I happen to listen to his podcast and sets a lot since then. Sander has the ability to select pretty familiar tracks but still make them sound refreshing because of his clean mixing and trackorder. The exact same reason I've voted for him this year's DJ Mag poll.
Now Sander has released his brand new artist album "Eleve11" and I was more than excited! I will talk you through the album to show if that excitement is misplaced or not!
What Do You Get?
The cd box itself is pretty nice. Instead of the cornered plastic case, Doorn Records has chosen for an unique look, which adds a little extra quality to the exterior. The inside is strictly business. Legal rights and a small thanks section.
Genre Shift
It seems that a lot of Trance producers jump on the current popular House bandwagon. Due the huge success from Swedish House Mafia, a lot of producers see the potential success in the scene. After Tiësto and Ferry Corsten, now Sander Van Doorn chose to take another path. After tracks like "Reach Out" and his booty mix for "Intro" from The XX, he has proven the community to be a excellent versatile producer. So this album will be fully house.
The Album
Love Is Darkness (The Interlude Mix)
The first contact has been made. Sander chose to open softly with a specially produced dreamy intro version of his highly debated hit single "Love Is Darkness". Many see this as his first serious attempt at a big room house track. And although for that reason not loved by all, the single did get a lot of recognition.
I think the interlude part of the track absolutely hits the spot, but the rest of the track doesn't really get to me. The vocals and lyrics are pretty vague. The synths also feel a little bit off. The overall vibe of the track isn't very pleasant, and more importantly: too easy. The fact that this track was played at every Dutch radio station for a couple of summer monhts say enough about the track's commercial background. Not really my thing.
Koko
What's to say about this track that has not already been said? "Koko" has to be one of the catchiest songs of this summer. The flute has become a familiar sound in clubs all over the world, and it has made it into a grand success for Sander.
But just like "Love Is Darkness", it's success doesn't guarantee an productional highlight on the album. The track is catchy, and everything has been said with that.
Believe feat. Tom Helsen
The first new track on the album, features a new name on the vocals working with Sander. Tom Helsen is a fairly unknown vocalist out of Belgium. How the two got together is something I don't know, but they've come up with an overall pleasant track.
It seems the piano is immediately the head act of the track, but the vocals from Tom are really dominating the whole sphere of Believe. Although they're are really sung in well and add a lot to the uplifting instrumentals of the track, the lyrcis are a tad weird.
Who you let it slide boy,
i giv'in letting go
And im not affraid boy,
you can run you can hide
And do what you want too
I Gotta know Gotta know
do you believe me
for a moment that you tried,
you come down to see me
i wont let this moment die
Let it die
Don't really know what to think of this. But fact is they sound pretty decent. The track is really soft, and I guess Sander is going to take the "progressive big room" house in the future, since the other two tracks are also a tad gentle. But luckily, Sander's much-loved trance roots are found a little bit in the next track!
Nano
The first real trance based track of the album has finally arrived. Probably the most uplifting and big room sounding of them all, Nano completely follows the classic Doorn formula. Big synths but a gentle vibe, mixed together in something that will unite the live audience. The first slightly exciting track of the album.
Rolling The Dice feat. Sidney Samson & Nadia Ali
Not going to waste too much worst on this, because it's by far the worst track of the album. Nadia Ali's vocals are horrible as always. The track sounds stupid to be plain honest. Not a surprise Samson is in the collab.
Beyond Sound (The Godskitchen Urban Wave Mix)
It took 5 tracks, but finally Eleve11 actually brings out true producing qualities. "Beyond Sound is an otherworldly well produced track. The track is named after a ... and Sander was probably inspired to make this anthem inspired by his recent gig there.
The track brings forth, Sander's iconic style as a musician: Soft yet incredibly powerful. The warming underlying vibe is brought to life by powerful big room synths, combining gentleness and a brutal vibe together to make an truly unique listening experience. One of the best tracks on this album. It's one of those songs you've got to have heard live!
Timezone feat. Frederick
The album's highlight "Beyond Sound" is then surpassed by the true reason I bought this album: "Timezone".
This track is the reason I've bought the album, hoping Eleve11 would contain more tracks like this absolute masterpiece. Perfect use of instruments, timing, rhythm, melody and vocals. Especially the vocals! One of the best I've ever heard in any track. Ir's a rare thing I prefer the vocal mix over the instrumental one, but luckily, I don't have to choose! Frederick actually achieved something that a vocalist rarely achieves. It enhances the track's possible power and quality. As those reasons weren't enough to make this track the headliner of the album, the second breakdown unleashes a duet of epic proportions. "Goosebump Giving Orchestral Work Of Art" would be the description for this tune.
A lonely snowy peak of this artist album mountain.
Drink To Get Drunk
This one is quite ordinary. It was originally intended to be a remix for Sia, but became a entirely new single instead. Sia's vocals definitively steers the track in a direction, but Doorn's beats are too of an high level. They aren't just your everyday lyrics. The words are almost haunting and Sia's voice mesmerizing. But from second 1, the beats are so incredibly smooth and pleasurable to listen to. The smooth beats are then suddenly interrupted by a series of big-room breakdown. The two finally work together to complete yet another noticeable highlight of Eleve11.
Who's Wearing The Cap feat. Laidback Luke
I was most curious about this one since Laidback Luke is my favorite dj and one of my favorite producers. I was not really surprised by the track but I did was pleased! You can clearly hear the two styles clashing. The trancy big-room breakdown has Doorn written all over it, but the drop is 100 % luke's. Although the doorn part was a bit standard, the drop pretty much blew me away! The incredible use of volume is the primal succes of the track. Although the whole thing sounds pretty loud, it still feels smooth. Yet one of those track you've got to hear live!
Slap My Pitch Up
An obvious wink to The Prodigy's "Slap My Bitch Up", "Slap My Pitch Up is as standard as they come. The track has a certain rave feeling to it, you can hear at a lot of other tracks. It sounds like this track was needed to complete the album's eleven track. Not really inspiring stuff.
Eagles feat. Adrian Lux
This last track is presented as the headliner of the new album tracks. It's the song a lot of people were anticipating. I honestly don't really know why. It's alright, but it doesn't really feel otherworldly. Adrian really shocked me with "Teenage Crime", but hasn't really impressed me since then. Again he fails to deliver the same magic as with TC. It's definitely something the two have worked a lot on, but unfortunately, it doesn't reach me. Okay track, but nothing else.
(Hidden Track) Sander Van Doorn - Outro
A hidden track. Something I didn't expect on a EDM album. It's basically his "Intro Booty" for The XX with a little twist. Cool way to end his album with.
The Final Verdict
Eleven tracks were made this year by Doorn, and eleven were put on a CD to reflect his producing abilities. That was the plan. But this album presents itself as a record with 4 really good tracks, that comes with 7 forcefully produced additional songs. Apart from Who's Wearing The cap, Drink To Get Drunk, Beyond Sound and especially Timezone", the other tracks are pretty forgettable. And the fact that "Timezone" and "Drink To Get Drunk" where already released before the album came out, make this record pretty pointless. You don't buy a 11 track listed album for 2 tracks. It's unfortunate but true... It seems like Spinnin Records had been standing behind Doorn while he was producing to make sure it would sound radio okay. But not surprisingly, the pure trance tracks that has made Doorn as big as he is today are the only tracks that are blossoming from the album. After high expectations, this album fails to deliver and presents itself as an outnumbering collection of soulless electronic dance music.
The four tracks mentioned earlier couldn't make an dull album genius, but did save it from a total disaster. The number below this review is entirely thanks to them. Stay at trance mister van Doorn. It's what we loved you for in the first place!
40/100
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