DJ John Kelley - High Desert Soundsystem

Moonshine Music: 1999

Back to Moontribe. Though the collective isn’t as prominent as it was back in the ‘90s, they recently celebrated a twentieth anniversary party. Right as the full moon passed us by, in fact. Holy cow, that was just a few days ago now! I swear I didn’t plan to get back to the desert party posse in such a timely fashion. Okay, they've had a couple ‘anniversary’ parties this year, but the Full Moon Gatherings were what made Moontribe so memorable, where many of their DJs became local legends for the hippie-leaning side of Californian rave culture.

Amongst the most prominent of these DJs was John Kelley. No, not the UK guy who played at superclubs - this is John Kelley, one of the earliest champions of the West Coast chemical breaks scene. His first pair of mixes for Moonshine, the FunkyDesertBreaks series, helped expose rising acidy goodness acts like Bassbin Twins and Friction & Spice to wider audiences, and also elevated Kelley’s status among the growing Moonshine roster of DJs.

Time forces changes within musical tastes, however, and ol’ John couldn’t keep peddling the same brand of breaks forever (especially since all those awesome chemical breaks had fallen by the wayside at the turn of the century – thanks, big beat and Florida). So when it came time for his fourth mix CD on Moonshine, there was nary a breakbeat to be found. Instead, we have… um, lots of other stuff?

High Desert Soundsystem (what’s with the lack of spaces for these Moontribe guys?) is very much a transitional set, in that you can hear Kelley working out kinks as he gets used to all the tribal, techno, and house he’s working into his programming. Almost as a crutch, there’s quite a few anthems in this tracklist, which I admit was darn cool to hear back when this was new. However, I’ve since heard tracks like Dave Randall’s Bombay, Jark Prongo’s Movin’ Through Your System, Jonesy’s Independence, and Krome’s The Real Jazz on several other CDs now, and ol’ John’s use of them fails to give them fresh context (except one instance). In a nutshell, this is the sort of set that sees lots of quick mixing in an effort to reach several peaks along the way, strong flow from beginning to end be damned. It’s not a terrible CD, but any tracklist that moves from Prongo’s stomper to the festive house vibes of Grant Phabao’s Tub to That bloody Zipper Track from DJ Dan (seriously, were all Moonshine DJs contractually obligated to use it?) can’t help but suffer.

I will give props to Kelley for his final run of tracks though. While using Independence as a climax is obvious, he follows it with some proper deep-tech vibes that eases the listener out with class. So good are the final two cuts, I almost entirely forget everything that preceded them. I’d love the set to continue from there, but then it wouldn’t be an ace finish, now would it.

Various - High Karate

Mutant Sound System: 1998

Don’t you dare do it. I know you want to, and to be fair, the artwork totally invites it. To judge the CD by its cover, however, is to deny yourself all-time class, yet hopeless rare drum ‘n’ bass. Oh, there’s some wack material on here too, but the choice cuts more than makes up for it, trust you me.

First, the particulars. High Karate comes care of Mutant Sound System, a short lived American label that existed in the late ‘90s. Between albums and compilations, they generally focused on jungle and other assorted broken-beat bass music, plus a brief early flirtation with abstract ambient. Mutant Sound System was far from an original label, all things considered, but they released just enough unique material to reward the deep diggers of electronic music, should you look past some of their occasional questionable cover art. To be honest though, had I not been going through a minor ‘otaku’ phase when I stumbled upon High Karate, I may have passed by this CD altogether.

Even then, it was a while before I truly came to appreciate the music on offer here. Like so many fresh 'deebee' followers of the late '90s, it was the fierce, rough 'n' ready sounds of tech-step and such darkside spawns that got my attention (and, um, a little jump-up too), and the few cuts on High Karate that deliver those sounds were the tunes I frequently returned to. The Ray Keith and Nookie remix of the classic Scottie from Subnation certainly delivers on those fronts, while tracks from L Double and Acetate offer all the over-the-top basslines you could want from such genres. Yet once the initial thrill of those drops wane, you're unfortunately left with tunes that go nowhere, running on fumes for durations that far exceed whatever ideas these producers initially came up with.

