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Vincent De Moor – Fly Away (White
Label)
Vincent De Moor is the other half of the trance duo Veracocha,
with the other half being the trance master himself Ferry Corsten. This
new track is in the same pumping style as Veracocha ‘Carte Blanche’ but it
is much less cheesy. It still has that Euro feel about it, but I am sure
that it will still feature heavily in the dance charts in months to come.
The track is not a new one in any way. If you regularly visit
clubs such as Gatecrasher or Passion then you will recognize this track
straight away, as there were limited white label doing the rounds about
3-4 months ago. However it is now getting the full release that it
deserves.
There is a vocal and non vocal mix included in the package,
with the vocal defiantly coming out on top as it adds that extra edge to
the production and when the breakdowns occur and the vocal kicks in it
feels like you have been transported back to the summer of 99!
Overall it is a top trance tune and it is beginning to
challenge Delerium for the tune of the month!
4.5/5 Release Date : Unknown Dj Amethyst, Sonic Mr.D - Dreamland (Hinotori Sound) Well with three people producing a record together you would expect it to be good and as always with a Hinotori release the quality is there. This package comes with a remix from Lab 4 as well as the original mix. The original consists of a well produced trancer that moves along a fair pace. The tune is always present in some form during the track but it does not seem to be a strong a tune as in some of the earlier releases on Hinotori. The Lab 4 mix is not quite as I had imagined, well actually I had not known what to expect. The mix is a much harder track that verges on hard house. The tune had been distorted and there is a much darker feel to the whole track. The breakdown in the record gives the tune a chance to shine and when the beats come back in it could cause a frenzy on the dancefloor. The Lab 4 mix is definatly the one for me! 4/5 Release Date : December 2000
The Trixta – Sub Bass DJ (Substance) The Substance label (not to be confused with the label from Ministry) caters for the really hard end of hard house and verges into Nu NRG. The label has been launched after the huge success of the night of the same name that has been promoted along side Freedom @ Bagley's in London’s Kings Cross every Saturday since the launch party in September. The first release from the label is by the Substance resident – The Trixta.
The A Side is a really hard pumping track that may at first
seem quite bouncy but when the top line comes in it shows that this is no
tame little bouncy track, it is a full on hard as nails pumper. The B Side
is similar in that it is seriously hard and it utilizes the track name
‘Feel the Panic’ in a sample very well and it will get even the most
stubborn of crowds going.
These records are defiantly the sound of now as far as hard
house goes, really tough and dark. This label should do very well and with
their next release setup as I write I am looking forward to hearing it
already. For information on the Substance night at Freedom @ Bagley's phone : 0208 363 5222 or visit
4/5 Release Date : Out Now
The Secret – Blow Wind Blow (Pendragon
Records) Blow Wind Blow comes from an act that have got themselves a large fan base from performing at London’s premier hard trance night Pendragon. The track comes with two mixes, the Celtic mix and the Original mix.
The Celtic mix has a hard driving drum track, a pounding euro
bass-line with a lead sound overdriving the melody and introducing the
creamy strings with the vocal that seems to fit perfectly on this type of
trance. The Original mix is a bouncier housier track with all the elements
to make it a huge success on the underground circuit.
It is good to see that people are still making this kind of
quality trance and they are not just following the formula that will bring
them success. This kind of harder trance is making big inroads to the
underground and is becoming more and more popular with the new generation
of ravers who stay up all night listening to their favorite trance tunes.
The other great thing about this track is that it
is not just played by ‘faceless’ DJs. There is actually a band that plays
live PA’s in the clubs also and I feel that this will be the way forward
to keep the dance scene as alive as it is.
3.5/5 Release Date : Unknown
Stimulant DJ’s – Hoover Time (Tidy Trax) The Stimulant DJ’s have been churning out the tracks for a while now on their label, Stimulant Records. ‘Hoover Time’ was picked up by Tidy Trax a while ago now and it proves that Tidy Trax are in the leading pack of the growing hard house scene as again they have managed to put out a tune that will appeal to the masses of hard house mentalists out there.
The track pumps along with some hard and menacing hoover
riffs and the odd vocal stab to really get the track going. In fact the
hoover parts of the track are so menacing that you cannot fail to have an
absolutely rammed dance floor with everybody going for it. However I was
rather surprised to find a Captain Tinrib mix on the flip side. However
the analogue synth parts that he has added to the track complement the
hoovers very well and the finished article is better than I was expecting,
although it is still the original mix for me!
