Two years after the critically acclaimed “Soma Agents” (last proper release from Flying Rhino… R.I.P.) Germany’s dark psycho trance duo Charasmatix is back! The Berlin based powerhouse duo consists of Martin Schoenauer (DJ Aze) & Karl Rademacher (Cybersnack) has been making music in different guises since the early 1990es… We got a taster of their 2004 sound on the Wizzy Noise “Timeline Remixes” EP a few months back, and now their back with a full album mastered by Mark Pfurtscheller a.k.a. Kopfuss Resonator… I don’t know about you, but I’m expecting this to be dark, pounding, progressive, groovy psy-trance with a touch of German psy-teKk… Do they need magic spells to make an album like that? Let’s find out…

Let me take you thru the tracks…

#01: Is this the norm at all? Well, I hope so, ‘cause this a damn fine first track! Instantly we are greeted by a deeeeeeeep baseline: mechanical, metallic, pounding – amazing! You remember the ragamuffin voice sample from Aircrash Bureau’s “Time Traveller” track? Well, it’s revived here and it fits perfectly – it all adds to the funky, yet dark atmosphere in this track! Very cool track!

#02: This is crazy – with the extra z! The intro is very weird – I think it’s the Kopfuss Resonator impact showing here… At first I get an eerie jamboree feeling, but it soon turns into dark, dusty house… With an underlying psychedelic groove present throughout the track! It’s topped of by subtle insect-like humming hidden in between everything… I have a hard time digging this track though… It’s just too crazZy for my taste! Decent track!

#03: Another clever play on words… Brace yourself – these are some dark German Stampfenrhythmen. The dark trademark Charasmatix-sound in full effect… Not much else is going on but some serious head banging night trance… Ok track!

#04: Oh my, it gets even darker now… We’re getting even closer to Halloween trance now, as this track is packed with horror-effects: Screaming, moaning and other evocative sounds… The bass pumps along at and incredible speed followed by psychedelic FX… Somehow dark and spooky, but my head is still bopping along… Cool track!

#05: Healing world? The speed is slower now, and the bass is tucked away in the background… Emphasized are the classic ‘psychedelic digital drips’ and some dude talking with a bizarre accent… The track is packed with all kinds of psychedelic effects, but somehow it doesn’t seem to go anywhere… Decent track!

#06: “Meet – the nice sound!” As far as I know, this track was made in collaboration with Zerotonine and released last year on a Tatsu comp!?… Correct me, if I’m wrong… Anyway, a nice peaceful intro is brutally disrupted by a very heavy bass… This is really a percussion track, with clever use of kick-drums, hi-hats, snare, cut beats, etc… Somehow they manage to sneak a melody into this dark track… Well, it’s a dark melody, but it’s there nevertheless… Ok track!

#07: What ‘the National Association of Elevator Contractors’ has to do with trance is beyond me!?… This is another extremely dark track with an evil pounding bass line… Check out the cool ‘acceleration bit” @ 3’15… I like small surprises like that, and this track has a few of them… Nice track!

#08: Damn, now this is a cool intro… I don’t know if it’s a guitar or a chain saw! Skazi eat your heart out! It’s very, very dark night trance… Perfect for head banging – and complimentary headache included! You better have your audio equipment set up properly for this massive wall of sound to come through properly! Repetitive, industrial sounds make this a gritty beast! Sweet track!

#09: Nostalgic track name ;o)… If you were hoping for a chilled track, forget about it… This is more Charasmatix mayhem... The pace has slowed down though – but just a little… It’s still dark and monotonous, but the nice percussion work and the funny samples somehow add to the overall groovy feel… Nice track!

In my humble opinion there are a few misses and a bunch of winners on this album… The flow is somewhat interrupted by the lack of coherence between the tracks… If the more experimental tracks came first, followed by the darker ones, this would have been an even smoother experience… That flaw does not however, ruin the impression of a very nice album… I’m sure this will turn some heads and appeal to the many fans of Charasmatix and their trademark sound… Recommended!

