Various - Hidden Realms EP

Omni Music: 2019

Sweet, a drum 'n' bass release. Damn, it's been, like, forever since- Eh? Oh, right, Photek's Form & Function, just a couple months ago. Alright, got me there, but since before that one? You'll have to go back a literal year, to Centaspike's Bent Bound Broken, when I last covered the genre. Blame it on all that psy trance making these gaps artificially vast.

Anyhow, Omni Music. This is a label that kicked off at the start of the '10s, a means of producer Eschaton to release tunes that didn't fit on other, established labels. Not sure how accurate that is, but my recollection of the state of d'n'b back then is a bit sketchy now. Probably not so robust for those who were interested in sounds outside the Pendulum or liquid funk oeuvre. Yeah, there will always be Good Looking Records (as well as Looking Good Records), but surely there was demand for more outlets of jungle on the jazzy, intelligent tip, right.

Must be indeed, Omni Music carrying on to this day, with a catalogue of three-hundred plus records. Oh my, where does one even start with this label, then? For our purposes, it's an EP compilation called Hidden Realms. I... have no memory of why I picked this particular item. Oh, there's a specific reason how I came across Omni, but has nothing to do with this. It wasn't a recent item either, so wouldn't have been an impulse buy upon first stumbling in. Heck, it doesn't even have blue cover art! A mystery for sure.

Whatever, I have it now, so let's dig in. Each track is a collab' effort, the first featuring Enjoy and Pariah. Don't know much about the former, but Pariah had been a staple of the aforementioned Bukem prints early on. And if you know anything about that namedrop, then you should know what sort of d'n'b we're in for. Sonic Void is mostly an ultra-deep techy session, though does pick up in the back-half with a little Amen Break action complimenting the minimalist spacey synths leading the melody. Omni honcho Eschaton follows up with Booca (very little Discogs presence) on Behind The Magenta, a far more jazzy, atmospheric outing with broken beats, operatic choirs, heavenly leads, trombones... A real stew of sounds, but darn cool in a blissy sort of way.

Third track State Of Consciousness is another 'veteran meets newbie' session featuring DJ Trax and Infest (3). It, too, follows the vintage LTJ vibe, with busier drum work but no less chill on the melodic side. The final two producers, Parhelia and Dissident, are relative newcomers compared to the '90s folks, but have still been in the game over a decade now. The Day Of 5 Suns is suitably grand in scope for such a title, conjuring sci-fi vistas and all that. Is this the level of quality for the whole damn Omni Music catalogue? Gosh, only one way to find out! ...but I'm not the person to do so.

Various - Gamma Draconis

Suntrip Records: 2020

Can't go far into a new letter block of albums without also stumbling into a Suntrip CD, oh no. I swear I need to start some sort of betting odds for each one. “1/5 odds on two releases deep for the first goa trance outing!” “1/10 odds for an N:L:E session!” “1/20 odds for any alias of Mr. Giacovino!” “2/1 odds for a box-set!” Or maybe I can take bets on how many total items from Liquid Frog and Suntrip will appear in a given block? Could be fun, if I had any way of actually paying out, but I need more income at this point (stupid expensive summer), not further debt.

Gamma Draconis is more interesting than Suntrip's usual compilations for a couple reasons. One, they strictly relied on true veterans of the goa scene rather than spotlighting fresher talent. Chaps like Astral Projection, RA, Xenomorph, MFG, Battle Of The Future Buddhas, and a clutch of others that I don't recognize but Lord Discogs tells me they're very old school indeed. Hey, that's cool, though not entirely unexpected, the label having helped resuscitate a few vets by this point. Usually Suntrip would mix them up with the newer cats, but I guess they wanted to focus solely on vintage goa sounds on this outing. And the only reason for doing this I can surmise is the fact this was the label finally dipping into the vinyl market.

They'd released a couple prior records as singles, but I'm talking an entire double-LP compilation. Having proved all that they needed to in other markets, why not get a little adventurous into other formats? Sure, vinyl was never popular in the psy trance scene, but surly a newer generation into collectibles might give it a shot. And if it proves successful with a compilation, you're damned skippy they'll go forward with vinyl re-issues of classics from their catalogue (and they did).

So if Suntrip's confident in the music enough to roll out a pricey vinyl option, then Gamma Draconis must be among their top-tier releases ever! Well, I don't know about that, but I had more fun with this than some of their other offerings. What can I say, my ears still lean heavier towards vintage goa and psy than the beefier production standards of the newer stuff. It's that space between all the squiggly, acid sounds, music that's not quite so bricked or plastic as neo-goa sometimes goes. Does it capture the same vibe as the '90s stuff then? Let me just say opener Mentalogue from Roy Sasson reminds me of one of the better tracks I heard on those Psychedelic Flashbacks box-sets from Rumour Records I endured.

Okay, I'll say more. The pedigree is here, so if you're down for hearing more from the names I mentioned above (plus Shakta and Oforia), then yes, you'll dig this. And if Gamma Draconis is somehow your introduction to classic goa trance (!!), I suspect you'll have a pretty good time too.

Various - Galaxies: An Excursion Through Technospace

Havoc: 1993

I came across this while perusing Lord Discogs' tomes for Human Mesh Dance material, and almost instantly, a wave of weird nostalgia hit me. Of a bygone era when garish CGI cover art and track lists filled with utter unknowns were common place. When techno was still finding its way in a post-rave world, unsure whether to go harder, trancier, or minimal. Where such a CD would cost you $30 at the local record shop (because 'imported'), a total gamble when that was, like, half your monthly allowance, dude, for something you really didn't know would be good or not.

Initially I was gonna' pass on this from the Discogs seller, not willing to pony up that kind of cash for a single disc anymore. Then I thought, wait, I totally would have back in the day, when such money was worth more than it is now. Screw it, let's take that Excursion Through Technospace!

And yeah, this was worth it, at least where my interests are concerned. I'm always down for unearthing obscure electronic music capturing the early '90s freedom on non-genre conformity, and this collection has techno-trance acid-rave to spare. Absolutely some of this will sound dated and simple, but you can't help but fall sway to its retro charms as well.

Specifically, Galaxies was meant to be a label showcase for Havoc Music, one of Human Mesh Dance's earliest prints. Taylor Deupree, the man behind HMD, would go onto more success with 12K, but we all start somewhere, and the sound of techno-rave was the fresh hotness in New York City back then. Along with Taylor, this roster included early works from Dietrich Schoenemann (those who know, know) and Jason Szostek (partner in crime with John Selway behind the Serotinin print). Plus an assortment of way-underground names like Virus Crack Team, Hydraulic Clownhead, Lunik, and City Of God, because a good compilation can't be carried by just a handful of dudes. Okay, it can, but better having a little variety in there.

