What a great day!

The Rex (Week 17) | Dedicated To Boston's Waste Management System (Keyworth Remix)

When I heard that my favorite Bayer track would get a remix treatment from my favorite engineer/producer of the last couple of months I almost jumped a hole into my ceiling. The hype was unbelievable for me. I waited until the perfect moment to listen to this track. I finally took the time and I must say that the result was well worth the wait.

Keyworth his signature sound is woven around the original melody flow and after a while he introduces a synth so incredibly haunting  I was actually frightened for a second. After listening to this a few times, I must say he stayed very true to the original but reconstructed and rewove it into something more keyworth. The end result is phenomenal, and although the original is more than good, it's been surpassed by this remix.

I ordered my album today (the day before I'm typing this) and 5 previews alone have shown me that this is going to be one of the highlights of the year. This bonus only increased that by tenfold. Daft Punk, Henry Saiz, Mat Zo, Bayer with a Keyworth remix...This is going to be an incredible year for music.

Essential Zo: How Mat Zo Got It All Right

In the small amount of years that I have been following around Mat Zo, I've already been surprised more than I could possible imagine. Where made a huge impact on me during my enlightened year of 2011, and actually became my number one although I have only heard from him for a year, his 2012 felt somewhat off. I don't know the exact reason, but although his superb Bipolar EP release, something felt amiss. When his album got announced, I surprisingly found myself indifferent to it all. I believe the fact that his recent direction have been a little of a no for me. Where "The Sky" is still a track I can't wrap my head around, "Easy" is simply a track I don't think fits in the image of Zo that I have been having. Where "The Sky" again did something unique, "Easy" just felt like a wrong attempt at a major hit. After hearing the original version instead of the Porter Robinson collab, I can sort of see how that happened. But still. My thrill was gone.

Was, because his Essential Mix effort changed it all for me. A year ago, I wrote about the misuse and misconception I believe can be found in the nowadays mixscene. All too often, even a gloririous oppertunity like a feature in the famous Essential Mix from BBC is wasted by likes of..well way too many. When word got out Mat was going to get in the spotlights, I was already fearing the worst. Judging from his latest sets, I was expecting nothing more than some cheeky house mashups. But from the very first tone, I was proven wrong. It was unbelievable, and an example to all the other essential mixers to come. He took a wopping 70 track setlist and made it work brilliantly. The genres are all over the place, yet the tempo and mixing is inch perfect. He actually seemed to know that this essential mix is a showcase of everything you are as a dj. Mat shows to be as versatile as his music suggest, featuring with tracks from the past and from the now (and even a few Anjuna ID's from the future!). I very much like that, as most artist seem to be completely unaware of what's happening outside their range of production. With this, mat again shows how far away he stands from the gazillion of producers out there.

After listening to it again at full force yesterday night, I'm happy to conclude that Mat Zo has completely revamped my interest in him and that I'm really stoked for the album, as his ID's sounded great as well!

Bottomline: I once took the comparison of the Daft boys with Mat, and this mix shows me I can still stand behind that statement with proud feet. Very, and I mean very interested to his 2013 moves!

The Rex (Week 03) | Before Me (Leftwing & Kody Remix)

New names, new label, new Deep House for me to enjoy. This track simply has all the DP elements I like to see in a track. The raw bassline, the subtle synths and the stunning groove. This track sortof came out of nowhere for me as I blindly went to check out the mere cover, which is insanely good! I turned out to find a stellar deep house track that I will be playing much and much more over the following couple of months.

The Fossil (Week 02) | The Festival

A true forgotten classic this week. When I put on "Laser Kissed Trance" mixed by Above & Beyond for the first time, a legendary CD amongst the trance community, this track immediately struck me. The energy, the pace, the sheer power this mystery trance track intrueged me for days.

Now, I rediscovered this hidden treasure via Above & Beyond's 2004 Essential Mix. Again, I was struck with pure awe when hearing this breathtaking fossil. I must have gone back to the break untill I got home. The soothing words of the astronaut, declaring everything is okay still haunt me when I hear the very first note of the angelic cries of the back choir, indicating it's buildup time. This track gave me so much, it could no longer go through my daily life without a name. After some searching, I found the tracks name and it's obscure, seemingly erased past. "The Festival".

"The Festival" is an example to me of how trance can affect your state of mind. So often have I heard or read  the word "uplifting" where I felt nothing. This however, sends me to places I never went before. I like to call it "The Space Lift" track, as the break strongly remind me of Tranquillity Base space themed homage to the Buzz Aldrin's part in space exploration. At first, I was even convinced that it was some version of the so called "Buzz". But no, it was Scintilator. A name I will hear nothing about apart from this very track. But that might be just enough for a lifetime.

