Aux-In

Here is a specific playlist designed for high-energy bangers only. No downtempo, no ambient, and no let-up--nothing but non-stop, pure electricity running through your veins. I can write all the b.s. in the world, but it's about how the songs feel. This is the kind of stuff that makes you want to get the hell up, get inspired and live life.

1) Dirty Shade (ft. Martisha) - "Pleasure" [Original Mix]



A piercing vocal track. The intro makes me laugh: "Bring the action; joy, sin, power, hate, touch, scream, sex..." and then "...loud explosions too." These guys are from Russia, which is understandable given the Russian vibe of the instrumental. Where else are you going to hear something like this?

2) Reepublic (ft. T-Elle) - "Turn Off The Light" [Radio Edit]



Pure & powerful progressive house. So much energy, and great vocals from T-Elle.

3) Henrix, Darmon & Eran Hersh Vs. Delerium (ft. Jael) - "After All" [Original Mix]



I tried playing this for someone I know (sent them the video link), and they said, "It didn't really sound like anything and I turned it off after about a minute." That's a shame, because the song is all about 1:58. This is definitely a pool-party banger if I've ever heard one.

4) NERVO - "You're Gonna Love Again" [Pixel Cheese Remix]



A hardcore, fast-paced and rather straight-line tune with a unique twist on vocal editing. Pixel Cheese was the earlier alias of Tom Swoon, a Polish bloke.

5) Andrew Rayel (ft. Cindy Alma) - "Hold On To Your Love" [Original Mix]



Andrew Rayel's songs have a tendency to sound the same, but this is one of the faster-paced vocal tracks that was on his Find Your Harmony album.

6) Cicada & Third Party - "Feel" [Original Mix]



Good vibes.

7) Meg & Dia - "Monster" [DotEXE Remix]



This is a dubstep remix by DotEXE. The original was an alternative-rock song by the female-fronted rock group Meg & Dia. Here's a link to the original song: "Monster"

8) Omnia & Ira - "The Fusion" [Original Mix]



One of Omnia's best tracks. It's one of those songs that has a lot of vocal splicing while keeping to a more instrumental structure. Love the variation in this track. Not sure why, but when listening to this with my headphones, it switches between the left and right channels. It's the only song so far that I've come across that does this.

9) X-Vertigo (ft. Gia) - "Bombs" [Sandro Silva Remix]



Good electro house tune. What I don't like is that the vocals aren't as audible as they should be. A little more time spent on editing would probably have corrected that.

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"All over a bowl of bitter beans."

Aux-In

Electronica is an incredibly diverse branch of music, especially when you begin to explore all of the genres and sub-genres. Almost as varied, if not more so, than rock/metal. The great thing about music--and not like I have to tell a music forum this or anything--is that not only can you seek out any genre/sub-genre that you're in the mood for, but you can also seek out selections based on feel (feel is different than mood). There's fast-paced music, downtempo, groove/lounge, club, dance, banger, chill out, spacey, ambient, dance pop, and on and on, and each of these can bring a different kind of feel to the table. While all of these have their place in my Electronic Continuum, here are a few selections that ignite my metal feels. These are specific picks that I have chosen because they aren't just loud, bassy electronica, it's that they give off a metal vibe more than all the rest, even though most of them don't contain any guitar work.

Emma Hewitt - "Rewind" [Mikkas Remix]



Emma Hewitt makes her return to the journal with her song "Rewind" getting the remix treatment from Mikkas. This is the hardest-hitting trance song that I've ever heard, and it's top stuff to boot. From the first note, the bass rips right into you: it's dark; it's brooding; it's orchestral; it's melodic; and it's hard-charging, just like metal can be. The song carries only one voice--Emma Hewitt's-- but Mikkas is a wizard at vocal splicing to where it sounds like a choir of angels. I feel like a lowercase demi-god when I listen to this at full volume. Too bad it's the radio edit.