8/10

Favourites: 1(!!), 4, 7, 8

DeathPosture (DK)

Charasmatix (M. Schoenbauer and Cybersnake) is back with their second album, this time on Candy Flip Records in Greece. Their first album (Soma Agents) was released on Flying Rhino Records (R.I.P.) in 2002. It seems like Candy Flip Records are signing several of the previous Flying Rhino acts these days, probably because James Monro who previously worked for Flying Rhino, now has become a label dj for Candy Flip Records.

Charasmatix is one of the groups that are into the techy side of psytrance. As you probably know, Flying Rhino released more and more techy stuff at the end. Here they are with more techy stuff. The first track starts pushing from the first second. The beat goes in a stumpy tempo from start to finish, mixed with a few metallic, sort of industrial sounds. Very minimal trance, going as a machine. But there is some variation too. Now and then, some new sounds visit by and then disappear again. Even a reggae voice stop by and give us a couple of words! Track 2 starts with a weird sound that sounds almost like a bee. Then the techy beat starts rolling again, this time more pumping and drifting. The sounds in minimal tracks like this are sort of more hidden in the bass line, and we don’t get much melodies. This track has some kind of dubby vibes too. Track 3 has a much more rough sound. The bass line is more rolling, and the vibes are darker. Minimal, but with a massive sound.

Track 4 with the album title starts with some tribal drums before the pumping beat is back on track. Here we get more bubbling and weird psychedelic sounds. Weird, techy, night time trance. Track 5 goes way deeper into darker vibes. The bass line is deep and stumpy, and the sounds are pretty scary. Definitely one of the better night time tracks I have heard from these guys. Track 6 has a sound that sounds almost evil! Totally techy trance with a very deep sound. Pure night time music. Track 7 jumps over to almost full on bass line. Massive, rolling rhythm drift, but with techy sounds, still with those night time vibes. Track 8 also has this massive bass line. Here we get several crispy sounds, which are pretty cool. Dark trance, far away from any fluffy melodies. The last track they give us on this album is pretty weird. Techno trance, with some tribal drums, voice samples and weird, dark sounds. You even get the sound of a mouth organ now and then! One of my favourite tracks on this album.

Charasmatix sure like it dark and techy. This album is perfect for those of you who want some dark night time music, with techy edges. But those of you who doesn’t like techy trance, should probably stay away from this one.

PKS (Trance-net, NO)

The new album by Charasmatix starts discreet; sneaking rhythms with subliminal basslines, interesting sounds and slightly psychedelic. At times the second track announces a breakaway but at all it doesn't take off yet. But from the third track on the machines begin to rotate, transforming themselves to strict grooves, doing what they should do: groove. Accompanied by rattling and rumbling sounds, melodic mentions and rolling basslines they combine to an effectful happening which doesn't overstep the frontier to being hectic. From a general point of view the album appears to be compact and conclusive. No soaring flights but the sound brings fun; psychedelic, danceable and obstinate.

M. Scherer (PlasticAge Music, DE)

A powerfully haunting progressive album where emphasis is placed on the complex rhythmic patterns that continually develop. The melody is minimal with each sound evolving from the last. Charasmatix and the label behind them, Candyflip, reflect a serious edge to psychedelic music; everything is controlled with nothing left to chance. The result is a very serious and powerful dancefloor groove not to be missed.

FB (Upfront Magazine, UK)

1. Charasmatix - Norm at all (7:50)
The first track on the album starts off without too much of an intro. Right away we have a dark bassline and kick drums. This is the style that is perfectly suited for candyflip. It’s mechanical, electronic and very dark. The track is very repetitive but the background keeps changing all the time. Around the middle there is a cool voice sample and we get a really cool bassline which adds more groove to the track. Overall it’s a pretty good track.

2. Charasmatix - Crazzy (8:44)
The track starts with a really annoying sound of flies buzzing. But again we get a really dark and powerful kick and bassline. After some voice samples the track gets a really dark and evil atmosphere, but the flies really annoy me too much. Besides that we have a sort of housey structure with a decent amount of psychedelic sounds. It’s a very slow track but a good one. A bit too boring for me though but a good track all the same.

