2562 - Unbalance

Tectonic: Cat. # TECCD006
Released October 2009

Track List:
1. Intro (1:28)
2. Flashback (4:40)
3. Lost (4:21)
4. Like A Dream (4:21)
5. Dinosaur (5:01)
6. Unbalance (7:21)
7. Superfight (7:41)
8. Yes/No (6:08)
9. Who Are You Fooling? (6:27)
10. Narita (5:08)
11. Love In Outer Space (4:57)
12. Escape Velocity (6:08)


IN BRIEF: More unimatrix, less urban.

Being such a young genre, dubstep hasn’t had much opportunity to splinter off into micro-genres. For much of its early years, it seemed to be a curiously fresh amalgamation of the UK grime scene and displaced drum’n’bass vibes. Now that all the dust has settled, however, it appears we now have two or three distinct branches from which many will firmly make their bed with. Party kids obviously enjoy the ‘wobble’ side of things, where gimmicky bass tricks abound. Elsewhere, the ‘funky’ variety has found a home with forlorn UK garage fans. Then, you have ‘atmospheric’, which seems to be the favorite of most spliff-heads and music critics (this, of course, can be broken down further but then we’d be here all day -we don’t want to be here all day, now do we). It is in this last type that we find one Dave Huismans, or simply 2562.

Mr. Huismans has actually been around for a while, producing other broken-beat styles under guises like Dogdaze and A Made Up Sound. Yet once his offerings as 2562 got noticed, it alerted many to the idea that dubstep had plenty of creative room to pursue, should producers be adventurous enough to do so. In Huismans’ case, he brought a dub techno aesthetic to his tunes, leading the genre to something more deep and clinical rather than dirty and grimy. His first album under this moniker -Aerial- got plenty of kind words thrown on it last year, so obviously a follow-up is going to be met with higher expectations. Fortunately for ol’ Dave, he’s managed meet such expectations with Unbalance -for some, overwhelmingly so.

He’s taken the idea of tech influences to the next level with this album, creating a sonic soundscape that will have old-school Photek fans nodding approvingly. At first he mostly sticks to the dubstep template, with an assortment of half-step skitter beats (Flashback, Like A Dream) or funky-soul outings (Dinosaur, Lost, the latter also where you’ll find the only instance of a human vocalization) meshing with his cold outlook. Once that’s out of the way, however, Huismans begins to indulge himself, often with intriguing results.

Perhaps fittingly, it’s with the titular track Unbalance where things get wonky. The spirit of Parkes can definitely be felt here, as paranoid strings pair with an uncompromising broken tech-beat that’ll give even the most ardent dubstep dancer fits. For a while, you wonder if any sort of tune will emerge, and although a bit of structure does come about, it’s still unsettling. From there, ol’ Dave does settle his experimental drum-programming down with easily digested skippy-beats, but unfortunately can’t resist going too far in Who Are You Fooling?, a track that fails to amount to anything of note. Love In Outer Space, the lead single for the album, at least corrects such wayward beat noodling before the album ends out.

As for the rest, they’re a solid bunch of cuts, growing increasingly sci-fi in tone before the final tune, Escape Velocity, heads straight for the stars with spacey backing synths. It’s curious - maybe suitably so - that Huismans would stick the track with the most obvious bit of melody at the very end of Unbalance, but I can’t argue against it as a strong album closer.

And to be honest, if anything is going to hold Unbalance back with a general listening audience, it’s the lack of much melody to begin with. Yeah, tech-tones of this sort tend to shy away from blatant human emotions, yet the greatest techno records have always been those where the producer is able to coerce the machine to express their soul regardless of humanity-stripping technology. Such is so with this album, where cuts like Lost, Superfight, and Narita appear to be cases where Huismans let his right brain override, thus standing much taller than Like A Dream or Who Are You Fooling? -at least in a musical sense.

This is still a strong album -I’d only pin one cut as a real duffer (no points in guessing which one -no, Intro doesn’t count). Despite the singular atmosphere, I highly recommend it for anyone who even has a passing curiosity over expertly-executed tech-toned broken-beats (hyphenated enough for ya’?). Yet, is this a ‘classic’ album, as some of already hailed it as? I think not. Sure, the dubstep genre is in short supply of such releases, but Unbalance purposefully lacks what those few standout albums contain: an identifiable human soul connecting to the music itself. Even Parkes (yes, him again -can I help it if I find the similarities striking?) understood the need for this back when he was doing similar things to drum’n’bass back in the 90s. In short, Unbalance is good, but it’s no Modus Operandi.


Score: 8/10

ACE TRACKS:
Lost
Superfight
Escape Velocity


Written by Sykonee, 2009. © All rights reserved

Vitalic - Flashmob

Pias America: Cat. # PIASA37CD
Released November 2009

Track List:
1. See The Sea (Red) (4:04)
2. Poison Lips (3:52)
3. Flashmob (4:26)
4. One Above One (3:39)
5. Still (5:25)
6. Terminateur Benelux (3:50)
7. Second Lives (4:26)
8. Allan Dellon (3:09)
9. See The Sea (Blue) (4:05)
10. Chicken Lady (3:26)
11. Your Disco Song (3:36)
12. Station Mir 2099 (4:46)
13. Chez Septime (0:34)


IN BRIEF: Respect.

Yeah, so I called it two years ago while covering V Live, but I really didn’t think ol’ Pascal would take until 2009 to release his second album. Jokingly, it was to compare Vitalic’s career to Leftfield’s career -funnily enough, the comparison remains apt. Rhythm And Stealth was seen as a quality album, yet somewhat lacking compared to Leftfield’s first; the same can be said about Flashmob . At the same time though, few will contest both are amongst the best - if not the best - in the genres they made their name in. For Leftfield, it was progressive house; Vitalic, maximal techno.

Pascal certainly wasn’t the first to introduce aggressive detuned hooks to techno but once he managed to shake free of the electroclash association from earlier in the decade, he definitely lead the charge. At first, it seemed like only he and Mylo would offer anything of note. Then, a whole collective of fellow maximalist Frenchmen emerged, the Ed Banger Records group grabbing all the headlines. The summer of 2007 undoubtedly saw this movement reach the very apex of the genre’s popularity, as acts like Justice, Digitalism and Boys Noize gained a large amount of hype and momentum -but where was Vitalic during all this?

Busy touring, most likely. Unfortunately, at a time when Pascal could have really made a stamp on the genre, he started to fade from clubbing consciousness as the newer names in the scene grabbed the spotlight. Now that he is finally back, just how much demand is there still for a new Vitalic album, especially so with maximal techno having received something of a backlash due to talentless copycats flooding the market with gimmicky knockoffs?

Well, that’s a question that’ll probably boil down to one’s personal preference over maximal in general. If you still have a soft spot for the sound, though, then Flashmob will win you right over. Even after imitators and would-be maximal stars have come and gone, Vitalic remains head and shoulders above many at this. The reason for standing tall is the fact he knows how to write songs rather than tracks. You would not believe how much of a difference this makes.

