2 Unlimited - Get Ready

Quality: 1992

What shame is there with this one? It shouldn’t even be a surprise, as I’ve many times proclaimed 2 Unlimited one of the best acts to emerge from the eurodance scene of the early ‘90s, if not the best. Their hits are timeless in a way so much ‘techno’ of that era isn’t. Of course, it doesn’t hurt they’ve been ridiculously whored out to every sports arena ever, endlessly lodging their catchy hooks and stompin’ beats into the collective consciousness of stadium participants across the globe. Still, if it worked for AC/DC, why not some plucky Belgian group too?

What’s made hits like Get Ready For This and Twilight Zone enduring is how slick they sound, even by today’s standards (you can pump these tunes today and get the same reaction). They’re using all the tropes Belgian rave was popular for, but compared to the underground grit of most records of the time, this stuff has crossover appeal right out the gate. Throw in raps and vocals care of Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels, and you’ve a formula that went on to be heavily imitated for years to come, though seldom exceeded.

What about this here proper debut album, Get Ready!, then? Everyone knows the hits, but did their album material ever warrant a look? Pft, if you were a fan, damn skippy it did, but I'm not gonna preach to the choir. Sit down and take a gander at what Album-Orientated-Unlimited involved in ye' olde year 1992.

First off are two more hits, The Magic Friend and Workaholic. The former's one of those goofy tunes that was fine back in the day, but doesn't hold up out of its era. Workaholic, however, still packs a punch, a bizarre scratchy synth forming the basis of the main lead; the 'Big Ben' intro also often gets used at sporting events (“get to work, home team!”). The coarse nature of this tune (including that classic “who the fuck are you” sample), along with strong cuts like Rougher Than The Average, Contrast, and Delight show 2 Unlimited still had a sense of the rave scene they spawned from, despite the underground totally disowning them by that point.

Then there are the ballads. Fuck... Forget them, especially the dire Eternally Yours; utterly sap r'n'b knockoffs.

Interestingly, as 2 Unlimited's popularity grew large enough to export Get Ready! upon American shores, some changes were made to the album. Instead of having dedicated sections for Vocal Mixes, Instrumental Mixes, and (ugh) romance, the tunes were re-arranged for stronger album flow. Instrumentals of the non-hits were removed, and the B-side to Get Ready For This, Pacific Walk, was added, a downtempo bit of balearic chill, interesting as a curiosity in 2 Unlimited's discography.

Get Ready is an odd album, all things considered, stuck at a crossroad between raves of before and eurodance of the future. Despite production quality leagues above their contemporaries, the rough edges still show, giving it scrappy fun flavor later releases would lack.

Various - Get Lost 4: Damian Lazarus

Crosstown Rebels: 2011

Alright, another confession. What's this one, number six or seven now? Ah, where's the point in having a blog if you can't unearth the shames of music-buying past. Not that I should be ashamed of this one, mind, it’s just when you cynically brandish a pitchfork against music review sites like Pitchfork and Resident Advisor, the last thing you’d want to be caught doing is actually paying attention to something they recommend. Yet in the year 2011, I was ridiculously out of the loop for new electronic music, almost all my efforts going into exploring the past. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to peruse some of the current material ol’ RA was talking about, take in a few samples of their ‘4/5 and higher’ offerings. Lo’ and behold, there even were a couple albums that sparked my interest enough to check further!

So obviously, this Get Lost 4 from Crosstown Rebels honcho Damian Lazarus was one of those releases. Yeah, I know, quite a surprise since I’ll rip into that whole deep k-house scene any chance I get, but this mix surprised me with strong flow and musical choices. The Get Lost series is Crosstown Rebels’ label showcase, though not a terribly prominent one. It’d suffered a four year absence before being resurrected by Lazarus himself for this instalment, yet as the label gained tons of positive press in 2011, it seemed appropriate to bring it back.

If you’re familiar with any of Jamie Jones’ or Seth Troxler’s output (and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t by this point), the familiar slow, bobbly bassline this brand of deep house likes is present, but used sparingly such that it doesn’t drag everything down. In fact, when it makes a return near the end with Art Department’s All Mine, it’s quite welcome, a sort of perfect capper to a dubbed-out little journey.