This is defiantly the hoover track to end all hoover tracks
and as always Tidy Trax are completely on form!
4/5 Release Date : Out Now !
Dj Amethyst & Wez - To Infinity....(Hinotori Sound) Hinotori Sound is an underground label that produces quality trance music, this is once again represented in their 8th release 'To Infinity' by Dj Amethyst & Wez. There is the obvious sample of Buzz Light-year as he fly's off into the distance on a magical journey which is certainly where this will take its listeners. The original is quality and the tune will stick in your head for a long time to come. The remix this time comes from MEO and it is given a more Euro feel to it. I didn't want to use the Euro name as it can suggest a lack of quality and this is certainly not the case with any Hinotori release. The tune comes into its own during the large breakdowns adn these will be needed if you are dancing to it as you will not be able to stop yourself! Again a great release from a label that seems to be setting very high standards for itself. 4.5/5 Release Date : December 2000
Rey – Over My Shoulder (Volume Records) I think that this is the way that the dance music scene is going to go. Half of the scene will go towards the hard end of the spectrum, as we have seen over the summer and others will split towards this kind of progressive house sound. Receiving regular spins from Seb Fontaine and Paul Hillier that should show you what kind of track it is if you have never heard the genre of ‘progressive house’.
There are no huge breakdowns with massive snare drum rolls as in the
trance scene. I suppose you could say that this kind of track is dance
music for a more mature crowd. The track itself builds up the tension
using a few stabs of the tune over a relentless four to the floor built,
until the vocal builds up and then comes in over a short but sweet
breakdown and as soon as the break began the beats are back pounding
along.
As well as the main I-Jack mix there is a more funky mix by
Pierandrea Spurkle. This mix utilizes the vocal much more and is a more
straight house record with only a touch of the progressive sound. There is
also a 2 step mix included for all you garage fans out there. The garage
mix sounds very much like the Artful Dodger as it is much more soulful
than some of the other garage tracks around at the moment, and this can
only be a good thing!
3.5/5 Release Date : January 2001
RBA – No Alternative (Carnal) You may well have heard this track and suddenly thought to yourself, ‘That’s Zombie Nation isn’t it?’ But oh no, this is a complete rip off of the chart topping track. However even though it is a rip off I think that it is better. It makes the Zombie Nation tune seem flat and boring! The structure of the track is also very similar to Kernkraft 400 with a breakbeat beginning and then a pounding beat, which rips up any sound system when it is up loud. Then the tune kicks in and suddenly people run up to you asking what it is!!
This is a complete party tune and it will get even the most
stubborn people moving. It is one of those tunes that will send people
into orbit even though they have no clue what it is. You cannot really go
wrong with this track.
5/5 Release Date : Out now on Import.
Anni B - Cyberia (Hinotori Sound) This is the first release from Hinotori that i have heard and it impressed me. I had begun to go off trance in a major way due to the whole commercialization of the genre that i loved so much. However the folk at Hinotori Sound have rekindled the fire inside me! There is not one hint of cheese in this release. It is a good underground trance release and this is also helped by a remix by one of the biggest underground trance DJ,s M-Zone. The Original Mix delivers a goof piece of trance that pumps along with a soft drum beat and a very well produced tune. The M-Zone mix on the other hand is a much darker and harder mix. There is a really pumping beat as soon as the record begins and this is soon joined by a weird baseline that jumps all over the place. The original tune then soon appears in a breakdown that will have all hands firmly in the air! The drums then pound back in to finish off a killer remix. Overall i am very impressed with this record. I am not sure if it will be available everywhere but i am sure that if you can find a copy you will not be disappointed. 4/5 Release Date :November 2000
Nomax – Sensoria (Cases Records) Do you possibly remember a track by Binary Finary called 1998? Yes that the one, the track that was then re-released as 1999 and then again as 2000! Well I’ll be dammed, as this could be another one called 2001. However, thank god, it is not.
This is one of those peak time trance tunes that will send
you into orbit if you give it half a chance. A huge euro ish breakdown
occurs in the middle of the track and then in comes the tune, which yes
you have guessed it, sounds very similar to 1998, or is it 1999 or maybe
even 2000! However this is a top tune that pumps along at a fair rate of
knots and it would not be out of place in most of the superclubs in the
country that are still riding high on the trance explosion.
On the flip side there is a very PVD sounding trance track
that is very good, and it even manages to be as original as you can get
with the trance sound these days.
