scary set of teeth. the track finally maxes around the 6th minute with it subliminal aggression and glitched out fx. this is another hard hitting tune which keeps things going. 8/10.

4. deranged [148 bpm]: the track starts off with some eery, spacey atmospheres with some creepy samples. the kick bass is pretty hard and has a sort of glitchy edge to it. the fx are pretty haunting from screams, to childish laughter. this tune doesnt waste much time in setting the tone for its story, pretty simply putting it - mayhem. by the 2nd minute we have the characteristic fg leads doing what they do best - slice and dice :P. ‘ you cant kill what you cant see… the night has a thousand eyes …. and their all MINE’. whatever you say about this act, you have to admit he always manages to select some really wicked voice samples. and the buildup that follows is like going through a crazy maze of quirky icky creatures. amongst the chaos there is an epic pad, which lends this tune a true feeling of dementia. the slow down in the 4th minute is pretty cool in that it gives space for the eeriness to creep in. what follows is a good old fashion stomp with screetchy leads and a phat bassline that makes this ride only sicker :D. there are bits in the 5th minute which to me are just ear candy with some cool pads adding more depth to the squeeling sounds which pretty much ensnare the listener like tentacles :P. i wouldnt recommend this to hear at home, just too damned noisy :P, but get yourself a couple of brave souls for a party, and you can scare them shitless :D. 9/10.

5. dirty motion - control freak [148 bpm]: here we have frozen ghost and hiyarant combining forces under the name ‘dirty motion’ to give us the ‘control freak’. dirty motion have had a couple of releases between noize conspiracy and yabai records, and their stuff have always seemed more on the crazy side with a very aggressive twisted sound.. starts off with a more chaotic melody that sort of reminds me more of hiyarant. the kick bass that is soon introduced is minimal and with a good amount of energy in it, with lots of sci-fi fx and some melodic leads to it accompanied with this very particular lead that i hear in dirty motion’s tunes. sort of like distorted wind whine. getting back to the track, it manages to get itself building aggressively with some really cool leads. love the tricks pulled out around 2.15, with the cool stereo fx to the leads. the samples once again are spot on. the sinister melodies are intense, and you can definitely see both acts behind the project work adding their own flavor to the mix. it doesnt quite blow it though and it seems to build alot in the middle, in the sense that the energy levels are still rising, and i think about the break in the 5th minute the track comes alive. ‘whats in it for me if i do this job… how about immoratiliy?….. ‘ ‘tropical paradise turns into a frozen wasteland’…. the buildup is just too twisted with some very very demented and slick leads that just take things to another level. amongst the chaos of the leads there are heavy basslines adding more depth and feeling to the track. over all this is a pretty mad track that gets alot more twisted towards the end, surprisingly twisted till the very end. another track that would work really well on the dancefloors. 9/10.

6. hiyarant - red coat [frozen ghost rmx] [148 bpm]: here we have hiyarant contributing to the album once again, but this time in the form of a remix by frozen ghost. i cant say iv heard the original but if the dirty motion track was anything to go by, then this should be another twisted ride :). it starts of with some funky fx and pretty humerous bunch of fx. Sort of like an electronic spider crawling inside your head, but not too long into the mix the kick bass is established. The bassline is chunky and has a sick groove to it. Sort of like the stuff from ‘just one bite’. Lots of jittery fx come and go and some samples I couldnt quite understand, but the whole feel of the track is a groovy nervous wreck of a monster who wakes up and gets serious at 2.10. the leads are pretty sick, could be either of the acts involved in this track. There are some fun mind games with bleeps and screetches and lots of other mechanical sounds in the 3rd minute. The playful mood sticks around with a ridiculous number of twisted and quirky effects interacting with each other. The break in the 4th minute has some more spooky samples, with a pretty twisted melodic touch. Following this break the track gets itself together with some serious damage in mind… ‘DESTROY THEM’. Nice :D. what follows is a barrage of noise – screetching leads and quirky bleeps n bloops. Soon the typical hiyarant/fg metallic leads are added and things go on a very grim yet funky groove. This is a pretty interesting track, perhaps not a bomb or anything but lots of mind games and a pretty engrossing track. Played at the right time it could provide a playful demented experience to party goers. 8/10.

7. e = mentally squared [148 bpm]: we are back to solo fg with this track which starts off with some an industrial ambience, accompanied with a sinister voice over… ‘ you no longer need to sacrifice for your people…. you no longer need to bare the weight of your crown… iv taken care of everything…’. very nice start. i really like the ambience on this one, the whale sounds and those heavy pads create some very intense soundscapes. the bassline this time around is dynamic and would definitely get you bobbing your head along. amongst the madness, theres this comical little sleeze of a melody that oozes out. its playful and perhaps a little out of place but it doesnt stick along for long, and soon undergoes the frozen ghost treatment. what we have then is a nice groove which soon reveals its sharp claws with some really slick sinister leads which enter around the 3rd minute. new tricks from the man - really digging this tune. in the 4th minute things get a little more serious, with the pads and fx sending the clear message across - play times over :P. heavy ambient pads help build up the suspense and there are some really sinister melodic sounds. soon there is a little girl screaming and a very intense atmospheric break… heart pounding, sketchy computer sounds, and a creepy old man talking. things suddenly get corrupted and the beat comes back with a lead thats just taking this track to a whole new level. the climax of this tune is just too much :D. i dig the growling lead that keeps things going and finally the power just explodes in the 6th minute with more characteristic fg leads being introduced. the sleezy touch returns towards the end but this time along i think it makes more sense,the tune is named e= mentally squared after all :P. i think this tune is probably one of the best ones from this album. you can see barry trying out new ideas and sounds and the final product is a scary yet somehow strangely loveable creature :P. 9/10.

8. icey binge of the bio shrimp [148 bpm]: well after that last tune im really looking forward to this one. here again interesting soundscapes in the beginning. sort of surreal feel to it but the sleezy bass is oozing from all around and this creature slowly wakes up, with a bunch of wacky cartoon sounds leaving you wondering at what the hell is going on. the feel of this track is as bizzare as its name, and the slick groove that it exudes is boisterous and bound to put a wicked smile on your face. after a whole 2 minutes of deranged sounds the bassline lands and it lives up to the buildup. this is definitely more groovy than the previous tunes and here again he introduces some a very phat melody. i especially love the quirky cartoon fx that are thrown all over the place. by the end of the 3rd minute the track is seriously causing some mayhem with metallic leads dictating the plan of action - madness. the slow down in the 4th minute is interesting and the track explores different soundscapes with some nice pads, and more looney cartoon sounds. the break in the 5th minute is really … well… i dont quite know how to put it. imagine yourself in a jungle with furry and icky critters all around you. bizzare :P. the track builds itself back with some really phat metallic leads and more madness. the take off in the 6th minute is just awesome and the sick melody is just ear candy. the track progresses along well, and you pick up more crazy critters along the way. that sick melody is just wonderful. here again we see some new tracks and some really crazy looney music. i really dig this direction that frozen ghost is moving in. its unique and simply putting it plain bonkers. 9.5/10.

9. edible technique [120 bpm]: here we have the title track. this is a downtempo track and i was kind of taken back by this track. its strange and quirky in more ways than one and at times you wonder what the hell is happening. it has all the elements of a normal track, but the bpm being as slow as it is, it opens up new some new space to explore. think of spacey pads, and heavy distorted leads working together… kind of funky. kind of weird, all interesting. this being a down tempo shouldn’t fool anyone, this tune has frozen ghost written all over it, from the sick sounds to that wicked smile it brings to your face. all in all though, i kind of have mixed feelings about this track. its cool to see acts experiment but this one im kind of left wanting to take this track and pump the bpm’s up to 145. on that note its noteworthy to hear a track at 120 bpm that leaves you feeling like that. in the sense it carries across all the derangement and noise that fg is now known for, but its just … so … sluggish :P. heheh. keeping that in mind, i think it lives up well to the name ‘edible technique’.

overall - well this album is an interesting journey. its a bit on the noisy side with just about all the tracks running at 148 bpm. that aside i guess you cant expect much less from this act. just about all the tracks live up to what you expect from frozen ghost and in the later tracks you can hear him playing around with new ideas and sounds. at the end of the day, this will be an awesome cd for djs. just about all these tracks can be dropped at any time to leave an unsuspecting crowd destroyed. from a home listening point of view, this is a bit too noisy :P. heheh. maybe for those once in a while occasions when you want to freak your room mates out with a massive stomp session. heheheh. all in all, as someone who has been following this act from his first release way back in 2004, im more than satisfied with this album :D. its noisy, boisterous and full of demented sick melodies. the album cover is pretty sick too. i really like the concept of the demented looking ‘creature’ on the cover. hell if he had a grin on his face it would be perfect…. on a closer look maybe he does :S. hehe. anyways big up to frozen ghost for putting this crazy album together and to yabai for putting out another a great release :) .

