Cosmic Replicant - The Nature Of Life

Altar Records: 2013

This is about where I feel Cosmic Replicant truly came into his own as an artist, which is funny considering it, too, lacks much of style that initially drew me to Pavel's project. Who knew when I started digging deeper into his discography there'd be so much more to discover? He almost reminds me of another Altar Records alum, AstroPilot, in how diverse his various albums have been. Of course, in this early portion of his career, Mr. Shirshin is still playing by the usual psy-chill rules, but even here there are hints of the paths he'd later take.

For instance, the bleepy ambience that had me swooning over Mission Infinity pops up in the track Technological Era. Yeah, it's an appropriate title, definitely of a colder, harsher nature compared to the rest of an album quite fixated on the wonders of organic life. Where else am I gonna' get my acid fix though? Still, those expecting the sophomore effort from Cosmic Replicant to be more of the same as Future Memories had to be caught off guard by that sonic detour. Perhaps, but probably not so much as with Microscopic Structure, which dabbles in that trendy dub techno genre the lads at Ultimae Records were all on about. Hey, a one-off cut's not such a bad thing on an album clearly stretching beyond the norms of one's current scene, but a full record of it wouldn't fit well with the Altar manifesto. Just as well, then, he hooked up with Pureuphoria Records to scratch that particular itch on Landscapes Motion. Uh, nothing here suggests the pure prog-psy outing of his self-released Soul Of The Universe album though. Guess Altar wasn't having any of that from Cosmic Replicant one way or the other.

And now I feel bad because I feel like I've already run out of things to say about The Nature Of Life. What else can I say? As mentioned, it's Future Memories, but better. It has the bookened ambient pieces, the opener Somewhere Beyond more on a dub-drone tip, the closer Rebirth Of Nature opting for the Solar Fields happy feel-good bliss-times vibes. In between those you have the usual assortment of psy-chill (Living Particles, Molecular Compound) chill psy (Song Of The Forests, Morning Horizon), and whatever Sunnarium is. It almost sounds like it wants to be IDM, but just can't quite shake free of the psy shackles. Gosh, makes me wonder whether Pavel started exploring that domain in his more recent releases. Guess I'll find out soon enough!

Oh yeah, as with Distant System, I went and purchased the near-entirety of the Cosmic Replicant digital discography as found on Bandcamp. He's remained quite active since his last album on Altar Records, four items released since 2015. I suppose I could listen to them now and confirm any new developments in his songcraft, but I prefer savouring the anticipation. There aren't many artists left that make it worth my while to wait a little longer, y'know.

Cosmic Replicant - Future Memories

Altar Records: 2013

Now that I've unshackled my restraints in consuming music of a digital-only nature, it's only appropriate that I go back to those labels and releases I stubbornly skipped. For sure prints like Ultimae Records and Silent Season were tops on my 'must-fill' list, but let's not overlook good ol' Altar Records in this discussion. They've release many CDs this past decade, but offered a significant amount of digital items too, mostly singles and EPs. A few full-length items were in this mix though, typically from artists just breaking out, and thus likely an uncertain investment from the label. At least, that's how I assume it went down with Cosmic Replicant's signing on Altar Records, his first two LPs never receiving the CD treatment. In fact, Mission Infinity remains his lone hard copy album, a shame given a ten-album discography to his name. I likes me some Cosmic Replicant though, so if I wanna' hear more (and, um, support the artist), it's the Bandcamp route I must go.

Pavel Shirshin must have had a hefty chunk of music stored up before his break, as Future Memories and follow-up The Nature Of Life were released within months of each other. Comparing the two, however, it's quite clear this album had been gestating a while longer, the songcraft rather simpler and not so subtle in where his influences were coming from. Oh yeah, the Asura stylee's all over this one.

But hey, I likes me some Asura just as much as I like me some Cosmic Replicant, and even though that likesesing is coming from somewhat different origins, meeting them at the centre's not so bad either. So what if Sense Of Life reminds me some of Galaxies, or Morning Star reminds me of Celestial Tendencies. Those are dope tracks to be compared to! Not to say Future Memories is some Life²-redux – it's much too straight-forward as psy-chill to reach that lofty peak, especially for an album released half a decade later – but the sonic markers are enough that it draws me in just the same.

If you've payed attention to previous Cosmic Replicant reviews, you'll remember that Pavel has shown remarkable diversity in his various releases too (just like Asura!). This being his first album though, it's clear he's playing things safe, offering up the sort of music the Altar Records faithful would be most interested in (ain't no dub techno here). Thus we get the pure meditative ambient opener (Rise To Light) and closer (Return to Gaïa). In between there's the gradual build from dubby, psy-chill numbers (Clear Mind, Opening Lotus), the mid-album prog-psy session (Enter The Void, Sunshine Way), plus the downbeat lead-out (Future Memories, White Elephant, with acid!). As said, nothing really out of the ordinary here, the album doing what it must for the intended audience with skill and finesse. Erm, sounds kinda' boring when I put it like that, doesn't it. Fortunately, Pavel realized it too, finding a distinct voice shortly after.

Suduaya - Venus

Altar Records: 2016

Again! Again and again and again! I mean, I had a good hunch this would turn out another winner, the Suduaya tunes on various Altar compilations consistently some of the best. Actually diving into his albums though, I wasn't terribly sold just on looks alone. Dreaming Sun and Unity had the sort of New Agey artwork that gives Altar a reputation of being on the cheesy side of psy-chill, though anyone that's taken in a good chunk of the label's output would know such a rep' is bollocks. Not that I should cast stones here, the artwork most definitely a factor in which album's I'll impulsively spring for whenever I dive in for a mini-splurge. If I must choose between mystical mumbo-jumbo or sci-fi star systems, the space stuff is gonna' win out every time. This Venus though, that's equally a reference to planets and goddesses, plus there's an alien hiding in this one's cover art. Guess it won't hurt to finally scope out some Suduaya proper-like.

And the first thing I'm struck by is how much Mr. Roquefere is stylistically influenced from Asura, at least in regards to the opening track. This is actually a remix of the tune Universalis by Astronaut Ape, a track that only appeared on a 2012 digital compilation called Everything Is Possible from smallish Russian label Trimurti Records – obscure, in other words. The original is more downtempo, with light arps and spritely melodies, a pleasant little ditty in its own right. Suduaya basically adds those slow, throbbing prog-psy rhythms in his remix, an aesthetic that Asura practically made his own, though obviously not exclusive to him. Still, if you're gonna' ape the sound of any prog-psy producer, Asura's not a bad source to crib from.