Koven - "More Than You" [DC Breaks Remix]



Hardcore drum 'n bass. This one has guitars in it. To some degree, electronic music is supposed to be repetitious for dance purposes or whatever, and I'm fine with that, but this is one of those instances where I'm disappointed that there isn't more variety in the lyrics/chorus. The second chorus repeats the same as the first. The Video: The video is awesome. It takes a 2-D photo and tries to go all 3-D on you with some very creative graphics. Although I've seen this technique used elsewhere since first viewing this, this was the first time I came across anything like that in a music video.

Koven is a London duo made up of Max Rowat & Katie Boyle. I don't know too much about DC Breaks.

Loadstar - "Refuse To Love"



Melodic, heavy drum 'n bass. Not surprisingly, the song is about refusing to love. Additionally, there seems to be key and clever changes in word usage going on that prevent this song from being what it actually wants to be...or that help the song stay exactly as it should be...whichever is which. For the video, I didn't like it at first, but it grew on me after a few plays and now I see where they were trying to go with it. The actors play a couple working out their frustrations by breaking items in the room and playfully tossing paint at each other. To be sure, you can see on their faces that they're having a good time doing it, which only makes sense due to the aforementioned changes in the lyrics. Basically, "couples therapy."

Next up...

Now marks the first appearance in the journal for Virtual Riot, a young producer from Germany. He made these two tracks before he was 20. Both of them are dubstep.

Lisa Rowe - "Black Light" [Virtual Riot Remix]



^^ This is a good example of where a producer can completely change the essence of song with a remix. The original version of "Black Light" can be heard here. Virtual Riot has said in interviews that a big influence for him is, in fact, metal.

Virtual Riot (ft. Lisa Rowe) - "Never Gonna Die"



Not quite as metal-sounding as the previous, but IMO, "Black Light" and "Never Gonna Die" should go hand-in-hand. "Never Gonna Die" also goes by the title "Alive" depending on which YouTube video you pull up.

KDrew - "Circles" [Original Mix]



Great piano work to start off with, although it kind of reminds me of Final Fantasy X's "Zanarkand." Then the vocals come in and they're on the boy-bandish side to be frank about it. If 'N Sync and dubstep had a baby, it might sound something like this. Or maybe One Direction or whatever is popular nowadays. But not to worry too much, after the first chorus the dubstep is soon to follow. Now, I like KDrew as a producer, even if a lot of his newer stuff is more on the pop side than what this is. YouTube commenter: "Can we get this without the dubstep?" Um, no.

Fun fact: I hear people say all the time that dubstep is popular, but there is no electronic music station where I'm at (generic dance radio tunes don't count), and no one I know listens to this type of music. As such, I was taken off-guard when I heard "Circles" at a hockey game. I wasn't sure at that moment if that meant I had to turn in what little I had of my underground cred. Very unexpected, particularly because when KDrew first released this, he gave it away as a free download.

Xilent (ft. Grimm) - "Falling Apart I"



There are two versions here: "Falling Apart I" is electro house, and it's the one I'm posting as it feels more metal in its construction. It's not a perfect song as the vocals are on the weak side, but at least it's crunchy. "Falling Apart II" took elements from the first and transitioned itself into dubstep. "II" feels, naturally, like a dubstep song.

Diamond Eyes - "Rivers"



Nice growl in this one.

Feint - "One Last Time"



An instrumental drum 'n bass song. Fast-paced. Brutal.

Vonikk - "Avant Guard"



Dubstep instrumental. Almost like it wants to go into an '80s guitar solo at some points.

Also-Mentions: Pendulum's "The Tempest" and "Witchcraft.", both clickable links. I also think Omnia's "The Fusion" would work here, but I already included that in last entry's "The Bangers-Only Club: Part I."

Ruminations & General Nonesensory: I honestly find it fascinating that some of the people I grew up with who used to listen to rock and nu metal can't get into this type of electronic music. These are also the same folks who grew up with electronic music in their video games. I find it so fascinating that I'd find it of great interest to see some case studies on the subject. Really getting to the nitty gritty of why there is such a seperation of tastes from individuals with very similar backgrounds. Is it as simple as not wanting/caring/having time to allow oneself to take on new sounds/interests/technique? One cares more about music, generally, than the other? It's not like it's a generational gap or something like that. I'm certain they wouldn't like the slower stuff either. I'm sure I could expand on this topic some more, but this'll do.