The Rex (Week 02) | Lange - Hold That Sucker Down

Updating trance classics is not new, but most definetly a popular thing to do at the moment. Many artist fail miserably. A good example would be the current string of "updated" classics on Anjunabeats at the moment. From Norin & Rad to Maor Levi, each and everyone of them do a horrible job. And there are more examples. Can a revamp, a revival of the old never be good? It most definitely can.

Staying true to Quarted T.O.'s original, Lange accomplished to create a stunning rework that completely keeps the fire of seventeen years ago alive. When reworked like this, I can't say do anything other than appreciate the outcome. Certain tracks need to stay alive throughout the years, so people can find their way to the original that brought so many ripples into the water of the trance scene.

Lange is a Trance artist that I know not so much about as I should have. But it seems that I need to pay more attention to him, as most of his tracks are pretty much in my style of trance. Last year, his "Coming Home" track was being played regularly via my speakers. With this rework, it will be no different.

Evolutionary (Week 01) | Driving Me Wild

It's been a while since I've done this, but I think it's about time to pick this up again. A track like "Driving Me Wild" isn't something I'm going to come across again very soon, so a it deserves nothing less than this Evolutionary mention.

That Anjunadeep is moving to Deep House is no secret. The shift has been gradually happening this year, launched by Dusky's EP, and confirmed by the change of arms in the anjunadeep compilation series: Jody Wisternoff will be replacing Jaytech for 05. I was sceptic at first, as I loved 01 till 04 to bits! But after checking out Jody's Way Out There mixtapes, I must simply say that the chanced of deep 05 becoming the best in the series is big.

Anyway, the official rebirth of "Anjunadeep" into, well, AnjunaDEEP is initiated by this mind boggling three piece EP from newcomer Kahwe. The EP in it's entirety is incredible, but it's title track "Driving Me Wild" is clearly the golden track of the bunch. Instantly liked it actually. I looked it up when it appeared on the Anjunadeep Release Schedule, and what I found what an stunning chemistry between audio and video. Beautiful ladies with beautiful beats...Is there anything more to life?

But besides beautiful ladies in lingerie dancing around on Kahwe's beats, what makes this new deep release so darn special? It's a combination of many things. Many good things! For instance, the deep bassline is the best bassline I've heard in my green experience as a Deep House enhusiast. Yes, better than Roth and better than Dusky, two bonified legends. It makes the whole track so tasty. Add to that the clever symbiotic melody and smart classy vocal loops, and there you have it: a true deep house diamond. And I know that the word perfect or diamond is used more than it should be, but this track is so incredibly right in every sense of the word. Beautiful, beautiful stuff that makes me glad I'm spending my time and effort for deep house.

This gem is getting released alongside two other great tracks called "Anything" and "Yew". I can only hope one of those three tracks makes it on Deep 05, because the whole package is nothing less than absolutely amazing.

The Fossil (Week 01) | No One On Earth

This first classic to graze these winterfields is one of the many classic I discovered through Above & Beyond.  Only a fan from them until 2011, I missed out quite a lot so it seems. There is an incredible amount of stunning vocal tracks by these guys that I just started discovering. Apart from the many Tri State tracks, the trio have some great material before that debut album as well. Last night, when I was cycling home in the middle of the night, I happened to turn on their 2004 Essential Mix. It was one of those cycling rides where music sounds extremely infectious, bike rides I used to have a lot. Since I've decided to swap the public transit for the bike to get in shape, I was hoping for these kinds of mesmerizing journeys to happen once again! It did thanks to this track.

No One On Earth is not a love song, it's too simply a description for a track like this. No One On Earth is a tribute to the deepest form of love. Spiritual love, where lust and shallow love have no business. Love that ignites by what can't be seen with the naked eye. I happened to have finished "Extaze" by Louis Coupercus only a few hours ago. In that book, he describes the ultimate form of two humans connecting, forming a bond so strong that "earthly" matters as affection and earth is an unspeakable subject. Throughout that book, this track resonated with every 20 pages or so that I read. The purity of the love in the book resembles the tone of Zoe's vocals on this track. She never literary describes her love or affection, but nods to a higher state of spiritual bond. At least that's the way it comes over to me.

Tracks like this remind me that love songs can definitely be from the heart. So often is the word love, a powerful word, misused, violated if you will, by clueless labels and their artist. It's a subject that deserves utter most discretion and care, something Above & Beyond know all about.

The Rex (Week 01) | Feels Like Yesterday

I think it would be more than suitable to name the first Rex of the year, a track made by one of my guides through my resurrection: Jody Wisternoff. Last year, his Way Out West podcast gave me a lot to think about. Where I was sceptical at the news surrounding deep 05 at first, the news that Jaytech was going to be replaced by Jody, those episodes made me see the light. Jody Wisternoff knows picking out great music as no other, let alone creating it himself. One of those examples is "Feels Like Yesterday". Supposebly made for his debut album, it didn't make the cut and ended up as a very generous free gift!

