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Gabriel & Dresden – Gabriel & Dresden
Organized Nature
On their self titled album Josh Gabriel and
Dave Dresden have created 12 diverse tracks combining techno beats, house
rhythms, trance, electronica elements and organic instruments. They have
over the years delivered many outstanding tracks and mixes under their own
name and under their alias Motorcycle created some of the best vocal trance
tracks in newer time – just think “As The Rush Comes”. On the album you can
experience wonderfully lush melodies like “Let Go” with vocals by Molly
Bancroft who also sings on other 3 powerful tracks including the single
release from the album “Tracking Treasure Down”. Beside Molly the duo has
collaborated with Jan Burton and Scarlett Ettiene. Besides the melodic part
Gabriel and Dresden have experimented with sounds and the structure of the
tracks and some of the tracks will blow you away. Gabriel and Dresden debut
album is a strong statement that dance music can be so much more. (CA)
Rating: 8 / 10
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Judge Jules
- Proven Worldwide
Koch Records
The debut release by the Judge is a mixed
affair - but a pleasant surprise. When I put on the CD, I was afraid that it
would just consist of 12 hard trance tracks - but boy was I wrong. After the
Eric Prydz sounding “Alma Fe” Judge Jules sends you on a tour de force in
dance orientated melodic music. The highlights are surly the trance tracks
“Ordinary World”, “Without Love”, “The Night You Kept Me Warm” and first
single from album “So Special” that is done together with Michael Woods and
features Marcella Woods on vocal. On the album he also travels down the path
of hard hitting trance tracks, that has a good energy to it, but in my ears
seems a bit out of date, e.g. “Keep On Running”, but he also nails it with
“Requiem For Rascals” with its massive driven rhythm and stabbing melody
line. “Rumble” has an early 90´s sound to it with an edge. Overall a good
debut from Judge Jules and I highly recommend the album for trance lovers. (CA)
Rating: 7 / 10
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10 Years
GMF Berlin Compilation
Vandit
To celebrate 10 years of GMF at Café Moskau
in Berlin Vandit has put together a 2 CD mix release. The weekly house club
has played a leading role in Berlin´s party culture and still plays a mayor
part in the Berlin nightlife. On CD one DJ Divinity and Super Zandy have put
together a party house mix that will turn any party up side down, with
tracks spanning the last decay. In the mix you can e.g. find Peter Heller
“Big Love”, Robbie Rivera “Bang” and Mousse T “Right About Now”. On CD two a
frequent guest artist at GMF Paul Van Dyk steps up behind the mixer and
delivers a mix of some of the favourite tunes from the last 10 years. Here
you can find Three Divers “Greece 2000”, 4Strings “Into The Night”, Lustral
“Everytime”, Motorcycle “As The Rush Comes”, BEE “Seven Days and 1 week”,
Spiller “Groovejet”, Daft Punk “One More Time” and Paul Van Dyk´s own
“Nothing But You”. A strong party CD.
(CA) Rating: 7 / 10
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Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder
SonyBMG / Skint
Mr. big beat has released his best of –
Fatboy Slim aka Norman Cook has been a mayor factor in the evolving dance
music scene for many years. Just think of the classic tracks from his second
album “You've come a long way baby” - “The Rockafeller Skank”, “Gangster
Trippin”, “Praise You” and “Right Here Right Now”. From his third album "Halfway
Between The Gutter And The Stars" tracks like "Sunset (Bird Of Prey)", "Demons"
and "Weapon Of Choice". You will find them all here including tracks from
his latest album “Palookaville”. On the album he has also included his great
remixes of Comershop “Brimful Of Asha” and Groove Amada “I See You Baby” and
two new tracks “Champion Sound” and “That Old Pair Of Jeans”. As an added
bonus you get a DVD with all the Fatboy Slim videos.
(CA) Rating: 7 / 10
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Judge
Jules – Judgement Sundays
Ministry Of Sound
Ibiza season is nearly upon us, and to give
us an idea of what tracks will be hammered at the beautiful island this
summer Judge Jules has put together a 2 mix CD with some party shaking
tracks. CD one features an insight into what he plays at the backroom at
Eden – its a mixture of upfront tunes including tracks from likes of ATFC
“Spread Love”, Supermodel “Why” (Bronskie Beat cover) and Till West & DJ
Delicious “Same Man” and some from my point of view annoying electro fuelled
tracks that I just can’t take. On CD two the judge moves from the backroom
to the main room and he swings everything into gear with tracks from Amber “Sexual”,
Marcel Woods “Monotone”, DT8 project “Hold Me Till The End” and Hemstock &
Jennings “Mirage”. CD two is better and you are guided through a trance
journey, but still the hard hitting high energy trace tracks are in the mix.