Uh oh... there’s that word almost exclusively used for prog mixes: ‘journey’. And yeah, Get Lost 4 does remind me of such a set, sort of a CD1 option if Deep Dish were still churning out Global Undergrouds. Dana Ruh’s Night Till Dawn has all the hallmarks of those early-‘00s ‘dark prog’ records, while Daphni’s Ye Ye works as a strong set climax (though clearly understated as the music in this mix tends to be). Maybe that’s why I liked this disc more than past experiences with this genre would dictate, holding a stronger sense of narrative that isn’t lost in druggy detours. Oh, they’re there – it’s Crosstown Rebels, they couldn’t escape their self-induced ketamine daze if they tried, especially following the success that was previous year’s Without You from Art Department – but it’s almost exclusively shunted to the bookends of this set.

There you have it, yet another shame of mine, yet I cannot claim starry-eyed youth for this one. Then again, it’s not like RA never hits the mark with good recommendations, but it’s still hard trusting a rag that changes tastes as trendily as that one does.

S.E.T.I. - The Geometry Of Night

Incoming!: 1996

Swell, another act that shares their name with a similar sounding one, both initially released around the same time too (dark ambient, why mid-'90s of course). Fortunately, this one's easier to clarify than all that Gas. We're dealing with Andrew Lagowski for this S.E.T.I., who retains the acronym's attributes. The other goes by Seti (or SETI), and is comprised of Savvas Ysatis and Taylor Deupree. Also, the latter only released a few (highly regarded) albums, whereas Lagowski's been going strong to this day. The most important difference, however, is just how well known each are. Seti's sophomore effort, Pharos, is something of a classic within space ambient drone circles. S.E.T.I.'s sophomore effort, The Geometry Of Night, is, um... not so much.

Actually, this album isn't drone at all. Mostly it's ambient dub, though of a much darker nature than what Beyond pioneered. S.E.T.I. sounds like what The Higher Intelligence Agency would if Bobby Bird was far more paranoid about life, as Lagowski makes use of spoken samples about government agendas and information control. Fortunately, it's not rampant throughout the album such that it drags the experience into tin-hat ridiculousness, but it does set a moody tone that can feel claustrophobic while listening. A strange theme, really, considering much of the artwork within reflects mankind's attempts to communicate with beings out in the great beyond. I can't tell if Lagowski's being pessimistic or optimistic. Maybe it's all down to how you interpret these tunes.

Still, it's not like The Geometry Of Night is highly complex or filled with stunning production. Most of the tunes are straight-forward enough, with dubby grooves accompanied with dark ambient sounds. Though a fresh-sounding take on the formula, it's rather dry at times due to the bleak nature of the music, and the rhythms are quite heavy in the mixdown, often drowning out whatever pad work or subtle melancholic melodies Lagowski crafts. The only track to break form is Mare Crisium, utilizing Gregorian chants to haunting affect for much of the runtime – a brief bit of beatwork at the end feels unnecessary, though doesn't impede the song either. It does a wonderful job of capturing the cold desolation of a lunar surface, and it can't be a coincidence ol' Andrew chose the “Sea Of Crisis” as a title, given the conspiratorial nature of this album.

Not much else to say about this one. The Geometry Of Night's one of those albums that'll make a nice addition to your dark ambient dub collection, if you so happen to be gathering one, but not the most critical to own either. I definitely hummed-and-hawed over it whenever I saw it sitting in a store, always bypassing it due to limited funds; gut feeling told me it'd be alright, but nothing mind blowing, and turns out I was right when I did bite the bullet. Funny enough, due to a pricing error in the store's system, I got the CD for free! Conspiracy? *cue Mare Crisium...*

Jay Tripwire - Gemini Soul (Original TC Review)

Nordic Trax: 2007

(2013 Update:
It was funny listening to this again, given the context I'm more familiar with now within the year it came out. Jay pretty much ignored any and all 'minimal deep-tech' tropes that'd grown incredibly popular overseas, and God is it ever refreshing to hear deep house from the year '07 play to its West Coast American strengths. Tripwire's released a couple more digi-albums in recent years, but it seems his general output has slowed considerably compared to his heady output of the '00s.

