This release includes a few mixes including a rather outstanding production in the "Album Version" with great vocals and a sombre feel. However I will not review this, the "Strings & Vocals Mix" or the "Armin Van Buuren Radio Edit", lets get stuck into the serious stuff :)
Top Track
Armin Van Buuren Remix - Score 9/10
Armin Van Buuren Remix Dub - Score 8/10
This mix starts off with a solid beat and bassline before some gritty percussion gets introduced and a chopped vocal line bring real groove. From here the track builds in a restrained way and gently leads you to the europhic break featuring a really clear beautiful vocal section surrounding in choirs, guitars and magic!! When you have a quality vocal to work with then it is important that you let it do the work and Armin has really nailed this and continues to prove why he is at the top of the game with an epic build up from the breakdown and drops the beat to create the kind of dancefloor moment that people go clubbing for. The track is well tempered and keeps the sombre tone of the original, something that makes it a perfect match for the vocal.
The Dub is almost identical to the Remix with the main vocal being absent and some extra rhythmical vocal tones through the breakdown... I feel it is just a little flat with the vocal as the vocal added an extra dimension to the track. Still a great production though and can easily stand on it's own.
Jerome Isma-Ae Remix - Score 7/10
Jerome Isma-Ae Dub Mix - Score 5/10
Right from the outset the bass grabs your attention and the subtle fx groove is perfectly set up for the dirty electro percussion to provide a gentle lift just before the vocal comes and smacks you across the face!! Starting with a huge intro like this is brave, but as it grows and grows it snaps into a deep grinding affair, almost minimal in approach.... but this has attitude. The breakdown crashes into before you are subjected to an almost psychedelic experience with sounds swirling around as the bassline line ebbs and the dirty gritty synths build the tension again... and snap you are back to that deep groove again. A deep affair with some nice highlights.
Like with the Armin Van Buuren remixes the dub mix is almost 100% identical, except in this case the track becomes so minimal that I feel it is a bit harder to like.
As a full package this is a good release and it is nice to hear some fresh vocals that impress enough to make me want to hear more from Emma Hewitt.
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Tastexperience - Control
Two mixes available this time for a nice release.
Original Mix - Score 7 /10
This is a no nonsense progressive house track that almost never stops to catch breath. The unforgiving and relentless bassline drive the whole thing with an 80's feel. This is highlighted further by the synth accents. The track grinds and grinds slowly adding more elements including a simple but effective vocal and clever lead sounds designed to sound guitar like. The eventual breakdown provides a nice expansion on the vocal and a bit of filter tweaking but that beat just keeps going. This is a serious workout but just wish the drop was bigger on the way out!
Top Track
Daniel Wanrooy Remix - Score 7 /10
I am a big fan of Daniel Wanrooy's work and his harder take on trance. This remix has a much trancier feel than the original and the bassline has been reworked around some more intricate drum and percussion work. The quick breaks and clever tricks keep an aggressive bassline under control in the mix and allow the other subtle elements to sneak into the track smoothly. The breakdown in this mix is nothing short of epic and I have to hear it at loud volume at the earliest opportunity! In keeping with the original the drop lacks a little drive but instead continues to chew up the dancefloor. Not as hard as some of Daniel Wanrooy's usual stuff but is every bit as good. A deep dark track with some nice touches and enough twists to keep you interested.
Perfect for those who like tracks that just keep going (like me) and the two mixes are quite different but equally good. I can see a few ears perking up if it was dropped in the mix.
Original Mix - Score 7 /10
This is a no nonsense progressive house track that almost never stops to catch breath. The unforgiving and relentless bassline drive the whole thing with an 80's feel. This is highlighted further by the synth accents. The track grinds and grinds slowly adding more elements including a simple but effective vocal and clever lead sounds designed to sound guitar like. The eventual breakdown provides a nice expansion on the vocal and a bit of filter tweaking but that beat just keeps going. This is a serious workout but just wish the drop was bigger on the way out!
Top Track
Daniel Wanrooy Remix - Score 7 /10
I am a big fan of Daniel Wanrooy's work and his harder take on trance. This remix has a much trancier feel than the original and the bassline has been reworked around some more intricate drum and percussion work. The quick breaks and clever tricks keep an aggressive bassline under control in the mix and allow the other subtle elements to sneak into the track smoothly. The breakdown in this mix is nothing short of epic and I have to hear it at loud volume at the earliest opportunity! In keeping with the original the drop lacks a little drive but instead continues to chew up the dancefloor. Not as hard as some of Daniel Wanrooy's usual stuff but is every bit as good. A deep dark track with some nice touches and enough twists to keep you interested.
