review by Doedskreet, Jan 24, 2014

Thomas strikes furiously with this great slab of vinyl on the German label Droehnhaus. All you Mystified fans will understand that 'furiously' is kind of a euphemism. What I mean is: this record is very very good indeed! It starts of with a beautiful haunting ambient piece: Phantom Ringer. Listening to it whilst looking at the blurry blue sleeve or the spinning clear blue vinyl transports you into some kind of underwater dungeon. A discomforting yet pleasant feeling. Floaty Ghost continues the mood, although there seems to be an external threat looming. Ominous. Pulse Beyond concludes the first side and this is where some muffled beats are introduced. Quite reminiscent of the first Selected Ambient Works by Aphex Twin. Dark, heaving sounds continue on Getting Out, the B side opening track. The following Cool Vapor is the must uplifting song on the record. Thomas would have had no problem in submitting this track to the Artificial Intelligence series! The release is closed off fittingly with Round Shimmer, taking you back to the surface, out of the blue-hued underwater world. In conclusion, this release will please both long-time Mystified fans and new arrivals to Thomas' ambient world. Ace!