July 2002 Reviews

Louk

Ecister - Prodigies Of Endurance [Nutrition]
Everytime this guy (Maureece Pinkster) produces a release you know you will need to protect your eardrums as this blasts whatever is left of your ears to pieces and sounds damn good at the same time! Producing quality tracks under the name of Zanthrax, Maureece, Maui Pentacosto and others, he takes the Ecister alias for these two hard hitting techno tracks. First up is "Prodigies of Endurance" which is a mental techno stomper, having a hard kick drum, tonnes of distortion, manic hi-hats and lots of cool fx that add depth to this track, you know this is one to look out for. On the flip things go even more twisted with "Nitric Acid" which is rock hard. I can see Mark EG loving this, with odd vocals and loads of metallic fx on top of pounding drum loops and a grinding bass, this track is a real treat. Check this two tracker out when released, you will not have made a mistake.

DM:24 - Invincible [Nutrition]
The producer Diedrerik Erkel is the guy who has brought us the projects "Two Times Eleven" and "DRS" which produced two very good tech house tracks on Toolbox recordings. Here he takes on his "DM:24" alias to come up with this trancey three tracker. First up is the A1 Mix which is a very uplifting tune, featuring a funky percussion section, a cool bassline and a really nice melody, this has all the elements to be a very nice summer tune. Next up is the A2 mix which is quite nice but not as good as the A1 mix. Taking on a more minimal form and having some quite cool underlays, this is for those who think the A1 is a bit too obvious. Finally is the B side mix which is a fantastic bit of tech trance. The riff really works on this well and the new fx sweeps and sounds on this really add to the track. You can't ask for much better and more of a variety of mixes. Cool stuff!

The Shrink - Bit Staboi [Nutrition]
To be honest I wasn't that impressed with the last release of the Shrink, but now they are back with a new producer to add to the team (also known as John Nieland). This three tracker is an excellent release reminding me of productions by Katana. First up is the Original Mix which is an excellent example of simple but effective tech trance. With some cool stabs, some excellent percussion and everything sounding nicely in place, no doubt this will be popular with fans of the Mac Zimms style of things. Next up is the "Jean Moiree Mix" which is very melodic, having an awesome bassline on top of some cool funky percussion and samples from the Original. This one is very nice but doesn't feel as good as the Original mix for some reason. Finally is the Mark Norman mix which has to be my favourite of the three, an awesome production with a string breakdown that does the damage. This track is really worth checking out and that can be said for the other two mixes too. An excellent release.

Mark Norman - Tell Me / Overkill [Jinx UK]
So soon after the excellent remixes of Katana's particularly stomping "Fancy Fair", comes this fantastic two tracker on Jinx Records' UK imprint. Things look promising for this collective, as after only being in existance for a little while, it's fair to say that every release on this imprint has been worthy of a play and yet again they deliver the goods. Produced by Mark Norman, this two tracker manages to demonstrate his variety in style of production and doesn't half manage to do the job well. Comprising of past releases on Tri Lamb and Silver Premium, first up is "Tell Me" which is in my opinion, the perfect set opener. With some quality female vocals on top of layers of tough yet funky percussion and a really quirky bassline, no doubt this will set the mood for the rest of a set very well indeed. The whole track just begs to be played again. On the flip is another tasty cut. Entitled "Overkill", this one starts really well, with some Katana style percussion and another mental bassline. The track then adds a quality string section before unexpectedly breaking into some very punchy synth stabs that really do damage when turned up. Working to a similar effect of that in "Flight 643" by DJ Tiesto, it is no suprise that this one has been the receiver of a fair amount of hype from Tiesto himself and many other top DJs. What a fantastic release. That's all that needs to be said except More Please!

Les Pecheurs - Bate [K+S]
The third release on Belgium's K+S Recordings comes from "Les Pacheurs" and the "Mazzini Mix" is a pretty hard track, with some solid percussion, a mental bassline and a stabby synth riff as well as some weird vocals, this certainly will go down well for fans of the harder stuff. On the flip and the original mix certainly caters for those who like things a little deeper, however the percussion lacks in depth there are some cool stabs and a really weird riff. I don't know why but this mix doesn't really appeal to me to be honest. All in all this release is cool and very catchy especially the Mazzini mix but the Original mix is not as good as previous releases on this label so its best to avoid that one. A very strange release indeed.

Innovate - Missions In Love [Supadrive]
Coming from Holland, The excellent Supadrive recordings have provided us with such smashes as "Para Mi" by "Motivation" and "Alright Now" by "Godz Gift", here they return with this two tracker provided by the mysterious production team of "Innovate". There are three mixes on offer with the A side being a fantastic slice of tech house, with soaring synths, chuggy percussion, an excellent bassline and also a nice funky melody and very cool stabs. While on the flip, the B1 slows the pace down just a little bit keeping the arrangement similar to the A side but a bit more minimal and finally is the fantastic and extremely weird B2 mix which is perfect material for warm up sets or if you are at a club that plays tech-house, its end of night material. All in all this is definitely a fantastic three tracker worth checking out. Supadrive do it again!

Ernesto vs Bastian - Being Single [Altitude]
The production team of Ernesto vs Bastian have recently had a huge range of support with their productions under the Lumination name and of course their "Lonely People" track. Here they return with the cut "Being Single". On the A side we are treated to a vocal number with the usual percussion abd bassline with an emotive riff and lots of catchy fx. This is combined with some female vocals and in all honesty this isn't really the track for me. However, all is not lost as if you turn over to the other side you are treated to a fantastic and much more harder interpretation. Having a very weird riff and tonnes of energy in the rhythm this one is set to do serious damage in my opinion. A really weird track. To sum things up, it is fair to say that if the more emotive style of trance is your sort of thing you will like the A side but if you like it a little bit weirder and more harder then stick with the B. Very cool.