Far too many maximal producers simply take a catchy hook, amplify and distort it so the monitors bleed red, then loop it for the duration; perhaps they’ll add a drum break or additional loop, but not much else. It creates music that is instantly appealing, but lacking in substance in the long run. Vitalic, on the other hand, tends to add melodic fills or quirky twists as a tune plays out, making them richly nuanced even when the whole point is an aggressive assault of techno bedlam.

Take the titular track, Flashmob. The hook is little more than a tension builder but every loop adds something extra with each go-around, plus an added break near the end for some decent release. Funky nu-electro monster Terminateur Benelux, acid-tweaker See The Sea (Blue), and the stomp-a-long Chicken Lady work in similar ways; these aren’t subtle songs, but they do have enough going on in them that you they’re worth repeated listens.

Vitalic didn’t make his name doing maximal hooks though. Many times, it was the melodic moments that would catch your attention, and Flashmob comes with oodles of them. One Above One and Second Lives shoot straight for the anthem jugular, the kind of tunes Ferry Corsten only wished he could have made during his L.E.F. period; elsewhere, bursts of synth washes come at you in Poison Lips and Station Mir 2099. Plus, perhaps in a bit of a knowing wink to the scene that broke him, he offers an electro-trashy cut in Your Disco Song. Good fun, all of these.

That all said, Flashmob unfortunately doesn’t have many of those quirky unexpected moments that OK Cowboy had; nothing like the surprising Polkamatic or Valletta Fanfares, nor a tune like My Friend Dario, where you couldn’t help but break out into air guitar. To be fair, Pascal does bring us some decent downtempo cuts again, though Still and Allan Dellon aren’t quite as good as The Past.

It’s clear that Pascal has made his bed with the more maximal branch of techno, and if he’s going to kick out jams as solid as they’re offered here with Flashmob, who are we to complain? He was there at the beginning and, despite long breaks between albums, remains a force to be reckoned with. One can only hope that the Leftfield comparisons end here though; we wouldn’t want this to be the last Vitalic album, now would we.


Score: 8/10

ACE TRACKS:
Check ‘em all out. (well, maybe not the last one)


Written by Sykonee, 2009. © All rights reserved.

Trend - Trend EP

SPX Digital: Cat: # SPX006 

Released November 2009 

Track List: 

1. Abscent Dream (8:01) 

2. Abscent Dream (Shane Blane Remix) (7:32) 

3. Always But Never (7:47) 

4. Patience (8:55) 

IN BRIEF: Fine debut. 

The boys over at SPX Digital (U4IC DJ’s and Corderoy, specifically) seem to have done well for themselves in the year of 2009. When last mentioned on [TranceCritic], they had just released their second single, 3 Spirit - now, as we draw to a close in the year, SPX is on single number six, which is a decent rate of output for any up-and-coming label. 

This time, we have a duo by the name of Trend, which, according to the promo material, is comprised of Dean Anthony and Deep Cycle. Aside from appearing as remixers on previous SPX singles, virtually nothing can be found of them online (well, there’s a Deep Cycle on MySpace that appears to produce deep-tech house, but I kind of doubt it’s the same guy -correct me if I’m wrong though). 

This self-titled EP features three original tracks, plus a remix. The originals are all with their charms, two of which are quite worth your while. They’re mostly on the tech side of trance, featuring a different spin on the formula that can suit a specific period of a typical set. Abscent Dream is the subtlest of the bunch, utilizing a simple-yet-effective hook that simmers throughout the track - yes, even during the breakdown - that gets brightly tweaked at key points but is never oversold; all-and-all a pleasant deep trancer. Always But Never, on the other hand, shoots for the epic jugular. Trend do a solid job of working you up during the breakdown/build portion, but unfortunately the payoff on the other side isn’t nearly strong enough; the second half isn’t without merit, just a letdown given the lead-up. Finally, Patience is your no-nonsense tough-tech cut. They do milk their build a little much but rather than trying to blast you with a massive drop, Trend instead ease the beats back in, which is remarkably effective.  

The thing that struck me the most regarding these tracks is just how nicely produced they are. The sounds are clean and well spaced, featuring none of the annoying brick-walled over-compression that’s come to plague many a trance track in recent years. If you need an example of just how much better Trend’s tunes sound, take a listen to the Shane Blane remix of Abscent Dream, which is punchy to a fault and sometimes drowns with reverb washes. Compared to Trend’s cuts, Shane’s production is even a little painful on the ears, which is a shame since he does a decent job of taking the track in prog-trance territory. 

Overall though, Trend’s E.P. is a solid debut. If you fancy yourself some finely produced trance, this duo’s three offerings will serve you well.

Score: 7/10 

Written by Sykonee, 2009. © All rights reserved.

Fedde Le Grand - Output

Flamingo Recordings: Cat. # FLAMCD001D
Released September 2009

Track List:
1. Wild ‘N Raw featuring Rob Birch (4:54)
2. Feel Alive featuring Will.I.Am (4:13)
3. Scared Of Me featuring Mitch Crown (2:49)
4. Hard Days Work featuring Ida Corr (4:04)
5. Shotgun featuring Camille Jones (6:20)
6. Back And Forth featuring Mr. V (3:23)
7. Let Me Be Real featuring Mitch Crown (3:22)
8. My Faya featuring Andy Sherman & Dorothy (5:50)
9. 3 Minutes To Explain with Funkerman (3:42)
10. Rockin’ High featuring Mitch Crown (3:52)
11. Noise Reduction with P.L.F. (4:00)
12. Output (F.L.G. Edit) (4:08)
13. Dany P-Jazz - New Life (Fedde Le Grand & Funkerman Re-Edit) (4:07)


IN BRIEF: You’ve heard better.

It’s been three long years since Fedde le Grand became an overnight star, and he’s managed to maintain his profile on the strength of being an in-demand remixer and endless compilation duty. Still, though anyone can point to Put Your Hands Up For Detroit as a Fedde le Grand track, he’s had some difficulty in escaping the hit single’s legacy; few, if any, of his subsequent tunes have made anywhere near the same kind of impact. Not that anyone should have expected it anyway -such a track is a once-in-a-year event, and unless your name is Daft Punk, seldom replicated during the course of a career where house music’s concerned. Yet, the question remains: will he be able to live up to the hype of his past?

Well, no. It’s as simple as that. Let’s face it: three years is a long time between breakout success and debut long-player, and Grand may have missed the boat on really propelling his career to dizzying heights. Instead, most of the Swedish House Mafia has surpassed the Dutchman in popularity, while a Frenchman double-lapped him in the same amount of time. His chart success has been negligible since Detroit, with perhaps his recent re-rub of Fatboy Slim’s Praise You being the most significant. Beyond his loyal fanbase within the ‘handbag house’ collective, most will struggle to name-drop much of his recent material, especially with regards to his new album Output. I’ll grant Grand has been plenty busy with running his Flamingo Recordings imprint and headlining mainstream dance festivals, so he may not have had as much time to spend on his productions. Therefore, it’s all the more reason to bring his best to Output. Yet, if this is his best, perhaps Grand has been nothing more than a flash-in-the-pan sensation after all.