Yes, there's surprising variety here. It may not seem so at first, the initial clutch of tracks doing hard acid techno and ravey breakbeat. Then things get way deeper on Lovechild (Rise), downright trancey with Video Hallucination, deep trancey on Circuit, then... deep house on Human Mesh Dance's own Heaven (Recovered)? Huh, wasn't expecting that. Nor hearing the sort of synth pads expected from a Pete Namlook work on Prototype 909's I Don't Want To Grow Up (the Havoc 'supergroup', if you will).

Something more tribal from Axon (Flux (The Tribal Mix)), something weirdly Balearic in a warehouse rave sort of way from E-Sop (Dream Is A Shadow Of Something Real), and back to chant-riffic jazzy breaks in closer Io from City Of God. Yeah, that FSoL influence could be felt even on the Eastern seaboard. Very well-rounded finish, all said, and quite a spell from the bangin' acid homage to E' Dietrich opened things up with.

Photek - Form & Function

Virgin: 1998

I guess this was the only, non-single item left in Photek's early discography I'd yet to nab. Granted, it wasn't terribly high on my 'must-have' list, the very odds-n-sods nature of it all. New music from Mr. Parkes seems mostly at an end though, save the occasional collab' and some score work. Which is fine, the Photek legacy well earned and deserved to rest on a bed of laurels. If I want to hear more of that vintage drumfunk sound, there's plenty of new cats more than willing and able to pick up where Rupert once led. Still, that lingering OCD of mine, itching to at least complete the Photek set, such as it is. Sure, I'll grab Form & Function, should I spot it for a dime in some Discogs Seller collection.

Unfortunately, there's no getting around the 'hodgepodge' nature of this compilation. When you round up a bunch of remixes and b-sides, it's difficult enough sorting them into a consistent flow. Never mind the fact this was coming off Modus Operandi, an album that, while perhaps a little vacuous overall, at least had an identity to itself front to back. Though hardly justified, comparisons are inevitable, Form & Function forever saddled with the big brother that is Photek's debut.

That albatross sorted, let's dig into what we do get with this CD. Separated by two halves, the first deals with the remixes, the second rare stuff. Your mileage will probably vary whether you want to hear classic Photek or other people having their way with his tunes (“why not both?” asks the little Mexican junglist girl).

Funny enough, the first remix featured on Form & Function comes from Photek himself, a little modernizing of his early single of The Seven Samurai. The original is included among the latter tracks, so you can hear for yourself Mr. Parkes' evolution. Like, from the jump, you can hear how he was finding ways to manipulate the tech-step sinister sound into something even twitchier, though his drum programming was still reliant on a few tear-out moments. Not so for the remix, stripping things even further so you can really feel that bass resonance filling in all the empty space between the drums.

Anyhow, enough of that, here's some remixes from Digital, Decoder & Peshay, and Doc Scott. They all take Photek's sound into more familiar DnB territory: standard tech-step, a little jazzstep, and, erm, jump-up, respectively. Seriously, it's almost funny hearing the Doc try to force the most critically ridiculed jungle genre of its era into the most critically lauded. That said, I rather like J Majik's go with UFO, adding some nifty sci-fi synths that would have fit perfectly with other Modus Operandi tracks.

And the remaining Photek tracks? A little heady (Knitevision), a little funky (Santiago), a little atmospheric (Rings Around Saturn), a little classic (The Water Margin). A solid assortment, proving Parkes could mix things up. Man, the album needed some of these...

Various - Epoch Of The Terrans (The Best Of Neogoa)

Suntrip Records: 2014

Driving the point home that Suntrip was onto something in 2010, another neo-goa label launched, called Neogoa. Oh my, can this micro-scene be robust enough to support two prints promoting the stuff? Well, maybe not anymore, as I can't say many of their roster sparks any recollection on my part. Not that Suntrip was filled with highly recognizable names before I jumped in there either, but I knew a few (E-Mantra, Khetzal, Ra). And while Suntrip held strong, it looks as though Neogoa didn't quite survive the Pandemic Era, Lunar Dawn's The Purge their lone release in the last four years.

But hey, for a time, this new wave of retro psy was getting all the attention, and Neogoa carved out their little niche on the always awesome Ektoplazm. It was enough that a few years into their run, Papa Suntrip came along saying, “We like the cut of your chai, kid. Interested in a little cross-promotion, give your artists extra shine off our back?” Thus we got Epoch Of The Terrans (The Best Of Neogoa). Yet cheekily, Suntrip released their own 3-CD ten year anniversary extravaganza Ten Spins Around The Sun that same year. That's some mighty fine struttin' there, Lou.

The first two cuts off here are from artists that would make the jump from Neogoa to Suntrip: Crossing Mind and Morphic Resonance. If you recall, I wasn't too enthused about C.M.'s album Beyond Duality, feeling it held back by rhythms sounding a tad plastic compared to what I expect out of Suntrip material, and it holds true for this Virtual Mind Cleaner, the same aesthetic ever present, and just not grabbing me. M.R., on the other hand, had a fairly kick-ass debut on Suntrip with The City Of Moons, and his offering of Chromatic World here is... Okay, it's an earlier tune, probably still finding his footing, and all that good stuff. It's a solid slice of psy and acid, f'sure, but just not as solid as his debut.

Astrancer is also here, his Tetragammaton getting on the squiggly vintage space goa vibes. Somnesia's another name that appears on both this and Energy Waves, but only in collaboration, and with different partners in each. I will give this pairing with Arronax though: their Black Hole (Revisited) definitely hits the Suntrip style of modern goa proper hard, which is more than can be said for the other artists featured on this comp'.

Yeah, I just can't ignore it, but these tracks from Lunar Dawn, BlackStarrFinale and GoaTree all carry that same plastic sheen as Crossing Mind, the sort of production I more associate with full-on psy than Suntrip's standards. Supposedly the label gave these Neogoa stars some extra beef, but as when they bring old, dusty, unreleased '90s trance to the modern ear, there's only so much that can be done with the source material. Epoch Of The Terrans was an interesting look-see into what other branches of this micro-scene was up to, but hasn't really compelled me to dig further.

