DJ Abasi - Nüdisorder

Intimate Productions: 2006

Every city has local DJs who are minor legends thereabouts but relatively unknown abroad. Fame and fortune, they seek these things not, for they are purists of the scene: collecting records, opening for the touring superstars, and all around just vibey chaps to hang around. DJ Abasi's one of Vancouver's best examples, a guy who's been around since the early rave days of the city and everyone knows in some way. Though I could drop a ton of events, nicknames, parties, drinks, and anecdotes associated with him, the truth is only locals would understand much of it. Besides, I suspect he'd be incredibly embarrassed by any glowing exposé beyond what I've already provided, humbleness above all else his endearing virtue.

All of which probably doesn't matter the slightest to readers from elsewheres. I mean, ol' Farshad's not a Tyler Stadius or Jay Tripwire, other Vancouver home-growns with some level recognition in the wider world of clubbing. Of course, they're well known thanks to official releases marketed in shops all over the place (and Lord Discogs). Abasi, on the other hand, had barely put out anything beyond demos intended for small circulation. This Nüdisorder was primarily intended as promotion for Intimate Productions’ DJ talent, but this being his first definitive CD release showcasing his skills behind the decks, there was some interest and excitement (launch party! ‘Farshots’!) in seeing what he’d cook up in the studio.

DJ Abasi’s main appeal’s his fluency with several genres of electronic music. Hell, this mix alone is bookended by Pet Shop Boys (a brief bit of Absolutely Fabulous at the start, and Yesterday, When I Was Mad at the end), while Hardfloor acid house (Da Revival) worms its way somewhere in the middle. Mostly though, we’re treated to the revitalized sounds of electro, mash-ups, and disco punk that flourished in early ‘00s, all genres he states were having the biggest impact on his sets at the time. Nüdisorder’s tracklist reads like a who’s who of all the hot names – Soulwax, Tiefschwarz, Tiga, Playgroup, The Juan McLean, Vitalic, etc., etc. Fortunately, his tune selection offers plenty of quirky inclusions so this CD doesn’t come off as just another hit parade.

For instance, there’s classic ‘80s tunes like The Chase but covered by 2020Soundsystem, while New Order gets in with their super-oldie Everything’s Gone Green but by way of a Cicada remix; meanwhile, here’s a cool b-side from Kittin & Hacker called The Beach, having little to do with New Order’s original. One can’t have electroclash without a proper old-school cut though, so here’s Hashim’s Al-Naafiysh. Adn speaking of remixes, why not a little DFA action on Gorillaz’ Dare? Abasi’s lengthy mash-up mixing’s a little rough at points, but it only adds to the CD’s genre-freewheeling appeal.

While I doubt folks outside the 604-district will have much interest in Nüdisorder (much less find a copy), I spent a week blathering about my old burned mix CDs, so Abasi gets a review here too. No blame.

Various - FabricLive.43: Switch & Sinden Present Get Familiar

Fabric: 2008

*cover art brought to you by FabricLive's “Random Crap Smashed On People's Faces” period*

What? No. No! I'm on vacation, damn it. Leave me alone, Fabric On A Budget project. I'll deal with you when I get back in a week. What do you mean I always intended to carry on with this while away from home? Okay, sure, I brought the music with me, but that doesn't mean I'd write reviews for it – keep myself familiarized with the CDs while I was away, that's all. But there's only two left, an end goal in sight, easily attainable, not worth leaving hanging and forceably getting excited for upon my return. This year's Fabric excursion has turned into a slog after all – more good mixes than bad, absolutely, but dealing with the same topic over and over and over drains the creative synapses something dreadful. Maybe I should...

Oh, alright, I'm already bored out here in the Peace River region. Sometimes I forget just how hinter these hinterlands get.

Let's take a look at what's next, then. We're finally out of the 30s, and entering another weird, transitional period in electronic music's history. Dubstep was blowing up big, the nu-EDM was just around the corner, older forms of UK garage were finding fondness among young clubbers, and many producers of the old guard were scrambling to keep up with these shifting trends. The two cats with credits on the cover of FabricLive.43, Switch & Sinden, were riding this wave with some success, in part due to an occasional night at Fabric called Get Familiar. Don't care about the deep underground, simply having an urge to cut loose with fun-time club jams that even the most Axe-drenched bro can enjoy? These guys got you covered – or Sinden does anyway, since Switch wasn't the DJ.

More so, if you love the UK's various rave-garage aspects, you'll adore FabricLive.43. Speed garage! Throwback hardcore anthems! - no actual classics though. Grime-house! (!??) Dubstep! Bassline! (re: speed garage) No 2-step though, that stuff's strictly for the chicky-poos, mate. Only hard wobble dirt low-ends, and rot-snot. Bleh.

I know this stuff's pure heaven for its targeted scene, but my tolerance for hoodlum UK garage only lasts a few tracks before the novelty of shuffle rhythms and south London rappers wears itself out. I've never figured out how such nonsense bassline sounds are taken seriously, but then this is the same country that also gave us 'donk' music. Sinden's mixing doesn't do much to warm the music up either, always in a hurry to drop another track in a different style with no regard for set flow. Can't let the tunes linger too long, I guess, lest the listener realize how silly it all is and put on something with more substance instead.

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
I could have bought $5 beers at the nearby redneck bar playing bro-country, and it would have been a better bargain.

Various - FabricLive.33: Spank Rock

Fabric: 2007

*cover art brought to you by FabricLive's “ARTIST NAME IN BIG FUCKING LETTERS” period*

Hey hey! I've now completed a FabricLive cover series too. Surely that warrants a free CD prize from Fabric. True, I'm practically getting these for nothing already, but it's the principle of the thing. C'mon, Fabric, hook a Canuck up with a bonus mix (preferably a good one).

It's an even bigger coincidence that the cover runs of fabric and FabricLive I'd complete are both from the same time, indeed the same issues (31, 32, and 33). What was it with Fabric in early 2007 that folks would want rid of these CDs so badly? True, two out of the five I've covered so far were pants, but another two were ace. Hm, does this mean FabricLive 33 is utterly average like Ralph Lawson's mix?