The weird thing about Output is it finds itself in a no-man’s land of attempted crossover pop album and credible underground house collection. Additionally, he’s thrown in every single style of house music he can think of (handbag, electro, minimal, tech, French, etc.), either in attempt show off his broad music palette or to hedge his bets that someone will enjoy at least a couple tracks if it closely matches one’s taste enough. On nearly every single track, he almost succeeds in accomplishing this too, but Grand’s far-too simple songwriting continuously holds these tunes back.

First, the pure pop tunes, of which makes up most of the first half. Rob Birch of the “yes, they’re still around” group Stereo MC’s opens things up, and as expected provides a suitably positive-party vibe. Grand, on the other hand, doesn’t really do much to give Wild ‘N Raw vitality. There are piano flourishes, trumpet blasts, and an adequate groove, all of which will provide some level of cursory enjoyment while you hear it but never really grabs you either. It’s the sort of tune you’d expect to hear on the radio and promptly forget right afterwards. And sure enough, once the Will.I.Am featuring Feel Alive hits, you do. As for that track, the rapper repeatedly refers to it as a “stinky tune”, which I have to agree -it does stink. The only guy who could credibly get away with using ‘stinky’ as a synonym for ‘funky’ was Ol’ Dirty Bastard; Will.I.Am, on the other hand, comes off ridiculous and clueless, all the while adding zero street cred by throwing in “punk motherfuckers”. Oh, and the track just sounds like a generic Black Eyed Peas cut anyway.

And so it continues. Scared Of Me apes Benassi, Hard Days Work is nondescript ‘handbag-electro’ (plus auto-tune!), and Shotgun is the ever popular barely-euphemistic “I want your penis” track. Really, every track on Output sounds like something that’s already been done, and already been done better. The feeling begins to sink in where you wonder why you’re even bothering to listen to this album when there are several superior examples of the sound out there. Even the straight-up ‘handbag’ moments are trumped by the likes of Roger Sanchez.

I’ll grant there are times that do make you feel like Output is worth your while. Let Me Be Real and Rockin’ High are good fun while they last, even if they’re total style-bites of French house (specifically Stuart Price) …but they don’t last at all. Heck, even for pop songs, these feel short; appetizers rather than delectable meals.

In fact, it’s one of the overriding problems with this album. The ‘short’ feeling has nothing to do with song lengths, but song writing. The Beach Boys’ Good Vibrations (as an example of a great pop song) is shorter than nearly everything here, yet feels epic compared to Grand’s offerings. This abnormality is made even worse on tracks that stick to a typical house format. There are some good grooves to be had - 3 Minutes To Explain, Output, My Faya - but just as you’re getting nicely warmed up to the track, it ends, again prompting the thought of, “Well, that was pointless.”

Which kind of sums up this album anyway. Grand brings nothing fresh to the table here, simply copying better productions from across the field, and failing to offer a unique sound of his own in the process. Serious house-heads aren’t going to have much use for Output, as it clearly wasn’t produced with them in mind. The mainstream crowd may find more worth in it, but only if they don’t listen to much house music to begin with. In that sense, Output may serve as a handy and accessible introduction to the genre at large, in which case I’ll give Grand some credit. After all, he’s made a better album than the fucking Boomtang Boys ever did.


Score: 3/10

ACE TRACKS:
Rockin’ High


Written by Sykonee, 2009. © All rights reserved.

Alex Theory - Saturn Returns

White Swan Records: Cat. # WS0093 

Released October 2009 

Track List: 

1. Oasis (7:31) 

2. Warrior Dub (6:24) 

3. Afterburn (5:19) 

4. Strangeland (5:35) 

5. In The Deep (7:23) 

6. Event Horizon (7:09) 

7. Memories Of Gaia (6:55) 

8. Moon Song (6:39) 

9. Saturn Returns (7:36) 

IN BRIEF: More earthly than spacey. 

I’ve a confession to make. It’s not a scandalous or even terribly shocking one, but I must admit it is rather embarrassing on my part. You see, this here album titled Saturn Returns by San Francisco-based Alex Theory was a blind purchase - as in, I picked this up with no prior knowledge of the artist, and without hearing a few samples in-store. This of itself may seem a little peculiar to many of the MP3 generation - “you bought music without even knowing what it was!?” - but has been a common practice amongst dedicated music buyers for years. 

There’s a measure of thrill in making blind purchases, a giddy feeling that mere luck and chance has directed you towards this previously undiscovered treasure of sonic gold; or, the fates have been unkind, and your money has been wasted on a release that will collect dust on your shelf, a few token sympathy plays notwithstanding. Ultimately, it’s a similar thrill that anyone who’s gambled on something can relate to. The fact that Saturn Returns was a blind purchase isn’t the confession, though. Plus, anyone who’s paid attention to some of my favored releases over the years will probably find a slight skewing of favoritism towards space-themed music, so an album with a big ol’ picture of the solar system’s sixth planet isn’t an outright blind purchase anyway (even if the term ‘Saturn Return’ technically isn’t an astronomic one, but astrologic in origin). 

Nay, my embarrassment stems from what happened upon opening the CD case and finding a mini-catalogue of several releases from the label, White Swan Records. A lot of it revolves around world-fusion material, with a heavy emphasis on India. Mood music, meditation music, shamanic trance and ethno-ambient; a whole series dedicated to soundtracking yoga sessions. “Oh dear,” I thought, “what New Agey mumbo-jumbo have I stumbled upon?” 

I should make it clear that, as a whole, I don’t find New Age mysticism all that bad. Really, many of the people involved are perfectly pleasant folks, if at times a bit flighty in conversation. That said, much of the music associated with it isn’t terribly engaging, which is often the point; when you’re in deep meditation, you want music to merely supply a mood and serve as wall-paper to your surroundings, not to directly grab your attention. Unfortunately, this makes much of it rather ‘muzaky’ in the process, which is utterly wretched to have to listen to when you do focus on it. 

So yes, it was rather petty of me to assume that this was what I was in for with Alex Theory. Still, if this was to be the case, why was he in the ‘electronica’ section of the store and not the ‘New Age’ section instead? A misfiling, perhaps? Or maybe I should have just checked my preconceived notions at the door because had I actually known who Alex Theory was, I’d have never made them in the first place. 

Oh, he definitely skews towards the mystical side of music, as his association with the Discover Sound collective attests to; however, his actual output has more in common with world-fusion dub-funk than anything New Age. It’s the kind of stuff you might expect on a Buddah-Bar compilation or a Bill Laswell project (though with less emphasis on bass), and, to be frank, incredibly common where chill-out music is concerned. Theory is a good musician but he’s travelling well-trodden roads here. Ethnic samples, rhythms, harmonizes, and so on are all skillfully woven together, creating a blissy atmosphere with just enough drum programming to entice a little hip-shake should you be up for it. Yet, he never really pushes the envelope in the process, nor throws in musical twists or production curve-balls to spice up the proceedings. Instead, he simply allows his beats and melodies to do the work, with just enough flourish to keep you engaged should you pay more diligent attention to it. 