3/5 Release Date : Out now on Import
Naz & Mad Max – Zero (Shock Records) The A side is not actually what attracted me to this record in the first place but I will deal with is first. The track is called zero and it is a fairly fast hard house track that does not really stand out from the crowd. Now that’s over it’s on to the B Side.
The B Side is entitled Bring Out The Gimp. The very diligent
of you will be able to work out that this track could well therefore
feature the sample from Pulp Fiction, and you would not be wrong. The
track itself is a very bouncy number with the typical cheesy samples and
very unusually a huge breakdown. It is again not a great track in its own
right but when the sample kicks in it will send the crowd into a fit of
hysterics.
Check this out today if you are after a laugh and as it says at the
beginning of the record ‘buy this record or there will be trouble!’
4/5 Release Date : Out now
Kris & Sy – Get Down (Frisky Records)
The latest offering from the Frisky camp is a two-track
selection of bouncing hard house. The tracks both showcase the more
‘cheeky’ side of the hard house genre, using all the tricks of the trade
to get the crowds attention.
The first track ‘Get Down’ gives a funky impression to the
well-used hoover noises and this tune fits very well with the happy nature
of the bass line. However the ‘Get Down’ sample that the track takes its
title from is in my opinion overused to little effect. I am always
expecting the sample to go elsewhere with some other words but it does
not. Overall however this is a good track but it is not peak time
material.
The B side is entitled ‘Say Yeah’ and when I saw the short
snappy title I thought that I was in for some more sample overload, but
this did not come true. ‘Say Yeah’ is another cheeky bouncy tune with a
vocal that will whip up the crowd with its fast, even rap like style, and
if they can understand the words you could see a few lips moving in time
to the beat! Again there is usage of the hoover noises but this does not
detract from the track itself. I would personally have made this the main
title track as I feel that it carries more energy than ‘Get Down’.
Overall a good package of some upfront and in some ways
original material.
3.5/5 Release date : Unknown
The Jason Nawty EP (12 Inch Thumpers) This EP includes two tracks of pure hard house. The tracks are Vengance and Who’s Number 1. Vengance is a bouncy hard house affair the utilizes all the typical hard house sounds of the crowd and the horns but it does not fall into the trap of being completely the same as every other ‘hoover and horn’ track around at the moment. There is a very ‘Lock ’n’ Load’ is part in the track where an offbeat bass stab comes in and this really whips up the crowd as they remember the success of the Lock ‘n’ Load tune.
The second track of the EP, Who’s Number 1 is a slightly
different hard houser. There are some very obvious signs of some hardcore
tints to this track, especially the tune, which comes back in with an old
skool break beat. There is a flange effect on all of the track and at
points this adds significantly to the track but at other times this just
clutters the sound and it would sound better with out it.
It is good to see a new signing onto this still up and coming
hard house label and hopefully this EP will get the attention that it
deserves.
Vengance = 4/5
Who’s No 1 = 3/5 Release Date : Unknown
Chicane – Autumn Tactics (Xtravaganza) This is the latest offering from the debut album ‘Behind the Sun’. The track is a very typical one from Chicane. It could be classed as ‘fluffy’ trance and it is perfect chill-out music. Two remixes come in the package, Chicane’s End of Summer Remix and The Thrillseekers Remix.
The End of Summer mix is extremely chilled and has the same
kind of ‘light’ vocals that were found on Don’t Give Up. The tune is very
much in the background and everything is very well balanced to give a good
mix. However this is not peak time material. It would be a perfect track
to have near the end of the night to bring people down before the end.
The Thrillseekers mix on the other hand brings out certain
elements of the tune very well. There is a much more pronounced tune and
the vocal is much more noticeable. However this mix is unfortunately a bit
‘trance by numbers’ with all the long snare drum rolls. However the vocals
manage to regain my interest fully as they defiantly make the track for
me.
This is a good track from Chicane but it is not his best.
However if you are after something more chilled, with all this hard house
around then this could be for you.
3.5/5 Release Date : 16th October 2000
Babe Instinct – Fade to Grey (Volume
Records) Do you remember Babe Instinct ? They were the group that released Disco Babes From Outer Space on Positiva nearly two years ago. That was the track that was featured on the bootleg with the Madison Avenue track, ‘Don’t Call Me Baby’ and the bootleg was eventually cleared and released on the single with the original mix.
Well now there back with a new tune called ‘Fade To Grey’.