Strangely, the thing I remember most about this album is where I happened to write much of this review for it, while in a layover at a bus depot in Kamloops. Not the best memories for deep, jazzy house music, that's for sure.)


IN BRIEF: House from the source.

Ol’ Jay has many fans across the globe, and garnered plenty of plaudits for his tribal-infused house. Yet in his own home of Vancouver, he goes relatively unnoticed, often regarded as just ‘another one of the guys’. Sure, folks look forward to his return to the decks of some local underground club but not often with the kind of fanfare as the reception he gets overseas.

He isn’t alone in this either. Many a Vancouver-based DJ is taken for granted in his or her scene, only to be worshiped elsewhere. Are other cities like this? Somehow I doubt it. Heck, the opposite holds true for many New York DJs alone (word has it Junior Vasquez can only play one of his 'legendary' sets at home, as one example). Perhaps Vancouverites take a more humbled stance regarding their homegrown talent? Or maybe they really are spoiled by the local heroes?

Eh... and what does any of this have to do with Tripwire’s debut artist album, you ask? Um... not a whole lot actually - figured I’d give you a peek at the local scene while I was covering someone from here. But enough with this semi-bloggish intro. Let’s get into some actual music!

So this is the first full-length album from Tripwire. For a guy who’s produced oodles of singles this decade, it’s been some time coming but then house music of Jay’s sort tends to be a singles market - tracks are often designed to fit into DJ sets; album orientated house (AOH?) isn’t very common. And this is glaringly apparent on Gemini Soul. Although the tracks are arranged for as smooth a listening experience as possible, it still feels like you’re hearing a collection of singles rather than a flowing album. It doesn’t make it bad by any stretch but does come off a bit drily. Fortunately, the actual music more than makes up for this.

The West Coast of North America has long held a reputation for soulful deep house, and Tripwire’s contributions don’t falter here. However, his locale does have an impact on his style. The southern strongholds in San Francisco and L.A. often maintain a sunny disposition, an obvious influence from the climate. Vancouver, on the other hand, is situated in a place where the skies can be overcast for long stretches at a time, with rain ranging from annoying spittle to whipping in your face. This does create a melancholic mood at times, the kind of atmosphere that suits snuggling up in a warm blanket with hot chocolate. Gemini Soul makes ample use of moody pads that capture a glum rainy Vancouver day aptly.

Don’t worry though, folks. Jay’s music flirts with other flavors too. Sexier bumpers like Body To Body; jazzier offerings in Call And Answer and English Bay; dubby cuts like The Evil That Men Do; and even a dash of electro proper in Tokyo Space Noodles. For house heads, there’s a fine platter of variety pie to be had.

Still, for as pleasant Tripwire’s sound is, it’s hardly revolutionary stuff. This is house music that honors its roots and feels no obligation to move forward. A number of these tracks could just as easily been produced in the early-'90s as in the late-'00s in terms of structure and sound - heck, the final track reminds me of some BKS b-side (an extra bit of Canadiana for all you fellow canucks out there). Not to say Jay should have jumped on current trends; I’m actually quite thankful I didn’t have to endure a release where tuneless hooks and funkless farting basslines cropped up. But if the sound of vintage house music has never held much appeal for you, Gemini Soul probably won’t win you over.

In the end though, Tripwire has provided a splendid collection of tunes for you to gorge on. It won’t win any originality points but when you have an album that feeds the soul like hot chocolate on an overcast gray day, you can’t help but be reminded that sometimes the oldest tricks work best.

Nebula - Gate To Infinity

Disturbance: 1997

As with so many shopping splurges at local record stores (back when they were still plentiful), the cover caught my attention, sitting amongst so many forlorn DJ mug shots in the ‘Electronic/Dance’ section. Oh, charming mid-'90s CG art, you never make sense, but you're always much more fun to look at. With a back cover promising tracks with such spacey names as Galaxy NGC 2997 and Cygnus A, you bet your ass I went into this one sight-unheard. And, well... Gate To Infinity turned out a'ight. Mostly acid techno, though incredibly under-produced even by mid-'90s standards. I suspect that was partly the intent, to go for a raw, underground sound, but compared to the slamming stuff being churned out by the London Acid Techno Crew, Nebula's material comes off weak.