With a name like Spank Rock, there’s no way we’d get ‘utterly average’. The name alone inspires thoughts of either the slummiest ghetto tech or the cheekiest electrotrash. The group is somewhere in between, more known for their antics in hip-hop’s ‘Bounce’ side of things (what kind of a genre name is ‘Bounce’..!?), but also found a welcome home with drunk-sleaze electro-house clubbing as the ‘00s wore on. This mix is their attempt at condensing their shows into a sloppy, cohesive whole, which sounds like a good ol’ rollickin’ whiskey time. I mean, just look at all these names on here. Kurtis Blow! Yello! Mr. Oizo! Daft Punk! Yes! Metro Area! Tangerine Dream! (??!) Rick Ross! Chicks On Speed! Mylo! (those Talking In Your Sleep guys) The Romantics! Hot Chip! Uffie! More and more! Oh boy, this is gonna’ be like one of those awesome As Heard On Radio Soulwax mixes, I bet. Yeah, if 2 Many DJs had been totally wasted while recording.

Have you ever been to a party where the DJs (usually always two or three) are really cool guys and have fun taste in music, but always resort to pandering with the most obvious fucking tunes around? You cheer them on, ‘cause hey, it’s just a stupid night out, and you like the chaps, and you’re drunk as all Hell off of hi-balls, and ooh, I love that A Bit Patchy song by Switch, even though I just heard it played out by another DJ duo with impeccably deep crates. Oh dear, it’s that Drop The Pressure song again. I’ve heard it too much on the radio already, and dear Lord is that mix into Yes’ Owner Of A Lonely Heart ever rough – can’t you put on something not so played out anyway? Shit, now they’re painfully forcing a mix into Para One’s Dudun Dun. Get your act together, guys. I want to cheer you on (I love Miss Kittin & The Hacker’s Stock Exchange!), but give me a better reason to. Oh, what the Hell, another round of hi-balls!

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
About as worth it as $3 hi-balls. All night.

Various - fabric 30: Rub-N-Tug

Fabric: 2006

*cover art brought to you by fabric’s “Lensed Deformity Photography” period*

Either I'm getting ridiculously lucky in this year's “Fabric On A Budget” venture, or some folks out there just don't have good taste. Why would anyone want rid of a mix CD as good as this one? For sure a DJ duo fancying them Rub-N-Tug doesn't bode well for those judging acts by name alone – it sounds like some tacky massage parlour in New York City's seedier neighbourhoods. Eh, what's that about them? Oh.

Rub-N-Tug is Thomas Bullock and Eric Duncan, two New Yorkers who played the after party circuit for a number of years during the region's post-Giuliani nightlife recession. This primarily meant small enclaves and lofts above massage parlours, earning their gigs the reputation of being ultra-hip and only for those in-the-know. It also helped if you were up for an 'anything house goes' vibe, the duo simply having fun playing vinyl favorites without much care for super-technical proficiency or journey set construction; good ol' unpredictability, then. They also keep the groove relatively on the slower side, though never crossing into downtempo territory, the sort of rhythm that moves bodies without wearing folks out or pissing off the neighbours living underneath.

Since the afterhours vibe is Rub-N-Tug’s game, making a mix CD for home listening isn’t much of a stretch for ‘em. I’m surprised Lord Discogs lists fabric 30 as their first one, American DJs often needing a couple releases under their belt before a UK label comes a-knockin’ – maybe a Fabric promoter went to one of their after-parties. The names on here run the gamut from familiar (Röyksopp, Claude VonStroke, Ewan Pearson, Âme, Marshall Jefferson, Black Strobe, Serge Santiago, Satoshi Tomiie) to obscure (Nemesi, Rufass, Foolish & Sly, Unknown Artist). Even judging by those recognizable acts, one can tell we’re dealing with an eclectic collection of tunes. House (both deep and tech, but thankfully not deep-tech), disco funk, a touch of the disco punk (it is New York City, after all), and smattering of space-synthy electro-house (ooh, Discopolis from Lifelike & Kris Menace is one fun little anthem at the end).

As a technical set, fabric 30’s unimpressive, most mixes functional and Rub-N-Tug forgoing any sort of journey for long. Of course, that’s how most afterhours mixes play out anyway, DJs free to rinse out records as they see fit. Bullock and Duncan deserve credit, then, for keeping fabric 30 as tightly flowing as they do, considering they aimed at capturing their post-party vibe in but sixteen tracks. The twists they do throw in serve as spice for an already smooth-tasting mix.

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
How could it not? Simmering funk, earwormy synths, deep grooves, and soul to spare. It’s a near-perfect cocktail of post-clubbing house music that never falls prey to insipid deep house clichés or vapid chill-out banality. I guess you could say fabric 30 rubbed... and tugged me in all the right ways! (eh? eh? ...*sigh*)

Stylophonic - Beatbox Show

Universal Music: 2006

Maybe I should have trusted the apathy. How could I have known, though? Despite receiving all the critical plaudits for Man Music Technology, folks generally passed by Stylophonic's first album. A few years later, ol' Stefano comes out with his sophomore offering, Beatbox Show, which seemingly everyone, including critics, passed by. Hell, I never knew of it until checking back at Lord Discogs when it came time to write the MMT review, and Stylophonic's sound won me over enough to at least keep tabs on the project. Lack of promotional power likely hurt Beatbox Show's reach, only getting a release through Universal Music in Mr. Fontana's native Italy. I wonder why Prolifica dropped him, or did he only have a one-album deal with them?

Not that it should matter who he signed to, as a great LP typically gets global recognition regardless. While it wouldn’t surprise me folks currently reading this are only now discovering Beatbox Show exists, I sadly suspect this is more than when the album first came out. If it did receive any attention, it mustn’t have been good, practically disappearing from public discourse shortly after along with most of Stefano’s career, save a few synth-pop production credits.