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"All over a bowl of bitter beans."

Aux-In

I mentioned BT, or Brian Transeau, earlier in the journal when I was talking about a remix he collaborated on with Morgan Page. BT has been in the game a long time, and he's one of the pioneers of the trance genre. The following is a review of his ninth album. I wrote it in real time as I listened to the album in its entirety for the first time, making edits and revisions after the fact to make it readable for the journal.


I'll start with the media packaging. The layout is very simple. Nothing fancy on the front cover, other than whatever type of haircut BT is sporting and the fact that he’s split himself into three. The title A Song Across Wires has the A letters missing the cross-lines and the E is backwards, so it's possible to assume that some futuristic material is headed the listener's way. At least that's the kind of typeface I see reserved for all things having to do with sci-fi. In this instance, it's more likely to do with BT trying to convey and connect his thoughts and emotions via technological outputs, which would fit the theme of some of his past album titles, such as Movement In Still Life and Emotional Technology. The inside foldout has some additional pictures of BT, with the album credits in the middle that are laid out in a way that mimic the wires supporting an old-school telephone system. The back of the CD has BT in some sort of The Matrix-like setting, but instead of a bunch of elusive figures, it's just a dude, BT, chillin' in a black t-shirt.

1) “Skylarking” leads things off. This track I had heard before, and it's one of those songs you have to hear a number of times to appreciate.


“Skylarking” takes the listener through states of calm all the way through rolling, thunderous synths. Even though it’s clear there’s a lot going on, and on some level it gives off a sense of warmth, life, birth and rebirth, there are other times where it feels cold to the touch, which is an oft-mentioned complaint that a lot of people have about electronic music. It wouldn't be until several x amount of time later (don't remember the time frame) that I watched the music video, and it did help to bring a different dynamic to the song. The video itself is brilliantly shot with multiple scenes of nature set to time-lapse photography, something that is often a staple of many a trance video. Here, again, is another bridge between real nature and computer-based music.

2) “Letting Go”: Alright, hearing this for the first time. I recognize the vocals as JES (Jes Brieden). Wow, I think this is dubstep. Didn’t expect that from BT. It starts off with a full chorus but it also has the line “letting go” spliced and repeated throughout--consistently--but not in too cheap a way as BT’s complexity is still evident. For me, it just depends on how this technique is implemented before I can decide if it ruins the song. Similar to how the line “electric gloooow” is used in Tritonal's aptly titled, you guessed it, "Electric Glow," a song that I mentioned in the Tritonia: Chapter 002 review, I find this particular type of repetition annoying. Now we’re on to the midway point, but it's not really adding too much to the song.

3) “Tomahawk”: We’re clearly back to trance here, albeit with an ever-so-slight dub influence. Sounds kind of empty. According to Wikipedia, this song would reach #1 on Beatport's trance charts at some point during its life cycle. Just because it doesn't work from the comfort of my computer, that doesn't mean it wouldn't work in the clubs.

4) “City Life”: From the nature setting that “Skylarking” gave us, we now transition into “City Life.” This is a vocal track, and the language used is clearly foreign. Perhaps Japanese? BT keeps things light here as the track isn’t too busy. Then we hit the two-minute mark and things pick up and some bass is added. Not sure what this is. I’m guessing progressive house. I know I said at the outset of this journal that I didn’t want to get bogged down in genres, but sometimes I can’t help myself. *Goes to look up the genre in real time*… Ah, I see now that it’s electro house. By the end of the song it slows down again and some sort of flute finishes out the track. Overall, the song isn’t resonating with me. Note: The vocalist is K-Pop singer Bada (Choi Sung-hee).


