OOOD* - Free Range

OOOD are a 4 piece collective from UK that already graced us with 2 albums a few years ago. I didn't really connect to aLive which was the first debut psy-trance album that was recorded live but their second offering, Breathing Space had a few of my favorite ol-school Goa tunes.
And now 7 years later they are back with their 3rd album that seem to have all that funk and groove that OOOD were renowned for with their previous offerings.
I am very much against shelving music or putting them into boxes but this album is the perfect morning material for me. Although it sometimes borders the cheese line with guitars and too frequent samples it's mostly manages to be uplifting yet psychedelic, melodic but not overwhelming, passing the traps that so many morning artists have been falling recently.
From the epic "Free Range" to the ultimate morning set closer "Eye Of the Beholder" with possibly the most talented artist in the psy-chill scene, OTT and through the dubby Smoke-A-Lot, the deep "The Humming" and of course the best tune Simon Posford never made "Oh My (Good Golly Me)" this is an essential album for any Psy-Trance listener.
Especially in the current time frame when the other alternatives range from nightmare inducing night music to vomit inducing cheese morning Israeli style.

O.O.O.O.H MY GOD!!1!

Now here’s an album I’ve been eagerly awaiting ever since it was first released more than a year ago… As far back as I can remember I’ve been a big fan of the O.O.O.D./Unconscious Collective output – and I totally loved the Voice Of Cod album We Are Free released last year. That’s right, I’m a fanboy and I’m so excited that I just can’t hide it. I’m about to loose control and I think I like it… Errhm… *Blush*

The O.O.O.D. collective consists of UK nutters Stephen Callaghan, Ramsay Melhuish, Ryokan Potier & Colin Bennun. These guys are trance dinosaurs and as O.O.O.D. and Unconscious Collective they’ve released two wonderful albums + a ton of EPs and compilation tracks during the last 12 years… The line-up has changed over the years, but the central hippy-trance-easygoing dogma of the collective remains as strong as ever. This third album has been six years in the making which must be some kind of record… It’s released by high-quality UK label Organic Records – so we know the platform is class A. …Anyway, let’s get on with the fun part. The music...

As you’ve probably guessed this is a fantastic album… I’ll tell you why: The musical diversity is grander than most trance albums. It’s a cornucopia of styles confined within, but not limited to, a framework of trance music with psychedelic elements. The years of production time does not go by unnoticed. Each and every track is a testament to just how much time, work, passion, dedication and love that went into them. Breaking boundaries and building bridges.

Listening to this is like going on a treasure hunt – and the best part is that you’ll come out greatly rewarded. It’s one amazing track after another – and there’s nothing even slightly close to a mediocre track here. The production is to die for and the ‘real artwork’ by Vladimir Kush is stunning. Trust me on this – this CD is going to spend an awful lot of time in your CD player… It has in mine and I’m nowhere near done with it. Definitely one of the top releases of 2006 – and as such it gets my warmest, most heartfelt recommendations. An essential purchase for any serious music lover. Enjoy!

Favourites: 3(!), 4(!), 7, 8, 9(!), 10, 12(!!)

Great new CD from the OOOD guys! They combine their blend of humorous samples and elegant yet cohesive semi-proggy but not overtly clubby-catchy track structures to make this psytrancy- stuff that you just don't seem to hear anymore. Great stuff. Really good production, too.