Aquarius EP

Two things have changed in the time that Psyreviews has been on hiatus. One is that we’re back to a single-led musiconomy, similar to the days of the 12″, where a single track or a track and its flipside were enough to attract a purchase. The last five years have seen a perfect storm of CDs becoming unsexy, fast internet being everywhere, and mp3 players in pockets that have legitimised the digital download. As a result, artists and labels can establish themselves more quickly in the increasingly fragmented “scene”.

The second thing that’s happened in the last few years is Jon 00 Fleming. Alright, he’s been around heaps before, but only on the psy-periphery. More recently he’s been using his weighty name to cast quite the spotlight on artists. And via EPs and one album, he’s done that with Estonian producer Cosmithex.

The Cosmithex sound we’re getting here is delightfully laid back and breezy. Aquarius is seriously gorgeous, with a patterned unfolding nature and top-end melodies that almost put one in mind of Chi-AD at his finest (although, let’s be honest, about 100bpm slower.)

Meanwhile The Distance is a more horizontal tune, bordering on when Solar Fields or Carbon Based Lifeforms up the tempo and stick in a kickdrum.

It’s not going to set the world alight, but thanks to Joof’s profile and the degree with which he consistently pumps out music, this is going to have a wide audience which is just as well for a loveable, epic bit of trance.