5) “Stem The Tides”: Expecting a water-like vibe here. A vocal track. Back to English now. Hearing some chimes mixed in. The lyrics are nothing to write home about, with BT highlighting the vocals “Oh oooh oh oooh” as the main draw. The track is mid-tempo. Neither the beat nor the vocals really grab me.

6) “Tonight”: JES back on vocals. These are the lyrics…the only lyrics:

Tonight, our night, our night.
Tonight, I’ll remember always.”

I don’t know. Meh.

7) “Live Divine”: Sounds like an updated Depeche Mode song, although it has a pop structure with the way the vocals are laid out. There is some sort of echo effect on the vocals that makes them seem more distant than they need to be. In looking at the credits, I see that Christian Burns is on vocals. He’d have a good cross-over rock voice, which you can hear in this collaboration with Maison & Dragen.

8) “Surrounded”: A slower track. Male vocals that sound too high-pitched in their application. The beat is too flat for me as well, even though it has BT’s signature variations.

9) “Vervoeren”: Hmm. This sounds ominous. It’s an instrumental. Let’s see where this goes. At the end of it now, and it didn't seem to go anywhere.

10) “Calling Your Name”: A vocal track. A lead-up then a break with the line “Calling Your Name” repeated, similar to the other tracks. Picks up again midway. Is that a dubstep drop? *Heads to web site to make sure. Clicks on title.* Nope, it’s a trance tune with a BPM of 132. Such trickery. Decent drive to the song. Might need to give it a few more listens. Note: This album has a ton of collaborations. All tracks were mixed by BT, except this one. It was mixed by Tritonal.

11) “Must Be The Love”: In addition to "Skylarking," this is the second track that I knew about previous to spinning the album. And with two tracks to go, I already know this is going to be the best track on the disc. This is, however, my first time hearing the full version instead of the radio edit. Nadia Ali on vocals, and they’re top notch. This is trance. The first 1:45 or so starts off slower than the radio edit, which I have to say is quite an adjustment. As I’m hearing it now, that portion sounds like filler. But not after that. Now we’re talkin’. The first drop (trance isn’t really known for drops, it's not really a drop in that sense) is different than the second, with the second one being more complex, thus making the instrumental part of the song unique in its design when put up against a lot of its counterparts. I can see why the decision was made to go with the radio edit. While purists might deride something like this as too poppy for an output by BT, I don't think it does enough to cross over into straight-pop territory. You know pop when you hear it.


12) “Lifeline”: Our final track. Not feeling it.


Overall, I think it's a fairly balanced album. I wouldn't say that the style of the album is necessarily for me, but it could be one of those deals where you've got to give the entire album several spins, or hear it in a type of setting for which it was designed. As it were, musical taste is in the ear of the beholder.


BT is known for his complexity and his ability to interlace an extreme amount of edits into his music. Indeed, a song from one of BT's earlier releases has a record to its name...

BT (musician) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hear the song:



BT is now quoted as having set a new record, unofficially at present, with a track that has 10,000 edits. Read more: BT article. Is it good music at that point, or intellectual youknowwhat?

- Also listed on his Wikipedia are some interesting facts about his musical background. This includes some of his background in jazz and classical music.

- BT composed the music for the 2001 film The Fast and the Furious. I saw that film in the theaters upon its release. I wouldn't get heavily into this type of electronic music until about 2011. Small world.

- BT is working on a project to translate his electronic compositions to a real symphony--with instruments!

Read more: No Money, No Problems.

Some interviews with BT:

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"All over a bowl of bitter beans."

Aux-In

I finally got around to reviewing this...