There is a definite feel of the last track in there and this gives it a
good feel. The mix we have in the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels vs. Mr. Wiggly
mix. The track is fairly fast for a house track, however this does not
mean that it looses any of its soul or appeal. In fact if it were any
slower I think that it might drag on slightly. However as it is the track
manages to groove along nicely. A slightly distorted vocal will make this
record highly recognizable and the press release states that it has been
played by Judge Jules on his Saturday show 3 weeks running.
There are also some trance mixes in the pipeline but I do not
really think that they are needed as this track should receive the
attention it deserves without any pop mixes. 4/5 Release Date : January 2001
12 Inch Thumpers – Don’t Cross the Line
[mixes] (12 Inch Thumpers) Don’t Cross the Line was one of the first tracks to come from the studio of the 12 Inch Thumpers. Now around a year later two mixes have been commissioned by the Thumpers themselves. The remixes come from UK Gold and Paul Glazby.
The UK Gold mix is very typical with the cheeky, bouncy tune
being the mainstay of the track and the way in which the track is broken
up by various samples. There is also a breakdown that begins fairly trancy
but then some properly hard stabs come in. These stabs become more and
more pronounced until the original tune comes storming back in.
The Paul Glazby mix on the other hand is far harder and
darker. There are the obligatory horns in the breakdown but then the track
builds up and up into a frenzy of hoover noises which are guaranteed to
get the crowd going mental. If you don’t; already know then Paul Glazby in
the resident at Insomniacz in Sheffield and he is renowned for playing
very hard and dark in a similar way to the hard house god Andy Farley, and
this mix shows his style very well.
These are two wicked mixes but I would have to choose the UK
Gold mix as my personal favorite, for it’s more bouncy edge. 4/5 Release Date : Unknown
12 Inch Thumpers – Back Once Again (12
Inch Thumpers) This is a long line of releases for the 12 Inch Thumpers. When you review material that does not come from a source that would be instantly recognized you can be forgiven for maybe just wondering how good the quality of the production will be. However with the 12 Inch Thumpers there is no need for concern, as all the tracks that I have reviewed over the past year has been of excellent standard.
As always there are hints of Hardcore trying to work their
little white gloves into this track and this is no bad thing as it can add
some tune to some hard house that could become very monotonous. Back Once
Again has a very funky bass-line tune that rocks and the obligatory
break-beat is included after the main breakdown in the track. There is
also a very catchy sample that works very well in this kind of track, ‘I
like the bass that goes boom’, and if you are wondering, yes I do like the
bass that goes boom!! On the flip side a track called Change It Now is
included. This is a much harder tracks that does not bounce along quite as
much and has far more of a hardcore influence. There is a tune, which
sounds as though it has been lifted from an early Prodigy record!
Please give this track a listen in your local record store as
it is top quality and it has not been produced for a major label, which
makes it all the better. The 12 Inch Thumpers have obviously got real
talents. 4/5 Release Date : 4th November 2000 Storm – Time To Burn (Data Records)
If you don’t know this track by now then where have you been for the past few months. It was picked up by the major players on import around 3 months ago and they have all been caning it ever since. It has defiantly become the tune of the summer. The original mix is absolutely stormin but the mixes are not too bad either, with the likes of Nick Sentience and Mauro Picotto trying their hands at mixing this little gem. Nick brings out the harder edge to the track with style and uses the tune to full effect to whip the crowd up into a complete frenzy. The Mauro Picotto mix on the other hand is the usual darker affair and it has been caned by Judge Jules for many weeks now. In this mix however the tune is not the mainstay of the mix, the bass is and this makes the mix grow on you the more you listen to it. However in my mind the original mix cannot be beaten.
4/5
Release Date : Out Now!
Signum – What Ya Got 4 Me (BPM Dance)
This is the track that was released by Tidy Trax in the UK about 2 years ago and it was a huge success then. It is now getting a timely re-release by the Netherlands label BPM Dance. There are new mixes that incorporate new vocals and a slightly harder edge to the track. This make it pump along nicely at a peak time track. The tune has remained the same in all of the mixes and the original mix is thrown in for good measure. If you did not get a copy of this when it was first released by Tidy Trax then go out and hunt down a copy as this is one of the all time great trance tunes.
4/5
Release Date : Out Now on Import
Rockafellas – Da Boss Track
This tune has been caned by a whole range of DJ’s varying from Judge Jules and Dave Pearce right through to Lisa Lashes and Anne Savage. The tune pumps along with a huge bassline until it finally breaks down to give the clubbers a little rest! Although it could give the DJ a heart attack as there is no sound for a full 20 seconds in the breakdown until a sample from the Timo Mass Remix of Azzido Da Bass – Dooms Night comes blasting in. The track then continues to build and fall with snare drum rolls. All there really is else to say is THIS ROCKS!!!!
