Various - Techno For Tibet

I think I bought this album in 2001. I was 13 years old, and didn't know anyone who was into electronic music. But I'd heard a Sven Väth-song on the airplane-radio a few months before (the radio edit of L'Esperanza), and a music critic had mentioned Astral Projection in a review for the Swedish euro-trance-producers Earthbound self-titled album that I'd bought a few months before. And this album costed like 3 euros on a sale, so I decided to give it a try.

Naturally I had some difficulties with the monotone techno-tunes back then, but I was amazed by the mystical melodies from Lenny Dee and the last four tracks. And for me, who had only been listening to anthemic commercial trance from Matt Darey, ATB, Ferry Corsten and the likes, it was fascinating to hear that the songs from Jaïa, Astral Projection and Virtuart were interesting from start to end, with new elements being introduced all the time. And all the details... This music was somehow more intelligent, more soulful, more alive... More everything!

Although I continued digging deeper into the commercial trance-scene for the next few years (my love for beautiful melodies and powerful breakdowns didn't end with this compilation), later joining the progressive scene, this album for me was an absolute eye-opener for the deeper sounds of trance.
I remember downloading Jaïa's "Blue Energy"-album and buying my first goa/psy-album Astral Projection - Dancing galaxy, and the huge impact they had on me. I still rank "Dancing galaxy" as one of the best goa-albums ever done, and Jaïa was definately a key artist for me to discover psychedelic downtempo-music.

Anyways, back to this album. Almost nine years have gone since I got this album, my first introduction to deeper electronic dance music and to psychedelic culture in general. Countless techno- and psychedelic parties and a deeper understanding to what this music is trying to tell me...
It really is an amazing compilation. The blurry expression "concept-album" comes to mind, combining deep ambient (track 1, totally underrated TE-song), groovy, melodic and mystical downtempo (2 and 10), deep, tribal and really trippy techno (3-6) and early goa (7-9), to take you on a very special trip to the misty mountains of Himalaya.

My favourite track is (still, just as it was back in 2001) Jaïa - XY. I have never considered it as a goa-essential, and I'm sure I'll never do, but always when I listen to it, especially in this context (=listening to the album as a whole), it really captures me. There's no screaming, challenging or banging elements here, only melody after/on melody, all of them very oriental and EXTREMELY beautiful. Imagine being there, on Anjuna Beach a sunny morning in 1995...

Top-notch compilation!
This is a trip, you can feel the Tibet inside while going through tracks. There is some really nice and quality underground techno-trance here. I love this compi, had it long ago on cassette and finally managed to grab it on CD. If you like cool, trippy, intelligent & hypnotic techno-trance, you should find a copy of this. Beautiful and very rare tracks. I'd say a must, for all old-school fans.