1) “In The Air”: The album opens with a bang. I don’t know musically what’s going on (I wish I did), but it already sounds different than most EDM I come across. I touched on this song in my other post on Morgan Page, but that was the faster-paced and more abrasive Mord Fustang remix. This being the original. *Duhskees* Anyway, I won’t double up too much here, other than to say that this time the “Hallelujah” is present in the track. BT’s production influence is clearly heard here. "In The Air" is driving, upbeat, and powerful; you could hum this tune all day long. I vouch for this one--original, remix or otherwise:


2) “Where Did You Go”: Vocal track. Pace is about a 7 on a /10 scale. Male vocals. The beat itself is good, it’s that when the vocals come in they're too typical dance-song-sounding for me, for lack of a better term. Perhaps a little too boy-band-esque. Really slow break in the middle of the song. It’s not going to get a return visit most likely, but if I’m comparing it to a lot of what I hear on Pandora on a daily basis, it would stand above more amateur fair. Song would be better with a remix.

3) “Body Work”: This is a quirky one. "Body Work" would qualify as one of those songs that is more accessible to your average listener, as it’s catchy enough to get stuck in your head, even if you might not want it to. Out of all the songs on the album, it would be something I would expect to have been the type of EDM that was popular in the mainstream during that time period (ala Lady Gaga), particularly when compared to the other material that I have been posting in the journal. That said, it never loses its indie feels. Tegan and Sara, another set of twins, just like NERVO, are the featured vocalists. The music video has Tegan and Sara folding laundry at a gym while several of the members perform, I have to say it...lame dance moves. Meanwhile, Morgan Page DJs in the background, and there are some glow sticks to make the video complete. I know it’s dance music, but just between you and me, I don’t even like characterizing it as dance music. But we've got to call it something. I'm particularly not a fan of those types of videos, although music videos that don't make a lick of sense are par for the course when it comes to electronic music.

4) “Carry Me”: The Dyro remix of this song is one of my favorite electronic-vocal tracks. Er, screw that for the moment, I'm supposed to discuss the original. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that the beat and the vocals don't quite fit together like they should on the original version; they sound somewhat out of sync. I think that's what I'm hearing, anyway. The beat: while being straight-line, thumping and repetitious, it sounds hollow at its core. It pains me to say that, because it's still a stellar tune. This is one of Nadia Ali's best vocal performances that I've heard to date. I can tell that the quality of the original composition + vocals is there; it would take a really lousy remixer to come in and mess things up. Like much of the album, it’s dance-able, but not too mainstream where you'd have to break out the cheese.


5) “The Only One”: Vocally it sounds Latin-influenced, even though it’s got a dance beat. Not on par with the first four songs.

6) “S.O.S. (Message In A Bottle)”: Is this going to be a The Police cover or something? Let’s see. Yes, it looks that way.

Tangent: I know from some other selections I have come across that Sting has been receptive to having his material covered by individuals in the electronic community. Or at least whoever wrote the song. Typically, an approved adaptation (not a cover) will function as a separate, stand-alone song, and then it will be "remixed." It's called an adaptation because the original production wasn't used, therefore disqualifying it to be a proper remix. I'm sure there's some royalties minutia going on as to why they don't use the original production.

/tangent

Well, other than being another cover, it doesn't add anything new to the legacy of the song.

7) “The Actor”: Getting a pseudo-Radiohead, indie-rock vibe on this track. Standard tune. Nothing special. I do like some of the background sounds I’m hearing, but the song is nothing earth-shattering. Seems to me it’s a song about self-loathing and wearing a social mask:

Teeth white smile white,
Distant look here in my eyes,
I can fake it all the time,
Teeth white smile white,
Distant look here in my eyes,
I can fake it all the time,

I’m the actor.

8) “Missing”: If all you want in your music is to hear the line “Missing your love, missing your love, I’ll be missing your love,” then this is certainly the song for you. Moving on…

9) “Light Years”: Richard Walters on vocals. Not up to snuff with some of the better material here.

10) “Loves Mistaken”: Vocalist is Shelley Harland. Haven’t heard her before, but she sounds good. It’s a progressive-house tune with dance-pop flavor. Possibly the most traditionally structured, commercial track on the album. Too standard dance-sounding for me. "Loves Mistaken" won’t make it to my rotation, but, like most of the songs on the album, it would stand out if you pitted it against a lot of the other stuff I come across on my Pandora station.