Powell - Wonder Why [FTM]
This one sided record comes from Dutch producer Powell, who is best known in my opinion for his release "The Beginning" on Houseworx recordings from last year. Here he returns with "Wonder Why" and this track for some reason strongly reminds me of the excellent "Something" by "Lasgo". A strong vocal and deviously catchy riff is what carries this track and it is fair to say that without a doubt this one could do well commercially. Having all the right elements such as a really nice bassline and a generally uplifting feel, I would place money that all the top DJs around Europe are caining this for all it is worth. Look out for this as I don't think it will be out for a while yet. Good stuff.

The Moon - Shake It [Byte Progressive]
Following up from the quality "Doing Drugs" by "Definitely N.O.T", Byte Progressive deliver this release from "The Moon" (also knon as DJ Ghost), I have been a little late off the mark with reviewing this one as it has already had severe hype from Judge Jules and other top jocks. What's on offer on the Original Mix is a nice and tough house number, featuring some cool stabs, evil vocals and a grinding bassline on top of some dark percussion. This one really does work well and when the riff comes in this is confirmed. Especially during the second breakdown when it speeds up!! On the flip and CJ Bolland's mix is very weird, adding some odd 303s and playing around with the stabs on top of what I feel is a rather weak percussion arrangement. Definitely a bit disappointing but all is not lost as the Original mix is defintiely worth a spin. A cool release from Byte Progressive. Good Stuff.

DJ Ken N vs Terry + Gregg - Nightlife [Discomatic]
This release on Byte Recordings' "Discomatic" label is provided by Kenneth Neirynck (also known as DJ Ken N) and Terry + Gregg. Only available as one of 50 records, this special Miami Sampler was given out to a selection of top disc jockeys during the conference (such as Robbie Rivera, ATFC and Curtis Zack) and fortunately I've managed to get a copy of one too! On Side A, we are treated to two of Ken N's tunes, first up is the rather delightful "The Fun Starts Here". This has a fantastic percussion section, an excellent piano part and trademark salsoul inspired Strings and bassline which goes under severe filtering. This is definitely an excellent summer tune and definitely got me in the mood for a stomp. Next up is the quite nice "This Is The Place" which is another cool track, featuring a really catchy bassline along with hypnotic loops and chopped up vocals this one is quite cool but doesn't feel as good as "The Fun Starts Here" in my opinion. Still worthy of a check though! On the flip are two of Terry + Gregg's productions. Kicking off this side is "You Got That Thing" which reminds me more of a tune from the 70s in terms of its percussion and structure, having some very cool synth sweeps and awesome vocals, this tune however doesn't really do that much for me overall to be honest. Finally is the very strange "Funka Robots" and to be honest I can imagine this being an ideal tune to kick off the weekend. A very twisty number with odd percussion and quirky synth stabs along with vocoded vocals that really give the track a strange feeling. There are occasional breaks some cool fills which makes this track remind me a bit of "King Tito's Gloves" by "Static Avenger". All in all this EP is very cool especially Ken N's productions and I recommend people checking it out when released later in the summer. Nice one Discomatic!

Phat Controller - Dizzy / Avis Van Rental - Thunder [Vacuum Limited]
For this release on his own label (as part of Top Draw Management), Thomas Ingamells, who is more than likely more familiar to us as Ingo, produces two cuts under his "Phat Controller" and "Avis Van Rental" guises. First up is "Dizzy", which borrows the vocal sample from the Klubbheads smash "Klubbhopping". This track also features some hard as nails percussion and a bassline that takes no prisoners. As well as this there is a lead riff which will either make you think this is the best tune ever or annoy you. Unfortunately for me it annoyed me as this track didn't do much for me at all, but that's more than likely a matter of personal taste and I can see where this track is coming from! On the flip we have "Thunder" which is a much more serious tune. With strong drums amidst a devistating bassline, this builds into a saw wave riff that really does the damage on top of layers of really cool FX and some twisted vocals. All in all this is quite a nice track indeed. As this is going to be a Limited Edition release there are only 1000 copies which have been pressed, so if you like your hard house bouncy, then check this one out!

South Central - New Love [Reign Of Sound]
Based in Livingstone in Scotland, Reign Of Sound have been in existance for just over a year but have managed in my opinion to establish themselves as one of the leading labels to come from Scotland. Succesfully managing to kick off with "Into The Light" by "Offcast Project" and with a very impressive A&R team featuring members such as Stevie Kerr and Trevor Riley, things are indeed looking good for this collective. This production from the mysterious "South Central" is a very funky two tracker. The Original Mix has it all with a very cool bassline, tough yet funky percussion and some wicked strings and organ parts. Combined with this are some extremely catchy vocals and as you can guess this is destined to be a monster of a tune which I would place good money on being played over the summer. On the flip the Benz mix has a more garage inspired feeling to it, thankfully retaining a 4/4 kick though! Featuring some really effected pianos and and chopped up vocals from the original, this builds up to a monster break in the same style to stuff that Olav Basoski + Rhythm Masters have produced before. This again has the makings of a nice summer tune except the one fault that it fades out might limit certain DJs from playing it. Apart from that it's a nice track and both tracks on this record are worth a play if you are into anything funky! Check out www.reignofsound.com for more information. Cool stuff.