5/5
Release Date : Unknown
Noise Maker - Volume 7 (Nukleuz)
This is the latest installment of the Noise Maker series to be released by the unstoppable label Nukleuz. This time Mario ‘Communication’ Piu has been given a whole record to show off on and to some extent it has worked. On the A side we have Techno Harmony. The title says it all really as it is a very dark and devious techno record that suddenly breaks down into a fairly simple trance tune and then as soon as the tune has appeared it disappears into an array of dark and funky beats. However the B Side is the tune to go for. The track is called simply Library and it is much funkier that Techno Harmony. The tune builds up more and more with what seems to be somebody shouting YES and then when the breakdown occurs it will send you into a fit of laughing if you ever watched Trigger Happy TV. The sample is just lifted from the television but I am not going to give away any more otherwise it would not be as funny. Hunt this puppy down if you can. You can always try the Nukleuz website www.nukleuz.com for extra info
Techno Harmony 2/5
Library 5/5
Release Date : Out Now!!
Nick Sentience : 1000 mph (Honey Pot Records)
Nick Sentience is the rising star and prodigy of Nukleuz Records but it seems that he has been poached by Billy Bunter’s label Honey Pot. The title 1000mph could be a reference to the rate at which Nick seems to be able to churn out the tunes as this is the latest in a long line of floor-fillers to come from him. The original mix has all the features of your usual hard house track and sounds distinctly like a BK production! But on the flip side you get a remix that delivers the bassline to end all baslines. It will have the sub-bass on your speakers pounding through the walls of your house all night giving the neighbours no let up what so ever. It seems that nick may have another hit on his hands!
4/5
Release Date : Out Now!
Ingo Star vs. Nick Lunn – Wait a Second
This is the first try at producing that the Storm @ the Emporium resident Nick Lunn has had. Overall this is a well-produced hard house track and there is nobody better suited to teach somebody the art of producing a quality record than Ingo Star. The tune is very bouncy in nature and not too hard, although it is fast at around 150bpm. It bounces along with a distorted sample saying surprisingly ‘wait a second’! If Nick continues to produce tracks like this then he could go far.
3/5
Release Date : Unknown
Lightforce – Join Me (Dos or Die Recordings)
This tune reminds me so much of the summer of 1999. It has all the big riffs and the spine tingling tune of a proper trance record that will not just fade into the background! It has been caned by all of the usual trance suspects such as Dave Pearce, John ‘00’ Flemming and Ferry Corsten and each time it gets played it sends and crowd mad. The Dos or Die label is relatively new but it seems to have come up trumps with this release. Lets hope the quality continues.
5/5
Release Date : Out now on Import
Lee Jeffery & Justin Bourne – Drop the Dime (Kaktai Records)
This is one of the best hard house tunes I have ever heard. It has the most wicked hover noises on it and it has a funky soul as well. Then it just goes and gets really hard. It was recently featured on the Mixmag Lisa Lashes CD and it kicks up a storm wherever it is played. It is also a Dj’s dream to mix as there is about 1 and ½ minutes at both the beginning and the end of the track of just kick drums!!! Anything that is released on Kaktai records is almost guaranteed to be a hit and this is no exception. My only gripe is that I do not know who on earth Lee Jeffery & Justin Bourne are!! I hope that there is a follow up single to this that is just as good. These guys are obviously inspired.
5/5
Release Date : Out Now – So Go and Buy it!!!
Kernkraft 400 – Zombie Nation (Data)
Oh my god, what a tune! This is heading straight for the top 10 with no problems what so ever. The tune rips through a sound system with chilling effect. This is the first record this year that has managed to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up in a club when it has been dropped. The Dj Gius mix is doing the damage on many of the nations dance floors and this is most likely to be considered as the main mix in the package. However there is a Dave Clark mix that is up there too and this will be the mix that is favoured by some of the darker edged Dj's. This track could go all the way to the top and you saw it here first!!
