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Buyer Rating: 100.0% positive (7 ratings)

the_psychologist's groups (2)

• Acid
• Hardcore / Gabber / Speedcore / Terror

Infected Mushroom - Classical Mushroom - 18-May-09 12:58 PM
This album summarizes IMs strengths and weaknesses perfectly.

It changes styles constantly, sometimes interrupting a really trance-inducing moment. This is good for those with short attention spans, but frustrating for people like me who like to flow with a track for longer. But at least you get tons of variety.

Unfortunately, they also show poor taste in some parts, like when elevator muzak will appear in the midst of an otherwise pounding track. I guess its considered "cheeky", but is rather "cheesy" to me.

CM is definitely still rooted in Goa Trance, while all subsequent albums started to move into new areas. This album has tons of intricate, tweaky melodies, subdued kickdrums, groovy basslines, and trippy production.

I guess it really is a classic of the genre, though it does sound a bit childish to me in 2009. But it will always put a smile on my face, and I have to respect it for that.

Best moments are:

-"Bust A Move" (esp. the apocalyptic synth line)
-Beautiful, crystalline acid synth in "The Shen"
-Amazing build/acid line in "Disco Mushroom" (but it stops way too soon - again, short attention spans!)
-Melodies in "Dracul"
-Bassline and lead throughout "Nothing Comes Easy"
-Final tweaky melody in "Mush Mushi" (so damn good)

Brain 28* - Wrong Turn - 18-May-09 10:33 AM
Ahahahah

The Alpha mix is apocalyptic.

The track starts with a massive kick drum and has a really good, energetic hard Techno buildup. No hint of acid yet, just various sounds boring holes into your brain.

Then you get a breakdown/build that introduces the massive acid line. Ridiculous. Also, its pretty upbeat and not concerned with just being "dark".

At 135 BPM, it grooves as well as screams.

This track peaks a couple times and is surely a dancefloor destroyer.

My fave Brain track so far, though I havent heard all of them yet. Im well on the way now.

Helix - 15-Jan-09 10:29 AM
If you havent heard this guys music, you better start now. He made literally the best UK Hardcore I heard during the mid-late 90s.

Helix produced a completely unique style of Hardcore that, while being unique unto itself, is probably closest to Freeform Hardcore. He fused really mental acid leads, breakbeats, massive Trance melodies and more. He somehow managed to create a very cerebral sound while staying true to the rough & ready nature of Hardcore.

For me, the best solo tune Helix ever did is his remix of "A Voice Spoke To Me" on Stompin Choonz. Its rather diverse, with sirens that are great for DJ use, hard kicks, dirty acid lines, and a sublime uplifting Trance build in the middle. Deffo one of the deepest Hardcore tunes I own, yet it doesnt disappear into the vacuum of its own arse.

His work with other producers of the time is equally awesome - Check out Helix & Fury - "Sanctus Dominus" is a good place to start. Maybe a bit "slower" in tempo, but its a true classic.

The basic rule is thus - Buy all tunes by Helix & Fury, buy all solo Helix (just be ready for a few fluffy tunes early in his career), and buy all tracks on Stompin Choonz after #23. Once youve accomplished that, check out his slower stuff on XY2 and random labels like Blame Technology. Its all good.

If anyone knows where he is there days, please post more info.

Prick - The Wreckard - 15-Dec-08 11:42 AM
Look people, you need to hear this album.

Trent Reznor produced the first Prick album because McMahon is a hero of his. That resulted in a fine album, but it was more of a joint effort between Reznor and McMahon. Mostly industrial/hard Rock without too much variation.

The Wreckard, while still drawing on the talents of several other musicians, seems to be completely McMahons vision. Instead of more of the same, we get a far more experimental album this time around. Its tough to describe, but it seems like songs were allowed to grow organically. You get a really sweet patchwork of parts that have been recorded over time, edited, processed, and then assembled into something completely free. A given track may veer off into discordant, distorted breakbeats before returning to where it left off.

The lyrics and vocals are also incredible. Some of the material expresses disenchantment with The Biz (I bet LA had a lot to do with that) and does so in such a scathing yet poetic way that its not overbearing. It must hurt to be the object of his disdain, you know?

Anyway, I just wanted to be sure that people know about this one. Being self-released, it can be hard to come by. Not only that, but McMahons website seems to have disappeared.

Dig deep to find this album - It will stay close to you.

Air Bomb - Hidden Code / Sonic Kiss - 15-Dec-08 10:55 AM
This record (the A side especially)is a filthy bomb. Its Acid Trance at its dirtiest, with an intentionally distorted sound to certain elements of the mix. Even better, it features a really weird, paranoia-inducing sample that repeats over and over as the acid line goes through the roof. I have tried to determine who made this, but no luck. Jon Doe had a hand in many of the releases on the label, and this one does approach Hardcore tempo, so maybe hes responsible. The B side has some freaky DnB influences and a weird French singer during the breakdown. Just buy this record.

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