Thank God for Nookie, then! Gavin Cheung, that is. Nookie was his most prominent alias, though he also contributes to High Karate as Cloud 9, and believe you me when I say his tracks are easily the highlights. They find a smooth, cool ground between atmospheric jungle and jazzstep, the sort of music you can easily float on as you could cruise with through urban streets at midnight. And bizarrely, most of the tracks he provides to High Karate can only be found on this CD! It was over a decade before Snow White was rescued for an MP3 Nookie album titled Lost Files. The Cloud 9 material, including a mint remix of Victor Romeo's The Italian Job, officially exists nowhere else.

A few other stylish d'n'b cuts from DJ Rap, Da Boss, Peshay (as Revelations), Rogue Unit, and Dr. S. Gachet round out an incredibly mature sounding CD, given how cartoony the art is. High Karate isn't an essential purchase, mind, but if you're after some surprisingly ace, obscure jungle (or are just a Nookie completist), then definitely snag a copy if you happen across one. You can't miss that cover.

Various - Heroes! Rewind!

Muzik Magazine: 2003

Muzik Magazine was nearing its one-hundredth edition and, like any long-running music publication, was straining for original content. What had once been a fun, if somewhat snarky, alternative to Mixmag, was now (then) turning into just another electronic music rag, floundering to find the next genre zeitgeist to help push papers from newsstands. And when the scene doesn’t provide such material for coverage, there’s only one thing left to do: retrospectives.

But Muzik had done a “Top 50 Dance Albums” issue just a year prior – a similar article would be redundant (to say nothing of Mixmag’s 2001 “Top 100 Tracks …Ever” list, which ranked Energy 52’s Café Del Mar tops …such innocent times). Instead, they opted for a look back at influential musicians of the dance music scene’s past; in this case, focusing on ‘80s acts that helped define club music. The article included such names as Kraftwerk, Prince, New Order, Larry Levan, Run DMC, and, um, Madonna.

One can't detail such influential musicians without some audio support though, so for that month's free CD, Muzik rounded up a number of current players and shakers and got them to make cover versions of classic cuts. I think. Maybe these covers had already existed and Muzik simply managed to gather the rights to use them here. I can't recall the specifics from that issue (its sadly missing from the .pdf archive) and I’m lazy, so no verifying the track release dates in Lord Discogs.

The CD includes thus: two covers of Prince; one of Joy Davidson (Squarepusher doing the honors – it’s not as frenetic as you’d expect); that wacky Señor Coconut having a go at Kraftwerk's Showroom Dummies; Rae & Christian getting their Funkadelic on; an almost unneeded stab at Marl Melle's White Lines by Grandmaster Flash; and hopelessly obscure duo Open Door take on Pink Floyd's Breathe. As a pet project, all these interpretations are perfectly fine, some of which you could even play out today if you're up for turning heads.

Oddly, Muzik didn't fully commit to their 'covers' idea, as few original tunes show up too, all from the relative new '90s new school of electronic music. LTJ Bukem's Music is here, though in stupid edited form. DJ Sneak's You Can't Hide From Your Bud is here, truly an important record for the filter-loop house movement, but out of place on this disc. Coldcut also shows up with Atmoic Moog 2000, though in a funkier form compared to the one I'm familiar with. And finally, Soul II Soul shows up with an exclusive track titled Soul II Soul Special. I've never been fond of the group though, so moving on.

Oh wait, that's all, isn't it. Not a long freebie, this one, and not the strongest collection of music either without the accompanying article detailing why these producers are represented here as heroes of the past. Then again, if you know your electronic music history, you likely don't need such an article to begin with.

2 Unlimited - Here I Go (BioMetal - Pt. 2)

Quality Music: 1995

(Click here to read my original TranceCritic review.)


The black BioMetal frigate erupted in a furious blaze, the surrounding wind and rain unable to quell the explosion dealt by the HALBRED's blistering plasma weapons and homing missiles. A structure near its center burst open, green fluids spewing out on a direct line for the ship. Taking no chances, Ray jerked the ship's controls back, avoiding the bizarre last gasp of the dying BioMetal frigate. Yet his haste and the exploding aftershock sent the HALBRED flying from its hovering position, spinning downward into the storm surrounding them.

He couldn't steady the ship, the combined stresses stripping him of control. Ray knew of only one manoeuvre that could save them from certain death.

