Avalon (9) – Distant Futures

When I discovered that Leon Kane had produced a new album under his Avalon moniker, I was excited, hopeful, but also a tad cautious, having experienced the unbelievably dreary 'Another Reality' which he released last year as RealityGrid. I needn't have worried. From the first moments of track 1 I new I was in for a good time.

'Distant Futures' proves beyond doubt that it is possible to make intelligent, interesting full-on psy-trance that isn't determined to crush your skull with layers of cheese or rolling basslines that jump around like they're on a caffeine high. If you want an impression of the feel of this album, a good starting point can be found on the 2009 Cosmosis album 'Fumbling For The Funky Frequency'. Kane collaborated with Bill Halsey on a track called 'Take Flight', and continues in much the same vein here.

This is good quality psychedelic trance music, and thankfully the kind we've been seeing more and more of in the past few years with other 'intelligent' full-on artists such as Braincell, Freakulizer, Headroom, Protoculture & Zen Mechanics (to name but a few of my personal favourites). Music that can be enjoyed both on the dancefloor and also chilling out at home. If you are a fan of any of the above you will love this album, I guarantee it.