The next bundle of tracks stick to the slo-psy side of things, but doesn't come off chill nor dub in the process. It really is prog-psy at a lower BPM, but with things moving at such a languid pace, it give Suduaya plenty of space in creating ridiculously catchy, groovy basslines. I'd expect these from the psy-dub camps, but these tunes aren't especially dubby in their production. Well, maybe Catalan Wind, in that things get all glitchy-trippy with vocal effects, even breaking out a freakin' brisk 2-step rhythm for a while. Mang', when did Altar start getting hip to the glitch-kidz stylee?

The back-half of Venus ups the pace into your standard prog-psy territory, and Suduaya maintains Altar's high batting average for the most part. Diamond Dust with Cydelix brings some acid action with spacious spritely sounds, Lampyris adds some ethnic vocals, The Muse does that Asura-throb again, Knots Of Eternity features nifty little skippy sounds on the low-end, and Baku goes straight for the floating sunrise morning feels. Or, as I like to call it, prog-psy done right, and Suduaya, he do prog-psy done right. Maybe not changing the game or the like, but every quality scene needs its steadying presences keeping that bar high.

Akshan - The Rise Of Atlantis

Altar Records: 2013

Might The Rise Of Atlantis have been one of Altar Records' most anticipated albums? For sure DJ Zen's print has a number of core acts that folks eagerly await new entries in their discographies, but most of them were established producers before joining ranks. Akshan, on the other hand, came practically from nowhere and smashed it with his debut The Tree Of Life, a record easily on par with the best Altar had to offer. You're damn skippy folks would be anxious to see what he'd come up with next!

And boy howdy-dowdy, they didn't have to wait long, his sophomore effort emerging but a year later. Man, at a work clip that fast, Akshan must have over a half-dozen releases by now. Er, not quite, a lone 'unreleased versions' EP coming the same year as The Rise of Atlantis, and nothing else since. There is a previously unheard track on some 2016 compilation from Hadra Records (AstroPilot and Kaya Project also appear), so maybe Vincent Grenier's been laying quiet working on new material in all this time. I dunno' though, you'd think someone who came out so strongly would have parlayed his initial momentum into more material than that, even if but a yearly trickle of tunes on Altar compilations. Was there some falling out? Akshan figuring he said all that he needed to in two albums? Got a better paying job at a lumber mill? The Rise Of Atlantis flopping?

I can't imagine that last one being the case at all. While not as dynamic as The Tree of Life, this is still one solid LP of... y'know, I can't in good conscious call this prog-psy. Yeah, this is out on a prog-psy label, there are sonic markers that remain popular in prog-psy camps, and I'm sure Very Important prog-psy DJs played tunes off here. There isn't much befitting the 'psy' demarcation on here though. Most of the cliches associated with the scene are absent, perhaps a few tonal touches and not much else. I'm more comfortable calling The Rise Of Atlantis a straight-up progressive trance album, with elements of prog-psy. Not to mention soundtracks for fantasy video games and features. Seriously, the opening titular cut should have an epic credits crawl as a camera zooms in on some amazing, CGI-enhanced vista. Reminds me of how Asura opened Life².

All nine tunes are solid offerings of progressive trance, but The Rise Of Atlantis does suffer from one notable flaw: it's all kinda' samey throughout. Akshan doesn't mess with formula, building his tracks with strong rhythms and trancey leads, each tune featuring a good, unique melodic hook at their peaks. Aside from final cut Calling The Ancients though, which hearkens to vintage Juno Reactor, all these tracks maintain a steady, prog-psy pulse, which does deflate the album's flow when each piece ends. Would work much better as a continuous mix, and there is such an option through Altar's Bandcamp. Just a shame the CD didn't have it too.

Astral Waves - Genesis

Altar Records: 2017

Once again, I picked up the latest Astral Waves album without realizing it's DJ Zen's main production alias. I don't think I even checked who the artist was, just perusing through some of Altar Records' recent output, and picking up whatever caught my eye. “Ooh, that one with the dragon looks cool, and this one, it has a final boss of a jRPG, or maybe a Dr. Strange nemesis. Sure, I'll give it a shot. Eh, a new Asura as well? Ah, the cover's just a bunch of high air. Pass for now.” It's been a couple years since his last effort though, and while festival DJing, compilation compiling, studio mastering, and label management undoubtedly keeps Mr. Descoutieras a busy boy, he's gotta' scratch that music-making itch like any of his peers.

Still, I wonder if he really had the time to explore his muse. Genesis isn't so much a new album of new material, as it's an assortment of original productions, plus 'reworkings' of Altar tunes from other producers. No, not remixes, as the inlay doesn't tag the original artists beyond “W+P” credits. Far as I can tell, these are intended to be regarded as Astral Waves tracks, like a cover, or a 're-genesis', I guess. It's not SuryaDemaH's Ashura, but Astral Waves' Ashura II. It's not Alwoods' Rain Of Shooting Stars, but Astral Waves' Rain Of Shooting Stars II. It's not AstroPilot & Astral Waves' Inflation Eternelle, but Astral Waves' Inflation Eternelle II. Huh, why not call it Inflation Eternelle (Astral Waves Version). It's what was done with Dimitriy's take on the tune that appeared on the Fall compilation. I dunno', just seems a tad dodgy presenting these tunes as such, but I'm sure they all gave DJ Zen their blessing.

This is all just niggling-picking though. The music itself is surprisingly diverse and different from what I typically expect out of an Altar record. Gabriel intended this as something of a challenge, making sure each cut was significantly unique from each other so nothing comes off samey throughout (an issue of his last album, in fact). There's also a heavier emphasis on tribal vibes, sections of Genesis coming off like a '90s world beat album, though with modern production chops (can't escape that over-compressed, plastic rhythm).

So you get an extended version of an oldie DJ Zen psy-chill tune of I Believe, redubbed The Believer, now with added vocals from New Age chanter Patrick Bernard. Ashura II chugs along at a crisp pace while digitally chopping up its Indian influences. La Danse du Feu gets in on that Native pow-wow chanting and howling, and follow-up La Danse de L'Eau ups the tempo with drumming and live fluting from Aeolia Project. Then you have your prog-psy numbers (Optimistica II, Rain Of Shooting Stars II, Les Liens du Sang (Profondita Remix)), and a right progressive trance stomper in Inflation Eternelle II. Man, is it wrong that both versions of this AstroPilot collab' get an Ace Tracks nod? Does it matter?