“Here I go!” Ray yelled, slamming the controls down with a sharp jerk. “Hang on!”

The HALBRED increased its spin as it plummeted to the moon below. Too much, and even the ship's advanced thrusters wouldn't get out of its descent quick enough. He had to ride the crosswinds, hoping the cloud cover would break before the surface broke them.

Nausea attacked his senses, momentum urging Ray to accept a blissful darkness until it passed. Death was certain if he succumbed, and he focused his eyes on the altitude read-out, a best guess according to the mothership's sensors. One thousand feet. Nine hundred. Eight hundred.

How bloody low are these damned clouds? he thought with a grinding of his teeth. The pain of a cracked tooth was much preferable to the sickness swelling in his stomach.

A dull, orange light suddenly washed over him, the HALBRED's spin easing into a steady rotation. “We're through!” he shouted, flipping a switch to initiate the ship's reverse thrusters. In a near instant, the ship righted itself from its descent, easing into a motionless hover. A quick glance over the on board instruments showed no sign of damage, even after the onslaught of BioMetals they'd dealt with coming through the clouds.

Way more than they anticipated, Ray thought with a wry smile, stretching his neck. And that had only been the initial wave, simple air strikers that had no idea an attack on their home was imminent. No, the opposition would grow fiercer the deeper they penetrated the BioMetal's nest. For the moment though, they could rest, catch a breather.

Ray glanced at his co-pilot's life monitor, showing a steady green. “Anita?” he called into the internal radio. “Are you OK?”

After a few seconds of silence, he called again, to no response. Is she unconscious? Riding a hunch, he flatly whispered, “Sensuality?”

“Pig,” came the reply in his ear.

“Good, you’re awake,” Ray chortled. “Sorry if that was rougher than the average flight.”

“Ugh, I was never prepared for that. I don't think I can handle this.”

“You did fine, babe,” Ray said.

“Thanks, I think. Where are we now?”

“Near the BioMetals' lair. We should-” Ray's voiced trailed off as the lifesign beacon began flashing again. “Well, rest-time's over. You better get ready for this, because the welcoming party is coming.”


(If you're hopelessly lost as to what's going on, click here.)

Hercules And Love Affair - Hercules And Love Affair (Original TC Review)

DFA: 2008

(2013 Update:
As tempting it is to claim Hercules And Love Affair was ahead of its time in predicting the return of classic house and disco vibes we're enjoying half a decade on from this release, let's be honest here: that prediction all the trendy publications were pushing as the 2008 narrative promptly fizzled out by the following year, an infatuation with k-hole grooves and druggy lyricism dominating underground house for the next while later. So thoroughly forgotten was the 'house revival' that, when Andrew Butler followed up this well-received debut, hardly anyone gave his sophomore effort, Blue Songs, much attention. No, it'd take the efforts of post-dubstep UK chaps and two French robots before everyone finally properly claimed classic house was back. Or maybe not - let's see how we're doing on that front a year from now too.

This album's held up fine, and indeed is quite enjoyable if you're one of the late 'revivalist' bandwagon jumpers. Who knows what the Hercules project has in store for the future though, as what was once an unique offering in a sea of minimal-tech monotony can all too easily get lost in the current sea of like-minded producers.)


IN BRIEF: ‘Beardo disco’ you don’t have to dig for.

Contrary to popular belief, old-school house music never went away. For the most part, it’s lingered in the back of our minds thanks to endless classics compilations and nostalgic DJ mixes such as the Choice series. Unfortunately, such an association to the past has kept those vintage sounds of garage, Chicago, and acid firmly away from the spotlight as many producers continue to try and take house music in new directions. All fine and good, and sometimes they’ve even come up with winning results, but it was no reason to completely abandon the old either.

Actually, check that. One of the reasons classic house music was left to the history books was due to the genre’s refusal to move on in any significant way. Too much emphasis on adhering to The Rules laid out in the beginning left the genre quite stale by the time the mid-90s rolled around; and those who still produce the odd track in the old style are often guilty of honoring the past just a little too much, writing homages rather than songs. It seemed things were going to stay that way too; however, the year of 2007 saw a number of quiet singles break ranks and show there was still room for classic house to grow, and with the current trends of nu-electro and minimal growing stale it was the perfect time for a potential revival.