About the most notable wrinkle he brings is differing time-signatures, yet even they won’t dazzle many. It’s all very nice to listen to; unfortunately, when other musicians in this field go out of their way to be unique or experimental, Theory ends up sounding rather tame and safe as a result. Much of Saturn Returns strikes me as something Ott would write before he throws his tracks into a psychedelic soup. 

Where this album does shine, however, is whenever Theory brings in a little collaborative help, much of which appears in the second half. Famed didgeridoo player Ganja Giri does his thing in Event Horizon, and Theory provides suitably bottom-heavy beats for him to play off of. Elsewhere, keyboardist Andrew West throws in a wonderful solo for the jazzier Moon Song and Saturn Returns, which are superb. Theory himself also provides guitar and keyboard solos on other tracks, but he seems more adapt at playing off of others. Granted, if you aren’t one for jazzy solos, then you probably won’t vibe on these -too bad, then. 

Overall, Theory’s album is good for a casual throw-on, and shows promise in future releases. Still, despite little to find fault in with the music, he needs to do more in order to stand out from the glut. Perhaps more collaboration is in order, hm? 

Score: 6/10 

ACE TRACKS: 

Event Horizon 

Moon Song 

Saturn Returns 

Written by Sykonee, 2009.© All rights reserved.

Tiësto - UR/A Tear In The Open (Remixes) (Original TC Review)

Nebula: Cat. # NEBT082 

Released September 26, 2005 

Track List: 

A. UR (Junkie XL Air Guitar Mix) (12:34) 

B. A Tear In The Open (Leama & Moor Remix) (9:57) 

(2010 Update: Boy, am I ever glad I waited to have my say of Tiësto. Had I tried to do it here, it probably would have come off like my other 'rants' of the time: poorly emulated of other online ranters. Remember, kids, it's a good idea to first find your own voice before you start taking a megaphone to it. Oh, and I found out 'UR' means, um, 'you are'. Was a cute acronym really necessary?) 

IN BRIEF: Tiësto in Progland 

This being my first review of a Tiësto release here at TranceCritic, I'm sure you're hoping for some spicy commentary on the man himself: dissecting his over-inflated superstardom, or examine an amazing PR machine marketing the Tiësto brand, or analyzing the merits of his musicianship, or even giving the Dutch DJ props where they are deserved. I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a little while longer. 

Yes, I have plenty to say regarding Tijs Verwest, probably enough to fill an essay. However, such material would be out of place on a little single such as this. Rather, you'll have to wait until I review a major release, past or future, before I cut into the Tiësto phenomena (don't worry, it's'a comin'). 

The main attraction on this single is Junkie XL's remix of UR from the Just Be album. I've never heard the original, nor am I in much of a hurry to hear it. I'll probably eventually have to but I'd rather wait until I see the album in a used shop or bargain bin (don't laugh - the latter was where I picked up Nyana). Let's just focus on this for now. 

Despite generally lukewarm reactions to In Search Of Sunrise 4 from listeners abroad, many mentioned this remix was a highlight of the compilation. Questions were asked if or when it would be available as a single. Now that it is, I can see what the fuss was about and still be able to hold out on ISOS4 until it too makes its way to the bargain bins (hahaha!). 

I have to admit I still have some difficulties in wrapping my head around the idea of Tom Holkenborg doing prog tunes. I first came into contact with his music by way of his more block rockin' breakbeat tracks and remixes for metal bands like Fear Factory. As such, seeing Junkie XL productions on typical Global Underground-esque compilations over the years looked quite odd to me, but it just goes to show the incredible talent Holkenborg possesses in crossing genres without so much as a misstep. This remix of UR (does anyone know what that title means, by the way?) clocks in at a whopping twelve and a half minutes. You'd think with that kind of length, you'd get a bunch of throwaway lead-ins, outros, and self-indulgent tangents clogging up the works, but amazingly not a single second of this remix goes to waste - there's always something interesting bubbling about. Even the rhythmic intro, which lasts over two minutes, could have enough going on in it to make for an independent track. 

The song goes about its business in typical prog fashion, letting the original lyrics from Matt Hales (a.k.a.: Aqualung) do their thing while Holkenborg adds little sonic flourishes here and there before letting the more musical elements take over. Long periods of rhythmic or melodic stretches come and go, maintaining a steady climb although never quite going for the gusto. This is a song aiming for laid-back moments rather than dancefloor domination, although it'd probably get the job done in that department too in an equally low-key prog set. As for the air guitar from which this remix is titled over, it kind of meanders about in a plucky, acoustic manner with plenty of reverb to give it tonal depth. As with the rest of the elements on hand, it's really just another piece in this Junkie puzzle rather than a feature begging for attention. 

Leama & Moor provide a remix of A Tear In The Open (the original also from Just Be) for the B-Side of this single. The pair seems to have been making some noise lately, especially Andy Moor. And, while I've heard many complaints of twinkly, echoing melodies and simple, thick basslines in music from him these days, these attributes work nicely enough with the original song's ethereal Celtic chants and flutes. Even more laid-back than the remix of UR, it is also far more sparse. Minor pads and reverb effects do fill in some of the sonic gaps, but not nearly to the level that Holkenborg's work on the A-Side did, so this comes off sounding a bit simpler. Still, it's a pleasant little prog number. I'm sure my mum would enjoy it. 

With all the hype centered around the Junkie XL remix, the Leama & Moor remix was kind of unanticipated to go along with it, but it finely serves as another lead-off single to the remix album of Just Be that was recently released. Is this a worthy single to own? Well, prog fans will probably enjoy it. Heck, even the detractors of the Moor sound should enjoy his remix with Leama on the B-Side - I certainly don't find anything wrong with it. 

The only trouble I have with this release is, despite the fine production on hand, I can't help but feel things are on cruise control with these remixes. I'm not saying they should have been earth-shattering, revolutionary remixes - for what they are, they are quite nice. However, quite nice doesn't always cut it when so much music is being released in the world. Unless you've never heard this kind of stuff before (and I'm assuming most of our readers have had at least a few years under their belt), very little will leap out and grab you while either one of these remixes play in the background. As with most prog music, you need to be completely engrossed in the songs playing to get the full benefit of them, otherwise even the twelve and a half minutes of UR will pass you by without much notice. 

Score: 7/10 Written By Sykonee. 

Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

House Of Om Presents: Get Salted, Vol. 1 - Mixed by Miguel Migs (Original TC Review)

OM Records: Cat. # OM 195
Released September 27, 2005

Track List:
1. Chuck Love - Back In My Life (Miguel Migs Un-Released Bump Mix)
2. Kings Of Tomorrow featuring Haze - Thru (Simon Grey Dub Rework)
3. The Little Big Band featuring Simon Green - If You Don't Know Me By Now (Dub)
4. Orange Muse - Keep The Funk Alive (Andy Holder Remix)
5. Shik Stylko - House The Joint? (Original Mix)
6. The Realm And V - One Chance (The Realm House Mix)
7. LiSha Project - Feel (Miguel Migs Salted Dub Deluxe)
8. Chuck Love - Spread The Love (Miguel Migs Salted Bump The Tech Remix)
9. Miguel Migs - Remember (Dub)
10. Special Interest - Like This
11. The Sunburst Band - We Will Turn You On (Joey Negro Mix)
12. The Littlemen - Down With It
13. Only Freak - Tiny Forces
14. Recloose - Dust (Main Mix)
15. Sean Dimitrie featuring Tim Fuller - So Hot (Swag Remix)
16. Ron Basejam - For The People By The People (Schmoov! Remix)


(2010 Update:
Remember when this was the sound folks associated the term 'deep house' with? Compared to the material that passes for it today, this is a downright vibrant, bouncy set. It's still a rather generic release though, as the market continues to be flooded with 'soulful' San-Fran house music of this sort -is that the unofficial tag now?)


IN BRIEF: So much soul to give.

Whenever I'm handed a mixed compilation, I usually have an easy time deciding which angle to approach it from. If the DJs name is bigger than the title of the compilation, chances are he or she is the attention grabber, thus folks will get the release because of them regardless of the music it contains. As such, I tend to rate a mixed compilation more on the DJ's work rather than the music, and vice versa if the title's more prominent than the name.

However, every so often, I'm faced with a problem. If the size of the title is just as big as the DJ's name, which gets more attention: the DJ performance, or the music on hand? Why couldn't Miguel Migs have made my life easier? Why?

Eh, what's that? You've never heard of Miguel Migs? No, you're kidding, right? Well, if you've only followed trancey music for most of your EDM beginnings (and I'd wager a good chunk of TranceCritic's readers have), then I suppose a prominent deep house DJ might pass you by unnoticed. Without getting too detailed about it, Miguel Migs (or Miguel Steward, to his parents) has become a highly respected house DJ and producer out of San Francisco. Probably the easiest comparison would be to Mark Farina, though Migs often brings jazzier elements to his tracks thanks to a musical background in reggae. With the brief background out of the way, let's get back to this compilation.

Salted Music is Miguel Migs' own label but there's hardly any material from it on here. Heck, Salted Music only has about half a dozen releases anyways. Instead, this appears to be a straight-forward deep house mix of songs Migs would like to share for our listening pleasure. Such a nice guy, he is, but I'm here to review, not judge character, so if this compilation isn't up to snuff...

Mind, it's virtually impossible to make a bad deep house set. There's something about the music that connects with all of our psyches, moving and grooving us no matter how we feel. It warms the soul even in the coldest of environments.

Yes, indeed, house with soul is the common thread in Get Salted Vol. 1. Sometimes it's a little funkier, sometimes a little jazzier, and sometimes a little dubbier, but no matter the track, there's bound to be a hint of soul in there. So, if you have no room for soul in yo' soul, you'd best just go, bro'.

Migs opens up with an exclusive mix of Chuck Love's Back In My Life. So exclusive, in fact, this CD is the only place you’re going to find it! (Be sure to rub this fact in house vinyl purists faces every chance you get. Go on, I know you’ve been wanting to) Of course, such bragging rights are useless if the track is no good but it delivers as a nice bit of funky, bumpin' music to get us off on the right foot.

We move into dubby territory after the opener. Bits of soulful funk manage to peak in by way of guitars or lyrics, but the dubbed out atmosphere rules for these next two tracks. They provide a pleasant, laid-back warm-up for the compilation but Migs doesn't dwell on it for long. With a vocal sample declaring "y'all gotta keep the funk alive", Andy Holder's remix of Orange Muse's track does just that. Even during a few dubby interludes, the rhythms are guaranteed to move and groove you. And, while Shik Stylko's House The Joint? isn't quite as much of a mover, it's a perfect follow-up to Keep The Funk Alive, letting the dubby atmosphere suck you in.

However, Migs doesn't seem interested in rocking a party, as we move into the vocal number One Chance. It's undoubtedly more soulful, and there's still some groove to it, but considering where we just were, this track is a step down in the funk department. Mind, it's not too surprising since many of these are Migs’ productions, and he's admitted he prefers producing music for listening rather than dancing despite four-to-the-floor beats.

I wouldn't mind this too much if for one glaring problem. Around mid-way through Miguel Migs' own Remember, my mind tends to wander due to the music just not being interesting enough. The previous couple tracks before it manage to provide a few noticeable lyrics or rhythms but not enough to really excite me for the next track. By the time Remember hits, my mind's starting to drift, and when Special Interest's Like This hits, I can honestly say I have never, ever recalled listening to it. Yes, it only lasts a couple minutes but there isn't a single memorable moment in this song, and without the lead-up to it keeping me attentive, I've always found myself thinking about other things rather than the music on hand. This is not a good sign, as it places such music into muzak territory -music that is there, but does absolutely nothing to spark interest. Is it the lacking rhythms? Or uninspired alto sax licks? Whatever the case, no matter how many times I've forced myself to actually pay attention to the middle of Get Salted, I get distracted by the tiniest random thought, as it's so much more interesting than what's being played.

Thankfully, The Sunburst Band always snaps me out of my daze during Get Salted's play-through thanks to the good ol' disco funk exuberance on hand. Singing divas, funky guitar licks, and energetic house rhythms give me hope this mix can be salvaged from merely okay to incredibly riveting.

Alas, it is not to be. Right afterwards, we are thrust back into interesting but ultimately unexciting deep house with The Littlemen's Down With It. While I do like some of the juicy soul and funk on hand with this next little run of tracks, much like the run of Migs productions earlier there just isn't anything to elevate this beyond 'just fine' music.

It's not until we get into Recloose's Dust that things get interesting again thanks to some unique rhythms. We're delving into pure funk here, with skippy beats that'll get the ladies hips moving no problem. Follow-up So Hot takes it further, bringing this compilation to a down and dirty close, but not before we go out on a bit of disco-y delight in Schmoov!'s remix of For The People By The People.

So all in all, Get Salted Vol. 1 is a tasty little appetizer for deep house fans. There's nothing revolutionary to be had here but the genre has managed to get away with this fact for over a decade now and still produce quality with all the quantity -as mentioned earlier, you'd have to be an incredibly inept producer to mess it up. Yes, there's a bit of a lag in the middle but it doesn't distract from the music on hand for long. With the exception of Like This, even if you aren't paying attention to what's playing the chances of some part of your body moving to the music are good.

As for whether I rate this a mixed compilation or a DJ mix, I'd say this is more of the former. Migs' DJing is as smooth as deep house gets but aside from a substantial tease in the beginning to the contrary, Get Salted seems more interested in showing off a collection of soulful tunes rather than building a set.