Profondita - Dracarys

Altar Records: 2017

I keep thinking this act's name is Dracarys, with the album titled Profondita. Obviously that's not the case – I wouldn't be reviewing it in a block of 'D' releases if so – but Lord Discogs lists no artist with that handle, and it's a more eye-popping alias than Profondita. You could dress as kick-ass wyrms on stage, maybe get a little fire show going (safety first, always!), have albums themed around storming castles and dungeon raids. It's not unprecedented in this scene, an adored full-on psy album from over ten years ago being The Misted Muppet's From The Legend, and that one's got a whole bunch o' dragons in its cover art (shamelessly pilfered from authentic D&D sources, I suspect).

But nay, it's a Profondita we're dealing with, another obvious indicator of such being Dracarys is their second album with Altar Records. The first, Ciel, in fact came out just last year, which I totally missed since it was lodged among a pile of items that didn't catch my attention then (too wrapped up in dark ambient, I guess). I think I'll have to rectify that oversight, because if this album is any indication, then Altar Records have themselves another premiere talent in the prog-psy side of business. I mean, they did earn an Ace Track status on that Winter compilation, rubbing shoulders with AstroPilot and Asura. What more convincing must I provide? Ah, an actual review of Dracarys. Yeah, I can do that too.

The main criticism I can levy against this album is that it's rather singular in execution. Eight tracks, roughly eight to ten minutes long, all prog-psy. No room for a downtempo cut or a leftfield breaks option; even the tempo is relatively consistent throughout, though does get peppier towards album's end. Mind you, these gripes can apply to the whole genre of prog-psy, so if you've not a care about this style of music, Profondita aren't gonna' change your mind. Hell, if AstroPilot can't convince you, I don't know what will.

That settled, front to back Dracarys is some of the tastiest prog-psy I've heard in a while! Altar Records has maintained a steady level of quality for much of its run, but it's rare that an album hooks me as solidly as this one did, and holds my attention until the end. It's not even a case of Profondita doing anything significantly different from the Altar norm – they just do it with such astounding skill. Their rhythms have plenty of drive while remaining that steady rudder the best prog always offers. The trancey leads tickle your lobes while sending your consciousness floating out in the cosmos (or high in the canopy if you're at a bush party). There's no excessive samples or over-indulgent effects wank. Just solid track after solid track after solid track.

I've played prog albums that struggle getting even one memorable tune in, and here's Profondita dropping eight of 'em! Absolutely that's bang for your buck, my friends.

Various - Winter

Altar Records: 2017

Boy, was this one a long time coming. Even without my alphabetical stipulation, the fourth edition of Altar Records' Seasons series was quite late. The first one, Spring, was released way back in spring of 2013, over four years ago! Summer came a year later, then Fall in late autumn of 2015. Nothing too out of the ordinary there, having a yearly series with a release date coinciding with its particular thematic season. The whole year of 2016 went by though, with no Winter to be seen. We were assured Winter was coming though, so we waited, and waited, and waited, but still no dragons, just a bunch of floppy wieners- whoops, wrong 'winter'.

Finally, in late February of this year 2017, Winter was released. I guess that technically keeps it within its established schedule, but yeah, compared to the brisk rate of output from Altar Records' first thematic series, this one sure took its sweet time reaching completion. I mean, it's been so long, it's forgotten its original art-style. What happened to the border runes, and the seasonal kaleidoscope stylee? Sure, this cover art is purty as fresh fallen snow, but rather typical of Altar's usual fare. The others had a distinct flair unto themselves.

Whatever. It's always the tracks within that's important and label head DJ Zen still knows how to find 'em, sign 'em, licence 'em, arrange 'em, print 'em, distribute 'em, and- wait, where's the “mix 'em” in all that? What kind of DJ doesn't mix?

Familiar names that return naturally include AstroPilot, his The Wind Through The Keyhole as solid a slice of ethnic-flavoured psy-chill as anything he's ever put out. Long time Altar vets Lab's Cloud gives us a dubbier offering of psy-chill in Alma Zen, while Suduaya's Clear Water opts for a spritely bit of prog-psy (it's almost 'twinkle prog'!). Hm, both these acts have been Altar staples for a while, yet I haven't reviewed anything of theirs. May have to rectify that. Anyhow, the best of the star players is Asura's The Savers, one of the most energetic, gnarliest trance tunes I've heard Mr. Farewell kick out in ages. Holy cow, where has he been hiding this stuff!

A few newer recruits to the Altar family rounds Winter out. Argus gets two track to open the compilation with, The Time Before a pure ambient dub outing while We Are One dips into prog-psy's waters, as does Profondita's Island. At the opposite end, one half of that group, Eyal Markovich, remixes No Gravity from Unusual Cosmic Process into a throwback prog-psy outing - compared to the typically languid pace Altar loves promoting, it's 'uptempo prog-psy'!

Eh, you've noticed something lacking in these detailings? Yeah, cannot deny the 'winter' theme is rather absent in these tunes. For sure they're all great cuts, but they don't make me feel like I'm frolicking in frosty meadows or snow-capped forests. Maybe dark ambient truly is the best winter music out there.

Chronos - When Mars Meets Venus (Part 2: Venus)

Altar Records: 2012

No, I can't let this go, not when it still bugs me. I know for centuries Venus was thought of as a jewel in the morning and evening skies, a bright beacon of light outshining all other stars in a vast sea of black. It's only natural that the Ancients would associate beauty and grace as it wandered across the Zodiac. However, science has taught us that while Venus may look lovely from afar, it's anything but pretty and tranquil. Temperatures that can melt lead, thick sulphuric acid clouds blotting out sunlight, yet an atmosphere of vast amounts of carbon dioxide holding in heat for a runaway global greenhouse. Vast volcanic plains. Crushing pressures. And what's up with that rotation, slowly spinning backwards relative to the other planets in our system? That just ain't right at all! If musicians were honest in their odes to Venus, they wouldn't make music of beauty and grace, but of Hellfire and glitchy, noisy mess.

Anyhow.

The whole Mars/Venus dichotomy is essentially a celestial version of yin and yang, an easy concept for artists to showcase two sides of their muse. That Chronos needed to explore it across two separate albums suggests a bit of the ol' hubris at work, but hashing out just another album for Altar Records probably didn't seem all that appealing. Mr. Klimenko was already a five year vet in the psy scene by the time these came out, with plenty of music already released to his name. If DJ Zen is giving you carte blanche to let your creativity do the rockwilda', then have at you.

