Technossomy - Synthetic Flesh

Technossomy was one of the first names I learnt back when I heard the first time about Goa-trance. They became famous through releases on the defunct and legendary Flying Rhino Records and have only released one full-length album, Synthetic Flesh, in 1997.

I had long searched for this album and was very excited to listen to it, but after that I have listened it now I have mixed feelings about this album. Except for “Pyramid”, “V.T.O.L.” and “Elektron Bender” which are easily their best tracks ever (available on various compilations too), the rest of the tracks here are just so and so and really don’t get you anywhere. They seem to flirt around with the same sound and never seem to evolve into anything great. Maybe “Kozmotron (1 & 2) deserves a mention since (as name suggests) it’s two tracks in one, in the middle it changes sound to “another” track. But except for the three tracks I mentioned before there’s no track which I can say I really like.

Synthetic Flesh is on of the most wanted Goa-trance albums ever, maybe because it’s on Flying Rhino; maybe because it’s under the name “Technossomy”, or probably for both reasons. I had long searched this album, and by sheer coincidence I found the Lyrical Robot Records version at an unbelievable good price – and am happy I didn’t spent tons of cash on this album…! All my respects go to James Monro and Matt Evans for having been pioneers of the Goa scene, but in my opinion this album really lacks something and leaves me rather unfulfilled after every listening.

We have us some old classic era Flying Rhino here with Technossomy's Synthetic Flesh album. The title track leads us off and listening here in 2004 I must abmit I am surprised at how modern it sounds in some regards. Pleiadian Landing is also fairly decent, although my main thoughts listening to it is thinking of the Yamaha SY-85 keyboard I sold that they are using a preset from. Kozmotron (1 & 2) sounds like goa meets old GMS in a full on goa fight. Very full on and, while dated to some degree, still is full of energy. Skinflint is a bit more subdued, but again, good as old goa with is layered echoing lines and sounds the float in and out of the sonic sea. Chug's name is fitting at it chugs along in a sort of swinging tripulet vibe. Breathe ends things on a sort of typical goa vibe and is probably one of the lower points of the album. all in all the album, while old, has held up fairly well all things considered. By no means a classic, but definately not bad either... 6/10