Score: 6/10
ACE TRACKS:
Orange Muse - Keep The Funk Alive (Andy Holder Remix)
Sean Dimitrie featuring Tim Fuller - So Hot (Swag Remix)


Written By Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

Electro Sun - Pure Blue (Original TC Review)

Trancelucent Productions: Cat: # TP011 

Released 2005 

Track List: 

1. Pure Blue (7:11) 

2. Sundance (7:28) 

3. I've Got The Power (6:54) 

4. Fucking Music (8:05) 

5. Stretch (7:35) 

6. Vanilla (7:26) 

7. In My Dream (Album Edit) (6:44) 

8. Momento (6:48) 

9. Super Nova (6:32) 

(2010 Update: My first taste of contemporary psy trance, where I basically became the go-to guy for that material for much of TranceCritic's run. One thing I'm quite amused to read in this review is my notion that techno didn't have a sell-out sub-genre, when in the following years 'minimal' would go on to become one of the most popular sounds around. Who'd have ever thunk it though? Well, maybe those crafty marketers... Oh, and I'd add In My Dream to the ACE TRACKS list now too. That tune's gone on to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures!) 

IN BRIEF: Psy trance sells out? Perhaps. 

One of the few styles of EDM that seemed to withstand a sell-out sub-genre is psy trance. With the music's stubborn refusal to comply with predictable structures and its willful use of warped sounds, psy trance never had a chance at general acceptance, even within the EDM community at large. The genre's fans were quite fine with this, though. When one is immersed in psychedelia and expanded consciousness (so they say), the last thing you want is to bump into shirtless barstars gooned on ecstasy. It'd crimp your vibe, man. 

However, it seems psy trance's blissful tenure in the underground is coming to an end thanks to a form of it known as full-on, a style many of the old are decrying as too commercial sounding. Of course, it was only a matter of time before it happened - nearly every major genre out there has a sell-out variation the new kids get into while the veterans dismiss as crap: jungle has its jump-up, house has its scouse, breaks has its Florida, traditional trance has its vocal, and even hardcore has its happy. Only techno seems to be immune, mainly due to the fact its purists automatically dismiss anything with a whiff of commercial intent as being anything but techno. 

Anyhow, back to full-on. I'll be the first to admit I'm not as immersed in the psy trance scene as others. I got into the music quite by accident during my initial trance exploration, when I'd buy anything with the word 'trance' on the cover. I stumbled on some great material from the likes of Total Eclipse and Koxbox this way but saw little point in joining the psy masses' scene. I've pretty much only followed one scene: the one I create for myself. That said, having listened to a fair deal of psy trance in the past, the recent commotion over full-on raised my curiosity whether the cries from the old goa guard were warranted. Plus, I felt it might be a good idea for TranceCritic to get a different perspective on the sound, considering our resident goa-head isn't too keen on the idea of reviewing more.  So, here I am reviewing this release from Electro Sun (real name Nadav Elkayam), a foray into full-on with virgin ears. 

I may as well get this out of the way right off the bat. All the complaints about full-on making use of a bassline that doesn't change much in most songs seem warranted. While there certainly are minute differences in notes, patterns, and tempo on Pure Blue, you'll hardly notice it unless you're paying close attention. For the most part, you get familiar wubbila-wubbila-wubbila patterns and the sound used is exactly the same in every song. Even when the intros to the tracks might suggest something otherwise, it will all too soon fall into familiar territory. Immediately, this hurts the album. Without some differences on the rhythm end, you'll swear you're listening to the same song over and over. It doesn't matter how unique each melody is; when your rhythm doesn't do much to distinguish itself from track to track, it's going to get repetitive very soon. 

However, one can still craft a decent album even if the rhythms don't vary much. I've listened to many a release where the hooks, melodies, and effects managed to lift it above mediocre fare despite repetitive rhythms (this is EDM were talking about here, after all) so, although Pure Blue's already been dinged for samey rhythms, let's see if the songs' other attributes help in making this a worthy release for you to own. 

We dive into Pure Blue with Pure Blue, a solid bit of psy if I've heard any. Detailing what goes on during a typical psy track is usually a headache, to write and to read; there's just too much going on to keep it brief so I'll mention the highlights: stuttering effects, arpeggiating hooks, and chunky, acidy climaxes make up the bulk, always growing in intensity as the song progresses. Brief breakdowns and builds are scattered about but finely serve their purpose as the energetic riffs on the other side of them rarely let you down. As mentioned, it may not be groundbreaking, but Pure Blue is an effective bit of psy trance, and a fine opener. 

Sundance follows, and it's here I notice the other complaint of full-on: the use of simple, catchy - even a bit too cheesy - hooks. I'm not sure why this is suddenly a new complaint, as I've heard many a psy trance track that didn't take itself too seriously, but I suppose the full-on movement is littered with them, so it gets the brunt of the blame. Yes, Sundance does contain many sounds, hooks, and effects a psy veteran would deem psy-lite or McPsy, but they are quite fun too. The peak hook most certainly would get a crowd moving, although I wouldn't use it for a peak time track in a set. Like Obie Trice's women, it doesn't quite have the teeth. 

Elkayam calls upon a guy called Bizzare Contact for a little collaboration work on I've Got The Power, and the influence makes for a tasty bit of psychedelia. One thing I really enjoy about the genre in general is the way the producers will mess around with bizzare sounds, crazy effects, and blind alley hooks for over half the track, all the while subtly sprinkling their peak riff about, teasing the listener for what's to come. I've Got The Power makes good use of keeping you distracted with some nifty percussion work (gotta love those random pauses on third beats) and the eventual payoff, while not the most memorable one ever crafted, certainly works within the song itself. It's just a shame the track kind of lost the plot towards the end with a more rhythmic lead-out. 

From here, things start to get suspect. Fucking Music (and no, there's nothing bump 'n' grind worthy here) doesn't make much effort to distinguish itself. Sure, there's a moodier atmosphere to the track containing various odd pad effects, but nothing is really done with it and the end results come off as a bunch of random noise. Stretch descends us even further into "been there - done that" territory and Vanilla sounds just as exciting as its name suggests despite the go at buttrock guitar sounds. Whereas the first three tracks managed to do something different from each other, these last three just follow the Pure Blue model without anything nearly as catchy to offer. 

At this point in the album, you'd be forgiven for writing the rest off. If the samey basslines hadn't aggravated you by now, I'd imagine the lack of any truly exciting hooks or sequences will disheartened even the most hardened psy trance fan. There's been some interesting, even catchy, moments but nothing with the fierce, dynamic intensity this genre's been known for. 

The last third of Pure Blue doesn't do much to correct this but there are a few noteworthy moments. In My Dream stands out for the fun atmosphere and pure audacity of using samples of wailing divas (!) - I can imagine this pissing off a great number of psy trancers who take their music very seriously, which just might make this chipper tune a perfect cross-over contender. Momento, like Fucking Music, is moodier than the rest, but more coherent than the latter, if not as memorable with its sounds. And finally, Super Nova will definitely turn heads with its use of Gollum samples, and even perhaps its different use of bassline if you've actually paid attention to that in these songs (settling for a traditional off-beat throb) but it still treads the same territory as those that came before. 