As When Mars Meets Venus: Part 2 is the 'Venus' album, it's mostly a chill, ambient one compared to Part 1: Mars. You sure wouldn't know it from the opening track though, Leaving Gaia featuring full orchestral arrangements, thundering percussion, and operatic choirs. Did we stumble into a fantasy epic somehow? Ooh, space opera, mayhaps!

But nay, we're in full-on ambient territory for much of this album's duration, tracks lasting an average of eight to eleven minutes apiece. It's mostly of a lush, soaring sort, thick timbres of pad work and spacey samples thrown in for added flavor. Red Planet goes a little more menacing (because Mars iz warz), Venus Eyes does a mysterious build before settling on a bit of quaint, affable melody (getting a Solar Fields vibe here), while Soaring In The Abyss and Galactic Winter add some Berlin-School pulsing synth rhythms to the fray. Dark Flame Landing is clearly the centrepiece of this album though, with the longest track duration and a return of the thundering percussion for its back-half. All that's missing is the appropriate film epic accompanying it.

Still, Part 2: Venus may be too ambient overall for most casual followers of psy-chill. Though Chronos does maintain a strong sense of grandeur throughout, it's also a rather singular journey, and folks needing 'd'em riddims' may not be up for the ride. Those who are though, hoo!

Chronos - When Mars Meets Venus (Part 1: Mars)

Altar Records: 2012

It's been two years since I dived into Altar Records' discography with abandon, reviewing their compilations and albums from acts like AstroPilot and... Um, okay, it was mostly all AstroPilot, with a smattering of one-shots from other acts. Chronos in particular though, I name-dropped often, someone who's chance to properly shine on this blog was coming. Um, I'm a little behind schedule on that part. His Helios album was a nice tide-over, but more of a dessert to the main course Chronos contributed to Altar's catalogue, a two album concept release titled When Mars Meets Venus.

Not that other artists on Altar didn't release LPs in rapid succession either. The relatively unknown psy-trance project Monkey Machine put out a pair the year prior, and another early Altar work-horse, C.J. Catalizer, had a steady clip of records too (to say nothing of AstroPilot, but y'all must be getting weary of that constant name-drop). None of them explored a specific theme across two records though, with each part reflecting a different aspect of their muse. When Mars Meets Venus not only cemented Chronos' place in psy-chill's pantheon of skillful musicians, but also helped establish Altar as more than 'just another psy label', showing a willingness in letting artists indulge themselves if they had the songcraft backing it up. The label's had some difficulty reaching that creative high ever since, sans He I Promised Not To Mention Again.

Part 1 focuses on the Mars perspective, which generally translates to an uptempo, 'aggressive' side of things. My inner astronomer can't help but balk at this (Mars is by far the more placid planet when compared to Venus' Hell-fire), but I'm confronting centuries of accepted, artistic lore. Thus we get your steady-pace prog-psy numbers like Leaving Gaia and... uh, actually, there's not much standard four-to-the-floor beatcraft found here. For sure the BPM is of a medium pace throughout, but Mr. Klimenko seems adamant in eschewing convention in favour of whatever broken-beat he can throw in. Arkturus (red bodies unite!) goes for a minimalist ambient techno thing, I think Hi Tech Mosaic is in another time signature than 4/4 (I'm no expert), Sequenced Engine alternates between chunky thumps and bleepy shuffling, and Zirda defiantly messes up the standard prog-psy pace. And wait, is that a touch of the 'wub-wub' I hear in Broken Song? Chronos, how dare you!

Detailing all the fine beatcraft on here would take forever, and that's not even getting into all the lovely melodies and ear-wormy passages too. Shining Parallel World comes rather close to aping classic Orbital, Lullaby For The Little Robot is all sorts of quaint and twee, and Pain Feedback sure wants to get its prog rock on. There's so much going on with Part 1, it feels like the album never ends, lasting much longer than its recorded time-stamp. It's an album that needs repeated listens to digest it all, but with a feast this grand, you can't help but return to the buffet for more.

Various - Water

Altar Records: 2009

Hey, remember Altar Records' Elements series? I reviewed nearly every single one of them (including the 'hidden' sixth element) only, what, two or three years ago now? Eh, I could simply check my archives to verify? Oh, man, that was over five-hundred reviews ago – who has time to sift through that much backlog! Though I'm almost certain, should I skim them over, I'd find a hi-lar-ious claim that y'all wouldn't have to wait too long for Water's review, maybe even a ridiculously optimistic prediction of later that year.

Another thing I should probably do is go back to the other Elements CDs (Air, Earth, Fire & Ether) for a quick refresher in this series' development, but why bother? I have to admit, when I first got the collection, Water didn't stick with me on my initial run of each volume. Not because it lacked dope tunes or anything, but because I knew the other four (plus one!) would require my immediate focus for review, thus letting this one slip by the wayside. Now, with it finally up to the mic' with its chance to shine, Water gets all the solo glory it deserves, none of its elemental siblings crowding it out of the spotlight. At least, I'm assuming that's how I've approached this, because I honestly don't recall Water being this good when I got it way back when. Did I even listen to it before?

Like, the first track is Marianna Falls from Asura, with Charles Farewell executing at his Asuraian best. The languid pace, the spacious sounds, the sense of uplifting cinematic grace... holy cow, how did this song not make the cut on his 360 album the year after? And speaking of Ultimae alum', Aes Dana is here too with Cyan, doing that steady-paced prog-psy thing he often does so well. Androcell also shows up for a rather Balearic bit of psy-dub in Seahorse Dreams, which makes sense given the marine theme of this compilation. Man With No Name's oldie Sugar Rush is also given a lush reworking from a Kanc Cover, more known as Opsy around the time this came out.

But hey, enough about the outside talent, what of the Altar roster, how do they stack up? Pretty good for the most part. Chronos does a widescreen psy-chill thing in Planetarium, AstroPilot ups the pace to prog-psy's chugging domain in Voda, DJ Zen offers up a lengthy goa-breaks-psy-world-chill-trance remix on Zymosis' God Is Mine (it's so long, he kinda' throws everything into the pot), and RA brings Water to a close with a pleasant enough psy-chill cut in Creation Of Tefnet.

If there's any complaint to be had with Water, it's that the elemental theme is only loosely followed upon throughout. Perhaps this collection of tunes have a more 'flowing' feel about them compared to the other Elements, but that's about it. Really, Water is just another solid CD of music from Altar's formative years, which ain't no bad thing at all.

