What did Raja and Simon plan for the next album? Where could they go with it? When, when, when!

With each Shpongle album, Raja and Simon showed how influential their impact on the electronic music scene was.

With the first release of Are You Shpongled? the world was caught off gaurd as Raja’s and Simon’s previous releases were heavily Psytrance - respectfully 1200 Mics and Hallucinogen.

So what were these two going to create? Was it going to be the greatest psytrance album of all time?

Not at all. Instead, Raja and Simon surprised everyone by making a downtempo album (now refered to as Psybient): Are You Shpongled?

After the release of Are You Shpongled? the world demanded more and that’s exactly what Raja and Simon planned to give them.

In 2001, Shpongle released their phenomenal album Tales of the Inexpressible.

With such hits as Star Shpongled Banner, Around the World in a Tea Daze and of course A New Way to Say Hooray.

Tales of the Inexpressible seemed like Shpongle has hit its peak. However, this wasn’t going to stop the duo from further releasing their next album…

By 2005, Shpongle were already considered one of the most influential groups in electronic music, but it was finally set in stone with the release of Nothing Lasts…But Nothing is Lost. With Nothing Lasts… Shpongle included an entire new range of instruments, samples and tricks.

Originally created as 8 tracks, Simon divided them into 20 various songs to act as the various plateus of dreaming.

After Nothing Lasts… what else could Shpongle possibly do? They’ve already created 3 of the greatest albums of electronic music, how in the hell were they going to follow it up?

Finally, they released their fourth album: Inneffable Mysteries From Shpongleland, a monumental album filled with new energy, incredible sampling, twisted instruments and of course, the Shpongle touch.

I almost feel out of place reviewing a Shpongle album because you really need to make the judgement yourself.

Reviews will never explain how you feel about each song. Depending on which state you are in, the album can have a whole new meaning. With each listen, a whole new world is opened up from small details you may have missed before.

I always recommend you listen to your albums multiple times, in various emotional states to really decide if you enjoy the album.

Instead of trying to point what each song sounds like or builds upon, I want to share with you what I feel from each song instead of trying to label them.

This is my review of Shpongle’s Inneffable Mysteries From Shpongleland…

Electroplasm
Electroplasm is the first track off the new Shpongle album and boy does it make an opening.

The entire feel of Electroplasm is as if you’re being guided through a middle eastern bazaar full of animals, vendors and many wonders of the world.

Much like the ending lyrics of the song, it literally feels like you’re drunk, wobbling down the street, blowing your mind.

Shpongolese Spoken Here
The second track is aptly named Shpongolese Spoken Here and is one of my favorite track off this album.

The first half of the track is this blast of glitched out sounds and an amazing set of dis-joined lyrics set to a driving, progressive beat. As the second half picks up, it chills back down with an amazing display of spanish sounding guitars.

The song is both extremely trippy but ends you very somber and relaxed.

Nothing Is Something Worth Doing
What an amazing name for an amazing track. Just the name itself puts you into deep thought about how society puts this pressure that you should be doing something at all times when, in fact, nothing is something worth doing.

This is perhaps the most chilled out track on the album. It’s one of those perfect songs that make you reflect about the world around you and allows you to absorb all the wonder of it.

Ineffable Mysteries
Just as you begin to feel very relaxed from the previous song, Ineffable Mysteries throws you right back into the psychedelic world of Shpongle.

You know you’re going for a ride when the voice begins to warp and kicks back in with deep, ethnical chanting. The female voice toward the later half of the creates a warming break for the excellent play of Raja.

This track is the in between, it helps break up the album from the ethnical feel of the beginnign of the album into the more introspective later half.

I Am You
I Am You is my favorite track off the new Shpongle album by far. I remember hearing bits of it from a recording when Shpongle was touring and it blew my mind then and did again, doubly so, on the album release.

I love this song because it’s downright beautiful. The lyrics provoke those deep thoughts you’ve had about people you love, it’s almost too much.

This whole track is a perfect example of the genius of Shpongle, they can’t be matched, it’s perfect.

Invisible Man In A Fluorescent Suit
The 6th song of this album, Invisible Man feels like there is some sort of opposite persona from the one you’ve created and know, yourself.

There is always a part of us that longs for adventure and some kind of completeness, I believe this song is meant to represent this.

In some way, it’s a reflection on yourself through the use of spiraling synths and an, almost, childish rhythm.

It’s definitely a introspective trip.

No Turn Un-stoned
No Turn Unstoned is my second favorite track on this album. I’ve always loved crazy, synthed out voices so this one really does it for me.

The bassline and synths in this album are some of the best on the entirety of the album.

This track really shows the amazing skills of Raja, the flute compliments this track so well. The lyrics are sung by a gentle female voice that is very soothing, very comforting.

Walking Backwards Through The Cosmic Mirror
Finally, we’ve reached the end of the album, the final track: Walking Backwards Through The Cosmic Mirror.

Besides being a very complex and magnificent tune, it really does seem to take you backwards through space and time, it makes you think of what you’ve heard over the last hour of the album.

The guitar work in this track is the best off the album, it’s so menacing, that off note. The bassline and kick drives the song back up to speed, throwing you back into the weird world of Shpongle. It ends you on one final bit of flute, to bring you back into your own world.

Afterthoughts
Wow, what a truly intense album.

