Louk's Reviews - April 2002
Louk
Juan Editez - Vox Populi
K-1
Release date: unknown
Rating:
Vox Populi
Crescendo
Manilla
Scooter - The Logical Song
Sheffield Tunes/Edel
Release date: unknown
Rating:
Broke (Goldtrix Mix)
Broke (Azzido Da Bass Mix)
Broke (Original 7" Mix)
DRS - Reactive
Toolbox
Release date: unknown
Rating: 7
Broke (Goldtrix Mix)
Broke (Azzido Da Bass Mix)
Broke (Original 7" Mix)
Clive O' Riordan - Calling All Ravers
Mr Progressive
Release date: unknown
Rating: 3
Calling All Ravers (Original Mix)
Dave Elyzium - The Potential NRG EP
Elyzium
Release date: unknown
Rating: 8
It's All Good
Body Blow
Me & My DJ
Trippy
Full Review: This is the first release for the Monmouth based Elyzium records. Set up by top hard trance producer Dave Elyzium, it is Dave himself who is behind the first release and as a result here are 4 quality trance tracks. "It's All Good" is a full on stomper of a track with tough percussion, spinbacks, vocals repeating the title and lots of 303 and some Amiga stabs over a tough bassline. As you can imagine this one really works well especially when the track gets to the second break. "Body Blow" kicks off with some tough funky loops and a two note bassline. Hoovers and seriously effected vocals are at the ready here along with a weird synth line that adds to the twistedness of the track. The tune then halves its speed part way through which sounds even weirder. This one's ok but not as good as the others on the EP. "Me + My DJ" is a very uplifting number which didn't take much before I was stomping around my room to. Having some really cool stabs and odd vocals over some really punchy percussion
and bass, the track introduces a really nice string part and chopped up vocals of "This is one here for me and My DJ". The track breaks down to this and when the riff comes in this one is so hard to resist dancing to. Quality! "Trippy" really ups the pace and is so full on that it could almost be a hardcore tune. Hard hoover stabs and a distorted kick come into play with female vocals repeating the title and some 303s along with a quite nice synth riff. Cool stuff. All in all here are 4 very cool tracks which are hopefully a promising sign to things to come. Check it out.
Combined Forces - Winter Music Conference Sampler
Combined Forces
Release date: unknown
Rating: 8
DJ Remy - In Your Face
Don Diablo - Time Keeps Me Alive
TBA - Freedom
Damien J Carter - Holdin On
Triangel - Bulldozer
Alpha Breed - Beyond The Moon Remix
Sanproject - Deep
Solid Sessions - Departure At Gate S
Freejack - Angularit (Remix)
DJ Isaac - Beat The Silence
DJ Isaac - On The Edge
RBA - Turkish Delight
Carnal
Release date: unknown
Rating: 7
Turkish Delight (Original Mix)
Full Review: After a lengthy absence, the Carnal label from Holland return with this production by the Artist who kicked the label off, RBA. With a title of "Turkish Delight" you are immediately drawn to thoughts of evil tasting chocolate and something a little bit weird. You'd be right to think this as this particular production is quite far from normality. Starting with cool drums and an offbeat bassline as well as some stabs the track drops to introduce an extract of some turkish music which really feels out of place on the track. When the synth copies it you look puzzled as to what is going on. It's not bad but not that good either and completely unexpected. Check it out and see.
Thomas Anderson - Confusion
Carnal
Release date: unknown
Rating: 9
Confusion
Lawnmower
Full Review: Another release for Carnal this month comes from Thomas Anderson (also known as Jesse and Thomas Hagenbeek of Maglev Fame). The two tracks on offer are quite hard numbers with "Confusion" being a typical Carnal sound with tough percussion and a strong bassline along with lots of synth underlays and a dark chord progression. A buzzy synth-lead comes into play along with a dark and twisted vocal and the track kicks off nicely. "Lawnmower" on the flip is a very solid 303 influenced track in the style of Confusion but more twisty. Having a really grinding synth all is well in this track too. Good stuff.
K90 - Breathe
Recover
Release date: unknown
Rating: 10
Breathe (Phil Reynolds + Steve Blake Mix)
Breathe (Original Mix)
Full Review: Release number 14 for this offshoot of Eve Recordings comes from the excellent K90, who is probably the busiest artist on the label. Getting a remix in from two of London's most rated producers, it goes without saying that the Phil Reynolds and Steve Blake mix will be quality. Having listened to it I can honestly say this is the best track I've heard all year so far. Their mix of "Breathe" starts with some very pumping Drums and speaker shaking bass which leads into a wicked synth riff underlay that breaks the track down. What follows is a riff that knocked pretty much everything out of me and when the vocals came in, at this point i was considering hammering my amplifier to the roof of my house and turning it up on full.... only a few tunes make me want to do that and saying it is uplifting is an understatement. The Original on the mix is another pretty uplifting production, with some wicked percussion and a cool bassline with some chopped up singing that works a treat. This drops to the
break where some very nice strings come in and the trademark K90 style riff comes in. Nothing much else is added to the track but it is still Quality through and through. To sum things up, I reckon this will be huge and you are making a huge mistake if you don't go and buy it when released. Noooiiicee!!!!!