Oh well, let’s see what he does get right. Elvio Trampus, the man behind this project (and nearly a dozen other ones) kicks Gate To Infinity off in fine form, using a crafty blend of jungle, acid, and ambient techno - heck, Galaxy NGC 2997 could almost have appeared in an LTJ Bukem set. Irregular Area is a strong follow-up in this vein, and third track Sky is a dubbed-out downbeat variant of the sound. Frankly, if the whole album had been tunes of this nature, I’d rate it higher (erm, if I gave out scores anymore, that is).

After that though, there’s little for me to note. Ol’ Elvio does mix things up between quirky off-beat tunes and serious hard-hitters, but I’m not getting any decent sense of flow on this album. The tracks almost sound like batches of previously released singles all lumped together for a full-length, but Lord Discogs tells me these were all original works for Gate To Infinity. I’m rather stunned that someone who showed such capable beat-craft on the opening three cuts would also produce such drab sludge as in Audichromatik (really? a gabber kick??). Though the trancey titular cut and Cygnus A help keep the back end of this album from being a total write-off, it just can’t quite reach the potential promise that opening salvo hinted at.

But hey, there was enough good stuff here to at least give Nebula another chance should I happen across another of his releases. Lo’ and behold, I actually did stumble upon another Nebula album in the ‘Electronic/Dance’ section a couple years later, titled Atomic Ritual. “Sweet,” thinks I, “it’s even got an updated take on Gate To Infinity's cover.”; star-like symbol, seemingly floating in the void of space. Yet, something about it seemed off, appearing too slick for an almost entirely unknown mid-‘90s techno producer. Maybe a quick play at the shop’s listen station was called for.

What the…? Guitars? Metal?? This can’t be the same act. Don’t the staff check these things? Man, good thing I double-checked on that one, as I’ve no need for any- eh? You say Atomic Ritual’s actually pretty good? Uh… guess I’ll have to take your word for it.

Gas - Gas 0095 (Original TC Review)

em:t/Microscopics: 1995/2008

(2013 Update:
I had to find out exactly what that Timestretch track properly sounded like, so using Mixcraft, I time-stretched the shit out of it! Turns out it's just some ambient drone, though I did notice the slower I got it, subtle tiny bleeps began revealing themselves. Oh, Mr. Jarvis, you and your fascination with all things infinitesimal.)


IN BRIEF: Soothing synths and experimental doodling.

Yep, this is an album by Gas, and it is a re-issue from the mid-90s, but before all you Wolfgang Voigt fans out there befuddle yourself over what’s going on here, allow me to clarify. The individual behind this particular Gas alias is Mat Jarvis, whom has continuously burbled in obscurity for years, known primarily only to the cultish fans of ambient techno label em:t. As such, fans of the well-known obscure Gas project might cynically think this lesser-known obscure Gas project is trying to gain some extra publicity by re-issuing this album at a time when interest in the well-known obscure Gas project has never been higher. Meanwhile, everyone else outside the ambient techno sphere of influence has read the previous sentence, wondered what this fool just said, and promptly clicked ‘Back’ on their web browser. Probably.

For those whose curiosity kept them on this page, Jarvis’ Gas (oh, the puns we could have…) falls into the more egg-headed variety of ambient techno. Don’t worry too much, though, as the sonic experimentalism associated with this style doesn’t grow too unbearable. In fact, Gas 0095 is quite quaint in execution.

The five main tracks - Experiments On Live Electricity, Microscopic, Earthshake, Mathematics And Electronics, and Discovery - all make use of simple drum programming, soothing backing pads, and bleepy supporting sounds, easily conjuring up the kinds of images one might associate with scientific endeavors. Meanwhile, the lead synths in these tunes tend to evoke a sense of wonder at the mysteries of the world around us – because they are subtle, though, it seems Jarvis is more intrigued by inner space rather than outer space. Well, actually, that may only be the case with the lovely Microscopic and delicate Disocvery, while Earthshake is more of a ‘club cut.’

