E-Cutz: Cat. # EC2005/05
Released September 2005
Track List:
A. The Drums (Back2Back Mix) (8:45)
B. The Drums (Back2Back Dub) (8:45)
(2010 Update:
Straight-forward enough. Typical 'average' release. Cosmic Gate's change of sound was still unanticipated though, so it dates this review somewhat.)
IN BRIEF: Not quite the hard trance version of Little Drummer Boy.
Cosmic Gate's a funny group for me. Despite their tracks containing elements my personal bias often detests - specifically overlong breakdowns and builds - I've generally enjoyed what I've heard from the duo. Granted, it hasn't been much, but you can't keep tabs on trance without running into your usual suspects like Exploration Of Space or Tomorrow on occasion. Whether it's their interesting sound patches or their crafty use of rhythms, their songs manage to work for me.
Yeah, that's it. Dem riddims! No matter how gratuitous the breakdowns get, the peaks in Cosmic Gate's work rarely feels anti-climatic because the following rhythmic payoffs are serious movers. Far too many hard trance producers seem to forget this, figuring four-to-the-floor hits with off-beat bass throbs are the way to go. Cosmic Gate knows better, hence their tracks are more memorable than their peers (some nifty hooks at times hasn't hurt either).
So, you can imagine I was quite interested in this single from the duo with a title consisting of the most rhythmic of all instruments.
Apparently, The Drums was the first single made and released when Stefan Bossems and Claus Terhoeven paired up to make some tunes. This recently released Back2Back version is taken from the second volume of a series of DJ mix compilations they produce called, shockingly, Back2Back.
And things start out quite nicely on this single. With plenty of lead-in rhythm, The Drums has more than enough time to work its grooves. A mild breakdown three minutes later introduces a buzzing sawwave, filling out the aural background without being obtrusive. The energy building in this track is promising.
Unfortunately, things slide down after a longer breakdown starts just after the four minute mark; this sucker is a whopping two minutes long! Despite a continuous throbbing beat in the far background, it isn't quite enough to keep the momentum going for such a long downtime.
Making matters worse is the main hook, which is introduced as the build begins. It's far too simple and lacking enough punch to get you excited for when the peak finally hits. Striking a single note every second beat just isn't going to cut it. The Drums seems to finally get going again a little around a minute after everything comes back together but we're only a few bars away from your obligatory minute-long rhythmic lead-out.
There's a dub on the B-side of this, which is the exact same song, sans some spoken dialogue in the breakdown. In its absence, you get a long stretch of just the throb of the distant bass. This actually helps in creating better tension than having some gal going on about taking you on a cosmic journey. The anticipation for a hook, or a hi-hat, or anything, absolutely aches for release. It's just a shame the hook is so drab; it can't hope to ever release all that pent up tension.
I guess the big question on everyone's mind is how does this version compare to the original. I honestly couldn't say, as I've never heard a decent version of the original. After plenty of scouring the net for a sound sample, the best I found was a thirty second snippet of opening rhythm you commonly find at Amazon (and I have my reasons for not using a p2p to find it). From what I could gather, though, the Back2Back version certainly is more energetic, more finely produced, and makes better use of current sounds. In short, everything you'd expect of an '05 remake - a modern shine on a tried and tested track.
Cosmic Gate fans will undoubtedly be excited to have a piece of old Gate goodness re-released for the modern times, especially since the original single of The Drums is getting harder and harder to find as time passes on.
For the rest of us, however, this single may be a bit of a letdown if you were expecting something more along the lines of the duo's more famous work. It isn't all together bad but since this is a remake of Bossems and Terhoeven's earliest efforts, the lack of any kind of innovative or memorable hook shows the pair had yet to nail down a sound that would remain timeless as they would in the coming years.
Score: 6/10
Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.
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