Nimrod - You Know 007
Eve
Release date: unknown
Rating: 9
You Know 007 (Pablo Gargano Mix)
You Know 007 (Original Mix)
Mac + Mac - Wicked + Wild
Jinx
Release date: unknown
Rating: 7
Wicked + Wild (Original Mix)
Wicked + Wild (Warp Brothers Mix)
Full Review: It is safe to say that things have been going very well for Jinx Recordings over the past few years. Since I first heard of them back in 1999 with "What You Got 4 Me" by Signum, the success of the label has increased greatly. This release by UK DJ Scott Mac and Mac Zimms from Holland is quite cool indeed. The Original mix has a very nice and simple groove to it with cool drums, a weird bassline and an "Azzido Da Bass" like synth that works its way around the track nicely. Added to this are vocals repeating the title which make things sound just that bit weirder. The Warp Brothers mix on the flip is quite similar to the original in it's arrangement, however there are some really dodgy synth parts and the track generally annoys me overall to be honest. So my advice for this one is to stick with the Original mix and check this release out when released.
Flutlicht - The Dark Blue Series
Blockbusters
Release date: unknown
Rating: 10
Icarus (The Flight)
Mutterkorn
Ahema
Das Siegel
Polartraxx - World Of Fantasy
Illuminate
Release date: unknown
Rating: 7
World Of Fantasy (Club Mix)
Your Destiny (Original Mix)
Beyond The Stars (Trance Mix)
Mirage + DJ Ari - French Affairs
ANP
Release date: unknown
Rating: 8
French Affairs (Simon Le Grec Mix)
French Affairs (Mirage Mix)
French Affairs (Original Mykonos Mix)
Westwood Bros - Special Tactics Volume 2
Construct Rhythm
Release date: unknown
Rating: 10
Tactics 4
Tactics 5
Tactics 6
Clubtrancer One - No Return
Illuminate
Release date: unknown
Rating: 8
No Return (Tom Deluxe Mix)
No Return (More Mellow Mix)
DJ Shog - This Is My Sound Remixes
Logport
Release date: unknown
Rating: 9
This Is My Sound (CJ Stone Mix)
This Is My Sound (Green Court Mix)
This Is My Sound (Wavescope's Progressive Mix)
The Poet - Der Mond
ANP
Release date: unknown
Rating: 10
Der Mond (DJ Worris Mix)
Der Mond (Reysan Khan Mix)
Der Mond (London Fever Mix)
Der Mond (Westwood Bros Mix)
Search 7 - Wide Open
Axwax
Release date: unknown
Rating: 9
Wide Open (Club Mix)
Wide Open (Commander Tom Mix)
Wide Open (Original Club Mix)
Wide Open (Paul Hutsch Mix)
Wide Open (In Progress Mix)
Wide Open (W.E Mix)
DJ Erg - If You Party
Jerk
fRelease date: unknown
Rating: 9
If You Party
2nd Floor
Full Review: The Excellent Jerk Recordings label in Germany return with this two tracker provided by DJ Erg (also known as Ergin Karabulut and producers Hendrik Willhelms and Stefan Muller) This two tracker is a collection of some excellent tech-house tracks. "If You Party" starts with some very nice and pounding percussion along with synth underlays and vocoded singing repeating the title. This builds onto a nice funky bassline and when the track breaks a really dark dubby bassline comes in which works a treat with the track. Niiiice!!!! "2nd Floor" on the flip is a wicked tech-house track with tough funky stabs and loads of chaotic percssion over lots of cool FX too. That's basically all this track is made up of but it certainly goes down well in my opinion and I was really stomping to it while playing. Its the sort of thing that DJs like Sterling Moss or Tom Harding might play. An Excellent 2 tracker. Nice one!
Canteen - Everyone Else
Breathless
Release date: 27/05/02
Rating: 9
Everyone Else (Dreamcatcher Mix)
Everyone Else (Maurice + Noble Mix)
Full Review: This release on Breathless (who have definitely proved themselves to be most consistent label around during the last twelve months or so) return with this Progressive track produced by Paul Castle (of Dreamcatcher and S.K.F fame) and with Vocals provided by Jay Fisher. The Dreamcatcher mix of "Everyone Else" is a quality production with an excellent bassline, mental percussion, some very nice synth work and some completely spaced out vocals that really do work a treat. This is the sort of production you wish everyone else had a copy of because you just know that they will ask you for your copy! Maurice + Noble's mix othe flip is a much deeper number, that for some reason reminds me a bit of "Man With The Red Face" by "Laurent Garnier" being quite a simple number up until the breakdown, the track decides to add breakbeats and some strings to the vocals and later on after the track has kicked in a Guitar part is added. This is quite cool but in my opinion you should stick with the Dreamcatcher mix because quite simply You cannot go wrong! How this label does it is beyond me, not one bad release yet.
