Psy Stories 2 - V/A - PARVATI RECORDS
Review by DeathPosture (Psynews.org)
Artist: Various
Title: Psy Stories 2 (Parvati Records Advisory: Explicit Psychedelic)
Format: CD (digipack)
Label: Parvati Records (Denmark)
Cat. #: PRVCD12
Distribution: Wirikuta
Date: 01 June 2006
Track listing:
01. 07’51” Psilo Cowboys – Sneaky Vibes
02. 09’18” Derango - Oscilla
03. 09’16” Hokus Pokus – Rock On
04. 07’25” Red Eye Jedi – RP5
05. 08’04” Encephalopaticys – Intellectual Homons
06. 07’38” Galaxy Madness – Parvati Cream
07. 07’41” Atriohm – No Name Channels
08. 07’57” Phonic Request & Akhoa – Bee People Abduction
09. 07’45” Kindzadza & Kaliflower – Viva Tempo
10. 06’57” Tsabeat - Magletcha
Review:
Gob smacking trip tales pt. 2
Danish power house label Parvati Records is out with their 12th release following the
brilliant debut album Mad Different Methods from Naked Tourist - which was released in
January 2006. The first Psy Stories compilation was released in October 2005 – and what
a release that was! It’s still rated as the BEST Parvati release in my book, so when it
turned out to be a running series I was extremely ecstatic… When I saw the track list,
there was no turning back – I creamed my pants! After I washed them, I received the CD,
put it on and creamed them again… So now I’m wearing rubber undies writing this…
Just in case…
Let me take you thru the tracks…
#01: Psilo Cowboys – Sneaky Vibes [149 BPM]
“He’s been injected with an opium overdose. Couldn’t move or feel much of anything!
… What’s your name? My name is ‘very fucking confused’, what’s your name?
What’s going on here?” Psilo Cowboys is an ancient Danish project by Roelike Jahbo
(Jahbo/Meteloids/etc) and Thy Trung (Mussy Moody). This constellation hasn’t released
anything since their track on the very first Parvati compilation First Step released five
years ago! Naturally the sound has matured a great deal since then, and especially Jahbo
has been involved in some jaw-droppingly amazing stuff since then… Anyway, this track
is just what I’d hoped for – absolutely fucking soaked in twirling acid-lines,
fragmented rhythm pads and several other trip tools… The Saw samples work really well
here, and generally this is a brilliant tune… Great start!
#02: Derango – Oscilla [147 BPM]
Swedish studio enigmas Jens Eriksson & Ola Eriksson released their absolutely amazing
debut album TuMuLT on Inpsyde Media in the fall of 2005 – and their track on the 2006
Sanaton Audio compilation Sanatonic Audio was just as immensely trippy and super
psychedelic as the stuff on the album… This track is perhaps even more psychedeliKk –
the acid-lines are tweaked beyond recognition and the demented melodies are literally
radiating nuclear shock waves which will penetrate your brain and FUCK you up! And the
best part is that it’s all made in such a subtle, noble fashion… It’s subtle
psychedelia! Lovely!
#03: Hokus Pokus – Rock On [148 BPM]
Danish producers Anders Eskildsen & Christian Kaas Andersen (Dronebixie) had excellent
tracks on both the first Psy Stories compilation and the above mentioned Sanatonic Audio.
Talented guys for sure! As with their older tracks, this is subtle, held-back night trance
that never gets too full-blown… That might seem like an odd observation with a track
that runs @ 148 BPM, but it’s true nevertheless… This is bubbling, playful and
rippling psytrance with a very special atmosphere – and in that regard this works
better as a transition tool for DJs than as a dancefloor track… Not among the
frontrunners on this compilation. It’s still pretty damn trippy though…
#04: Red Eye Jedi – RP5 [150 BPM]
Stephanus Smit from Denmark spelled his artist name Red i Jedeye on the first Psy Stories
compilation – and now he spells it Red Eye Jedi. But despite the name change, Stephanus
can still whoop up a mean old bassline in an old-school inspired psychedelic stomper of a
track… The intensity level is very high here, and perhaps even a little too intense in
the first part of the track… It evens out very nicely after the break down though –
and the last half of this track is just pure tripalicious psychedelia… Kick-ass!
