Braking news…Father Christmas does exist!! I asking him for the best Progressive Trance album on this earth and he delivered this gem from Tegma. This is the best present I've ever had, I needed music like this for a long time. Thank you Santa! You too can be rewarded, visit you local record shop NOW!!! (5/5)

John 00 Fleming (Joof Records)

A second Tegma album landing on my desk raised my curiosity. I really liked Tegma when I heard their first released tracks, and when their debut album reached me I was quite disappointed, I just didn't like it at all. I had almost nothing of what got me into Tegma's music. A word about the cover- a nice booklet with the guys telling us a little about each track and the creation of the album and about their live sets, all in tasteful minimal design. Very nice!

The album starts with emotional 1997 feel, old California Sunshine feel. Tears-in-your-eyes-in-front-of-a-beautiful-dawn kind of track- beautiful. Modern Movement contrasts it to more mechanic low-tech realms, very grabby. Myth of an Angel (T3) goes uplifting things around. Next there's a mission from god. More power here in one of my favorites here, a happy tune that really makes me wanna dance. X-Istaz (T5) goes the same way, a lot of energies and Son-Kitish feel. Very energetic and jumpy. Trapped in a Hypercube (T6) is my favorite here probably, as it brings back the old Tegma, of Doppleganger & Rockblocker, the tracks that got me hooked on Tegma at the time. Massive, dark, relentless pounding grooves with psychedelic coating. Great. Consciousness also carries that same high energy with dark pounding horse riding rhythm, but it opens up uninterestingly in the middle. The last two tracks relax things a bit and show in some more light. Clock Next Door (T8) has enough scratching sounds to make me happy and breaks up into oldskool melodies that meet again with the feel of the opening track. Beautiful. Irrational Impulses ends things with groovier and more mysterious hypnotic sounds and strong atmosphere.

Recomendation: Very nice and solid album, no bad tracks. Almost all is very good dancefloor material and the album is filled with energy and feel. The album is quite diverse for a trance album, especially for most of what comes out these days, and definitely takes the right direction in that sense, but still not enough diversity for my taste. More diversity in sounds and intensity would have made it an excellent one.

Favorites: 1(!), 4, 5, 6(!), 8, 9.

Shahar (isratrance)

Well, I loved Encoded/Decoded and am a fan of Tegma's since X-Calibur. After many years of anticipation, their second album is finally out. It is taken in a different direction than what we are used to, and being a hardcore proggy lover, I was at first surprised at the increased bpm here. However, it is not simply a step sideways from what we are used to, it is also a step forward. So, with an open mind (as much as that is possible), I will give this album a thorough listen after several not-so-thorough ones.

I do not write music so I will not give a track-by-track technical description. But I will describe what each track does to me.

1. Eternal Sleep [136 BPM]
Starts out relatively mellow with a nice long atmospheric intro reminiscent of a foggy spring morning in a meadow with plenty of birds and flowers around. About two minutes in, a vocal sample ushers in a more technological twist and a steadier beat. There is also a pretty uplifting melody suggestive (but only suggestive) of old school. An electroish beat at 5 minutes is covered in layers of psychedelic effects. A very nice highly enjoyable progressive introductory piece that while not being groundbreaking per se, would be very welcome outdoors in the morning with its combination of sounds from different genres. (Sort of makes me think of a faster trancier version of Transmission in Vain).

2. Modern Movement [138 BPM]
A groovier and faster track than the first one that starts out with a sample by what sounds to be the same man is in the first track. Takes a little while to get warmed up as well. Once it does, the shift from earlier Tegma is apparent towards more Candyflip-like territory. While the sounds are less like what you would hear in a "progressive" tune, the structure is very progressive, letting the track take its time to evolve. A nice blend of psychedelic layers put together rather interestingly. Since I do not understand what the guy is saying, it becomes sort of redundant for me. However, the break at 4:20 could have been drawn out a bit more as far as I am concerned. All in all, a very skillfully put track that somehow does not do it for me.

3. Myth of an Angel [140 BPM]
Starts out sounding somewhat similar to Son Kite's later work. Very nice percussion work before the rolling bassline sets in. At 1:30 it goes away further from that progressive recipe of fullon sounds, and becomes less focused. I like being unfocused. Very very reminiscent of goa-type sounds that in the words of a dear friend "rip your roof (krysha) off". By 4:30 becomes all-out booty-shaking music taking me out of days-long slumber. I believe this would rip the dance floor apart in the early morning. Also contains a very developed and long aquatic outro.

4. Thunderblade [140 BPM]
Another science fiction sample kicks this one off. And the kicking off is done without as much preparation as in the previous pieces. Sounds as though there was a dying engine that finally takes off after some sputtering. Very hypnotic and repetitive beat until 2:15 where the rocket is put into a higher gear. Sounds like a fullon reworking of a Suncontrolspecies track. Unfortunately, the bassline at 4:00 does not get me off at home; but I do remember it (or a very similar one) doing magic on the dance floor. Nice piece but not as interesting as the previous one in my opinion.

