TIM STARKPO Box 272, Oxford, OX3 8FJ
QUICKIES Ben Hennessy
Russian Cosmonauts Soviet Recordings 5.0
Along with philosophical Eastern musings, Soviet-era astronaut gabbing has to rank as the most overused vocal solution in trance. More originality please.
Cerf, Mitiska & Jaren
Give Me A Sound S107 7.5
Great breakbeat-driven ‘Original Mix’, with Jaren’s faultless vocals working their magic once again. Brad & Victor H’s remix, though, is a thin-synthed, major key miss.
Daniel Kandi & Philip Alpha
3 Strikes UR In Always Alive 8.0
Thudding, juddering atypical beats mark out Kandi’s latest. Deeper than
Alex M.O.R.P.H.
his usual too, but in every way a marked improvement on ‘Insert Generic Title’.
Gai Barone
Hydra Afterglow 7.5
Gai’s ‘Original’ is a pleasantly spaced-out prog sound collage. Little too light for your average trance floor, though, which is where the evermore- impressive Wellenrausch’s remix kerchings.
Orjan Nilsen Burana/Filthy
Fandango Armind 8.5
Reigning in DJs’ sets for over five months, ‘Endymion’ is possibly the most durable trancer of the year. Both ‘Burana’ and ‘Filthy Fandango’ represent fine quality, high impact follow-ups. No stopping the Nilsen now.
Eternal Flame ASOT 8.5
It’s hard to think of a trance producer who manages to nail poignancy to quite the same degree as Mr M.O.R.P.H. On ‘Eternal Flame’ (no dated Bangles refs, please) he strikes again. Flawless, intuitive piano notes, from-the-heavens vocals and of course those super, super strings all play their part. Beyond all else, though, it’s the composition of its heartfelt lead and sub-riffs that fire the neurons the quickest.
Alex Vives
Take Off EP Mondo 7.0
With lots of propulsive bass, further energized by a clever percussion arrangement and good kick-drum choice, ‘Take Off’’s force is strong. The melodic notes work well too, as do the funky side-chain compressed FX. The understated lead riff doesn’t quite match up, but its not-trying-too-hard vibe is somewhat endearing. ‘Not The Same’ is thinner, less produced and has ‘filler’ stamped all over it.
Cold Blue
Atlantis Monster Tunes 8.0
Cold Blue delivers Monster Tunes’ best of the year so far here. ‘Atlantis’ is a well-produced brawny piece of trance- progressive. Never overplaying its hand (by overbalancing into melodic or euphoric), it keeps the ideas flowing and the pitch just right. Even at break’s end it knows just how high up the keyboard the riff should travel; and not beyond.
Danilo Ercole OMNIA ARMADA 01. ASHLEY WALLBRIDGE FEAT AUDREY GALLAGHER ‘Bang The
Drum (Omnia Remix)’ AVA Recordings “Ashley is one of my favourite producers this year, so it was a big pleasure to remix this track.”
02. BEN GOLD FEAT THE GLASS CHILD ‘Fall With Me’ Garuda “Great trance track! Ben Gold is one of the breakthrough producers of this
year for me.”
03. BURNS ‘Lies (Otto Knows Remix)’ Deconstruction “Perfect melody and recognizable vocals are making this track really strong.”
04. COSMIC GATE FEAT EMMA HEWITT ‘Calm Down’ Black Hole “The legendary Cosmic Gate and amazing vocals by Emma Hewitt. Working
great in my latest club sets!”
05. GARETH EMERY ‘Tokyo’ Garuda “Most innovative track for some time. Such a great combination of all styles
together.”
06. NETSKY ‘Love Has Gone’ Hospital “Always unexpected and different for my live sets, but sending crowds crazy!”
07. OMNIA ‘Infina’ Coldharbour Recordings “My new single. Included on Armin’s ‘Universal Religion’ compilation.”
08. OMNIA & CATHY BURTON ‘Hearts Connected’ A&R Recordings “I was really lucky to work with such beautiful vocals! My own favourite tune
of 2012.”
09. OMNIA & IRA ‘The Fusion’ Coldharbour Recordings “My own classic already! I can’t describe how people go crazy when I play
this track.”
10. TIËSTO FEAT BT ‘Love Comes Again’ Magik Muzik “Can’t stop listening and playing this track already for eight years. Pure bliss!”
Giuseppe Ottaviani feat Amba Shepherd
Lost For Words VANDIT 8.0
Ottaviani has had a renaissance year in 2012. Between impressive vocal collabs with Betsie Larkin (and others) and some really stellar co-productions, his mojo is clearly working. Featuring moving topline work from Australia’s Amba Shepherd, ‘Lost For Words’ is
Beatriz Saturated Audio 7.5
Third release from Saturated, who seem to be aiming at the underfed deeper end of the market. ‘Beatriz’ counters its moody, minimal tendencies with just enough skip, funk and drive to make the production ping. It’s not a track likely to grab you right away. Cranked up so you can hear its percussive detail and production complexity, though, and it becomes a far more gripping listen.
another striking moment. Production- wise it’s not quite as rapaciously euphoric as his summer fare, but the melodics that take their place work just as well.
Mobil
Only The Heart Believes Perceptive Pure 5.0
Hands-down the winner of Soppy Title Of The Month, and unfortunately the music’s a bit wishy-washy too. The riff’s note arrangement (which remains static for six straight minutes!) hits ‘nice’ on the tranceometer, without ever bothering loftier heights. Eximinds’ remix is made of sturdier stuff certainly, but not even the Russians can pull this one back from the brink.
Paul van Dyk feat Plumb
I Don’t Deserve You VANDIT 7.5
Jerome Isma-Ae goes for punch- packing prog on his mix, while Maor Levi’s ditches the melody and plumps for some oh-so-now speed- stopping/starting business. Ottaviani makes much of Plumb’s beautifully articulated vocal and laid bare lyrics, tying it to his thermal synths. Once the mad, creative trance-steppin’ mind of Seven Lions gets to work, though, there’s only going to be one remix winner here.
www.djmag.com Rex Mundi
Steaming Waterfalls Coldharbour Recordings
9.0
‘Steaming Waterfalls’ is head and shoulders the ‘Bella Monaco EP’’s standout. In the first minute it tucks its head down and comes at you like a charging rhino. Euphorically spirited to the point of reckless endangerment, every chime, synth, sub-riff and sequence arrangement is micro- produced up to achieve maximum deliverance. The cumulative effect may leave you slightly breathless.
Thomas Datt Long Distance/Evaporate
(Part 2) Discover 7.5
Two tracks taken from Datt’s debut album ‘Picking Up The Pieces’. ‘Long Distance’ lacks nothing down at the bottom end. It does hit a more linear, progressive beat up top though, and as such, sonically, is the less defined of the two. ‘Evaporate (Part 2)’’s note arrangements and key changes are from thoroughbred trance stock. They coolly check themselves long before hitting exaggerated or overblown though, making this track the pick of the pair.
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MONEYSHOT!
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