This free gift has a really classic feel to it, classic as it resembles Jody Wisternoff''s earlier work as well as Aanjunadeep's progressive phase. You can hear Jody's touch in the little details going on around the track fused with periodic outburst of sounds and flows. Wisternoff's former "classic" track have that uplifting, organic feel to it. A sound I've been missing ever since I first heard his "Lassoo". I suppose you can say It's a track that I've been waiting for for quite some time now, which is quite funny.

It's funny because of the timing. As I'm typing this, I'm listening to the above track. I realize now that this is the sound I wanted Jody to have on his album, because it resembles his sound on Anjunadeep 02 with "Lassoo". As that particular sound was not there, I disregarded the album at first. But I came to see the light and I started enjoying it's "non lassoo" sound more and more. Now, in 2013, I've fully accepted the deep house flow in Wisternoff his tracks, and I understand their strenghts. And finally I get what I was aiming for, after all that. The world is strange sometimes.

Natural Selection | December 2012

01. Keyworth - Just Us
02. Keyworth - Submerged
03. 16 Bit Lolitas - Chant A Tune
04. 16 Bit Lolitas - Leave Me Cold Part II
05. Jaytech - Rabbit Raiders (Jazzy Dub Mix)
06. Above & Beyond - Alchemy (feat. Zoe Johnston) (Myon & Shane 54 Redemption Intro Mix)
07. Dusky - Muriel
08. Andrew Bayer - Gaff's Eulogy
09. Almer - Kobalt (D-Mad Remix)
10. PHM - Lonely Shore (Spada Remix)

Survived Events 2012: Colors @ Trouw, Amsterdam

This Friday, I had what I could only guess is a life changing experience  I visited my first ever Deep House event, together with my girlfriend, in Amsterdam. I wasn't any ordinary evening  as the very duo that showed me the way to the deep kicked of my career as an deep house clubber as well (it's almost filmic ;) ). Dusky, the one and only Dusky from my favorite artist album ever made, Stick By This, initiated my new life philosophy by unleashing their forthcoming track "Dummy" as their opener on the public.



They must have played 90% of their essential mix material, which made the set incredibly easy for me to follow and enjoy. I had great moments at "Muriel", "Calling Me" and I was thrilled to hear their "Don't Go" rework live! But the highlight of the evening has to be when the first tone of Trevino's rework of Marshall's his "Mushrooms", I could almost cry. As I recognized the first half of the track from Dusky's essential mix, I already knew the awesome build and sample. But it was until that very night that I heard the brilliant second half...I smiled like a 8 year old kid at a Christmas night...



And the public...well, that was a eye opener for me as well. I have of course visited many "bigroom house" events over the years, as well as some trance ones and one festival.  But none of those nights had anything common with what I have experienced the other night. For instance, nobody was filming or fucking around with their smart phones, but instead were dancing their brains out! The way club culture is supposed to be, came to life in Trouw, Amsterdam. If every deep house evening is only half as good as this, I'm subscribed for life..

On top of all this, I actually met the boys from Dusky in person! I planned to get my album signed by them from the moment I saw they were playing in Amsterdam, so with my "Stick By This" album and a marker in hand, I approached Nick Harriman. I gave him the following question:

"I missed the signed CD's @ Anjunadeep HQ, could I please please please hae one know?? :)"(yes a horrible spelling mistake in my excitement)

Both Nick and Alfie must have had the same big grin putting their autographs on the CD cover, as I had when they gave it back to me! The result below:

As said earlier, it was my debut in the world of deep house. Automatically, it was one to never forget!

CD Review | "Stick By This" by Dusky

That things can go quite differently than planned beforehand, has become quite clear to me. I was planning to do this overdue review a long time ago, when it got released in 2011. For some reason though, I didn't find it interesting enough to do one at the time and apart from the album titled track "Stick By This" itself featured in my top 100, I left it rather untouched.

Now, in 2012, my preference for deep music has awakened and so did my interest for this album. Ever since that magical "Three Colours" track from Dusky got released, I've been returning to this on a daily basis. Mid summer, it reached it's peak when I completely fell in love with it. The news of remix EP's was already out though and I planned on writing this review down as soon as they landed to make a nice bundle in one week. Time got in the way unfortunately. To think I discarded this at first is ridiculous in hindsight, but this album is the solid proof of my musical evolution, which makes it that more special.

But now, I finally put myself into doing this analysis of the first Anjuna album I ever got my hands on: "Stick By This"

From Dawn Till Dusk

Alfie Granger-Howell and Nick Harriman. These two names have turned my world up side down drastically in the last couple of years. No other artist have had so much influence in my recent evolution as a music listener as these two. Under their Solarity alias, they've guided me towards my now favorite compilation series/label on the planet, Anjunadeep, that I found myself involved with on a daily basis. This year, their Dusky side of their music invited me into a whole new world of house that has completely devoured me and solved my musical midlife crisis. 