So the warning signs were all there that Beatbox Show would turn out a ‘shitshow’ (oh-hoho!). Maybe I should have dug around the YouTubes first, taking in a couple tracks as a sampler, hear if it was worth digging about for a proper copy. Nah, Sykonee don’t play that way, especially with ample spending cash for music these days. I went to the Amazons instead, paying whatever (< $30) prices I could find, and shipping it on over for a blind-purchase listen. It’s how I got Man Music Technology, and that turned out swimmingly! Mr. Fontana’s too talented a producer for this to turn out horrible, right?

No, wait, this was released in 2006, when everyone with a hint of electro in their sound was obligated to jump onto the post-electroclash sleaze bandwagon. It’s not a good fit for Stylophonic’s upbeat, campy charm. Every time Stefano works in those cliché scratchy, farty synths (Dancefloor, Daisyphonic, Turntable Times), it sounds hopelessly forced; a blatant attempt at co-opting Benassi’s success. Having equally forced ‘trashy’ sing-rap lyrics from ‘Dirty Kylie’ throughout doesn’t help either, her attempts at aping Peaches woefully forgettable. She’s fine when simply singing (Say What?, Losing My Mind), but as this is her only Discogs credit, I suspect she’s a studio hire forced into an unfitting role.

When Stylophonic gets back to the summery club-house vibes (Play That Music, Loving You At The Mad Club) or pays tribute to proper electro of the ‘80s (Say What?, Fresh Air), Beatbox Show retains the hooky appeal of Man Music Technology. Too often though, Stefano loses himself in drab ‘electro-trash rock’ nonsense that instantly dates this album to the mid-‘00s, vanishing within a sea of cheap Satisfaction clones. Not the end for Stylophonic I’d hoped, my friends. Not like this.

Fehrplay - Meow

Ministry Of Sound America: 2010

It’s a given that the PR blurbs that come with new singles are ridiculous. If you were to take them at face value, you’d swear every new tune was the greatest composition ever created. Of course, that ain’t true, but it can make for some hilarious reading whenever they overshoot. Sometimes, they’re so bold in their ambition that they’ll bestow ‘classic’ status upon a track well before it’s even had a chance to get properly rinsed out. Like this one.

Oh, Meow definitely has the potential to become a hit, even if it’s ballsy to declare it a WMC anthem nearly a month before the event even starts. Thing is Ferhplay has checked off (re: style-bitten) many of the things that has made many an Eric Prydz track a hit. The hook is instantly likeable, the beats have quality bounce, the supporting ‘piano’ chords will bob heads, and all the whooshy effects are tastefully done; then, it’s arranged such that the vibe never falters. There’s no new ground being broken here but with a track this shamelessly fun, does it matter? Certainly not, so Meow looks primed to be at least a minor hit for the main room crowds.

The B-side of this digital promo is

Then I stopped typing, stared at the computer screen, and asked myself, “Why am I still doing this? Nothing I write matters and all these free digi-EP promos I’m being sent won’t have any lasting impact upon electronic music. Fuck it. Fuck everything.”

Yes indeed, it was cynicism towards over-zealous PR that finally broke me, despite managing a few more reviews before truly quitting. It didn’t help I was suffering from multiple bouts of work and college related stress, relationship and financial depression, and just generally feeling poo at the time, but there it is - the honest-to-God impetus for giving up writing reviews about new music. I’m feeling better now, thankfully.

I imagine it’s a self-defeating, futile and sick, sick, sick environment, the world of promo-PR. How many times do copy-writers hype a track to the high ends of the Earth, only for said track to get completely passed by without a notice or care. Hell, Fehrplay’s Meow was one of the best ones of at least a dozen digi-promos I went through, hence why I tried writing a review for it, plus got picked up by Ministry Of Sound and Hed Kandi for compilation duty on all their major releases (Annual, Clubber’s Guide …Miami Fashion District?). Nor was I the only one to make the Prydz connection, as Jonas von der Fehr released his second single, Incognito, on Pryda Friends. Meow truly could have been a major hit like the promo guys claimed. Yet, do you remember this tune? For that matter, did you even know it existed, because Amazon.com sure doesn't.

Anyhow, to finish this four year aborted review, the B-side is titled Meow Again. It’s an electro-house version, and not as good as the original Meow. Yay, done, finished.

Dirty South - Let It Go (Original TC Review)

Axtone Records: 2007

(2014 Update:
A little dated, this review, as electro house lingered on for a few years longer before the Swedish House Mafia upped the anthem potential, spurring on the anthem house revival (no, really, stop calling it Big Room, you gits) we're going through now. In fact, I'm surprised I didn't notice it before, but Axwell's remix here has all the hallmarks of the genre, right down to the sort of synth-plucks Rollo used back in the early '90s. Come to think of it, all of their biggest hits - even before becoming the supergroup SHM - relied on that trope. Fuck me, no wonder they were so popular.

Dirty South, then? He finally got around to releasing a proper album this past year, though released on his own Phazed Records print, and only digital at that. What, no one bothered to sign him before? Wasn't he supposed to be a top-tier electro house producer and remixer? He still has some fans, I guess, but has gotten lost in the shuffle now that everyone is making anthem house of this sort.)


IN BRIEF: Here yesterday, gone tomorrow.

Dragan Roganovic broke out of Australian obscurity quite quickly into his career. At first mostly tied to fellow Aussies TV Rock through their collaborations, Dragan soon brought his Dirty South project to the forefront on the strength of a string of high-profile remixes. Before long, he was getting tapped to lend his touch to singles from Fedde le Grand, Roger Sanchez, Tiësto, Kaskade, and David Guetta. Why him in particular? If these names are anything to go by, Dragan is quite chummy with the mainstream side of dance music, and he now is often contacted to provide a Big Electro-House Remix for such folk. Truthfully, when compared to the endless numbers of fart-house producers out there, there isn’t anything terribly unique in Dirty South remixes, but for whatever reason he gets the big singles handed to him and has built a tidy career out of it.

