Various – Blue Compilation

A mention here regarding the Infinity Project track [Wow] which is found here and on only 2 other comps from the 90's. Its a great track and definitely worth a listen.

Hallucinogen - "Shamanix (Remix)" is longer on the vinyl release.

Fantastic. Right there with Yellow as comps everyone should buy. Orichalcum and Astral Projection tracks appear on albums of course, but they do work well here. From a purely collector's standpoint I would have preferred they included some Laughing Buddha in place of one of those. Infinite Depths/Andromeda was released before this, huge missed opportunity. The sound of those tracks would work really well in there with these Green Nuns and Ofer songs. Absolutely criminal Laughing Buddha never appeared on any of the colors comps.

Anyway, all of these songs are pretty high level. Only minor critique that really comes to mind is that Star Above Parvati (good song) but suffers from a problem a couple Doof tracks have (Angelina comes to mind), where he too densely mixes and layers sounds and in the second half of the most of the drums become inaudible and it looses some impact in the snares and hats. Still a good song, this is really nitpicking.

Toxic Recall is the only track that doesn't really grip me like the others but it isn't bad or anything and is definitely well engineered. Just lacks some personality maybe.

Brainman I know is a polarizing name in goa trance, but his track here is absolutely awesome and the best thing he ever produced. Fantastic closer to this album.

Eco - Toxic Recall is called Einstein - Einstein's Nitelife on A Vision Of Trance - Tapovan compilation

When Goa trance today is referred to by the younger generation as hippie trance releases such as TIP's Blue Compilation are among the ones to thanks. Long, floating tracks, acidic FX twirling in and out, and a story like build up. For those who love it, it doesn't get much more classic than TIP's colour series.

BC opens with Doof's Star Above Parvati, a classic track from the golden goa days with a long build-up where new layers are constantly developing the track until 2:54 when the theme kicks in. No wonder we don't hear this on the radio! Trippy, long, demanding. Nice opener! Koxbox takes over with Fuel On, another genre defining track and among the best tracks from the Danish psychoheads. So much is going on in this track, even after years of listening I am still surprised how much variety they've managed to cramp in here. Nothing short of 5/5 star material. Astral Projection gives us Enlightened Evolution, another melodic goa track in the endless string of classics they effortlessly offered the world in the mid nineties. Actually, this may not be their best track - and it's on a thousand other compilations - but it's still a solid track. Lastly I need to mention Inscape's Nothing Like A Good Friend which will set any openminded dancefloor on a 1st class ticket to Psychedeliaville. Trippy, potent, vigirous psychedelic goa. Nice!

These favorites aside, not everything here moves me equally well. Infinity Project, Eco, Orichalcum, and Brainman doesn't really get under my skin. At the same time I have no doubts that under the right conditions they would still put a smile on my face.

New comers looking for a goa starting point may begin here.