final rating - 8/10.

fav - 1!!,2,3!!,4,7!!,8!!

where you can get it:

psyshop:

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/yab/yab1cd007.html

saikosounds:

http://saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=6838

future cuts is the latest offering from timecode records and its been put together by none other than multistate (xatrik vs lost n found). all i can say is that this cd includes some great twilight music following in the vein of the trashy, gritty music that multistate and timecode are now well known for. enough talk lets get to the cd:

1.twisted system - psychopath [141 bpm]: first up we have south african super team shift, phyx and rabdom l together forming ‘twisted system’. this is kind of slow paced at 141 bpm, but dont let that fool you, this is one hell of a stomper. This track starts on a very grim and spooky note. Its minimal and the pads are eery, with strange chanting coming and going accompanied with very phyx-esque fx. At this point id say they sound a lot like devient species. Very old school, and just plain scary. At 2.44 this track just comes to life, the minimal effect is maintained but now the bassline is set, we are in for an epic journey into the depths …. ‘psychopath’…. the track progresses flawlessly, with an epic break. The seething melody is just amazing, it stays with you and is truly haunting. Put that together with a very raw kick bass and what you have on your hands is an anthem. And this isnt even the half of it, after much teasing the track finally reveals itself by the 5th minute. The leads are just twisted, and I love the way they keep tweaking out with little nudges and pitch changes, very reminscent of the stuff we see in rabdom l’s solo works. The epic journey goes on for a whole 8:43 sec, and towards the end the leads come back for round 2. overall this is an epic track, that is dark, grim and moody and will certainly take the listeners places. Without a doubt – 9/10.

2.scorb vs concept – dissident factions [146 bpm]: following that monster opening track we have a unique collaboration between scorb and concept. One thing iv noticed about collaborations with scorb is that they always turn out to represent all the artists behind it, and this is no different. it perfectly represents both the concept and scorb sounds. Right from that pounding bassline, to the wonderful melodies that scorb is known for, to the twisted mayhem that concept brings with his 3d influence. Overall the feeling of this track is more in the same vein as the previous one, dark gritty, but at 146 bpm this is a lot more active and engaging. Expect some sick very sick metallic sounds, beautiful melodic touches accompanied with some freaky samples, ‘ all dissident factions on signal go’…. the buildup that follows this is just insane! Never losing it completely, yet maintaining the power and story, the climax I feel is more like what concept brings to his tunes. Hypnotic and unrelenting. This is one hell of a track and well lives to what one would expect when these 2 producers get together. 9/10.

3.phyx – kansas city shuffle [145 bpm]: next up we have south african heavy weight phyx with his 2nd appearance on this cd. Phyx has been putting out some very serious music off late with his last offering ‘fatality’ destroying many innocent dancers. This track is no exception. it starts with an interesting sample of bruce willis talking about the kansas city shuffle, taken from the movie ‘lucky number slevin’. this track is characteristic phyx stuff, many familiar sounds, and a rock solid kick bass. with this track this cd manages to take a more menacing serious tone. the power level on this one keeps things going, and the melodic touch on this one certainly makes clear what phyx brings to the table, an epic haunting touch which is easily associable with most of the twisted system stuff. around 4.30 this track starts a spiral into madness in ways only phyx can pull off. very phat leads coupled with some very very twisted sounds, brings this monster rolling. pure mayhem is the only way to describe it. around the 6th minute phyx adds a new dynamic level to this tune, which includes a melody that is epic, sort of like his work as brethren (with tickets). in the end, if anyone wanted to jump start a party by giving listeners a coronary, this is what they’d play 9/10

4. multistate - hq part 2 [145 bpm]: with this tune we are finally introduced to the 2 minds who put together this incredible journey. this is a remix to their first release as multistate, which was on last year’s va - cryptology on timecode. the original was what put multistate on the map for me and so expectations were high. from the very get go this track had a new feel to it, yet it stayed very true to the original. the bassline and the whole feel of the track though is another story altogether. think about taking a piece of trashy gritty music these guys came up with in their 1st attempt, and then add to it horns and teeth that would scare you shitless. this track is simply put it massive. the leads are blown out, the glitchy feeling of the original is twisted around, and the kick bass would make absolum smile . with this tune this cd reaches a whole new level if that were possible. amongst all the madness there is still semblance of sanity with a surreal pads that calm the listener. the part around 3.00 is just wicked, after a resounding break you think these guys would slow down but they just keep it going! subsequently a new dirty metallic lead is added which is like nothing you’ve heard. the break around the 5th minute goes back to the original with that warped out voice sample, but what comes next is beyond words. this track simply goes mad with some really great trashy leads and a return to the track’s original melody. i really could go and on about this track, but i think iv ranted enough. in the end, this track is a fitting testament to show the evolution of multistate’s sound - 10/10!!

5. mantis - blood red [146 bpm]: this is a new act i havent heard of before. the information on the cd sites the producer as sintax @ nexus core 1. sound familiar? lets have a look . the track starts off with some very nice work with haunting sweeping pads, similar to shift’s previous work on alternator and sting (as pitch hikers). the kick bass creeps it way in and the track evolves smoothly. by 1.45 this track finally gets moving and there is no doubt about who is behind the controls - this track literally screams of shift. the sample ‘blood red’ is used well with those distorted metallic leads.soon there is a whole new melodic structure which keeps the power level rising steadily. very demented feel to it and the highs are much in the vein of the characteristic shift sound. i have to say that the bassline on this one is just sick! phat and mean . around 4.30 a new lead is introduced which is just a whole new level of madness . the break in the 5th minute is epic with those heavy pads. the track soon comes back screaming . this track i think is more dancefloor friendly as compared to the previous tracks. dont get me wrong, it packs it fair share of madness, but its sort of more refined lacking the harsher edge on the last 2 tracks. none the less, the master mind has done it again with yet another side project. 9/10.

6. xatrik vs kid x- wild card [147 bpm]: here we have xatrik with kid x (chris hurrel) taking a more serious turn as the bpm notch goes up one level. starts off innocently with some an industrial feel only to find itself with a massive kick bass. the bassline is aggressive and minimilistic but by 1.18 things finally kick off. the melodies are glitchy and trashy, i guess it would be what i call the xatrik sound. the overall feel of this track is more power than anything else, with the track never really letting itself ease up, just going higher and higher with its energy levels. the mayhem around the 3rd minute is awesome, sounds alot 3d vision meets timecode . the leads used are distorted, metallic and wobble in and out. the whole track gives you the feel of a marauding sluggy monster with its acid leads and through the roof power. the whole 5th minute is a treat and is just so noisy at times it reminds me of theoreme’s myruu . this monster keeps on going till the very end, and is just an awesome awesome track. this track would simply destroy innocent minds when played at a party. this track lives up to it’s name and certainly does a good job of it 9/10.

7. lost n found - scanner ver 2.0 [147 bpm]: keeping things going we have the other half of multistate presenting us with his solo effort. starts off with some menacing metallic ambience, and sooner than you know it there is a massive kick bass. wowzer. iv always thought that lost n found’s sound had a similarity to absolum’s, and this track is further proof for me . sounds alot like old azax syndrom as well to a certain extent with those distorted metallic leads literally coming up out of nowhere. very strong track this one. its fast paced and pretty much on an aggressive tone from the get go. party music for party people. this track is really cool in the sense that i believe it represents a big jump in the lost n found sound, while still maintaining his style of melodies. you know, those metallic techy distorted melodies that we all love. the power levels are off the roof on this one too, and by this time you’ve got to be asking yourself is this a cd or some new form of lethal overdose . the bit around the 5th minute is super sweet. with the break and the leads going into overkill and coming out with a bang that should shake many a dancefloor. aggression and raw power are the only terms that can describe this track and they still dont do it justice. this is a banging track that should be played with an evil grin . another strong stomper - 10/10!

8. outer signal vs b-55 - unstoppable [146 bpm]:here we have a collaberation between israeli outer signal and japanese b-55, the results of which are simply crazy. the track starts off with a sample talking about an ‘unstoppable killing machine’…. with a start like that you know your going to find yourself stomping soon enough. the kicks used are kind of cool in that they are rather phat instead of being crisp and sharp. asides from this you can hear both projects contributing to the track which is always great to hear in collaberative tunes. you can hear outer signal’s leads as well as these really twisted little leads that come and go which im assuming is all b-55. the track truely takes off by the 3rd minute, and this time around the feeling isnt as aggressive as the last 2 tracks. its definitely more danceable with no threat of minor heart attack. the track’s evolution is something worth noting, its constantly getting more n more active and the break down in the 4th minute is the best bit. i love the way they distort and play around with the screams. i havent heard anything like it before and damn it leaves a lasting impression . soon after the track comes screaming back at you and the madness goes on:D. this is another solid tune by the 3d and yabai regulars which keeps things flowing nicely with this cd. 8.5/10.