5. X-Istanz [142 BPM]
I guess it is a tribute to Cronenberg's movie Existenz. I hope the track goes beyond the movie that I found very forgettable despite the talented director. From the time the beat kicks in, it sounds like a soundtrack to a cartoon where the superhero is running from some monster. At 1:40, the monster starts spewing fire from its mouth and using other dirty tricks throughout the track seeing that it cannot catch up. Just like superheroes, not my cup of tea, even if I can tell that it is very well produced and should thrill any Radioactive Man fan out there. I do find the female vocals to be highly highly enjoyable despite their context. I could probably lose it on the dance floor to this one, but don't fancy myself listening to it at home often.

6. Trapped in a Hypercube [140 BPM]
Starts off pretty techish with some industrial sounds that evolve into a steady beat. This is one of the night tracks on this album. Fits very well into the middle of the album. I find this one extremely interesting. The only slight let down is the over-use of vocal samples (I prefer my music to be almost word-free unless it is a song). Other than that, originality abounds here. Thumbs up.

7. Conscious Minds [142 BPM]
This one wastes no time before turning hard as f*%k. Another extremely hypnotic (and even minimal) tune. The title is probably supposed to be ironic as the beginning makes me think precisely of unconscious minds. A melody finally finds its way into the track after 3 minutes. Once again, a roof-pulling-off piece. Pure mad psychedelia. Two more thumbs up.

8. Clock Next Door [138 BPM]
Fucking trippy sample at the beginning, that guy's voice fits in very well into the overall project of the obscurely narrow corridor. Very nice overall structure with maybe just one layer too many. One of the trippiest and darkest pieces on the album so far worthy of the best Baluns compilations. 4:40, fuck yeah!! The light shines through in rays that multiply as the track goes on not taking away from the beautifully somber ambiance at all. Clearly, one of the favorites here.

9. Irrational Impulses [138 BPM]
Could this be a downbeat piece to close the album? Might be what with the instrumental beginning. However, as soon as 20 seconds in, we can easily tell that it will explode into another progressive melodic morning track to dig to. The melody washes over you wave after wave after wave. Very skillfully put together; it is apparent that the limits of Tegma's talents will not be usurped any time soon. Irrational impulses got me dancing maniacally once again. A beautiful ending to an exciting album from this Swedish duo.

If you like the recent shift back towards melodies (a la 12 Moons), get this. If you like it techy, hypnotic, and at the same extremely twisted, get it too (even though there will be a bit less for you here than the first contingent). Basically, Tegma have refused to be sucked into the housier realms of progressive that we have seen lately (and that I love, mind you), and have taken their earlier techniques and have revamped it with melody and good feeling. Despite a few weaker moments (and the over-use of samples over which I have already expressed my concern), this gets somewhere between a solid 8 and a superb 8.5 depending on the mood that I am in. It should be noted that I really do not like rating music, but find it very helpful myself when reading others' reviews in deciding a purchase.

Favorites: 1, 3(!), 6, 7, 8(!), and 9(!)

Do not resist you rational impulse and get this now.

(Furthur, CA)

This album starts with a floating, atmospheric vibe that leads us into some progressive rhythms. We also get some kind of electro vibes in this one.
Track 2 starts floating too, but here we get a more stumping vibe. Somewhere between progressive and full on. Quite drifting, with some German voice samples now and then.
Track 3 is among my favourite tracks on this album. This one starts nice and floating too, before we get thrown into a groovy, pumping vibe. We also get some melodies in there that gives me a very clubby feeling.
Track 4 goes more full on. Groovy, rolling bass line and some quite uplifting melodies. Some of the melodies in there become a little bit too fluffy for my taste.
Track 5 keeps a pretty fast tempo too. Same direction, not exactloy full on, but not like progressive trance either. Drifting trance with some uplifting sounds swirling in and out, which should fit perfect in the morning.
Track 6 goes really pumping. One of my favourite tracks on this album. Quite intense track with a very drifting vibe.
Track 7 goes darker. This one is more influenced by techno, with more evil sounds etc. Something for the night.
Track 8 is another pumping, massive track. Here we get some nice atmospheric vibes with crispy sounds playing above. Half way through the track, it becomes really clubby.
The last track on this album doesn't give us much rest either. Here they continues the clubby vibes with more melodies.

This album is definately much more clubby than their first album. I missed a little bit more variation between the tracks here, but you get a couple of groovy tracks that will make people stump hard this summer.

PKS (trance-net, NO)

Crossbred trance…

Omar Chelly and Jason Orfanidis from Malm?, Sweden are better known as the progressive trance act Tegma… They've also released music as Homer & Lazon, but Tegma is their main project… As opposed to most people I never really got into their debut album Encoded/Decoded released in 2002 on Digital Structures… It was an ok album, but it never really grabbed me - but on the plus-side, I've thoroughly enjoyed some of their compilation tracks… This is their second album, released on visionary Greek label Candyflip and the reviews so far have been good… Let's find out what the fuzz is all about…

Let me take you thru the tracks…

#01: Eternal Sleep [136 BPM]
This first track is unusual in the way it was created - as the guys started with the transposing melody and the pads - instead of the drum/percussion session they usually start with… This is a very groovy track - a hybrid between phat progressive deepness and uplifting morning bliss… Yummy! Kinda organic and absolutely soaked in deeply funky rhythm sections… The low BPM count adds to the overall groove… Extremely tasty track!