Sorry Jules – but it’s not good enough for me.
(CA) Rating: 6 / 10
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Lostep - Because We Can
Global Underground
From Australia comes two extraordinary
talented produces Luke Chable and Phil K and they have released and mixed
tracks for some of the biggest labels in the world. Now they put their two
minds together and created an album that has many levels and depths. The
most known track on the album is “Burma” that was picked up by Sasha for his
“Involver” album, and sort of rocket Lostep into gear for making “Because We
Can”. The title of the album is precisely what you can experience on the
album, Luke and Phil have experimented with electronic music and have
created dreamy soundsscapes and some fantastic breaks tracks. The album
starts off with Brian Eno’esq ambient sounds and you are moved though
encapsulating soundsscapes and when the breaks rhythms kicks in you are
drawn further into the world of Lostep. Luke Chable and Phil K are a force
to recon with and “Because We Can” is an album that will be playing on you
system for a long time. (CA) Rating: 8 / 10
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Binary Finary – The Lost Tracks
Download only
The long overdue debut album by Binary
Finary finally sees its release as digital download only. The English group
that created the essential trance tracks “1998” that has been featured on
over 60 mix compilations and remixed by Paul Van Dyk was a world wide hit
for Binary Finary. Binary Finary is today only a duo consisting of Matt Laws
and Stuart Matheson due to an internal struggle in the group. They have here
created 16 great tracks covering trance, progressive, techno and electronica,
with that certain touch that only Binary Finary can give the tracks. You can
still hear the love of the “old skool” trance here and there that was the
building blocks of its popularity in the end of the 90´. The album also
includes a fresh new updated version of “1998” and Jose Amnesia has remixed
“Freshwater”. You can download each track separately or the whole album. As
a special bonus a DJ mixed version of the album is included when you buy the
whole album. You can download the album here. (CA) Rating: 8 / 10
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Paolo Mojo – Balance 009
EQ Recordings
The 9th instalment in the Balance series is
another testimony for this great mix series that shows so brilliant the
diversity of electronic dance music. Rising star DJ Paolo Mojo has here put
together a fantastic mix that starts out funky and laid-back on CD1 with
some smooth house tunes and ends up with techno and electro on CD2. The two
disc set include tracks and remixes from the likes of Michael Mayer,
Sebastian Tellier, Underground Resistance, Robert Owens, Funk D'Void, Der
Dritte Raum, Nic Fanciulli, Nathan Fake, Petter, Deee-Lite and many more.
Music is freedom. (CA)
Rating: 9 / 10
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William Orbit – Hello Waveforms
Sanctuary Records / BMGSony
The man that was behind the sound of
Madonna’s “Ray Of Light” in 1998 is back with his first solo album since the
2000 re-release of his “Pieces in a modern style" from 1995. “Hello
Waveforms” is a direct musically evolution of his fantastic “Strange Cargo”
series that included his master price “Water from a vine leaf” and you can
still find the subtle melodies and relaxing tunes that takes you on a
brilliant relaxing journey with harmonies and soundsscapes that will leave
you breathless. Beside of being a fantastic chill-out album, “Hello
Waveforms” includes a collaboration with the Sugababes on "Spiral” that
brings back memories of his collaborations with Madonna and All Saints. With
“Hello Waveforms” William Orbit once more proves why he his one of the best
produces of electronic music in the music industry. (CA)
Rating: 9 / 10
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Vibrasphere – Archipelago
Digital Structure
The Swedish deep trance group is back with
a fantastic album. This is their 3rd album and Richard Berlöf and Robert
Elster have once more worked wonders in the studio and proved why the Swedes
are the masters of this genre. From the start of the album you know that you
are in for a treat with the chilled cinematic “Tierra Azul” that starts the
journey and you move forward into gear with “Sweet September” still
laid-back and with floating soundscapes. “Reservoir” sweeps over and is
another great deep progressive track. Its followed by the high powered
“Landmark” that is the single release from the album. You are propelled into
eternity with “Seven Days to Daylight” with its melodic feel before you are
transported into the more hard hitting but still extremely melodic “Morning
Breeze”, “Sudden Comfort” and “Baltic Resonance” before you are lifted out
the trance with “Late Winter Storms” that closes the album with its ambient
dubbed soundscapes – a fitting end of an excellent album. (CA) Rating:
9/10
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Above & Beyond - Tri-State
Anjunabeats / Bonnier
The debut album from Above & Beyond (Jono
Grant, Paavo Siljamäki and Tony McGuiness) has been two years in the making
and it is amazing. From the beginning to the end you are taken on a journey
that will take you on a high. It start building up slowly with the wonderful
cinematic “Tri-State” instrumental track and it ends slowly with “Home”, in
between you got lifted away to another galaxy. All13 tracks are well mixed
and produced and you feel that the trio has taken their music to another
level. The vocal tracks like “Stealing Time” and “Can’t Sleep” are fantastic.