Various - Energy Waves

Suntrip Records: 2010

Brace yourself, more goa trance is coming. No, I mean, all at once, in a row. As alphabetical organization has decreed, I now have a run of four Suntrip CDs ahead of me. And even after getting through this mini-block, I still won't be done with the label among my 'E' albums! Heck, I nearly had another one included in this bundle, Morphic Resonance's Extrasensory Perception coming out mere months after I splurged. Psy trance peeps just really love the letter 'E', I guess.

On one hand, hey, swell beans, knocking off a bunch of these in one fell swoop. That'll help getting through this catalogue a bit quicker, right? Then I look at what I still have sitting in my CD rack, just the barest of dents made. I swear, Suntrip's discography didn't look this big when browsing it on Bandcamp. Who knew over seventy CDs was actually a large amount! Maybe should have settled on one of their smaller packs, like the thirteen CD 'Darker & Acidic Goa Sound' one, or the nineteen 'Suntrip Classics', or the twenty-one 'Melodic Overdose Extended'. Bare minimum, the thirteen 'Compilations' bundle, to at least get a feel for the label before going whole hog on it.

Like, if I'd nabbed Energy Waves first, it would have been an easy sell after. Yeah, the title and cover art is kinda' corny in that too-retro goa trance way, but it's hard faulting the music within. Suntrip itself had firmly found its footing by this point, emerging acts like Filteria and E-Mantra rubbing shoulders with established vets like Ra and Dimension 5, and a whole burgeoning micro-scene with up and coming talent chomping at the bit to make their mark among all the cyber-crusties.

Like that Mindsphere chap that opens the comp'. He'd been around already, but would soon become a fixture within the Suntrip camps. Right, The Awakening is more of a prog-psy outing, but gotta' start things off on a slower beat before unleashing the blistering 140+ BPM. E-Mantra's here too, giving a rub on Khetzal's Indian Attic, while Ra's Time Current provides another other of their smooth, no squiggly fuss psy tunes. That's about it for the heavy hitters, the remaining tracks featuring relatively new cats, at least at the time. This CD's almost fifteen years old now, at least a couple of them went on to make proper albums since.

Such as Antares, who's Eureka breaks the ten-minute mark of unrelenting, ever-building goa vibes – essentially the de facto Suntrip stylee, come to think of it. Meanwhile, Astrancer gets two tracks, Athanaton going a bit deeper compared to the flying-high Inhabitants Of The Sun. Getting this much shine on a nine-track collection, you'd think he was a sure-shot of future success, but instead mostly stuck things out on compilation market after. Huh, who'd have predicted that? Then again, Khetzal was tapped for Future Star status, and look how long he took for a follow-up to Corolle.

Various - Decima Circuits_Cottage Industries 10

Neo Ouija: 2020

If y'all are wondering why I ended up with a whole bunch of Cottage Industries, it's because of this volume right here. How could I resist nabbing something with such an awesome display of minimalist architecture and all the shades of blue? And hey, it's something from Neo Ouija, the Lee Norris label I'd heard so much about but never really dove into before. What's this? A bunch of Cottage Industries collections have CDs available? Sure, I may as well splurge! Shame I only ended up with, like, two of them. That's my fault though, not keeping track of all the orders I make. Not so egregious, mind you, as this one arriving with yellow on the cover, diluting Decima Circuits' blue purity as advertised! Makes me wanna'... ooh, argh! *impotently shakes fist*

Cottage Industries 10 not only has the best bit of cover art of the series, but may also have the best collection of tracks too. Right, I can't make that a definitive statement since I've only gathered half of them, but for what I prefer hearing out of these compilations, it hits the mark more often than not.

For one thing, it's only two CDs long, which is about the right length for music as deliberately leftfield as this stuff goes. Sorry, but three discs is just too damn much, Clockwork Manor turning into almost a chore to get through (so no, I won't be getting Cottage Industries 12). And a single CD never seems quite enough, barely an appetizer in showcasing all the esoteric artists willing to contribute. Finally, as this is one of the later additions, we're firmly in the era where electro and ambient techno tend to be more of a focus than stylized IDM experiments. There's still a few scattered, but give me the simple future funk of Zainetica's Soyokaze Park or sweet acid jams of Xylic's Basfoldintis 7 over the off-kilter broken-beats of illocanblo's Alma or twee electro-pop of Germain Fraisse's Everything Is Green any day.

Actually, I thought we were in for a real retro love-in after the first few tracks. Night Haze's Abandoning Safety is some vintage Jean-Michel Jarre vibes, while Milieu's Pan Of Green Fables will get your classic Aphex Twin flares firing. And it feels retro including an Ambidextrous cut, a staple contributor to Cottage Industries since the second volume. Soon enough though, its clear we're in latter era Neo Oujia, where the electro and techno vibes Lee and Árni have been cultivating on Móatún 7 amd Intellitronic Bubble start dominating. A few outliers like the urban slowbeat of Keiss' Behind The Glass and spaced-out acid d'n'b of Daveeth's Lélegur and Ruxpin's Ruffneck keep things fresh for a playthrough. And naturally, an ambient closer from Nike Vomita's Nymphaea Alba, though I was more surprised by the previous blissy chill-out track Anna Maggý from Futuregrapher, including a self-help spiritual speech. Huh, and here I thought Árni mostly peddled in rough electro. Maybe I ought to check out some of his works proper-like.

Various - Cottage Industries 11

Neo Ouija: 2022

It's interesting jumping ahead twenty-two years in this series, giving me an intriguing look in just how much the field of melodic IDM has grown in two decades. Or not, the music contained within volume eleven of Cottage Industries remarkably straight-forward when compared to the more experimental beatcraft as heard on the first edition (also going titleless for some reason, hence its alphabetical placement within my music library). Don't get me wrong, there's ample amounts of scatter, broken rhythms, just not presented in the glitchy sort of way that had been a staple of the series for much of its run. Heck, it was on as recently as Clockwork Manor, volume nine released just a few years prior to this one. Does the mastering touch provided by Futuregrapher really make that much of a difference in how IDM beats sound? Guess I'll find out when I get around to reviewing Decima Circuits (Cottage Industries 10), the edition he jumped into the series.

Not gonna' beat around the bush with this one: Cottage Industries 11 doesn't really sound like a Neo Ouija collection to my ears, but rather an off-shoot of Intellitronic Bubble or Móatún 7. Again, part of that likely has to do with Mr. Grétar's influence, his feel for icy-cool electro and techno a defining trait in those labels' discographies. Having consumed five of the Bubble's compilations (among other assorted releases), its an aesthetic I'm quite familiar with now, so hearing it here isn't that much of a surprise.