5/5
Release Date : Unknown
Hi-Gate – Voices / Caned & Unable (Incentive)
This is the follow up track to Pitchin by Judge Jules and Paul ‘Yomanda’ Masterson. The track has all the features of a Yomanda tune and all of the things that Judge Jules seems to like in a track. Voices has the catchy vocal and all of the slightly annoying noises that are al ways found in the Yomanda tracks. There are two mixes of Voices supplied on the vinyl. The Schizophrenic mix is the one that you are most likely to have heard in one of Jules’s sets and is on a harder tip than the Tranquillized mix which is a much more trancier mix. On the flip side is the long awaited Caned and Unable. This track is defiantly awarded the most ridiculous titled track of the year so far prize and in my opinion it is the better of the two tracks on the record. It builds up the tune until it is released giving a surge of energy as people rush to the dance floor. With a Hi-Gate album on the way and the next single We Gonna Work It Out already in the pipeline I thing we will be seeing a lot more of Jules and Paul in the future.
4/5
Release Date : Out Now
Fergie : Deception (Duty Free)
This is Fergie’s first major release for a while and although it may be his catchiest yet I was a little disappointed by it. It does not have the edge that most of Fergie’s other productions have had, although there is the cheeky side to it which is defiantly a Fergie trademark. The Pants and Corset mix however is the absolute Dogs! The mix builds and builds in the same way that their remix of Jonah - Shhhh…….Listen did. Then the track breaks down to your typical repetitive hard house tune, which then builds up to something that sounds very much like Artemesia – Bits and Pieces! The finally the tune comes back to life at the end with a storm.
3/5
Release Date : Out Now
Feedback – Nova Symphony
Well, this cheeky bootleg has made it to the top of the Buzz Chart. That is quite an achievement. The bootleg is between Massive Attacks Finished Symphony and Alena – Turn it Around. However it is not just your usual crappy mash up of two tracks. It has been professionally produced with the vocals and the tune from Alena properly layered over the top of the Massive Attack tune and it works to perfection. However this is not one of your peak time tunes. It is a great tune to have at the beginning of your set at it is slightly more chilled out than some of the major floor fillers that are doing the rounds at the moment. This is the track that is gracing my decks at home at the moment for just easy listening to get me into the mood for some mixing or some serious partying!!
4/5
Release Date : Unknown
DJ Fubar – The Love Parade (Planet Dance)
This tune was produced especially for the Leeds Love Parade and it had to be one of the most overplayed tunes at the event. It is a remix of the Da-Hool anthem Meet Her At The Love Parade. The tune has been mixed to give the tune a more up to date feel and they even lifted the ‘Love Parade’ sample from Radio 1. The mix makes use of the bongo bass-line and the tune builds up more and more before it finally comes smashing in to get the roof off of any of the clubs it is played in. I hope this tune gets the backing it needs by Da-Hool for an official release so that it gets past the Dj mail out stage.
4/5
Release Date : Unknown
Delerium – Silence (DJ Tiesto Mix) (Yeti Records)
This track was released around a year and ½ ago and it received a huge response then. However now the ever-present DJ Tiesto has remixed this top tune to produce a classic. The vocals have been layered perfectly over the top of the drums and the tune to create a masterpiece of a remix. At 11minutes it is not a short track either and it has been ripping up dance-floors from Gatecrasher to Passion each weekend for the past few weeks. It is one of those proper trance records that manages to stay in the forefront of the music and it will not just slip into the background like many of the records from last summer have done now. There is also an Airscape mix to come that could prove to make the package even more appealing! This track deserves the accolade of tune of the month from Dance Nation. It is defiantly in my box!
5/5
Release Date : Out Now on Import
Artemesia : Bits + Pieces (Tidy Trax)
This tune has just been mixed to perfection for this release on Tidy Trax. The original mix released on Movin Melodies over 6 years ago now was a very bouncy hard house number that caused a storm at that time. However now the on form people at Tidy Trax are re-releasing it with remixes galore. The best mix out of the package is the BK remix. It has all the typical BK sounds with the obligatory hovers and horns but it still manages to keep the tune well in the track. The tidy boys mix on the other hand is based around the tune and therefore it sounds more like the original but still with the magnificent Tidy Boys touch. This tune will be in my box for quite some time to come and it has been a hit with the likes of Fergie and Lisa Pin Up.
4/5
Release Date : Out Now!
Blu Peter : Funky Suite (React)
This is the kind of track that is really coming to the forefront at the moment. However Blu Peter has been concentrating on this type of progressive trance for some time now along with people like Steve Lawler, Anthony Papa, Craig Richards and Lee Burrige. Funky Suite is a very easy going track that would not be out of place at nights such as Tyrant and Renaissance. The original mix pumps along nicely keeping people interested. The James Holden Mix is a deep Tenaglia style mix. There is a much housier mix supplied by FC Kahuna, but I find this a little too slow for me. There is also a fantastic Oliver Lieb remix and this is his typical trance affair. Overall this is a pretty good progressive trance track and it is currently massive with many top DJ’s. If you like the sound of this look out for Blu Peter’s ‘Return to the Source’ Mix album for some more prog beats.