In fact, given that his remix work grabs most of the attention, you’d be forgiven in forgetting Dragan makes his own tunes too. He hasn’t released many, and they certainly don’t command as high a profile, but they are out there. Late last year, upon signing to Swedish house man Axwell’s Axtone label, Dragan released his first solo work in over a year, a simple little number titled Let It Go.

And yes, it is rather simple as far as house music goes; which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but in Dragan’s case, Let It Go is quite run-of-the-mill too. There’s a catchy vocal, a serviceable guitar lick, marginal nu-electro elements, and your requisite main-room build-and-drop structure; mainstream sell-out Bob Sinclar gets by on much the same. Really, the only thing rescuing this Dirty South single from Ministry Of Sound compilation fodder obscurity are the beats, which have decent bounce to them when compared to other typical offerings; unfortunately, it isn’t enough to make this a memorable slice of house music either.

For the remix, Axwell himself gets the duties, and offers little as a result. His go at Let It Go rests somewhere between the main-room structure of the original and rote execution of tech-house simplicity. The beats aren’t as interested, and his hooks are marginal even by Swedish House Mafia standards. Sure, it’ll get the job done on the dancefloor, but praising it for that is like praising a car for getting you to where you’re going: it’s the least that’s expected for a pass.

Frankly, had I gotten the chance to review this back when it first came out, Let It Go would have seemed decent, if not enduring (who’d even be able to recall it a year later, I wonder?). As we move deeper into this year of 2008, however, it just seems tired. A resurgent classic house revival has been upstaging all this electro-house stuff with cool class, funky fun, and soulful vitality, and I can’t help but suspect the trendy nu-electro material Dirty South produces will fall out of favor by year’s end. One can only hope.

Felix Da Housecat - Kittenz And Thee Glitz (2013 Update)

Emperor Norton: 2001/2004

(Click here to read my original TranceCritic review.)


Boy, reading that old review sure feels like a time warp. I'll grant it's almost eight years old now, so thoughts and opinions do change in the years between, but it's clear I'm still in the afterglow of my electroclash marriage, despite the genre having been subsumed into electro house by 2006. Oddball gimmick aside, I can’t imagine myself writing anything like it ever again. I’ve yet to come across a fresh ‘dumb-fun’ genre of music that I enjoyed as much as that one, and as I get up in these years, the allure of ‘dumb-fun’ music wanes, my tastes maturing with sophistication and class. Now where’s that new space synth compilation?

Actually, the real reason I and so many others got into electroclash and all things ‘80s revivalist was how it felt like reacquainting with an old friend. It wasn’t so much a wave of retro admiration or nostalgic memories spurring it on, but the realization of, “Hey, why did we stop listening to music like this?”

Basically, ‘90s music ideology could be summed up thus: if it sounds like the ‘80s, it sucks. The classic tale is how grunge kicked hair metal to the curb, and hip-hop saw quite an upheaval too, but electronic music was no less guilty. Classic electro all but vanished during the Clinton Administration, a few stalwarts like Aux 88 keeping it alive while everyone else moved onto evolutions of the sound (Florida breaks, technobass, etc.). Synth pop... hoo boy, did that ever get shunted by euro dance and its ilk. It’s amazing groups like Pet Shop Boys, The Human League, and such survived long enough through those lean times to be ‘re-discovered’ at the turn of the century (“um, we never went away, y’know”).

This isn’t to fault the ‘90s disassociation with the ‘80s, mind you, as electronic music took many brilliant steps forward during that decade; if forgetting the past to move into the future was what it took, then so be it. Sometime in the late ‘90s, however, a few scattered producers remembered all the brilliant steps electronic music took during the Reagan Administration too, not to mention the warmth those old synths carried compared to the slick polish the latest club cuts came with. Maybe some time away from electro-proper was required to appreciate the joys of synth pop, hi-NRG, and italo disco again, and Felix da Housecat was there to capitalize on our old-new fondness for the sound on Kittenz And Thee Glitz.

One more thing I neglected touching upon on that original review is the difference of this Stateside version of the album. There’s the changed cover, obviously, opting for a ‘60s spy thriller poster instead of a celebrity gossip rag mock-up the UK got. And since this is Emperor Norton, the US got two bonus remixes at the end, a Thin White Duke mix of Silver Screen Shower Scene and Röyksopp having a go with What Does It Feels Like? They’re... eh.

Tiësto - In Search Of Sunrise 6: Ibiza (Original TC Review)

Songbird: 2007

(2013 Update:
In hindsight, writing such an overlong intro detailing my opinions of Tiësto's DJing was pointless, at least where TranceCritic was concerned. The website had been up for over two-and-a-half years and, through the other writers, our piece had pretty much been said. Of course, I couldn't resist getting in my 'official' say of the matter, but if it'd been that important, why hadn't I just done a review of a Tiësto mix CD long before this one? On second thought, maybe that wouldn't be so good an idea, considering the quality of those early-early reviews.

Most of the time I find myself enjoying these sorts of mixes more than before, but I can't say the same here. I gave CD1 pretty high praise in this review, but it didn't grab me the same way this time. Not sure why. Maybe the surprise of a strong mix from Tijs is no longer so novel? CD2's still dross though.)

IN BRIEF: The sun keeps rising.

When I mentioned a long while ago that I’d eventually have my stab Tiësto, I never thought it’d be all at once. It seems this is the year I finally have to deal with everything the Dutch icon offers the music industry. First it was his studio work, the result of which was Elements Of Life. Now it’s his DJing, courtesy of the kind-of annual In Search Of Sunrise series.

As a DJ, Mr. Verwest’s skill isn’t exactly stellar, though hardly the disgrace some would have you believe. For the most part, he is an above-average jock, with typically good track selection in his chosen field and just enough competence on the technical end to keep things grooving. However, it must be said he has an infuriating tendency to force some of his mixes, which makes him appear amateurish when compared to the technical geniuses of the profession. (I’ve heard him describe this as ‘on the edge mixing’, a term that is incredibly laughable - if this is stellar DJing, then I could have been a DMC champion when making mix tapes with CD players lacking pitch control) Mind, it isn’t a completely damning trait, but certainly enough to raise the eyebrows of those who aren’t swept up by his ultra-hype machine.