Light Cycles

Although these two names have done similar good to me as a person, the two differentiate quite greatly globally speaking. Where Solarity has remained quite niche and appreciated by quite a small amount of anjuna fanatics, Dusky has exploded this year to international allure. This album got the same heartwarming, but low profile receivement as their Solarity tracks. But after their first post-album EP, Dusky sky-rocketed into fame, appearing on daily basis on Resident Advisor, and in radio shows and compilations all around the world. The highlight must have been the appearance on Pete Tong's annual mix CD, with their Flo Jam single.

Where their sound is consistent and characteristic now, their pre-success album could be considered highly experimental as it's sound is highly diverse. But enough talk, let's dig into what could be one of the albums of the lifetime!

What do you get?

Anjuna is known and loved for it's loving care of album exteriors. The slick slipcase and artwork are of sublime level. Only now I have discovered the subtle print on the CD itself. Something that feels right even before you've put it in the CD player.

The Album

-Silence Never Heard-
An album opener is crucial in order to  not only set the right tone, introduce the listener or to make for a catchy opener, but it's also the keystone of a bundle. In the pursuit of making an harmonic work of art, the first few tones will resonate throughout the rest of the album and the further listening experience of the observer. With "Silence Never Heard", Dusky accomplishes all of the above. As I've listened to the album several times now, I can conclude that it's indeed the perfect root for the Stick By This-branches ahead and it makes for an iconic album opener that welcomes you with open arms every time. The smooth play of breaks, deep synths little vocal chops make it an incredibly easy track to put on, often followed by the rest of the entire album. It's gentle overall likability, unbiased pleasure if you will, makes it fit into any given situation.

In other words: "Silence Never Heard" represents the Dusky sound on this album, and places the listener into a state of mind in order to rightly perceive the album. That's all you can ask for for an album opener if you ask me. 

-Lost In You (feat. Janai)-
The transition between "Silence Never Heard" and this vocal track are very important in my opinion. It suggest some kind of mutual connection of the tracks and that's precisely what this album is: a bundle of 14 that is connected with each other. A book, a story, a setting, the descriptions are endless. Fact of the matter is that this album is woven into it's own essence, which makes the whole bunch a welcome home to which it's ever so tempting to return to.

I didn't fancy this vocal track all that much initially, but that's mainly because I have always preferred instrumentals over vocals globally speaking. But I've come to cherish it as a gentle familiar track, that I listen to with a smile nowadays. Janai her voice, accompanied by incredible piano play, feels sophisticated and modernized, which is exactly the reason it grew so much on me. It's a brilliant follow up on the intro album track and kicks the album in higher gear, making room for the more beats filled two tracks ahead. The beautiful flow of this album has come together by several tracks like this, and they another crucial role to the amazing collective of this album. 

-Stick By This-
I could write entire pages to dedicate the grandness of this album title track. This is the track that planted the deep-house seed in my brain, this is the track that made me shiver in melancholic delight a countless times, this is the track that brought forth so much good in my life...This track is of divine quality, literary.

It would be inappropriate to say just say that this track reaches lonely heights on this album, without saying the rest of the 14 track CD is of exceptional quality as well. But no matter how much I love this collective of brilliant tracks, this track alone is enough to make this purchase a neccesity.

As said before, I didn't see the true value of this album until the summer of 2013, and therefor a lot of tracks are currently missing in my 2011 top 100. But as that list is a representative of my taste that particular year, it's only fair to keep it as it is. Nonetheless  seeing this track at number two is rather painful to me, as I see now that "Stick By This" leaves the current number one, Ax his "Heart Is King" biting for dust. I already saw the unique greatness of this single in 2011, but it took me a year to truly see it's full potential. And for that I'm sorry, as this is an anthem for life that I will never forget.

Can one track alone make a whole album incredible? This one can.

-Plastique-
Again, it hurts me to see only the previous track make it to the top 100. "Plastique" was the second and last track that I inmediately seemed to like. However, due to (poor) choice-making, I let this one slide. Listening back now, this would easily be my number two in my top 100. It's incerdibly easy to the ear, and just begs to be put on. The breakbeat is the most infectious thing on the album, and combined with the shiveringy good timed vocal parts, it makes for an very delightful track to vibe to. Because that's what this is, a vibe track. It's neither depressing nor euphoric, but it hangs subtly in between, making it suitable to support any state of mind. Although "Plastique" misses that legendary touch of "Stick  By This", it's more than justified to be classified as a stellar piece of production.