9. hydraglyph - cigarettes and silver bullets [multistate rmx] [146 bpm]: this is multistate’s 2nd appearance on this cd and this time around they show the lighter side of their style. the original of this track ws released in 2006 on 24/7’s va - event horizon. i liked the original and when i heard artifatk drop this rmx a few months back i was blown away. the glitchyness is very apparent from the get go, starting off with a sample from the original. the bassline reminds me of the bassline on the nosferatu rmx multistate released earlier in the year. the arrangement of all the sounds differs and original sounds seem to be coming out of places you dont expect them to be. that being said its refreshing with a familiar feel. in the 2nd minute the main lead makes an appearance and its got that special multistate treatment. the break at 2.15 is pretty slick as it takes things back to the break from the original which had stellar stereo fx. this one takes a different approach, and keeps things more focused on the beats. the track peaks at 4.00 with a superb buildup. its a perfect combination of hydraglyph and multistate at this point. the original melody taking on a very glitchy trashy feel to it. the original pads and the changing bassline make this a joy to hear. if thats not enough enough they pack another buildup in the 6th minute which shows off a very different part of the track. the melodies stay but in a very submersive way with that special treatment again from multistate. overall this is a really nice rmx, different and yet true to the original. and a nice glimpse at the melodic side of ‘multistate’. 9/10.

10. artifakt - the pole [144 bpm]: here we have the artifakt finishing off things on this cd with a tune from his upcoming album ‘the magus’. it starts off with the familiar artifakt sound, a groovy chunky and at times strange groove. things thereafter pick up very quickly and by the end of the 1st minute itself your left grooving with an interesting melody. the layers are nice and definitely something new from the artifakt. the melodies that are introduced in the 2nd minute are really interesting. sort of a spooky yet delightful child like melody with a sick edge that artifakt creates so well. the break in the 4th minute is a little nerve rattling, but iv come to learn, always expect the unexpected with artifakt’s music . the track progresses smoothly and has a buildup of sorts, with interesting loud distorted metallic leads accompanied by interesting melodic touches. in the midst of all this there are haunting whale like sounds which are plain spooky . the track goes on with it’s mind games with phazer like leads accompanied with bubble distorted fx. the artifakt is definitely in. the track finally explodes in the 7th minute with a buildup of epic proportions. the delightful lead comes back and takes things in a very different direction. this track is a groovy little monster with a wonderful melodic touch. with this tune we reach a great end to this cd. 8.5/10.

well what can i say about this cd that the music doesnt already put forth so clearly. this is simply putting it powerful twilight music that will knock your socks off. if you enjoy the music that comes out of south africa you are going to want to check this out. you dont often come across a cd like this where literally every single track is a standout, the last time something of this magnitude happened i was listening to this cd called ‘midnight storm’ . heheh. but seriously this is some wonderful crazy music. also shows the kind of direction both timecode as a label and multistate as an act are headed towards. things are looking bright on both fronts. multistate have retained their glitchy trashy sound and have developed a edgyness to their tunes and power that is just staggering. lost n found recently signed on to 3d vision, and its after hearing this cd you can see why. the sound that lost n found n xatrik now have as multistate is very synonimous to a new age 3d sound. this is exciting stuff, definitely cutting edge, and the music associated with this kind of idea is definitely where timecode seem to be heading. this aptly named cd, ‘future cuts’ offers us glimpses into what we can expect from these bunch of mad men in the future and damn am i stoked . if your a fan of twilight music, dont think, just buy this cd. i promise you, you wont regret it!

overall rating - 10/10!!
favorites: the whole damn cd!!!
where you can get it:
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/tcc/tcc1cd022.html
http://saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=6854

p.s.
the cover art is great too!

well this is the 3rd release released in august by namaha records, and it is a huge step away from their usual approach of night time music. this cd is all about glorious morning tunes, full on music to bring a smile on your face :P. or atleast thats what i got from the promo write ups and the basic concept of the cd. anyways lets see how this cd turned out.

1. menog vs cpu vs bliss - the concept of time [145 bpm]: what we have here on our hands is probably the dream team from nutek records :P. heheh. seeing the names on this one the expectations are obviously high, so it is with eager ears that i sit listening to this one. from the get go really each artist slaps in his sounds so you know that everyone is alive and kicking, which is something rare in those collaberations involving 3 projects. the track is really quite energetic and blows up quite a storm. if you play this at a party your bound to jump start the scene. what i observed most in this track is menog’s touch. he provides the main melody and sad to say that the track lands up sounding alot like a standard menog track. not that that is a bad thing, but come on, i think we expected more. there are moments where you can here bliss add his handiwork here and there (like in the 3rd minute, the cartooney tune :p). there is bliss feel to the bassline and highs as well. that really strong energetic feel that bliss manages to get across in his tunes is well presented here. the main sample used is all menog. really leaves me wondering where cpu is in this mayhem? heheh. overall this is quite a stomper of a tune, though this seems a bit hard for a fullon/morning cd. regardless me like :). 8/10.

2. itp vs u-recken - northern lights [145 bpm]: i really havent heard too much of these so i really didnt know what to expect. when compared to the last tune, this definitely has a more full on groove to it. a bit on the heavy side maybe but not too bad.if you have heard the itp album, you would know what kind of bassline im talking about. i like the warm pads that are used. gives the track i nice feel to it. ahh this is where the glorious melodies come in. this kind of tune is what you drop really early in the morning, definitely plaster a small your face. as a person who normally finds himself amazed at the cheesiness of israeli full on music now, i found this track to be really enjoyable.the leads used get across a wonderful kaleidescopic feel to it. the pick up in the 5th minute is just epic, and yeah at this point ill admit it is sort of cheesy, but hell its a load of fun, with more tricks in the beats than i can think of. the final push in this track is drawn out with the melody and should definitely keep that dreamy smile on your face a bit longer. all in all a nice bit of full on music here. 8.5/10.

3.chronos - sonic drops [145 bpm]: alright, i have no idea who this is and this would be his 2nd release after his last release on va - orientation 3. alright the bassline is sort of generic, or atleast i thought it was, but the track uses some light melodies that gives you air to breathe. this track definitely carries the happy factor from the last track and lets you just close your eyes and bop your head senselessly :). it has a sort of old school feel to it, and the cheese factor is present, though its pulled off rather tastefully. sort of reminds me of protoculture a little when i think about it, the way that the really epic melodies just float out to you. whats amazing is the way this tune just gets more and more epic as it progresses, and considering that the start itself is full of melodies, its like an explosion of melodies subsequently. the melody in the 5th minute is thoroughly enjoyable and would even get the grinch to smile. all in all this is a beautiful peace of epic morning music. 9/10.

4. cpu - demolition [145 bpm]: having missed out on his participation on the 1st track :P, here we have samy cpu with his solo appearance of the cd. stylistically speaking this is in the same vein as cpu’s more recent stuff, the bassline is pretty similar to his ‘u-spin’ track off va - mind your own isness. incase your wondering what im talking about, im talking about phat a groovy bassline with a hint of clubby cheesiness. for more look up the last cpu album, ‘discodelic’. im sure this change has upset lots of ol’ cpu fans, but iv got to admit it certainly has its own charm. with many funky little tricks this track has some really interesting moments, like the buildup in the 4th minute, which culminates in this slow beat by beat buildup iv heard many artists like painkiller, bliss and more recently azax syndrom use. dont really like that trick too much but this track gets better further down. i really like the sample that is used, some guy talking about the destruction of earth, i believe smugg juggler might have used the same sample on their track , ‘heathen race’. all in all this track is alright, i wouldnt say its anything spectacular, but its certainly not downright horrible. production quality is up there with crystal clear sounds. provides some insight into what cpu might have contributed to the 1st track of this cd. all in all, id give this one 6.5-7/10.

5. psilocybe project - experience the challenge [145 bpm] : i dont know much about this project so i really had no clue what they were all about. in keeping with the basic idea of the cd, they are a full on act, and as such they have their basics down right. clean and tight basslines, that to me sound a little generic, but that could also be because im hooked to my ipod 24/7 :P. the track has smooth progression, and the samples are well pulled off. i like the way new elements are introduced, very natural progression. the melodies are pretty standard, not too overblown, but something id expect to hear on a com.pact release. for a debut release, this is pretty impressive. i like the main melody they introduce, it is cheesy, but it sticks in your head if you know what i mean.i dont like the buildup with the clubby kicks around 6:00. they also use a cool sample about understanding the working of the brain, and it comes out well enough, with those very characteristic israeli full on leads. dont get me wrong, this is a pretty cool track, but i feel it lacks a distinctive feature to set it apart. to me it sounds much like most full on out there. very happy, and pretty much dancefloor oriented. impressive for a debut release, but i guess there is a lack of original distinctive ideas. also towards the end, i dont like the way that peow sound keeps sticking around. overall, if this were played to the right crowd im sure it would be well appreciated - 7/10.