And to be blunt, I find that makes Cottage Industries 11 a better overall listening experience when standing it in stark contrast to the first edition. Sure, the twee electro-pop of early Neo Ouija is mostly absent here, but I'll take synthy future-soundscapes over that any day. Personal preference is a Hell of a critical bias, y'know.

Did I mention there's also lots of acid on here? There's lots of acid too, a bit more on CD1 than CD2, but plenty 'nuff leading this compilation further away from the realms of IDM and into vintage techno. If the spaced-out electro doesn't quite do it for you though, there are some skittery rhythms and distorted analogue fuzz tracks littered here and there. Downtempo ditties that hint at the twee melodic side of vintage Neo Ouija too (Novel 23's Step By Step, Xylic's Dinky's Acid, DJ Dorrit's Apotek, Daveeth's Pro Pos, Weldroid's Sandal Warrior Disarmed), but not that much.

Nay, as mentioned, Cottage Industries 11 feels more in line with what Lee Norris' other labels have been up to as of late rather than carrying on with its legacy. It's a whole new generation of artists doing their own thing now, finding influence from other sources. Some of them end up on Intellitronic Bubble, others end up on Móatún 7, while a few continue wandering the wilds of label hopping. For those hoping for a little extra shine on an established brand, however, it seems Cottage Industries will always be here for them.

Various - Cottage Industries (A Neo Ouija Compilation)

Neo Ouija: 2000/2020

Humble beginnings for this humble label, a tidy single CD kicking off the continuing Cottage Industries series. Seriously, it just came out with its twelfth volume this past month, once again indulging in a triple-disc collection of... well, if you don't know what the deal with Neo Ouija's musical showcase by now, I don't know what else to say.

That does leave me wondering how Cottage Industries: Da' Kickoff fared when it first came out. Obviously it didn't have commercial aspirations – almost nothing with this much glitchy-twitchy rhythm making had much financial hope at the turn of the century. Surely though, the abundant twee melodies lurking underneath all the leftfield beatcraft would lure in many a passerby, melancholic moods in a rapidly digitizing age. Some, I wager, but if the original CD's Discoggian data is accurate, this was not a widely distributed compilation. Less than three-hundred folks claim to hold a copy, which is a shockingly low amount for a release nearly a quarter century old now. Or perhaps it never had much promotion in the first place, forever remaining ultra-niche in an already incredibly niche micro-scene, unable to gain the critical attention similar prints like Raster-Noton and Mille Plateaux attracted.

Does this make Cottage Industries: Comin' On Cool an overlooked gem within said scene? I honestly don't know, as my own interactions with it remain skint. I'm sure the CD has its die-hards proclaiming its genius, but nor have I seen it relentlessly name-dropped abroad. It just doesn't contain those essential tracks or artists a classic compilation needs for that demarcation. Sure, a few familiar names crop up: Geiom would go onto a decent career in future garage and dubstep, Clatterbox made his way into techno sets throughout the '00s, Yunx has featured in Nick Warren set, and that Lee Norris fella' collaborating with Geiom as the one-off Consumer Durable seems to have done well for himself. Other names are complete blanks to me, however, some of whom have sparse Discogs data beyond this CD. Sometimes its hard getting hype for names like Phonem, Penfold Plum, and Plod.

And I have to be honest: this era of clicks 'n cuts has long been hit or miss for yours truly. It's an aesthetic thing, the micro-glitchy sounds too often rubbing against my cochlea the wrong way. Not to mention I can't shake the assumption some of these producers are just showing off what they can do with whatever plug-ins or gear they're using, rather than composing an actual tune worth listening to. And there's only so much the twee melodies included can do to hide that postulation. Eegh, now look, this egg-headed music making me use egg-headed terminology.

It's not all skittery micro-edits, mind. Quinoline Yellow's Eythl Maltol goes more drill 'n bass on his beats, Clatterbox' Power Up gets on the chiptune vibe, while Yunx' Nemo-Sis sounds like a regular ol' ambient techno tune. Beyond that though, expect lots of experimental digital rhythms coupled with charming synths.

Various - Clockwork Manor (Cottage Industries 9)

Neo Ouija: 2019

As mentioned in my first review of a Cottage Industries, the Neo Ouija series has pretty much become the label's sole output in recent years. Really, it's kind of funny Lee Norris would dust off the old print just for this reason. Then again, he's got so many labels and affiliates since this one's early '00s heyday, I doubt he'd be able to keep track of what artists should go where and so on.

Yeah, its relaunch probably had as much to do with releasing new Norken and Metamatics material than anything else, but why waste the opportunity to bring other talents into the fold, even if its only via compilations. Still, it must have proved successful, as after the first couple Cottage Industries tested the waters with single CD options, the ninth edition, Clockwork Manor, goes hog wild with a triple-disc, thirty-six track extravaganza. Or overload, depending on what your enjoyment threshold is for various forms of experimental IDM glitch-pop.

Of these thirty-six, I only recognize a handful of names: John Tejada, Ambidextrous, Ruxpin, Drøn. That led me to believe I was dealing with a bunch of new artists, the compilation going out of its way to highlight up and comers. Yet clicking through most of their Discogs entries, that's hardly the case, many actively releasing material throughout the '10s. They may have been extremely obscure, getting shine on Neo Ouija their biggest break and all, but still, some spent in the trenches getting there is good.

This is also one of those collections of music where you could assign a unique genre to every single track, if you're anal-retentive enough about music classification. I gave a very generalized style-salad above, but that's only scratching the surface. There's honestly something enjoyable for everyone here. Randomly picked, there's Boards-like downtempo (Velum's Break Infinis) or confounding skitter-skatter beatcraft (BLN's Ly Oc) or noisy electro (Carbinax' Capable Beast) or shuffly frigid-acid (Octavcat's Icefield) or clicky mood music (h7 buffer's Qwon Trill). Only duff I recall is a lone dubstep track, 4D3x from Dialed, sounding like an out-of-place 'alleyway toff' among so much undeniably dorky music.

If there's this much music worth discussing across three CDs, why don't I split this review up as I've done in the past? Well, despite ordering the 3CD option off Bandcamp, I never received them (not the first time this happened from this label, sadly), leaving me with the thirty-six track digital version. And believe you me, when trying to sit down and take in nearly three hours of this stuff, a lot of it kinda' mushes into your brain. Matters aren't helped when the sonic diversity is wildly abrupt, with track lengths averaging four-to-six minute, such that material doesn't have much chance of standing out in single playthroughs. Frankly, I often felt like I was listening to a glorified label sampler rather than a thematic compilation. Which kinda' sums up my thoughts about most mega-massive 'streaming playlist' collections of the modern era.

