Solieb - Impersonator

Maschine: 2006

Screw all those trance pansies, ignoring a great album like The Hive in favour of the latest Dutch monstrosity. Time to take your work back underground, Lieb, away from the limelight and expectation of the mainstream clubbing consciousness. New label, strictly vinyl, no hype. Or, y'know, just hop on the trendy minimalist techno bandwagon, since it's a style of music you've yet to explore much of. Yeah, challenge the muse! Whatever excuse for this change of direction you want to go with.

The Solieb project was more than just a departure in music for ol’ Oliver: it also marked the start of going into business for himself, establishing his own Maschine imprint through which he released music under the new moniker. It was a bold step, in that he no longer could rely on larger labels to do the heavy promotions for him. Judging by how much the Solieb stuff got licensed out compared to L.S.G. or Spicelab, it doesn’t appear he was as concerned with that aspect of label running. Surely the good graces of name recognition alone would propel him to success. Eh...

Look, I can’t blame Lieb for wanting to make serious techno musics after so long of wading through the oceans of trance, but everyone was making serious techno musics in the mid-‘00s (yay hypberbole!). Why not try house music? Or jungle? Maybe even acid jazz! Could that German heritage of his just not help it, eager to show all these new producers what real machine music was capable of, from a native of the nation that invented machine music? Fair enough, but man, this better be some next-level shit if you’re gonna stand out from all the Hawtin wannabes.

Oh, wait, the Solieb stuff was only released on vinyl. I don’t collect vinyl. Dammit, Oliver, you’re not only challenging my dedicated consumption of your craft, but now forcing me down the internet backroads to procure it? Why are you making it so difficult for me to like this new project? How about some sort of ‘collected works’ CD option? If even that wacky Ricky D. James guy did it for his Analord series, surely something similar can be done for the Solieb stuff. Okay, enough grumbling over catering to my selfish needs. It’s time to listen to a bunch of your serious techno musics.

As chance would have it, a pair of tracks I ‘acquired’ made up the Impersonator EP, released when Solieb was gaining enough steam for folks to finally take notice (“Wait, it’s that Netherworld guy?” “Uh, yeah, name’s a dead giveaway.”). The titular A-side is quite a bangin’ bit of techno, with plenty of polyrhythmic percussion, noisy synths, and messy sound effects that has ‘peak hour’ square in its sights. I likes. The B-side, Stay High, plays up the trendier side of techno in ’06, with a shufflin’ tech-house groove and random squelchy noises. It’s... not so interesting. Wow, who’d have thought all that ‘forward-thinking minimal techno’ would sound dated already?

Faithless - If Lovin' You Is Wrong

Cheeky Records: 1996

Of all the tracks to pluck for single duty from Reverence, they went with this one? Insomnia and Salva Mea were no-brainers (lead-ins, to be honest), and Don't Leave made for a decent third. If Lovin' You Is Wrong always struck me as novelty track though, like Baseball Cap or Dirty Old Man - something to spice the album up with cheeky fun so it didn’t get weighed down with po-faced seriousness. It's definitely the most erotic you'll ever hear Maxi Jazz, the sort of sexy come-ons you wouldn't expect a pseudo-religious lyricist to indulge in (sample: “Eat you like a cannibal.” Classy.). Heck, in retrospect, the entire track feels at odds to Faithless’ discography; at least, to the extent I’ve kept tabs on the group, as their post-Outrospective material hasn’t graced my ears much. That’s a topic of discussion for later though.

As with a lot of Faithless music, If Lovin’ You Is Wrong defies easy description. I suppose Prince-influenced R’n’B is the easiest lump, borrowing tempo and sounds of that genre (oh so much womanly moaning throughout). But ho, there’s more: beat scratches, clanking percussion, and a gospel chorus! I... don’t think I’d want to hear that while “tearing off tights with my teeth”. Wait, that’s a different song. Overall, the tone is just too goofy to take seriously as a slice of pure eroticism, despite Maxi Jazz’ sexy descriptions of unhinged love making. Like I said, more of a novelty track following the uber-anthem Salva Mea on the album.

The single comes with a Sexy Edit (just the album version), and a Cleaned Up Edit, which removes all the moaning and adds more light-hearted bounce to the music. Oh, and some lyrics are changed. Instead of eating you like a cannibal, Maxi Jazz will “eat you like caramel.” That’s actually more erotic, come to think of it. And speaking of coming, Mr. Jazz initially said, “If you come first, well that’s the worst”; now he says, “If you go first, well that’s the worst.” That’s... um, that’s just lame now.

On the backend of the CD, we get a pair of remixes courtesy of Rollo and Sister Bliss (I assume, what with no other credits listed). The Slowly Risin’ Mix opens with Mr. Jazz singing his opening verse without any musical backing, a boogie-woogie bassline eventually emerging. Pretty fun stuff, and then it’s off to house land, getting a little prog, getting a little bosh, and, of course, a little hands-in-the-air. Not bad, but if you prefer it when Faithless goes for the full-bore anthems, then check out the Inflammable Mix, about as unabashedly over-the-top as the group could get in the ‘90s. For that matter, how’s this track even related to If Lovin’ You Is Wrong? Admit it, Rollo, you and Ms. Bliss just had another anthem lying around in demo form, and slapped it on here under pretence instead, didn’t you. Oh well, as far as b-sides go, it’s worth scoping this single out for.

Banco de Gaia - I Love Baby Cheesy

Six Degrees Records: 1999

Windows Media Player has some odd organization. Ignoring articles in titles, that makes sense to me – who wants long strings of ‘the’s, ‘a’s, and ‘an’s? Yet here we are in the ‘I’s, and it regards the pronoun ‘I’ as its own entity, lining up all my albums starting with “I…”. On the other hand, it treats the word ‘is’ as lesser than ‘I’, as demonstrated when Khooman’s album Is A Flexible Liquid cropped up in the ‘F’s. All of this, of course, has nothing to do with the music on Banco de Gaia’s I Love Baby Cheesy. If you’ve actually been wondering how this alphabetical thing works though, here’s your answer, since there’s not much to discuss regarding this single, and I have to eat up self-imposed word count somehow.

Truth is, aside from one or two cases, Toby Marks' project doesn't translate well to the singles format. His albums generally are enjoyed as a whole, and the odd tune that does get plucked out for EP use often comes off weaker without the surrounding tracks as context. Still, DJs gotta DJ, and they'd much rather have a shorter piece of wax or disc without all the fuss of partial blends and multi-tracks.

I Love Baby Cheesy was the lead single off Magical Sounds Of Banco de Gaia (and the lead track, incidentally), marking a return to big, exuberant fun-time music from Marks after the relatively somber Big Men Cry. As a jump off point for that album, it's fantastic, the combination of funky rhythms, catchy nonsensical vocal samples, hooky synths, and dashes of world beat grabbing you by the lapels for a flailing good time on the dance floor or open field. It's about as light-hearted as you'll ever find Banco de Gaia (and if you don't believe me, gander at those goofs in the video). Shame the stupid Radio Edit on this single ruins all of that, but his Skippy Mix makes up for it (aside from a few cosmetic changes, it's the same as the album version).