If you are looking for one or two top dance floor hits on the album that you
ordinary find on trance albums from the likes of Tiësto, you will not find
them, because the standard of the tracks are so high on “Tri-State”, that
you don’t need this one track you keep on playing and playing – you will
play the hole album over and over again. (NC)
Rating: 10/10
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Satoshi Tomiie – 3D
Renaissance Recordings
One of my favourite producers and DJs is
back with a fantastic 3 disc set compilation on the renowned Renaissance
Recordings label. Disc 1 entitled “Club” Mr. Tomiie takes us out clubbing
with what is representive of his current style, and I must sadly say that he
also has taken on the electro house style that is so dominating at the
moment. But the good thing about his club disc is that he has mixed some
very melodic electro house tunes together and not used the annoying stabbing
energy bouncy tracks that also are out there. Disc two is the highlight of
this compilation and with the title “Studio” you know straight away that you
are in for a treat from Satoshi Tomiie – here you are given all his biggest
remixes from his master blaster of a remix of Kosheen “Hungry”, to the
captivating remix of the classic The Future Sound of London “Papua New
Guinea” and not to forget one my all time favourite his own “Love In Traffic”.
Just for disc two you have to get this compilation – this is so good. On the
last disc of the compilation Satoshi takes you home and you can relax to a
very nice and organic disc with tracks from the likes of Sneaker Pimps and
Miles Davis. This compilation is well worth your money and is so far the
best compilation of the year. (CA) Rating: 9/10 (would have given it
10:10 – if disc one had not been electro)
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Blue
Foundation – Dead People’s Choice
EMI
The Danish wonder group has with “Dead
People´s Choice” closed the chapter on the highly critical acclaimed “Sweep
Of Days” album that for more than 2 years has made a name for the band all
over the world. On the “Dead People´s Choice” EP tracks from “Sweep Of Days”
has been re-edited and remixed and also includes 3 new tracks; “Voices”,
Dead Woman” and “This Is Goodbye” that was recorded for Per Flys movie
“Drabet” (The killing). A great EP that will appeal to the fans of Blue
Foundation but will also be a launch pad for the group to reach new
listeners. The 3rd Blue Foundation album should hit the streets in the end
of 2006 or early 2007. (CA)
Rating: 8 / 10
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Steve Porter – Porterhouse
Fade Records
With this compilation Steve Porter shows
what “Porterhouse” is all about. A no nonsense mix of 26 house tracks is
giving this compilation a fantastic tempo and ever changing melody. Normally
when I encounter mix compilations with so many tracks on one CD they
normally don’t work, you can’t emerge into the single track, but what Steve
Porter here has done is outstanding. He has taken the main element of each
track, so there are no doll moments on the compilation that features 9
original tracks by Steve Porter and a string of some of the strongest house
tunes of the moment, incl. Chris Micali “Sentient Soul”.
Rating: 8 / 10
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Future Retro
Rhino / Warner
Sadly this is so far only a US release – so
you have to go online and get it as import. But I promise you, if you are
into the 80´ new romantic or techno pop music, you will love these remixes
of some pioneering bands of the period. The Cure “The Walk” has been beefed
up by the brilliant Australian band Infusion. Way Out West has done wonders
on Echo & The Bunnymen “Lips Like Sugar” and Tiga has shaken-up Depeche
Mode’s “Shake The Disease”. Also on the album are remixes of Alphaville
“Forerver Young” by Bill Hamel and New Order “Bizarre Love Triangle” by The
Crystal Method just to name some other highlight of the album. The album has
also been released as a double vinyl with longer editions of the tracks. So
get online and treat yourself with some fine tunes. (CA)
Rating: 9 / 10
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Madonna –
I’m Going To Tell You A Secret
Warner
Madonna´s first ever live album features 13
tracks from her “Re-invention” tour from 2004 and a demo version of “I Love
New York”. The lives tracks are; “Beast Within”, “Vogue”, “Nobody Knows Me”,
“American Life”, “Hollywood”, “Die Another Day”, “Lament”, “Like A Prayer”,
“Mother And Father”, “Imagine”, “Susan McLeod/Into The Groove”, “Music” and
“Holiday”.