Now, I'll grant Electro Sun's debut certainly is finely produced - at no point does a lack of technical musicianship become apparent. Mr. Elkayam just needs to work on crafting some more memorable hooks and sequences to make this stand out more. For the most part, Pure Blue sounds serviceable on an individual song basis. All together, though, there's a real Stretch of Vanilla (hohoho!). Halfway through, no matter how a song started, I just kept thinking "Here we go again" no more than a minute into the tracks. There needs to be more spice to go along with the sweetness on hand. 

As for full-on in general, the jury is still out - I'll need to listen to more than just a single album to give the style a verdict. However, if the predictability of Pure Blue is any indication, I may not have to listen to much more to come to a conclusion. 

Score: 6/10 

ACE TRACKS: 

I've Got The Power 

Written By Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

Deejay Goldfinger - Runaway (Original TC Review)

Mastermind Music: Cat. # MMM2005001 

Released November 2005 

Track List: 

A. Runaway (Goldfinger's NRG Factor) (6:52) 

B1. Runaway (Dancefloor Saints Remix) (6:36) 

B2. Runaway (Dancerockaz Remix) (6:32) 

(2010 Update: Fortunately, we didn't get subjected to a surge of crummy hair-metal dance covers. Unfortunately, something even worse did emerge: ironic-hipster dance-rock -complete with ironic mullets. Ugh, I think I'd take a dozen tunes like this one than any more of that.) 

IN BRIEF: Time to grow a mullet. 

In a previous episode of Sykonee Reminisces Euro's Glory Years, I gave props to Deejay Goldfinger for being daring enough to give a whole verse to a rapper. Having personally given up on the genre since the rapper's unceremonious exit, the nostalgia factor in Can’t Stop Me earned the single a rather generous rating despite my complaints of the song very nearly ripping off Somebody's Watchin Me. 

Recently, I was personally contacted by Goldfinger to see if I'd be interested in reviewing his latest single, Runaway. After my initial surprise had passed (after all, we here at TranceCritic have been rejected by others for reviews that were less sarcastic than my Goldfinger one), I accepted the offer. Even if I wasn't particularly fond of Can't Stop Me, I was generously curious if Goldfinger would expand the rapper's role further than a single verse. After all, someone has to lead the charge to spur the eventual retro return of raps in euro dance music. 

However, Runaway doesn't feature any raps at all. This is a good thing, though, since this is a cover of the Bon Jovi hit Runaway. I doubt an MC would suit the theme of that song at- 

Back up a moment there. Did I just type Bon Jovi? As in, hair metal Bon Jovi? You bet. Since modern dance music continues to look to the 80s for inspiration, it was only a matter of time before the most mocked of all musical styles from that decade was tapped as well. The big question is how competently it would be done. 

I was never a big fan of hair metal but you cannot deny its, um, charm. Over-the-top? Certainly, but a great deal of music is. When you turn your brain off and let your hair down, it can be a most fun form of stupid music in decent doses. And no other kind of rock seems to inspire more folks to pull out their best air guitar moves without a care in the world. As such, the form of hard euro dance music Goldfinger is known for is a perfect template to work with, as it is just as equally stupid, fun music in decent doses. 

Sure enough, the rhythm in Runaway is punchy with suitably throbbing bass driving the whole enterprise. What really knocks me over, though, is just how good Felicitas Zoë's singing is. Having grown so accustomed to gals doing poor interpretations of older songs in a dance format (heck, sometimes the lyrics don't even make sense from a girl's mouth, as many times they’re cover songs written by guys), anytime someone not only does a competent job but even raises the song's effectiveness is a welcome, if all too rare, surprise. 

She absolutely nails the essence of Runaway's original lyrics (about a girl who runs away from home, if you hadn't guessed), lending a tragic touch to the feel of it since it comes from a female's mouth. You also get some kooky hair metal guitar licks lurking in the background, which in turn adds to the more playful nature of this slice of euro. I really could have done without the simple synth riffage midway through the song, though, as the sounds used in it just don't quite mesh with the rest of the elements on play. Ah well, that's what the remixes are for, right? 

The Dancefloor Saints provide a remix, and, just in case you didn't know it's by them, they repeat that fact throughout the song. The Saints aren't the first to use such a hokey technique but blatant advertising like this is annoying just the same. As for the remix itself, it's a little more groove-centric, Goldfinger's synth is gone, and you get some additional trancey effects during the chorus, but it remains almost identical to the A-side. The strength remains in Ms. Zoë's lyrics and the background guitars. 

Ah, now this second remix (done by the guys who help produce Goldfinger) is much better. You get hair metal guitars galore, adding to the cheese factor without going too far over the top. With the rhythm a little less throbbing, it complements all that riffage wonderfully. Throw in Ms. Zoë's vocals getting some extra mileage with effects in between the verses and choruses, and you have a nice little bit of clubbing fodder that'll get dancers whipping out air guitar moves in earnest. 

While I've never been a huge fan of dance covers of rock songs, this one outdoes most since it recognizes the strength of its source material and indulges in it gleefully. Unfortunately, because Runaway does tap the original source so heavily, this may also be its biggest drawback. It plays the nostalgia card perhaps a little too hard. The song would definitely get a reaction in a typical Top40 club but I can't see it having much longevity at home. Once you get past those hair metal retro vibes, the song is very standard euro club music. 

Also, I hope this doesn't become a trend. Runaway works better than it really should because Ms. Zoë's vocals are more inspired than most euro cover fare. However, I can see dance covers of hair metal tunes going horribly awry in the wrong hands all too often. 

Score: 6/10 

Written By Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

Marco V - 200V (Original TC Review)

In Charge: Cat. # ICCD002
Released October 15, 2005

Track List:
1. False Light (7:05)
2. Second Bite (5:16)
3. New Dawn (5:27)
4. No Place For Silence (4:30)
5. Calling The Shots (4:23)
6. More Than A Life Away (3:41)
7. Red Blue Purple (5:21)
8. Stronger Now (3:46)
9. Toys For Humanoids (3:43)
10. Automanual (4:50)
11. A Great Escape (5:56)
12. Terminal 18!! (5:21)
13. C:del*.mp3 (6:55)

Includes a DVD with videos, live footage, and MP3 sets.


(2010 Update:
Marco's career didn't quite take off the way I seemed to indicate it could have. I wouldn't go so far as to say he's fallen off but he definitely doesn't command the same attention he used to. Not that this album was the cause of all that -just a matter of changing tastes and trends, and Marco simply was unable to keep pace.)


IN BRIEF: Sometimes it's best to just do what you're known for.

Whenever I go onto certain trance message boards, I can't help but feel left out of most of the fun. While most of the inhabitants of such boards were going through the second stage of their EDM fandom -the part where you find a particular underground sound and cling to it like glue through thick and thin- I was already well into the third stage of mine -where you start branching off and exploring every other style the music has to offer. The side effect of this is you don't follow your initial pet genre quite as diligently, and many new names the next generation of clubbers are gushing over pass you by. So, although the Fellers, Liebs, and Jam & Spoons warranted my attention, the Buurens, Moors, and Gabriel & Dresdens practically gained fame without me even noticing.

Oh, and the Marco Vs.