Anyhow, let’s not dwell on this. Rather, let us look at what his latest attempt to find that ever-elusive sunrise offers us.

In choosing the location to be featured for this edition, Tiësto has scoured the globe for potential sunny lands. After much deliberation and thought, he settled on the completely unpredictable island of Kerguelen. No, just kidding. It’s Ibiza, which while a cliché choice is nonetheless a suitable one for an end-of-summer mix. You can’t beat tapping into the blissful Mediterranean atmosphere to re-capture warmth as the long cold of winter sets in. Rumor has it he specifically chose the vacation island as a means to rekindle his inspiration for DJ mixes. Has it, then? Let’s stick them CDs into the player to find out.

As usual, we start with the first disc. Straight-up, I’ll say this is the best commercial set I’ve heard from Mr. Verwest in quite some time, easily since Nyana’s Indoor CD. Tijs nails the Ibizan atmosphere right out of the gate, with gentle waves lapping at the beach while calming tones and pleasant synths emerge. From there, a nifty sequence of Balearic grooves, melodies, and vocals create an upward climb of dance music delights. And the mixing? Well, he telegraphs a number of them, but they hardly hinder from the overall atmosphere created. As for the actual tracks themselves, they’re a classy bunch, mostly on a housey tip with sprinklings of prog for good measure.

And worry not about all the lyrics, as none of them come loaded with the sentimental pap his peers seem to inject their sets with. Yes, they’re mostly about love, and the last bunch are unapologetically girly, but they are delivered in such a manner that is nonetheless pleasing to the ear. In fact, some of them are quite exhilarating; Ohmna’s The Sun’ll Shine, for instance. With a rhythm that could carry the track on its own (that bassline!), the energy in this tune is cranked further with a vocal that completely steals the show. Throw in a properly utilized breakdown at the climax of the song, and you have a clear highlight of this disc.

A point of contention though: Tiësto seems at a loss on how to segue his mix into the final sequence of mellow vocal tunes. Granted, Moonbeam’s offering is relatively subdued coming off of The Sun’ll Shine, but it’s still a rather bumping track, and makes for a questionable choice to lead into Somewhere Inside Of Me. The two don’t match at all, and the transition is jarringly abrupt.

Nitpicks aside, Mr. Verwest’s first disc is a definite keeper. Wish I could say the same about the second disc though.

Somewhere in there is half a CD’s worth of a decent prog trance set. Marzenit, Cloud, and Levi bring solid offerings, while Rio, Deadmau5, and Schössow deliver intriguing quirkiness with their tracks. And Tiësto’s own Dancing Water (as Jedidja) is a fun bit of nostalgia despite a cornball melody towards the end. Unfortunately, it also seems Tiësto had a bunch of tracks he really wanted to use for the first disc but couldn’t fit, so he hodge-podges them into here as best he can. The result is a mix that is quite erratic compared to the first.

And frankly, some of them aren’t even any good. Chief among these culprits are the inclusions of trite vocal cuts Falling and Imagination (is it just me, or is the industry trying to groom JES to be the next Jan Johnston?) and plodding nu-electro numbers Don’t Speak and Falling (yes, again; it really is an awful track). And then there is Nic Chagall, once again bringing the worst habits of his hard trance past (ridiculously long breakdowns and builds; grating siren-like hooks), slowing it down, and trying to pass it off as prog. Yeesh.

There’s been some debate over whether the In Search Of Sunrise series would benefit more by returning to a single-disc format, as the previous double-disc efforts have had a feeling of unnecessary bloated excess. I find this to be the case once again, although for a different reason: the inclusion of the second set diminishes the presentation of the whole. As a stand-alone, the first is a winner, and would have made for a lovely release under the Tiësto banner. However, it has this unruly messy sibling tagging along that, while at times entertaining, is lacking the kind of charisma that makes you want to hear it again (save for the generous use of a ‘track skip’ feature on your player).

Despite this, I still give Mr. Verwest’s excursion to Ibiza a strong recommendation. Eh? You find this surprising? Is it because of the more venomous things I’ve said about him in the past? True, I may not have much regard for the traveling circus he calls a concert, but that’s beside the point. I’m here to judge this here product, and by gum it’s pretty good. In Search Of Sunrise 6 probably won’t convert his staunchest critics, but those yearning for a return to form after the disappointing Elements Of Life will certainly enjoy.

Vitalic - Flashmob (2013 Update)

PIAS America: 2009

(Click here to read my original TranceCritic review.)

I take it back. After hearing the lead single for Vitalic's new album, Rave Age, the doubts crept in. It had all the hallmarks of pandering to dumb-fuck festival EDM goers, though with just enough catchy Vitalicness to barely give it a pass. Still, I sure as hell didn't want to hear what the full album might sound like if he was going in that direction. No, maybe it would have been better to do things proper-Leftfield-like and called it quits after two albums, go out with a legacy held intact and all that rot.

Does that mean Rave Age truly is utterly dire? Hell if I know, I haven't even heard samples from it yet. I'm afraid to. Afraid the Vitalic that blew my mind way back with the Poney EP is long gone. Afraid of the musical compromises required to appeal to the lowest common denominator to get noticed by the new breed of party revelers. Afraid that my cynicism has been all for naught, that I might actually like the damned thing and I’ll be forced to eat crow once more (shit’s nasty, especially with a side of foot in your mouth). Yes, I’d rather remain in blissful ignorance and enjoy the music I have of Mr. Vitallica (besides, I can wager a guess of how it’ll sound, given the general apathy towards Rave Age since its release).

To be fair, ol’ Pascal’s music’s never been the most subtle. It was a rediscovery of rave music’s blunt aggressiveness that helped him stand tall above all the electroclash sleaze-mongers. And even when maximalists like Justice and Boys Noize caught up to him, he still etched out a mark for himself with Flashmob, suggesting a developing maturity in his sound that could have kept him a class act while his peers dumbed down the formula for ever-more insta-gratification generic results.

