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February Already! And already UK Label Zone have sent material for me to review.
Reviews from 01/02/01
The Limray - Lucid Dreams [Zone 015]
Favourite Track: A1
Future Chart Position: Yes - 17
Additional Comments: Bristol Label Zone provide this excellent track with all three mixes working really well together.
Overall Rating: 8
Full Review Bristol Based label Zone have had a strong set of releases behind them bringing us such producers as Arksun and Manhattan. This is a release from Tim Harley under his "The Limray" guise. Manhattan's mix makes up the A-Side and this mix is quite nice and melodic with some well organises drum programming accompanied with a really strong string breakdown, some nice vocals and synth underlays. This mix is nice and deep. Karova's remix is not so deep and more upfront than the Manhattan mix with some added synth parts and a change in drum programming while Tim's Original Mix is the mellowest of the lot but very well produced with some excellent additional synth patterns and all three mixes work really well and make up this nice and deep package.
Release Date: T.B.A
Reviews from 03/02/01
Barthezz - On The Move[Tremolo 029]
What Do You Think(Slamming/Good/Bad/Ugly): Slamming
Remarks: An excellent two tracker from the Tremolo Label
Full Review Over the last few months the Tremolo label have started to release some really nice tracks such as D-Project's "Squared" and this is a release is very uplifting in that sort of style. The track kicks off with some excellent drums and a nice bassline and moves on with some stabs and hints of the riff. When the strings come in and the riff is in full it's pretty hard to resist dancing to. On The B-Side the "Barthezz Rock's The Club Mix" has a completely different bassline and reminds me a bit of Club Caviar's productions with the riff being jumpy and all over the place but it works well when the drums come in. This release has only been sent out on 15 acetates and a few white labels and I'd say the A-Side is due explode when the track is released in the UK. So keep your eyes open and demand a copy now!
Release Date: T.B.A
Reviews from 07/02/01
R. Pries - Tracked Romance E.P [RP-001]
Favourite Track: A1
Future Chart Position: Yes - 19
Additional Comments: 3 Track Techno EP From The Rohformat Star.
Overall Rating: 8
Full Review An EP with 3 tracks from Rohformat Offshoot RP came in the Post today from Techno producer Ronny Pries. Based in Hamburg he is a well known producer having released tracks on the also German Based Uptide Records. Despite being a very busy man he still manages to produce lots of excellent techno tracks and runs the tracking group Rohformat who are now looking to release tracks onto vinyl as soon as possible. "Tracked Romance Part 1" kicks off the EP and this is definately something nice to listen to. A pounding kick drum with some very nice synth underlays and swirls for with a slowly progressing drum pattern. This is 10 minutes of energetic techno. "Tracked Romance Part 2" is a longer and more gritter track than the a side with some excellent fx and tight drums. This track is much more deeper than the first part and is similar to the Rohformat sound I am used to. "Tremolo FF" is a harder and very odd track which wouldn't sound out of place in a Commodore 64 game. Calling this Odd is a severe understatement with weird fx scattered all over the place this will appeal to the more disturbed techno fans out there. These tracks Ronny has put up on mp3.com for you all to listen to for a limited period only. Check out www.mp3.com/_rohformat/ for the tracks. Excellent techno 3 tracker from one of Germany's future talents.
Release Date: T.B.A
Reviews from 21/02/01
Cimmera - Arlington Road[Zone 016]
Personal View: 8 (Very Nice)
Floor Reaction: 8 (Very Nice)
How Often are you playing this track: N/A
Favourite Mix: Arlington Road
Will You Be sending a chart return to any of the following magazines for this track: No, except to Johnny Dangerous @ Wax magazine.
If so at what position: 11
Any Other Comments on this track: It's well produced and would lock you into a groove quite easily
Full Review Zone Recordings in Bristol have delivered another nice record onto my doorstep following up to "The Limray - Lucid Dreams" and once again it is nice and deep and has already had plays from Timo Maas, John Digweed and on John 00 Flemming's Radio 1 Essential Mix. The A Side "Arlington Road" starts with a complex drum pattern with some weird fx and vocals scattered around, then this dies down so some nice synth sounds come into action with a bassline and odd strings and more odd fx coming in later which then fades out till all thats left is the drumloop. B Side "Sound of The Underground" begins with a nice thumping kick drum underpinned with some cut up vocals and fx. Some dark strings come in with a simple one note bassline. These lead into the breakdown which drops hints of the riff which then carries on for a few minutes until the bassline and vocals fade out. Nice two tracker from the Zone label very similar to the darker side of the Dutch Part Of The Deal label. Check it out.