As for the other two, their unwieldy lengthy names also reveal unwieldy lengthy tracks. Experiments… and Mathematics… both have some nice things working for them, but overall ramble too much. Mathematics… in particular really stumbles with its faux-funk leanings, never grabbing you in the same way the better cuts on this album do. It’s telling that the literal sonic *blip* that is Miniscule is more of a talking point than Mathematics…, in that it’s such a “what’s the point?” moment. I guess Jarvis figured it’d be ‘clever’ to make one of the shortest songs in existence, lasting a fraction of a second. Hnn, perhaps it’s quirky in showing how remarkably acute our audio perception can be to even hear something like that, but indeed, “what’s the point?”

There isn’t much to talk about with the rest of the sonic doodles comprising Gas 0095. Earthloop is about the closest thing coming to a fully-fledged song, with blissful ambient loops and soothing meditative sounds comprising the bulk of it. There’s another “why?” sonic experiment in Timestretch (a four-and-a-half minute long song compressed into one second), and other brief weird bits that sound like they could be the backing soundtrack to a science documentary. These are all skippable for the most part, although they last so short you’d probably barely notice them during a play-through.

Was this album worth re-issuing then? Of course, silly. It’s always good to have old collections of music made available again, even if it only interests a select few out there. The better question to ask is whether this particular re-issue is worth the attention of you, the casual consumer. Microscopic is definitely a keeper, while Earthshake, Earthloop, and even Experiments… should warrant your attention if you fancy ambient techno from the mid-90s. However, Gas 0095 is far from a necessary pick-up, as there’s plenty of other similar releases from that time which hold up better. Jarvis’ project does have moments of unique charm, but not enough to draw in those who prefer their ambient techno with much less experimentation.

Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile

Nothing Records: 1999

This doesn't feel right. For those singles, sure, no problem. Remix EPs? Ain't no thang. Even a critically hailed album in The Downward Spiral? Relatively straight-forward, as I'd heard most of the big tunes off that one at one time or another, not to mention all the positive press its received several years after-the-fact made it easy figuring out what to expect and enjoy.

The Fragile is an entirely different case though. As Trent Reznor's third proper Nine Inch Nails album, an absurd amount of expectation was weighed upon it. Not only were folks wondering if he’d maintain his creative momentum, but might he even rescue industrial-rock from the doldrums the genre was suffering? Let’s be honest here: that scene had turned passé as nu-metal’d risen to prominence in the late ‘90s, nor was it done any favours by goofball hits like Rob Zombie’s Dragula. If ever there was a time to re-establish industrial within the public conscious as music with creative ingenuity and passion, that time was now (er, then).

Since all most remember from alternative rock at the turn of the century are bands like Limp Bizkit and Creed, it’s safe to say The Fragile failed to make the impact many hoped it could. To be fair to Reznor though, he may never have intended the album to generate such acclaim. It’s always a dubious endeavour for rock musicians to attempt the double-LP, critics ready to pounce with claims of hubris overshadowing talent. Still, Reznor had built up a decade’s worth of good will, thus The Fragile garnered plaudits for ambition, if not sales numbers.

So here's my conundrum: this album's been regarded as something of an 'art rock' experience, one that won't reveal itself with immediate catchiness, but with subtleties to be enjoyed after repeated listens - and I'm sure I will after a few more plays; hard, thrashing rock and oozing, ambient experimentation definitely makes this one enjoyed in a proper play-through. Unfortunately, due to my ridiculous self-imposed constraints, I don't get repeated plays to provide an in-depth analysis of The Fragile, merely what a couple quick listens offer mere days after I've removed the shrink-wrap. So... essentially how most enjoyed the album that first week it hit the streets.

And...? It's a good album, with subtleties I'll enjoy after repeated listen, but lacking those instantly memorable tunes one could still expect on a Nine Inch Nails release. No Closer, Wish, even Perfect Drug (the stop-gap single released a couple years prior). For sure, good songs abound on The Fragile, but they feel more as a part of a greater whole, whereas tunes off The Downward Spiral could stand alone just as well.