3. Charasmatix - Silicon Sally (8:24)
After a longer intro we get a really fast buildup and the track starts with a really technoish feel to it. We get those insane hi hats and again, a really dark bassline. I’m still not a big fan of this type of sound just like I wasn’t during the first candyflip releases. But it’s just perfect dancefloor material. And having to listen and review such a dark track is always hard to do at home. Near the end the track gets some really great distortions and it just goes wild with loads of percussive layers.

4. Charasmatix - Abracadabra (8:13)
Now this is fantastic. I hate the fact that lately tracks which have the album title usually end up being one of the weaker ones on an album. So I’m glad to say that this is probably the best track on the album. It has an almost full on structure and the bassline isn’t that hard so it leaves room for other elements. Lots of distortions again but they are not as dark as in some previous tracks. It also has a nice driving feel to it and some tribal drums as well. One other thing that is really great is the amount of effects. All in all it’s probably the best track on the album because of the fact that the background is well balanced with the rest of the track elements.

5. Charasmatix - Heile Welt (6:51)
Again we have a bit weaker kick drum and the track is also a bit slower than some previous ones. It’s filled with lots of psychedelic effects and some voice samples but somehow they aren’t as interesting as in other tracks. The track just doesn’t go anywhere even though there are some driving elements to it. The sounds don’t change much and it just drives that way to the end.

6. Charasmatix - Collateral damage (7:25)
A long intro again, after which we have a rolling bassline and some really great tribal sounds. It has tons and tons of percussions and a pretty good melody as well. Even though most people like this track it doesn’t cut it for me, especially since it’s been released a long time before. A good track but somehow sounds outdated in comparison to the rest.

7. Charasmatix - Naec (7:04)
Now this is a groovy track. Again we have a really nice and dark bassline which wasn’t present in the last 2 tracks. It also drives you really nice but the main thing are the really great effects which blend so perfectly with the background. The acid style kind of reminds me of some of tristan’s tracks with only the bare essentials and that fantastic driving feeling. I guess this track also has a sort of full on feeling to it. There is a break in the middle, the acid sounds get their 15 seconds of fame and track moves on again. Some nice voice samples also come in and give the track that necessary depth. One of my favorites for sure. Great track!

8. Charasmatix - Furthus Ultimux (8:22)
I think this is the fastest track on the album. Again we have some really nice acid sounds and a nice rolling bassline. It’s very repetitive and has some really great high hats and overall great percussion work and some really good tribal drums as well. It’s also one of the more complex tracks on the album since the acid sounds remain in the track all the time. The acid sounds get a lot more intense as we get closer to the ending. Another fantastic track for sure!

9. Charasmatix - The acid test (6:49)
The last track has a really nice groove and again, some great percussion work, it kind of starts where the last track left off. Again we have some really nice acid sounds and nice voice samples which are chopped up really good. There is also a pretty cool melody which just makes this track complete. Great way to close the album.

The album has a couple of bad tracks that somehow seem out of place here. But the rest are just fantastic and bring back the style that candylip started off with. The cover is also a bit different from the style on the album but it’s a nice one. All in all a pretty good release that goes in the right direction.

Dovla (trancepleme.com, Croatia)

Hehe, wicked. The new Charasmatix album. To be honest I was a bit dubious before I heard this that the German gruven-masters hadn't been on great form around the time of Flying Rhino's demise. But, now I've listened to it I can confirm that they are definitely producing some quality tunage once again. Wasting no time we hit play and the first crunchy beat knocks us round the back of the head before we've had the chance to blink. This is real machinen-techno-gruven. The end of the world is at hand and you will meet it staring into the cold hard unblinking eyes of the future-robot-monster-king. This is dark progressive. The sort of thing you hear in the depth of the night just as you begin to wonder whether the enormous sound system is actually limbering up and considering whether it would like to crush these dancing infidels before it underfoot. Judging by some of the drops these guys use they are in no doubt whatsoever about the role that will be taken. By the time track seven comes around we are into pretty relentless full-on terror-tory. The bassline is no longer a sinister menacing plod but a fully mobilized agressor sending searing synth waves through the cosmos like laser beams from the death star.

Ed (psyreviews.com, UK)