Perfect for those who like tracks that just keep going (like me) and the two mixes are quite different but equally good. I can see a few ears perking up if it was dropped in the mix.
Paul Van Dyke feat. Austin Leeds - Verano
3 mixes on show in this offering from Paul Van Dyke.
PVD's Berlin Mix - Score 7/10
This mix starts off slowly and reminds me of some of PVD's earlier work with a slightly slower tempo. The track glides into a nice breakdown with the unassuming baseline providing enough body to keep interest throughout the buildup. The breakdown develops into some tasty gritty synth work and a sweet crescendo before dropping the beat again. When things kick off after the break you are swooped off to a different place before the track eases back down. A nice trance track.
PVD's Evolution Mix - Score 8/10
This mix is a lot edgier and builds on the return to some classic techniques. A real nice throwback with the beat having an almost live feel to it and some retro synth sounds swirling around. The fun part of the track is when the breakdown sounds out a synth riff that reminds me a LOT of For An Angel. That is no bad thing as the tracking has a nice techy feel and the uplifting breaks provide a nice respite from an otherwise deep dark trancer.
Top Track
PVD's Full Fire Mix - Score8/10
This mix is the most full on of the three and has a nice rolling bassline, a simple but effective synth riff slowly builds up with accents coming from swooshes, crashes and mini fills. The breakdown is a nice extended synth work out based on the predominant riff found throughout all the mixes here. The breakdown develops nicely and the release feels just right with plenty of energy after the drop with some room for the track to keep developing. The additional strings found in this mix are a nice touch however i would like to have heard this mix really cut loose for a big peak somewhere, but that never arrives. Still a nice track
Overall this is a nice release with 3 quality mixes with enough differences to suit your mood at the time. The apparent return of PVD to a style that help shape the trance music scene can only be a good thing!
PVD's Berlin Mix - Score 7/10
This mix starts off slowly and reminds me of some of PVD's earlier work with a slightly slower tempo. The track glides into a nice breakdown with the unassuming baseline providing enough body to keep interest throughout the buildup. The breakdown develops into some tasty gritty synth work and a sweet crescendo before dropping the beat again. When things kick off after the break you are swooped off to a different place before the track eases back down. A nice trance track.
PVD's Evolution Mix - Score 8/10
This mix is a lot edgier and builds on the return to some classic techniques. A real nice throwback with the beat having an almost live feel to it and some retro synth sounds swirling around. The fun part of the track is when the breakdown sounds out a synth riff that reminds me a LOT of For An Angel. That is no bad thing as the tracking has a nice techy feel and the uplifting breaks provide a nice respite from an otherwise deep dark trancer.
Top Track
PVD's Full Fire Mix - Score8/10
This mix is the most full on of the three and has a nice rolling bassline, a simple but effective synth riff slowly builds up with accents coming from swooshes, crashes and mini fills. The breakdown is a nice extended synth work out based on the predominant riff found throughout all the mixes here. The breakdown develops nicely and the release feels just right with plenty of energy after the drop with some room for the track to keep developing. The additional strings found in this mix are a nice touch however i would like to have heard this mix really cut loose for a big peak somewhere, but that never arrives. Still a nice track
Overall this is a nice release with 3 quality mixes with enough differences to suit your mood at the time. The apparent return of PVD to a style that help shape the trance music scene can only be a good thing!
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Weekend Tracks 2012 Vol1
A quick breakdown of some recent tunes from 2012 so far.
2nd Phase - Lesson Learned (Original Mix) - Score 5/10
Unfortunately the original mix is a little bland by comparison. While not a bad track the whole thing feels a little too restrained and passes by without much really happening. The highlight of this track is the electro styled section that drops after the breakdow.
Top Track
2nd Phase - Lesson Learned (Garry Heaney Remix) - Score 9/10
I really like this tune, it has a nice solid beat underpinning a building trance monster! The track builds and drives hard into a sweet key change and the chord progression helps freshen the track at just the right time. The main riff and breakdown avoid any signs of cheesy melodies yet have and the big sounds you would expect from an epic trance tune. This is a quality production from start to finish.
Indecent Noise feat. Ridgewalkers - Full Moon Fever (Original Mix) - Score 6/10
An upbeat vocal trancer with a nod to the past with some nice filter tweaking through the body of the track leading to a pleasant breakdown. The breakdown has a nice backbeat and soft vocal section, and this is my problem with the track. The vocals aren't back but they are certainly not going to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The track also seems to lack energy throughout any vocal sections and the instrumental parts highlight this even further.