Two remixers join in on the cheddar love, the first care of Dub Pistols, a group who broke out during the big beat era and are still kicking it today. Best way to describe their take on this tune is… ‘hard-step’ breaks? Whatever, it’s typical late-‘90s fodder, and mostly forgettable.

The second comes care of a chap going by Wayward Soul, offering two rubs here. Lord Discogs says this is actually Anthony Thorpe. *blink* Wait, original acid house Thorpe, he of Addis Posse, Moody Boys, and such? You sure of that, oh Lord? Huh, if so, that’s quite a coup on Marks’ part to snag him. His remixes are pretty cool too, the first (Electric Cheddar Remix) a dubby, tribal breaks thing, and the second (The Afro-European Remix) going deeper into the dub and tribal haze. Yeah, I can vibe to these. They’re definitely unique offerings within the Banco discography, even for those who are not completists. (*tugs at collar*)

Juno Reactor - Hotaka

Metropolis: 2002

Juno Reactor was already popular within the psy trance community by the turn of the century, but as the new millennium took form, something must have happened in Japan, as Ben Watkins’ music found an even wider audience in the Far East country; at least I assume, given how many live CDs and DVDs they’ve released of concerts there. So big, in fact, that while the Reactor project was between albums, he released this EP titled Hotaka, a major tune for the Hotaka Mountain Festival where Juno Reactor performed the year prior. What else could it be for?

The track itself is quite the mish-mash of musical heritage. Taiko drums and Japanese vocalizations are obviously a bit part of the tune, but as we're still in that 'spaghetti Western' portion of Watkins' career, the thrashy guitar riffage is accounted for as well; and, of course, those pseudo-EBM rhythms that's long been a Juno Reactor trademark. I guess if the first half of the album Shango didn't do much for you, neither will Hotaka, as the tune's firmly moved on from all those early psy trance vibes many were introduced to the Reactor. Heck, it doesn't even have that 'buttrock goa' thing going for it, so finely produced it is.

Juno Reactor had a decade-deep discography by the time Hotaka came out, but very few singles to their name, as their main strength lay in the album format. That trend continued here, with a pointless Radio Edit and two remixes included with the main track. As for the re-rubs, there's some discrepancy. They're credited to Thomas Heckmann and Der Dritte Raum on the CD, but Lord Discogs states otherwise, the “Heckmann” remix done by Kloq, and the “Raum” one by Juno Reactor member Kris Kylven. There's also a note stating the CD credits are mislabeled, but if that's the case, it's one Hell of a mislabel. Were Heckmann and Raum even commissioned to do remixes for this EP? Who knows at this point, but I'm sure some Juno junkie could enlighten you if you're curious enough.

Ignoring all the clerical mishaps, how do these remixes sound? The “Heckmann” remix is far more banging, almost what you'd expect the techno producer to do to the track if given the chance. Meanwhile, the “Raum” remix goes more subdued and minimalistic – it's almost meditative in an ambient sort of way, but without losing any of the high tempo of the original. Overall, they're both interesting variations of Hotaka, in a stripped-down, understated way.

Hotaka’s a tidy little EP, though probably only Juno Reactor completists will likely feel the need to nab a copy; what an odd thing to say, coming from yours truly, as this and Shango are the only Reactor releases I have. Granted, part of that oversight’s because of an early Audio Galaxy raid gathering up their music for burned CDs, but those have long since disintegrated. Looks like I’ve some music hunting to do…

2 Unlimited - Here I Go (BioMetal - Pt. 2)

Quality Music: 1995

(Click here to read my original TranceCritic review.)


The black BioMetal frigate erupted in a furious blaze, the surrounding wind and rain unable to quell the explosion dealt by the HALBRED's blistering plasma weapons and homing missiles. A structure near its center burst open, green fluids spewing out on a direct line for the ship. Taking no chances, Ray jerked the ship's controls back, avoiding the bizarre last gasp of the dying BioMetal frigate. Yet his haste and the exploding aftershock sent the HALBRED flying from its hovering position, spinning downward into the storm surrounding them.

He couldn't steady the ship, the combined stresses stripping him of control. Ray knew of only one manoeuvre that could save them from certain death.

“Here I go!” Ray yelled, slamming the controls down with a sharp jerk. “Hang on!”

The HALBRED increased its spin as it plummeted to the moon below. Too much, and even the ship's advanced thrusters wouldn't get out of its descent quick enough. He had to ride the crosswinds, hoping the cloud cover would break before the surface broke them.

Nausea attacked his senses, momentum urging Ray to accept a blissful darkness until it passed. Death was certain if he succumbed, and he focused his eyes on the altitude read-out, a best guess according to the mothership's sensors. One thousand feet. Nine hundred. Eight hundred.

How bloody low are these damned clouds? he thought with a grinding of his teeth. The pain of a cracked tooth was much preferable to the sickness swelling in his stomach.

A dull, orange light suddenly washed over him, the HALBRED's spin easing into a steady rotation. “We're through!” he shouted, flipping a switch to initiate the ship's reverse thrusters. In a near instant, the ship righted itself from its descent, easing into a motionless hover. A quick glance over the on board instruments showed no sign of damage, even after the onslaught of BioMetals they'd dealt with coming through the clouds.

Way more than they anticipated, Ray thought with a wry smile, stretching his neck. And that had only been the initial wave, simple air strikers that had no idea an attack on their home was imminent. No, the opposition would grow fiercer the deeper they penetrated the BioMetal's nest. For the moment though, they could rest, catch a breather.

Ray glanced at his co-pilot's life monitor, showing a steady green. “Anita?” he called into the internal radio. “Are you OK?”

After a few seconds of silence, he called again, to no response. Is she unconscious? Riding a hunch, he flatly whispered, “Sensuality?”

“Pig,” came the reply in his ear.

“Good, you’re awake,” Ray chortled. “Sorry if that was rougher than the average flight.”

“Ugh, I was never prepared for that. I don't think I can handle this.”

“You did fine, babe,” Ray said.

“Thanks, I think. Where are we now?”

“Near the BioMetals' lair. We should-” Ray's voiced trailed off as the lifesign beacon began flashing again. “Well, rest-time's over. You better get ready for this, because the welcoming party is coming.”


(If you're hopelessly lost as to what's going on, click here.)

Sven Väth - Harlequin - The Beauty And The Beast

Warner Bros. Records: 1994

Sven Väth is Sven Väth, a very important- wait, I did that joke for him already. Then let’s get right to it for this mega-maxi CD of Harlequin – The Beauty And The Beast. As the lead single to his sophomore effort, The Harlequin, The Robot And The Ballet-Dancer, there was quite the bit of expectation going in. An Accident In Paradise was hailed as a early classic of the emerging German take on techno (trance!), even with some of the odder sonic doodles hampering the album’s overall flow. Could Sven capture the same magic he and Hildenbeutel crafted with Ritual Of Life, Caravan Of Emotions, and L’Esperanza?

