label: Cosmicleaf country of origin: Greece style(s): Psy-ambient, ambient trance/techno/dub, world beat essential compilations: Chill On Ice (2004, Cosmicleaf/Unicorn Music) Fragile Life (2005, Cosmicleaf/Unicorn Music)

Like Aleph Zero and Ultimae Records, Cosmicleaf is one of a new wave of labels from the global progressive and psy-trance underground that is reinventing dance music for the ambient zone beyond just stripping away the fast tempos. The global talent such labels are attracting is inspiring. These two wonderful albums have both darkness and light, familar genre sounds and strange new sounds, a mindset open to genuine variety and which understands "beautiful" is something profound, not cheesy or trite.

The label's debut compilation Chilled On Ice is outstanding in every way, a benchmark in psychedelic slowbeats or "freestyle" as some call it. Each of these ten instrumentals are fully developed pieces traversing a range of moods and beats featuring artists mostly from Greece but also from Israel, Australia and Serbia. The ambient spaces between electro, trance, rock and world fusion are fertile ones, and the richness here suggests a group of artists diving headlong into them with passion, open minds and impressive programming skills. There's no room for purists - the opening "Sardonia" combines a Kraftwerk-style arpeggio with rock guitar in a way that sounds absolutely natural. Side Liner's "Next Page" gives us a trance breakdown without snare-drum rolls and kicks back in with peaktime dancefloor intensity despite being half the pace. "P-Ray" by Israeli composer Zero Cult achieves an exquisite tension between its darkly buzzing groove below and sweet piano phrases above. Del & Gen's "Whisper" is all Balearic beauty and uplifting vibes, with a soaring organ chords weaving gently through its layered melodies.

Quality-wise the label's second compilation Fragile Life is in the same ballpark as its predecessor if not quite its equal. Lots of melodic arpeggios anchored by crisp, solid rhythms - sometimes techy, sometimes warm and dubby - with Arabian touches and evocative sci-fi atmospheres. Zero Cult's "Tripsphere" is a deeply beautiful piece of widescreen psychedelic dub. There's a wonderful Theremin-like whistle in the opening minutes and a buzzing vocal sample throughout that sounds like an alien doing breath exercises. The album closes on an uptempo note with Goasia's "Pray For Rain" is an epic, uplifting breakbeat monster with one of the catchiest of hooks. Crank it up and you'll be dancing.

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