6. digicult - every single second [145 bpm] : iv really enjoyed this project’s work, from their album to their numerous single releases. they produce a nice blend of fast paced full on morning music, which deals tastefully with melodic aspects of the genre. this track lives up to this expectation, and provides a fast paced euphoric experience. one thing that catches the listener would be the strong melodic elements from the very get go. the bassline is also packs a punch, and it compliments the melodies well. above and beyond it provide great energy to this tune. another aspect worth mentioning is the great use of samples, their timing is great and with every sample the track goes places. the melodies are great, sort of like a very aggressive and pretty hyperactive :P. they provide a great depth to the track, and quite often it sounds like the track is talking to the listener. in that aspect the only artist whose melodies have this kind of effect on me would be tryambaka (check out his track ‘filth’). all in all a great great track does not disappoint. 8.5/10.

7. mojo - beat beasts [145 bpm] : again no idea who this is. track uses some female vocals initially with some super warm pads, very soothing intro. this leads to a pretty standard full on bassline, which is tight and builds up well, with neat little fx and melodic touches here n there. the leads used sound distorted and metallic and plays around nicely. have to say im impressed with the production, very clean cut sounds and everything is right where it should be. the melodic piece in the 4th minute is nice, not too overblown but with enough power to keep you bumping around, and some neat tricks pulled with the leads as well. the final break in the 5th minute is packed with warm pads, and a sample saying, ‘i came here to do something’, which the track definitely tries to live up to. overall this is pretty decent track, what i like most has to be the production level, very clean sounds, and funny use of the sample i mentioned earlier, especially when it is used at the end again. overall though, this track doesn’t appeal to me, so id give it a 7.5/10.

8. audiotec - acid machines [145 bpm]: here we have utopia records regular, audiotec giving us acid machines. starts off warm pads and those whale sounds i love. has a sort of cheesy feel to it from the get go, with the melody being thrown right in the beginning. what follows is a nice steady bassline falling in place. the track follows a pretty standard progression and sounds like what you’d expect from audiotec. this track actually reminds me a lot of astrix’s ‘adventure mode’, especially the playful lead in the 4th minute. the introductory melody used again in the 5th minute, is nice albeit a bit clubby, but i like the euphoric touch audiotec lends it with those warm pads, chanting and again the whale sounds. the man knows how to push things up a notch in that department. a melodic lead bubbles up soon after. sure, i could see why he named this track ‘acid machines’, especially if dropped nice and early in the morning. this is a nice track with some cool melodies to it, stylistically very much in the same vein as astrixs’ present style. i am sure this would be a full on lover’s dream, though i wish he would have stuck to his euphoric vibes in this track. 8/10.

9. anill - jennifer 8 [144 bpm] : iv never heard of this project, but was quite pleased with what i heard. slow steady beat, and a nice robert miles-ish melody. a bit on the cheesy side, but nice stuff to listen to at home, and definitely pleasant in the morning. what i like is that the melodies aren;t too forceful, they come around pleasantly, and the changes in the kick bass always maintain a steady heavy vibe. at times this track has a great old school feel to it, with its heavy yet melodic sound. the buildup in the 4th minute is interesting in the way the track smoothly comes back, rather than massive buildups one after another. i really like the subtle melodies here, they keep things simple and groovy. the 6th minute is nice example of what i am referring to, simple ever changing melodies that aren’t forced on to you, rather they just ease themselves through. overall this is a really nice track, catchy in its simplicity and ease with which it flows. 8.5/10.

10. strange planet - life forms [143 bpm]: this is the last track of this cd is by newcomer ’strange planet’. from the very get go, you can see this is going to be one of those uber euphoric rides. very remeniscent of fatali n protoculture. really welcomed old school feel to it, with a pounding a bassline. i can’t remember the last time i heard music like this :). i love the old school sounds used, those sci-fi fx that were used by the likes of silicon sound, alien project back in 2003-2004. the melodies are another matter altogehter - very very epic, much like what protoculture had on his ‘refractions’ album. the track progression is smooth and very engrossing, and the melodies come and go flawlessly. now that i think about it, these guys remind me alot of psytrain. with their smooth and hypnotic melodies. overall this is a wonderful ride, a very fitting way to end this cd. 9.5/10.

overall - this is definitely one of the nicer full on cds floating around :) its great listening to at home, and it covers different takes on morning music, from the harsher sounds of menog n bliss, to the more conventional take on full on music from the likes of u-recken, and audiotec, to the more epic end of the spectrum from strange planet, chronos and anill. the music keeps up with the concept of ’surya namaha’, which in hindi roughly means to welcome sunrise. i like the album cover for this cd, and the character drawn on it reminds me of the character that was on the temple twisters cd - ‘generator operator destroyer’. heheh ironic :P. anyways enough of my yapping - id give this cd an overall score of 8/10.

fav: 3!!,6!,9,10!!

where to buy:
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/nah/nah1cd003.html
http://saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=6593

well after a while of waiting the debut delysid finally got out last month, and all i can is that it was well worth the wait. what we have here is pure twilight madness that can easily put you in “flight”. lets get to a track by track run through:

1. epidemic disorder[148 bpm]: the track starts off with the usual delysid leads spelling out the beginnings of an epic story and without wasting much time the kick bass is introduced. the kick bass is pretty standard stuff, but there is a cool hint of a melody that runs along. its nice and adds a sense of unpredictability to the track. the highs are pretty standard stuff from these guys and compliment the melody well. they add a few echoes to the melody and some new lead sounds to evolve this track into full flow by 1.20. the track smoothly rolls out and just engulfs you. the melody is the same and is pretty catchy, and they experiment with some tweaked leads subtly and after a while they change the arrangement a little with metallic fx taking over and the melody being dropped. soon they get a devious little melody in which uses some nice panning fx to keep things ‘well rounded’ :P. the power levels go higher by the 3rd minute when the trademark melodic leads set in, but again in a subtle new way that uses some nice stereo fx. its backed up with some deranged metallic leads that lends the track a really sick feeling. the break around the 4th minute has the duo playing some nice new tricks, and the melody at this point reminds me alot of exaile. the melody is melancholic and slowly everything builds up around to it to take things off with a rush :). these guys have a nice sense of arrangement with the melody being backed up with metallic leads and subsequently stronger melodic leads which lend more depth to the soundscapes. this added to the high tempo makes sure the track packs a hell of a punch. the slow down around end of the 5th minute deals with more subdued derangement, giving some more insight into the name ‘epidemic disorder’. the break in the middle of the 6th minute gets things back to climax, the metallic lead is stretched out more and a new melodic lead has a … powerful resounding effect - like your getting sliced up :P. all the while long they maintain these spooky melodies. the track ends off with the initial melody coming back to remind you of the story they have put behind this track. all in all, quite a way to start things off. 8/10.

2. traumatic injury [147 bpm]: this track starts off like the previous track but from the moment the kick bass sets in you can feel a more subdued tone in the track. this is sort of reflected in the bpm. they use a very a drawn out melody to get things into groove, and then there is the kick bass. they introduce some very .. ’sneaky’ leads, almost as if a small computer were talking. this is supported with a well rounded metallic lead, that plays a few wonderful mind games in the back ground. soon the arrangement is changed to intoduce a more dynamic lead which goes well well with the sneaky leads that take up a very characteristic delysid melody. around 1.45 they drop the melody and introduce a whirling lead, while the dynamic lead sticks around. it gives the feeling of a lumbering giant getting up. with the melancholic drawn out leads the image is complete and at 2.40 this drawn melody takes centre stage. slowly the track bubbles back with the muted kicks getting into place. its at this point that a new arrangement of leads is introduced. they standard menog like lead accompanied with a jumpy bassline. the overall effect is that they maintain a quirky yet smooth flowing of a melody, which breaks up and comes together many times over. again looking at the name of the track, i see perhaps a glimpse as to the intention of the arrangements used. a break comes around the 4th minute, but the kicks keep going and a new more deranged lead is introduced with some interesting stereo fx. the ambience is given a crunchy feel with squelchy sounds and hints of melodies coming and going. soon the track moves again in a subdued form with the melody given more space, and a scratchy lead playing around in the background. the foreground changes to more dynamic form with typical delysid melodies being dropped all over to give the track a fresh baked goodness. the melody goes onto evolve seamlessly with new leads tweaking up and down, all the while the flow of the melody goes on uniterrupted. by 6.12 the track rounds up to a slow end with a single melodic lead lending the finishing touch to this track. overall this is a nice track, you can hear lots of new sounds, and the track never really bores you. its always moving from one place to another. definitely music to keep people moving. a nice to way to slow the down the flow of the album without breaking the chain of continuity. 8/10.

