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2001 begins and here we are with some excellent releases from Drizzly, Hard On and Combined Forces to start the year off.
Reviews from 21/01/01
Dirt Devils - The Drill [Hard On 002]
Favourite Track: AA
Future Chart Position: Yes - 4
Additional Comments: Excellent follow up to "Disco Fans", The London team are back to do damage!
Overall Rating: 9
Full Review Hard On Recordings are back with a very high quality second release by the Dirt Devils. This release definately lives up to the label's "No Bullshit" policy. There are two mixes on this copy and they are both well produced and I found it very hard to resist nodding my head to them both. The Original Mix begins with some Ferry Corsten style drum patterns and a really funky bassline and drops down to the breakdown with a nice synth line and crowds. Vocal samples of "The Drill" come in and the riff has a very nicely done pitch bend which really appealed to me. The riff then is combined with another synth sound and then the track carries on with just the bassline... which draws interest before the breakdown occurs again. The Evacuation Mix is very much like a Mauro Picotto production but with complex drum production. It has a Picotto style bassline amongst some synth underlays then one mad riff comes in which is very different to the original mix. The track starts up again and is a true definition of the Dirt Devils sound I know and love. You definately have to track this down.. this is set to become very big and will need a massive warning to alert the dancefloor what is coming.
Release Date: 05/03/00
Reviews from 16/01/01
Pagemaster - Hold On (Drizzly 2009-61)
Favourite Track: A1
Future Chart Position: Yes - 8
Additional Comments: Drizzly kick off 2001 in fine style with this 2 tracker.
Overall Rating: 9
Full Review The Excellent Drizzly label deliver another delight into my postbox this month. For those of you who do not know who drizzly are, they are the label who have centres of records two or three inches bigger than usual and are a quality German Trance label. Whilst opening this package I jumped around with Joy at the fact that they have asked Junk Project to do a mix. He manages to produce an excellent track with strong pounding kicks and and an excellent bassline. When the riff comes in you know this mix lives up to expectations. Solid Sleep have remixed B-Side "Transmission" and they have gone for a full on minimal trance track which works really well. An excellent follow up to last Month's Tukan Track.
Release Date: T.B.A
Badlands - Body & Soul (Axwax 2011)
Favourite Track:
Future Chart Position:
Additional Comments:
Overall Rating:
Full Review This release is a very nice harder trance track with the "Another Dimension Mix" consisting of nice strings a simple beat, a really effective riff and some good vocals. The "Original Mix" is a little more Lacklustre and commercial so I avoided that and skipped straight on to the "Mark Brain and Tom Mayah" Remix of "Let Them Know" which is hard twisted trance that'll do maximum damage to your speakers. Keep up the good work.
Release Date: T.B.A
DJ Bjorn - Tracking (Logport 2004)
Favourite Track: B1
Future Chart Position: Yes - 6
Additional Comments: Excellent Track from DJ Bjorn with a lovely Green Court Remix.
Overall Rating: 9
Full Review Logport have decided to release a track by DJ Bjorn from Fog Area. He is a favourite producer of Mark E.G. Although this is only the first production i've heard from him I must admit I'm very impressed. Harder trance is the style of the original mix with a nice simple bassline, key trigger riffs and a "We're Tracking" vocal. Flip to the B-Side for the excellent remix by Green Court and they do something which makes you think of their track "Moonflight" and something Rank 1 would produce. This is something to look out for.
Release Date: T.B.A
Schall & Rauch - We're Back (Form 10" 002)
Favourite Track: A1
Future Chart Position: Yes - 20
Additional Comments: Hard Hitting techno from the well respected Form Label
Overall Rating: 8
Full Review Form return with another track thats liable to make your speaker explode. Schall and Rauch are better known as Kay D Smith and Alex Katz. Their productions are so dark they scare me and I still play it. A nice pounding kick drum, a complex rhythm and some synths and bass are the main elements in "Endzeit". There is some spoken German too. B Side has the Westwood Brothers remix of "The Beat" which is scary like the A side with a 3 note distorted synth and some ride cymbals along a weird bassline and a pounding beat. These are two tracks that are not to be messed with but turned up nice and loud.
Release Date: T.B.A
DJ Tech & The Silent Stream - Nevereverland (Illuminate 2003-16)
Favourite Track: B1
Future Chart Position: Yes - 15
Additional Comments: Another excellent track to come from the Illuminate label.
Overall Rating: 8
Full Review DJ Tech & The Silent Stream have decided to release this High Energy trance track on the Illuminate Label. The A Side's Rave Mix is really well produced with an excellent melody, Nice Drums and strong piano part. The Original Mix is my favourite mix as it has a nicer feel to it in my opinion. This track I hope will do very well and is a sign of Consistancy for the Illuminate Label.
Release Date: T.B.A
Various Artists - Real Groove Allstars Part 1(Real Groove 020-1)
Favourite Track: D1
Future Chart Position: No
Additional Comments: 11 Track Compilation from the German Real Groove Collective.