Singles and Angles : Submerge ( Good:As) This track can be found on the Ministry’s Clubbers Guide to 2000 Mix Cd and has also been one of Judge Jules’s Tried and Tested tracks. It has the typical Euro feel to it with its big build up and breakdowns and has that peak of the night feel to it. It is massive in all the ‘trance’ clubs at the moment and could well cross over into the Top 40. However it reminds me too much of Des Mitchell’s Welcome to the Dance and Armin Communication. However it is still a great track and should do well. 4/5 Ariel : A9 (White Label) Ariel is the resident at Freedom who is renowned for his all night deck antics, and finds time to do a Latin set with percussion down at DTPM. So this track therefore may surprise you to find a rather simple trancer with hits of hi energy in the bass and the usual crowd noises that seem to accompany each and every hard house / trance track that is released at the moment. The bass line seems to rip through you when you here it played out on a big sound system and it is undoubtably one of the tunes of the moment. However as this track comes from such a talented person I believe that there will be more even better stuff to come.
3/5
Oliver Lieb : Subraumstimulaion (Data) This track is a real treat and is much techier that you may expect coming from Data. Long – standing Germanic techno – trancer Lieb, who is also known as LSG, Spicelab, Paragliders and the Ambush, lays down the law with this dynamic progressive track containing enough harmonic touches to drag in even no believers into the trance scene. The must have quality is given to the track by John Johnson’s remix, a real peak time tune that will whip the crowd up into a frenzy when the lead line comes in. This track is beautiful, deep, dark and pumping. If you do not own this track, log off and go and buy it now!!!!
4/5
Yomanda : Sunshine (Manifesto) Paul Masterson seems to be everywhere at the moment. He is the other half of Hi-Gate and has recently mixed the massive Flickman – Sound of Bamboo. He has also produced a stormin mix of Geri Halliwell’s new track Bag it Up and now this track is being released. Unfortunately this track is quite simply ‘kiddy pop trance’. However it is the sound of the moment with bouncing rhythms, and a squeaky sample of the word sunshine and really that’s all there is to this track. There is also a mix with Judge Jules on the flip, which does away with the sunshine sample and sticks to the tune more. This is the mix that you will recognize from the club of your choice. This is dance music for school kids. It’s gonna be massive, definatly top 10. 2/5
Ayla : Angel Falls (Unsubmissive) This is the follow up to the massive Ayla : Ayla that was around in the summer of last year. Unlike many sequels to a big hit Angel Falls does not sound exactly the same to it’s predecessor. This is soon to be released on the Positiva label and therefore will get the big remix treatment. Whether this will improve the record or not I can not say but at the moment it is a pretty good trance record, even though it may be a little ‘disposable'. Angel Falls has not been caned by any of the top Dj’s and this may be part of it’s downfall. However when it finally comes out on Positiva we will see. 3/5 Release Date : ????????
Bismark : Reactivate (Nukleuz) This is the newest track from the house of Picotto. Therefore as per usual it has the endless pounding distorted beats and then a wicked trance tune later in the track and this track is no different. This kind of trance is coming more to the forefront as hard house is emerging as the sound of this summer and Nukleuz seem to be one of the labels of the moment. There are two mixes on the vinyl one which is the original and is very Mauro Picotto influenced and the other on the flip side that uses much less of the tune and is more progressive. The track is being caned by the top trance DJ’s Jules etc. and therefore Nukleuz seem to have another hit on their hands. 4/5 Release Date : Out Now Chubby Chunks : Get Away (Cleveland City) This is a cool funky vocal house track that is already in many of the top house DJ’s charts and sets. It ha a fairly recognizable bass line which continually pumps along keeping the track alive. There is a vocal mix, a dub, a Big Ron mix, and a Jay Vegas mix. The Big Ron mix is my personal favorite even though it may be a little slow. It concentrates on the vocal and the bass line and in my opinion that makes this track more special over the others. The Jay Vegas mix is also great and is slightly more pumping than the others. 3/5 Release Date : ?????