#02: Modern Movement [138 BPM]
"Das hochste Gluck auf Erden kommt Sehr oft nur durch Einsamkeit in das Herz" This track starts out with more undecipherable French mutterings before we're off to Electroland… And later on we get the familiar German Schiller quote "silence is the greatest joy on earth… it often comes into the heart due only to loneliness"… This track is also a hybrid track… This time it's an electro/proggy/morning hybrid - and again the combo really works wonders… Could easily be a cross between the experimental sides of 12 Moons and Atmos… Sweet track indeed!

#03: Myth of an Angel [140 BPM]
"Did you ever notice how in the bible whenever God needed to punish someone, or make an example, or whenever God needed a killing, he sent an angel? Did you ever wonder what a creature like that must be like? A whole existence praising your God, but one wing always dipped in blood. Would you ever really want to see an angel?" This was put together by an old loop and parts of an even older track - and damn, I'm glad they did that! This is another hybrid track between proggy and morning territory… The bassline is ultra-smooth and cynical, and the flaring acid-melodies just tear you apart… The female vocals are a bit over the top, but they do not destroy the track at all… The last four minutes are pure melodic mayhem… Brilliant!

#04: Thunder-Blade [140 BPM]
"You see, we're on a mission from God!" Thunder Blade Blues Brothers? This is yet another hybrid track, and this time it's some kind of electro/full-on combo with housy hints… The melodies are running thick here, but somehow they don't really scratch my itch the way the previous three tracks did… Good, but not awesome!

#05: X-Instanz [142 BPM]
"Life exists…"Ahh, this is more like it… After a short, subtle intro we're treated to an ultra-smooth bassline soaked in pointy, digital bleeps and blobs… It sounds very mechanical and kinda cold - but in a damn good way… I really like the drive here, and the rippling psychedelia mixes perfectly with the proggy-slash-melodic undertones… A true Tegma hybrid! Great use of choir and stereo FX too… Nice track!

#06: Trapped in a Hypercube [140 BPM]
Auch - imagine being trapped inside a hypercube… Or any kinda cube for that matter! The intro is raw and kinda brutal - and the bassline is kicking harder than the previous tracks… Sounds like teKkno at first, but soon the track transcends into a more subtle, bouncing night-stormer - reminiscent of the older Tegma style… And this is also supported by the fact this track was produced back in 2003… I like the spooky break and the climax that comes after it… Very danceable! Darkish cyber-trance drenched in warm, fuzzy psychedelia… Bounce motherfuckers! Sweet track!

#07: Consciousness [142 BPM]
"The practice of morality, which means guarding your three doors of body, speech, and mind, equips you with mindfulness and conscientiousness. The mind interferes. It is possible and necessary to master it!" We stay in the same path for the next track that has an even meaner bassline… Definitely a night track with a fast, repetitive bassline and a hectic feel to it… Alongside the minimal percussion side, there's subtle use of acid farts and electronic burps - and there's even a break with synth-action and a beautiful climax after it… Another very sweet track!

#08: Clock next Door [138 BPM]
"Un escalier de fer...un couloir ?troit et obscur...au fond de ce couloir une porte entrouverte d'o? nous parviennent les accords d'une musique, qui en ce lieu parait irr?elle!" Right, my French is very rusty, but the dude in the intro talks about going up an iron staircase - down an obscure and narrow corridor - finding a half-opened door from which music emerges! … Something along those lines at least… This is progressive trance with rich psychedelic influences... The overall mood is dark and eerie, and you constantly feel like looking over your shoulder… Something haunts you? The bridge has the most joyous, uplifting melodies that strike a remarkable contrast to the darkish mood - beautifully embodying Tegma's trademark hybrid sound! Nice track!

#09: Irrational Impulses [138 BPM]
If it weren't for the BPM count printed on the cover the intro would leave you thinking this was a chilled track to finish things off - but the apparent ethno-ambient intro soon transforms into a phat proggy choon… With freq'esque reverb-FX and an overall groovy atmosphere... Again Tegma uses all kinds of elements and mixes genres - creating a very diverse, broad track… Great way to finish the album…

Hats off to Candyflip for being such a visionary label with such a diverse spectre of styles on their release schedule… Diversity rules! This is a great album - honestly I like it much better than their first album, but after this positive surprise I might have to dust of the old one again… I am really impressed with Tegma's very unique style - they successfully manage to create hybrid tracks, using the best elements from many different styles - in particular progressive trance, house and melodic full-on… But they also incorporate elements from more techy realms into their distinct tunes… Very well done guys - this is one hell of an album! The cover art is cool too (despite the missing slipcase) and the booklet is full of interesting stuff about Tegma and the creation of each track… I really like when labels go that extra mile and include a useful booklet… Sweet! All in all, this album is brilliant - and definitely deserves a purchase by any fan of diverse electronic music… Enjoy!

Favourites: 1(!!), 2(!), 3(!!), 6, 7

DeathPosture (DK)