Artist...Talpa
Title.....The Art Of Being Non
Label...Sundance

In July of 2003 I posted a topic about an upcoming psy-trance producer called Talpa. I posted a link to download his live set at the Transplant 10 show last year. Well finally over a year later his label has finally released his album. What a damn wait it has been too...

I wrote a long and in-depth review but fucking AOL froze up and I lost all of that post...god dammit! Anyway, here is a shorter review...

Following are short descriptions of each track, followed by a conclusion


TRACK DESCRIPTIONS

01. First Ray Of Light
Do you like shpongle? Well then this is the song for you! This opener is a nice trippy but chilled track full of a a mesmorizing flute that flows in and out of your soul like a needle through fabric. There are weird, eerie and crazy effects bouncing all around your confused brain sending you into psychedelic overload. If that isn't enough then the percussive ending will get you ready for what is next to come...

02. My Kingdom
You want energy? Come no further than the first track on the album. It's full on psychedelic and melodic energy that's never resting. It charges every cell in your body and then sweeps you off your feet with gorgeous melodies that sound almost gothic-church-like. Before you know it your back thrusted into the mayhem and your skull gets blown apart from all the musical madness. This is quality psy-trance.

03. Trust No Goblin
Imagine eating a quarter bag of psychedelic mushrooms and then getting shrunk and placed inside a goblins mind. If you can't imagine what that would be like then listen to this song and you'll have a pretty good idea. No, seriously...The effects and sounds in this song are weird, demented, twisted, playful and at times almost laughable. A true testament to psychedelic effects and manipulation.

04. No Place To Hide
Funk, groove, energy, melody you name it this song has got it. It's full on and attacking but playful and very groovey at the same time. The melodic sections are very energetic and get you moving. The effects are twisted and funky and they carry you towards an amazing energetic ending which almost sends you flying through space.

05. Dragon Tale
This song is full of top notch fun energy with great vibrant synths to move you like your quantum leaping through a psychedelic portal. Definetly one of the highlights of the album, it catches your attention and never lets go. If this album was Infected Mushroom's "Classical Mushroom", "Dragon Tale" would be this albums "Bust A Move."

06. People Are Animals
With a weird vocal sample that talks of drug induced hallucinations of people turning into animals starts off the track you get propelled into a frenzy of crazy effects and goove. While all the psychedelica is keeping you in a whirlwind you get attacked by a monsterous melodic climax which rapes you soul with it's musical glory.

07. Flybeereligion
This crazy song, is funky, tripped out and everything inbetween. Mid song incredible melodies soar through you as your lifted in amazing psychedelic energy thats only rivaled at the end of the song when a more dreamy melodies swoop in to carry you off into la la land. Definetly another highlight.

08. The Moon
With a great dark vibe and eerie singing vocoded vocals this song tickles you in all the right places. The vocals, while good, are not the most amazing thing you've ever heard. There is really no climax like in the previous songs but the whole vibe of this track is enough to satisfy anybody at this point. It's eerie and groovey enough to make you grandpa run around in drag and dance like a witch calling upon a spell.

09. Rebirth
The final dance track on the album is a winner as well. It contains a great bassline and amazingly trippy effects which play around with your senses. The build up is great and the climax is even better because it's full of the desired energy you want and the chaotic psychedelica your mind could possibly handle. It's a great song to end the dance portion of the album.

10. Back To Dreaming
Just like in the begining you are treated to another chilled out trip fest. This time you have a strange string instrument and a flute to carve into you. The flute invites you to dance with it's beautifully groovey melody while the psychedelica once again masturbates your senses until you have reached an sensory orgasm, which after listening to this album you surely have already done, 9 times.


CONCLUSION:

In my opinion there are 3 Psy-Trance producers which have made themselves famous by being the best at what they do and those artists are Infected Mushroom, Simon Posford (& Raja Ram), and Astral Projection. Those 3 are the veterans of this genre and now that their time is almost up the new commers are coming along to make their profound statement within the psy-trance history books.

These new hopefuls are Violet Vision, Astrix, Misted Muppets and now Talpa. Each of these artists have decided to not follow trends but make them...they are the bold, the brave, and the light at the end of the dark tunnel full of wannabe's.

Talpa has created an album that is not only aurally pleasing but also very original. While it has the same "Je Ne Sais Quoi" as Infected Mushroom's "Classical Mushroom" it also carries the intelligently twisted manipulation of effects that Shpongle so creatively pioneered. The soundscapes are not only extraordinarly rich, vibrant and colorful but also unique and creative. This album may have influences of artists past but thats where it ends. Talpa has taken brilliant ideas and turned them into his own vision. He has created possibly one of the best psy-trance albums of the past couple years. An interesting fact was that all but one of these tracks were created years ago, some where even made back in 2000. This has been the work of a great mind, and hopefully in the future he will continue to make vibrant albums such as this.

If you are a fan of psy-trance and are desperatly in need of some phenominal and orginal music then head over to Psy-Shop or Saiko Sounds to purchase your copy as soon as possible.




- Daniel

___________________
Infected Mushroom

"Dancing With Kadafi"
"Symphonatic"

'Nuff Said...