Ferry Corsten - Mixed Live: Spundae @ Circus, Los Angeles

Fantastic mix; I'd call it the best i've heard as far as arrangement goes. The track selection and mixing are a model for any trance DJ; not a single key-clash, tracks that mix well naturally, a flawless progression of mood and style through each song and not a single dull moment. This album is Ferry at his best.

Starting off with "Nothing (93 Returning Mix)" as a deep, restrained opener that belies the greatness to come later in the set. Definitive, rolling bass that you feel rather than hear, a Ferry Corsten live trademark.

Transitioning smoothly into "Velvet Morning (Mirco de Govia Remix)" This was one of Ferry's best mixing tools back in the day; and is featured on many of his mixes (Usually the MdG or Aalto Remixes) great restraint again with a beautful swelling build accentuated use of FX.

Melodically progressing into "Purple Haze". Now THIS is where Ferry starts letting a bit of the energy into the set. This track has a very unique feel; an example of Ferry's ear for a track that stands out from the norm. A very uplifting ethereal feel, with a great chord structure that exudes complexity. Nice breakdown too!

A smooth concise cut into "North Pole (Nickleson & Maurice Night Remix)" Now here's a good track that while exercising a bit of restraint, still conveys a clean anthemic synth structure that has some sick chords. Still, no over-the-top sounds.

The next track, "Beachbreeze (Remember the Summer)" creeps right up at a seamlessly cued build. Great vocals here, one of the best tracks to come from Svenson & Gielen. There are harder mixes of this track, but Ferry really went for some vocal ear-candy. Nothing like a Jan Johnston track to spice up a set. Still not hard, but damn epic. That build-up still gives me chills after all these years.

The next build into "Things 2 Say" is very noticeable, but for good reason. The synth stabs on the off-beat really lift you out of the last track without a cliche snare build or breakdown. Very good cue-work again. This track has some definite groove-energy to it, but it all comes together in the breakdown/buildup. The synth swell just hits you perfectly, right into the building arpeggio that kicks right into the descnding bass chords... but wait for the snare build! The FX work in the synth swell and the ascending hi-synth cement the build perfectly.

Another concise drum cut into "Flakes" a perfect sound coming out of the last track with swelling sound and a distorted bass that pans and echoes for a great layer of the underlying synth long tones. The build-up really comes on strong though, changing the whole dynamic of the tune into an uplifting, energetic floor-filler. The mix reaches another plateau of intensity, the corwd in the background are ample proof, but it gets better.

The track fades into it ending drums, only for "Summer Sun (Agnelli & Nelson Remix)" to cut in with an abrupt catch that builds perfectly out of the diminuitive end of the last song. This track is incredible, the hi-pitched longtone is almost instantly recognizable and really just makes you go nuts waiting for the melody to drop. the energy keeps on rising.

A mix right into "Stealing Beauty (Ronald van Gelderen Remix)" I Love this track; the original mix is great, but the RvG mix is somwhere between insidious, beautiful, and haunting. Dominating synth during the breakdown really sends the crowd into a frenzy; a solid track that really sets up the next tracks nicely.

"Indigo" - Some of Ferry's best production skills went into this song. No other trance song can compare to the ethereal, almost other-worldly feel of this track. The mix into this song is a perfect key-match; a natural mix technique that i value over most others. The build-up for this track is swelling synth with a heavy reverb that keeps going and going until the main beat hits for a great climactic groove. But "Indigo", really just sets the stage for the next track...

Just listening to the crowd go nuts as this track mixes in... and then listening to them chant along in unison with the melody is awesome. "Punk" Ferry Corsten's theme for all intensive purposes (Before "Rock Your Body Rock" was released.) This track is amazingly well placed, with enough bass and raw-synth to whip and floor into a frenzy. Ferry lets this track play out for almost it's entire length as well, giving the crowd a great chance to interact, while still mixing flawlessly into the next track with another example of a perfect key-match.

This track, is the definition of evil. "F. Massif - Understatement". Quite possibly the darkest trance track I've ever heard...ever. Ferry really sticks it to the crowd with the synth breakdown; you can hear them all screaming like lunatics in the background, almost drowned out by the dominating miasma of synth. Quite possibly th hardest track on the whole mix.

All in all, a rather unassuming mix into "C:\del.mp3" skillful placement of the mix; using the breaks in the first segment of the tune to keep the crowd at a good level of energy while transitioning to the next track. Again, this track is used more as a mixing tool than a track in itself, but stands very well on it's own because of it's placement and originality.

Here's where Ferry completely catches you off guard with a smooth transfer into the techy rolling synth of "Metropolis (Metro US Mix)" This track kicks ass; an original structure with a distorted background FX and a blaring synth klaxon that accentuates the swells and drops of this ebbing, flowing track. Very interesting as far as tech goes; bordering on techno, house and trance for just that right sound for some hard dancing.

Again, Ferry goes into the realms of tribal by throwing "Dirty Bass (Trevor Rockcliffe Mix)" into the fray for a grooving bassline heavy house track. the mix doesn't last long though, a great shift into the realms of the tribal that resolves into the droning synth of the next track...

Quite possibly, the best ender to a trance set i've ever heard other than perhaps "Adagio for Strings (Ferry Corsten remix)" or "Pulser - Cloudwalking". "Velvet Dreams" really takes the listener into a chord progression that i've never heard before in trance. uplifintg, epic, original; sheer beauty. And the best thing, it leaves you wanting more...

The set is an element of trance music at it's finest. A great buy regardless of what music you prefer. An example of an artist who knows his material and showcases his knowledge with style and grace.

Very nice mix from Ferry - nice track selection, excellent mixing... great sound. And the DVD is really cool, its just the 2 Channel stereo CD set, but recorded in 5.1 surround sound (Spundae's first surround sound recorded compillation album). It brings the SPundae experience to your room (if you have surround sound anyway)... I'd really reccomend this release. Its also good driving music (blasting this as ya drive along).

great mix compilation by Ferry. very good track selection and skillful transitions make this a good CD you want to have.

but don't expect too much of the DVD, it has a couple nice clips including the Punk video and some commentaries by Ferry, but mostly centers around Punk (which was a HOT HOT single back when this was recorded)