Yes indeed, it’s unfair that I must write a review of The Fragile without ample time to properly digest its contents. Oh well, I’m sure there’s exhaustively in-depth reviews of it floating out in interwebland. I’ll just leave off with the confirmation that, yes, it’s a worthy addition to the Nine Inch Nails legacy.

DJ 3000 - Galactic Caravan (2013 Update)

Motech: 2009

(Click here to read my original TranceCritic review.)

Man, was I ever at the end of my wick when I wrote that review three years ago. It’s barely longer than what I impose upon myself now. I’d basically given up even trying to review new material by that point, so it’s surprising Galactic Caravan caught my attention enough to manage such a comparatively short review for TranceCritic by my standards. Guess hearing strong, straight-forward tech-house was such a breath of fresh air back then, I felt the album deserved whatever props it could get, even if on a soon-to-be-dead website.

Sadly, in writing such an unintentionally short review, I left out some other tidbits of info (or I just couldn’t be bothered to research further). For instance, the name DJ 3000 itself. Did you know that Frank Juncaj took the name from a Simpsons episode, the one where those idiot radio DJs who refuse to give Bart an elephant prize are threatened to be replaced by a similarly named machine. The DJ 3000 was such a technologically advanced contraption that it could reproduce any and all necessary inane jock-talk. Then again, maybe Mr. Juncaj just came up with it on the fly, but it was funny noticing it when I recently watched that episode again.

Another thing I’m surprised I neglected to mention was how the tracks on Galactic Caravan at times remind me of good ol’ Banco de Gaia, what with that bouncy, Middle Eastern vibe running through. Obviously not exactly alike, but enough that a namedrop wouldn’t have been out of place for yours truly, despite Marks and Juncaj being of totally disparate scenes. Festival hippies and Detroit head-bobbers, all joined in unison under one tent. Yeah, that’d be a kick-ass show. Talvin Singh can open.

That’s all I got. Yeah, nothing revolutionary or insightful to be found with this 2013 Update. Ain’t a whole lot more I can add, except the perfunctory “why this no more well-known?” complaint for ethnic-fusion tech-house. Juncaj hasn’t released any DJ 3000 follow-ups to Galactic Caravan in the LP form, though a smattering of singles came out on start-up label Contuse last year; compared to the blistering rate of mid-‘00s Motech material though, it’s almost as though ol’ Frank’s decided stepping back from the hustle of underground music business was a wiser course of action. Shame if he’d think thus, as he’s got a solid, unique sound that still has untapped potential.

Look, I know I’m rambling at this point. Too many morning shifts have rendered my sleeping habits utterly wonk, and while I can still muddle through half-decent reviews with fresh material (ooh, that Nine Inch Nails double-CD came in!), coming up with anything meaningful for a full 2013 Update on such a recent-but-unknown release is nigh impossible. I actually initially fooled myself into thinking I’d get away with a simple two-paragraph blurb, forgetting I’d written and uploaded a proper(ish) review here back when. Have I reached my quota yet? Close enough.

Aquila - Gain Control

Dacru Records: 2009

Moan and groan, I thought I was done with this stuff. I had my fill covering it for TranceCritic, occasionally an incredibly solid album still crosses my way, but this? I’m actually surprised it’s still being peddled, at least at this standard of quality. I know some scenes and genres can recycle the same sounds and tropes for years on end, but this? Well, these chaps aren’t from Israel, so I guess there’s at least that.

If I’m doing all this moaning and groaning, then why do I even have Aquila’s debut (and only) album Gain Control? As with many things psy-trance based as of late, it was another recommendation at the always awesome ektoplazm.com, I think brought up during an online discussion over new full-on psy albums that weren’t bunk. What hurt is there in downloading a free album, right? If it’s not all that good, it’ll either get deleted or simply forgotten to the nether-realm of the harddrive. Unless, of course, I engage in a dedicated, sequenced re-listen of everything I have. Such foolishness.