Not with a convoluted title like Harlequin – The Beauty And The Beast. What is that even supposed to mean? I realize The Harlequin, The Robot, And The Ballet-Dancer had something of concept going on, but the title is horribly clumsy. Not to mention just glancing at it along with the so-very ‘90s CGI cover art undoubtedly had some wondering if Sven had gone all prog rock on them. The music may be perfectly fine, but man does the presentation do it no favors.

In the end, the track with the longest title was picked for the lead single, annoying any scribes setting out to review it. It’s a decent enough tune, in that early Teutonic techno sort of way. Skitchy backing synths, a lead that’s easy enough to get hooked on, and some nods to goa trance that was catching on elsewheres in clubland (although the Club Mix is about where you’ll hear most of it, what with over ten minutes to work with).

Remixes then. Since this was intended to be Sven’s hot new single, there’s a pile of them. Underworld’s take on Harlequin – The blahblahblah works the group’s classic cool groove into a twelve minute excursion that plays to all of progressive house’s ‘back-in-the-day’ strengths, never feeling as long as it actually is. And as the original owed some sonic nods to psy, Total Eclipse offers a proper goa spin on the tune. C.J. Bolland’s also here, beefing up the beats if you like your techno hard and bangin’. And finally, Pascal F.E.O.S. gives us a remix that’s a little more bare and acidy.

No, wait, that’s not ‘finally’, if you got this American version of the single. All those other remixes, they’re just too Euro, man. What this tune needs is some proper, deep, funky garage-house from the likes of Murk. In fact, forget whatever the original sounded like, let’s get Marck Michel on the microphone, giving Harlequin – DamnitI’mnottypingitanymore more soul than those Germans could hope to craft. And you know what? This ‘remix’ is so good on its own, let’s have four versions of the same bumping, muscular vibes. ‘Cause that’s the ’merica way of doin’ things, boy.

Quite a diverse collection of remixes then, but unfortunately overstuffed, leaving the finished product a middling affair. Too many utterances of “the beauty and the beast” methinks.

The Irresistible Force - Fish Dances (Original TC Review)

Ninja Tune: 1999

(2013 Update:
I feel like an idiot for not realizing this at the time, but Mixmaster Morris had done a remix of Coldcut's classic Autumn Leaves way back, which became something of a classic in itself. Well no wonder Ninja Tune invited him over to join their roster after the Force left Rising High. There's also some ropey info in this old review regarding the state of chill rooms. While it's true most of them had died out at regular parties, they've persisted in the psy scene, where Morris still occasionally plays out in. Erm, yeah, I've no excuse for that oversight on my part.

I should also mention there are two versions of Fish Dances out there, the other having an additional two remixes from Fila Brazilia and DJ Food. Just my luck I'd end up with the short one.)


IN BRIEF: A final dance from the Force.

Changing trends can be cruel. Mixmaster Morris, once a fixture in the chill scene, seems all but forgotten now. How could an individual whose star was as bright as The Orb’s disappear from the public eye? As with all things in musicdom, the answer is a change of tastes.

Morris’ brand of mellow, trippy ambience was a lovely soundtrack to many a backroom when rave parties were mostly an underground vibe; it wouldn’t be uncommon to see hippies and candy kids lounging together as the lengthy Force track Flying High pleasantly noodled out of speakers. Once club culture invaded the chill rooms though, most of Morris’ fans were shooed away. And when Moby’s Play blasted all traces of druggy connotations out of chill rooms with its bankable MOR tones, the old ambient masters’ fates were sealed: downtempo music was no longer the refuge for ravers, but rather their mothers.

Actually, that’s not entirely accurate. We mustn’t forget the influence Ninja Tune’s brand of trip-hop was having on folks. While they wouldn’t see the kind of commercial success reserved for Moby and co., their critical praise continued undaunted while psychedelic styles were regarded as old-hat.

Perhaps this is why Morris ended up on the label. On Ninja Tune, he could continue to produce his kind of music without either selling himself out or being lost in the backwaters of tiny labels still making lovely mushroom music. It may not have worked out as intended though, as Morris’ music was too psychedelic for even the open-minded Ninja Tune faithful, whom prefer their reefer above all else. The album It’s Tomorrow Already was the last produced with the Irresistible Force alias, and Morris has scarcely been heard from since. Does this mean the material on that release was bad? Oh hell no. As is evidenced by this final single Fish Dances, the Irresistible one was in as fine of form as ever.

The two cuts produced by Morris himself - the remix of Power and an instrumental of the titular track - contain all his trademark tricks in abundance: dreamy melodies; trippy atmospherics; bubbly drumming; floaty vibes; and, as always, a strict adherence to loose music. This last attribute has often caused Morris to lose potential listeners; for those who enjoy structured music with definite hooks, his free-for-all approach can leave many confused despite the lovely textures heard. And, as is usually the case with such music, it can go on for tedious amounts of time with go-nowhere sections. Fortunately, these two cuts show enough restraint so you don’t tire of anything looping on you.

An eclectic assortment of producers are on hand to lend their talents in remixing tracks from the album as well. Nepalese Bliss, the other single from It’s Tomorrow Already, gets a dubby trip-hop work-over from Jimpster; his blend of jazzy vibes with Morris’ floaty melodies are a wonderful combination. Meanwhile, Frédéric Galliano treats Fish Dances to a brisk acid jazz workout on the percussion end before bringing in the original’s dreamy synths to end out on a smooth bit of chill. Positively delish’.

The remixes by Voda (on Playing Around With Sound) and Plaid makes for an interesting contrast to the rest of this single’s material. Paranoia drips from Voda’s go, with eerie, choking sound effects and skittery spoken dialogue that is rendered nearly unintelligible; all the while, grimy trip-hop rhythms clump along. But if Voda’s remix is paranoid, then Plaid’s remix is downright schizophrenic: it starts with similar eerie effects while anxious melodies flow in the background. Eventually though, it settles into an easy electro rhythm before ending off in a pleasant, light-hearted tone.

It’s a shame Morris never had a chance to continue working with Ninja Tune, as his style does bring an already strong label added depth in the blissy chill categories. However, ‘twas not to be, and the Irresistible one’s output has been scarce since (you can find fresh material online though, should you be interested). All in all, if you’ve never cared for Morris’ early material, then perhaps this single will offer you a chance to reconsider. You still have vintage Irresistible Force tracks here, but the variety and skill of the remixes adds to Fish Dances’ worthiness if you’re in the market for non-MOR chill.

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.

Nimanty - Etanee

Venonza Records: 2008

*sigh* Here we go again.

