It's been another great year of psytrance. It was very difficult to pick five favorite albums, and they change from day to day. Here are five of my top releases from this year, in no particular order. Hope you have a great 2020! Let's keep pushing the music forward!
The Dog of Tears - dogspiral 2 (Xexify Records)
This triple disc from The Dog of Tears is is his best material yet, and includes a wide range of unique tracks. It is composed entirely of live studio jams without overdubs. Disc one is a stunning evolution in the project's sound, consisting of groovy melodic tracks. However, because of his highly individual sound design, nothing else sounds like it. At times, it somehow resembles a combination of early Rinkadink and Autechre. What is most remarkable about it, to my ears, is that it retains a feeling of melodic darkpsy, but unlike most such attempts, it is not simply darkpsy with some added melodic elements. Instead, virtually every element is melodic, but without every sounding cheesy or clubby. The second disc ventures into darker territory, but retains a steadier groove that his earlier work. Finally, the third disc showcases the project's most experimental side, with everything from tracks resembling David Lynch's crackling electricity with a hint of psytrance to psytrance tracks with near-endlessly repeating melodic lines. Looking forward to seeing where this project goes next!
Purchase:
https://store.xexify.com/albums.html
Mother of Datura - Inside the womb ov Darkness (Horrodelic Records)
This young producer from Sweden delivers another album of unrelenting dark psycore. It stands out due to its incredible atmospheres. Mother of Datura creates fully-realized worlds with each track, instead of relying on scratchy leads or melodies like many other artists. At the same time, the kick and bass is extremely well executed and danceable. Can't wait to hear more in 2020, along with his collaboration project with Gurgamesh, Parasitorum.
Purchase:
https://horrordelic.bandcamp.com/album/inside-the-womb-ov-darkness
Pluriverso - Now and Then (Kamakhya Records); Mystic Behaviors (Samana Records)
This prolific duo released two amazing eps this year, Now and Then on Kamakhya and Mystic Behaviors on Samana. Now and Then is a concept EP based around Donovan Philips Leitch, a pioneer 60s psychedelic musician who influenced the Beatles. Pluriverso's sampling of his music creates a unique set of tracks that incorporate elements found in darkpsy and psycore, but that make sense on sunny afternoon dance floors. The Mystic Behaviors EP is slightly more traditional, as far as Pluriverso goes, but won't be mistaken for any other psytrance project. As usual, the tracks resemble traditional darkpsy in terms of kick/bass and bpm, but defy easy categorization due to the different elements and structures of the tracks. At times, it sounds like the most creative, freeform psycore repackaged as groovy darkpsy. Proceeds from both of these releases go to charitable causes, so show some love!
https://kamakhyarecords.bandcamp.com/album/now-and-then
https://samanarecords.bandcamp.com/album/pluriverso-mystic-behaviours-ep
Audiosyntx - Simplex and Redux (Quintessence Records)
Audiosyntx has often made conceptual projects, and this pair of releases on Quintessence Records is no exception. Simplex consists of seven tracks ranging from 132 to 172 bpm. Each displays a heavy techno influence. But, unlike many unsuccessful attempts to combine techno and psytrance, Audiosyntx does not stick overt techno sounds into a psytrance framework. Instead, he works with a deeper understanding of both genres, evoking techno through relatively sparse sound design and low basslines. Redux takes the same tracks, strips out some of the psytrance elements, and lowers the bpm to further highlight their techno aspects.
Purchase:
https://quintessencerec.bandcamp.com/album/simplex
https://quintessencerec.bandcamp.com/album/redux
Anthropus - Andhakara Puja (Andhakara Records)
When Brazil-based Anthropus toured South India for India-based Andhakara Records, he recorded a variety of soundscapes from forests to traffic jams. He then incorporated them into this full length album. The heavy use of these field recordings gives the release distinct sound design, along with Anthropus's clean and creative basslines and track structure. Hearing this album powerfully brings back wonderful memories of my times in the area.
Purchase:
https://andhakara.bandcamp.com/album/andhakara-puja