Ortz - We Don't Talk
Additive
Release date: Unknown
Rating: 9
Everyone Else (Dreamcatcher Mix)
Everyone Else (Maurice + Noble Mix)
Scumfrog vs David Bowie - Loving The Alien
Positiva
Release date: Unknown
Rating: 9
Everyone Else (Dreamcatcher Mix)
Everyone Else (Maurice + Noble Mix)
Barthezz - Infected
Positiva
Release date: Unknown
Rating: 9
Everyone Else (Dreamcatcher Mix)
Everyone Else (Maurice + Noble Mix)
Connector - Interference
Additive
Release date: Unknown
Rating: 9
Everyone Else (Dreamcatcher Mix)
Everyone Else (Maurice + Noble Mix)
Marc Et Claude - Tremble
Positiva
Release date: Unknown
Rating: 9
Everyone Else (Dreamcatcher Mix)
Everyone Else (Maurice + Noble Mix)
Charly Fath - SOS
Neo
Release date: Unknown
Rating: 6
SOS (Frank Trax Mix)
Wireless - Skyswinger
X-Plicit
Release date: Unknown
Rating: 9
Everyone Else (Dreamcatcher Mix)
Everyone Else (Maurice + Noble Mix)
Convergence - Conversion
CMYK
Release date: Unknown
Rating: 9
Conversion (Frame Mix)
Conversion (Original Mix)
Peptides
Protocol - Atocha
Prognosis
Release date: Unknown
Rating: 8
Atocha (Original Mix)
Atocha (Earth Loop Mix)
Earth Loop - Firework
Prognosis
Release date: Unknown
Rating: 10
Firework 135
Firework 130
Free State - Release
Anjuna Beats
Release date: unknown
Rating: 10
Release (Original Mix)
Release (Dirt Devils Mix)
Full Review: The production team of Jono Grant + Paavo Siljamaki return with two cuts that make you wonder just how they get away with being so good every time. Their last "Free State" release "Different Ways" ended up being my tune of the year last year and deservedly so, this track follows the form not quite being as good but still excellent. The "Original Mix" starts with some funky drum and bass programming and builds up with synth sweeps and fx alongside a very catchy synth underlay, this leads up into the breakdown where some very warm pads come in alongside some excellent vocals. Their instantly recognisable style of riff comes in and the track builds up into a monster. This is another track which will certainly gain some huge support from the bigger DJs. Jono and Paavo remix the track under their "Dirt Devil" guise and their mix with tougher drum programming and a warped bassline. As well as this crowd cheers come in along side some reverberated FX and this helps lead the track into the breakdown with a filtered riff and evil dark bassline. I recommend if you only buy one new track this month it should definately be this one. Quality.
Tranquility Bass - Razorfish
Anjuna Beats
Release date: unknown
Rating: 9
Razorfish (Above + Beyond's Progressive Mix)
Razorfish (Above + Beyond's Banging Mix)
Full Review: Release Number 005 for this London label comes from new artist Tranquility Base. The "Above And Beyond's Progressive Mix" sports a funky quantised bassline over some tight drum programming and melodic synth underlays. This makes for a bouncy track which definately got me dancing. The track builds up into a breakdown which has strings to warm the coldest part of your body to. A simple and short synth riff comes in like that off "Insigma" by "Insigma" and the track builds up into something great and is no wonder that Graham Gold + Ferry Corsten have been playing this track off acetate. Above And Beyond also provide a "Banging Mix" here and this is much to the same theme as the Progressive mix except that there is a 303 line, a funkier bassline and more emphasis on the riff. Which is more favourable for me as I love anything bouncy and melodic with a happy edge to it. Another corker from Anjuna Beats which is definately worth checking out when released.
Cuadro - Summerbreeze
Unsubmissive
Release date: unknown
Rating: 9
Summerbreeze (Fahrenheit 66 Sleepless Edit)
Summerbreeze (Niels Van Gogh Mix)
Summerbreeze (Original Mix)
Full Review: You all remember "Ayla" by "Ayla" right? Well, this is the label that originally brought this track to us. Unsubmissive records in Germany have enlisted the help of vocalist "Gansehaut" to work on this three tracker produced by "Niels van Gogh". The "Fahrenheit 66 Sleepless Edit" is a hard pounding trancer with 303s on overdrive alongside some warm strings and a very strong kick drum and bassline. This leads into the breakdown where the vocals come in fully along with a riff which didn't really do it for me but when the track builds up it does work quite well. The "Niels Van Gogh" mix is definately more like it, it has a calmer beat but still lots of energy with its synth underlays and bouncy drum pattern. The track drops to the break where a simple underlay comes and a riff which sounds like the "Light Of Day mix" of "Condor - You Can Kiss My" which was a Huge favourite of mine. This combined with the vocals help the track build up into a winner. The "Original Mix" in all honesty I didn't think that much of as I thought it sounded a bit too much like "Fly Away" by "Vincent De Moor" so I'll suggest the advice to stick with the excellent Niels Van Gogh mix. Check it out!
Louk