Alex Bartlett - My Angel [Drizzly]
After the fantastic "Amnesia" from September 2001 (which has been licensed to Rising High recordings here in the UK), Italian producer Alex Bartlett returns with this double pack on Germany's Drizzly label. First up on record one, we have the "CJ Stone Mix" of "My Angel" and in all fairness in the past I have never really been keen on his stuff at all. However I don't mind this one, what we have here is a nice uplifting trance number with some quality percussion and synth underlays. Next up is the "Heaven Mix" which reminds me of a production by Dumonde, a nice and hard arrangement with a very energetic riff are the elements which make this one so cool. Finally on this record is the "Sonic Piracy Mix" which doesn't really do much for me to be honest, there are some cool ideas and some nice drum programming but overall the track does feel rather flat. Over on record two and first up is the fantastic "2 Players Mix" which really does remind me of "Drifting Away" by "Lange", sporting a supercharged riff over a quality arrangement and very cool vocals this one is really set to uplift and is definitely the best mix on offer on this one! Next up is the "Killer Mix" which takes on a more progressive spaced out groove, this one is intended for those who find the other mixes a little too frantic and finally on this record is the really odd DJ Micron's "Beach Mix" which turns the track into a hip hop/break tune and isn't my sort of thing at all! My advice is to stick with the Heaven and 2 Players mixes as they are sheer brilliance... The folk at Drizzly need to be commended for being a label that has never let me down!

R.O.S.S.O - Planet Sky [Axwax]
Release number Twenty One for Germany's Axwax label comes from the production team of ROSSO. With three mixes on offer the A1 Mix has some very cool vocals and is a very upbeat track that works well. It has a very uplifting riff with some excellent drum programming and a ground shaking bassline. Definitely one set to impress in the true Axwax style. On the B side, first up is the B1 Mix which features a riff that is awesome but unfortunately lacks any real energy to make this one stand out in a hard trance set. No doubt fans of the less frantic sound will love this one loads. Finally is the B2 Mix which is an OK track but I'm not that keen on it as it doesnt do that much for me. Featuring some cool ideas and layers of nice FX sweeps on top of a reasonable trance arrangement, this one will obviously appeal to fans of the CJ Stone / Tillman Uhrmacher sort of sound but I really do not rate it that much. Again another case of the A side being best! Check it out when released.

Wavescope - The Spirit [Planet Traxx]
Judging by the releases that followed "First Impressions" by "Dave Joy" (which is still a big favourite of mine) I really thought Planet Traxx had lost their ever so nice edge, but thankfully this production by Wavescope landed on my doorstep today. Kicking off is the "Wavetraxx Mix" and this is suprisingly a very uptempo trance track, featuring some tough percussion, a rather chunky bassline and those famous "Binary Finary" stabs alongside a quality synth underlay, the tune goes on to introduce some wicked vocals alongside one of the most uplifting breaks i've heard in ages. I know for a fact that this mix has caused severe damage when played already. The "Vocal Mix" takes on a far cheesier form in my opinion, although it has a reasonably good riff i'm not totally sure about the arrangement and the tune does little for me. Finally the Hard Trance Mix is similar to The Vocal Mix but introduces some horrible pitch bent synths that really spoil the track, the break is very nice but it's a shame the synths that follow ruin it. My advice is to definitely stick to the Wavetraxx mix which is Quality! Seriously you will not regret it. Excellent Stuff

Ambition - Day Flight [Illuminate]
Illuminate have had a very succesful run recently with the "Mario La Roche presents Clubtrancer One" release, here they return with this track produced by Ambition. With three mixes on offer, the "Trance Mix" is a fantastic slice of trance (unsuprisngly!) featuring a quality riff and chopped up vocals that provide a spacey take on things as well as some nice energetic percussion and bass. Definitely a really cool tune. On the flip, first up is the "Original Club Mix" which I found to be a cool trance track but a little bit on the flat side and a little bit annoying, overall though it has some very good ideas just I definitely prefer the Trance Mix and finally on this side the "Space Mix" is quite similar in arrangement to the "Original Club Mix" and again doesn't really do that much for me. Like the Planet Traxx release this month, my advice is to stick with the A side on this one. Another quality Illuminate release all the same though!

Kay D Smith - Clubliner 1 [Jerk]
Psycho Techno producer Kay D Smith returns with a four tracker that will no doubt tear away at the ears of whoevers listening and enjoy doing so! Track one is the very twisted "Person Called", which in all fairness is quality distorted techno, featuring some razor sharp drums and a dark bass loop, this one really is set to disturb. "Against Riot" takes on a more darker acidic form with more of a minimal theme, still keeping the hard as nails percussion. On the flip and "Indian Tribe" is fantastic, incorporating a rock solid distorted conga melody over shouting and precision drum programming, this one cannot fail at all and is definitely the best release I've heard the man do in a while! Finally is the very strange "In 30 Minutes" which I can only assume is a tune Kay made in this time, being only 2 minutes long, this breakbeat track features his distorted samples but takes on a much more melodic form than his usual stuff which definitely left me puzzled after the first listen. All in all here is a blinding EP which definitely makes it clear why Jerk and their sister label Construct Rhythm are the forefront of German Techno!

