Tuesday 28 February 2012

The Agony & The Ecstasy by High Contrast

Genre: Drum N Bass
Well after a long absence, the Welsh wizard High Contrast is finally back with a new album on Hospital records known as "The Agony & The Ecstasy". On this album he had the likes of Tiesto, Underworld, Claire Maguire and Selah Corbin.
When I listened to this album I found it very different from his previous works. It did not feel like an drum n bass album. It felt like High Contrast was actually trying to do something completely different. There were less of those soulful samples but more vocals from guest artists. The deep bass lines and hard drums were not present as frequently as before. Some tracks did not even feel like dnb tracks, but more like house music.
The track that really stood out for me was "The Stand" and "Emotional Vampire". I really enjoyed these tracks.
So for hardcore DNB fans this album is more of a let down, but for others it is good.
Rate B
Tracklist:
01 – The Agony & The Ecstasy (ft. Selah Corbin)
02 – The Road Goes On Forever
03 – Wish You Were Here (ft. Selah Corbin)
04 – Almost Human (ft. Clare Maguire)
05 – The Only Way There (ft. Selah Corbin)
06 – The First Note Is Silent (ft. Tiesto & Underworld)
07 – Emotional Vampire
08 – Two Hundred & Thirty Eight Days (ft. Underworld)
09 – Not Waving, But Drowning (ft. Lung & Jessy Allen)
10 – Father, Can’t You See I’m Burning
11 – The Stand
12 – All There Is (ft. Liane Carroll)

Friday 17 February 2012

Ballons of Haus by The Weeknd

Genre: Electronic/Dubstep/R&B
Canadian artist The Weeknd this week released a remix album called "Balloons Of Haus" which was produced by Chi Duly. I had heard of The Weeknd many times, both in the R&B scene and the electronic music scene but I had never actually listen to any of his mixtapes before. Some say he is R&B, others dubstep. After listening to this LP I can say he is a little of both, but he is extremely good.
I really enjoyed the remix songs on this LP a lot. It was refreshing to hear song good soul music immersed in smooth bass tunes. I had not heard that in a long time since Katy B. Chi Duly should get a lot of credit for this remixed album because he did a wonderful job in producing a well organised and enjoyable piece.
This is an album that all music lovers would love for sure. I can bet on it.
  Tracklist:
01 – The Party (Chi Duly Remix)
02 – Coming Down (Chi Duly Remix)
03 – The Zone (Chi Duly Remix)
04 – D.D. (Chi Duly Remix)
05 – Glass Table Girls (Chi Duly Remix)
06 – What You Need (Chi Duly Remix)
07 – enotS gnilloR (Chi Duly Remix)
08 – The Morning (Chi Duly Remix)
09 – Echoes of Silence (Chi Duly Remix)
10 – The Morning (feat. Dunson) (Chi Duly Remix) (Bonus Track)
11 – The Party (feat. Silver Medallion) (Chi Duly Remix) (Bonus Track)

Monday 13 February 2012

The Bipolar EP by Mat Zo

Genre: Trance
On the 10th of February Mat Zo released a new EP called "The Bipolar EP" on Anjunabeats. I must say it is a short but well composed and  produced EP from the gifted Matar. He really delivered on this one. I liked most of the almost all the tracks.
On this EP he delivers excellent melodies and beats that are so sweet, yeah I said it sweet. There is also that smooth bass line that I loved on "Yoyo Ma" together with the robot voices. I just wonder, what were they saying all this time? Maybe Yoyo Ma, who knows it sound good. A little like Daft Punk actually. Anyway this is a good Trance EP so go and get it.
Tracklist
  1. Bipolar
  2. It's Yours
  3. Yoyo Ma
  4. Ring On It


Sunday 12 February 2012

Street Halo/Kindred by Burial

Genre: Dubstep/Grime
Well the wait is over and the new EP from Burial is out. For such a long time Burial fans have been waiting, or should I say craving for his EPs and LPs to come out. The addictive nature of his tunes leaves so many of his fans in a trance state, which shakes the very nature of once soul. But would this new EP do the justice that his previous work has done many times before?
Well I can say it actually did. Ask for the Street Halo part, many people have heard it before, for those that have not it is still a good EP but to me it fell short of his previous work. But the Kindred EP is just out of this world.The songs are a bit long. All are more than 7 minutes long. Some are well above the 10min mark. So if you are not a fan of Experimental Dubstep you will easily be bored by some of these tracks. But for those that are not will be blown away.
Each track on the Kindred felt like a story being told but with now words, just the beat and the dark melody speaking to the listener. The tracks that I really enjoyed were "Ashtray Wasp" and "Loner", especially "Ashtray Wasp" which blow me away when I heard the Synthesizer in the song. Something of a first time hearing it in a Burial track.
So if you love Dubstep and Burial then get this EP from Hyperdub's most gifted artist RIGHT NOW!
Rate: +A
Tracklist:
01 – Street Halo
02 – NYC
03 – Stolen Dog
04 – Kindred
05 – Loner
06 – Ashtray Wasp

Monday 6 February 2012

Escaping From Electric Mountain EP by Feed Me

Genre: Dubstep
So it is here, the new EP from Electro House/Dubstep producer Feed Me ( aka Jon Gooch) called "Escape From Electric Mountain". It has the hallmark of the previous EP "To the Stars", a lot of breakcore, down right wicked basslines and outrageous electro tunes that would have fans love it.
But to me I found it a bit the same like the previous one. There was not that much of a difference really. For his fans people will be excited but for first timers it will sound like noise. I actually expected more from this EP. Maybe I expected to much.
There were however some tracks that I really enjoyed. I liked "Relocation", "One Click Headshot" and the best track by a mile on this EP "Whiskers" featuring Gemini. In fact Whiskers to me actually raised the bar on this EP. If it was not for that track I would say that this EP was average.
Rate: B
Tracklist:
01 – Trapdoor (ft.Hadouken)
02 – Relocation
03 – One Click Headshot
04 – Embers (ft.Lindsay)
05 – Trichitillomania
06 – Whiskers (ft.Gemini)

Thursday 2 February 2012

Le Voyage Dans la Lune

Genre: Chillout
So finally Air have released another album called "Le Voyage Dans La Lune" which means "The Journey down the Moon". It has been a while since I heard their cool and relaxing tunes from the French duo. Combining with the vocal support from the band members themselves Nicolas and Jean-Benoit, it is a pretty good album to sit down and relax to. Most off the time that was what I did when I listen to it. My favourite track was "Lava" really liked. So if You are a fan of their music go and get this album. You will not be disappointed.
Genre: B
Tracklist:
01 – Astronomic Club
02 – Seven Stars
03 – Retour Sur Terre
04 – Parade
05 – Moon Fever
06 – Sonic Armada
07 – Who Am I Now
08 – Decollage
09 – Cosmic Trip
10 – Homme Lune
11 – Lava