Page 53 - Zone Magazine Issue 013

Danny Slade [UK] - Dance
MUSIC REVIEWS
Hakka - Please Wait Review [Terminal Trax] - Zone Rating - 8/10
Terminal Trax label favourite Hakka returns to the fold to release yet another blisteringly hard track which comes with the bonus of two remixes that are guaranteed to deliver your daily dose of the good stuff.
Hakka’s original has a galloping intro which features a kick, hi hat and a bass tone that leads you to into a female spoken vocal sample and then the madness commences. There is a sidechained bassline that takes center stage, claps, whoops and a menacing synth riff which takes you onwards to a massive breakdown with ethereal sounds, a horror story style synth riff and a vocal sample. It’s a real Hard Trance masterpiece and I love it.
The ‘ConnecteD Remix’ has a metallic sound to it and is more techy, a deep grunting bassline and acidic sounds that are stereo panned. It’s not as instant as the original and dare I say it, is more subtle in it’s approach although still hard as nails. Finally you have a remix from label newcomers, ‘Spinout & Tricky DJ’ who take it on a more uplifting route with a slow building intro that pushes higher and higher until it reaches the crescendo which is the mid section of the track with a gargantuan synth riff, whoops and acidic tones. This leads to a hands in the air breakdown with lush chords and arpeggiated sounds and then onwards it goes. For me the two best cuts are the ‘Original Mix’ and the ‘Spinout & Tricky DJ Remix’ although all three are full on Hard Trance works of dark musical art. They are all well worth a listen.
https://soundcloud.com/terminal-trax
Matt Caseli & Adrian Taylor - Far Out [Zulu] - Zone Rating - 8/10
If you're like me and indulged in the early 90’s rave culture, you will remember the original of this track very well. It was a massive anthem at the time that was hammered by many a DJ including myself. For this modern take, Matt Caseli and Adrian Taylor have done a fine job of reworking which has in turn been remixed by Reza.
The new Original starts out with a cut up and repeated vocal hook, then brings in a woolly bassline and crowd samples then heads in for a hearty piano breakdown which instantly reminds you of what it was like the first time around with a real hands in the air moment. This new version is different enough from the original with its bass heavy back beat to have a modern Tech House feel. The ‘Reza Remix’ takes a slightly more intense approach with the same elements but with added sirens, incidental sounds and bleeps which give it an edge over the first rework. There seems to be more going on with a swung drum pattern and a more techy feel. They have both done great work in bringing back a classic rave anthem to a new audience who are no doubt going to love it.
https://soundcloud.com/zulurecords/matt-caseli-adrian-taylor-farout
Javi Bora - Buzzing [Do Not Sleep] - Zone Rating - 8/10
When not busy DJing at his Ibiza residencies at Space and Kehakuma, the Spanish DJ/Producer Javi Bora is in the studio producing Tech House gems like this one that comes in the form of an original mix and is accompanied by remixes from Max Chapman and Ronnie Spiteri.
The Original starts with a long intro of what sounds like a time stretched vocal loop over a snare and closed hi hat that brings in a deep bassline and more off beat percussion and vocals. This is one crazy tune with a vocal occasionally saying “what's up man” and some mad synth/acid riffs to boot. The ‘Max Chapman Remix’ takes a different path altogether and sounds better for it. He has injected the whole track with a large dose of funk that transforms it into a bit of a beast with bleeps, horns and “get wicked” vocal stabs over a mammoth kick drum led and funky backbeat.
Finally Southampton based Ronnie Spiteri gets to work on it and again takes you on a funky ride with a syncopated drum pattern over a throbbing bassline with cowbells. The warped vocals put great effect in the breakdown. The remixes are the strongest tracks. In general this is a very individual sounding release and is well worth looking out for. https://soundcloud.com/javibora/sets/javi-bora-buzzing-ep-do-not
Hi - Gate - Caned & Unable [Judgement] - Zone Rating - 7/10
Out on Judge Jules’s own Judgement Recordings label is a rework of two of his and Paul Masterson’s (aka Yomanda) hits of yesteryear which originally saw light of day in 2000. The originals were in a trance vein but for the re-release the tracks have been given a completely different feel.
The new version sounds completely different as the tempo has been dropped, the tune has been shortened to fit in with the modern trend for shorter dance tracks and the sound is definately House not Trance. It starts with a warped bassline and percussion that quickly brings in the top line in a high pitched synth riff and builds with snare rolls until the other hook comes in and off it.
‘I can Hear Voices’ is an altogether different beast as it was and is a vocal track which worked well in the Trance days of old. That was a very popular sound around that time. Now though with the whole track slowed down it takes on a completely different feel which is ethereal and soothing so I don’t know how well that will translate to a dance floor in 2016/ 2017. They have retained the haunting trumpet line and the pizzicato sounds which further enhance the Trance feel so it will be interesting to see how well this relates to a modern audience.
https://soundcloud.com/judgement-recordings
Patrick Topping & Nathan Barato - Paradise On Earth 01 Mexico Sampler [Hot Creations] Zone Rating - 9/10
This release is to accompany the actual mix album: ‘Paradise On Earth #01 Mexico’ which is a double CD mixed by Nathan Barato and Patrick Topping and this sampler features four tracks that are featured in Patrick’s actual mix CD, but are unmixed as a taster for the main release, which although is a bit confusing, is well worth looking for as the tracks are really tasty.
There are two of Patrick’s own productions and a track a piece by Sean Miller and Elliot Adamson. Firstly we have ‘Wouldn't Dare’ which is a tight production with all of his trademark left field instrumentation and features a funky bassline, bell chimes and a whole load of percussion which together sounds very nice indeed. His second track ‘Metro’ has electro drum sounds, computer game sounding risers, a wobbly bassline and a whole host of vocal snippets that again sounds like a crazy mix of sounds but not when Patrick has worked his magic on it, as both tracks are quirky and eminently danceable to.
Next is Sean Miller with ‘Control your body’ which is another techno workout built around a female spoken sample saying “let the beat control your body” with an extra wobbly bassline, crisp snares, claps and a synth line that really cuts through but doesn't sound out of place whatsoever. Finally we have Elliot Adamson’s ‘Pleased To Meet You’ which starts with a rubbery kick drum and builds through layers of percussion until a vocal comes in with explicit lyrics looped to great effect. Again there is a great amount of quirkiness to this track, but that is one of the reasons why all four tracks sound so good and work so well together or individually. This release is a promotional tool for the aforementioned compilation and if you are into compilations it is a great one. If however you are a DJ looking for some great tunes to play, then this is worth seeking out on its own!
https://soundcloud.com/patricktopping
http://hotcreations.com/
ESSENTIALDANCEMUSIC 53