3. rage immunity [146 bpm]: this 3rd track also starts off with a hint of the delysid leads, except this time its accompanied with a electric guitar like lead. the background has a long drawn out subdued melody which is accompanied with broken melodic sounds and wasting no time the kick bass sets in. the kick bass is more refined then the previous tracks and definitely conveys more aggression. their trademark demented leads come and go, with the kick bass continuing in its serious tone. the lead arrangement is pretty cool, and the track sort of talks to you, and soon by 1.20 the track is moving in full steam. again there is some great use of panning out the leads, leaving the listener in a constant barrage of sounds, definitely getting the ‘rage’ across. the track though still hasnt picked up yet, and the tension keeps building. finally by 2.11 the track gets more serious with a new melodic arrangement. more definition to the melody with a low rumbling lead giving the track its no non-sense feel. a little later a new overlying melody adds a new depth to the track, and as the track relaxes this melody takes centre stage, moving the story along. they have a cool new lead which comes in, which sounds like a computer wreaking havoc with a mad electric guitar. :D. soon more conventional use of guitar riffs are used to get the track out of its break, and soon what follows is mayhem! the guitar riffs stick around but its the stabby leads that do most of the damage. the stabby leads are sort of wobbly and the pitch bending gives the new melody a filtered sound to it. to top things off they bring in this sublime little lead on the top, superb stuff. the story goes on without taking a rest. they give those stabby leads a rest only to let the little lead progress the story onwards. i love the trick they use around 5.17 where the little lead echoes out to silence and still just sticks around. a more raw sounding lead is left to build up the suspence, and a new tweaky little lead gives the track a very demented feel. soon the arrangement changes to accomodate the raw sounding lead and by 6.35 there a whole barrage of new sounds taking things forward. the sound at this point can best be described as a cross between old menog like haunting melodies and exaile like guitar riffs, all topped off with that adrenaline rush that delysid bring to their music. definitely a more polished track, at just the right pace to cause enough damage to leave zombies on the dancefloor. 9/10.

4. silent virus [148 bpm]: i was told that this track was inspired by the silent hill movie, and well i havent really seen it, but that sure should be an indication of a spooky track. the intro lives up to the expectation with a very cryptic lullaby like horror tune. im presuming that this is where the movie’s inspiration is. what follows is a focused build up, with trademark synths and a very tight serious bassline. by the 2nd minute there is a nice rolling lead which simply destroys. nice new sounds from the duo :). added to the mix is an epic little under tone, and finally by the 3rd minute, there is a return to a horror tune. at this point i believe their sound is very similar to the combat project between seroxat and winter demon. but the percussion work is all delysid handiwork. i really like the way they incorporate ‘the darkness is coming’ sample into their build up. the use of their melodic leads is really awesome, somewhat reminscent of their work on the 1st track of this cd. the melody shows some cool progression as it undergoes a smooth fade out, where it is replaced by some more serious leads. what follows is pretty much standard delysid mayhem, with some really nice tweaked out mean leads. towards the end the introductory tune is once again brought back. this is a pretty cool track with some nice ideas, most prominantly incorporating the horror tune (from the film i presume) into the track. some people might find this track on the cheesy side, in some ways it really reminds me of winter demon’s past work, but i feel it does well in its effort and stands up to the delysid standard. 8/10.

5. contagious delusion [147 bpm]: the tune starts off with an interesting melody accompanied with the usual delysid fx, and a cool melody, not to mention some massive tricks to get the track going. very serious tone. the leads and general atmosphere of the track are more twisted than the last track, with twisted little metallic leads causing some brain damage. around the 2nd minute, the buildup is really awesome and i love the pure twisted lead that comes out of it. this is by far the most deranged tune on this album. as with any of their work, they keep the acid levels up most of the time, and the time they let you go at 3.30, there are some really groovy fx with some really playful beat changes. some really cool ideas. the intro tune is used again, and the buildup is epic! just epic! by 4.45 the track peaks out after a pain stakingly drawn teasing buildup.. the track is just awesome, the acidic leads are deranged beyond words, and the melody that follows it up keeps things sinsiter. by 5.40 these guys really lose it, no melody, just scratchy leads and some twisted fx, accompanied with the high paced kick bass. towards the end of this manic rant they try to give a more melodic feel to it and only succeed in giving this beast a sharp set of teeth :). towards the end of the track, the tune sounds like it undergoes some severe withdrawal symptoms, and brings a fitting close to this monster ride. this is by far some of the most twisted work these guys have put out, especially the way they just lose it around 5.40. wow! definitely one track to look out for. 9/10.

6. combat - mind revolution (delysid rmx) [146 bpm]: here we have delysid remixing combat (winter demon vs seroxat). the original is on the debut noize conspiracy release, the combat album, really dont remember the combat sound too much, though the solo winter demon n seroxat tracks on the album were pretty good. anyways it was interesting to see what delysid would do with this track. from the get go you have hints of the original being dropped all over, and you have an interesting eery atmosphere to the track. the bassline used is interesting to say the least, its the standard delysid percussion work with a hint of the original track. the leads and fx used are a cool combination of original combat sounds coupled with some really demented work from delysid. around 2.45 the track goes a cool buildup with delysid adding their own magic to the spooky feel that the original had. around the 4th minute, the original melody is introduced and there is a whole new arrangement of melodies that accompanies it. the combination is pretty twisted, think of a very eery very twisted arrangement, on one hand there is the original lead and on the other you have some very long drawn deranged metallic leads, accompanied with a more tribal sounding bassline. the madness along with characteristic winter demon sounds carries along till the end. all in all this isnt a bad track. its pretty much what a remix should be about, an artist retelling another’s story through their own sounds. which is what delysid do. the original was an alright track i thought, and though this remix adds a new level on the twisted meter, im still not too into the track. perhaps its just me but i thought this was an alright track. 7/10.

7. noize infection [146 bpm]: here we have the title track of the cd, so expectations are high :). lets see how this one plays out. starts off on a slightly different note, but the aggression just pours out. some nice ambient pads and an interesting lead in the beginning. nervous edgy introduction, which reminds me a little of azax syndrom’s leads to a smooth and driven bassline. this track has some nice glitchy fx and there are these twisted leads all over the place. the bassline is really neat, and at 1.45 the track goes up a notch with some really slick work with numerous leads. at 2.12 the adrenaline rush is unbelievable, this track is really sick. the leads are pretty much merciless, and have some wicked tweaking done to it, gives it the ‘r2d2 gone mad’ sound :). i like the little groovy break they put in the 2nd minute and the track rushes back in a whirl. wow, it seems like these guys just sat down in a monster session at the studio and have taken out all their energy in this track. the leads they use are reminscent of some old school sounds that seroxat and azax syndrom used to alot. there are some great layers to the track, with the ruthless lead having nifty little sounds around it to make sure the sense of mayhem is kept alive. the sample around the 4th minute is apt to say the least, ‘you have to stop exposing yourself to so much noise…’ i love the break that follows, they pull out every trick they can think of. you have the lead gaining intensity , the ambient pads leading the anticipation, muted kicks coming and going. the break goes on for the whole 4th minute only to explode! this is some serious mayhem these guys have thought of, they are relentless with their ideas and use loads of new sounds. the feel of the track only gets more massive and harsher with every passing moment. the break in the 5th minute is pretty slick, though i felt it a bit unneccessary. but the track comes back with as much if not more power. the track is finished off in a pretty regular fashion with the kick bass coming into prominence and slowly the elements fading out with the sample, ‘infection’ leaving the listener in a daze. this is a massive track and lives up to the expectations of a title track. it is definitely not for the feinthearted and i think anyone would love to drop this track during the peak hours of the night. steller track, strong contender to contagious delusion on the twisted scale :). 9/10.