Aquila, a three-piece psy act, are based out of Belgium, but if you were to go by their sound, you’d swear it was just another Israeli full-on project from the mid-‘00s. This was released in 2009, however, which actually shocked me when I went to Lord Discogs to double check. To be blunt as a brick, Gain Control sounds exactly like the generic material released on some of those Trancelucent compilations I reviewed way back eight years ago. I dunno, maybe these were tracks Aquila’d been sitting on for a while, and simply gathered them up a few years after the fact when they finally properly released a full-length, but I’m not finding any info to suggest otherwise.

I suppose what’s troubling me here is it’s not like Aquila’s material is awful - it’s simply more of the same, and full-on can sound incredibly tired even after the smallest amount of it. Listening to Gain Control has actually made me come to appreciate The Misted Muppet’s From The Legend even more now, just for how much different it stands out from typical full-on psy. This one, though? I’m at a loss to remember specifics. There are a few tracks that would sound great while being played out at a forest party underneath the summer stars (heck, even did while taking a midnight stroll to the corner shop for a late night energy drink), but nothing I’m anxious to throw on again anytime soon.

Somehow, I suspect had Gain Control been some of my earliest exposure to full-on psy, I’d be more lenient of it, maybe even give it a thumbs up on par with the mid-‘00s material I still occasionally enjoy. As it stands though, I'm just disappoint, son, moreso with Ektoplazm for rating this than my own folly. You'd think a website so immersed in the psy scene would have fresher sounding full-on to recommend when called upon.

Various - Future Trance Trax: A Time Traveling Experience

Hypnotic: 1995

Not to be confused with the still running (!) Future Trance series released by Polystar, this is Future Trance Trax, as released by Hypnotic in the mid-‘90s. There wasn’t any idea on Hypnotic’s part to suggest this was the future sound of trance, just a simple, silly unique title they’d slap on nearly every release of theirs: Trance In Time, Travelling In Trance, Trance Of The Gods, etc. What this compilation specifically showcases is music from Outloud Records, a sort of Danish version of Suck Me Plasma.

That in mind, it’d be quick to assume the music on hand shares the same hard German trance style that Talla 2XLC’s label enjoyed pushing in those days. This stuff’s a little different though, almost a smoother take on the sound. A… ‘future’ take? Hah, no. Whereas German trance tended to sound epic and spacey, these cuts feel more grounded, a sense of the mysterious lurking within forested shadows; or maybe it’s that damned Will O’ The Wisp track near the end making me feel that.

So some quick particulars. Audio Science is here with their moody acid Monsoon, an interesting track in how it starts as a slow groover before erupting into a brisk pace - just like a monsoon, eh, eh? Beyond Reality is also here with two tracks: Mind Runner and Semi - Analogue. The former was the duo’s biggest hit (okay, only hit), but we’re treated to the calmer Love Mix as the compilation’s closer. Semi - Analogue’s an okay opener, though rather odd seeing as how it was the b-side to Mind Runner. Another act by the name of Giez was a regular contributor to latter-era Hypnotic, but their track here, I'm A Hero, is silly. Mind, that's probably just personal bias disliking actual lyrics on my trance compilations – dammit, that's why I left euro-dance back in the day.

Future Trance Trax also features a few exclusives, though little that I’d figure critical to own unless you’re a classic trance completist. I’m also not sure if they were exclusive to Hypnotic or Outloud, but I’ll assume the latter, if only because Torben Schmidt (yet another multi-alias man, most famous for the duo Aqualite) appears to be the chap behind most of them, and he ain’t an L.A. boy. Anyhow, most of these one-offs are okay, invoking that ‘mystical trance’ vibe I mentioned earlier. Like… ‘fairy and unicorn’ trance? Good God, no, though few are hilariously under produced and come off as euro-dance instrumentals.

And that's all for this one. Hypnotic released better compilations in its heyday, but quite a few weak-ass ones afterward too (many licensed from Outloud no less, when they went down a drab hard acid road). Future Trance Trax is about as middle-of-the-road as Hypnotic trance compilations could get. Which means, of course, that is was a classic back in the day! Oh yes, many a drunken house party was spent flailing to Challenge’s In The Shock with a single strobe light. It’s all we had.