Overall Rating: 7
Full Review Real Groove are a label that have released several house productions over the past few years and this 11 track compilation is a collection of their best productions. As there are so many tracks i'll be as brief as possible. The Compilation kicks off with The Raise Mix of Topazz's "The New Millenium" which is a simple and funky piano house track with some influences from Disco Music and nice vocals. Al Farris & Andrew Wooden's "Feel & Hear the Drums" has some very nice swirly synths throught the whole track with breakbeats in the breakdown of the track. The Superfunk Remix of Rhythm Junkeez "Theme From Talmanca" is a track with a nice lead, some whistles and vocals too. "Air-Knee Featuring Rose" has a good intro which leads into a nice cut up drum track among a funky beat and reminds me a bit of Cevin Fisher. Tiny Tunes "Will You Catch Me" is a track which would appeal to fans of Deep Dish and regular listeners to Pete Tong's show here in the U.K. Paul Johnson's "Get On My Camel" is a very twisted house track with a strong hint of disco in the production. DJ Antoine & Mad Mark's mix of Project MSC's "Superstar" is very similar to a cross between Yomanda and Olav Basoski and it works really well. The "Mike 303 Vocoder" mix of Topazz's "The New Millenium" is a simple loop with a groovy bass and strong drum accompaniment. While Kenneth Heuvel's House Negro project remix DJ Antoine's "Do It" track and he has turned it into a really kicking Stormer that stands out the most on this compilation. Rhythm Junkeez - Groovy 2000 is definately another disco influenced track which is not a bad thing as this would work quite well for fans of Modjo and Stardust. Finally Topaz make their third appearence with Mike 303 doing another mix of their "The New Millenium" track which does sound familiar but I can't think of what it sounds similar to. All in all this compilation is a good reflection of the Real Groove label and if house music is your thing then you will love this.
Release Date: T.B.A
Reviews from 31/01/01
Cassini - Synthesis (Part Of The Deal 018)
Favourite Track: B
Future Chart Position: Yes - 11
Additional Comments: Cassini Returns with a deep 2 tracker that'll lock you into a groove.
Overall Rating: 9
Full Review Dutch producer Bas Kunnen returns on another track. His name may not be familiar to you but his aliases should be (if you've been reading my past reviews !!). He works as "Noisefloor" and "Cassini" and many other names. "Synthesis" is a funky track with a variety of sounds and a simple yet effective melody along with a bouncy rhythm. "Groover" is a very accurate title has a simple three note riff playing throughout with various synths added over a continuous drumbeat which definately locks you into a groove. An excellent follow up to "Infinity"
Release Date: T.B.A
Noisefloor - Liquid Intelligence (Part Of The Deal 019)
Favourite Track: B
Future Chart Position: Yes - 13
Additional Comments: The long awaited follow up is here...and it is just as good.
Overall Rating: 8
Full Review Bas Kunnen returns again on this two tracker. His "Club System" and "Ultrawave" tracks are doing very well for themselves and hopefully this will follow. "Liquid Intelligence" is kicks into a complex drumbeat and a 1 note underlay that continues throughout the track launching into a twisty riff with some warms strings which will appeal to all those who loved "Ultrawave". "Parallax" is more laid back with some very soothing strings and breakbeats before with nice calm synth riffs and keeps flowing for just under 6 minutes. For those who like it deep this will be right up your street.
Release Date: T.B.A
Mister Niceguy - I Want It (DJ Records 003)
Favourite Track: A
Future Chart Position: Yes - 14
Additional Comments: Peter G's label delivers its finest release to date.
Overall Rating: 8
Full Review Peter G's DJ label has released some odd tracks in the past and the third release is much more accessible. Reminding me of a crossover between DJ Jurgen and Club Caviar the A side has its commercial elements. The vocal is a very strong micky take out of Southside Spinners hit - "Luvstruck" among some extremely well produced trance. The B Side has the "B.O.B 3000 mix" which is a less commercialised version of the A Side which works very well and the "A.J.A Remix" is very much like something DJ Jean would produce with a less commercial edge to it. Very nice release that is definately the best one to come from D.J Records so far.
Release Date: T.B.A
Bom Squad - Pickin Da Cut (Combined Forces 046)
Favourite Track: B
Future Chart Position: Yes - 8
Additional Comments: Dub Foundation and Combined Forces merge for this two tracker.
Overall Rating: 9
Full Review An interesting release here that's apparently a combination between A combined forces artist and "Dub Foundation". "Pickin Da Cut" kicks off with a groovy well produced beat and a nice bassline which goes for the usual style of a nice riff if a little odd some catchy strings. However It is B-Side "Holding Back" that grabs me more with a track has a kick ass bassline and some cut-up "Holding Back" vocals. A nice riff and twisted underlays come in and this will definately do the damage. Definately One To Look out for!
Release Date: T.B.A
Rene Ablaze & Sampling Presents Virgo - Life On Mars (Combined Forces 047)
Favourite Track: A
Future Chart Position: Yes - 18
Additional Comments: The producers behind Sunstar return with yet another quality track.
Overall Rating: 8
Full Review Rene Ablaze & Sam-Pling return after their "November Rain" Track. Using the "Is there Life on Mars" sample thats been somewhat overused in the past they manage to create three very good productions. the "Instrumental Club Mix" is nice and trancey with a groovy bassline and tight drum programming with a nice electro beat in the breakdown which leads into a very good riff that I found very hard to resist dancing to. The "Club Mix" takes a more harder edge than the Instrumental Club mix" with production that isn't far away from a Don Diablo production. The "Fabulous Three Vocal Club Mix" is like the Instrumental mix but with the Life On Mars vocal. A good Combined Forces release.
Release Date: T.B.A
MY CHART - 31/01/00
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