"Plastique" can best be described as an irather mysterious yet easy 4 minute piece of art, that you will never grow tired of. A trustworthy friend on the road, for it's intriguing soft sounds and distant vocal parts will make you feel close to home anytime of the day. In fact, whether it's sadness, loneliness, depression, relief, immense joy, prosperity...this track accompanies all, and more importantly, you on your road to life hood  A true anthem indeed.

-I'm Running (feat. Soloman)-
The picture painted in this track is nothing short of fan-tastic. I can only guess it was Dusky's attempt to make the listener create a virtual world of desolation, putting emotion and electronic music together succesfully once again. It's a combintation of many ingredients that make this beauty such a thrill. Although Dusky themselves obviously did most of the job, it can't be ignored that Soloman did amazing vocal work on the the haunting sounds of the track, making the message of the track come forth even clearer than the desolate instruments already do: We all fear of the possibility of loneliness, and this particular fear resides in us all till the day we die.

I might be a little to lose in my understanding of the track, but in the end quality music is an form of art and allows a flow of interpretation. Although mine might be, as previously stated, a bit lose and even too sinister for such an chilled out album as this, but nonetheless an indication for myself that this album is more than the surface might suggest. The surface I landed on last year, where I didn't bother digging.

"I'm Running" is a desert of desolation painted beautifully by the four hands of the Dusky boys and Soloman as their paint. It's an strong combination of powers that make this fifth track as glorious as it is.

-Falling-
It might be strange to say but "Falling" is the first drop of quality for me personally. Maybe it's because I think the track is shallow, or maybe because I simply don't get it's hidden message like the previous track had buried within itself, but I just don't get this one. I can only suggest that this light and weightless track is used to make the ride a little bit less hard and initiate a break from the other outstanding but heavy tracks of Stick By This. This would make perfect sense to me, and therefor I understand the neccesity of this track at page six of this story.

When I said it's a drop of quality, it doesn't mean this track is not good. In fact, I'm quite enjoying my listen when it arrives. It makes for an easy and light track in this heavy book, and is a welcome factor that's part of the dynamic greatness of this album

-Grain-
My hunch I had that Dusky implemented a break from the heavy album-story telling is being answered by "Grain", another euphoric and easily digestible track. This is no doubt the most simple track of the album, yet I find it more appealing than "Falling". In fact, I like this track A LOT. Where the message of "Falling" is still unclear to me, apart from it's bare function within the album, this track doesn't make itself an unnesecary difficult case. "Grain", as it's title simply suggest, is nothing more and certainly nothing less than an euphoric summer track that puts smiles on the faces of those who let it work it's magic. Simple yet awesome.

-Lost Highway-
This track is puzzling me until this very day. From start till Around 4:15 (the climax) I enjoy it intensely, but for some reason, I have never managed to sit through the main part of the track without turning the speakers off. It somehow feels annoying to me but I honestly don't know why since the other Dusky tracks have an identical vibe, which I love. Frustrating really, especially when I read that it was James his favorite in the Anjunadeep 04 booklet. It's simply a track I don't get. It hurts me to say that this is one of the weaker tracks of the album, but in a review one must be honest.

Number eight will always be one that I don't understand. Whether I saw the light this year in deep house or not.

-Mr Miyagi-
This is the most non-Dusky-like track on the entire album apart from the distinctive haunting vocals. But's it's an incredible nice track that slowly shakes the 3 track break of the album lose from it's skin. The message from this one is rather unclear from me. It feels like an robotic, futuristicly themed track. The breakbeat, also found in "Plastique" underlines Dusky's versatility and broad creative work space. It's becoming more and more clear to me that this assembly of album tracks are indeed...album tracks. I must admit  that I've heard quite a few post-album tracks from the boys, so my "hunch" is not complete clever thinking. But nonetheless  this album is a 100% non club experience, and it are albums like that that are the hardest to make.

-Thoughts Motions-
This is a classic "Stick By This" track. It's incredibly distinctive due to the brilliant piano play and ever lovely violin work. You can hear that every single track of this album underwent an stunningly amount of work and effort, combining both instrumental as electronic aspects of music. This is a giant fourteen track clash of innovative music writing and producing.

This track breathes what has now (december 2012) become "vintage Dusky". Haunting vocals, strong distinctive bassline, beautiful instrumental play and most of all an amazing complexity.

-It's Not Enough (feat. Janai)-
The second full vocal track is still something I need to get used to. Janai's vocals are not completely my cup of tea, but feel nice to hear supported by the o so lovely bassline of the instrumental. I can only describe this track simply as "cool". It has that soulful touch that is often found in old jazz and blues, but with an deep house twist. This is another classic "Stick By This" track, and the return to the tone set by the first few tracks is completed. You can feel the album's tension with every track nearing the end. This album breathes and exist. It has a soul, emotions, desires. It has become a living thing in my mind.