Amongst these singles was a debut release from an unknown individual by the name of Andrew Butler. Producing under the name Hercules & Love Affair, Classique #2 turned heads, especially so because it was released on iconic disco-punk revivalist DFA; while definitely fans of dance music’s past, the label hasn’t typically been figured one for house preferences. Not even half a year later, Butler has been given the full-length green-light and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the trendsters of the music press have jumped all over this self-titled album, all too eager to once again have their overflowing early praise be the starting point of yet another musical movement. Although some of the pure disco aesthetics help distance it from more standard house labels like Om, Naked, or (*snicker*) Hed Kandi, I can’t help but believe the hipster hype over Hercules would be near non-existent if such were the case.

That said, there’s definitely something more special going on in this album than what you would find in typical house music fare. Yes, all the elements of disco and house from years prior 1990 are here: Moroder staccato basslines, funk-band trumpets and strings, Knuckles grooves, soulful lyrics. What Butler has brought, though, is renewed vitality and inventive spins that keeps these songs fresh. Whether making use of unpredictable chord sequences (Hercules’ Theme; You Belong), crafting sonic depth with unassuming background textures (Athene; Raise Me Up), or throwing in quirky cartoony sound-effects (True False/Fake Real), this album is filled with hidden little sonic treasures.

And then there is Butler’s supporting cast (this the Love Affair?). Being tied to DFA, he already has amongst dance music’s most versatile session musicians to tap, with folks such as Tyler Pope and Eric Broucek bringing their A-game to this project; and the Tim Goldsworthy production touch is always, er, gold. Also thrown into the mix are a bunch of brass players few will be aware of but provide such an integral part to the disco vibes on here, you’d think this was a full-time band with plenty of years working together.

Probably the biggest highlight is Antony Hegarty, who’s vocals steal the show anytime he’s featured (Time Will, Blind, Easy, This Is My Love, and Raise Me Up, for the record). His earnest croon fits perfectly with the disco motif, elevating the songs he sings on to lovely heights. Small wonder the lead single for this album -Blind- has been getting so much play (if you haven’t heard it yet, you will soon enough). Like Knuckles and Principle, Butler and Hegarty are a potent combination.

This all being said, Hercules And Love Affair does have some hiccups too. For one, despite exhilarating songs like Blind and You Belong on offer, if you are not a fan of vintage disco and house, then this album probably won’t win you over. Truthfully, I can’t see many under the age of twenty-five getting into this as the production seems geared for those with musically-matured tastes (hence all the brief solos throughout), but then that’s long been the hipster domain anyway. Also, the songs feel rather short, as they tend to end abruptly. Hercules’ Theme is a prime example: after a riveting funk-band jam build in the second half, the song just stops; a coda of some sort would have been nice. Perhaps when Hercules & Love Affair perform live, they’ll expand on these songs more, but that still leaves many of their offerings here coming off like teasers that could have been fleshed out more.

Everything being said, quibbles such as these are minor, and for a debut album Hercules And Love Affair is solid enough to warrant your attention. Sure, the ‘beardo disco’ brigade will be hyping the shit out of this but there’s also enough for casual fans to enjoy too without having to succumb to the hipster lifestyle. After these last few years of clicks and farts dominating house music, it’s refreshing to hear the old-school executed in such a pertinent fashion.

Various - Helsinki Mix Sessions: Jori Hulkkonen

Turbo Recordings: 2000

In its infancy, Turbo Recordings primarily focused on a DJ mix series titled Mix Sesssions. Initially an outlet for label-head Tiga, it was soon followed by other acts from Montreal. As he grew chummy with several Scandinavian artists, he also gave them opportunities to feature mixes set from their cities overseas – a small-scale Global Underground! It was only Jesper Dahlbäck and Jori Hulkkonen for those first couple years, but their contributions to Turbo were instrumental in raising the label’s prestige beyond some quirky Canadian imprint. Both brought a fresh sophistication to the deep house scene with their CDs that few were aware possible at the turn of the century, exposing a slew of virtually unknown producers to the electronic scene at large.

