LSD Remixes - Twisted

It may be six years old, and it may well have been the tune that started everything for fans of this genre, but Hallucinogen's LSD still sounds wicked, and remains a high watermark in the scene's colourful history. Dado aka Synthetic offers a solid, linear interpretation revolvering around the subtle use of the original's sounds, melodies and signatures. It's a listenable, catchy version with huge breakdowns and a peak that will seriously ignite a crowd. Oliver Lieb turns in a rework of his earlier remix, and is a more minimal, Euro-style floating trancer with great movement and huge crossover potential. Both are hugely danceable and certainly destined to make their mark, but the psychedelic purists among you will still be hankering for the ultimate - an updated rework of the tune by Hallucinogen himself. (8/10)

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Mescalito / Pura Vida - Twisted (UK)

Following on from last year’s La Caixa 12" on Twisted, a hot on 2001’s summer festival circuits, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly follow up with an exclusive vinyl-only release destined for a similar reputation. Mescalito is heavy, 100% quality and totally blistering stuff. It kicks off with a Clint Eastwood sample and progresses through escalating sounds picking up the intensity to infinity… real peak time stuff. Pura Vida was featured on Tipworld’s Dimitri’s DAT Bag CD last year, and it’s good to see it hear for us vinyl addicts. It’s a classic and less mental than some of The Good, The Bad & The Ugly’s other output, solid enough to rock any dancefloor and has that electric energy that’s so hard to find these days. Good stuff, and recommended… now how about an album?

(7/10)

Planet B.E.N - Free E.P. - Flying Rhino (UK)

Planet BEN takes a snapshot of trance – not full on, not minimal, not cheesy, not chilled – and makes it his own. Free is a classic example of his freeze-frame technique: beats and stabs fall perfectly and effortlessly into place, it builds up perfectly and creates a kind of timeless shuffle while sitting nicely in the mix. Reperaturbedüftig (bless you) on the flip was a highlight from Ben’s recent Silver LP, presented here for the first time on vinyl – a pounding pacey mover with a huge breakdown which gives way to a balanced, escalating finale that is sheer trance at its best.