11) “Gimme Plenty”: Club tune with a lounge vibe that maintains an energetic pace throughout. Has a sultriness to it. I’d liken it to “Lovefool” by the Cardigans if I was describing this to an alternative-music listener who’s never heard a dance song in his/her life.

12) “Video”: Tegan and Sara again. This is catchy as hell.


I’m looking at the lyrics, and I have no earthly idea what they’re on about, so I will be unable to provide any pithy comments on this one.

Hide inside like a middle school kid
Flip the screen of the tube instead
Horror films in black and white
Pull the shades from day to night

I knew I was looking for thrills
I lose myself looking for thrills
I knew I was looking for thrills
I lose myself looking for thrills

My mind is full of video tape
Hit the streets so hard
Take your body in the night

13) “Addicted”: I have heard this one before. The vocalist, Greg Laswell, keeps a calm and soothing tone throughout. It’s a good closer to the album.

SUMMATION

Best Track: "In The Air"
Worst Track: "Missing"

I would have no problem with this CD being in my collection. Clearly, it already is. While at times in this review I might seem overly critical of those songs I didn't like, they're not too bad, even if they're a bit "samey" in some respects. I’m looking at the credits now and it says "All songs by Morgan Page except" the ones that were collaborations: 1 – 4 and 12. This confirms Morgan Page’s unfortunate status of me liking the remixes over his originals (there are no remixes on this album).

===============================

JOURNAL ENTRY STATISTICS FOR THIS REVIEW

Time listening to CD: 56 minutes, 20 seconds
Total time spent on review*: 240 minutes

*from the moment I opened the cellophane on the CD, to the exact moment when I hit the submit reply button. This includes prep time, sourcing YouTube links, scanning album art, editing and proofreading the journal entry, etc.

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Reviews l YouTube Playlist: Another Dimension

"All over a bowl of bitter beans."

Aux-In

I thought I would give this album and its remixed counterpart a try after hearing, and liking, OceanLab's "On A Good Day (Metropolis)." Here are the results:

TRACKLISTING

The CD packaging is of the paper variety with a construction that is made from 40% recycled material. Not to be outdone, the inner-disc tray is made from "100% recycled material with at least 35% post-consumer materials," as is proudly written on the clear plastic. The inside foldouts contain lyrics for all of the tracks as well as additional photos of OceanLab, including Justine Suissa, the lead vocalist, submerged in water and in thought. Because? Well, that's just what sirens do. Sirens gonna siren.

Note: When this type of packaging started to come en vogue, I remained partial to hard-CD cases, but over the years, I've come to like, and prefer, this type of packaging. If I had the resources to do so, I'd convert my entire collection to paper-printed albums like this.

1) "Just Listen": The song opens with a piano and what sounds like a synth. The pace is midtempo. Tension building now. Stutter-step piano keys that transition into full-on piano work. Vocals then come in and they are more humming/calm/enchanting in nature. The track finishes out with a slow piano as it transitions into track two. In classical mythology, a siren is a sea creature that lured sailors to destruction with her enchanting signing. As this is only an introductory track, it's not clear yet what this dame is up to. Be that as it may, it's time to alter our voyage's course and follow that distant sound.

2) "Sirens of the Sea": A midtempo/slightly uptempo beat to start off this track. Suissa keeps her whisper tones, which is something I will expect throughout the rest of the album. “Follow me,” she says.

Leaving reason far behind
Nothing here is cruel or kind
Only your desire to set me free
Let us lie here all alone
Worn away like river stone
Let us be the sirens of the sea

Is she leading the crew to safety, or is she making promises of some aquatic utopia as she steers the crew into the depths of the ocean?

The song: it’s boring. Even though I like Suissa's calmer approach at times, a more upbeat instrumental would work better for this track. I guess it’s just hit or miss. The chorus parts make the song what it is, however. A clearly-boomed voice lays out the line “Sirens of the Sea” as the song comes to an end.