-Resin-
It's hard to pinpoint tracks that can easily stand on their own in this album, because "Stick By This" is such a organic thing of which tracks are en-rooted in each other, making each other's presence of vital importance of it's existence. But one of them must be "Resin". This is the first of fourteen that feels like it's a full track that could have been released completely on it's own, ready to be mixed into a deck. Resin still has that infectious Dusky album sound, but at the same time gives a more clubby feel to it. It's not directly a full on "dancefloor destroyer", don't get me wrong. It's rather a delightful tempo twist within Stick  By This with a subtle nod at the dance culture that exist outside this album.

"Resin", in other words the desecration of tree/plant sap, accompanies "Grain" in it's outdoor setting. Although it are only two tracks of the bunch, I still feel that this album is best enjoyed outside the safety of your living room. As said earlier, this album itself feels like an organic assembly. So it's most natural to be experienced in the surrounding of earth's finest.

-Need You Back-
"Need You Back" is "Resin's" big club brother, as it follows the pattern of a more energetic 4x4 club track. Again, it is completely capable to stand on it's own yet finds itself to be strongly connected to Stick By This. The most interesting thing about this track must be the big bass drops that go throughout it's path. I never before heard such a base for a track, but it works incredibly well together with the "jungle" style going on in this track. It feels the most distant from the album's origin, and is best viewed upon as an delicious bonus instead of part of the album. It's possible to skip this and not destroy the album vibe, but it's best to let it spin as it is amazingly groovy and clever. A true threat to listen to. This is Dusky's big giveaway, that I only understand until now, that Dusky are capable of making club killers and are intend to do so.

-If Only-
The very first piano note sends honest silence throughout my body and mind, as it is the undoubtful note of ending. It might be weird after reading my words on "Stick By This", but this is most beautiful and enchanting thing of the album. Again, filled with emotion, with cleverness, with pure labour and neurotic perfection...It's what this album is all about. "If Only" left me breathless, disorientated, physically empty and even slightly depressed but fulfilled with joy that I have just discovered an artistic duo of a lifetime. In other words an PERFECT ending to the amazing and life changing ride experience. It's a rare thing, this album of Nick Harriman and Alfie Granger Howell, but my god this is something special. Something you are blessed with to experience. This ending track is so brilliant in it's purpose...It sums up the magic that is Dusky, the magic that is Stick By This.

The Final Verdict

Life-changing-experience. I know it's still early to state since it's been a year since I've started to let this album affect me, but the stunning influence it already had on enriching my life can't be undone. This album is an award from myself to myself in my road of electronic music listener. A testament of time that indicated I'm growing in taste and the awareness of the hidden gems around me. Looking back now, I can hardly understand why and how I discarded 12 tracks of this...being. It might be the over enthusiasm I have for Stick By This right now, but this album truly has become part of my life. I don't even look at it as an album anymore. Stick By This is a living and breathing thing that requires understanding and effort to decipher. I still don't think I'm done just yet. In fact, I believe it's going to take a lifetime to fully become one with this majestic being. 

This album, this holy grail, is something you can proudly point at to have fully breathed in "at the time" and I'm deeply ashamed it took me so long. But I won't look back anymore at the moments I refused myself at the time, but I will only look forward to what further amazing moments this album and it's creators will give me. Stick By This is part of my life now, and I'm part of it. 

Natural Selection | November 2012

01. Henry Saiz & Cora Novoa - Golden Dawn
02. Marshall Jefferson - Mushrooms (Trevino Remix)
03. Kurtz & Bomber - Such A Rush
04. 16 Bit Lolitas - Wounds
05. Laiback Luke & Lee Mortimer - Strobelight
06. Ultra Sheriff - Deception, Oil & Laserbeams (Michael Cassette Remix)
07. Adele - Skyfall
08. Orkidea - Sundown (Michael Cassette Remix)
09. Henry Saiz & Cora Novoa - Dreama
10. Cloud 9 - Do You Want Me Baby (Dusky Dub)

Natural Selection | October 2012

01. Justin Martin - Don't Go (Dusky Remix)
02. Above & Beyond - Tokyo
03. Ferry Corsten vs. Armin Van Buuren - Brute (Armin's Illegal Drum Edit)
04. Will Holland - Every Heartbeat (feat. Jeza) (Beat Service Remix)
05. Ricardo Tobar - Together
06. Dan & Sam - Breaking The Illusion
07. Andrew Rayel - How Do I Know
08. Neil Davidge - Ascendancy (Matt Lange Remix)
09. Jody Wisternoff - Out Of Reach (feat. Jonathan Mendelson) (Alfred Taylor Remix)
10. Spada - Claire