I suppose this makes better sense than one-sided vinyls – talk about scamming record collectors with that option – but one-song releases are still annoying to deal with. It's not even like Nimanty couldn't have made this a multi-track EP, as he released other similar digi-singles at the time. Was it so important having individual images tagged to these MP3s? It just don't make none of the sense in this day in age.

If I'm bitching so much, why did I even pick this up then? Research, primarily. As one of those links to the right suggests, I've been gathering all sorts of music for a guide, and sometimes good examples of certain genres come in these single-song releases. Normally it's some re-issue of old, obscure, tape-only ambient from the '80s, but occasionally something like this crops up too. I prefer avoiding them though, as it wonks up my personal library. Still, this Etanee was too good to pass up. Heck, I even paid for the bloody thing, and I fucking hate the very concept of paying for MP3s. But... I didn’t buy a digi-file that's uninsurable; no no, it's, um, donating to Discogs, for their incredible service. Yeah, that's it! And if the artist gets something beneficial in return, all the more better for it.

So who is Nimanty, and what’s so special about this one particular tune of his? Roelf Staal’s the man behind the project, composing space ambient much in the vein of the label Hearts Of Space, a juggernaut operating since the ‘80s in providing music to watch the stars hover by. You know, the sort of calm, soothing music they’ll play at the planetarium as you bear witness to the cosmos in all its splendour. The universe is grand and majestic, not cold and desolate as those dark ambient guys will have you believe. In that sense, space ambient has a tendency to skew towards the New Age side of things, and though some will claim the difference is negligible, believe me it exists.

Etanee in particular is a good example of where that divide occurs. It has your sweeping, spacious pad work as you’d expect, but there’s more musicality going on here, a greater emphasis on not only creating atmosphere, but painting a specific picture. Ambient, at least in its purest sense, is ambiguous in presentation, the listener often allowed to discover their own interpretation of the music playing (though the composer will still offer a guiding hand). Etanee takes the time to play a little piano, glitch up the pads, and even provide curious vocalizations. It’s like a Kitaro composition, quite pleasant really when it comes to New Age-ambient hybrids.

Overall, this is a nice little tune (only ten minutes long), but my God could it use musical context surrounding it. C’mon, Nimanty, how about a proper LP, eh?

2 Unlimited - Do What's Good For Me (BioMetal - Pt. 1)

Popular Records: 1996

(Click here to read my original TranceCritic review)


“I take it you're Anita.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied, offering a timid hand for a shake. “And you're the pilot, Ray, correct?”

“Sure am, babe,” he said with a wink, scratching his chin.

Babe? “They say you're the best,” Anita said after an awkward pause, withdrawing her hand. “Have you ever flown a ship of this sort before?”

Ray laughed. “Not at all. A few test simulations, but I'm getting thrown into this contraption raw just like you, babe.”

Anita rubbed the back of her head. “It's unfortunate they're forcing us to do this,” she mumbled. “I'm an exo-biologist, not a fighter pilot.”

“Don't worry,” Ray said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Just handle those shields and tell me which BioMetals I need to worry about. I'll take care of everything else.”

“Very confident, aren't you,” she giggled.

He scratched his chin again. “Gotta do what's good for me,” he chuckled.

The elevator halted, its doors opening and revealing the starship's docking bay. Nearby, they both could see the HALBRED, a sleek red and white fighter-class vessel being fitted with the latest armaments WASP could provide them. General Wilde, whom gave them private briefings prior, was waiting. “Good to see you're both ready,” he said, turning to the pair.

“Yes Sir!” Ray and Anita replied in unison.

“Do you have any questions before launch?”

“Why the urgency, sir,” Ray asked, in a far less informal tone Anita would have guessed allowed.

General Wilde smiled, as though he'd long been used to Ray's casualness. “Just how familiar are you with the BioMetals, kid?” he asked.

Anita held back a snicker. Kid Ray, she thought with a glance over her co-pilot's youthful but embarrassed face. Seems appropriate.

“Only that they were responsible for the Armageddon, during the last Galactic Alignment, sir.”

“Right,” the general nodded. “With reports of their species in the process of re-multiplying, we have to strike at the heart of their nests before they overrun the galaxy again.”

“If I may, sir,” Anita said, “but why must we attack this moon of UP457 first?”

“The BioMetals only have a small colony here,” he replied. “It's the logical base to attack first.”

“Don't tell me you're afraid of a little atmospheric turbulence, babe,” Ray chortled.

Why's General Wilde tolerating him like this? “No, Kid Ray,” she shot back. “It's hardly a 'little' turbulence. They don't call it 'the twlight zone' for nothing.”

“All the more reason to destroy this nest before it grows too infested with BioMetals to launch another attack,” General Wilde stated, his voice firm and snapping the two back to attention. “We're counting on you two. Dismissed.”

“Yes sir!”

Once the general left, Ray turned to Anita and smirked, “'Kid' Ray?”

“Sorry, I just-”

“No, it’s fine,” he said, smiling. “I kinda like it. Come on, let’s get on board. Fame and glory await us!”

At that, he rushed to the HALBRED, Anita close behind.


(If you're hopelessly lost as to what's going on, click here.)

DDR - Dig It / Rockin

Stay Up Forever: 2009

Did you know hard London acid techno never died? I sure as hell didn't. Like so much acid techno born of the 90s, I figured it went by the wayside once shranz and minimal took over. Sporadically an isolated instance of the genre would crop up, but nothing to suggest the scene held strong for all these years. Despite the odds, The Geezer, Rowland The Bastard, Chris Liberator, all those Stay Up Forever and Smitten guys (plus multitudes of offshoots) kept going, offering up more and more of their brand of hard, fuck-off acid techno for the true heads. Or something like that.

I only learned about this earlier in the year, when I went on a hunt for all electronic music within the scenes celebrating the Roland TB-303. Along the way I acquired several A-Sides and B-Sides, but never Both-Sides – just saw no reason to when one or the other of an EP would do. So how I ended up with this particular one, I've no idea. I don't want to make a habit of reviewing 12-inches, but whatever. It gives me a chance to talk about London F'n acid techno!

DDR, or Dave Lalouche as he’s known on his passport, is part of that original acid techno posse, often appearing in collaborations but occasionally knocking out a few solo joints too. This being a recent 12”, has there been some evolution in the London acid techno sound?

The A-Side, Dig It, starts off with strong, energetic beats, an occasional vocal sample popping up in the mix. Once the TB-303 comes in, it gets a decent workout for the duration. In all, about what you’d expect for acid techno of any year. The B-Side, Rockin, starts off with strong, energetic beats (though not as strong and energetic as Dig It), an occasional vocal sample popping up in the mix (though more frequently than Dig It). Once the TB-303 comes in, it gets a decent workout for the duration (though not as much of a workout as in Dig It). In all, about what you’d expect for acid techno of any year.