Ol’ Jori was still a relatively unknown entity when he put this together, at least outside his native Finland. It’d be another year before he teamed up with Tiga as Zyntherius for the hit Sunglasses At Night, but he’d seen the rounds with various projects before then (including that classic bit of European shenanigan in claiming an ‘American’ sounding name for his tech-house releases – you’re fooling no one ‘Bobby Forester’!). For his debut mix, Mr. Hulkkonen opted for more of a mixtape effort, selecting tracks based on personal preference rather than strong set construction. Helsinki Mix Sessions still maintains a strong, deep house vibe throughout, but it doesn’t flow like most house mixes do, more of a showcase on specific tunes and sounds for short durations while holding a steady groove throughout.

The good news is this makes for a deliciously eclectic CD, running the gamut of electro, Balearic, disco, funk (though not in that order) and other classy European flavours as only the Scandinavian house chaps are masters at. The bad news is, well, obvious: too much stylistic jumping leaves for a rather herky-jerky set, segments often coming to an abrupt end before Jori moves onto something else, with little to no ease between these disparate genres.

This in of itself wouldn’t be a deal breaker though, as I’ve heard plenty sets more musically erratic than this one and enjoyed them. Unfortunately, another problem hampers Helsinki Mix Sessions: the mixdown is incredibly muddy, the low end often drowning everything out. I’ve no idea if it’s weak vinyl sources (you can hear plenty of crackles), a manufacturing fault, or just bad luck on my part, but because of the poor sonics, I’ve hardly ever reached for this disc over the years. Shame it ended up that way, as I’d love to hear these tunes with better audio. Oh well.

Actually, no, that’s not alright. Helsinki Mix Sessions may have come out in Turbo’s early years, but none of the other CDs from Tiga’s label sounded this poor. Dammit, Mr. Sontag needs to amend this travesty. I’m gonna go to Montreal and demand a proper copy of Jori Hulkkonen’s only mix! I don’t care if it takes two weeks to do it, but it must be done!

William Orbit - Hello Waveforms (2013 Update)

Sanctuary Records: 2006

(Click here to read my original TranceCritic review.)

Truth is, when I first launched this blog back in 2010, I never bothered looking at stats. I cannot deny it was partially due to ego (“don't wanna know how few are reading, don't wanna know how few are reading...”), but I wasn't expecting much anyway, so barely gave it thought. Fast forward over two years later, and I'm surprised that the blog was sitting just fine in all that time, ready to pick up right where I left off (with a few aesthetic adjustments). Well, just to sate curiosity, let's see what kind of stats I did gather in my absence.

To be honest, there wasn't anything remarkable, except for one anomalous item: my original review of William Orbit's Hello Waveforms had gained nearly four times the amount of hits as anything else! What the hell? I knew spambot spikes sometimes artificially inflate numbers, but this was bizarrely out of the ordinary. Was it being linked from somewhere? Ah, sort of. Turns out the cover image was highly ranked in Google Image searches, which is kind of cool. Maybe someone even checked out the actual review too!

Oh God, I hope not. It's really one of the weaker ones I ever wrote, struggling to find anything of substance to say in the ol' track-by-track method. It's weird to think a high-profile release like a new William Orbit album would garner such mediocre reactions, but can any of you seriously recall much about it, beyond the nifty cover art? There was nothing sonically groundbreaking as he crafted during his Strange Cargo period, nothing charmingly indulgent as found on Pieces In A Modern Style, and certainly nothing as radio-ready friendly as his productions with Madonna and Sugababes. Instead, Hello Waveforms finds Mr. Orbit at a meeting ground between all three, with little offensive to the ears (unless you just can't stand girly vocals on Spiral and They Live In The Sky), yet even less you'll be compelled to reach for again if you're well versed in the world of chill out music. Except Who Owns The Octopus?, that one's still mint!

I wouldn't go so far as to say Hello Waveforms derailed ol' William's career, but boy was he ever forgotten about in the pop world shortly after, the promised 'upbeat' follow-up My Oracle Lives Uptown passing by with barely a blip (is it any good?). Trouble is music of this sort can easily drift through one’s head without much fanfare, an almost death knell when written about with a customary 6/10 score. There's a word for it... oh, what was it? Amiable? Charming? No, wait, I remember! Cordial! No, that's not it. Cheerful? G'ah, not it at all. It started a 'p', didn't it? Pleasing! Nope, something more like mild. Homey? Maybe congenial? Copacetic? What the hell does that even mean?