#05: Encephalopaticys – Intellectual Homons [149 BPM]
Behind the cryptic moniker Encephalopaticys is Vasko Velickovski from Macedonia. I’m
only familiar with one of his previous tracks – the wonderful one on the 2005 Xilium
Records compilation Over Identity… Just like that one, this is an extremely
hard-hitting, fast-paced, über-dark track… The bassline is pounding away at an
incredible speed and if it wasn’t for the surrounding FX it would have bored me to
death… But this is Parvati Records after all, so luckily we’re treated to an influx
of trippy FX, twists, turns, bleeps, bloops and tons of tweaked synth experimentation…
It’s all fine and dandy, but somehow I still think this track is missing something…
The X-factor is not present… It’s not a bad track at all – unfortunately it’s not
as memorable as I’d hoped for either… But hey, it’s just because the competition is
SO fierce on this compilation. This would easily have been a stand-out track on an
average compilation.
#06: Galaxy Madness – Parvati Cream [148 BPM]
Galaxy Madness is Suguru Akita – an upcoming artist from Japan who had a track on the
infamous Phenix compilation released by Phreex Network in late 2005. And trust me – all
subtly is long gone now… This is 100% in-your-face, wall-to-wall maximum night trance…
Simple at first, but soon evolves into a raging monster that devours everything in
sight… Holy trout – this is so freakishly intense despite its often monotonous
nature… Usually I would oppose against music like this, but somehow I’m drawn in by
it. Completely hypnotized! I’m turning Japanese! Genki! … Smashing track! Very
original!
#07: Atriohm – No Name Channels [147 BPM]
Everything I’ve heard from Leonid & Aleksandar Golcev from Macedonia has been above
average quality… These guys are very talented, and this track underlines that fact once
again… From the rusty, crackling intro to the spot-on sequencing and cleverly placed
trip tools scattered all over this vicious track… This is eerie, haunting and very
industrial-sounding stuff… But most importantly, the psychedelic edge is kept intact…
Sweet!
#08: Phonic Request & Akhoa – Bee People Abduction [148 BPM]
Wilfried Decaesteker (Phonic Request) and Olivier Charpier (Akhoa) have been in cahoots
on a number of releases on different labels… I really like their humorous take on
psytrance which kinda simplifies this nocturnal music, which can often come across as a
little pretentious with all the darkness and acid all over the place….And sure enough,
this track also relies on a little comic relief. Like the sampled bees used in the intro
and several other places in the track… And it works really well – you really do get
the feeling that you’re among those fascinating insects when listening to this somewhat
claustrophobic track… It’s simple but effective! Beeeeeeeuitiful!
#09: Kindzadza & Kaliflower – Viva Tempo [149 BPM]
Russian producer Leo Greshilov (Kindzadza) is a Parvati regular – and among the most
productive frontrunners of the so-called darkpsy artist pool… On this track he’s
joined by some Russian dude only credited as Dasha (Kaliflower) and AFAIK this is his
debut release… Anyway, this is a monstrous track – right from the massive
electro-soaked intro the power level goes thru the roof! Energetic, relentless,
propane-injected hyper trance that will appeal equally to dancers and sofa trancers… I
like the sharp contrast between electro and trip-tastic psytrance – as well as the
sheer level of energy… Often energetic music tends to loose focus, but that’s not the
case here – fortunately! This is just pure, psychedelic night trance… Awesome!
#10: Tsabeat – Magletcha [147 BPM]
Israeli producer Elad Weinberg kinda scared me with his demented almost drill&bass-like
track on the Mistress Of Evil compilation Trauma Trance released in late 2005… And this
track is another extremely hardcore tour de force into the deepest, darkest and weirdest
realms of hyper trance… But damn, it TOTALLY works here! If you’re the kind of
pervert that takes your psytrance über dark, totally twisted and extremely hardcore,
well then this track will send you straight to heaven… I like most of what I hear here
– but admittedly some parts are still too damn intense even for me… But generally
this is very interesting and it’s destined to send chock waves thru the trance floors
this summer!
Another fan-fucking-tastic Parvati release! That’s right, I might sound like the
biggest whore around, but when it comes to Parvati there is never a dull moment or a
mediocre release! This is top-drawer stuff from the leading label in hyper trance! And
yes, that means more creamed pants!
It’s only natural to compare this with the first Psy Stories compilation – and after
some careful consideration and judgement, I can conclude that Psy Stories 2 is *almost*
as good as Psy Stories which wins only by a nose hair… But that one is gonna be VERY
hard to top, as it’s definitely my fav’e Parvati release ever! Anyway, with only a
couple of minor gripes, this compilation is packed with hard-hitting, gut-wrenching,
jaw-dropping psytrance… Trippy as ever and totally danceable!
The cover art by Batunn is lovely, and whilst the parental advisory sticker gag perhaps
is a little outdated, it doesn’t ruin the impression of another high quality Parvati
release! Well done! An essential purchase for any dedicated fan of relentless, nocturnal
and trippy psytrance… Nuff said! Enjoy!
Favourites: 1, 2(!), 4, 6(!!), 7, 8, 9(!), 10 |