Darshan - Mind Merge / Ephemeral

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Darshan exploded on to the scene in 1997, signing with Flying Rhino Records to become one of the hottest new acts in Goa trance. Formed by Grant Collins and Mark Robinson, Darshan was seen by many as the spiritual successors to Green Nuns of the Revolution, a legendary act that had been slowing their output in the years since the Afterburner EP (1995). Trance listeners—especially in the UK—continued to demand high-energy acid trance, and this is exactly what the duo provides on this debut release.

Mind Merge is an intense piece of psychedelic trance that assaults the listener with fast rhythms and screeching high-end leads. The central sample, taken from the movie Scanners is key to the experience: “Telepathy is not mind reading. It is a direct link of two nervous systems separated by space. I want you to make a link from your brain to his heart. I want your brain… to make his heart… beat faster.” This is the cue to increase the speed of the song—the tempo surges upward, eventually reaching something around 155 BPM. Naturally, all of the psychotic acid melodies that have been swirling around begin to explode, and the energy level shoots through the roof. The results are dazzling even if the production value sounds very dated by now.

Ephemeral isn’t really any different than Mind Merge. This is another blinding tune loaded with sinister melodies and bristling hard trance beats. It comes to a somewhat unexpected conclusion and doesn’t manage to distinguish itself in the same way as the A-side.

This record might sound a little rough around the edges but it’s an acknowledged classic from the golden age of Goa trance. Darshan provides an ecstatic piece of trance history here. Serious collectors will want to own a copy.

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