8. demential conspiracy [148 bpm]: the track starts off with an interesting sample of a guy talking about his name being project 0.5 something, pretty cool, and there are some eery leads beginning the story. sounds a little like shift, and soon the muted kicks and the pads welcome build up to the kick bass. the kick bass is pretty much the standard delysid kickbass, and the work on the leads is similar to their previous arrangements. around 1.45 they use a really nice long drawn out lead. the buildup that follows is cool as the bassline doesnt show that much of a change, its just that the highs drop, giving it a more driven feel. a really nice melody is introduced soon after, and to me it sounds alot like shift, probably his track kapitol off his last album. regardless the delysid boys leave their trademarks all over the story by having some very flipped out fx providing a constant barrage of sound. the buildup towards the end of the 4th minute is nice, sort of groovy, like the bassline changes they show, the samples of the guy talking glitch in and out, and the delysid boys dont leave the listener bored and provide some constant bleeps and bloops. soon this takes the form of a groovy little monster slowly but surely building up, some really nice ideas here. soon the mindgames are dropped and by 5.30 the track has a roll in buildup, losing all sense of fun, the track goes straight to the next level. the melody is serious and menacing and there is a constant barrage of fx that will leave your mind sliced up. then out of nowhere they bring this nifty little break, ‘what the hell….’. ahahahah really killer idea, and the track doesnt waste any time in getting back bigger and meaner :D:D. the melodies are more aggressive with the leads used having an edgy feel to them, and soon by the middle of the 6th minute the track begins to lose its hold on itself and smoothly slows down to an end, all the while a sample is repeated on and on, referring to the ‘darkness..’. well this track did not really start off too promisingly, not really giving anything new which hasnt already been presented in this album, but as the story progresses there are some very nice ideas and tricks these guys pull off. the groove attack in the begininng only to be followed by some serious mayhem :). very nice. 8.5/10.

9. lucid madness [148 bpm]: the track starts off with the usual kick, and a rather sad and haunting melody. loads of samples around, though i couldn’t quite understand what they say. builds up wonderfully to get the kick bass going. they leave no room to breathe here, as the intro melody sticks on pushing the story onwards. really like the way these guys play around with the melody to give it more depth and some more character. though they dont stick to it too long and soon pull of some of the most aggressive changes one can think of. the track stomps on at 148 bpm, with some real drive. the melodies are sinister and there are some more new sounds. sort of sound a little like azax syndrom at this point, but once again they still keep to their trademark sound. the track only progresses to take on a more edgy feel to it, really nerve rattling stuff. i like the lead they introduce around 2.52, a very harsh metallic lead that destroys you soon after, as the power keeps coming. these guys keep the madness going, and the bassline is jumpy as hell. really steller stuff. by the 4th minute the track takes a breather, and an azax syndrom like melody takes away any semblance of reality. the samples are pulled off really well, and on the whole add a very disorienting feel. after a whole minute without chaos, the track simply erupts and the madness goes on. this track is a non stop roller coaster ride into some very dark scary places, and the melodies really speak for themselves. this track doesnt really let up till the absolute end, continuing to taunt listeners with a deep distorted lead that would make even the most tired stomper come back to life. this is another awesome track. more than being twisted, this one is all about power, pure and simple. 9/10.

10. exaile - use your mind (delysid rmx)[145 bpm]: well here we have the 2nd remix of the album, this time remixing former chemical crew regulars, exaile. i havent really heard the original of the track so i wont really be able to make any comparisons. anyways lets get to the good stuff. the track starts with an innocent little tune, somewhat reminscent of the silent virus melody from earlier in this album. accompanying this tune, are some deep ambient pads, and soon enough the mayhem creeps its way to the surface and things get moving slowly but surely. by 0.53 the track is moving with a pretty standard kick bass. the percussion work definitely sounds like delysid, and the melodies come across as a nice combination of both exaile and delysid’s styles. there are standard delysid leads that provide some good fx to the melody, and by 1.45 you have use of guitar riffs and a catchy melody, which gains more momentum as the track progresses. the melody i feel is more representative of exaile’s sound, but delysid add on their special touch to the make it sound like a pretty haunting melody, definitely some nice stuff. the break around 2.40 is wonderful, lots of exaile madness with some furious fx all over the place. wonderful stuff this, long drawn out melodies with some crazy fx, that leave you wondering how this track is just at 145 bpm. by 3.35 or so, there is sublime little melody played out on guitar, its a little tweaked and at times drawn out by the stabbing delysid leads, but the overall effect is staggering. some cool tricks with the groove attack, but the best part of this track has to be the break in the middle of the 4th minute. they get in some classic guitar work. definitely what exaile are known for. just sublime, powerful electric guitar riffs. the track then has some really cool breaks. the buildup is loads of fun, and the track just takes you by surprise! delysid come in adding their own little melody which goes wonderfully with the guitar sample coming and going. the track goes on bringing on a more dynamic melody which is more exaile, only to finish things off with the delysid boys going berserk with some of their trademark stabs. all in all, this is an awesome track, and a great combination of the 2 styles each project brings. wow, this one will definitely be one of the most played tracks from this album :). 9.5/10.

final comments: this is a pretty sweet album, and well lived up to what i expected from it. from a home listener’s point of view the only complain i might have that is that at first listen most of the tracks sound too similar… only after giving paying some really close attention to their music can one appreciate how at times they lean towards a more melodic feel, while at others they pursue a more darker tone to their music. as for listening to the whole thing at one go, i cant handle so much chaos at once hehe. having said that, i think the best way to enjoy this album would be to listen in small helpings, because the tracks are at times are just too much. which is what this project is always about, putting out some ‘acid music’ heh . as a dj tool, this baby is a must have. with tracks going from 145 to 148 bpm, what you have your hands is a weapon of mass destruction. i really enjoyed this album, especially the tracks at lower bpms (145-146 bpm). the album art is alright, but still not as good as what noize conspiracy had for their endangered species compilation. to sum things up, this album is for anyone who loves powerful high paced music, full of melodies, topped off with a whole but load of mayhem :). big up to noize conspiracy for putting out another great cd, and to delysid for not disappointing.

overall rating: 9/10.
favourates: 10!!, 8!,7!!,5,1!,3

title: va - deep fried
label - rudraksh records
release date - june 2007

‘deep fried’ is the debut release of chennai (india) based label, rudraksh records, and what a debut it is. it is easily one of the top twilight compilations this year with the likes of stomper’s agony, samurai and cold conclusion. the track list is basically a whose who of the twilight scene – a great job by dj shivamoon with compiling this cd. lets get to the track by track breakdown.

1. concept – electro undulation [147 bpm]: the cd starts off with this monster of a track. concept recently released his 2nd album on 3Dvision which was a very solid release, so the expectations from this track were quite high. the track starts off with some pretty haunting ambient pads, accompanied with some spacey metallic sounds and a sample from resident evil talking about the umbrella corporation. the sample is accompanied with more haunting metallic sounds, just immersing you into the track. nice stuff :). and then the kick bass lands by 0.53. the arrangement is pretty massive yet minimal, very characteristic 3d vision stuff. soon more metallic sounds and atmospheric bleeps bloops get the highs in, actually has sounds that remind me of midnight sun (by alien project). by 1.45 the track is moving forward with all elements in place, and this is a groovy beast. the ambient pads used add a lot of depth to this track and by 2.20 there is metallic lead which is playing some serious mind games. another slightly melodic lead is brought in which leaves you feeling like a guinea pig about to be tested upon :P. by 3.00 there is a small break, with the kick bass going along with many fx. really reminds me alot of digital talk as far as their style goes, especially around 3.30 - the metallic leads are all over with that monster groove of a bassline wondering all over the place. really banging stuff that just keeps evolving seamlessly. the break in the 4th minute is cool, with great fx work, samples, muted kicks and just about every trick i can think of ghehehe. the lead that comes out of it is mad! this is pure 3d vision style madness! the leads are just crazy, and are soon accompanied by some very deep ambeint pads and these machine like squeeling noises. wow. by 5.46 the slightly melodic lead which was introduced earlier, is brought back and the mind games begin anew. this track is an awesome way to start of the cd, and i must add is very appropriately named - the atmospherics used truely give you the feel of something slimey and ugly just prowling around. very spooky, very groovy :). 9/10.