CRW : I Feel Love (VC Recordings) CRW is another of the guises for the man of the moment Mauro Picotto. The instantly recognizable riff is not the usual minimalist sound that is usually associated with Picotto but the trademark massive drum beat is still there bangin’ away. The original has been around on import for ages and is set to be released now on VC Recordings which could send it top 20 bound. Unfortunately the original RAF by Picotto mix is not present but the Jamx and De Leon mix makes up for this. All I will conclude about this tune is that it will be massive!! 4/5 Release date : 14th Feb 2000 Hard Beat EP : 11 (Nukleuz) As per usual from Nukleuz we have a fine selection of Hard House tracks put together onto one EP. The tracks are :-
All of the tracks are pumping hard house, which would suit the sound of Sundissential, and they, all make you want to get up and go menthol. The first two tracks are the usual hard house sound with the really pumping kick drums and the distorted bass line. Whereas the Gigi D’Agostino track is slightly slower but with the infectious beats still present and correct. This track also seems to have a sample from the RUN DMC track It’s Like That! However the EP as a whole goes down well even if it is not the best that Nukleuz have ever put out. 3/5 Release Date : Out Now Lock ‘n’ Load: Blow Ya Mind (Y2K) This is a massive hard house track that is being caned by the likes of Dave Pearce and Fergie to name just two. It has the catchiness of Dj Jean’s The Launch but without the annoying bass line. It is one of those peak time tunes that you can’t help dancing to. It has the obligatory crowd noises and the air horns (which are getting a bit tedious now!!). Massive at venues such as Passion and Sundissential. However it may have become too tedious before it is released on Y2K Recordings. 3/5 Release date : ???? Nutopia : Live Like This (Effit) This is the debut track from the Birmingham based Nutopia team and comes as the first release on the new label EFFIT. The track itself is a vocal based cross between trance and hard house. The vocals by Kreasha Lee-Ellis are extremely catchy and the tune rips through you when it is played on a loud sound system. There is also a much harder untidy dub on the flip side that has been produced by the boys and girls at Tidy Trax, so you will know what to expect! The Untidy Dub seems to be the sound of the moment and the track as a whole has the support of Dj’s such as Judge Jules, Brandon Block, Graham Gold and all of the Tidy Trax DJ’s. 4/5 Release Date : ??? Pants and Corset : Malice in Wonderland ( Solid State Records) This is an absolute stormer of a track. It has been featured on the Mix Cd by Fergie on the cover of Mixmag and is going down with a bang in many of the clubs around the country. There is a tune which progresses throughout the track until it is unleashed and will send any trance or hard house crowd absolutely mental. It is a track that will stick in your mind for weeks to come and is a must for any DJ who is into the trance sound! 5/5 Release Date : Out Now Rank 1 : Airwave (Free-For-All) What can I say except that this tune is MASSIVE! If you have not heard this tune then where have you been over the past few months. Judge Jules has been caning it on his shows and it has been made his Tried and Tested tune and Pete Tongs Essential new tune. This kind of trance is much less disposable and will still be played by DJ’s in months to come. It is not your usual big breakdown and then massive riff. It has a much more subdued feel to it. That is what I like about this tune. It is still only available on import but it must soon be getting a general release in Britain 5/5 Release Date : ??? Import!!!! Tact 2 : Sweet Dreams (White Label) This is possibly the best bootleg track I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. As soon as the fist few beats have been played there is part of an instantly recognizable tune in the background that niggles at you until you finally work out what it is. There is an almighty breakdown and then you hear it, the tune is from Sweet Dreams by the Eurhythmics. Then the vocals kick in and the track comes to life. The quality of the recording is also wicked so overall this is a bang on bootleg. To top it off there is a fairly good trance track on the flip side that would not be lost at the likes of Passion and Gatecrasher. Overall this is one wicked piece of plastic!! 5/5 Release Date : It’s a Bootleg! System F : Cry (Tsunami) This is the newest track from the trance king himself Ferry Corsten. It is a step away from the usual ‘cheesy’ trance and is not all based around a huge breakdown. There is an infectious bass line that you can not get out of your mind. It is also good to hear some quality vocals on a trance tune for a change. This track has all the kids singing along at Gatecrasher and as far as I am concerned is one of Ferry Corsten’s best productions to date. The track has been co-produced with Robert Smit who produced the latest Starparty single with Ferry Corsten. Tsunami seem to have cottoned on to the idea that the cheesy trance sound is dying in the UK now and are developing a new wave of trance that is slightly more thought out and is less ‘disposable’ music. Tsunami is a label to watch in the future! Cry has just been picked up by Pete Tongs Essential records and is due for release within the next few months. 4/5 Release Date : Out now on Import |
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