Various - Classic Goa Trax

Suntrip Records: 2022

Some half-decade ago, Suntrip got it inside their heads that, while it's all well and fun keeping goa trance alive with new talents, what about the unheralded acts of old? The big names managed to keep their stock alive, whether through retention of label rights or re-issues through other sources. Could there be others though, who never had enough scene clout to keep their music out of legal limbo, forever lost to publishing purgatory, their original CDs demanding stupid sums of second-hand market money? Some, yes, so they launched a sub-label dedicated to digging deep into psy's history for such trance artifacts: Classic Goa Trax. It started rather small, but has since seen digital re-issues of material from luminaries like Prana, Etnica, and Pleiadians.

Well, some folks must have been itching for something tangible, as we now have a double-disc compilation of Classic Goa Trax. Acting as a means of additional promotion in case folks somehow missed the sub-label's existence doesn't hurt either. Regardless, surely this will serve as a nice highlight of all those digital releases, right? No, not really, nothing from them making it on here. Ah, then it's a proper classics showcase then, consolidating the best of the best from goa's glory years! Nope, not that either. In fact, there's only a handful of featured artists among these two CDs I'd consider actual 'classic' worthy. S.U.N. Project, Bypass Unit, Mystica. I also recognize Twisted Travellers, but by and large, we're dealing with some ultra-obscure projects on this compilation, many having never released more than a couple tracks back in the day.

What this should actually be called is Goa Trance In A Classic Style. Or, more accurately, Unreleased Goa Trance From The Classic Era. Neither have quite the same marketing punch as Classic Goa Trax though, do they.

With that in mind, I can only recommend this compilation for those who can't get enough of the vintage '90s sound because, hoo boy, does the production and songcraft ever show its age. I'm sure Suntrip did all they could to beef the quality to acceptable modern standards, and there are those who are weary of how bricked a lot of contemporary tunes are. When you're dealing with a bunch of artists that never got much shine, however, offering up tracks that originally never saw the light of day, you're gonna' have to keep your expectations fair and low.

Of course, it's not outright awful or anything – Suntrip does maintain some standards, even if many cuts are rather basic and frequently wibbly. Still, as a comparison, I threw on one of those Goa Trance discs from Rumour Records, that stuff clearly weaker than what's heard here. If even the likes of Astral Projection or Total Eclipse never did it for you though, then this collection of tunes hasn't a hope in Hell. Props to Suntrip in having the gumption for even releasing such a compilation, but this one's strictly for hardcore fans of an ancient style.

Various - Carpe Noctem

Suntrip Records: 2021

I took a month off because I was feeling burnt-out reviewing so many items within the same genres, so of course the very first item I'm covering upon returning is more. No, really, I'm cool with it, I knew this was in store for me. I just find it funny, is all. Someone else would ditch the music that was creating said burn-out, and focus on something else, but not me! But hey, looking at what other music I have in the pipeline, that will be the case, eventually. Just, y'know, gotta' go through some regular business to get there.

The good news is that, unlike many Suntrip CDs I've thus far covered, this one is different. Like, really different. 'An entirely different genre' different! Okay, sub-genre. It's still psy trance, but in a move I was totally not expecting, this one goes dark. Or maybe I should have expected that from a compilation titled Carpe Noctem, and a promo spiel fully admitting they're doing something different for their annual label showcase. They don't want to go full dark psy, mind, calling their take 'melodic forest', but the sentiment remains the same: trippy trance music for the punters in full motion during the hour of the wolf.

I also don't recognize many names here. Ka-Sol is one, because they were among Suntrip's earliest releases. With a sound that didn't quite mesh with the young label's future retro-goa manifesto, however, they moved onto prints more accommodating of their darker aesthetic. The other name I recognize is Battle Of The Future Buddhas, because once you see a name like that, you'll never forget it ever again. And wait, is that the Xenomorph I spy? Like, the dude who practically kicked off the dark psy pantheon way back in the day? Didn't even know he was still active. Well, that's certainly a get for your tentative steps into a different sub-genre.

The rest of the roster rounds out with names like Spindrift, Smuds, L.A.B., Proxeeus, and Dragon Twins (think I've seen that one too?). And the music is definitely dark psy, though not nearly as twisted as some of the stuff I heard out of Trishula back when. Okay, that Xenomorph track definitely is, but then I'd expect nothing less from an O.G., while the Proxeeus track Breaking Down The Barrier almost has me reminding of Procs, never a bad thing. Towards CD end, however, you can hear hints and feelers of Suntrip's usual foray into the more melodic and ear-wormy, which I guess makes sense if this is meant to represent the transition into morning psy.

Except the last track JaraLuca, which goes way back with Flashbacks. Like, before there was even really a thing as goa trance, when the genre was still in its primordial industrial roots. The acid is chunky, songcraft is straight-forward, and the rhythms are quite under-produced, deliberately so. It's the sort of track you'd expect on a long-lost New Beat compilation, not one released in the current decade.

Dance With The Dead - B-Sides: Volume 1

self-release: 2017

Yep, I've still got Dance With The Dead material too. Man, have I ever been burning through a lot of those bulk-buy bundles this past month. Something about the letter 'B' artists just love utilizing in titles. And you'd think, having reached the B-Sides of Justin and Tony's band, I've finally come to the end of their discography. Like, how can there be anything more after the also-ran tracks from their back catalogue? If I was reviewing their stuff in sensible order, that would be true, but no, there's still One (1) more album I've yet to cover. Talk about timely.

Incidentally, having snagged all their stuff off Bandcamp, you'd think getting a b-sides collection would be redundant. After all, aren't such songs the extra cuts you'd find on the backside of singles or bonus tracks off albums? Traditionally, yes, but we're in a brave new world of digital now, where obscure cuts are easily available with an artist's entire library. Instead, b-side collections serve the purpose of rounding up wayward releases that have appeared on label compilations or guest features on other artists' albums. So more like rarities and such, but B-Sides: Volume 1 has a nice ring to it nonetheless.