Not that Mr. Verkuylen is new altogether, mind. Along with producing partner Benjamin Bates, he's been around since at least '97 under various guises, and Marco's been DJing for much longer than that. However, it was mostly in recent years that he began to get noticed enough to step out from all the pseudonyms and start producing under his own moniker. By providing hard hitting trance when light, fluffy melodies dominated, Marco managed to establish himself as a name to be reckoned with. His go at the immortal Café del Mar by Energy 52 pretty much cemented Marco's place within the upper echelons of the trance community.

However, the man is quite new to me and, despite probably having the odd track of his floating around, this release is my first real foray into V territory. Having heard from pre-release buzz 200V (heh, clever) is a bit of a departure from the style that established Marco, this promises to be interesting.

While I've heard he's normally regarded as tech-trance, the opening pair of songs is anything but. In fact, I'm not entirely sure what to call them. Progressive would be a close estimate but there's nothing proggy about these either. In fact, both False Light and Second Bite bare some semblance to the Underworld of old with their pumping rhythms and murky atmosphere. These attributes are merely there to complement the lyrics to these songs, and it works wonderfully. Elliot Johns especially gives an inspired go on Second Bite with a sort of old punkish warble.

This is something I didn't expect. Well, truthfully, I didn't really know what to expect, but a pair of aggressive, sinister vocal numbers that inspire some of the most deviant actions capable on a dancefloor was certainly one of the most remote. The fact almost everything that gets branded trance these days has become so safe and happy-go-lucky to appeal to as wide an audience as possible (yes, even a lot of tech-trance) makes hearing something as ominous as these two cuts a pleasant surprise.

New Dawn seems to start out in the same direction with the mayhem, moving into breakbeat territory to provide the backbone. This comes as another welcome surprise, but a cautious one as sometimes a producer may stumble if they attempt styles they are not as well known for. Marco doesn't disappoint here, though. Despite some questionable choices in sounds early on (what's that trying to be, a distorted sinewave?), New Dawn re-focuses itself midway through into a pleasant bit of trancey atmosphere with soft pads and simple piano fills, never losing the initial momentum in the process.

Unfortunately, things start to get quite suspect as we move on into No Place For Silence. It starts out promising enough, following the same form as Second Dawn with menacing sounds, lyrics (although these are just loops of the title), and good rhythms. Some two minutes in, a little moody trance riff is introduced and, as the rhythm is effectively brought back, No Place For Silence appears to be another good track. Yet, just as soon as you think it's about to be taken to another level of intensity, the song ends.

Now, maybe I'm just spoiled by songs that start out like this building to something more intense for a few extra minutes but this track feels incredibly short, especially considering the two openers didn't (which is odd since Second Bite isn't that much longer). No Place For Silence comes off as quite a tease, which might have been alright for one track but this happens two more times in the following run of tracks (which alternate between two types, the latter of which I'll get to in a moment). J’ may have bemoaned that one of the best tracks in Politics Of Dancing 2, More Than A Life Away, was so short, but that's really how short the song is! And that, my friends, is a crying shame, as Bates does a wonderful little Karl Hyde impression. Along with the song's driving intensity, it could have been a classic anthem had it just been longer so we could enjoy it more. And Stronger Now, featuring Elliot Johns again, is yet another wonderful little vocal number akin to Second Bite that ends far too soon. These two tracks may not leave quite the gaping hole of energy at the end quite as badly as No Place For Silence, but they certainly feel like wasted potential for not doing more with them. Sure, you can probably find longer versions on the singles, but you're most likely going to come away disappointed when you hear these shorter version on 200V.

What about those other tracks arranged in with these, then? Surely they can feed off the energy the short, intense vocal numbers provided. Eh, not so, sadly. In an effort to broaden his musical techniques, Marco seems determined to dabble in other styles. The results aren't inspiring. Calling The Shots is a bit of march-a-long techno using more of those distorted noises the V-inator is fond of, but it's just annoying to endure. Red Blue Purple starts out promising with some nice trancey pads and arpeggio work, but quickly descends into speed garage idiocy with hollow bass sounds alternating with farty noises. It sounds cool for maybe 16 bars before you realize, as with nearly all speed garage, just how musically bankrupt it really is. And do I really need to go into Toys For Humanoids? It seems Marco wants to try his hand at some funky nu-school breakbeats, but his choice of bass ends up sounding as hopelessly clueless as the Icy Hot Stuntaz.

Having finally gotten past that tedious middle section, we get into something that's far more effective. Automanual is a gimmick-free bit of techno, making use a distorted hoover pitched about as low as it can go for its bottom end and simple bell melodies to provide the hook. It's down, it's dirty, and, dammit, does it ever groove. Old school revival! More like this please.

Or, even better, more stuff like A Great Escape! This is hard trance the way it needs to be done: rhythms with punch, driving hooks with spice, and melodies that don't dawdle on how great they are. Of course, Marco V introduces his main melody in a breakdown but the momentum of the track never dies thanks to all of the little subtleties hiding in the background. When it all comes back, the energy of A Great Escape increases tenfold. It boggles the mind why more trance producers don't do this, as despite the simplicity of this structure, it is still effective. I guess if they did stuff this aggressive, though, their chances of having their material played on A State Of Global Deejays drastically diminishes. Thankfully, Marco V has other plans.

Terminal 18!! takes the grit of Automanual and throws in a simple bit of spacey padwork to complement it. C:del*.mp3 follows suite, allowing for more synthy patches to carry the song than rhythms, but even the nearly malicious use of prolonged stomping builds doesn't dilute the song's effectiveness. These two cuts are nothing fancy but remain miles more effective as dancefloor fodder than any of the more experimental tracks from earlier.

In fact, hearing this current run of tracks, I can see why Marco became so popular with folks who enjoy the harder hitting aspects of this style. He's practically nailed the template, making use of rhythms that don't disappoint and melodies that do invite you into trance. This is the same guy that did the idiotic Red Blue Purple? Most of the music on the opening two-thirds of 200V feels like nothing more than a bad memory compared to where the album finished up.

The whole middle section of 200V is a perfect example of wasted potential, especially considering how good the album started and ended. All the decent songs are far too short to make room for songs that are just bad. I'll applaud Marco V's willingness to experiment in other styles but, as A Great Escape and Terminal 18!! prove, he's far better when he sticks to his strengths.

In all, this release is a very mixed bag. I can see older V fans dismissing it almost instantly aside from the last third, as Marco strays very far from that sound for a good portion of the album. The vocal numbers are quite good but, aside from the first two, they really needed to be longer to make more of an impression. The rest of it is unremarkable with the liberal jumping of genres on hand. Heck, I'd almost be willing to call this an ‘electronica’ album. Indeed, it seems Marco is aiming for a larger crowd than his hard trance fans. Sadly, this might end up being a mistake since the tracks that attempt to appeal to other factions of EDM are just plain bad (well, New Dawn perhaps an exception).


Score: 6/10

ACE TRACKS:
Second Bite
More Than A Life Away
A Great Escape


Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.© All rights reserved.