House, Review | Stars Above – Higher Than The Sky EP
Posted by Mach on May 21, 2013
Stars Above is always serenading me with his touch of Trance on his House tracks. it has been well over 18 months since Stars Above was able to release an original production, but he is now here with two epic tracks. Every time I hear a new tune from Stars Above I imagine myself under a massive tent, then I turn up my volume and get lost in the music. His title track, “Higher Than The Sky” makes me want to throw my arms in the air that high. The second drop breaks into an awesome dance vibe, something to make any big room just lose it. “Daybreak” wakes me up, seriously, it has been my alarm for a few days now and I love it. It is the perfect progression for lightening my mood from “I can’t believe I actually have to get out of bed this morning”. Out of the two, “Daybreak” is definitely my favorite, I am just a sucker for piano and Stars Above delivered.
Electro-House, Review | Knife Party – Haunted House EP
Posted by Mach on May 6, 2013
A lot of people have been highly anticipating the next Knife Party release. Knife Party had stated that their “Haunted House Tour” was not related to an EP, but as you can see that’s not the case. I do like this EP, but it is further proof of how lazy the duo is when it comes to producing. My take on this EP is positive and negative, just to warn those of you who will take offense or disagreement to my opinions of each track.
“Power Glove” is a fun, hard hitting Electro-House track that I am sure is a blast in a live setting, but half the time I feel like I am listening to another VIP of “Internet Friends”. “LRAD” isn’t my style of House, I know it is a lot of fun in a big room with a good sound system, but I can’t get over how repetitious this style is. I like to be kept interested in a song, this just sounds like a track meant to please the tasteless festival attendees who are on countless drugs anyways. Speaking of an “Internet Friends VIP”, I am a bit disappointed that Knife Party included the actually VIP in this EP. I will not lie that I have been dying to get my hands on it, but seeing as “Power Glove” already sounds a bit like the original in the drop, I can’t help but think they could have picked a better original to include instead. Finally we get to the only track on the EP that actually sounds like a lot of effort and time was put into its creation. “EDM Death Machine” starts out with a kicking beat and light use in samples, it sounds like they learned from over sampling in “Internet Friends”. I love the progression Knife Party uses, my first listen was exciting, they managed to keep me on my toes the entire way through.
To those of you who are thinking “What are you talking about? This EP is amazing!” I do think it is good, amazing is a little far considering how less creative this EP feels as a whole. I would however recommend this to everyone. Knife Party has always made it their job to help you rage, even if they appear to be extremely lazy at times.
Beatport: Knife Party – Haunted House EP
Events, Review, Trance | The Expedition’s Trance Takeover of Madison Square Garden
Posted by Middy on April 6, 2013
Wow, Wichita State is crushing Ohio State. This is not even close, who woulda thunk it. The bartender refills my glass as I watch the Shockers do just that, shock the basketball world and everyone’s bracket. Man was mine totally ruined, but at least I wasn’t the guy who picked georgetown to go all the way — dunk city. I look at my phone, 8:10. I am pushing the limit of how long I can stay at the bar because I need to get over to Madison Square Garden and sneak down past some security guards to a seat that isn’t in the obstructed view section. I close out and head over to the Garden to navigate the line and get inside.
The line is nonexistent, so I walk through and head up to the first level to probe the defenses of the seat security like a prized fighter trying to find the weak spot of my enemy. I see some other people dancing the same dance I am and as a group we would like to thank the kid in the teal tank who was escorted out of section 102 and left the entrance unguarded, letting the stream of approximately me and 4 other kids into the section. Thank you, because my seat put me dead center and I could see the entire arena laid out in front of me.
Dubstep, Review | Reso – Tangram Remixed (Ft. Koan Sound, Billain, Om Unit, & Doshy)
Posted by Mach on March 12, 2013
One of the best remix compilations these artists will ever be a part of. Reso really knew who he wanted to do remixes, and his choices are a great success. Each remix is great on their own. KOAN Sound came in a little differently than they have been, but provided enough glitchy bass to feed a starving country… if people were to be able to ingest bass. Billain dropped a filthy Neuro-hop remix followed by an incredible melodic remix from Om Unit. Though I had made my comments on my favorites previously, the full remix of Doshy’s turned out to be more interesting than imagined. 4 great remixes, it doesn’t get better than that.
KOAN Sound | Billain | Om Unit | Doshy
Purchase Digital/Vinyl: Reso – Tangram Remixed (Ft. KOAN Sound, Billain, Om Unit, & Doshy)
Albums, Progressive House, Review | Dirty South – Speed Of Life (Album Review)
Posted by Middy on March 6, 2013
Serbian born, Australian native Dragan Roganovic, better known to the world for the past decade as Dirty South has finally released his debut artist album “Speed Of Life” after countless singles, EPs, collaborations and remixes. The album is where his sound is at this present moment, but it is also a culmination of everything he has done to this point and how he has evolved and grown as an artist. There is no doubt that if he had written this 2 or 5 years ago, the album would have sounded totally different, and we are grateful that he took the time to wait and mature to venture into the difficult, arduous, yet rewarding process of creating an album. The 45 minutes containing “Speed Of Life” have no wasted second, every bit has a purpose and there is no song that seems to be a filler. This carefully crafted album may leave you wishing there was more at the end, but isn’t that a good thing, or at least a whole lot better then you wishing there was less.
Albums, Review, Trance | Anjunabeats Volume 10 (Review)
Posted by Middy on March 5, 2013
While Anjunabeats Volume 9 seemed to have a noticeable difference between the two CDs, the landmark 10th volume found a way to make it seem as though there was no distinction between the two CDs and created a smooth, uplifting journey that transcends traditional genre barriers and shows the direction of Above & Beyond’s flagship label into the future as one that is forward thinking and defies labels. The compilation features tracks from familiar faces on the label like Maor Levi, Norin & Rad, Andrew Bayer, Jaytech, Arty, Oliver Smith and Kyau & Albert, while giving the chance for many others to shine on this 2 CD, 30 track album. Above & Beyond do a flawless job of mixing between tracks, making the intros and outros between songs seamless and almost not noticeable. Grab a copy below and start listening to the tracks below. Read on to dive into the review of the full compilation.
Events, Review | Above & Beyond turn Roseland Ballroom into a Temple of Trance
Posted by Middy on February 22, 2013
It is said that Above & Beyond live creates an atmosphere much like that of a religious experience. Whether you are the person right up front wearing an Anjunabeats T-shirt, the girl on somebody’s shoulder making a heart hands and getting one back from Tony, or the guy dancing all the way in the back, Above & Beyond have a way to connect and touch every member of the audience on a deep, personal and emotional way that few other Djs can do. I credit Above & Beyond for helping take the full on plunge into dance music. It was not until I saw their club show at Glow DC two summers ago right after the release of Group Therapy, a show I almost did not get into due to issues with the overzealous bouncers, that I dove head first into this thing called dance music and eventually led me here at FNT.
