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Member Since: Apr 02, 2007 Rank: 212 Average Vote Received: Correct (3.50, 6 votes) Rated 32 releases, average: 3.59 Location: Australia Profile: | |
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100.0% positive
(10 ratings)
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Sucker DJ's - Lotta Lovin' - 18-Nov-08 06:36 PM
The A Side of this record is bland and uninteresting, but the B Side is a euphoric, instantly recognisable smash-hit with a killer bassline and beautiful build-up.
Like most Paradise Soul productions, it ties reedy strings with clean, raspy percussion and focusses strongly on progression and mood. The result is a non-vocal yet massively popular track that sent crowds crazy every time it appeared at parties during this era.
My most memorable experience with this track takes place at Summadayze Festival 2006, in Melbourne, Australia on 1st January. Typically, the day is a scorching 35 degrees celsius. However, that day it was rainy, wet and everyone was positively miserable.
On a small side stage, Bob Sinclar took to the decks faced by a stony-looking crowd expecting him to play fluffy rubbish like "Love Generation", which had been released not six months earlier. Instead followed an incredibly eclectic and moving set of thumping house music, undeniably crowned at its peak by "Lotta Lovin'", which was three years old at the time.
As the opening motifs blasted from the speakers, the crowd threw their hands into the air as one, a vision of sheer ecstasy and passion, forgetting about the rain, and embracing the true hedonistic spirit of dance music: something you can truly abandon yourself in, either as an individual or a group, regardless of what's happening in the world around you.
This track will always hold a special place in my heart.
Paradise Soul - 18-Nov-08 06:03 PM
A true partnership is worth more than the sum of its parts, and for me, this has never been more evident than for Paradise Soul.
While both Mike and Stretch were decent but uninspiring producers in their own right, their combined talents were amazing. Notice that I write in the past tense; it seems as if the project has been retired for good.
Paradise Soul's sound was unique, instantly recognisable and yet varied immensely from track to track. Most producers with a clearly recognisable sound risk becoming boring and making too many similar songs, but Mike and Stretch never seemed to struggle with this.
Each track had a progressive, happy feel, consisting of almost vintage-sounding bass lines reminiscent of Orbital's "Chime" or Frankie Knuckles "The Whistle Song", and usually overlaid with thin, euphoric strings.
Whether with vocals such as in "Wake Up", without such as in "Spirit Of The Turning Tables", laid-back as in "Moscow Rendezvous" or positively thumping and uplifting as in the "Lotta Lovin'" Remix, Paradise Soul's productions were always incredible unique, well-considered and enjoyable listens, somehow being deep and intellectual yet fun and catchy at the same time.
It's a real shame that the project has been laid to rest.
HOM-Mega Productions - 16-Nov-08 12:34 PM
HOM-Mega is very hit and miss. Out of Israel, they tend to focus on the newer "full-on" sound despised by many psy aficionados who prefer the older "Goa" sound.
While full-on psy-trance is brilliant if done properly, HOM-Mega misses the mark far, far too often. It plays host to some of the cheesiest and generic productions in the scene, but has also produced the occasional gem.
2006's "Art Making Machine" by Domestic is, for me, HOM-Mega's Magnum Opus. It features none of the simplistic melodies of Yahel or the incoherency of Xerox & Illumination, but presents ten brilliantly conceived and executed songs.
Other artists worth at least a small peek are Astrix, MFG and Sub6.
Nano Records - 16-Nov-08 12:14 PM
Quite simply put: this is one of the best psy-trance labels going around.
Run by brothers Gareth and Regan Tacon with friend Anselm Guise since 2003, the label has focussed on quality rather than quantity, hosting some of the most influential and inventive artists of the scene.
Nate Raubenheimer, aka Protoculture, has released two excellent albums with Nano to date, with a third to follow in 2009. Raubenheimer has a knack for uplifting melodies and has swayed many traditional trance fans to the psy-trance scene.
Adam Metcalfe as Headroom has given the world one album to date, titled "Artelligent". Metcalfe employs a hard-hitting sound with twisted melodies and racing percussion.
The Tacon brothers have also shown the world their talents with 2004's "Aquabatics", a brilliant album featuring 9 distinct and memorable tracks.
Coupled with such big names as Dickster, Aphid Moon, The Commercial Hippies and Tristan, this label is packed full of quality and looks to continue the trend in future years. 2009 sees the signing of new artist Leon Kane under the Avalon guise, as well as a new project titled "Fearsome Engine" from Tristan and Cosmosis.
Detroit Grand Pubahs - Skydive From Venus - 20-Oct-08 10:03 PM
Tthe A side is a strange blend of styles, fusing ethereal, almost Kraftwerk like strings, with echoing drum hits at long intervals, and slow piano chords reminiscent of Vangelis. Overall the track would have an extremely vintage feel if it weren't for the strange squealing space blips laid over the top at seemingly random intervals, and the sound of radio static in the background. This one has no dance appeal whatsoever; it doesn't even have a constant beat through, just echoed drum hits, however this is certainly one you can sit back and enjoy at home. To me, this seems like a strange departure from Detroit Grand Puhbahs' usually crude lyrics and immature themes, in fact, I'd describe this one as positively deep, and beautiful too.
On the B side, Deetron's remix takes it to the dance floor, as usual. The slow pads and strings are no longer sweeping, echoing chords, but rapidly pulsing melodies, driven by an added bass line. What still remains however, is the atmospheric feel to the track. Like Ritchie Hawtin's classic "Spastik", under the "Plastikman" alias, this one has a constant feel of building, with no big bass drops in sight. This is the kind of track you play immediately before you drop in your biggest, most dance-floor destroying bomb for the night. Come to think of it, it's not unlike a more upbeat version of Daniel Stefanik's remix of "Intercity" , originally by Johnny Wagner.
Both lovely tracks in their own right.