DJ Harry - My Own Kind Of Style [OTR]
London's OTR label have certainly found some strong favour with me over the past year or so and this release from DJ Harry (who is better known to you and me as Belgian producer DJ Garry) should explain to those unaware why this is. First surfacing on the Belgian FTW label at the end of 2000, this track found favour with the likes of Fergie and Yomanda and Top Draw have done the very wise decision of licensing it! First up is the "Original Mix" which is an out and out stomper of a track. Kicking off with a tough yet funky percussion section then dropping into some effected vocals, this gives the impression it won't take any prisoners. When the synth underlay and bassline kicks in, this is confirmed. A supersaw riff like that on "The Act - Something About You" comes in and the track breaks. At this point I am already hooked and stomping away. The simple yet hugely effected riff that follows is guarenteed to work a treat with fans of this style and this is a really impressive production. On the flip, the "DJ Harry's Noisy Mix" starts with a solid kick and a warped bassline. This leads into a nice sweeping synth and a familiar vocal sample to fans of Hardcore. The track breaks to let the sweep come in with a vocal of "Are you ready" and chaos ensues especially when the riff filters in. When the track kicks back in it does lack a little energy in my opinion but is still worthy of a play. My advice is to stick with the Original on the A side as that is by far the best mix on offer. What a quality release and it is fair to say that OTR have done it again!

3 Point Turn - Thriller [Hadshot]
This is Release number 56 for Germany's Hadshot label. What we have here are two tracks from the French production team of 3 Point Turn (also known as Jocelyn Jaigirdar and Stephane Hoareau) that succesfully fuse elements of Trance and Techno into two seriously stompy productions. First up is the "Delta Mix" of "Thriller" and this track kicks off with a grinding bass loop, some twisted fx and eerie synth pads before launching into a monster kick drum. Some excellent filtering of the bass comes in along with layers of fantastic percussion on top and this production already at this point had me intrigued and stomping away to. A break follows where a hugely effected yet ace sweep comes in along with one of the weirdest synth patches known to man. When the track kicks back in, It is without doubt that this track is intended for the more twisted techno DJ and in my opinion it works a treat, the only problem being it ends a bit abruptly in my opinion. On the flip is the "Authentik Mix" of "Paris Parano" and this is a belter of a track which kicks off with some chimes and disturbingly eerie synths before introducing a very odd electro loop. A seriously hard kick drum comes in along with some cracking hi hats and the tune at this point sounds quite similar in style to that of Construct Rhythm or Jerk recordings. A breakbeat follows which sounds awesome and the track remains in this state till the breakdown where the opening chimes and synths come in before silence. The tune comes back in unexpectedly and it is fair to say that although it is very minimal, it is a pounding track which no doubt DJs like Sven Vath and other grinding techno DJs will love. What a quality two tracker and no doub Hadshot will be a name to watch! Excellent stuff.

Lunar - Everybody Oscillates [PH Level]
This release is the first track to come from Middlesex based PH Level recordings and it is a very impressive two tracker indeed. With "Everybody Oscillates" by Lunar kicking off the A side, what we are treated to here is a very uplifting and fast paced trance track with frantic percussion, SHOKK style sweeps and a manic bassline. The style of this particular track reminds me a bit of a production by Phil Reynolds + Steve Blake. As the tune continues, vocals repeating the title are thrown in and the track drops to a mental and hugely effected synth sweep. What follows after is a quality riff that easily makes this particular track feel like the "X-Santo" for 2002 and this is confirmed when the track breaks. It comes as no suprise that when this one kicks back in it is a winner. What a quality track which deserves to be played as loud as possible and definitely got me stomping! On the flip, "The One" by "Prozak + Heretic" starts with some cool percussion before introducing a sharp stab and a dubby bassline. As well as this some very nice strings are added as the track builds up to introduce the riff. When this comes in the track goes a little strange but still sounds very cool. After this a particularly nice K90 style Pizzicato riff comes in and leads the track to the second breakdown. Some FX come in over the riff and the track kicks back off again. This track is quite cool, yet does not feel as good as the A side in my opinion. It is still worth checking out and all those who find the A side too hectic for them should definitely check this one out as no doubt some people will love it! All in all here are two tracks that are definitely worth checking out and it's clear that future releases from PH Level are certainly worth checking out! Look out for this when released. Noiiice!

Stefano Greppi - Freedom Is [Alternative Route]
Hailing from Italy, producer Stefano Greppi has found his latest production "Freedom Is..." ending up on the very successful Alternative Route label. They have only been in existance for a short period of time yet have found favour from some of top Progressive DJs such as Danny Tenaglia and Deep Dish. With two mixes on offer for "Freedom Is", Portugal's DJ Vibe takes on a tribal inspired mix wih a tough kick drum and weird bassline along with some very strange FX. This mix is OK but in all fairness doesn't really do that much for me. However on the flip is the quality Stefano Greppi and MAS collective mix which does it for me with an excellent break and some quality elements such as a nice mechanical drum beat and mental synth sounds. All in all here are two varying tracks and my advice is to stick with the fantastic B side mix as you definitely will not go wrong at all!!

Fusion ft Matt Hardwick - Spectrum [JOOF]
This is release number 8 for the Sussex Based JOOF recordings imprint, founded by top DJ John 00 Flemming. This release sees the production team of Fusion (Les Hemstock + Chris Jennings) team up with Gatecrasher resident Matt Hardwick and the results are lethal. First up is the mix from Northern Ireland's finest, Agnelli + Nelson. Their mix is an excellent slice of Progressive House with a deep and driving feel all the way through. Featuring some excellent percussion, an extremely cool bassline, some nice chopped up female vocals and catchy synth stabs, this mix does not break at all. About half way through a very cool grinding synth that really does some damage comes in and that's really all there is for this one. This isn't a bad thing as this mix is out and out quality. The original on the flip, is a not so driving number with some reasonably cool percussion and the synth underlay from the Agnelli + Nelson mix with the helping of a fair few synth sweeps. A short string breakdown brings the track into the riff and along with some spoken vocals this is also set to be a winner with you who like things not so frantic. All in all two very cool productions, with Agnelli + Nelson's mix being my favourite. A very cool two tracker indeed. Check it out!

