Koxbox – Forever After

Not sure I would put this in the Psy Trance bucket. It was well ahead of the field when released and still sounds fresh now (which lifts it firmly out of the aforementioned bucket!). Lovely LP. It started to slide from here so concentrate on the early releases!!

I don't have the original Harthouse version, but was lucky enough to find a new and sealed copy of this SPV Poland/Big Blue version licensed from Matsuri Productions, for only 5 euro!!!
Speak of a good bargain...

Anyways, there's little new and groundbreaking that I could add with my two cents that hasn't been already said about Koxbox' debut release. What I can say is that this my most oftenly played album by these danish veterans, which should be saying a lot, especially when one keeps in mind their impressive discography.

Not quite on the same level of intricacy and complexity as any of their more venerated subsequent work, but that has yet to prevent me from getting the kicks out of listening to "Forever after"! It's somewhat more melody inclined and innocent than than anything else they've released, excpet maybe for "Stratosfear EP", and that is what I often missed in their later work. Tracks like The Point Of No Return, Space Traveller and Tribal Oscillation all have great melodic segments, which go hand in hand with the somewhat slower paces of the tracks. None of the tracks have the "in medias res" structures, they all take time to build and then drop a killer melody during the last two to three minutes. I missed that on "Dragon tales", which had more in store for the listener willing to cope with challenge, but abbandoned the catchiness I cherished so much whilst listening to this album.

Yes, it sounds dated, but for fans of the group it remains essential nonetheless, as it does to fans of layered and forward thinking old school trance. It may have lost some of its appeal during the years, especially when compared to the other two Koxobx gems, "Dragon tales" from 1997 and "The great unknown" from 1999, but despite the general consensus which dubbed the latter two as classics, I must admit I don't quite feel like these guys have ever again recorded anything up to par with the first four tracks from "Forever after". It's powerful, at the time as fresh as it got, raw and uncut, while maintaining a very distinct and psychedelic touch, unparalleled by many of their contemporaries.

This is such a fantastic album! Very unique sounding old-school psychedelic trance, I have actually never heard anything like it. The quality is amazing when you realise that it was made more than 12 years ago, in the very beginning of the goa-era.

All tracks, except 'Neurobic', is highly energetic and extremely psychedelic goa with so many different layers, sounds and melodies that it wouldn't surprise me if this album took like 10 years to produce. My favourite track still is the chilled down, almost 14 minutes long 'Neurobic'. You can actually compare this song with the amazing 20 minutes long Paradise Connection - Source of emotion. OK, these songs are very different from each other, but the feelings you get when listening to both songs are kind of the same. Both songs have a steady 4x4-beat in perhaps 110-120 bpm and both songs really takes you on a loong, slow and spaced-out journey that never seems to end. But at the same time, you don't want the journey to end.

Anyways, an essential goa-classic that everybody needs to hear!

A classic for goa trance. Koxbox dropped this album in 1995, and it got them immediate attention from trance fans. The tracks were fast and psychedelic.. There was nothing quite like it at the time. Something the listener will notice is that most of these songs have a very distinct and memorable ending that often adds a synth or sound that was not used in the song before hand. This make the tracks so much more rewarding after you're done listening to them. Its impossible to pick favorites here, because nothing stands out more then the other. All the tracks are great. Point Of No Return is a standout though simply because its the beginning of something great... Forever After!

This has got to be my favourite Koxbox/Psychopod release sounding as exciting and fresh today as it did in 1995. Everything works to perfection here. While I sometimes find Koxbox/Psychopod releases challenging to decipher and therefore more suited for "listening" purposes rather than dancing, the sounds of Forever After spiralls right into my mind and feet. I can trip equally well in a comfortable chair as mayheem on the dancefloor with this baby and opening track Point of no Return really could have no other title. Once on you need to hear it through ...

Favourites? Impossible to pin out. All!

A magnificent 5/5 stars if there ever was one. Essential.

If you are just a bit confused about what the definition of psychedelic trance is about then you will know listening to this outstanding album by Koxbox. Forever After is a sound universe consisting of pure psychelic tracks that no other has managed to match yet (second album from Koxbox Dragon Tales does not count... ;-)) With "Point Of No Return" (perfect title for this track and the whole album as such) Koxbox takes us on a journey into the most fantastic and diversified psychedelic sound trip you can imagine. At 4:59 you will need tunnel vision as Ian, Frank and Peter will rocket you right into what psy trance was all about and still is about: loads of enlighted sound tunnels made of multi layered as well as multi fragmented sounds throwing you in all directions at the same time getting you to a higher state of mind ! Now Skip on to track 3 at 2:17 and follow the track on and you feel you self surrounded by a rock solid structure of complex psychedelic sound waves ensuring that we are on the track to yet another level. Yes this album is a cornerstone for Koxbox as well for much of what has been made after..and hopefully what has to come. Even if I wrote a thousand lines more I would'nt be capable of expressing all the details of this stunning album from back then. Instead go and get it you won't be disappointed. And if you do get disappointed then Crack on because now you can be proud of having one of the very classic albums of Psychedelic trance in your collection.