Release Date: T.B.A
Reviews from 26/02/01
Stone Cold - Moma Said Rock[Carnal 004]
What Do You Think(Slamming/Good/Bad/Ugly): Good
Remarks: Carnal Label back on form to do more damage to your speakers.
Full Review The producers for Carnal must be hard at work to deliver 4 tunes in 6 months. Obviously having an obsession with hard trance with such tracks as "Electric Voodoo" by "Medicen Men" and "No Alternative" by "RBA" being examples of this. "Moma Said Rock" is a 3 tracker full of dark and melodic tracks just plain odd. The title track is a nice hard little number reminding me of a cross between Junk Project and Don Diablo. For those who are unfamiliar with those two artists it's a combination of Melodic Trance and Hard Drum Programming all the way. Simple synths, drums and bassline lead into a nice breakdown with "Me Moma Said We Must Rock The House " vocals leading into the riff and it all goes mad from there... You can just imagine it! "Rock That Beat" is exactly the same sort of madness that "Hypetraxx - The Darkside" on Positiva/Overdose records contains but its much more harder and managed to make me bounce around my room to it's odd quantised rhythm in no time at all. "Back And Forth" is a very twisted tune with a very strong reverbed kick drum that does the damage combined with simple drum programming and a nice bassline. Lots of weird sound fx are overlayed and this track nice and scary. Look out for it when released.
Release Date: T.B.A
Reviews from 27/02/01
Icebreaker - Too Cold[Planet Traxx 2015]
Favourite Track: B1
Future Chart Position: Yes - 5
Additional Comments: Excellent melodic two tracker from the Planet Traxx Label
Overall Rating: 9
Full Review Icebreaker is a record which draws my attention immediately due to the remix by "Aquaplex". Strong pounding Junk Project kick drum and arrangement it is very much like a cross between Phuture Punk's last E.P on Planet Traxx and Junk Project's remix of Human Force on Drizzly. Which is basically Hard Trance with a very nice uplifting riff which as with most tracks recently works really well. The one annoying feature in the track is the half speed drums during the breakdown reminding me of one of those over-emotional and vomit-inducing films. Aside from that it's brilliant and definately worth a play or two. B Side "Frozen" sounds like one of my own tracks a little (Cohesive - Sun Scatter) which is something pleasing! .It is much more simpler and sounds more like a Green Court production with a nice simple underlay over an excellent arrangement. Expect DJ Interest from top DJs like Mark E.G, Alex Ball and any other Hard Trance DJ who knows something good as soon as possible as this as the potential to be huge.
Release Date: T.B.A
Dawn Madison - Time Is Right[White Label]
Favourite Track: A1
Future Chart Position: No
Additional Comments: One Sided promo from Germany with some funky elements.
Overall Rating: 5
Full Review This record came in the post from Germany on a clear vinyl with no info at all except the artist and track name. It is only one sided with The A side having a simple funky house groove with some good vocal elements yet it does not grab me the same way as other house tracks do. It has some very nice piano playing though which may make the track stand out from other house tracks around. We'll have to wait and see.
Release Date: T.B.A
Flutlicht - Icarus (The Flight)[Drizzly 2010-62]
Favourite Track: A1
Future Chart Position: Yes - 1
Additional Comments: Excellent Trance from Drizzly going to stay in my chart for a long time.
Overall Rating: 10
Full Review Having heard this track already on the Drizzly Site (www.drizzly.de), My reaction when getting this track in the post involved me running to my room and turning the volume up really loud and sticking this straight on. Flutlicht have made some absolutely brillaint tracks in the past with last year's "Ahema" being included in my chart of the year, this track is an improvement on that. The A side has simple drum programming and a cool bassline then extra synth sounds come in with vocals of "Icarus" which then drops down to the break with some very warm strings that work well with the vocals. The riff comes in and you know you've just heard another corker of a track. The "S.H.O.K.K" Mix is a harder Mauro Pictto like production which would work well if the original is not your cup of tea while the "Planet Trax ft. Oliver Nied Remix" is a simple effective and harder version of the original but I don't think the remixes are necessary. An Excellent Track and I can't wait for the follow up.
Release Date: T.B.A
Andreas Kramer & Thomas Pogadl - So Wie Es Immer War[Construct Rhythm 025]
Favourite Track: Yes - 19
Future Chart Position: No
Additional Comments: Twisted 3 Tracker From Germany's Techno Label
Overall Rating: 8
Full Review Construct Rhythm have a habit of making releases that are so hard they scare you. This is no exception. The A side "So Wie Es Immer War" is a completely twisted techno track with strong drums and gritty hi hats with German vocals sounding like Daleks off Tv Series Dr Who. Scary strings are dropped in throughout and will work but the problem is the track ends too soon and will be too hard to mix with. "Errattertdietontur" is more melodic and has a breakdown full of Fx and Vocals before starting up again into just the looped riff and a kick drum. Hard hitting rides are added and this is worth looking at yet isn't so scary. "The Day After Mix" introduces another melody loop with some not so harder tunes, with a different frame of mind for production this could actually be quite a good Trance track and altogether all 3 tracks are good productions and this should do well.