That said, I'm wondering if this compilation of songs should mostly be called 'rare and unreleased', as by Lord Discogs' count, barely a quarter of them have appeared elsewhere. And the ones that have, hoo boy, are they ever Dance With The Dead at their absolute best. Pumping Outrun rhythms, bright synth riffs in overdrive, and Tony's impossibly epic shredding in spades. I mean, if you're gonna' get a feature on any ol' synthwave CD, you generally want to send your best shit for all to hear, get them intrigued to hear more. Hell, it worked on me, though it was that remix they did for GosT's Reign In Hell that got my curiosity piqued. Hey, why isn't that on here? Or any of their remixes, for that matter? Huh, guess they gotta' save some stuff for Volume 2.

So this volume may or may not have many unreleased songs, since I've no way of confirming so few of them actually appeared on other compilations. Oh alright, I could dive deep into the ditches of the synthwave compilation scene, but dear God, do you have any idea how stupidly vast that is, with so few folks having actually gotten any? I'm not surprised Lord Discogs has many supposed gaps in this info.

What I can tell is B-Sides: Volume 1 does seem to be in chronological order, the band's earlier emphasis on the metal side of things quite prevalent in the first run of tracks. There's a couple slower songs too (Stoic, Blood Moon, Surrender, They Only Come Out At Night), which confirms to me many of these are just unreleased tunes that didn't make an album cut. Which does make the lengthy fifteen tracks of this kinda' ironic, what with most DWtD LPs quite svelte and tightly sequenced.

Solar Fields - Blue

Droneform Records/Sidereal: 2014/2018

I made a big hullabaloo about having two 'beyond' albums in a row, but let's be honest here: I have far more 'black's and 'blue's. And why not, artists always eagre in finding ways of combining sensory input such as sight and sound. It's easy for us to associate certain colours with types of music, especially when something goes 'darker' and such as. Lordy, for 'blue' alone, I have Blue Lines, Blue Mountain, Blue Planet, Bluenote Cafe, The Blueprint EP (spoiler!), bleu, and Blumenkraft. Oh, and Solar Fields' Blue Moon Station, that one too. Hay, guess what song's on this compilation!

Yep, it's finally time to wrap up another box-set, the quite small yet somehow long gestating three-CD collection of Red / Green / Blue. Which I, naturally, reviewed out of order, though at least the Blue CD came last. Good thing I didn't start this from my usual alphabetical placement, eh? Throw everything into utter chaos, everything I says!

If you've forgotten what this coloured series from Magnus is about, they're essentially round-ups of all his wayward tracks, singles, and remixes as found on various label compilations, primarily from his '00s body of work. Considering he managed to gather three album's worth of material is a testament to his relentless work-rate throughout that decade but to be honest, it feels like Mr. Birgersson was stretching things to fit the concept to meet Blue's quota. For instance, that track I mentioned two paragraphs above? Yeah, there's an alternate version of it on here, but rather subdued compared to the grandiosity as heard on Blue Moon Station proper. It's fine as is, just can't stand toe-to-toe should you feel inclined to compare.

And that's the impression I get with most of Blue. Granted, I've been so got'dang spoiled by Solar Fields over the year that even what I might find 'mediocre' is still downright brilliant when stacked against the yearly bilge. Good Times? Such a deep, groovy slice of world beat and psy chill. Just, y'know, I've heard similar stuff from the man before. Water Silence? Oh yeah, that's a dope tune, but that was on Ultimae Records' Fahrenheit Project Part Five: aka: the one with so much amazing music, Solar Fields actually sounded ordinary on it!

Okay, let's get some neat/interesting stuff out of the way. The opening track, Life: where's this from? Lord Discogs seems to have no record of this chipper world beat tune existing elsewhere. Closer In Motion (Good Morning Edit): ah, good ol' prog-psy Solar Fields, gotta' love those slow, considered builds. Small Little Green Cubes: vintage opulent Magnus, and classy of him offering it to help kick off the Electrik Dream Records print. And finally, a remix of Cloud-Kingdom by Filteria, which really had me thinking Solar Fields was going a little synthwave at the start, before getting back to typical psy-chill territory. Still, that name, Filteria, seems familiar to me somehow. Let me check on Discogs a moment to... Oh son of a...!

Various - Blacklight Moments

Suntrip Records: 2013

And right back to Suntrip again, with yet another compilation at that. I wonder if I should start taking bets from folks guessing how many releases I'll get to cover before the next one crops up. Or maybe enough precedent has been set (roughly 2-1 odds), making bets far too predictable. Perhaps, but surely that's more coincidence of alphabetical stipulation than patterns? Heck, I'll give a freebie: there's absolutely no Suntrip albums in the 'Q' block, and even Cryo Chamber has one of those!

While we're on the subject of my owning excessive amounts of label catalogue, I actually (now) have a larger Cryo collection than Suntrip. The only reason it doesn't seem quite so extensive is because I've gathered their releases in spurts for nearly a decade rather than one huge bundle. If I'd jumped on the Suntrip bandwagon from the get-go (which would have been... gosh, the early TranceCritic years?), I wouldn't be dealing with such ham-handed progression through the label's history. The lesson from all this, then? Don't go bulk-buying music catalogues if you intend to review them right after, or at least with a better contingency plan of breaking potential monotony than “bulk-buy other massive bundles!”.

Anyhow, Blacklight Moments. This was Suntrip's annual compilation contribution for 2013, showing the label exactly where you'd expect it to be: goa trance for days, featuring names familiar and new. Artifact303 is here, with a rub from E-Mantra, and the tune is about as peak time neo-goa as it can possibly get. It almost seems unfair instantly designating this the best track, given how much both these names have stood out thus far in my Suntrip sojourn, but it's hard arguing the pedigree. Khetzal's also here, who I know is Very Important to the history of this label, but I want to save his talking points until I cover his albums. Other names recognized include Cosmic Dimension and Mindsphere, though they weren't exactly Suntrip regulars by this point.

K.O.B. definitely was though, or at least the man behind the alias, Jannis Tzikas with Filtera. This project sounds like a dabbling into something a little more dark-psy, which is nice in providing variety to Blacklight Moments, though perhaps a bit harsh sounding for second track status. And speaking of harsh, it's amusing hearing that classic 'doot-doot' kick in Mindsphere's cut. Surprised it hasn't made more of an appearance but perhaps its too retro sounding for most neo-goa producers.

Most producers on here, like Skarma, Uth, Daimon, and Javi & SkoOma, don't appear to have done much beyond an album and some compilation appearances. Heck, this is Psychic Voyag's lone appearance anywhere (so sayeth Lord Discogs). And frankly, I can hear why, their offerings of goa and psy mostly solid but doing little to stand out from the pack either. Which is about where Blacklight Moments stands in my head as well. It was fine as it played, but its another Suntrip CD I doubt I'll return to much either.