As an added bonus a 2 hour DVD with a
documentary made by Jonas Åkerlund during her "Re-Invention" tour in 2004,
from LA to Lisbon and Israel and it’s a captivating look behind the scene of
the life on the road with the queen of pop, the ups and downs, the music and
the performance on stage. A must have for Madonna fans.
(CA)
Rating: 7 / 10
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Daft Punk –
Musique vol.1 1993-2005
EMI
A “best of” album looking back at some of
the biggest hits from the two French electronic music wizards Thomas
Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo work. The album includes classic
tracks like; “Musique”, Da Funk”, “Around The World”, “One More Time”,
“Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” and many more. Also included on the album
are 3 remixes by Daft Punk of Scott Grooves “Mothership Reconnection”, Ian
Pooley “Chord Memory” and Gabrielle “Forget About The World”. The album is a
nice way to encounter Daft Punk for the first time or to collect some of
their great’s hits – let’s see what the next volume will hold. (CA)
Rating: 8 / 10
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Electric Calm ver.3
Global Underground
The 3rd instalment of Global Underground
Electric Calm is done by Trafik and is an outstanding collection ambient
tracks perfectly fitted and mixed together. From the start you are taken on
a journey. Derek Howell “Friscales Frijoles” is a fantastic track mixing
jazz elements with mellow beat and you can just picture the setting sun over
Ibiza. The album is full of these atmospheric soundscaping like Way Out
West´s EC reprise of SJ Eseau “Fat Cat” and Kevin Swain “Dark Two”. Also
included are tracks by Trafik, Stux, Andrew K., Forth and Pako & Frederik.
The best chill album of the year so far.
Rating: 8/ 10
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Paul Van Dyk – Politics Of Dancing 2
Vandit / Universal
The man who claims that he hates doing
compilations is back with a stellar mix compilation. Paul Van Dyk has once
more set the standard of what a mix compilation is all about. On Politics Of
Dancing 2 Paul Van Dyk once more embrace technology and has remixed,
reworked, rearranged and edited tracks to fit his need to create this double
CD. From the start of CD1 you are propelled into melodic trance with
building rhythms and great melody keys and riffs, like Calmec –Tangerine,
Shiloh – Dream On, Jose Zamora & Damian DP – Transatlantic, Kuffdam & Plant
– Summerdream and White Room – Someday, to name a few. On CD2 Paul Van Dyk
gets tougher and kicks off with his new single “The Other Side” and you can
also encounter Jose Amnesia – Second Day, Yellow Blackboard -Superfly,
Perasma –Swing 2 Harmony and he closes the compilation with the classic
Holden & Thompson – Nothing. (CA)
Rating: 9 / 10
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Desyn Masiello – Balance 008
EQ
The eight Balance release is mixed by Desyn
Masiello, the man behind the renowned label Alternative Route and for his
work with Omid 16B and Leon Roberts in The Idiots. Desyn Masiello has also
released the highly acclaimed mix CD “In House We Trust 3” (Yoshitoshi) and
Original Series CD (OS_1) (Bedrock). On Balcance 008 he incorporates house,
classics tracks, deep, tech, funky and progressive house music. On the
release you can find Will Saul – Mbira, Rene Amesz – Cabilla, The Idots –
Teardrop, Chris Lake – Piano Tool, and some odd 80´s remixes like the New
Order – Blue Monday rip- off in Williams - Love Crises . Other 80 and 90´s
tunes like Orbital – Halcyon + On + On and Killing Joke – Love Like Blood
also gets a treatment and you get a feeling that Balance 008 is a hymn to
the great 80´s electronic pioneers and a revolt against the new electro
house stuff that is filling scene at the moment. Once more the Balance
series has proven that they dare to go outside the box and defined new
boundaries of what club music is. (CA) Rating: 8 / 10
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Madonna – Confessions On The Dance Floor
Warner
No doubt that Madonna still have the touch
and keeps on pushing the boundaries of her musical universe. “Confessions On
The Dance Floor” is a clear manifest of this and it’s a welcome departure
from her excursions with Mirwais on “Music” and “American Life” albums.