Release Date: T.B.A
Reloader - Disco Sluts[Jerk 2008-31]
Favourite Track: A1
Future Chart Position: No
Additional Comments: Hard Techno Attack, Good Idea in terms of the Pressing.
Overall Rating: 7
Full Review With a name like that you expect some cheesy disco track but as this is on the Jerk label I know this isn't the case. The way this track is pressed is completely opposite to usual with the track beginning at the centre of the vinyl and ending at the edge. "Disco Sluts" is 4 minutes of a hard looping techno attack on your speaker. Unfortunately it means I can't tell which track on the B side is which. "Disco Lights" follows "Disco Sluts" being another attack on your speakers and is a simple groove while "The King" is the loudest out of the lot really scaring me with its hard intense drum programming. Definately not one for the Disco!
Release Date: T.B.A
The Entity - Hard To Optain[Jerk 2007-30]
Favourite Track: A2
Future Chart Position: No
Additional Comments: Hard Techno Attack That Takes No Prisoners
Overall Rating: 6
Full Review This month sees another release on Jerk Recordings. "The Entity" has produced a 4 track E.P and these are full of techno that takes no prisoners and goes straight for overkill. Hard Kick drums and strong drum programming on all 4 tracks with "Hard To Optain" being a simple drum pattern with some loud distorted fx & drums overlayed while "Night Of The Devil" is even harder with its choice of twisted sound effects. "The Eye" is a simpler track with minimal drums and a very abrupt ending while "Master And Servant" plays around with the EQ cutting out the bass frequency a lot and has a continues of hardness on this 4 tracker. All in all Good Ideas but the tracks only last 4 minutes each which if longer could have incorporated some melodies into them. Play very loud!!
Release Date: T.B.A
Alex K Katz - Bad Trophy [Construct Rhythm 024]
Favourite Track: B1
Future Chart Position: Yes - 16
Additional Comments: Twisted 3 Tracker from Construct Rhythm
Overall Rating: 8
Full Review Alex K Katz delivers another release on Construct Rhythm and this release is one that proves that him and Kay D Smith belong in a mental asylum yet they manage to lock you into a groove in no time at all. "X-Tours" is a simple drum and bassline track with the drum being played around on every 16th bar then a really hard ear melting yet good synth line comes in which increases the tension. This is played about with and more added throughout. "Ticket" has scary morphed vocals and EXTREMELY weird melody lines which combined with the rhythm will scare anyone within hearing range. "Radio TV Show" is simpler and not so scary but still has a very odd synth line that no doubt techno DJs will love. An Energetic 3 tracker which I hope there will be more to come.
Release Date: T.B.A
Air-Knee Featuring David Thomas - Set Me Free[Real Groover 023]
Favourite Track: B2
Future Chart Position: No
Additional Comments: Funky House track from Germany's Real Groove label.
Overall Rating: 6/7
Full Review Real Groove return after their doublepack last month with a new track by "Air-Knee" a simple and funky house track with a funky bassline and guitar riffs dropped in and being filtered. It also has a full vocal track which is very catchy if exposed to so for too long. The "Latin Mix" is simple and has a piano line which is similar to the one on Afro Medusa - Pasilda which works reasonably well. It is definately one for slower and funkier house fans. The "Air-Knee Meets Enrico Mercaldi Technal Mix" is a twisted number with odd drum programming and fx being panned from speaker to speaker clips of the vocal are played around with too and it is definately for the weirder of house fans.
Release Date: T.B.A
Woodwork - Sawdust[Universal Prime Breaks 046]
Favourite Track: B1
Future Chart Position: No
Additional Comments: Pounding 3 Tracker from U.T.B which is very twisted.
Overall Rating: 7
Full Review Damn It!!! Not another record that reminds me of school... Universal Prime Breaks are a label that release a combination of hard trance and techno. This is a techno release and "Sawdust" is 5 minutes of a hard kick drum combined with saw waves being played with some weird other drums and fx. "Nature" is a simplistic groove with very hard drum programming and its much the same style as "Forest" but "Forest" has more emphasis on tribal drums over a strong, pounding 909 drum kit. All in all a good 3 tracker but the short length of tracks do not do them justice.
Release Date: T.B.A