Indecent Noise feat. Ridgewalkers - Full Moon Fever (Power Dub) - Score 8/10
This mix has a real edge to it and the chopped up vocal snippets and audio candy make the whole thing much more rhythmical and energetic. The breakdown is still a laid back affair but when the beat drops this time you are ready to rock. Overall a real stomper with the absence of the average vocal from the original. 8/10
Tucandeo - Nibiru (Original Mix) - Score 7/10
A nice progressive trance tune with tribal overtones. Those ethnic sounds and heavily delayed spacey sounds deliver you into a beautiful piano drop just before the phatt base arrives to lay the bed for a trip through some classic trance production techniques. The song moves between a few different sections, each with a unique sound and feel with a seamless flow between them. Typical progressive track that sounds best in the middle of a mix!
Wellenrausch - Shape Of Berlin (Original Mix) - Score 9/10
This could only be described as a dark broody progressive gem. The warm bass anchors the track into a slow but solid groove, which is accented by some clever electro percussion programming. Add to this an almost ethereal atmosphere and some melancholic vocals and the puzzle gets closer to completion. The breakdown adds further tension and the track just continues to rise and build towards the peak.
2nd Phase - Lesson Learned (Original Mix) - Score 5/10
Unfortunately the original mix is a little bland by comparison. While not a bad track the whole thing feels a little too restrained and passes by without much really happening. The highlight of this track is the electro styled section that drops after the breakdow.
Top Track
2nd Phase - Lesson Learned (Garry Heaney Remix) - Score 9/10
I really like this tune, it has a nice solid beat underpinning a building trance monster! The track builds and drives hard into a sweet key change and the chord progression helps freshen the track at just the right time. The main riff and breakdown avoid any signs of cheesy melodies yet have and the big sounds you would expect from an epic trance tune. This is a quality production from start to finish.
Indecent Noise feat. Ridgewalkers - Full Moon Fever (Original Mix) - Score 6/10
An upbeat vocal trancer with a nod to the past with some nice filter tweaking through the body of the track leading to a pleasant breakdown. The breakdown has a nice backbeat and soft vocal section, and this is my problem with the track. The vocals aren't back but they are certainly not going to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The track also seems to lack energy throughout any vocal sections and the instrumental parts highlight this even further.
Indecent Noise feat. Ridgewalkers - Full Moon Fever (Power Dub) - Score 8/10
This mix has a real edge to it and the chopped up vocal snippets and audio candy make the whole thing much more rhythmical and energetic. The breakdown is still a laid back affair but when the beat drops this time you are ready to rock. Overall a real stomper with the absence of the average vocal from the original. 8/10
Tucandeo - Nibiru (Original Mix) - Score 7/10
A nice progressive trance tune with tribal overtones. Those ethnic sounds and heavily delayed spacey sounds deliver you into a beautiful piano drop just before the phatt base arrives to lay the bed for a trip through some classic trance production techniques. The song moves between a few different sections, each with a unique sound and feel with a seamless flow between them. Typical progressive track that sounds best in the middle of a mix!
Wellenrausch - Shape Of Berlin (Original Mix) - Score 9/10
This could only be described as a dark broody progressive gem. The warm bass anchors the track into a slow but solid groove, which is accented by some clever electro percussion programming. Add to this an almost ethereal atmosphere and some melancholic vocals and the puzzle gets closer to completion. The breakdown adds further tension and the track just continues to rise and build towards the peak.
More classics
Listening to Deepsky - Stargazer (X-Cabs Mix) this evening reminds me of what makes trance music one of the best forms of music to listen too. The soaring leads and pumping bass just make me want to get up and dance.
The X-Cabs turned out another fine production with this track and it will have to make it onto my CD, final track ??? Maybe not, the ending isn't quite epic enough to finish on but the track will definitely provide a peak point in the mix... can't wait for it to let loose :)
The X-Cabs turned out another fine production with this track and it will have to make it onto my CD, final track ??? Maybe not, the ending isn't quite epic enough to finish on but the track will definitely provide a peak point in the mix... can't wait for it to let loose :)
Saturday, 10 March 2012
Classics
Listening to some classic trance tracks late at night brings back so many memories :-)
Giving me inspiration for a trip into the past with a new mix cd. It also reminds me how much i really want all my vinyl turned into mp3's!
Tune of the night has to be Tilt - Places (Luna Vocal). Spacey trance with a tribal edge and awesome vocals, a relentless driving beat and atmospheric breakdowns... All the right ingredients in the right quantities make this track one of my favourites. Definitely going on the cd B-)
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
I'm back!!!
Making a return but going mobile this time. When I get the chance I will redesign the layout of the blog to suit continuous blogging from my mobile.
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