Aquascape - Underwater Stranger

Altar Records: 2011/2012

Label raids are good fun and all, but there does come a point where all the intriguing releases run out. There’s only so deep down the rabbit hole one should explore before considering just how necessary total and utter completion of a label collection is necessary. No, it’s true – no single print is one-hundred percent infallible. Plenty are ace, top grade even, with track records shaming many of their contemporaries. A perfect run of platinum quality releases though? Not bloody likely. Even my all-time favorites (Ultimae, Turbo, Waveform …Cryo Chamber yet?) have a few CDs in their catalog that, in hindsight, I really didn’t need to have. To say nothing of other labels I’ve dug into over the years.

Take Altar Records. They’ve a few acts I’m quite committed to scoping out with each album, and digging further has revealed a number of solid CDs along the way. That said, the label’s assorted yoga and meditation offerings definitely are not on my interest list, nor can I say I’m committed to checking out every psy-chill act that gets signed to them. Having exhausted most of the recognizable name, however, I’m left with an alternative selection process: does it have interesting cover art? Well hey, this Aquascape looks unique compared to the usual ultra-mystical stuff Altar goes with - simple, elegant, inexplicable manta ray. Sure, I’ll give this a shot, fits nicely with the ‘water theme’ I was splurging with at the time anyway.

And boy, was I not expecting this. A decent collection of psy-chill, sure, Altar’s early track record pretty spot on for this sound. Aquascape though, they kinda’ slipped by my attention, even after giving their Voice Of The Universe track on the Air compilation an Ace Track honor. The duo, comprised of Andrey Kostomarov and Anton Salikov, didn’t stick with Altar for long though, mostly contributing to Tunguska Electronic Music Society compilations and, more recently, Plusquam Chillout. Lord Discogs tells me they’ve only released one other album since Underwater Stranger, a digital LP on Tiger Grass Records called Sunrise In Fog. Damn, I hope that’s just incomplete information, because if this album’s anything to go by, they’ve got a good sound going for them.

Right, their take on psy-chill does occasionally dip close to the shores of sappy New Age stuff, but never such that I get my cringe on. Mostly, we’re fed a steady diet of dubby grooves, acidy sounds, and guitar solos. Oh yeah, Anton provides various acoustic, flamenco, and spacey guitar work. While not on the level of Steve Hillage, it adds a fresh dynamic to your standard psy-chill tropes.

I won’t deny Underwater Stranger lacks the sort of tunes that leap out and grab your ears by their balls (!?), but it’s an album I find enjoying front-to-back every time, easing me in for a smooth, chill ride as I go about my business. Music good enough as wallpaper, but dynamic enough for those times you want a little zone-out time too.

E-Mantra - Silence

Altar Records: 2012

A decade past, when Israeli full-on was dominating the psy market, a few plucky producers started taking the scene back to its goa roots. Naturally, this tickled the fancy of old schoolers bemoaning the commercialized fate of their cherished music, but the revisited sounds of crunchy acid and Indian tonal scales never led much of resurgence. Still, it was enough for fans of vintage goa that anything of the sort was welcomed, giving high praise to the likes of Khetzal, Ra… really, anything released on the Suntrip Records print.

E-Mantra is among that label’s consistent acts, plying his trade among the compilation market before making his debut in 2009 with Arcana. For a goa trance record in the modern era, it was received well enough, and anticipation was high for a follow-up. So of course Mr. Carpus took a left-turn towards the realms of psy-chill for his sophomore effort, releasing Visions From The Past on the fledgling Altar Records in 2011. It… wasn’t met with quite the same enthusiasm, but hey, that proper goa trance album everyone was expecting (Pathfinder) surfaced later the same year, so no harm no foul. Undaunted by that lackluster reaction to his sojourn into downtempo, E-Mantra released another such album with Altar the following year, Silence. And again the year after that, Echoes From The Void. And again after that, Raining Lights, with just one additional goa album in all that time (Nemesis… ooh, I think I see what he did there!). E-Mantra now has more psy-chill records under his belt than goa CDs, a development I’m sure almost no one expected while hailing him as one of neo-goa’s champions. Maybe that was Mr. Carpus’ plan all along!

Coincidentally, these repeated ventures into the domain of psy-chill has made E-Mantra one of Altar Records’ core acts. I never intended to hold out checking his work on DJ Zen’s print, as I reasonably liked his scattered material on the label’s compilations. Just another one of those ‘I’ll get to it once exhausting all the super-sexy looking options’; it happens. As for why I picked up Silence in particular, it was for no better reason than I was in a blue, underwater mood while sifting through Altar’s material, and got everything that fit the oceanic theme I was vibing on. I’m jonesing for that Water compilation review just as much as everyone else, yo’!

Silence is definitely a stronger offering of psy-chill than E-Mantra’s first venture into the genre, Mr. Carpus finding a firm footing within its style and tropes than simply slowing down his goa sounds (alleged complaint of his first). There’s pleasing, flowing melodies (Since You Were Gone, Shadow Skies), groovy dub-heavy numbers (Ecouri, Night Walker, Prelude), pure ambient pieces(Passing Through), and amalgamations of all three (Touching). Samples, tasteful. Songcraft, skillful. Excessive wibble, nonexistent. Yep, Silence has everything I’d look for in a psy-chill album. Just wish it stuck in my head better after it plays. It’s frustrating when some music ends up like that.

Akshan - The Tree Of Life

Altar Records: 2012

When exactly did Altar Records get their break? Was there positive buzz right from inception? They certainly had enough talent on hand to give them a solid foundation, though much of it was on loan from established prints, names that had already made a mark elsewhere. Truth is when I browse through the label’s early catalog, I don’t see many standout releases beyond the key acts that went on to become staples (AstroPilot, E-Mantra, DJ Zen ‘natch). I didn’t come around to Altar until way late, and most folks I knew didn’t either. Something had to be that trigger though, a catalyst in gaining more eyes beyond early adopters. Seems this debut from Akshan is often pointed towards as one such contender, an album catching the ears of many who’d never even heard of Altar before. Looking at other releases from the label about that time (Solar Walk 2, When Mars Meets Venus, Silence, Fruits Of Imagination re-up), yeah, I suspect mid-2012 gave a good bump for the boys from Quebec.

Akshan more commonly goes by the name of Vincent Grenier, but Lord Discogs doesn’t give much more information than that. Nor does it reveal any prior work to this one, The Tree Of Life not only his debut record on Altar, but debut period. He apparently spent some time honing his craft in the years prior though, a practice that paid off when he finally struck a deal with Altar. For if this LP truly is his first offerings made available to the public, The Tree Of Life is a darn slick first impression. I’d expect nothing less of someone stating Ultimae as an influence.