Various - Aurora Sidera

Suntrip Records: 2015

What is this, a Suntrip CD every other review now? Is this, like, gonna' be my whole next year of reviews? Hey, the probability of it is high, but not stupidly so. When I look at two of my 'to review' CD towers, one of which is filled with discs from the goa trance label, the other filled with everything else, it certainly seems like it will be so. Ah, but that doesn't factor in the digital items lodged between them all, of which there are many. Honestly, almost all of my purchases these days are digital, mainly in support of Bandcamp Friday. So... maybe a mere third of my current queue is Suntrip CDs? Yeah, that'll break up any potential psy trance monotony, I'm sure!

Still, it feels weird that half of the half-dozen CDs I've covered thus far have been compilations. Suntrip isn't really heavy with the label showcase collections, letting artist albums do the lifting. One a year, sure, and perhaps a celebratory edition every now and then, but even with a near two-decade lifespan behind them, not a seriously robust number. Not such that they should have been so front-loaded in my alphabetical queue anyway (as if 3 out of 70+ is significant).

Anyhow, Aurora Sidera. Seems even Suntrip weren't entirely sure where to go with their annual compilations, what theme to explore each year, as the little Bandcamp blurb provided is almost a shrug. 'Cosmic Dawn' is the loose translation of this Latin phrase, and the reason for choosing this title is... because it sounded cool, I guess? Yeah, they claim this compilation is all about showing how the neo-goa movement isn't just about paying sonic tribute to the scene's roots, but also evolving into new forms as the years move on. Well, I dunno' about that – I mean, I've heard some of the releases that came after this CD too – but let's at least hear what Aurora Sidera has on offer.

Things kick off with acid. Welp, not gonna' complain about that! Three tracks worth, actually, growing more dynamic with each cut while still retaining those ol' school vibes. Then Morphic Resonance's Altered Perception adds squealing synth leads to the TB-303 action, while E-Mantra gives Artifact303's In Your Mind a thumpin' rub as the acid takes a backseat. Oh, and there's L.S.G.'s Microfish again. I'm starting to wonder if Oliver Lieb is the original source of that distinct spaced-out twisty-bleep sound, hearing it so much in psy trance over the years. On the other hand, he made the most memorable use of it, melding it with the vocal from Netherworld and all (itself a sample), so can you blame me for forever (and a day) linking it to him?

Ah, whoops, got distracted talking about Lieb again. Um, the rest of Aurora Sidera leans heavier into goa trance after that, solid enough stuff as always from Suntrip Records. Excuse me now, I want to listen to Vol. 2 again...

Distant System - Astral Map Error

self release: 2022

I don't know if Tyler Smith has any plans continuing this project. Probably not, as it was already a lo-o-o-ng gap between Spiral Empire and Infinite Continuum, and this doesn't seem a style he's rushing on returning to. Not that he should feel beholden for my sake or anything – sometimes an artist instinctively knows they've said all that needs to be said with an alias, content leaving it at that.

Which is why I was quite happy seeing this odds 'n' sods collection emerge on the Distant System Bandcamp. Sure, it's only five tracks, three of which are remixes of existing singles. That still leaves two new cuts! In the 'feast or famine' discography of this project, it's a gift from the Star Gods. Of course, no CD version came out for it, but seeing as how there wasn't a physical option for the second album, I wasn't too fussed about- Eh? What's that, you say? There is a physical option for both these now? Let me look into that. *time passes*

Oh, wow, this is new. Apparently a label called Digital Reprints exists, specializing in box-sets of discographies that are either out-of-print or never had a print in the first place. Their most recent item is the Distant System catalogue, including both albums and this compilation! Oh man, I know I already have Spiral Empire but it sure would be nice having Infinite Continuum and Astral Map Error on CD and they're already sold out. Damn, didn't even last long enough for my FOMO to kick in.

Anyhow, Astral Map Error. The original track first appeared on the Altar Records' CD Ether, which was awesome there, but perhaps a bit off-kilter for the prog-psy label. Not much different here, the low ends a little more gnarly, but still a kick-ass tune in that pumpin' Distant System style. The other two, Lost Sequence and Pupillary Response, are given a little extra production heft, but remain mostly the same from their original incarnations.

That leaves the two-part Synthetic Synapses, and it's exactly what I wanted to hear from Mr. Smith: more psy-dub of the Cosmic Grande. Seriously, how can this guy just hit that perfect sweet spot of groovy rhythms, soaring synths, spaced-out pads, and tasteful bleep 'n' glitch? And more to the point, how can he be so resistant to make more!

As a bit of catalogue closure on my part, one of the quibbles I had with Infinite Continuum was how its pacing was thrown off by having the album non-mixed, each track featuring ultra-long fading intros. The good news is Tyler somewhat fixed this with a 1-Hour Mix of Distant System material that heavily featured music from his second LP. Granted, I didn't grab that for myself, mostly satisfied with Infinite Continuum as is. It gave those tracks some deserved oomph though, and is worth a listen, especially if it does end up being the final transmission from the Distant System realm.

Speedy J - Armstrong / Klave

self-release: 2021

Oh yeah, Speedy J singles. I still have some of those to finish off, don't I? A lot more, if I decide to ever spring for all of his post-2010 material on Electric Deluxe and Stoor. Okay, not Stoor, that label forever only for the vinyl fetishist market. The other label looks like it might have some interesting items, should I ever get the impulsive Speedy J itch again down the line.

This particular single is a bit of an outlier though. While the music within came out around the same period as Electric Deluxe's early years, neither track ever appeared there. In fact, both Armstrong and Klave came out on totally different prints, Radio Slave's REKIDS and Chris Liebing's CLR, respectably. They were paired with other tracks on those records, so likely produced as favours to those labels in giving them some Real Techno Artists Be Here cred'. Like, ol' Jochem sure didn't need to release anything on them, what with his own labels already up and running.

It did create a bit of a pickle for Speedy, however, in that he couldn't re-issue all of his old material on Bandcamp if these specific tracks were already tied to still-existing prints, with other producers on the original flips. What do? Eh, just grab them back anyway, and release them as a brand new single, that'll do. Does that make this single a compilation then? I don't know about that, but I submitted this to Lord Discogs' tomes as one, so if They That Know All are okay with it, let's run with it.