So, um... yeah. Nothing’s changed for that scene at all.

And that’s perfectly fine. The London acid techno crew has always been singular in their manifesto, supplying ample hardware for kick-ass, in your face, off your nut parties. Go in, get mashed, dance until dawn, bleed your sweat glands dry. Then go home, rest, and wait for another time to indulge, most likely weeks or months away. It may be simple, but it does the job, and that’s all hard acid lovers want or need. These guys are still kicking out the jams like its 1995, and if this 12” is anything to go by, it’s a formula that won’t die anytime soon. Respect.

Kraftwelt - Deranged In Space

Hypnotic: 1996

If you got through some of my earliest shit reviews, you may have noticed a minor gush over the name Audio Science. A four-piece group from Germany, they were one of the better hard trance acts of the early 90s, and seeing their name crop up on a Hypnotic Records release suggested at least some quality would be found within. They had another project too; an electro act named Kraftwelt that very much was inspired by that other ‘kraft’ German group that made it big in the 70s.

Electro was going through some lean times in the middle of the 90s. Though a few acts like Jedi Knights and Aux 88 kept it afloat, it’d take until the latter end of that decade before a proper revival occured. I can see Kraftwelt treating their project as nothing more than a fun tribute side-project but, for some reason, Hypnotic Records got behind it to an almost unprecedented level. Maybe they just really, really loved their covers on the Tribute To Kraftwerk CD?

So a whole album of fresh material was commissioned, and to promote it Hypnotic released this disc as the lead single. Fair enough, but were a dozen remixes necessary? Good lord, even the classics of dance music take years to acquire that many to their name, and here’s Hypnotic tossing out twelve in the first shot.

As you can imagine, Deranged In Space isn’t a great package. Hypnotic relies on artists signed to them (or parent label Cleopatra), and few were major names, even within the niche genres they covered. Kinder Atom, Zero Gravity, Surface 10, Coercion, and Space Ship Eyes mostly stick to spacey electro, while Leæther Strip and Virex take the EBM road. The remixes are fine for the most part, but it does grow tedious repeatedly hearing the same samples and pieces culled from the original Deranged.

Three cuts do stand out though. First, The Path is a totally different track, sounding like a proper nu-Kraftwerk track that suites the whole project. At the other end of the spectrum is the Controlled Bleeding remix, a glorious mess of a cut that befits the noisy bastards they are - it’s like hearing Deranged fed through a number cruncher, then expunged back into your face as digital vomit. Awesome! Finally, Überzone provides a rub, doing his chemical breaks thing, though rather subdued for his style (the Interfaith Super 8 Remix is probably closer to what folks would expect). ‘zone’s done better, but it did get featured on the old MTV show Amp, so there’s that. Man, Hypnotic must have pushed the hell out of this single.

If you’re curious about this project, you’re likely better off picking up one of the two Kraftwelt albums instead of picking up Deranged In Space. It could have been a respectable EP with half the content, but trying to milk a full remix album out of one relatively unknown song is bonkers. Oh, Hypnotic, always doing more than you should.

FPU - Crockett's Theme / Ocean Drive

Turbo: 2002

Pads have long been one of my favorite components of electronic music, but I’d be hard pressed to provide a Top 10 example, as they’re so ubiquitous in the genre, dating back even to its earliest forms. On a personal point though, Peter Benisch’s use of them in Crockett’s Theme easily makes the list. Their beauty lies in their simplicity, prominent and enveloping, yet always lingering in the background as the best pad work does. Of course, it helps that the original composition was written by Jan Hammer, easily one of the best synth composers of the 80s; however, Hammer kept his pad work subtle, instead focusing on the rousing, building theme for the Don Johnson character. Though that theme is present in Benisch’s cover, it’s his pads that steal the show. And the remixers knew it.

Possibly even more successful was Tiga’s reworking of the tune into Ocean Drive. This came out when the Turbo honcho was discovering he actually had a decent singing voice and, following up on the sensation that was his cover of Sunglasses At Night produced yet another 80s homage. Obviously it’d be something relating to Miami Vice but who’d have thought he’d play to the show’s slash-fic audience. He’s never explicit about it, as there’s an artful homo-erotic tone to this version, made even more apparent by the video that borrows its aesthetic from a similarly homo-erotic art house film titled Querelle, also from the 80s.

Adding a hand to Ocean Drive was Mateo Murphy, a techno producer of some success in the early 2000s. He’s given solo remix duties on Crockett’s Theme, working an energetic layered groove before bringing his take on the pads for the finish. Rounding out the remix package is Jori Hulkkonen under his Zyntherius guise, treating the tune to an 80s house rub that’s fun for what it is, but ain’t a touch on the other versions here.

Man, all this, and I still haven’t gotten to Benisch’s FPU alias. The project gave him an avenue to explore spacey electro and synth-pop, the first single of which was this one. In an effort to promote the forthcoming album Traxxdata, this CD contained a couple extra tracks from it, Time Safari and Eastside Protection. As I’ve gushed before, Benisch is an excellent producer, and even though these electro cuts are of a significantly lighter tone than anything on Soundtrack Saga, his craftsmanship is still strong, injecting playful sci-fi sounds and digitized vocals throughout. Interestingly, he uses a similar pad texture in Eastside Protection to Crockett’s Theme, yet they don’t stand out as much as there’s much more at work in that track.

Or maybe it goes to show just how excellent they’re used in Crockett’s Theme. I can’t get enough of them. Excuse me a moment while I throw that song on again, and drift down Ocean Drive on a linen cloud of pad bliss.

Nine Inch Nails - Closer

Island Records: 1994

Also known as that “fuck you like an animal” song. In fact, I think it’s all anyone knows about this song. Well, except for the opening kick-snare, which immediately alerts people that the “fuck you like an animal” song is starting.

And no, I didn’t go back on my word from the last review. This is electronic music. Nearly all industrial music is to a degree. However, because it’s primarily the rock scene that latched onto the sound, it's often overlooked when considering the whole of electronic music’s heritage. There’s more to it than that, of course, but I’ll get into it when I’ve an album more appropriate.

Meanwhile, let’s talk Nine Inch Nails. Or, maybe you can tell me more? Truth is I’ve barely given Trent Reznor’s band notice over the years. What I heard, I thought was cool (especially that “fuck you like an animal” song everyone was playing!) but my bed was firmly in the ‘techno’ camps back when NIN was blowing up, and my limited purchasing power reflected that. Fortunately, now that I have disposable income, I can go back and rediscover that which I foolishly bypassed. Or, in this case, gather up friends’ CD collections whenever they’re looking to offload them.

As a single, Closer is an odd one. Apparently it was released as a double-digi pack, but with only one CD within, the second of which had to be purchased at a later date. Guess that’s one way to test fanbase loyalty, and I’d be astounded if anyone could pull it off now.