Mr. Grenier also states Juno Reactor as an act taken cues from. I can hear that, Akshan leaning rather tribal compared to Altar’s usual fare, though not in any overt manner. Tracks like Jungle Fever and Back To The Origin mostly stick to the widescreen prog-psy stylee Altar consistently dishes out, but throws in more sounds and rhythms that recall some of Ben Watkins’ heavier moments. Elsewhere, Adagio For The Braves has a breakdown that features the famous Chief Joseph “I will fight no more forever” speech, though not to as great effect as Peyote’s use of it if I’m honest. Still, that melody after… damn…

As for the rest of The Tree Of Life, it’s an Altar Records album. Um, I’m not sure what else to say beyond that. Most tracks follow a similar template of moody, ambient build, establish a slow n’ steady prog pulse, grow in intensity with subtle swirly, trancey sounds, finally peaking out with a lengthy, cinematic piece at the end. Angels Never Cry has spritely melodies, Symphonic Tendencies indulges the acid along with orchestral swells, Eternity uses stuttering voice pads, and final track Waiting For You features an extended symphonic denouement. There honestly isn’t much variation between tracks but if you fancy your prog-psy and chill with a melancholic flavor, you’ll definitely enjoy The Tree Of Life.

Various - Summer

Altar Records: 2015

Feel that in the air? The warmth, the brisk breezes? Why, you could almost claim it summer now! What's that, everywhere east of Vancouver? You're still all cold and bitter and wretched and miserable? Sucks to be you then. Why, y'all could never listen to this CD from Altar Records so ludicrously out of season and appreciate it with appropriate weather beaming through the windows. True, we had to put up with some three-hundred million gallons of rain before getting to this balmy June-ish clime’ we're enjoying deep into February, but now that we do have it, our smugness knows no bounds or remorse. Still, DJ Zen better hurry up with the Winter edition of this compilation series, lest the window of season appropriate street dates pass by. Quebec may deal with snow all the way into July [citation needed], but officially winter’s done on March 21, less than a month away from the time I’m typing this. No pressure, yo’.

Summer is probably the most predictable of these Season CDs thus far, in that DJ Zen couldn’t help but gear his selection of tunes for the outdoor party vibe. The entire psy scene is practically predicated on flailing under warm, starry skies, on tropical beach fronts or in cool forests at night. You sure wouldn’t throw a psy party on an alpine glacier, is what I’m saying (though that’d be a pretty dope setting for a Biosphere concert). And while I’d applaud the Altar Records head if he took a musical gamble for this volume, there’s no thematic point in eschewing a sure thing like this. Summer is the psy-tranciest season of the year, so DJ Zen may as well give us the psy-tranciest CD out on Altar Records he can muster.

And the first few tracks promise as such. Groovy psy-chill is always a fine way to open a compilation of this sort, and Sudaya provides a scorcher of a track in Over The Edge, synths and pads soaring in from deep cosmic realms. It’s a bit on the hammy side, but so earnest in delivery it wins you over regardless. By cut three, we’re already in prog-psy’s uptempo realm, Elea’s Yãtrã getting its world beat vibes on with plenty o’ sitar action. A couple solid psy tunes after that from E-Mantra and Merlin, and then Summer plummets right off a cliff.

No, but really, I thought plodding numbers like Alwoods’ Blue Horizon had long been left to the monotonous era of minimalist dark psy fifteen years ago. And why is it over eleven minutes long? Hardly anything happens during that length, it doesn’t build to anything substantial, and we could have had two cool tracks instead for that amount of runtime. Even Iboga Records never got this monotonous. Much.

One bad track isn’t a deal-breaker for Summer, with AstroPilot, Abiogenesis, and Asura rounding out a decent enough finish. Given the strong start of this CD though, such a dud does leave an unfortunate aftertaste.

Astral Waves - Magnetique

Altar Records: 2015

I always keep forgetting this, but Astral Waves is Gabriel Descoutieras, more commonly known as DJ Zen; aka: the head of Altar Records. This isn't some scene secret or privileged information. Heck, just last year, I made mention of it in the Fire compilation review. He doesn't turn to this alias often though, so it's easy to overlook his association with it. I believe he's only released two proper albums as Astral Waves anyway, including this one. The first, Mystique, came on Monsieur Descoutieras' original print, Sunline Records. After getting Altar Records up and running, he returned with Magique, a remix album of other Altar artists. Oddly, this wasn’t made clear on the backcover, tracks listed as though they were his tracks. Um, oops? There’s also a very recent collaborative album with one flutist Aeolia called Yoga Temple, which looks to be exactly like what it says on the title. Pass on my end, thanks.

So DJ Zen doesn’t get behind the producer’s chair much, content in being a facilitator for other artists while giving them a spiffy mixdown and super-spiritualized cover art. In terms of music and talent, I’ve often mentioned Altar comes off like a little sibling of Ultimae Records, but their overseers are definitely cut from a different cloth. Aes Dana is quite prolific on his label (by Ultimae standards anyway), while DJ Zen’s much more chill. I sense a reason for that though - and oof, do I feel a bit of a cad typing it. Aes Dana just has more unique ideas worth exploring as a producer than Astral Waves.

For sure, Mr. Descoutieras is a solid producer, crafting his psy leaning chill and prog as capably as anyone on his roster. He may not kick out as much music as AstroPilot, E-Mantra, C.J. Catalizer, (Altar namedrop, etc.), but he definitely knows what works for the genre. Opener Emergence with Suduaya (France) and Sukhush (Brooklyn) (!) does the dubby bliss-out vibe with extra flute action, Le Rêve Éveillé with Sufi’s Life and Merlin (really, Lord Discogs, the fortieth Merlin?) ups the tempo into prog-psy’s domain, and Les Liens Du Sang with Aureohm (singer from Costa Rica, I think) soars in that spaced-out hippie-flail way any solid outdoor party goes. Astral Waves goes solo for the next two cuts, the happy, spritely Déploie Tes Ailes (que?) and darker groover La Danse De Elfes (ooh, I know what that one is in English!). There’s another spaced-out prog-psy cut with a rub on Androcell’s Efflorescence, plus two collaborations with Alwoods in Suntrap and L'Oiseau De l'Aube, both going more goa (acid! nice).

And yet, through all of Magnetique, I can’t help but feel this is just DJ Zen ticking off the things that makes this music work, seldom exploring it any further. There’s good tuneage here, yet with so much collaborative work, nothing I can identify as a definitive Astral Waves stylee. Maybe that’s all we need from the Altar Records curator though.

