Psychemagik

Review: ** Reissue of the Psychemagik Wang Chung classic ** If you've been following the rise of Cosmic Forest dwellers Psychemagik for more than a minute, you'll be aware of their extremely chunky revision of Wang Chung's 1984 jam "Dancehall Days" which has been teasing new arrivals at their Soundcloud page for more than a year now. It finally gets a vinyl release here, and an official one to boot as Wang Chung vocalist Jack Hues was so impressed with their illicit take he sent them the stems for the official remix you see here. It's very much in line with their original edit but comes replete with that extra beef and on a neat white twelve inch. Another archival killer from the duo in "Beauty And The Bass" lines the flip too.

Review: Magik Cyrkles invites you the listener to bask in the impressive record collections of Psychemagik, for it seems that the prolific edit and DJ duo operate a nice sideline helping to furnish everyone from Soulwax to Q-Tip to Love Fingers with rare and highly sought after vinyl. Anyone whose familiar with their output since their emergence from The Cosmic Forest in 2009 will not be surprised given the off the beaten track source material for much of their edits. This Leng released compilation veers through all manner of psychedelic funk, cosmodisco, Middle Eastern oddities and much more, with four excusive new edits from the Psychemagik duo themselves. Those with dusty fingers and a penchant for the odder forgotten gems will no doubt be entranced as soon as Intrinsic Trance's opener commences and the label have really surpassed themselves in the presentation stakes with some apt cover art from acclaimed designer Luke Insect adorning this double CD release.

Review: Last year's Magic Cyrcles, Psychemagik's willy-waving exercise in psychedelic disco and rock crate digging, was something of a triumph. It's little surprise, then, that this follow-up is every bit as essential. If anything, the selections are even more obscure, while the vibe is slightly more Balearic - whilst, of course, retaining the acid-fried oddness of its predecessor. Highlights are naturally plentiful, from the woozy synths and wide-eyed, feelgood grooves of Fox's "The Juggler", and Steve and Theresa's folksy "Catching A Wave", to the horizontal pop of former porn acrtress Susana Estrada, and Joey Newman's Roxy Music-ish "The One You Love". Recommended.

Review: Following the runaway success of their Magick Cyrcles and Magick Sunrise compilations, Psychemagik return with another selection of wilfully obscure Balearic gems. There's a subtly breezy, occasionally humid feel to much of the material this time round, with the acclaimed crate diggers' selections flitting between stoned blue-eyed soul, baked west coast rock, curious, semi-spoken word pieces, and the kind of material that suggests getting horizontal as a matter of priority. It goes without saying, of course, that the selections are thrillingly deep, with a tracklist that will have even the most committed record collectors scratching their heads.

Review: Whatever you think of their original productions, there's no denying the continued quality of Psychemagik's compilations. Their latest epic exploration of member Danny McLewin's epic record collection, Ritual Music, is split into three parts. This volume, Love, predictably includes some genuine thrillers, from the new age electronica of Man Parrish's "Water Sports", and the global mysticism of "Amram" by The Rias Orchestra, to the breathy sleaze of Jeanette's "L'Amour Jove Au Viol", and seductive guitar solos of Bobby Lyle's jazz-funk classic "Makin' Love". We could go on. Suffice to say, there's barely a duffer in sight, and more intriguing twists and turns than your average sci-fi murder mystery.

Review: They've taken us on some of the most transcendental mix-trips of recent years - from sunrise to sunset via cosmic forest and magic circles by way of their endless global dancefloor - assault no young act is digging as deep as Psychemagik. Or as a spiritually. Yet another case in point: Rituals. By far the duo's most extensive, majestically curated and organized trip to date. 40 tracks exploring the last 60 years of studio creations and vibe explorations, from the progressive synth odyssey of Vermoessen & Delo to the steel drum electro boogie of Gurvitz by way of the dense rainbow textures of Amini and cosmic synth struts of Le P'tite Fred, you get the feeling that Rituals is the mix experience Psychemagik have been working towards their whole career. Happy travels...