Export Audio - Girl FX [Transient]
Transient recordings are the label who bring us this track from Expert Audio (also known as german duo Frank Beckers and Leif Hetfeld). What we have here are two tracks that are intended for the progressive floors. First up is "Girl FX" and this kicks off with eerie strings, a very stompy breakbeat and spaced out vocals before launching into a pretty solid kick and excellent bassline. Some excellent synth arpeggios come in as the track breaks and after kicking back in some manic 303s come in. This is indeed a very dark production and works a treat in my opinion. On the flip is "Move" which starts up with some tough chugging percussion and vocals repeating the title. A nice and dark bassline follows with some filtered synths as the percussion builds up. Along with this are some breathy female vocals and a new breakbeat is added which definitely helps to keep the pace of track. All in all here are two excellent productions which fans of Sasha will love, infact I wouldn't be suprised if the man himself played the tracks. Niiiice!

Spencer G vs Junigurubi - Through The Night [Untidy Trax]
This release on Rotheram's Untidy Trax label comes from Spencer Green (tidy.com's main man!) and Alan Prosser + Wraggy (also known as the 12" thumpers). What is on offer here are two funky house numbers with the Original mix of "Through The Night" keeping the tempo down but introducing some disco loops alongside female vocals and a quite odd bassline. Some essential filtering is added but in all honesty this track doesn't do much for me at all. On the flip is the 5 Dollar mix which is a lot better in my opinion as the pace feels a bit more lively on this one. A really good bassline is added to some tough percussion along with some excellent stabs and of course the vocals off the A side. The results of this are quite twisted and definitely manage to impress me. If you are fans of the usual Untidy trax stuff then definitely check out the 5 Dollar Mix as you won't go wrong with this mix.

Dallas Kiss - Revelation [Automatic]
Automatic Recordings can always be relied upon to make some of the darkest progressive house around and thankfully this track by Dallas Kiss is no exception at all. The Original of "Revelation" starts with some simple percussion and seriously effected synths before the bassline kicks in. Some very cool stabs and FX are added and the track breaks. The vocal that comes in is a bit annoying but if you can ignore it then the tune sounds really good once it kicks in again. On the flip, Blackwatch start off their mix a simple drumloop and an excellent bassline. The kick comes in along with some excellent percussion. Filtered synths come in as well as strings that remind me a little of "Insomnia" by "Faithless" for some reason. As well as this the vocal off the original is there but not so annoying on this mix. It is pretty evident that Blackwatch clearly know how to do a good remix if this track is anything to go by! Definitely an Excellent two tracker!

Microtek - Mean Machine [Automatic]
This is the second production to come from Automatic this month, this time from Microtek. First up on this two tracker is Belfast boy Chris Cargo's mix. He has already featured on my reviews page before with his releases on Source Of Gravity and this mix is in exactly the same style. Starting off wth a thudding kick as well as some odd percussion , this track drops into a breakdown where sweeping synths come in. After the break a very nice bassline comes in and some distorted synths. Not much else happens until the final break where dark druggy vocals repeating the title come in. On the flip is the original mix which in all fairness doesn't do much for me. Being very minimal in its arrangement it does have some cool strings and percussion but that's it really. My advice is to stick with the Chris Cargo mix as this is excellent. Automatic do it again!

Mat Silver vs Tony Burt - Teardrops [Above The Sky]
London's Above The Sky imprint return with yet another devistating production from Mat Silver (Matthias Scheffler) and London DJ Tony Burt. For the first mix, Above The Sky have done the wise thing of enlisting Swiss superstars SHOKK to do a rendition and what a fantastic version it is. Starting off with the usual hard percussion and wicked warped bassline, some sweeps come in along with a nice acid line before the track breaks to let the riff come in. This is excellent but the one thing I don't like about Shokk's productions is they always use the same instrument for the riff! Apart from that though this mix is wicked and I can see it being cained by all Hard Trance DJs worthy of a mention. On the flip, the hard mix which on first impression reminded me of a track by Sterling Moss on Raceway, having a cool bassline along with 303 stabs and a really grinding riff the track breaks into some very cheesy strings which sound out of Key in my opinion. But the riff that follows isn't so bad and the track slows down before kicking back into utter chaos. Not as good as the SHOKK Mix but OK. Finally is the original mix which souned very promising, a very uptempo number with some fantastic synths and percussion, with everything on this mix sounding ok till the break where everything becomes really horrible and cheesy. Definitely Stick with the SHOKK mix on this one! A fantastic mix.

Hypetraxx - Send Me An Angel [Overdose]
Top producer Sean Dexter takes on his Hypetraxx alias again for this production on Germany's Overdose label. The "Air mix" of "Send Me An Angel" starts off with a very hard kick drum and punchy offbeat bassline. Vocals repeating the title come in as the track progresses and a very weird synth underlay comes in with some very strange sweeps. The track breaks to allow the riff to come in and what an extremely catchy riff it is. The production is a little poor once it kicks in unfortunately and the track lacks a fair bit of energy. After this some cool strings come in but not much else that does much for me. On the flip things are much better with the "7 Senses Mix" which has a very picotto like bassline and hard as nails percussion. The track drops to a short synth underlay and carries on to the break where the riff comes in with some pretty awful male vocals after this though the track kicks in and is quite hard. Definitely a lot better than the A side in my opinion. An OK Overdose release, not the best by far though.

