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Member Since: Sep 15, 2006
Rank: 115
Rated 1698 releases, average: 4.04
Location: London
Profile: The first record I ever bought was a 7" copy of 'Stranger In A Strange Land' by Iron Maiden. I bought it because I liked the cover as well as their music.
In the years since my record collection has grown to such an extent that there simply isn't enough space to store it all. What am I to do though? If I hear a record that I like, I've got to buy it haven't I!
My interest in music began in the early 1980s when I was really too young to appreciate what I was listening to. The first song I can remember is 'Video Killed The Radio Star' by The Buggles, and the first pop video I can remember seeing is 'Another Brick In The Wall' by Pink Floyd. My early favourites were electronic pop bands like Ultravox, OMD, & The Human League, as well as Adam & The Ants of course.
The first gig I attended was the Greater London Council abolition free concert at Jubilee Gardens on Londons South Bank. Eddy Grant headlined that day.
During my teenage years I was listening primarily to Indie and anything out of Manchester - think Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets, Charlatans, James etc. I also had a sporadic interest in dance music. I listened to Capital FM avidly.
From 1993 to 1995 I was vaguely aware of the burgeoning trance scene through my brother, but I didn't really follow it all. The first trance record I heard was ‘Love Stimulation’ (Love Mix) by Humate on MFS records. It immediately struck me as being totally different to anything I had heard before – too polished and melodic to be techno, yet too driven and futuristic to be house. The apparent classical and new age influences in this record greatly interested me. The subsequent X-Mix 1 compilation by Paul Van Dyk, and Dance 2 Trance, Jam & Spoon, and Cosmic Baby releases further whetted my appetite for this new style of music.
I had never been to a 'proper' club until the first time I went to Lakota in Bristol whilst I was at university. I knew straight away that I had stumbled onto something that had been missing in my life. Around the same time I stumbled across the weekly radio show that Way Out West presented in Bristol, and it became compulsive listening for me. However, it was a trip to the legendary Final Frontier club night at the United Kingdom club in Wandsworth in May 1995 that sealed my fate. The man responsible for this was DJ Dag – he changed my life in the space in 5 minutes! From that point on, I knew I had to get involved. One track in particular that night stood out, and I tried desperately to track it down. I eventually found out it was 'Viscious Circles' (Union Jack remix) by Poltergeist on Platipus records. Through looking for this record I acquainted myself with most of central London's dance music specialist stores, and started buying other records that were recommended to me. I remember the first time I bought a Noom record (Noom 13) from Karim at Flip records, I had a feeling that I would be buying a lot more Noom records. Gradually I immersed myself further into the trance and techno scenes as I regularly visited The Final Fronter club night and its successor Voyager, and the Temptation nights at Lakota. Visits to Return To The Source club nights also proved inspirational. I’ve still kept all the flyers from all the clubs that I’ve visited, and like the sad person I am, I keep any magazine articles relating to any artists or record labels in my collection.
I finally bought a pair of Technics SL1210s (and mixer, and amp, and speaker) second hand from someone living near Bedford. Well, I needed something to listen to my 12"s on didn't I! I then began the long and difficult task of teaching myself to mix records. I have never received any assistance or guidance in learning to mix, other than being shown how to cue up a record. Hence my mixing style is probably different to most other peoples. Of course my day job gets in the way, so I don't get to spend as much time practicing my mixing as I would like, but slowly it's getting more confident. Like most though, it's the production side that really interests me. So if anybody is reading this and wants a partner in crime, then by all means get in touch.
These days I listen mostly to XFM, and sometimes Classic FM. I’ll listen to new trance/techno/progressive house releases over the internet on various sites. I don't go clubbing as much as I used to - London simply doesn't have enough good club nights, and I now prefer to buy as music as possible on CD over the internet, but I will always buy and support music that I like.
I've shared details of the house/techno/trance portion of my record collection here on discogs to keep a record of my collection, and to hopefully inspire other people.