2. phyx - fatality [145 bpm]: next up is south african veteran phyx. he released a banging album last year and has had some great releases this year (like evolver - :D), more over any track named fatality is bound to get you curious hehe. starts off with this haunting ambient synth and without wasting much time the kick bass is in. reminds me alot of the recent brethren track, ‘beware of the dog’ on va - psionic substance. there are a few sliced up samples in there and the ambient synth sticks around for a while. by 0.40 the track changes a little with trademark phyx squeels and squeeks appearing. by 1.05 the track is getting serious, the highs are in place and there is a new menacing ambient synth sound. finally by 1.33 the track is moving in full pace. quite a stomper really much in the same vein as evolver and the previously mentioned brethren track. some cool fx like sword swooshes and more squeeks. after a nifty little trick with the beats the track comes back with more sounds around 2.00. at this point i think it sounds alot like twisted system, and there are these subtle metallic sounds that add a haunting depth to the track, along with these little hints of metallic melodies. you can hear it clearly in the break before the 3rd minute. within the same break u have a classic phyx melody just ooze out. after about half a minute the kick bass is brought back in a groovier kind of way with these slashing sounds, and the haunting metallic melody immersing you into this monsterous track. by 4.25 a slick melody appears which makes me feel like imminent doom is coming. pretty sweet :D. the track goes on with some wonderful soundscapes being formed. at 5.19 there is a new sound added which adds this whole element of chaos to the track. very very slick stuff this. there is a break in the 5th minute which shows some pretty awesome tricks - muted distorted beats and the grizzy metallic lead just laying down the power. the lead picks up and up, actually sounds a little like a pretty fierce electric guitar - a familiar phyx sound. when the track comes back this lead disappears and once again its the kick bass and numerous fx playing with your mind. the melody comes back as if to keep you on your feet. really wonderful progression. by 7.30 the melody is firmly in, and your head isn’t! hehe. the track shows a change in the melody by the 8th minute and the overall feel that i get is trashy, apocalyptic madness :d. by 8.30 the fx and melody just gells together wonderfully. and soon after the track goes into a kick bass slow down to finish this 9 minute journey. this is a pretty heavy track that relies more on the epic and scary soundscapes to take the listeners in, rather than over the top in your face kind of madness. a different kind of track that will pretty much destroy anyone. 9/10

3. tryambaka - my black angel [146 bpm]: here we have portugese mad man tryambaka presenting us with ‘my black angel’. i have loved this guy’s work since his initial releases on ketuh records, and after his last few tracks on stomper’s agony, im pretty sure nothing can stop him. his debut album, ‘the colour of time’ is definately one of the year’s most eagerly awaited releases - so lets see how this track supports this shameless promotion :P. starts off with some twisted atmospherics, and the kick bass is introduced very quickly. the kick bass is very characteristic of tryambaka, and there are some interesting warped sounds. after a brief scream of sorts at 0.52, the track takes off with full momentum. the overall feel of the track is gritty and spacey. there are lots of metallic leads, along with some organic ones too. the track just bellows, at 1.35 it gets super serious with more acid than you can handle. by 1.49 the synths land, and the melody is in. not as overblown as tryambaka’s other works, it is very subtle and leaves you feeling that this is going to be one monster of a track. at 2.15 there are some cool samples about the dark lord, and feeling the wrath of the scurge. following this rather intense sample, there comes this sublime melody. it is once again very mellow, but there is so much power in it! It has a kaleidescopic feel to it, and it will definately grab people’s attention. by 3.00 there is a new synth that is brought in, which adds a whole new layer of madness to the mix. the track finally gets moving by 3.20, and it is a wonderful warm ride into the unknown dark. just epic stuff. by 3.50 the track loses it’s melodies and goes serious for a short while, only to be followed by a breakdown - buildup. some crazy work on the kicks, cool samples, and leads that only albert hoffman could have thought of, taking you spiraling forward into the dementia. at about 4.45 there is this old school spacey tweak sound that i just love, gives the whole track an old school, rough feeling. he sticks to this spacey tweak for a while, playing around with it by adding lots of fx. when he finally gets bored of it, you know, and a crazy build up follows. what comes next is unprecedented, ‘do you require aid human… human… human’. the next thing you know the melody is literally screaming at you! wow, this is a gem! the melody is slightly over the top, but its just wonderful. its sad, powerful and moving, the perfect stuff to put listeners in a trance. really wonderful stuff. the melody in comparison to earlier work is more mellow, but as you can clearly guess, it will not fail to blow your socks off. this is a crazy crazy track, and definately backs up the promotion! 9/10.

4. shift vs abomination - aftermath [146 bpm]: this is a bomb of a collaberation which has nexus media written all over it. the last time these guys got together was on 2005’s ‘vision of the future’ to give us the wicked, ‘burn’. having heard that track and the numerous tracks these 2 projects have put out recently, i simply had to hear this track the moment i got the cd. it starts off with this whaling like ambient pad, which reminds me a lot of the decadence track on shift’s alternator album. With the spookyness going off the charts, there comes a sample, ‘oh brother, what have you done?’ taking the perfect cue, muted kicks come in leaving you feeling like a gladiator about to step into the colosseum! the samples from underworld evolution continues to haunt the listener. as the track goes on it sounds more and more hectic until finally at 1.30, ‘william must be controlled’…. and wham! the track is moving abomination style :D. the trademark abomination leads appear, and a distorted bit of the earlier sample is used over n over again, while the track picks up. with little melodic leads heading the way - this is a real monster and continues grooving until 2.44 when you can hear both shift n abomination leads working together well. around 3.10 the track slows down with more wicked samples from the underworld movie, and to stay in the gothic mood that the samples set, there are samples of horses grunting, metallic ambient pads, and these little faded bell sounds. to top it all there is this sample - ‘brother, what have you done’, which seems to echo through the core of this track. as if that wasn’t enough, the bassline is grim and plain pissed off! by the 4th minute the metallic leads abomination have become known for simply steal the show, with more wicked samples. the buildup that follows is something straight from the congo, there is a definite tribal feel to the percussion, all the while long those leads seem to change pitch to make the track sound even more aggressive. by the 5th minute, the track is moving again. once again distorted samples (perhaps saying ‘monsters … (something)’) are looped in, and the bassline goes all over only the way shift does it. soon melodic abomination leads join the mix, bumping the acid level one notch higher. by the 6th minute, there is a warm pad and some killer change in the bassline, and by 6.30 there is a real rumbling lead that is introduced. listeners can easily see the shift influence here, which sticks around well into the 7th minute. the rumbling lead, which is sort of like not-so-harsh yet metallic lead, just grows and flies all over the place. really wonderful stuff. the track soon after dies out. overall, this is a spooky track, with pretty freaky samples. the bassline is aggressive and spells out mayhem. very remiscent of shift’s decadence track off the ‘atlernator’ album, since they both use samples from underworld evolution. on the whole this is a great body of work that certainly lives up to it’s expectations. 9/10.

5. abomination - pusherman [145 bpm]: here we have abomination alone. the track starts off with some cryptic synths which are familiar with the abomination style, also a little similar to what azax syndrom is making nowadays. the synth stays for a while, and by 0.55 the kick bass jumps in. very groovy, with some impressive highs. they use a cool sample of a woman talking, and the whole arrangement of the sounds to the deragned metalic melodic lead which they introduce at 1.33 or so, reminds me of the older abomination style. in fact this track could fit on the enemy within album in my opinion. the deranged stretched out lead sticks around for a while, until your pretty much begging for the track to take it to the next level. and then by 2.15 there is a cool break, with muted breaks the track goes away and comes back. its back with a pretty much minimal bassline, but i like the highs they use. really nice arrangement. no time is wasted in keeping the power pumping and soon the characteristic abomination leads are dropped in place. pretty steller stuff, and they pull of their tricks to perfection. i like the way the use fx on the lead, and the way the completely take away the kick bass around the 4th minute is cool, though im not sure if id describe the transition as smooth. the mini break sticks for a bit when reverbed kicks get things moving again. some pretty haunting metallic sounds with some cool stereo fx keeps the listener on his tippy toes :P. after some interesting loops with the absence of any primary lead as such, the leads come back. the chaos that ensues is pretty much what ou would expect from abomination. around 5.45 though there is a new lead which sounds a lot like shift, and it definitely helps keep the stomping going. another minute and the bassline joins the shift like leads, which are accompanied with the metallic melody. pretty slick stuff. by 7.06 the track is pretty much done and as such dies out without any cool tricks or anything. on the whole i have a mixed view about this track, its not that the ideas presented are bad, but its just that this track doesn’t really standout for me. its just another abomination track. to me, it lacks that bit of uniqueness to set it apart from their other works. but on the other hand abomination pull of some new tricks, especially messing with the volume levels of the kick bass, and some really nice leads towards the end. they pull of just about every trademark trick with ease. all in all a good track, but not one that stays with you. 8/10.