Arome - Hands Up [Overdose]
One of the producers to attract the largest amount of hype at the moment has to be Frank Zenker (also known as Scot Project and Arome). To be honest I've not really been that keen on his productions but in all fairness this has to be the best one I've heard him do by far. The "Scot Project" mix of "Hands Up" is quality. Featuring his usual razor sharp percussion and a bassline that will blow apart your speakers, it is evident that this track is only for the headstrong. Some nice vocals of "Throw your hands up" along with a simple synth underlay come in and then chaos ensues with lots of retriggered kicks + hi hats that do the damage. A new synth riff comes in which is really uplfting and this leads the track to the actual break where a supercharged riff in the style of K90 or Vera Cocha comes in that really does work wonders and got me stomping away whilst playing. On the flip is the Original mix which starts with a synth loop and quite cool drum programming. The track then launches into a monster kick and the bassline off the original. The riff that comes in is quite cool and this mix is quite hectic yet doesn't feel as complete as the A side mix. Some strings are added in a similar vein to Scot's remix of "Second Trip" by "Hennes + Cold" but thats all there really is on this version. A very nice Overdose production though and definitely stick with the A side as that is fantastic!

Raff + Jay Pidgeon - Magika [OTR]
London's OTR label have been going from strength to strength of late and this is evident by their last release, the delightful "My Own Kind Of Style" by "DJ Harry". Here they return with a production by the Irish wonders of Raff + Jay Pidgeon (the latter making quite a name for himself recently!). With two mixes on offer on this release, the "Heinrich + Heinz Mix" tends to go for the German influenced Hardstyle route with hard hitting percussion, a warped bassline and spoken female vocals. As well as this there is a really odd synth riff and the break on this track is manic, with the vocals being chopped to perfection. In all honesty this isn't really my sort of thing but on the other side is the Original mix. This takes on a more UK influenced arrangement and does the job well. Introducing some excellent stabs over some more lively percussion and an extremely catchy riff along with the same spoken vocals as on the Heinrich + Heinz mix, it is definitely fair to say that this track is excellent and really is set to impress. Like the boys "Flipside (Addiction)" track a few OTR's back this is another one that is worthy of checking out too! Excellent stuff.

Silica - Atlantis [Hypnotica]
Colin Jones (also known as Silica) is the producer behind the first release from Oxford based Hypnotica recordings. Delivered here in "Atlantis" are two varying mixes with the Original Mix on the A side being a very uplifting trance number. Featuring some excellent percussion, some very cool strings and synth arpeggios that do damage its pretty clear this is aimed at the uplifting crowd. This Combined with a very catchy riff ensure that this should do quite well! However the mix does feel a bit empty to me and needs a little bit more but its very cool on what it has so far. On the flip, "Intarsa" (one producer from the "Olmec Heads" team) deliver a much more progressive remix and this is a very quality production with tough chugging drums, very cool synth work and a fantastic breakdown which needs to be checked out. When the track kicks in chaos ensues and it is evident that this is a very impressive track indeed. All in all if each release is like this then Hypnotica are a name worth checking out!

Phil Reynolds + Chris Hampshire - Ride The Wave [Recover]
London's Recover label have been quite busy of late with a new release appearing every month! I'm not complaining though as they've all been excellent and this release by DJ Phil Reynolds and Interflow Sound's boss Chris Hampshire is no exception. The Original mix is an excellent slice of uplifting trance with awesome percussion, an excellent grinding bassline and a cool synth underlay along with some stabs. The track drops to introduce a powerful riff and when the tune builds up, total chaos occurs. A quality mix. On the flip, first up is Justin Bourne's mix and his mix decided to take a more hard house orientated track, starting with a chunky bassline over some fast paced percussion the track plays with the riff and adds some vocals. When the tune drops to strings the whole thing feels quite out of place in my opinion to be honest and doesn't sound that good but it is OK. Finally Vince Nysse's attempt is a much more energetic mix with excellent sweeps over a pretty full on arrangement and when the riff kicks in on this one then you know this is another winner. All in all here are three varying mixes with the Original on the A side being my favourite. Good stuff!

Simon J Bergher ft Dream Maker - Ultimo Respiro [Future Sound Corporation]
The first of a string of releases from the Italian Future Sound Corporation label this month comes from Simon J Bergher (also known as label boss Simon Bergamelli). This three tracker kicks off with the Trance Generator's mix of "Ultimo Respiro" and this starts off with a particularly solid kick drum and FX that sounds very similar to Darth Vader's breathing. A particularly buzzy synth comes in that kicks the track off big time. Some excellent percussion and a thudding bass follow and the track drops into the break where a mental 303 comes in. The track continues in this state to the second break where some very cool strings are introduced and it is evident that this is a quality production. First up on the flip is the Atomic Alliance mix of "Giu' La Testa" and this starts off with some simple percussion before launching into a hard bassline and simple synth. With the oh so familiar BBE stabs making another appearance on a tune this one manages to go into a particularly cheesy riff, it doesn't sound too bad but when the break comes in the tune is a little hard to bear. It's ok but not really my thing. While the Radio Edit of "Giu' La Testa" is full on cheddar, again being an OK tune but not really doing much for me at all. My advice is to stick to the fantastic A side. A very interesting release! Inside - Fly Into My Arms [Future Sound Corporation] Next up on this Italian trance label comes the production from "Inside", the "TG Power Mix" on side A starts very promising with speaker damaging drums and a really warped "Hennes + Cold" style bassline. Some effected stabs come in and then theres the break. It's fair to say that the tune was really good up to this point but when the riff came in I did feel a little disappointed. However all is not lost as on the flip is the fantastic "Trance Generators Mix". This starts with a simple bass loop and some very effected vocals before launching straight into the kick. Some mental percussion follows and the tune drops to let a really twisted synth riff come in. This sounds fantastic and just as you think the track can't get any better it drops to allow the vocal to come in again and some stabs from "T99 - Anastasia" which sound SO VERY VERY good in this track!! When everything comes back in you know this is the one. What a fantastic tune.