Favourite Current Dance Artists:
Oliver Lieb, M.I.K.E, System 7, Vibrasphere, & Astral Projection
Favourite DJs:
Nick Warren, John OO Fleming, & Sven Väth
Musical Inspirations:
Classical Music, New Age Music, & Traditional Tribal/Ethnic Music
Musical Heroes:
Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Steely Dan, Santana, Kraftwerk, John Peel, Joy Division, New Order, Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, 808 State, Jam & Spoon, Oliver Lieb, & DJ Dag
All Time Favourite Record Labels:
Factory, Creation, MFS, Eye-Q, Harthouse, Superstition, Noom, Platipus, R&S, & Rising High
All Time Favourite Album:
'The Stone Roses' by The Stone Roses
All Time Favourite Remix:
‘Hallelujah’ (Oakenfold & Osbourne remix) by The Happy Mondays
All Time Favourite Single:
'True Faith' by New Order
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Reviews:
Albert Vorne - A Leaden Day - 24-Sep-08 03:38 PM
This release is a real treat for all those who take their euro trance seriously.
The Original Mix heads straight off into rolling/rattling punchy beats with the top end tightly filtered right off. Ominous soundscapes creep in until it strips itself down to dark flopping and occasional eerie though playful keys as it progressively becomes more industrial. After the teasing break it develops powerful clinically classical sweeps.
The remix features stark tapping beats which start to shuffle and pump as it develops an increasingly busy hypnotic groove until the quiet but building break. From here on euro chords emerge and take over, giving this remix a more euphoric feel than the Original Mix.
Surprisingly the Original Mix is closer to the dark ominous sound that you might normally associate with Dirk Dierickx, whereas the remix is somewhat more club oriented.
One of the best, if indeed not the very finest release on Platipus:Euro.
A word of caution though about this CD Single. It lifts the tracks of the ‘Best Of Platipus:Euro’ compilation, and hence does not feature the full length versions. Opt for the 12” version instead.
Various - Remix EP - 15-May-07 10:44 AM
The Acrid Abeyance remix of 'Ab-Chic' makes an essential 'must have' for any self respecting hard acid trance acolyte. Even by Noom standards, this track is special. The track begins with an ominous landscaped synthesizer drawl that runs throughout. The beats are of this tribal variety and the acid at first lacking, but slowly builds its way in. An excellent groove is injected through the expert use of hissing hi-hats, but it's the acid that steals the show. The 303s become over more present and higher pitched as the track becomes progressively more serious. This must be akin to facing up to the knowledge that the day of judgement is upon us and knowing that you're going to burn - it's that powerful! Fear not though, because salvation is on hand through the 303s which by the end have tweaked themselves to acid heaven, which is where you'll be by the end of it all as well.
All the tracks on here will satisfy anybody who is into their Noom, but 'Ab-Chic (Acrid Abeyance Remix)' exists in an elite division that includes the likes of 'Acperience 1' by Hardfloor and 'Access' by Misjah & Tim.
Zyon - No Fate - 23-Mar-07 05:24 AM
Quite possibly more so than any other, 'No Fate' is the quintessential Eye Q track.
The original version begins with a rising mysterious epic and winding tonal sub-orchestra section before the trademark joyous piano keys make an appearance. This is one of the best openings to any track ever. The beats are tough and punchy, laced with a trippy and energetic yet understated acid line throughout. The spoken 'There is no fate' male vocals add a chilling atmosphere, but this is counter balanced by the warm swathes of film score type synthesizer sweeps.
The track effortlessly strips itself down at the end until only the haunting piano keys are left, by which time you will be left feeling totally detoxed and relaxed.
The most note-perfect track you will ever hear.
Marco Zaffarano
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Jay Ray - Club European Vol. 4 - 13-Feb-07 10:08 PM
'Espana Z' by Marco Zaffarano is certainly one of the better tracks from the MFS Club European series in so far as it actually captures the spirit of the country it represents (Spain) and is an excellent dance floor track as well.
This is a somewhat more refined piece of work than Marco Zaffarano's previous releases and benefits greatly from this approach. The kick beats are sharp and tight, and there is flamenco feel throughout, all held together by an angular buzzing acid line running throughout. An extra touch of class is added by the use of dramatic claustrophobic high pitched chords that in particular drive the breakdown.
'Espana Z' is an exceptionally well produced euro acid trancer, of course with more than just a hint of Spanish influences.
Marco Zaffarano - Minimalism EP - 07-Feb-07 03:28 AM
Even by Harthouse standards, 'MZ5' bangs away furiously to such an ear splitting standard that it should really come with a government health warning!
With 'MZ5' the beats are of the ferocious whooping banging variety, the acid could cut through entire continents, all underpinned by a majestic symphonic euro melody that you might expect to hear at a performance from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.
Maybe it's just as well that 'MZ5' is such a relatively short record. Could anyone possibly handle any more of such a merciless onslaught?
View all 115 reviews...
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