Natural Selection | September 2012

01. Flash Brothers - Mokka (Michael Cassette Remix)
02. Dinka - Lotus (Soundprank Remix)

03. 16 Bit Lolitas - Out Warm

04. Matt Lange - Sixty Six (Keyworth Remix)

05. Velvetine - The Great Divide (Myon & Shane 54 Summer Of Love Mix)

06. Blend & Equed - Hot Air Balloons (Kobana Remix)

07. Tritonal - Piercing Quiet (Super8 & Tab Remix)

08. Bicep - Echo Vibes

09. Burns - Lies

10. Norin & Rad - 5 Finger Death Punch

Natural Selection | August 2012

01. Beat Service - Mars
02. Dusky - Running (feat. Soloman) (Synkro Remix)
03. Laidback Luke - Cambodia
04. Breakfast - Through The Night (Naden Remix)
05. Rita Ora - How Do We Party (Laidback Luke Remix)
06. Andrew Bayer - Monolith (Club Mix)
07. Liz Cirelli & Minski - Trip Of The Dolphin
08. Tritonal - Something New (Rafael Frost Remix)
09. Candi Staton - Hallelujah Anyway (Larse Vocal)
10. deadmau5 - Professional Griefers

Natural Selection | July 2012

01. Above & Beyond - On My Way To Heaven (feat. Richard Bedford)
02. Jacob Henry - Hopeful Romantic
03. Hal Incandenza - Ventura (Dub Mix)
04. Dusky - Flo Jam
05. Alfred Taylor - Anything
06. Steve Aoki - Emergency (Laidback Luke Remix)
07. Tritonal & Kaeno - Azuca
08. Eximinds - Sunset 9 PM
09. Mark Knight - Nothing Matters (feat. Skin)
10. MARTEL - Ricochet (Laidback Luke Remix)

Column | Awoken From Anjunabeats

I was almost enchanted with Anjunabeats last year. I dare to say that almost every release was an instant classic for me. Arty, Mat Zo, Above & Beyond...New artist came into my life and filled it with joy again. This year feels completely different. I don't have that same passion for Beats anymore, already after a year. There have been certain releases and support for certain tracks that completely go against my personal beliefs. I have become cynical to certain chooses that are being made on the label, negative about almost half the new tracks. Disaster? No, I feel like I have evolved musically, which is a very special development in the life of the music listener that should be cherished with passion. How you ask? Let me start at the beginning.

I'm not ashamed to say I just started following Beats since 2010, because I did a trip in the past listening to almost any release ever since I enjoyed myself so much with this label. Especially now I know where the label has come from, I feel this year as a sudden plunge in identity and cleverness as I've said earlier. There was a certain Norin & Rad remix of a Trance classic that did the most damage, but it was so ridiculously awful that I look at it as a blooper instead of a radical change in direction.

Why I hated it so much? As I said earlier, I've come to learn and understand the basics of Trance. When you know where the current "2.0" music originally come from, you can't help but feel inferior to the fanbase of that time. Classic Trance stands for something more than just beats, as is now the case with the current state of the label. That "2012 update" could be viewed upon as a mistake, releases like "Eventide", "Tenerife", "Pistol Whip" have no substance at all. The curious thing is, that where I expected to see massive negativity around that Norin & Rad update, I actually see a lot of commenters defending it and giving it a stellar rating.

Then it struck me: I was one of those guys a couple of years ago. When I didn't took the time to learn about the classic trance scene, I was euphoric about beats. Now, where I used to enjoy every release that came out, I now find myself rarely excited for non A&B releases on this label. All the fans they are reeling in now are House heads, who have abandoned their scene because of the cheese and the pop, and finally have a place for their big room tracks. But most of them, like me, will find their way to "Caffeine", "Alba", "Aria Epica" ect. and be shocked about what they've been missing out on. I myself had such a moment. A while ago after the ASOT event concerning Classic Trance and just recently with Deep-House after understanding the power of the genre via Dusky.

People change, people grow towards a more adult stage. The music that beats is currently releasing for the most part doesn't fit with a developed mind. I dare to say it, yet it's true; Trance is for musically grown up individuals. Tracks from Norin & Rad is kids music. I wouldn't know how anyone could find emotions in a track like Pistol Whip or that awful remix. Younger people have less need for more difficult music like trance or deep progressive, and more craving for simple music like Norin & Rad. As long as there is a drop, it's "Genius".

It's not the musical orientation of a new generation that's different, it's the target audience of Anjunabeats that has changed.

And I don't know if I can join that ride much longer.

PS: May I add that it's good to see that Anjunadeep is moving in opposite direction of Beats and has set sail for higher level sounds with their deep house releases, which take more time and effort to fully enjoy. I can tell you, you will have way more satisfaction and feel more complete as an music listener when you're able to enjoy albums as "Stick By This" or "Supermarket". 

Column | POTN: How Hype Became Hatred

 

It must be a year by now, since the debut album from AN21 and Max Vangeli was announced. The hype that was generated then exceeded healthy standards. I could simply not wait when it was announced, I could simply not wait when I heard the first few samples and I could simply not wait after seeing them playing those tracks. As I'm writing this many months later, things changed radically.

