Release context
Reality Strikes Back is Pixel's debut album, released in 2004 during a strong period for Israeli full-on psytrance. Eli Biton's production is joined by several collaborators across the record, including Silent Sphere, Psysex, Wrecked Machines and Ran Shani, giving the album a wider social footprint than a purely solo debut.
That collaborative shape suits Pixel's later career. The project became closely connected with other Israeli producers and with the Stereo Society circle, and Reality Strikes Back already shows that instinct for working across project boundaries. It is therefore useful as both a first album and an early map of the relationships that would continue to surface in Pixel's later releases and collaborations.