Whatever. Hello Waveforms is something like that, and has held up in an unassuming way. Not really a critical album to own, but pleasant enough. Hey, that’s the

Beastie Boy - Hello Nasty

Capitol Records: 1998

I don't think anyone anticipated the Beastie Boys having such big hits as those spawned off Hello Nasty. A fun single or two, sure, but surely their schtick was utterly dated as the '90s drew to a close. Three MCs, rhyming off each other's interplay like Run DMC was still relevant (okay, they were still around, but y'know what I mean), a bunch of wicki-wicki-waa from an actual DJ, and who ever really liked their rock and funk explorations anyway? No, the Beasties should have failed, unable to keep pace with hip-hop's over-indulgence of gangsta shenanigans and seeking the bling life. Or worse, in an attempt to reconnect with the youth, adopted nu-metal into their repertoire.

Holy hell, is it ever a good thing they didn’t give two flute loops about what contemporary audiences expected of them and simply cut loose with what they do best. If there’s any scene they did get chummy with, it was the electronic one, which had shared history with the Beastie’s brand of b-boy bombast (weren't The KLF initially just the Scottish Beasties anyway?). The lead single Intergalactic was the perfect olive branch to ravers worldwide, with big beats, quirky electro sounds, and enough ‘up to date’ retro vibes that any DJ could drop it and get a massive reaction. Small wonder Lord Discogs recommends names like Daft Punk, DJ Shadow, and Mr. Oizo on Intergalactic's page.

Oh yeah, there's a whole album more to talk about with Hello Nasty. I'm sure ya'll remember Body Movin', probably thanks to yet another goof-ball video the Boys were masters at. A third single off here was Three MCs and One DJ, which had the trio feeding off numerous scratch samples and turntable trickery from Mixmaster Mike (sort of an honorary fourth Beastie Boy). Quite a few tracks on here do this, to be honest, though more often than not it's post-studio production creating the dense sound collages of off-beat samples, thick rhythms, and indie rock leanings.

As for the rest of the album, well... Okay, there's a reason most only remember Hello Nasty for Intergalactic, Body Movin', and not much else: too much filler. Oh, it's good filler, in that you won't find yourself itching for the skip button if you're willing to take the album in full, but can any of you recall how Picture This or Flowin' Prose go? I sure can't, and I just listened to the damned album! Maybe it was one of those instrumental, psychedelic funk jams?

Despite a second half that just can't live up to the first (how could anything with such a one-two punch as Body Movin' and Intergalactic?), Hello Nasty's still a high recommendation for those diving into the Beastie Boys' discography. It may not be as ground breaking as Paul's Boutique or as stupid-fun as Licenced To Ill, but it reaches a comfortable middle-ground between the two, and propelled the Boys back to the front of hip-hop relevancy. Not bad for three white former punks.

00.db - Heaven & Hell (Original TC Review)

Fektive Records: 2009

(2013 Update:
"harmonizing peaks"? 2009 Sykonee, you doof, those are progressive chord changes. You know, one of the defining characteristics of progressive trance? Not that it's surprising to find them here, considering Mr. Fleming and Mr. Blonde's trance background. Heh, having now heard their very early offerings on that For Your Ears Only DJ mix J00f did, it's remarkable that their music would both end up down psy trance's back alley.

As a duo, they released another album the year after this one, Angels & Demons, which I've yet to hear. Is it any good? Dunno if they've got plans for another one though, as both seemed more focused on solo output as of late. Not to mention all the promotions Fleming's been up to, what with a label to oversee and club nights to play out at. Who's got time to hash out another forty-plus minute 'chill-out' extravaganza?)


IN BRIEF: Solid as a rock

I wouldn’t go so far as to call this a super-group, but the pairing of psy-trance favorites John Fleming and Ricky Smith (‘00’ and The Digital Blonde, respectively) definitely created a huge amount of buzz when they started releasing tracks together. Simply put, the two earned a huge amount of goodwill with folks who grew frustrated with the continued watering-down of trance music at the hands of those that shall remain nameless. They offered an easy entry point into the realm of psy, focusing on catchy hooks and driving rhythms supplanted with the sub-genre’s spacey attributes, yet seldom going off the deep end into psy’s more random wibble. With John the DJ and Smith the producer, it was only a matter of time before these two favored sons finally joined forces. So they did, forming the fan-chosen moniker 00.db. And took their sweet time in coming out with the album everyone was looking forward to.