It’s a funny story, the whole maximalist movement: Ed Banger Records, Digitalizm, Mylo, and the lot. It got plenty of press and fanfare, but couldn’t quite sustain itself in the upper echelons of commercial dance. It was just too aggressive for the mainstream, lacking those identifiable hooks that worm into ears and persist with insidious offspring wrapped around your cochlea; nay, just ballz-to-the-wallz noise and anthems. Well, gee, sound like something else that caught on in the last few years? Yet at a time when folks should namedrop these obvious influences, most of the acts that brought it to the fore are barely mentioned anymore, considered something of a trendy, hipster, blog-house thing of half-a-decade prior. Except for Boys Noize. He kept his name out there.

If you’re wondering whether Flashmob has held up, I say most definitely, but only because those making this sort of music - Vitalic included, apparently - have taken a step back from its potential. I never thought I’d say this about maximalist techno, but ol’ Pascal’s sophomore effort is bloody mature and clever compared to what passes for such music these days.

Pryda - Europa / Odyssey (Original TC Review)

Pryda Recordings: 2007

(2013 Update:
This was written back when the term 'Swedish House Mafia' was nothing but a pet name web forum users tagged to producers making electro house from the Scandinavian country, which is why Eric Prydz was considered a 'member'. Go figure Angello, Ingrosso, and Axwell would go on to use it as a proper performance name. But yes, Prydz most definitely is not a real member of the group, having stuck to his own path for much of his career. Ironically, he was predicted to be the biggest star of that clutch of producers, but his lack of memorable hits following Pjanoo and refusal (fear?) of touring overseas left a significant gap in his career, the real SHM all too eager to take in his place.)


IN BRIEF: Equivalent of filler.

The general consensus within clubland is if you want to get into Eric Prydz, stay away from the material released under his own name (Call On Me, Proper Education), for despite such singles’ instant catchiness, they will quickly irritate after having to hear it on the radio for the three-hundred fourty-seventh time; let the commercial populace, whom fancy buying a Ministry Of Sound Annual compilation as digging deep into the underground, have their novelty dance tunes. Rather, if you really want hear what the successful Swedish House Mafia member is capable of, his aliases are where you should be directing your attention.

Although all of his work tends to retain that nu-electro tech-house feel, the material released under the Pryda banner gains the most notice, and for good reason. Tracks like Aftermath and Frankfurt are classic class, with much of the Pryda discography all equal to the highlight task. However, no success goes without its vocal detractors, and Eric has seen his fair share of them when it comes to this alias. In a nutshell, he’s been accused of never quite reaching to the higher pastures his music hints him capable of, often settling for the tried and tested formulae that’s won him over again and again. Fair complaints, and unfortunately with this new single Europa, he’s given such negative folk more ammunition.

As is often the case with Prydz, the base elements will win you right over. Along with a pleasing backing synth that gently grows in prominence when it plays, a simple looping trancey hook gets plenty of washing effects thrown on it at the peaks, which makes for a decent climax. And that’s about it, really. Everything else is sparse in sound, limp in rhythmic energy, and lacking in ingenuity. Europa’s arrangement is the kind of thing most up-and-coming producers learn in House Music 101, and were it not for Prydz’ layers of effects propping it up, this would be a very, very mediocre tune. You’d think he used John Dahlbäck’s Seal Of Adequacy and called it a day. It’s like Chinese food: satisfying upon consumption, but leaves you feeling empty shortly after.

The complete opposite is to be said with B-Side, Odyssey. For the opening minute or so, you’ll probably dismiss this as Just Another ‘Minimal’ Track, and might even wonder why Prydz, more known for peak-time tunes, would make something like this. However, as this track builds, additional rhythmic layers work a fine groove while basslines and backing synths craft a surprisingly strong production. Unlike Europa’s immediate appeal that evaporates soon after, Odyssey’s subtle sonic depth works in its favor, as the climax comes off like an anticipated reveal rather than run-of-the-mill pandering. That being said, Odyssey is still a rather simple tune as well; more satisfying than the A-Side, certainly, but rudimentary in execution nonetheless.

I’ve a feeling this single is going to garner many split opinions, none the least amongst Prydz’ fanbase. For some, he can do no wrong, and the basic ideas he presents definitely are good. However, even for a producer who’s been guilty of holding back on potential, these tracks sound as though they were made without much thought. Maybe he needed some Christmas bills quickly paid off, so he knocked these out, posted them on Beatport for purchasable download, and sat back as folks eagerly snatched up New Pryda without bothering to listen beforehand. Maybe.

Marco V - Combi:Nations:III

In Charge: 2007

Hi, Party Sykonee here. You might remember me as that counterpart of Critic Sykonee from a long ago review, Marco V’s Combi:Nations II. Now that he no longer feels shackled by ‘amateur journalistic integrity’ while blogging, we’ve pretty much become the same dude. Hell, even my grammar’s no longer questionable, isn’t that right, Critic Sykonee?

Critic Sykonee: “You know it, P’.”

Ah, some of you might have noticed I never re-uploaded that Marco V review here, even though it fell within my alphabetical guideline. Truth is, I no longer have that mix, as it was handed to me on a CD-RW I re-used for my next review. I do recall liking it, and figured should I stumble upon it cheap, I’d pick up a copy. Well hell, I didn’t find one, but here’s the follow-up, Combi:Nations III. Less than a fiver? Perfect excuse to do the schizophrenic gimmick again. Maybe the CDs will be good too!

And the first disc, titled Before, is good. It’s electro house, but it’s fun, funky, and rowdy in all the right places. Pure Main Room At Midnight indulgence. Heck, Critic Sykonee would even like this nowadays. Have we really merged that much in the five years since this was released? Hey, 2007 Sykonee, what would you say about this?

2007 Sykonee: “Trance sucks. Faux-electro is garbage. Minimal’s nonsense. Samim’s Heater’s a disgrace. Only good music now is Ultimae, which I just discovered, and twisted forest psy. Jungle’s still cool too.”

