Miraculix Detonator (Alchemy Records)

Detonator is the debut album from Swedish act Miraculix on Alchemy records and this seriously rocks. Has Miraculix drunk from the same magic potion as Logic Bomb, because this is VERY good psychedelic forest party music of the highest quality. Excellent production and good clear crystal sounds make this album a pleasure to listen and dance to. I can’t keep still when I hear this and am transported to a forest complete with elves, dwarves and happy party people. The album opens up with ‘Mental Detector’, which gives us a good taster of what’s to come with it’s nicely layered dripping sounds and typical Swedish wackiness. ‘Stop Them’ is one of those tracks that has been played everywhere over the last summer. When I heard this, I was ecstatic, as I realized ‘so that’s what that tune is called’. More trippy sounds to play with your head and a very distinctive riff that’s very catchy and instantly recognizable. For added measure, some samples from Independence Day have been thrown into the brew. Splendid indeedy, as it the next track ‘Double Trouble’, which picks up from where the previous one finishes. Another quality tune, but then I think pretty much the whole album is and just to prove, ‘Sundance’ delivers the goods with its sunshine feel and melodies. There’s even a few subtle elephant sounds thrown in. ‘Reactor’ is a haunting tune, with an almost Israeli sounding riff, taking you to those forgotten places that you didn’t even know existed. The funniest thing is the sample from ‘I will survive’. Glad to see that a sense of humour is alive and well. ‘Motion Potions’ builds up nicely for the first 30 secs or so and then explodes into full on sonic trancedelic energy. Hard as you like, with soaring synth leads. Quality eerie stuff!!! Micraculix definitely has his own unique sound, which is given another showcase in ‘Witch craft’, another full on belter, very reminiscent of those times when you close your eyes on the dance floor and let the music take your mind to higher states of consciousness. There’s just no let up, and ‘Alone in the Dark’ is testament to that, with another distinctive riff, this is another mental tune with twisted psychedelic melodies. The album ends with a slower track, ‘Creatures’, which just goes to show that Miraculix makes excellent  down tempo music as well. All in all, a high quality debut artist album. Respect to Miraculix for bringing us these tunes, and respect to Alchemy records for releasing them.

(Full Lotus)