Of the two CDs, there isn't much difference in terms of tone. The first has the version of Closer everyone’s familiar with even to this day (“Hey, Bro! It’s that ‘fuck you like an animal’ song!”), a funky Jack Dangers remix that almost sounds like what a Lenny Kravitz cover would end up as, and various other industrial-metal, noise, and sonic experimental cuts scattered about the rest. The second CD mostly reworks other songs from The Downward Spiral, the main highlight being an awesome EBM-thrash version of Closer called Closer To God. Compared to the first CD, these cuts are a nice break from hearing Reznor constantly telling me he wants to fuck me like an animal (wait, huh?).

Overall, this is a solid single for fans of 90s industrial - the ironic-fascist, angst driven, cyberpunk sort. If you’re just looking for the “fuck you like an animal” song though, best stick with the simply titled track Closer .

Armin van Buuren featuring Nadia Ali - Who Is Watching (Remixes) (Original TC Review)

Hit ‘N’ Hot Music: Cat. # H’N’H CDS 372
Released March 2006

Track List:
1. Who Is Watching (Mischa Daniëls Radio Edit) (3:46)
2. Who Is Watching (Mischa Daniëls Club Mix) (7:28)
3. Who Is Watching (DJ Remy & Roland Klinkenberg Remix) (7:54)
4. Who Is Watching (Oliver Moldan Remix) (7:48)
5. Who Is Watching (Tone Depth Remix) (11:18)


(2010 Update:
What else is there to say? Aside from the Tone Depth remix, no one really remembers this one. Erm, sorry I'm being brief here. Rough week...)


IN BRIEF: By the book remixing.

Y’know, as I sit down here at my lappy, set to type up my review, it occurs to me this is only the second release from this prominent trance personality to grace our archives (the first being A State Of Trance: 2004). Considering the two other DJs in the top three of DJ Mag’s annual poll get a fair deal of coverage, this might seem a bit odd, especially since AvB’s output this past year has been quite steady with a couple DJ compilations and an artist album.

Of course, who ever remembers consistent bronze medalists? Heh.

So, here is the most recent remix package of yet another track from Armin’s album Shivers, this one being the Nadia Ali featuring Who Is Watching. The original could kindly be described as... unassuming. On an album which did not have glowing praise showered upon it by many, this track was one of the apparent glaring problems some seemed to have with it. Consisting of nothing more than guitar-strums, pads, light percussion, and Nadia’s vocals, Who Is Watching came across as lightweight adult contemporary compilation fodder. It was a far cry from the sort of music Armin’s fans had come to expect from him.

But whether his fans enjoyed it or not seems to be irrelevant. Who Is Watching is the one that’s been given the remix treatment, so let’s see how the remixers treat it.

First up is Mischa Daniëls, a relative new house producer out of the lands that are Dutch. He doesn’t do much altering, making use of the original elements while adding some housey beats, bobbly bass, and an added riff playing off the main melody during the peaks. It isn’t terribly innovative, but would probably fit snuggly in a typical Hed Kandi compilation (or radiowaves, as the Radio Edit indicates).

DJ Remy and Roland Klinkenberg (though uncredited here for some reason), both stalwarts in the Dutch scene, provide a mellow progressive re-rub. To be honest, this is unexciting stuff. Sound effects and washes drone along for half the track, Nadia’s vocals every so often cropping up with plenty of trailing echo effects. Midway through, you get a harmonic bass drop to add some excitement at the peak of a minor build. It’s effective in the sense that everything’s been so monotonous leading up to it, any change of tone is welcome. Overall though, their remix would be best suited as an early warm-up track in a DJ set, and probably not much more.

German Oliver Moldan, fresh off releasing Second Session on the Armada sub-label Stoney Boy, does the house thing as well for his remix. It’s more groovy than Daniëls’ take, relying on additional guitars, a lightly distorted ‘rockin’ bassline (first one to call it electro gets a whuppin’), and builds to promote energy. While certainly playing to all the elements house music’s been filled with lately, it isn’t all that amazing either, merely making use of current, trendy sounds to complement Armin’s original work. In two words, perfectly adequate.

Finally, we have a whopping eleven minute remix from Tony Papadopoulos, under his Tone Depth alias here but more commonly known as The Greek. The first half of this track is pure Tony: warm pad work, pulsing synths, tranquil guitars, and mellow rhythms, all combining to conjure up Mediterranean vistas at dusk. It’s practically a separate song in itself, but then he seems to remember this is actually a remix, so, around the six minute mark, he breaks the song down, brings in the original’s elements under reverb effects, and essentially does what DJ Remy and Klinkenberg did with their remix, only some of the pulsing synths and basic percussion retained (and two minutes worth of lead-out). Yeah, the second half doesn’t live up to the first half’s atmosphere because Tony’s strengths are stilted by having to let Nadia’s vocals carry the remainder of the track. As such, it sounds like he’s just going through the prog motions.

In fact, that could be said for all of these remixes. I don’t know if the remixers just felt uninspired by Armin’s original, or if they were merely requested to make their re-rubs suitable for potential club scenes without losing much in the process. Whatever the case, all of these remixes of Who Is Watching are perfectly decent for supplying DJs with danceable versions but nothing more. Only the Tone Depth Remix sees any kind of innovation, and only for the sections when Armin’s track isn’t really a part of it. Why am I not surprised?


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

Miami Dub Machine - Be Free With Your Love (Original TC Review)

UMK: Cat. # 0694 PUMM 

Released September 19, 2005 

Track List: A1. Be Free With Your Love (Deepgroove’s Big Love Mix) (7:07) 

A2. Be Free With Your Love (Cube Guys Miami Mix) (6:00) 

B1. Be Free With Your Love (Deepgroove’s Big Dirty Dub) (8:14)

(2010 Update: Yeah, I totally missed the pun on this one. It's not like Mylo's mash-up with Miami Sound Machine hadn't been around either. *shrug* A momentary lapse in brain power. The tune's still pretty good, and even got a subsequent remix by Fonzerilli that was mildly popular. The Deepgroove dub's still my favorite though.)

IN BRIEF: Not dub, but still fun. 

It’s safe to say any music fan has certain weaknesses for specific styles. You become so attached to a genre that if a release has its name on it, you instantly want to check it out. I’ve known folks who’re fans of, say, house, and will snatch up anything with the word ‘house’ in the title, irregardless of the content.

I’m no different. For a while, trance was the pet genre I adored but as more and more releases were filled with music I felt was less and less trance, I gave it up. Filling in its place was a form of music I’d grown quite fond of by that point: dub. Of course, such an ambiguous name can mean many things, anywhere from layered bass-heavy reggae to mere instrumental mixes. It can be a frustrating endeavor sifting through it all; for every Dub Trees (cool psychedelic ambience) I come across, there’s an Asian Dub Foundation (poor-man’s Rage Against The Machine) that finds its way into my racks. You’d think I’d learn to be more discriminating over time but, admittedly, half the fun in collecting music is the trial-and-error process; that sense of anticipation whether you’ve stumbled upon something incredible and new. So, I will continue to eagerly check out anything with the word ‘dub’ in it, logic be damned (it’s good to be human!). 