It’s been years since Shpongle has released a new album and I’m grateful they’ve waiting this long to build their own experiences to share with us.

I’m very torn between this album and Tales of the Inexpressible.

This album has a much more “darker” sound to it at times, everything felt so much deeper and authentic.

Overall this album goes on regular play for me, it’s one that you’d put on during some experimentation or if you’re relaxing during a rain storm.

It’s the perfect album to sit outside and absorb the stars.

I don’t want to rate it but if I had to give it a final score, it would be: 8.5/10.

For me, I would have loved for the synthed voices to continue through some of the tracks. The older albums felt a bit more psychedelic at times which I would have loved if there were one or two more harder songs.

This is what Shpongle is, this album really shows their perfection and their evolution. Shpongle continues to expand their sound, they can’t be compared.

Put on some headphones, sit in a dark room and listen to this album.

I guarantee that it’ll blow your mind.

Buy Shpongle – Ineffable Mysteries From Shpongleland on Amazon

Ghreg is back with his second album – T3. This time he’s on a brand new label called Underground Sound Promotions, a label dedicated to promoting the underground sound and not so known artists.

I’ve been waiting for this follow up for quite some time, so I’m quite excited to be doing a review of it. I figure I may as well start of BeginnerDJ with this review, something out of the ordinary for most but something I think you’d like.

After his first album, Sigilweaver, it’s hard to believe Ghreg can follow up such an amazing album. This time around, T3 pulls out a lot of the stops and just smashes your face with dark psytrance beats.

What makes Ghreg so great is that he doesn’t fall into the usual dark psytrance crowd. Darkpsy is iffy at times because a lot of producers just don’t put a lot of effort into the genre, you always end up with basic basslines and non inspirational leads. Ghreg on the other hand just sends you through all sorts of mind fucts – wizzy noises, great sampling, and basslines which make you shit yourself.

So, let’s take a look at the new album T3 by Ghreg on Earth.

With all pretentiousness aside…

The Lost Coast

Although starting out a bit slow, this track builds up into a bit of guitar sampling and glitchy symphonics which reminds you of some twisted carnival ride at the hands of a drunken conductor. It’s not so much that it pounds at you but instead it acts like a warm up of more to come. With T3 opening with The Lost Coast – you know Ghreg is back.

All Paths Paranoia

All Paths Paranoia is a simple but really great track. The best part about this track is the electronic “voices” throughout the song that talk to you. I’ve always been a big fan of producers who try to have their synths talk to you so this track hits it right on the head. It finally ends in a torrent of clangy and glitchy noises, spinning round and round, almost dizzying but such a wonderful sickening feeling.

Subterranean Bliss

Subterranean Bliss opens with punchy kicks and a nagging stab. Like the name, it gives off this vibe that you’re descending into some kind of darkness. You get the sense that you’re beginning to loose your direction. This is the point in T3 that it begins to move you, you’ve been bobbing your head but now you’re getting in a bit of the body.

Permutation City

Ah, now we’re really getting into the essence of Darkpsy. The bassline is much thicker and dark, the ambiance is beginning to take a cryptic tone and alertness. Like the title, it’s like you’re in some post-apocalyptic world set to a soundtrack of terror.

Diabolical Topologies

This one is just a filler track, a bit of dark ambiance and moodiness that warms up the next track…

Time Body Mechanics

This track came out of left field! At first it sounds like you’re about to listen to a DnB track but the ambiance fades it away, but then, oh shit, it comes back to this Darkpsy DnB beat. This track reminds me of a slightly slowed down Neurofunk track, but with a lot more psy undertones. Time Body Mechanics is a nice transition and breakup of the album, setting the next tone for the rest of the album.

Super Lucid Trajectory

What a sick track. Ghreg begins to experiment with darkpsy dubstep. I’ve heard some dark ambient dubstep before but this is completely different and unexpected. I really wish the track was longer than it was, it has so much force.

Neverware

After that little break of experimenting, it’s right back into the dark psy. This track is a doozy, hitting an 11 minutes, quite longer than the other tracks on the album. This track has this odd flute effect to it which, for some reason or another, makes me think of some demented pied piper.

There’s just so much going on with this track that it’s hard to describe all of the thoughts you get from it. Neverware is perhaps the best track from T3 – it’s such a solid hit.

Apex Stellarium

The final track of T3. Apex Stellarium takes you through one final dark ride. It sounds as if you’re finally leaving some forsaken land to return to the normal world. You’ve finally escaped the grasp of Ghreg on Earth.

Final Thoughts

T3 is rather hard album to review because of Ghreg’s first album Sigilweaver, but in fairness I don’t want to be judgemental and biased. You expected to be pounded by ripping basslines and squelching acid leads but instead it was much more moody and ominous.

T3 overall has this sound as if you’ve just entered some dark and twisted surreal world. Your journey though Ghreg’s land is as if he’s puppetting your every move, leading you deeper into some hellish world.

Overall I’d say T3 is an excellent follow up to Sigilweaver. Instead of going a generic route of filling up and album with similar songs, Ghreg has set T3 apart from his previous work by experimenting with new fusions. Both of the albums will compliment each other well and could easily be listened to back to back or even mixed up.

I like this album. It was worth the wait.

Rating: 7.5/10

Buy Ghreg on Earth – T3