I suppose the two didn’t want to let their burgeoning fanbase down, hence the some-odd three years it’s taken for a full-length since their first single. While I have no doubt they wouldn’t want to release anything less than their best, high expectations can have a tendency to force musicians into a corner they never wanted to be in the first place. The fans demand - or at least hope for - nothing less than a classic, so you gotta’ deliver on those terms, right? Of course not, but nor do you want to lose all that good favor you’ve earned either, especially so in the fickle field of (slightly) underground trance.

In terms of offered material, if a double-CD album for a debut isn’t enough to be satisfied with, then their fanbase is more fickle than I thought. It certainly could be considered a bold artistic statement, but truthfully that’s not quite right. Rather, Fleming and Smith had more music than could be held on one disc, including a forty-plus minute ambient excursion at the very end. I’m not sure whether Dreamcatcher was added to fill up the second CD or because they were working on something of this nature as a side-project to their typical trance cuts, but whatever the reason it’s part-and-parcel of the Heaven & Hell experience (more on which in a bit).

The trance cuts don’t offer much in the way of surprises here, even if you aren’t already familiar with them from the first Psy Trance Euphoria compilation many first appeared on. In fact, much of this reminds me of the sort of material you might find on those old Rave Mission compilations from the mid-90s, where the likes of Astral Projection and Alien Factory could be seen rubbing shoulders with Paragliders and DJ Tomcraft. They pretty much stick to a “not quite epic, not quite psy” style, and execute it with about as much class and consistency as any savvy trance veteran. Some are more melodic (Indigo, Pro 1, Darkness, and the remix of Astrix’ Ice Cream); some are more spacey (Lantra, Run, and, shockingly, Worlds Of Space); some are more techy and driving (Ark, Orga, Entropy; and so on). Most of them make use of the tried and tested ‘harmonizing peak’, breakdowns are seldom gratuitous, vocal samples are fine, and the psychedelic bits are tasteful. All in all, if you aren’t immediately turned off by the first track-proper (as always, the first one’s more of an ambient intro), then you’re going to enjoy the music on here - probably more so, since Indigo, though solid in its own right, is one of the weaker cuts.

As for the forty-minute behemoth that closes out CD2, it’s okay for an extended ambient excursion. Though it says it’s a “chill-out journey”, there’s actually very little chill about it, as many of the soundscapes and synths used are quite grandiose. It’s also not a singular composition, but rather a collection of four segments titled Stratosphere, Atmosphere, Mantle, and Inner Core; indeed, a journey from heaven to hell. In that aim, it thematically succeeds, as the compositions gradually transition from benign to downright creepy (seriously, that… growl towards the end… *shudder*). Musically, however, it at times feels like it overreaches, but it’s tagged at the end of the album, so no big loss if you don’t feel like indulging.

Heaven & Hell certainly is a fine enough debut album, despite not really pushing the trance genre anywhere it hasn’t been before. In that regard, this honestly isn’t more than a 6/10 - at least on paper. This album deserves an extra nudge up a notch for one simple reason: it’s consistent from beginning to end. So long as you enjoy trance music - of any kind, really - you will find no reason to skip any of these tracks, which is remarkable considering there isn’t much of an album theme beyond supplying quality tune after quality tune. That in of itself is a rare enough feat to deserve the 7.

Mind Distortion System - He Claims To Be Not Human (Original TC Review)

Trishula Records: 2007

(2013 Update:
Well, so much for Trishula, only lasting to the end of 2008 before their output dried up. I don't know if they've completely shut doors, as their website is still up, so I'm assuming you might still find material in their catalog out there if you look hard enough. Might still be worth your while to do so if you find dark forest psy to your liking, as I've yet to hear much that stood out the way some of Trishula's acts did.