Atomic Allience - Rock To Da Beat [Future Sound Corporation]
For this release, we see the production teams of Atomic Alliance, producers of the fantastic "The Countdown" track, join forces with Trance Generators, who provided us with the legendary "Connected" tune from last year. First up is the "Trance Generators" mix, which in all fairness is hard as nails. Kicking off with cut up vocals over a quiet bassline, the track moves onto a really strong kick and warped bass. Vocals of the title are repeated and the track drops to the riff which is fantastic. When the track kicks back in everything sounds awesome and as an added bonus the tune decides to change to breakbeat during the second break which does sound excellent. Love it! On the flip, It's Atomic Alliance's turn and they take the more trance influenced route with a cool bassline and stabs, as well as this there is some excellent percussion and vocals which talk of an "Ocean Of Melody". The track drops to a "Fire-Wire" influenced riff and after building up and kicking in decides to drop again soon after to some strings which change the key of the track. This isn't a bad thing though as this is a quality production and I am definitely impressed! The A side is my favourite on this one.

Trance Generators - Never In Danger [Future Sound Corporation]
Available on a special picture disc, this release from the "Trance Generators" is a reasonably good two tracker, with the "Original Mix" of "Never In Danger" being in the same style to their other productions. Having an awex inspired bassline and lots of FX over mindmelting percussion and vocals this is set to do damage. When the main hoover break comes in around three quaters of the way through then its a pretty safe guess that chaos will follow and this is definitely confirmed. An excellent track. The "Y.O.M.C Mix" on the flip I'm not that keen on to be honest, it is a pretty frantic track with some cool stabs, vocals and the usual percussion but it does have a synth underlay and main riff that really annoys me. I can see people who find the A side too hard favouring this mix. So all in all, my recommendation is to stick with the Original mix on this one as you will not go wrong. Total Chaos!!

Phil Green - The Discovery [Future Sound Corporation]
The fifth and final release from the Italian Future Sound Corporation this month comes from Phil Green. Kicking off Side A is the Original Mix of "Discovery" and this starts with a breakbeat before going into a bassline and particularly shuffly percussion. A nice synth underlay comes in which leads the tune into the riff. When the main riff comes in this is a very uplifting number that reminds me a little of "Jonah - Sssh Listen". Next up is the "Phil Green vs Dave 202" mix which i'm not so keen on. It sounds a bit too cheesy for my liking but is an OK trance track. I will admit though that it has an excellent build up. Finally on the flip is the "Trance Generators Mix", this starts with a distorted bassine and vocals of the title before dropping to silence then kicking. Some more BBE stabs feature over hard percussion and a grinding bassline and the tune then drops to the break where the riff off the original comes in. For some reason it doesnt work on this mix and its a shame becuase the mix started so promising. All in all this is an average release, not the best one this month but still worthy of a check.

Lisa Lashes vs Lab 4 - Unbelievable [Tidy Trax]
One of the best selling records for Rotherham's Tidy Trax collective over the past two years has been "Unbelievable" by Lisa Lashes, now Tidy have thrown down the challenge to Lab 4 (who have received a vast amount of hype recently) to remix this Hard House anthem. First up on Side-A is the "Lab 4's Licensed To Thrill Mix" which is a very full on track. Featuring a very harsh kick at a nice supercharged tempo, the track includeds vocals to lead the track to the first break. The vocal in the break is very odd and doesnt really appeal to me but after this a mental 303 kicks in over a quite effective bassline. Some Hoover Underlays follow and the track drops to the manic break. What follows is sheer madness, especially at around three quarters of the way through when the riff builds up and up over the percussion. Fans of the Tidy Trax sound will love this mix. On the flip is the "Lab 4's Doubting Thomas Mix", this again starts with a very strong kick at a high tempo and some extra percussion. This leads into some extremely cool percussion and grinding synth stabs. The spoken vocals off the original are still here and an extremely nice and uplifting synth underlay follows as the tune drops the for a bit to let the main riff come in. Sheer madness is the only words to describe this and this is by far my favourite mix of the two. If you are into Lab 4 no doubt this record will be heaven for you!! Check it out! Good stuff!

Angelo Billy + Danilo Cris - One More Important [Alternative Route]
Release number five for London's Alternative Route collective comes from Angelo Blly and Danilo Cris. The two are newcomers to production with "One More Important" being their debut release. There are three mixes on offer here with the Original Mix taking on the form of a very strange progressive track. Some tough chuggy percussion comes into play with a catchy bassline and to top everything off some rave stabs! Effected vocals follow and the track changes into a flute and harp loop which gives the track a totally different feeling. On the flip, first up is the Dub mix which starts with some pretty twisted percussion before leading into a very nice synth bassline which really sounds good. Lots of warped sounds from the original are here as well and everything feels a whole lot stranger. Finally is the Morning Light Dub which decides to take on an ambient feel and use some very nice strings as well as the flute and harp from the original mix to some good effect. Some cool percussion comes in but in all fairness this mix doesnt do much for me. All in all here are three cool and varying mixes of "One More Important" which should please the progressive house DJs out there!