“Confessions On The Dance Floor” is co-produced by Stuart Price also know as
Jacques Lu Cont and Les Rythmes Digitales and his strong roots in the club
and underground dance communities influence runs through out the album and
brings an edge to it. It’s refreshing to here this tour de force in
electronic dance beats and samples. All of the political lyrics are gone and
you can’t help yourself rocking to the tunes. Welcome to 12 tracks of
Madonna´s take on ‘future disco’. (CA)
Rating: 8 / 10
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Kirsty Hawkshaw – Meta-Message
Nettwerk
“Fine day” – who can’t remember this
fantastic anthem from Opus III back in 1992. The voice behind this massive
track Kirsty Hawkshaw has since then been a major factor in the dance
community and has collaborated with BT on “Dreaming”, Way Out West on
“Stealth” and done numerous tracks with DJ Tiesto, “Urban Train”, “Walking
On Clouds” “Battleship Grey” and “Just Be” the last 3 all included on
“Meta-Message” in slightly edited versions. On the album you can also find
the great collaboration she did with Hybrid on “Blackout” for their “Morning
SiFi” album. Also featured on the album are some new original tracks by
Kirsty herself, collaborations with Delerium, Mr. Sam, Lange and another
track done together with Hybrid – and oh yes “Fine Day” is featured in the
massive James Holden remix from 2002. A fantastic collection of tracks,
showing that Kirsty Hawkshaw is a force to recon with. (CA)
Rating: 8 / 10
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Antix –
Twin Coast Discovery
Iboga Records
Behind the successful production of Antix
are the brothers Hayden and Barton Strom from Auckland New Zealand. They
have been making music together since 1999 and in 2003 they released their
debut release “Lull” on the Danish Iboga label. 2005 sees their second
release on Iboga “Twin Coast Discovery” and they have taken their sound even
future. “Twin Coast Discovery” is when progressive house/trance is at its
best. I’m totally hocked on their deep pulsating rhythms, use of beasts,
vocoder sounds and effects and from the start you are taken on a journey
into the Strom brothers well produced sound universe. I will strongly
recommend this album to all lovers of deep and melodic progressive music –
this is an album that you can’t miss out on. (CA)
Rating: 9 / 10
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Shrivastava
Distinctive
Boston born musician and producer Jamie
Shrivastava has here released a collection of material recorded between 2003
– 2005 – in his own words: “Sleep -This represents the merger between
today’s music technology and yesterday’s school of rock.”. “Scratches on my
Gold - A love gone bad, not just between lovers, but a love for our present
world. I wanted to create a mood that would be both fierce and beautiful.”,
“Dancing with ghosts - My dad passed away in 2002. Dancing with Ghosts is in
memory of him.”, “Everythingz4gotten -It’s about being born without
indifference.”, “Shadow me - My imaginary emotions if I’d fallen in love
with a vampire”, “Smoke - The idea is that although you have your dreams.
Your reality is pulling you down, and the only person who can get you out,
is yourself.”, “Slightly sometimes -A simple story about infatuation”,
“Wasted - Too many drugs, a sea of paranoia and seclusion.“ , “Tunnel Vision
- A schoolboy crush that stuck around for far too long.” and “Good times -a
tribute to the rock n roll life style. Life is just one long party”. An
album that took me with surprise and is hard to describe and to rate – you
have to experience this – to find out what Shrivastava is all about. (CA)
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Sleepthief
– The Dawnseeker
Neurodisc
From the mind of Justin Elswick comes this
wonderful ambient album in true musical tradition of Delerium using an
all-star cast of female singers including Jody Quine (Balligomingo), Harland
(Delerium, Pole Folder, Ferry Corsten), Kirsty Hawkshaw (BT, Silent Poets,
Swayzak, DJ Tiesto, Opus III), Kristy Thirsk (Rose Chronicles, Delerium),
Roberta Carter Harrison (Wild Strawberries, ATB), Nicola Hitchcock (Mandalay),
Kyoko Baertsoen (Lunascape), Caroline Lavelle (B.T., Art of Trance, Vangelis),
San.Drine, Jerri Eckert (Desert Wind), and Lauren Edman. Musically
Sleepthief balance the wonderful melodic songs, the amazing soundsscaps, the
ethereal and simple pop melodies to perfection. The music is varied, ranging
from the drum-and-bass pulse of the Duran Duran cover of "The Chauffeur," to
the celtic-influenced melancholy of "Tenuous;" from the cinematic beauty of
"Sublunar (Sweet Angel)" to the middle-eastern energy of "Desire of Ages". A
strong debut for Sleepthief and a perfect album to chill to. (CA) Rating: 8 / 10
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