Chronos - Helios

Altar Records: 2013

Not to let AstroPilot hog all the ‘ambient via inspiration of suns and stars’ glory on Altar Records, here’s Chronos tossing his offering into the concept as well. Maybe everyone on the label will have their opportunity at some point. Heck, after he’s finished with his ‘Seasons’ series, DJ Zen should start up one based on celestial bodies within our solar system, thus letting all the regulars have their crack at Sol ambient. Then they could move onto the planets, which Chronos would have no problem pitching in since his other Altar albums centered on Mars and Venus. Plus, he’d have to compile the ‘Saturn’ CD – it’d only be appropriate. Not sure who’d want to do ‘Uranus’ though (hey’o ...sorry).

Anyhow, after namedropping Nikita Klimenko’s project for a while now, I’m tackling an actual full-length album from the guy. Just a shame it had to be Helios, hardly the most representative LP under the Chronos banner. That’d be like starting discussion of AstroPilot with Solar Walk III. However, for all the material he’s contributed to Altar compilations, Mr. Klimenko hasn’t made the label his permanent home either, jumping around other prints like Ajana Records, Aventuél, and most recently Mystic Sound Records. He’s dabbled in many forms of the psy chill and trance market, and while he’s made an ambient track or four in his time, this is his first pure beatless outing for an LP.

Well, not quite ‘beatless’. The middle portion of Helios does feature rhythms of a sort, just not in the traditional psy chill manner. Rotating Light Circles has very brisk, subdued breakbeats, more akin to Berlin-School era sequencers than anything intended for the raver generation. Follow-up tracks Oracul and Osiris (a collaboration with Proton Kinoun) make use of this technique as well, providing Helios with a decent amount of vitality as it plays through. It’s like the sun is reaching its zenith across its path along our sky, showering us with all the vitalizing energy pouring out of its nuclear furnace thousands of kilometers away. Hrm, that sounds like a bit of waffle when I describe it like that.

It still makes sense though. Apparently Helios was crafted in one of those short spurts of inspiration musicians have on occasion, the PR blurb proclaiming a ten day span of writing. But honestly, a concept album around the sun isn’t that difficult to conceive. You start with your morning dawn tracks that are light, airy, and meditative (Out Of Chaos, Moon Through A Lense, Deimos), the aforementioned ‘energetic’ tracks marking the midday, and darker, minimalist, reflective pieces to close out into twilight (Dolphinium, Ancient Bells). Nikita does add various samples he’d gathered during his tours abroad (India, Egypt, Moscow), giving the tracks enough personality such that Helios doesn’t lose itself in the glut of ambient’s vast ocean.

So perhaps not the most original album in Chronos’ repertoire, but a lush one nonetheless. Mr. Klimenko, he’s got some skill with them spacey synths that are worth checking out.

AstroPilot - Fruits Of The Imagination 2

Altar Records: 2012

A ‘revisiting’ of an album half a decade after the fact isn’t so daft. Artists grow as they continue making music, evolving their craft as they adopt new styles and techniques into their repertoire. And if any record out of AstroPilot’s discography deserved another look, it’s Fruits Of The Imagination. For one thing, it was released on Avatar Records, and Mr. Redko had long since made a home for himself on Altar Records. With each passing year, that first album grows more difficult to find on the regular markets, and he very well can’t grab the rights back from Avatar for a reissue on Altar. Okay, maybe he can eventually, but in the meantime, how about that ‘revisit’ concept to tide things over? Most of the original’s elements can be used again, and this time given the once-over with learned skills and adopted genres.

For instance, there really wasn’t much prog-psy on Fruits Of The Imagination Prime. That album was sort of a blend of world beat and psy dub, with a few visits into breaks and psy along the way. Five years pass, and AstroPilot has shown himself very adept at breaks and psy (ambient too), and he’s beefed up everything to reflect that. Structurally, they’re still mostly the same tracks, but there’s more detail to his music now, beats more dynamic and timbre more expansive. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it dates his first album, but it does sound more basic and unrefined compared to Fruits Of The Imagination 2. For folks getting into AstroPilot’s music in the here and now, this is probably the better option for a purchase. And if you already have Fruits Of The Imagination The First, Mr. Redko entices a secondary purchase with a new, unreleased track called Asian Express, a floaty bit of ethnic flavored prog-house as heard from the way-before days of the ‘90s. Okay, so maybe that isn’t so tempting for a wholesale re-splurge. ‘Tis a nice bonus for us late adopters though.

Oh hey, I haven’t even detailed any of the actual tracks here, have I? Silly me, providing comparisons between two albums all the while assuming y’all have heard one or the other. Hell, this is all assuming it’s AstroPilot fans reading this to boot. Come to think of it, I’m taking a leap of faith on figuring folks even know or care much about the psy-chill scene to begin with, what with dropping genre tags and label names. Why, someone reading this could very well not even be into electronic music, only here hoping for another dalliance into hip-hop or rock music. Help, I’ve fallen into some sort of perspective pit!

Sorry for that. Truth is Fruits Of The Imagination, in either form, isn’t the most exciting AstroPilot album to talk about. He skillfully hits the standard tropes of psy-chill word-beat prog (etc.), with 2 being the obviously more polished version of the two. Some may prefer the older’s rougher edge though.

Various - Fall

Altar Records: 2015

We now return to Altar Records' current running compilation series, The Seasons! But wait, three of you cry, how can we be doing Fall already, when there's still a Summer CD out there? Did I not get that one too for continuity's sake? I did indeed, but even continuity must give way to arbitrary blogging rules. Both were acquired during that long-ass trip through the latter half of 'S' albums, which technically put Summer into the backlog queue. And now alphabetical stipulation states that Fall must come before Summer, despite making none of the thematic sense. Yeah, I could have just lumped Summer in with all those other 'S' CDs, but if I can't honor my own rules, what honor can I give in life? What price is my honor? (twenty bucks American, cold hard cash)

I can't say I was waiting with bated, chilly breath for this one though. Spring was cool, and Summer was fun (spoiler!). In the end though, it's still Altar Records we're dealing with, and if my sojourn through their Elements series proved anything, it's that headmaster DJ Zen maintains a consistent style with the artists he taps. Even glancing at the track list once again finds plenty of familiar names from the Altar roster: AstroPilot, Alwoods, E-Mantra, Astral Waves, Asura, Terra Nine, Tentura, Cabeiri, and so on. I approve of all this, of course, but picking up Altar compilations has quickly become a case of comforting familiarity, a high standard of prog psy and psy chill with very few surprises along the way. As it goes with most genre niche labels anyway.

