Pogo (2) - Wingmakers

Wow! This is what I would call psychedelic trance. Not follon, not dark, not progressive. This is the purest psytrance I've heard in years, and a great further development of that genre. What I like especially about this release is that the ordering of the tracks really represent the drama of all psychedelic experiences. It digs deeper and deeper and then reaches its very weird peak at Graham Woods and Franco Rossis unique track (looking forward to play that at twilight zone :-)), just to dig itself out of the mud again with the very releasing tracks from Quadra and Polaris. Well, I always loved the british sound more than anything and this proofs it once again, that I am right. These are tracks to get fully lost. Skazi can pack his guitar, Infected their stupid microphones and leave the party. It's time to dance and wonder again.

Wingmakers is a collective of people in the UK who puts out great quality psytrance parties. They usually have an impressive line up of artists at their parties, and here they are out with a compilation with some of them out on Dragonfly Records. As a release party for this compilation on the 29th of October, they had an impressive full on area and a white room (chill out room) with artists such as Youth and KLF performing, which says quite a lot about the quality at their parties… Here they are with some wingmakers compiled by Dragonfly dj Pogo.

First out is a new track by Silicon Sound (Johannes Regnier) from France, who are one of the worlds leading artists when it comes to melodic full on trance (or NEO trance as some choose to call it) these days. A strong, drifting track as always from this guy. Nice and melodic, and not too fluffy. Track 2 is by Laughing Buddha (Jeremy Van Kampen) in collaboration with Pogo (Jamie Patterson). It is really nice to see that Jeremy is back releasing trance again. He has been involved in the scene from the beginning and was also a part of Cosmosis in the beginning. This track is really great. Very drifting, with quite a lot of variation, great melodies and cool, rough sounds. Definitely my favourite track on this compilation. Track 3 is a collaboration between Dickster (Dick Trevor) and Pogo. Dickster is another veteran in the scene, who was one part of Green Nuns Of The Revolution. Here they give us a pumping track. Pretty dark track, with some really cool, rough sounds. I really like the drift in this one. Track 4 is a collaboration between Tristan (Tristan Cooke) and Pogo. A rolling, fat track, with some weird voice samples and actually some melodies. Melodies, which we are not used to from Tristan. Definitely better than most other Tristan tracks.

Then we get a track from yet another pioneer, Graham Wood, most known as a part of The Infinity Project and Blowfish. Good to hear that this guy is releasing trance again too. He has done this track together with Franco Rossi. The bass line in this one is really deep. It builds up, and we get some really good melodies in there. Nice one. Track 6 is surprisingly a new track by Prometheus (Benji Vaughan), who hasn’t released much trance tracks on compilations, other than on Twisted. The track we get here is pretty weird and different from the other tracks on this compilation. This one is far away from the best tracks Prometheus has released, but not bad either. I miss some more variation in this one. Track 7 is a new track by Quadra (Ido Liran) who released his second album (Serotonina) on Solstice Music. The track we get here goes the same direction as the tracks on his album. Massive full on with quite a lot of melodies. Not bad at all! The last track we get here is a collaboration between Polaris (Arnauld Stengel) and Hop (Hopi Burg). They give us another massive full on track. Quite dark, rolling, heavy track that builds up. Not among my favourites on this compilation.

Pogo sure knows how to pick out the right tracks for a full on compilation! Dragonfly Records has definitely become better now that Pogo collects tracks, and I feel that they are heading in a positive direction compared to a few years ago. Recommended for full on lovers.

Yay, 2 thumbs up for DJ Pogo to be able to gather so many big UK names and several other ones for such a kick bottom compilation. The label is Dragonfly and if that’s not enough to promise quality tunes than you are welcome to hear it by yourselves.



The opener is the French Silicon Sound with rather boring tune, as opposed to most of his tracks that I heard so far. Laughing Buddha is up next with the Pogo himself to deliver us funky and groovy number with samples from Star Trek Enterprise. Typical British sound with a lot of little sounds and great samples. Next up is Dick Trevor, I must admit that I totally dig his new sound. His brand of full-on really makes the Israeli acts sounds childish and unprofessional. Together with Pogo we get a tune that has the same feeling as the previous but a bit darker and smoother. Once again a lot of very appropriate samples and penetrating little sounds that will surely push all the right buttons. The 4th tune is one of the highlights for me in the compilation. Tristan is the man behind it and he is definitely not someone who needs introduction. His reputation as one of the best UK psy producers is not something that is up for discussion. And this tune in which he collaborated with Pogo is another proof of his unique talents. This is slamming twister with strong, driving rhythm and multilayered sound above it. Holy crap, I’m freaking out! Next up are another 2 legends. Graham Wood of Blowfish and The Infinity Project teamed up with Franco Rossi of Lotus Omega and Crop Circles. Together they create very weird and dark tune with some old school sounds and technoish rhythm. At first listens I didn’t dig it but I probably will like it later. This is totally unique tune. Benji Vaughn is up next with his solo project, Prometheus. If you didn’t spend 2004 in some Russian space station you surely heard his brilliant debut album that was released on Twisted Records. If you didn’t, make sure you do it really quick. And if you’ll hear this tune here you’ll understand what all the fuss is about. Golden Triangle is dark, minimal and it’s equipped with ridiculously busy low end. This is as psychedelic and adventurous as it gets in this compilation. You will either like it or hate it. I happen to like it. Next up is one of the hottest names around, Quadra. Formerly Israeli, and now residing in the US, Ido Liran is the one that responsible for Alien Life Form. This tune totally blows my mind. This is what Full-on is all about. Massive, no hostages taken attitude and a lot of scratching sounds as in the recipe. I must admit, I didn’t hear his debut album that was released 4 years ago on Boom records but this tune here makes me dig it up. Wingmakers is up next with Phoenix Rising. Unfortunatelly, I don’t have an idea who is behind this track because my copy is a promo version without the full credits, although there is Tristan feeling all over it. But any who is behind it, he definitely knows the work. This is well crafted stormer that fits pretty well in the mood of this compilation. The closing tune belongs to Polaris and Hopi. This is unfortunutely more in the standard full on vein unlike most of the other tracks in the compilation. Pretty mediocre ending to otherwise excellent compilation



Recommendation: This compilation is clearly a must for everybody who likes the British sound. If Intricate, complex and intelligent full-on with strong progressive influences is your cup of chai I strongly recommend this one for you.



Favorite tracks: 2,3,4!,6!,7,8!!