Wow, 2007 Sykonee was a twat. Fortunately, he’s stuck in the past, so forget what he has to say. Maybe even poke fun at some of his reviews whenever I upload them! (Critic Sykonee: “They weren’t all bad…”)

Back to Combi:Nations III. It seems after his dabbling on the previous edition of this series, Marco V found a proper groove with electro house, as all the tunes he uses maintains the peak hour bedlam with a few solid anthems thrown in here and there. One can never go wrong with Josh Wink’s Higher State Of Consciousness - yes, even in a remixed form - and Sander van Doorn’s last great track, Riff, is also present. Overall, the Before disc showcases all the ways electro house got it right.

However, what I was really looking forward to was the second disc, After, as that was a surprising highlight of Combi:Nations II. What kick-ass techno gems would Marco V unleash this-

Huh? That Trentemøller remix of Les Djinns is the lead-off? Okay… I guess that was a popular tune but… Oh, fuck me. Robbie Rivera’s here too? That guy’s been shit forever and… God, this mix is horrible. Track after track of plod-tech-hiss-dribble, arranged with no structure at all. And what’s with that rip-off of Don’t You Want Me? Marco, you totally lost the plot on this one. I never thought I’d say this, but compared to the music on After, the farty electro disc is brilliant. Isn’t that right, 2007 Sykonee?

2007 Sykonee: “You know it, P’.”

Benny Benassi - Who's Your Daddy? (Original TC Review)

Universal Licensing Music: Cat. # 983 624-8
Released December 2005

Track List:
A1. Who’s Your Daddy? (Original Extended) (6:27)
A2. Who’s Your Daddy? (David Guetta & Joachim Garraud Remix) (7:15)
B1. Who’s Your Daddy? (Electro Extended Mix) (5:51)
B2. Who’s Your Daddy? (Fuzzy Hair Remix) (6:32)


(2010 Update:
Oh man, lots of dated stuff here. Guetta doing trance? Okay, yeah, I admit I hadn't a clue who he was at this point, but his star was still a few months off from properly blowing up. Then there's that whole predicting the electro-house fad would die out by 2008. *sigh* Wishful thinking there, Syk'. As for Benassi, he's fallen off a bit since, Guetta having now become the premiere electro-dance-pop DJ and producer. You can still catch Benny on tour, though I dunno if he'd play this single. Maybe if you ask him nicely.)


IN BRIEF: Do the Daddy Dance.

You kind of have to feel sorry for Benny. Sure, he successfully produced a monster hit that made him a critical darling and mainstream star overnight. Unfortunately, in doing so his career could only follow one of two paths: continue recycling the formula of Satisfaction, keeping his mainstream fans but alienating the critics for ‘rehashing the same ideas’; or use his newfound stardom to stretch his musicianship, winning him continued critical praise but losing his mainstream audience for not providing ‘more of the same’. With Who’s Your Daddy?, it would appear Benny’s settled with the former.

Milking a winning formula isn’t necessarily a bad thing -hell, 2 Unlimited alone did it successfully for numerous singles. They are more of an exception than a rule, though, as all too often the perfect storm of circumstances that can make a dance hit massive across the board rarely works twice; just ask Darude.

But odds be damned, says Benassi. He’s made his bed with stupidly simply, dirty rockin’ house music, and he’s determined to give his fans more of it, whether we want it or not.

Fortunately for him, the style hasn’t worn out its welcome just yet (I predict two more years, tops) so Who’s Your Daddy? is an effective bit of rowdy dancefloor business. Looping guitars thrash as not-so-innocent dialogue spoken with innocent voices will undoubtedly get the ladies randy, inciting them to get drrrty in a club should they have consumed enough liquor -it encourages girls to play the innocent tease, and the guys to act on it. This is more of a novelty song, though, so your post-club enjoyment will only last for as long as those lyrics keep from annoying you. Personally, they overstayed their welcome by the third remix of this track on here, but party gals usually have a higher tolerance for skanky, shrieky words in music.

Ah, yes, the remixes. Not a whole heck of a lot to talk about regarding these, as they are fairly straight-forward exercises in making Who’s Your Daddy? suitable for certain scenes. It doesn’t quite work, though, as Benassi’s original trashy version invites wild antics while the others don’t. David Guetta and Joachim Garraud provide a bit of a trancey re-rub, which works decently enough until those slutty, screaming lyrics pop up, as they hardly mesh with the music on hand; anyone not familiar with the original will cast plenty of ‘what the fuck?’ looks in the direction of the trance DJ foolish enough to play it. The Electro mix cleans the sounds of the song up somewhat so it’ll fit better in electro house sets but the rowdy spirit of the original is slightly lost in the process (they’ve yet to make a synth sound that’s quite as wild as a good ol’ distorted guitar, though they are getting closer). And the Fuzzy Hair remix is only notable for an anti-climatic build, as the rest of it is funkless bumping electro house; very skippable.

Still, the original mix is a keeper for the time being, and Benassi should be able to maintain his career off of its strength for a little while longer. It doesn’t have nearly the accessability of Satisfaction but as a clone of the formula, Who’s Your Daddy? works fine and randy... er, dandy.


Score: 6/10


Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2006, for TranceCritic.com. © All rights reserved.

Felix da Housecat - Kittenz And Thee Glitz (Original TC Review)

Emperor Norton: Cat. # ENR 70472
Released June 2001

Track List:
1. Harlot (intro) (3:10)
2. Walk With Me (4:10)
3. Voicemail w/Miss Kittin (0:47)
4. Madame Hollywood (2:51)
5. Silver Screen Shower Scene (4:40)
6. Control Freaq (5:11)
7. What Does it Feel Like? (2:36)
8. Happy Hour (5:02)
9. The Enter View (1:14)
10. Glitz Rock (3:40)
11. Analog City (1:18)
12. Pray For A Star (3:54)
13. Sequel2Sub (3:50)
14. Magic Fly (3:00)
15. She Lives (3:03)
16. Runaway Dreamer (3:22)
17. What Does It Feel Like? (Röyksopp Return To The Sun Remix) (6:59)
18. Silver Screen Shower Scene (Thin White Duke Mix) (8:34)


(2010 Update:
Possibly one of the breeziest reviews I wrote. I honestly didn't anticipate it turning out the way it did. This was a case of me writing everything that immediately came to mind, and even if the idea was wacky, I ran with it. Not exactly a 'gonzo' review but definitely unconventional for us at the time. Hey, it's fun to read, ain'it? Oh, and the album still holds up excellently, as its inclusion in so many 'Best Of The 00s' EDM lists can attest to.)