As Armstrong appeared on Chris Liebing's label, it's small surprise the track is pretty much a heady thumper in that distinct, minimalist Liebing style. In fact, there isn't much to it at all, doing the super-gradual tension build of pounding beats with white noise washes teasing out a potential climax. It never really comes though, the loudest peak coming some two-thirds deep before fading off as though it never was. I'm sure it's an effective piece of business as a techno tool, but a little disappointing for yours truly.

Klave, by contrast, is a little more interesting, in that it treads closer to the realms of tech-house – because of course it would on a Radio Slave label. There's plenty of knob twiddling on reverb and flange effects, which keeps the track evolving for its ten-minute duration, but not much else goes on with it. Frankly, I found the fact the record Klave appeared on had Chris Liebing on the flip more intriuging in a funny sort of way – you'd think that would have been the case with Armstrong, wouldn't it.

So pretty much just a couple functional tracks, but one neat thing did emerge from this session: my discovery that REKIDS has gone techno retro! No, seriously, Radio Slave, the guy who broke out with epic tech-plod tracks, has been making ol' school rave tunes in recent years. As always, everything old become new again!

Various - Apsara

Suntrip Records: 2005

It's remarkable how one's impression on a CD can have such a turnaround the deeper you dig into it. Right off the bat, I figured Apsara would provide something a little off the norm from Suntrip Records' music. Aes Dana is on here, opening the compilation with an exclusive track titled Digitalys. Wait, Vincent appearing on a label who's musical manifesto is nothing but retro-nu goa and psy trance? How did that happen?

Unsure, but Aes Dana really does feel like the odd-man out on Apsara. If you know your ol' school Ultimae prog-psy (oh God, it really is an 'old school' era now, isn't it?), you'll know this track, a solid, pulsing rhythmic rudder with widescreen pads and multi-tap synths and voices. Really makes me want to throw on Season 5 again. If I'm getting such vintage vibes off this one Aes Dana track though, then this compilation must be from way early in Suntrip's catalogue, right?

Right, Apsara in fact their second release ever. Ah, that would explain why, following that One (1) example of (then) current prog-psy, the rest of the compilation features a pile of goa trance very much on that retro tip. In an instant, the BPMs jump by twenty points, and Yesod's On The Edge Of Time goes hard on the squiggly acid sounds with slightly Indian tonal scales. Same with Avigmati's Babylone Beach, and Filteria's Tiny Universe, though also bringing the the spaced-out atmosphere to the party. And through it all, that unmistakable Suntrip adherence to the classic goa sound, maybe even a bit too much so. Like, compared to the Aes Dana track, these sound a bit flat and unpolished, but hey, it is early in the Suntrip story, before the folks making these 'return to the roots' tunes realized it was perfectly fine beefing things up to modern production standards.

Aside from the Ka-Sol cut Scraqp getting wickedly twisted, the rest of Apsara was good enough for what it set out to do. I didn't have much else to say about it until noticing something odd about my digital copy of the compilation: there was a track missing. I double-checked my CD copy, and sure enough, a ninth track, Lost Buddha's Metamorphosis, wasn't available on the Bandcamp page. Weird, but not uncommon, original artists sometimes retaining rights to their works for their own distribution.

I didn't think much else of it until spotting a recent comment left on Apsara's Discogs page. Well, not so much a comment, but a snarky screed, from a Filipe Santos. That's when I noticed the production credits to the Lost Buddha track went to a chap of the same name. Ooh, juicy, what's the deal with this guy, then? His Discogs stats are rather cluttered, and could only tell me so much. If I wanted more, there was only one place I knew would have details, the website with ties to Suntrip since day one: the psynews.org forums!

And, my friends, the rabbit-hole went deep there indeed.

Various - Annexe (Cottage Industries 2)

Neo Ouija: 2002/2020

Though the original run of Neo Ouija never made a huge splash across the world of electronic music, it was successful enough to garner a dedicated cult following while it lasted. Among the various releases that helped solidify said following was a series of compilations called Cottage Industries, three volumes worth springing forth during its initial heyday. Whenever the label would stir awake after many years absence, it was usually a Cottage Industries collection that would declare its arrival.

In fact, it's about all that Neo Ouija releases now, including digital uploads and CD re-issues of the early editions. I even bought a few, but for some reason, those CDs never showed up. Hmm, are those the items that got switched for all those Intellitronic Bubble CDs? I swear, I appreciate all the various labels Lee Norris juggles with these days, but there's sadly been a few too many missing orders as of late for me to buy any more from them. One more reason to just stick with digital, I guess.

Annexe (Cottage Industries 2) came out two decades ago, and boy does looking at the track list ever feel like a time warp. So many names within the ambient techno and IDM scene getting their start here: Sense, Ambidextrous, Bauri... Erm, that's honestly all I recognize off hand. Hey, can't be a proper cult label known for giving ultra-obscure artists within your scene their starts if you don't have a compilation series doing the work for you. Like, where would the likes of Biosphere, Autechre, Black Dog, and Speedy J be without Artificial Intelligence, right? Okay, pretty well-off regardless, but you know what I mean.

And just because I'm not familiar with them doesn't mean some of the featured artists didn't have fruitful future careers. Yeah, names like Phonex, Idmonster, Sica, Pem, and Qeshi didn't amount to much after, but Yellow6, Maps & Diagrams, Kettel, and Ilkae remain active to this day. By and large though, many of the acts on Annexe had respectable output throughout the '00s before petering off as the '10s took hold. So it goes.

Ah yes, the music. Lots of simple, charming IDM and melodic, glitchy techno. It feels like Neo Ouija was throwing a little bit of everything into the original double-discer, which is great in providing variety. When you're dealing with music as esoteric as this, however, much of it can slip on by during a casual listen. So it's no surprise tracks with more melody in them (Sense's Icyltap, ENV(itre)'s Atodeq, Kettel's Nestingbox Seventeen, Qeshi's Island Dryad, Maps & Diagrams vs Pem's Orteip) stick with me more than the more experimental stuff (Qeshi's Schem, Sica's Mykeys, Tandy's Bell_Libbing). One thing's for sure, if you like your micro-pop rhythms, Annexe has you covered but good. Xela's Don't Talk To Strangers, Bauri's Neo Robot Party Crash, EU's Lytop, Ilkae's Pilve, and so on. Not that it's surprising, the early 2000's pretty much peak micro-pop within IDM circles. Darn clicks 'n' cuts hype machine...