And I'm repeating my Altar Records caveat again, aren’t I. And the only reason I could possibly be providing such redundant information at this point is pretext, a set-up for a... 'fall' of expectations! Eh? Eh? Come on, give it up, don't leave me hangin'. Alright...

So the surprise with Fall comes with how much raw acid there is on this CD. The first few tracks don’t hint at such a turn; Cabeiri, Alwoods, and E-Mantra (plus bonus Tentura on the digital version) doing as Altar typically does. Mindphoria (aka: Mindsphere; aka: Ali Akgun) then does the unexpected in starting his track (also called Fall) with some pleasant classical piano diddling. Huh. Then a funky acid bassline comes in with a New Beat groove and are we still listening to an Altar compilation? There’s some spacey zaps and synths, but the focus soon turns to chunky old-school goa acid, as does next track Stay In Meditation from Azriel. I’d expect such sounds from bonus track Farewell, Beloved Sunshine, since that’s Khetzal’s schtick, but even AstroPilot and Astral Waves gets in on that acid with their collaboration Inflation Eternelle. Meanwhile, third bonus The Heart Of The Matter from Terra Nine has me feeling the ancient System 7 mojo, and closer Rise Of The Earth Keepers from Innerself goes full New Age sap. Ack, a trip within Fall. Nonetheless, a surprising, solid compilation.

AuroraX - Evolutionary Voyage

Altar Records: 2015

Thank God, Vishnu, Clupxtergh, and sanity that Lord Discogs isn't the only source of data on some artists. If that were the case, I'd be hooped on the bare-bones entry for AuroraX, his lone entry being this new album on Altar Records. Maybe he has contributed tracks to a digital compilation or four, but unless such labels have dedicated chroniclers submitting releases to the Lord That Knows All, Discogs couldn't give much of a care. This is especially troubling for musicians who've been making their name with Soundcloud, a streaming format that goes unrecognized by Discogs as anything official. And for good reason too, as any ol' chap or chappette could upload something and claim it worthy of the Lord's attention. We need some barriers to His Domain, some standards and practices implemented. Hard copies, yes. Soft copies, maybe. Edible copies, definitely not.

AuroraX has been building his base through Soundcloud, but I don’t bother with that site anymore, so I’m out of the loop there. Lord Discogs provided a Facebook link through an ‘alias’, Desislav Georgiev, but it’s all in Eastern bloc typeface so not much help there either. Fortunately, the Bandcamp page for Evolutionary Voyage has proven somewhat helpful. AuroraX hails from Bulgaria, and his real name is (surprise) Desislav Georgiev. The rest of the blurb goes into some hilariously over-the-top descriptions for his music, capping off with “AuroraX brings a fresh perspective to the meaning of universal consciousness.” Ugh, that’s a bit much for my bullshit detector to take, but I must have bought what the PR was selling, because I’ve obviously bought the CD as well.

I honestly didn’t know what I was getting with Evolutionary Voyage. Some idea, sure; this is Altar Records we’re dealing with, and they’ve cultivated quite the catalogue of psy-leaning music. Whether this album was prog-psy or psy-chill or space ambient though, I hadn’t a clue. I kinda’ figured something like AstroPilot, and I was right. In fact, I was correct about any other guess I could have made too, because for plus and minus, this sounds very much like an Altar Records album.

AuroraX is a fine producer, of that there’s no doubt, and quite mesmerizing in his compositions with tracks evolving and morphing as they play out. Sometimes they do the slow prog thing (Anima’s Dream, Navigations, Inner), other tracks will gradually build into a brisk pace (Project Voyager, Spatial Contemplation, Stars And Rising Tides), and the remaining two opt for pure psy-chill space bliss (Tales Of The Particles, Lifetime Satellite). Yeah, only eight tracks on here, but there’s plenty going on in them to get your Altar staples fix. I just wish I could recommend this as something more than that.

My only criticism is I didn’t hear a clear style I’d identify as AuroraX’ own, Evolutionary Voyage coming off like an amalgamation of other artists on this label. Maybe he just needs some more development, but if not, it’s not so bad being the Altar Voltron.

AstroPilot - Star Walk

Altar Records: 2012

This was the album that got me digging for more AstroPilot. Not because I heard a few tracks off here and concluded Mr. Redko’s jib satisfied my cravings, oh no. That was the case from the few tracks I’d heard on compilations. On a whim though, I fired up the Canadian Amazons to dig for anything on the cheap, and lo’ there were several AstroPilot CDs at reasonable pricing and stock. Of course, his home is Altar Records, a local label (nationally speaking) and thus keeping all those nasty shipping costs well reasonable for yours truly.

And man, did Star Walk come reasonably, with a supposed theme and artwork that I couldn’t resist. Walking on stars? An emblazoned sky filled with the massive fusion factories? Why, this must be what the view within a globular cluster is like! AstroPilot is now officially awesome and, holy cow, look at all those other albums. There’s even a Solar Walk here. Say, is this some kind of series? Is Star Walk a sequel, then? I better buy up these other ones just to be sure.

Turns out Star Walk isn’t a sequel of any sort - Solar Walk already has two of those anyway. Rather, this is a remix album, which confused me for a while. First, because I didn’t even realize it was a remix album, and couldn’t figure out why Miktek was appearing on here, much less various versions of a couple tracks. Yeah, total rookie mistake. Commence with the guffawings.

After that bout of puzzlement lasting all of four hours, another one has persisted ever since: was there really a need for a remix album of AstroPilot’s Solar Walk series? It’s almost entirely focused on droning ambient, a genre that’s either impossible to remix, or lazily restructured as a track with a standard beat added. Not that the music we get with Star Walk is bunk or anything – it’s exceptional as most AstroPilot albums usually are. Nor do I feel unsatisfied, gyped, or cheated in having this, nothing on here coming off redundant or pointlessly wasting my precious listening minutes in a day. What am I even complaining about? I should be elated for more AstroPilot, not ultra nitpicky. Damn this ‘electronic music critic’ precedent I’ve set for myself.

The only complaint I can have is the source material didn’t come across as intended for remix treatment, where mood and tone were the prevailing attributes over hooky melodies. As great of tracks like God’s Channel, In The Middle, Hidden Planet and Between are, I’m hard-pressed in recalling specifics, and hearing variations of them didn’t spark the memory either. Thus, when I play Star Walk, I’m hearing these tracks as they’re presented in this album, not as different versions of existing tunes. That defeats the point of a remix album in my eyes, but again, that’s just being nitpicky for its own sake. All said, I prefer Star Walk to Solar Walk, though Solar Walk 2 remains tops for this series.