IN BRIEF: If the mods had an 808...

It's time again for another edition of Trendsetting Albums: Do They Hold Up?, folks. This time, our glorious host, the straight-edged, gives-any-music-a-chance-provided-it's-not-CJ-Stone host Sykonee takes a look at yet another of the electro house movement's pioneers. Up to the plate is the album that practically set in stone the template for the genre we still hear today: Felix da Housecats Kittenz & Thee Glitz.

Hard to believe it's been half a decade since this was released. It doesn't feel that long ago all the underground hipsters were going apeshit over the raw, rocking analogue sounds coming from Felix and his compatriots (Electrikboy, Dave The Hustler, Miss Kittin, Junior Sanchez, Tommie Sunshine, Melistar, and Harrison Crump all lent their talents to this project). Yet here we are, five years later, and this music has been given the official stamp of mass-popularity approval thanks to Madonna's latest album. Now even your mothers can discover that awesome wicked cool sound you were gushing over in trendy clubs just after the turn of the century.

For no better reason than my electroclash camp was firmly with Tiga's Turbo label (and by association International Deejay Gigolos as well), I initially never jumped on the Felix bandwagon until after the hype died down. Of course, I'd heard some of the big singles but hadn't felt it necessary to pursue his material when I'd had The Hacker, Vitalic, DJ Hell, and so on to fill my needs. As such, I'm diving into Kittenz & Thee Glitz fresh. Let's see if time has been kind to the Muzik Magazine 2001 Album Of The Year.

And Harlot, billing itself as an intro track, is an encouraging sign of things to come. The mood is slinky, the synths are stuttery, and the rhythm is energetic. Only trouble is these elements rarely line-up together to form a standard song. Okay, fine, it isn't really trouble since this is an intro track (why blow your load all at once, right?), but it is a substantial tease, making you beg for more like it. With that in mind, Harlot is probably one of the most effective intros I’ve heard in a long time. Can't wait to see what's next.

Deep house, it would seem. Only... it's not. Structurally, Walk With Me has all the trappings of deep house -laid back rhythms, soulful lyrics, unobtrusive backing hooks and pads- but the sound patches are in a completely different world. The pads are a warm analogue synth, the percussion is perfectly suited for techno, and the lyrics are finely filtered into robo-land. Of course, at the time this was produced, these tricks had already been in use in numerous other styles of EDM. But deep house? Felix would have to be quite cheeky to tamper with that sacred genre.

Following a voice message from Miss Kittin, we're thrust into the two huge singles from this album. Since everyone's undoubtedly heard them by now, I'll just move along. Eh? You want some commentary from me anyways? How about I never really cared for these much. Sure, they're undeniably catchy, and Silver Screen’s march-a-long rabble rousing nature is irresistible on a dancefloor, but I personally feel it was done better on this album.

Happy Hour -now that's the one (yes, I know I'm going out of sequence; bear with me on this). It's structurally similar to Silver Screen but is a lot more fun. The fuzzed-out bass has some actual melody to it, there's great analogue synths, and the lyrics are a hoot! C'mon, I dare you to resist singing along to "808s, gives you power" as that beat throbs in the background. Happy Hour should have been an even bigger hit than Silver Screen. Why wasn't it? Probably the Miss Kittin factor had something to do with it. She was the rising starlett at the time, so her collaborations would get more attention. It's a shame, too, because I actually kind of prefer Melistar's sultry voice to Ms. Herves deadpan delivery (dammit, did it again!).

As we go further into Thee Glitz, I'm beginning to wonder where all the '80s revival theme' music journalists at the time were proclaiming made up the bulk of this album. Yes, there's plenty of 808 drum machines and analogue synths being used but only as a sound source. The musical styling, however, feels more like mod than synth-pop.

Another thing that strikes me is the diversity of all these songs: house, techno, soul, rock, italo. Every track borrows from a different style and is given an electro gloss-over without abandoning the substance of their attributes. With this much variety on hand, I can see why the music media was so quick to lump Thee Glitz into the electroclash camp -there's just no easy way to shuffle this into a tidy genre.

And that, my friends, is the mark of a great album (yes, I also know I’m not detailing all the songs anymore; just continue to bear with me). When a producer or team of them can craft an album that defies easy genre-fication, spawns tons of imitators, and still manages to sound fresh after the fact, you do indeed have something special on hand. By leaping across all sorts of scenes, Kittenz & The Glitz has created its own little bubble that exists outside of the trends of time. It sounds just as relevant being a part of the electroclash movement as it would have were it part of the mod rock movement or synth-pop movement. And it will undoubtedly be required listening for whatever the next post-modern hipster movement will be. Pick this up to be ahead of trends before they even start up again!

...Or better yet, just pick this up because it is a great collection of songs that, barring any production miracles in the electro house scene this spawned, will probably never be matched again.

Hmm. That kind of wraps up this review nice and tidily, doesn't it. It'd be redundant of me to go back now and detail all the songs like we normally do so I'll introduce my patent pending Interactive Review here. It's quite simple: I'll give you a selection of words, and you can arrange them however you see fit to help me describe my reactions to the songs on this album.

Step 1:
Choose from one of the following styles of music:
House
Techno
Soul
Mod Rock
Italo

Step 2:
Add Electro as the prefix.

Step 3:
Choose from one of the following words I felt describes what I heard in this release:
Awesome
Sweet
Rocking
Smooth

Step 4:
Add Fucking as the prefix.

Have fun!


Score: 9/10

ACE TRACKS:
Happy Hour
Glitz Rock
She Lives


Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2006 for TranceCritic.com. © All rights reserved.