This rare techno / ambient compilation was released by the UK psychedelic trance label Kinetix Recordings in 1994. While the label is defunct, they still do sell some of their back stock through the website. Of course, the one I was concerned with, this compilation, has been sold out for awhile now, but their other artist albums are still available for purchase. The most frequently appearing artist on this compilation is Jake Stephenson, who was the man behind Alien Mutation, and one half of Optica / Optic Eye. He has something like 50 guises that he released music under, in the realms of psychedelic trance and downtempo / ambient. Apparently, he died a few years back after an epilepsy fit. These tracks barely scratch the surface of his recorded legacy, but will give interested parties a nice starting point. While it’s unclear whether Kinetix will ever have copies of this for sale, used copies frequently pop up for sale on the Internet. It is worth picking a copy of because this is a wonderful sampler of trance / ambient music that comes from my favorite era.

Tracklisting:
1 Optica / Dolcevita (5:24)
2 Transfinite / Utopia (6:23)
3 Quad / Tapestry (8:11)
4 Optica / Zoophite (6:12)
5 Output (3) & DJOz* / Technozone (4:08)
6 Eyetek / Moonshine (I Ambient Mix) (6:40)
7 Quad / Aquaville (7:59)
8 Optic Eye / Trancedance (Remix) (6:32)
9 Alien Mutation / Shimmer (7:36)
10 Centuras / Tokyo (9:51)
11 Deep Joy / Something Inside (Right Outside Dub Edit) (5:20)

Optica – Dolcevita

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Quad – Aquaville

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Alien Mutation – Shimmer

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There isn’t going to be much to say here because there is absolutely no information about this release on the Internet. The only release by the group Fiction Technology is the 20-minute EP Mega/Phase. What little information that is on the Web suggests that it came out in 1986. But who are they, and where are they from? It was released by a small German label catering to minimal synth pop, but there was only one other release by this label. The first track could be cool, but it has this really annoying vocal effect, like a corrupt mp3 ripped from a scratched CD. The effect is intentional, however, because the music behind it sounds normal. This would have been a much better song, but for the stupid vocals. Luckily, it’s the shortest song on the record. “In the City” is the only other vocal track on the record, and is a much more conventional style. The other three tracks are instrumental minimal pieces that work well together in the overall sound. So, barring the first track, we have four really interesting tracks from some totally unknown band. Even the album art, with just generic black on white, guarantees that there’s not going to be much information about this.

Tracklisting:
1 Time In Vision (2:47)
2 Delta X (5:04)
3 Mega / Phase (5:09)
4 In The City (3:26)
5 Dancing Puppets (4:17)

Fiction Technology – Delta X

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Fiction Technology – In The City

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A Split Second was a Belgian EBM group that released most of their material on the Antler Subway label in the late 80s. In 1988, some of their releases were licensed to Wax Trax! Records and they gained a larger following. At first glance, Neurobeat appears to be a bootleg of some sort, but looking at it closer, it appears to be a Swiss repackaging of their 1987 album Ballistic Statues. In the mid 90s, A Split Second released two albums on the German label Hypnobeat before splitting up. Nowadays, Chrismar Chayell (Aka Peter Bonne) runs Micart.com, which features some of his other projects such as Autumn, Linear Movement, and Twilight Ritual; most of which was originally recorded prior to A Split Second. Probably due to some sort of licensing issues, Micrart does not have the rights to distribute any of the A Split Second material. As for the other A Split Second member, Marc Ickx, his current activities are unknown. While the A Split Second material definitely sounds dated, Neurobeat contains many of their early club classics and still provides a fun listen.

Tracklisting:
01 Rigor Mortis (4:53)
02 On Command (4:45)
03 Neurobeat (4:07)
04 Ballistic Statues (8:14)
05 Check It Out (5:33)
06 Burn Out (Beat Mix) (3:41)
07 Drinking Sand (4:53)
08 Flesh (Remix) (4:35)
09 Burn Out (Between The Sheets) (1:32)
10 Drinking Sand (Remix) (5:22)
11 Flesh (Maxi Version) (3:59)

A Split Second – On Command

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A Split Second – Neurobeat

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