In my quest for best progressive release of 2005 I have now come to Tegma. Antix, Phony Orphants, Jaia, Ticon, P.O.T.S. and others have all been considered, but didn't make the last inch even if Ticon came VERY close. The winner in my book is Tegma. 002:Avant.Garde is one sweet, sweet album! Or in the words of one Homer Simpson: "Aahaa haa ... Candy!" The fun starts with Eternal Sleep. Some sounds to ease the mind first, and then at 2:07 all face the podium and start moving in sync! The rhytm here... Unbelievable. And then the added synth melody at 3:05 ... Progressive at its most exquisite. Next track Modern Movement also introduces a killer bass and I get the feeling Tegma decided to set out to nail you to the dance floor. And they succeed. It's not worthwhile going through the tracks one by one. Each deserve a comment and it'd be like this: I love this track very much, and I "just" love the next track, and I totally love the following track etc. There's not a single filler or drop out here. Instead this album includes 3 we're-sending-you-into-orbit-tracks (1, 2 and 5), 3 very, very nice tracks (4, 6 and 8) and 3 tracks I'd rate just "great" tracks. And on another day it could be another way around, cause each have their charm. Still, track 1 and 2 will probably stay on my "classics" list. I wasn't a big fan of Tegma's first release and didn't have special expectations for this record. But man, with this record Tegma has set themselves as front runners on the proggy scene. Nice going, guys! There's no retraction. You're now my official best proggy release of 2005!

The Sweden based duo called Tegma (Omar Chelly & Jason Orfanidis) is out with their second album. This time on the Greek Candyflip Records. Their first album (Encoded/Decoded) was released on Digital Structures in 2002. 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.

Crossbred trance… Omar Chelly and Jason Orfanidis from Malmø, 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 étroit et obscur...au fond de ce couloir une porte entrouverte d'où nous parviennent les accords d'une musique, qui en ce lieu parait irréelle!" 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