The Hype 

Now, it's important to know that around the year 2010, I had these guys on a pretty high pillar after stellar releases like "Swedish Beauty" and "Gama". That pillar rose over the years after brilliant remixes for Gorillaz and Ellie Goulding, that set the scene on high alert: This was the future, and the future looked pretty damn bright! I even assembled a mixtape, collecting my personal rising stars at the time. AN21 and Vangeli were featured twice. A glimpse of the past:



Studio Time

The announcement where I was waiting for...it came. The album was finally getting shape after what must be a million "studio updates".  The most annoying thing about following next gen artist, must be to hear about studio time tweets at least twice a week, when there are no signs of new tracks. It's like a bakery constantly posting pictures of ovens baking your favorite cakes but never actually puts them in sale. You're like: Where are all the other cakes? Why bake new cakes if you already have so many cakes baked and ready to be sold? Why wait so long releasing the old cakes? Did you just threw away the old cakes? Are you teasing us on purpose? Just stop posting pictures of ovens, and focus on giving the old cakes before they spoil! Well, the above happened with this album. The cake spoiled.

All those ID's I've been chasing and waiting for, lost their magic after so much waiting-tension. They spent so much time sitting in it and tweeting about frivolous things, that POTN became a thing of the past without actually revealing itself. It's sad really. It's not just me, but I feel an overall disinterst in everything about it. I think a majority of my generation who enjoyed AN21/Vangeli at the time, moved on to other genres just like me, because of the Ash/Avicii/Alesso - cheese travisty. The cheese fans on the other hand, have no interest in this style of music. There myst be a handfull of POTN fans left. I think AN21, Max, Steve and SIZE in general must have figured the same, since there have been added a lot of cheese to the POTN burger. Especially "Glow" could fit as a poster-track for the simplified taste of nowadays generation. The album was slipping out of AN21 & Vangeli's hands in my eyes. Out of nowhere, the first single emerged under the ridiculous childish name "H8TRS". Not surprisingly, labelboss Steve"Cannot-deal-with-critisizm" Angello was involved. Apart from the track being poor, the fact that Angello's anti-critisism statement is featured on the album is a fact that didn't set well with me. AN21 and Vangeli have never had problems with any form of opinion, unlike Angello. Why would you let such a childish frustration from someone else, be featured on your album?

The Hatred

It must be a most odd coincidence, but on the day I started listening the freshly released single "People Of The Night" , I found this in a local store: 

Why on earth would you allow a standard "hot babe" image print on your debut album title single? Why anyone wants their album title track to be a collab is one thing, but you would expect that AN21 and Vangeli would want to see everything being in perfect harmony with their ideas, right?

It's their album, their personification in music on a CD. Is SIZE really allowed to influence the album into an extent that POTN will lose it's message.

Or, maybe there is no message and Antoine and Max just made a bundle of cheesy dance music? That last thing is getting more and more plausible. As if all the above wasn't enough, they did the unthinkable. I've been waiting on a certain ID from this album. That ID is collaboration with Mau5trap's Moguai. I was too happy for words it finally had a excess point. All I had to do was playing the waiting game. The hype for this was unimaginable. Unfortunately, this track will function as the embodiment of the rise and fall of the album. To my horror, they changed the tune I loved so dearly into the a mainstream monstrosity that will fit the current disgusting musical generation. I will not take a shot at describing this new version since emotions will make it impossible for me to behave.

 It's fitting for this ill world I'm finding myself in today full off nostalgia being stepped upon. This...murder is probably the final blow to my anticipation and buzzed feelings for POTN. I never expected this cheap manoeuvre of a duo I expected so insanely much off.  This album made me hype intensely, since it would have been my first House album of a duo I learnt to know from the start. Excitement flows away with every preview. The hype has become hatred. Hatred that's aimed at the current dumbed down Big Room House scene that I respected so much once. That this album is now aligned with that negativity is something I truly did not see coming. This used to be a dim light in the growing shadow of the U.S. that's been hovering over my beloved scene and it's artist. It seems it's only getting darker. 

It sure fits the title. 

Natural Selection | June 2012

01. Laidback Luke - We Are The Stars (Instrumental Mix)
02. 16 Bit Lolitas - Overboard Underwater (feat. Lucy Chris)
03. 16 Bit Lolitas - Different Light, Same Window
04. 16 Bit Lolitas - Snake Inverter
05. . J.D.N.M.G.J - Trezzz
06. 16 Bit Lolitas - Settle The Score (feat. Lucy Chris)
07. Solarity - Primordial
08. Thomas Gold - Fanfare
09. Ignas - Hold On (feat. Julie Thompson) (Maor Levi Club Mix)
10. Soundprank - Burner (Nigel Good Remix)