6. neuromotor - virtual memory [147 bpm]: neuromotor is no stranger to the scene. he has been kicking up some dust for quite some time now, and his recent releases have been really great, especially his last compilation, tribal night in africa. so lets see if this track keeps up the tempo going. as you can see the bpm notch is rising, jumping to 147 from the last track’s 145. starts off with some strange groovy effects, and a really snazy trick that leads to some deep ambience. the whole feeling of the track is edgy and groovy. by 0.53 the kick bass lands and boy is it groovy. the bassline has a slight oldschool full-onish feel to it. lots of nifty little tweaks and bleeps get the highs in. the work on the highs is nice and builds up a nice flow to the track. will definitely get people grooving on the floor. the synthy sounds, and mechanic bleeps are just wonderful, and truely bring back old memories from past classics, like old atomic pulse, or cyber cartel. by 2.04 or so the first break comes in, and the track comes out with this really slick edgy metallic lead that takes you up, down and up again. the break around 2.50 has some cool play with a little sample and then a new lead comes in which brings a melodic yet edgy feel to the track likes it going to explode soon, and then comes a small break followed by the kicks building up the suspense. more spacey sounds accompany the beats, and a super groovy bassline. a distorted fat lead is introduced which paves the way for the track. the track chugs along smoothly with the track not quite having reached its full energy. a quick break later the kick is got back and is super serious. a new distorted melodic lead plays mind games, and slowly the track gets itself back together, all the while long the lead is pretty much going crazy. by 5.15 a new lead is introduced, which is more melodic and alot more dynamic. the track revolves around the lead, and a brief break ensues around 5.43. the track gets back in a long kinda drawn out way.. would defnitely get people jumping on the dancefloor. splitbeats and the older metallic lead takes the track back. the track peaks out at this points and the arrangement of the layers is just wonderful. theres a new twitched out sound that accompanies the primary lead only adding to the madness. the track after a bit dies out with some cool split up little samples of people talking. the track is groovy and does a hell of a job of picking up the tempo. this is a groovy monster out of the nueromotor labs, and should definitely be dropped when trying to get people going :). 8/10.

7. delysid - rajasthan army rmx [148 bpm]: judging by today’s twilight releases these mofos have become one of the most activate acts out there. coming from india, the name of this track definitely caught my eye and curiosity. so lets get to it.. the track starts with these cool sitar like sounds, and samples of a woman talking, and soon screaming. another dude talks a little about being put in a straight jacket. all the while long the sitar samples plays in the back ground.the atmosphere is just plain scary at this point, with the dude continuing to talk about his time in a mental institute. soon the kick bass lands and damn its massive. soon their characteristic leads are introduced to give their tracks a melancholic feel to it. so far its a standard delysid track with all the right elements in place. by 1.45 , a new gritty lead is introduced and the initial melody is tweaked out to give a furious feel to it.by 2.10 this subtle little melody is brought in that just adds a whole level energy in my opinion. a little later the same sublte melody is given a more definite, more tweaked out form that is just awesome. love seeing these new nifty tricks by these guys. the whole feel of the track gets gritty and just blown out. by 3.00 the track has some cool samples introduced and the leads are re-organised, and leave space for razor sharp leads and some more samples. the leads just take over slowly only to be dropped into this little break and then the track comes back with this awesome melody. the melody just takes you away, and theres another lead that adds a demented feel to the track. subtle hints of melodic leads are cleverly introduced and the track just keeps going on and on. finally at 4.28 your given a breather from this intense journey. more samples, muted kicks and the return of the sitar. slowly the kick bass picks up intensity and you have characteristic delysid leads just screaming at you… amongst the chaos the main lead bubbles out and the track just explodes! if you listen carefully you can hear the delysid boys pull of some wicked work with some new sounds and some steller stereo work. at 5.47 demetented leads are brought in that add a long driven feel to it. just when you think that things cant get any faster at 6.13 the track falls back to this really tripped out edgy lead, and the bassline accomodates the changes really well. a distorted lead is also brought in to add to the climax of the track. finally at 7.05 the track reluctantly lets go of you…. and slowly dies out and even then the leads still hold you. the ending sitar sounds are truely haunting… wow, just when you think you know what to expect from these guys they put out this gem! truely an amazing track with a wonderful indian touch to it with those sitar samples. 9/10.

8. i-dna - psycho bitch [144 bpm]: the compilation finally takes a slower approach after the massacre of the last track with new german act, i-dna, presenting ‘psycho bitch’. the track starts with some industrial ambience which quickly transforms to a heavy organic sort of ambience with a hint of melody. without wasting any more time the track kick bass starts off by 0.23. chugging along for a bit the track introduces this kaleidescopic tune that keeps playing around with this super fat bass just marauding around. by 1.05 the track shows some cool changes in the bassline with a melodic lead periodically bubbling out. the track continues in the same vein for a while developing a distinctive groove, and out of nowhere they pull of this awesome trick, the track literally ‘reloads’ and gets moving with melody taking a more permanent form. the melody just evolves smoothly with subtle organic sounds adding a wholesome feel to the track. by 2.13 the track has taken on a complete form with the melody dominating the direction of the track. soon the melody melts away to leave a gritty little groove to keep you around. by the 3rd minute there is a sinister break with samples of a girl laughing and the girtty melody just sticking around, and out of nowhere … ‘5,4,3,2,1, all systems are go’. before you can comprehend whats happening a super serious bassline is introduced, which bubbles about for a little while only to be tweaked back to a relentess bassline. the track slowly picks itself together with a completely new tone, and by 4.14 the groovy bassline from before comes back with a nifty new lead. this is gradually accompanied with metallic leads, and by 4.45 a new rolling melody. and a new melody just oozes out with a mean attitude. wow, these guys are relenteless with the amount of tricks and changes they pull off. by 5.33 the primary melody of this track comes back with quirky leads adding a playful tone to the track, and is soon followed by another break. a new mysterious sort of lead is introduced, as all the elements smoothly melt away only to come back with a similar serious tone, much as it happened earlier in the track. the track chugs along like this for a while with a new rolling effect which sticks around. soon you have some subtle chanting added, and some more laughter with hints of melody. the mysterious lead comes back and sticks around for a while. the track end abruptly at the end and kind of leaves me baffled. im not sure what to make of this track. its not bad at all, and is nice for a debut release, but i think there are too many changes that happen too often. and i was disappointed with the repeated use of some tricks. in my opinion the track has some room for improvement, perhaps more changes to the melody and smoother transitions with the different ideas. all in all, i-dna have some interesting ideas up their sleeves and they havent held back here, but i think have sort of overdone their ideas in certain aspects and left out some areas. that doesnt mean this is a bad track, but perhaps the progression could have been more focused. definitely worth keeping an eye for these guys for more future groovy numbers. 7/10.

9. audialize - contact [144 bpm]: to put an end to this pretty awesome cd is none other than portugese master, audialize. as you can see the tempo is settled at 144 and provides a nice end in my opinion. starts of with some warm organic pads, with nice spacey sounds and a dreamy atmosphere. some cool samples and the dreamy atmosphere stays for a bit, and by 0.53 you have an awesome kick bass taking over. very characteristic audialize bassline, and the highs are soon introduced with some more spacey sounds. by 1.20 there is an indian influence in the track, with a wonderful melancholic flute lead. it evolves out beautifully, and the track soon starts coming together with some mechanic and spacey sounds leading the progression. the track progresses smoothly and the whole feel of the track is just… awe inspiring, the flute gives the track emotion and the bassline compliments the flute really well. by 2.40 there is a nice new lead which brings a kaleidescopic feel to it, and the track completely immerses you in. by 3.07 there is a new lead, which has a nice synthetic feel to it and lends to the track a full on feel. this lead is dynamic and is what keeps things going. and by 3.33 there is a break, which is filled up with some an awesome lead and some super dreamy atmospheres with the flute sound. its just epic in the way that only audialize can be. think of the finer moments of starship earth, and dark age rmx, and maybe then you’ll understand what im describing. with a new melodic lead getting itself together, the buildup is ear candy, and the synthetic lead that audialize is known for just takes over your senses! what a ride! this is just pure madness, and just when you think it cant get any better, by 5.09 a new melodic lead is introduced which adds a whole new level of emotion to this track. sort of like a mad electric guitar. the flute melody sticks along with razor sharp synthetic leads. what a wonderful mixture of ideas. by the end of the track all you can really do is smile and let it completely take over. wow, this is definitely one of the many shining gems on this cd! such a wonderful indian touch to the track, more so than the delysid track, its a perfect end to this amazing cd! 9/10!!!

what an amazing cd! this one is truly all about killers, that leave your mind deep fried. the only track that might not have been too hot would be the i-dna track, but that too isnt bad. its just that in the company it has on this cd, it just doesnt stand out. this is an awesome cd, which deals with so many emotions, and the portugese firmly establish themselves here! i loved the tracks with the indian influence to them, very fitting in my opinion seeing the roots of the label. and lets not forget the nexus/timecode crew, giving stellar contributions with the twisted tales of fatality and aftermath. wow, what a cd. if your a twilight lover, you HAVE to buy this cd! you just have to :). the album art is pretty cool, a bit abstract but nice. overall, really happy i managed to get my hands on this cd, big b00m to rudraksh recds and all the artists involved. now to look forward to their next installment, ‘fry or die’!

overall rating: 9/10
fav: 1,2!!,3!!!,4!!,7!!,9!

you can buy this bad boy at:
www.psyshop.com
www.saikosounds.com
and just about any other online psy store.