Which finally, in the third paragraph of this review, leads me to this release by Miami Dub Machine. Having already provided you with my reasoning for wanting to check this out, perhaps I should tell you straight-up whether it met with my expectations of what I want out of a release with the word ‘dub’ somewhere in it. The short answer is no. For the long answer, keep reading. 

Miami Dub Machine is an alternate name for Italian trio Cube Guys, relative newcomers to the scene who’ve done a few remixes- er, covers of 80s songs. This one is the same, as Be Free With Your Love was originally done by synth-poppers Spandau Ballet. In this case, they lift the catchy chorus and guitars of the original wholesale and surround it with their own beats and effects. 

The elements of their own device are actually quite nifty. A hollow bassline (I refuse to call it ‘electro’) bobbles around as glitchy electronic noises grate and grind throughout. Sounds like an IDM noise-fest when I type it but, amazingly, it actually sounds quite funky, as the sounds on display weave and work with the musical template and morph through various effects to remain fresh throughout. Additionally, the original’s verse is now treated as a bit of somber spoken-dialogue, which adds immensely to the more synthetic nature of the Cube Guys’ treatment. 

The additional remix here is done by Deepgroove, a DJing duo whom seem to be garnering some praise lately thanks to their live shows. By removing the spoken-dialogue bit and amping up the bassline so it’s a fiercer bleepy bit of funky freshness, their remix is dancefloor dynamite! They also add some sweeping pads during minor breakdowns, creating an ethereal vibe to the proceedings as the original chorus sings along. Deepgroove’s take on Be Free With Your Love is definitely a keeper to groove a clubbing crowd. And, if you feel the Spandau Ballet bits are inhibiting what their remix is fully capable of, they provide a ‘dub’ version, which is basically the same thing but without the sampled chorus and driven by chunkier rhythms. 

So, while Miami Dub Machine may not have been what I was expecting, I still enjoyed Be Free With Your Love for entirely different reasons. It’s not going to score super-high marks, just due to the fact this is still more of a cover than an original piece of work, but both the Cube Guys and Deepgroove manage to throw their own dynamic wrinkle into this release. Definitely worth a look-see. 

Score: 7/10 

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

Maxx - No More (I Can't Stand it) (Original TC Review)

Quality Music: Cat. # QCDS 7062
Released 1994

Track List:
1. No More (I Can’t Stand It) (Airplay Mix) (3:44)
2. No More (I Can’t Stand It) (Club Mix) (6:09)
3. No More (I Can’t Stand It) (Overworked Mix) (4:28)
4. No More (I Can’t Stand It) (Welcome To The Terrordome Mix) (5:32)
5. No More (I Can’t Stand It) (Paradise Garage Mix) (5:33)
6. No More (I Can’t Stand It) (Mr. Gee’s Mix) (4:54)


(2010 Update:
I really don't know what it is, but every time spring rolls around, I get very, very fond of euro dance again. Must have something to do with all that sunshine coming back and stuff. Even this year I found myself pulling out all my old euro compilations at the beginning of March. I actually intended to have an honorary March Euro Review every year, but when a number of those CDs in my collection kept cropping up in Random Reviews, I saw little point in doing so.

I still don't know who "Hands Of Fate" are either...)


IN BRIEF: No no, no, no-no no... Oh, wait, wrong song.

Around this time last year I went on a euro dance kick and reviewed every 2 Unlimited single I own. In honor of that bit of zaniness, I’ve decided to do the same with every Maxx single I own.

Um... this is it. Don’t go breathing a sigh of relief all at once.

Really, Maxx only had two hits: No More and Get-A-Way. They might have had more but, like so many euro acts, only managed a single album before folding. Reasons for this remain a mystery.

Catching the peak of euro dance just as it was about to begin its slide, Maxx managed to stick out from the crowd with two main ingredients: ‘tinny’ production and a ragga rapper who was white (German specifically I hear). The latter was a quirky gimmick, probably done to catch some of the momentum of white ragga rappers Snow popularized, but really not the group’s calling card. Rather, the former of these attributes was a strange gimmick considering just how polished most euro was sounding in ‘94. Maxx, however, had a hollow, flat sound, allowing their fuzzy basslines to generate the momentum. It was pretty unique at the time, and would go on to be copied a great deal. Personally, I feel that sound kind of ruined the old euro style, as producers saw Maxx’s success as a way to cut corners and get away with flat rhythms. However, this group managed to pull it off on the strength of their melodies.

While Get-A-Way was the breakout, No More was a worthy follow-up and contains all the charm you’d expect from old euro. The bassline’s simple and effective, practically carrying the whole track since the main hook, a tuneless, bleepy thing, doesn’t quite have the muscle to stand out. And, as with all of the best euro, the chorus sung by Linda Meek is super catchy, never growing annoying. Even after six variations of No More on this single, the chorus never lost its charm. Plenty of additional elements - ranging from synths, strings, pianos, and assorted sounds - pad the song’s duration, remaining well in the background as to merely complement the main features.

Four remixes come on this single, most of which offer a variation of No More’s format to appeal to different crowds.

The Overworked Mix takes No More into more typical euro territory. With softer, stuttery synths carrying the lead, the bassline is relegated to support status instead. Everything plays out as before, although the rap is more audible.

Welcome To The Terrordome Mix attempts to give No More an edge with aggressive rhythms and a hook that sounds like sirens, and is even more tuneless than the original hook. Besides that, it’s the same song. Does it succeed in making No More edgier, though? Well, compared to most euro, sure, but the gabber kids would be laughing their asses off should they have heard this.

Probably the most intriguing mix on this single is the Paradise Garage Mix. Much like many of the tunes being played in that club around this time, the mix goes into more trancey territory with dreamy, airy melodies and backing arpeggios. Interspersed throughout the mix are low acid burbles that help generate some extra rhythmic momentum. By no means a classic, I could still see this mix finding its way into an old trance set as a worthy complement to the heavier hitters. The remix credits for this point to “Hands Of Fate”, and yes, they actually have quotations. Considering there’s no record of such a name other than this single, I wouldn’t be surprised if this mix was done by a prominent trance producer of the time, but decided to hide behind an untraceable psuedonym. It’d be interesting to find out who it was.

And finally, we have Mr. Gee’s Mix. Who is Mr. Gee? I don’t know. This is also the only place I’ve seen the name crop up, but since his remix isn’t all that interesting, I’m not too anxious to find out. It’s pretty much the same song, but with his own style thrown in. Two words: circus music.
That wraps up this review. If you are a fan of that classic euro style, this is still a worthy addition. Of course, that time is long since past. So, unless you’re an adamant collector of this kind of music, the only thing of extra interest would be the Paradise Garage Mix, as the other remixes stick to the original’s template far too much to warrant any non-fan’s attention.