System F - Needlejuice [Tsunami Special Blend]
After the excellent Tom Harding remix of "Dance Valley Theme", Tsunami Special Blend return with yet another top quality production from System F. "Needle Juice" first made an appearence on the "Out Of The Blue" album but now Tsunami have done the wise thing of releasing it with a Jan Driver mix! The Original is sheer quality, starting off with some quality percussion loops before building into an excellent bassline and two-tone synth underlay which really works well. Layers of FX and some fantastic strings are added as the tune breaks to let a very strange riff fade in. Some static synths play along with the riff and everything sounds fantastic when the track kicks back in. Is it any suprise that this one has been the receiver of so much positive hype?! On the flip, the legendary Jan Driver does a mix which starts with cut up breakbeats and some strings. This progresses into a really supercharged synth underlay before kicking in to some excellent percussion and a nice bassline. Things sound really techno influenced at this point and when the track breaks a very strange bass loop comes in that really does the damage! All in all this is an excellent two tracker but what else do you expect from Tsunami!

Chew Fu Phat - Without You [Bomboza]
In all fairness Bomboza's recent output has been a bit hit and miss. Thankfully they return with this three tracker from Chew Fu Phat which is by far their best release. The A side mix of "Without You" is a pretty commercial funky house number, with some very nice vocals and catchy melody ideas over some tough percussion. It doesn't really do that much for me though in all honesty. However on the flip, first up is the "B1 Mix" and this is out and out quality. Starting off with some fantastic drum loops, the track then introduces a very nice bassline along with some synth sweeps that really work well. The tune breaks to some excellent strings and vocals from the A side then the tune kicks back in and this one really is quality. A fantastic progressive house mix. Finally is the "B2 Mix" and this is a nice Summer track that is definitely one for fans of the funky house nights. Some excellent synths and percussion combined with the vocals are what make thiis one so good! Definitely check this one out if you are into progressive or funky house!

Fitalic - Kanesha [Play]
Based in the deepest and darkest part of Cornwall (Newquay), the excellent Play recordings return with another quality release. Provided by top dutch producer Robin Fitter under his Fitalic guise (who featured on my reviews pages before with his excellent Subsequence EP's back in February), this progressive workout is set to go far. The A Side kicks off with Robin's Original Mix, this is without doubt a fantastic track. Sporting some tough and funky tribal loops over layers of FX sweeps, this one really does get you in the mood for a stomp. The track breaks to let some female vocals come in before launching back into a nice progressive groove. On the flip and first up is Automate (label boss Simon Gordon and Joe Biddle) takes on a much darker breakbeat interpretation, with some funky stabs, twisted FX, cool percussion and a really strange synth that definitely makes the track sound that much weirder. A cool interpretation of the Original. Finally is the Bladey Mix which manages to include one extremely dark bassline, as well as this some fantastic stabs are included over some tough tech percussion and it is evident that this mix is a quality tech workout. There you have it, three very cool mixes to choose from (with my favourite being the Original) and its pretty clear that Play have done it again! Noiiiiiiice!!

VPL - T-Break [Closet]
The excellent Closet Recordings return after a long break to provide us with this killer production from VPL (aka Judge Jules and Paul 'Yomanda' Masterton). With two tracks on offer this funky and uplifting cut is surely going to be one you will hear cained like mental over the summer. First up is the Original mix, which starts off with a simple synth riff and chopped up vocals. The percussion moves on to introduce an industrial loop before some very odd stabs launch the bassline. A quality drumloop follows along with scratching and parts of a 303. The tune breaks to let in a distorted synth that really does work a treat when played around with the percussion. You think that's all this tune will offer you but this isn't the case as when the tune builds second time around a MENTAL 303 part comes in that really does the damage. On the flip it's the turn of Steve Murano to provide a mix. Kicking off with some funky percussion loops and vocals from "Elements" by "Danny Tenaglia", this mix launches into a warped bassline and tweeked FX before a dark synth and 303 stabs come in amidst a psycho riff. The tune breaks to bring in a synth sweep and when the track kicks back off chaos occurs. I'm not that keen on this mix in all honesty compared to the A side but it is OK. It is fair to say that if you really like darker stuff then the B is for you but if you prefer it more funky then stick with the A. A quality two tracker all the same!!

Bodise - Come Deliver [Fat Face]
This is the first release that I have seen from the oddly titled "Fat Face" recordings. Based in London, there are four mixes on offer of "Come Deliver" by American vocalist Bodsie (also known as Kat Blu), first up is the "Charlie Big Potatoes Vocal Mix" which features some tough chuggy percussion, a funky bassline, some gated chords and of course Bodsie's vocals. The track is quite an uplifting funky house number which no doubt would go down well with fans of the more twisted side of House music. On the Flip, the quite amusingly named "Dodgy Geezer Vocal Mix" has a much more trancey feel to it. Having a fair few synth sweeps, dark haunting strings and the vocals from the Charlie Big Potatoes Mix as well as ending off the mix with some distortion. A very strange track indeed. There is an Instrumental Dub provided of both mixes which is ideal if the vocals are not your thing at all. All in all this is a pretty cool release from the London based label and it's worthy of a listen.

Mark Martini - Quandry [Source Of Gravity]
Those Isle Of Man boys behind Source Of Gravity are really doing well for themselves judging by recent coverage. What with releases on Sumsonic and 3 Beat as well as their own label reaching the tenth release (which is actually this track from Mark Martini) in such a short amount of time. The original mix is quite a dark slice of progressive house, with tough conga drums and a really dark and filtered synth riff as well as layers of eerie FX, this really is designed to do some damage for DJs who play a little deeper. On the flip, its the turn of M8 Magazine reviewer Tipple (also known as Stephen McCreery) to do a mix, he provides a nice tech house workout with some fantastic percussion, effected synths and really nice bassline. Tonnes of FX and a very clangy synth riff follows and the tune is definitely my favourite of the two. All in all this is another quality release from Source Of Gravity and it should be checked out when released! Good stuff!

Louk