As for Mind Distortion System, this remains his only full-length, though he has released a smattering of singles on numerous compilations for other labels since Trishula's end. Dunno if they're worth digging for though. To be honest, I always found his contributions to the Trishula compilations the weaker offerings, and was somewhat surprised his album turned out pretty good. Wait... a psy trance producer, saving his best work for the album? What a twist.)


IN BRIEF: Crafty rhythms? In psy trance??

Having been associated with Trishula Records for a while now, ol’ Jara Nelson’s been patiently biding his time in the trenches for his kick at the album can. It can be a dangerous game to play, the waiting one - growing disinterest from followers of a project as the months wear on, as but one example why - but the psy scene’s long gestation periods (trends either linger longer or innovative new ones lack) work in favor of those who’s release dates are further along than others.

As Mind Distortion System, Nelson has carved out his own tiny niche in the psy world, but then that can be said of just about any Trishula artist, to be honest. This little label hailing from Deutschland has frequently impressed by skewing far from the norm when psy trance is often guilty of sounding far too similar from label-to-label, act-to-act. With tracks that often challenge the head, Trishula definitely has established themselves as a label worth keeping tabs on for fans of the forest sound. MDS is no different in this regard, so the better question isn’t how he stands against dark psy in general (quick answer: above), but rather amongst Trishula’s roster.

Like most of the producers on this label, Nelson’s tracks don’t reveal themselves to you all at once. However, I found his offerings on this album even more difficult than most. While I didn’t go in expecting something like insta-melodies, an easily recognizable song structure or pattern seemed to be lacking as well. Beats are laid out and various twisted sounds and effects worm their way about for the duration, with something resembling a hook popping up for a brief bits every so often. I can see many non-fans of dark psy dismissing this album very early on.

In fact, I was about ready to too, when something clicked. Rather than focusing on finding hooks or figuring out atmosphere, I did something that isn’t typically thought of with regards to psy: succumbing to rhythm. Sure, some artists are very adept at beats but the genre generally isn’t known for intuitive drum programming. Most of the time it’s there in service of synths and acid, and little else.

And this isn’t to say MDS’ tracks are ultra-funky or something to that effect - in fact, most of his rhythms are still very much stylistically in forward-drive and little else. But whereas other producers - especially in dark psy’s case - settle for monotonous drones, MDS seems to have extra spring to his. It’s as though a kind of giddiness crept in, and it makes Nelson’s rhythms that much more infectious.

So obviously, the tracks on offer here will make far more sense while flailing under a canopy of trees in the middle of night rather than being played in the background as you drink your tea at home. Still, there’s enough going on here to grab your attention should you let the primal portion of your brain dictate your listening habits. Never predictable, yet always with purpose, MDS cleverly keeps his tunes moving and shifting, letting the beats dictate the direction as squiggly sounds, shuffling synths, psychedelic effects, and disconcerting tones effectively provide a worthy trippy support. You most likely won’t be humming any of these later, but they’ll definitely leave an impression and, perhaps most importantly, will draw you back to rediscover some other twist you may have overlooked before.

Individually, these tracks deliver. As a whole though, He Claims To Be Not Human grows samey-sounding in the second half, as MDS tends to stick to the same themes throughout the album (having every track roughly the same BPM doesn’t help in this regard either). There are a few moments that’ll leap out more than the rest though. For instance, final track Gate Of Desire sounds like Nelson borrowed some of the synths of fellow labelmate Olien. Elsewhere, Koshka makes use of some chopped up spacey sounds, lending an almost ethereal tone to an otherwise sinister album. Oh, and remember that sped up sample of Disney’s Whistle Stomp that made a superstar out of a cartoon hamster? It’s back in Cartoon Hunter, but surprisingly given better context here, such that it’s actually kind of amusing to hear instead of fucking annoying like in its previous usage. Mind, it probably helps that it’s immediately followed up by a vocal that asks, “Won’t you fucking shut up for ten seconds,” not to mention the track itself is amongst the darkest brooders on this album.

So in conclusion of my graduate thesis- er, review of this here album, MDS’ role amongst the Trishula roster appears to be the guy that’ll more likely pummel your temporal lobes rather than tickle them with nifty hooks or enveloping soundscapes. Which is totally cool, in my books. Good rhythms are sorely neglected when it comes to dark psy, and to hear an album that provides solid groovy potential amongst the usual twisted atmospherics is a welcomed treat.