Score: 6/10

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

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.

Setrise vs Kay Wilder - Poetry Clash

SPX Digital: SPX007
Released January 2010

Track List:
1. Poetry Clash (Original Mix) (7:15)
2. Poetry Clash (Ron Van Den Beuken Remix) (8:19)
3. Poetry Clash (Steve Birch Remix) (6:46)
4. Poetry Clash (John Gibbons & Scimon Tist Remix) (7:33)
5. Poetry Clash (Julius Beat & Eddy Karmona Remix) (7:42)


IN BRIEF: Routine.

It’s not every day some teenager gets playlisted by a top trance jock like Ferry Corsten, yet that’s what one Melle Bakker managed to do with an early digital single of his, Sunny Canon. Though it wasn’t much more than a typical melodic trance cover of Pachelbel’s Canon (you know, with the pleasant sweeping string arrangement that most associate with weddings or New Age meditation sessions these days), it was enough for the youngin’ to get his online label, Sunset To Sunrise Recordings, going. He’s since produced several singles for other labels like Redux and Infrasonic and Phoenix. Oh, and now also SPX.

Tagging along with him in this case is DJ Kay Wilder, who’s eight years Bakker’s senior. Together, they’ve produced a track called Poetry Clash, a title that doesn’t make much sense since there aren’t any lyrics involved but then what is in a name, oh pithy thee (or… something)? Anyhow, the track honestly isn’t much to get fussed over. Taking a page from Sander van Doorn, the rhythm is a deep, plodding rumble that’ll undoubtedly sound great on a large sound-system but lacks energy to get you excited for. The main hook is serviceable, though not terribly memorable, such that the duo feed it through pointless effects towards the end in an effort to somehow make it distinctive. Trancey synth washes and a brief squirt of hilariously constipated electro-fart round out the extras. That’s about it. Meh, expect this one to be lost in the annual glut quite rapidly.

Unfortunately, the remixes lack anything to recommend either. It’s not their fault, mind, as they don’t exactly have much to work with here. Rob van den Bueken offers the most intriguing of the bunch, giving a deep, spacey trance rub to the original, not to mention some vital rhythmic energy. Steve Birch ups the energy more as well but drowns the hook in effects. Meanwhile, the final two remixes are fairly typical trance rubs and almost identical in structure, with the John Gibbons & Scimon Tist Remix sounding a little clubbier and the Julius Beat & Eddy Karmona Remix sounding a little chunkier. In the end, these remixes are perfectly functional but, aside from Bueken, even less memorable than the original.

There isn’t much more for me to say here. If you hear the hook and it does something for you, then you’ll probably get more out of this single. For yours truly, however, Poetry Clash is just another drop in the sea of adequate, unremarkable trance.


Score: 4/10

Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.

Technical Itch - Haunted/Wraith (Original TC Review)

Penetration Records: Cat. # TIP019
Released January 2006

Track List:
A. Haunted (6:13)
AA. Wraith(6:54)


(2010 Update:
Still no album, though plenty more singles in the digital realm. Like so many other jungle producers, Caro's also taken a few stabs at dubstep this past year. I've yet to hear them but if they're just as evil as his d'n'b, I should definitely try and scope 'em out.)


IN BRIEF: Evil business.

I’ve heard very few producers out there that sound like Mark Caro, more commonly known as Technical Itch. His fusion of industrial strength sounds with manic jungle rhythms can leave you gasping for air when the track is done. If you don’t have a good set of speakers that are generous with the bass, you can probably kiss those speakers goodbye when you’re finished with a typical Tech Itch song. It doesn’t just pound at you like a good deal of darkstep (the sub-genre term for this stuff -yeah, silly name, isn’t it) does; it’ll envelope you, clutch your very body in its firm grasp, then plaster you across the wall, leaving you looking like that poor guy who took a rocket launcher to the gut in Hot Shots: Part Deux. Well, maybe not quite that severe, but you get the drift.

But Caro wouldn’t have earned himself a highly regarded reputation if he was just all about killer bass sequences. This man’s rhythms can be utterly chaotic compared to all the typical Amen Break clones jungle’s overflowing with. Yes, he does rely on the standard break a great deal but the amount of manipulation with the sounds in effect is probably only taken further in the drill’n’bass camps of the IDM crowds. They are always dynamic, always filled with personal improvisation to suit the track, and never sound the same between songs. Throw in Caro’s use of choking, meanacing sound effects for his leads and ambience, and you have yourself a producer that has managed to stay ahead of his peers for many years.

It’s just a shame he’s only released one full-length album on CD despite all of his vinyl singles. It makes it tough for us CD buying crowds to keep up (if you remain honest and don’t download music illegally, that is). Sure, we have his numerous tracks appear on Moving Shadow compilations or Dieselboy DJ mixes, but it sure would be nice to have another Technical Itch full-length to follow-up the great Diagnostics. (yeah, that’s a hint in case you be reading this, Mr. Caro... but I’m sure you’ve heard it for the last five years anyways)

Anyhow, with that bit of intro out of the way for our non-jungle readers here at TranceCritic, let’s get into this latest Technical Itch single.

Haunted sees Caro going about business as usual. Eerie ambience with creepy dialogue provide the setting with numerous sounds and effects I’ve heard before recycled here from other Technical Itch tracks -they are by no means unwelcome; it’s just apparent. The strength of the track, of course, lies in the percussion, and Caro doesn’t waste a single beat. It is constantly busy, pounding and hammering away at you, never really settling into an easy loop for you to get a feel for. The moment you think you can guess how the next measure of rhythm will play out, our intrepid producer will throw in a random snare roll or guttural bass growl just to mess with us. Fascinating to listen to, probably infuriating to the jungle soldiers trying to bust out their best moves.

Keeping in tune with the horror themes is Wraith, with a suitably sinister synthy intro. The rhythm is still busy once it kicks in but it isn’t the main attraction this time around. Rather, this one’s about showing off various bass noises to suit the demonic vocal sample.

I made a joke in a forum last year: considering the way all things 80s have been seeing a revival, it would only be a matter of time before that spring of nostalgia was utterly tapped dry and we’d be moving onto the early 90s for our retro kicks -including seeing the hoover synth making a glorious return to popularity by the year 2007. Well, Tech Itch may be thinking the same thing as, amongst the typical grimy bass noises oozing about in Wraith, there is also a traditional hoover, um, hoovering at various points. You’d think it might sound cheesy today but there was a reason all those early hardcore rave tracks used it: that sound can be quite menacing when used properly, and Technical Itch certainly knows how to get the most millage out of his sounds.

Both these tracks are worth your attention if you’re in the mood for evil jungle. Caro may not be doing anything too different from what we’ve heard him do before but he can still deliver the goods as Technical Itch when called upon.

Now, about that second artist album...


Score: 7/10


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