3) "If I Could Fly": Also a midtempo song. This one’s catchier and Suissa's voice has gained a strength, power and confidence that wasn't present on the first two tracks. The album takes a detour from the sea theme as the lyrics recall a day, of no particular importance, where the protagonist is trying to make her way home (via train) from some sort of errand or event, all the while trying to acclimate to harsh, cold weather. At some point she takes a look at her surroundings, only to find desolate faces and empty souls.

A simple smile can change a day
An understanding look can say
I know exactly how you feel
But we have learned to build our walls
So very strong and very tall
For fear of what the world might steal

If I close my eyes a minute
See a world and then I'm in it
Stand alone and grow my wings
To take me high

If I could fly
See the world beneath me
Feel as though I'm set free
Oh if I could fly

The way I read the lyrics: she wants to escape whatever sense of isolation that she is feeling, not only from herself, but from other people.

4) "Breaking Ties": Wistful sound. More of a talking track than singing so far. Now guitars come in for the first time and she starts singing the lullaby "da da da dum." The guitars were cool, but this is not a song I need to give another listen. A fade-out finishes the song, which is an indicator that OceanLab didn't have a good closer for the track. Lyrically, it's about coming to terms with a relationship that had both good and bad. Or is it about something else? The lyrics are ambiguous, but I wouldn't want it any other way -- I don't want the meaning spelled out for me. Given the track title, I'll go with it having something do with a breakup.

5) "Miracle": Slow-tempo track with a slow build and some piano work. Vocals have gone soft and whisper-like again and later some bass comes in. There is a light and relaxing vibe with OceanLab succinctly incorporating sounds that seem to emanate from an icy environment. I can't tell if the message of the song is religious or anti-religious, or not about religion at all. Something about ice caps melting away and people hoping for a miracle. At the risk of sounding just a little too glib, this is a yuppieish track that, if I wasn't doing a review of the album, wouldn't get anywhere close to registering on my care-‘o-meter. Way too slow for me. That doesn't mean that the song and its message won’t resonate with a different target demographic.

6) "Come Home": It's full speed ahead now as this fast-tempo song revitalizes things. Unlike the previous two tracks, ambiguity is forgotten and this is the most honest and vulnerable the siren has been on the album. The subject matter is about regretting an argument and other relationship dilemmas.

Come home
You know I didn't mean to say the things I said
Come home
Don't leave me here with all these thoughts inside my head

This is the kind of track that is a nice break from some of the more abrasive stuff I have in my collection. Usually what happens is I throw something like this in a mix in order to remind me that it’s there.

7) "On A Good Day": Although I know I'm probably going to like the Metropolis mix that I have already posted, I’m giving the track its original, full respect for the first time. It's the catchiest song with the catchiest chorus, so far, but I'm finding the instrumental parts to be boring. Again, the Metropolis version beats this.

8) "Ashes": Jungle-sounding beat with some background guitars. The song is midtempo. Have we washed ashore? Nope, doesn't seem so, as lyrically it appears that at this point in the journey, the siren has turned the tide and is taking ships under, all the while keeping to that subtle, whisper tone:

Ashes take me back to earth
Water quench my human thirst.

Not really sure the vocals work in the proper manner that the beat is supposed to convey. This wouldn't be too bad as an instrumental track. Now bongo drums near the end give the song some drive and *oomph*. I think there’s a violin in here and maybe a harp or something.

9) "I Am What I Am": Slow tempo again. Vocals sound better here. The beat sounds basic ‘90s breakbeat to me, just slowed down and not as raspy. The catchy part here is “I am what I am.” Balance of talk-singing in the track.

10) "Lonely Girl": This is the standout track.


When I watch the music video, I'm all like, “Yes. Yes, I do want to date a girl who is way out of my league and take her out on the town, take photos with her, get in a fight with her, break up with her, and then show up out of nowhere to get back together and make out with her. That sounds like a blast.” Truthfully, if I'm supposed to relate this to myself, I think the message here is that life is too ****ing short and there are more important things in life than whatever selfish endeavor I decide to give a **** about on any given day. Right?

11) “Secret”: Sounds similar but different to “I Am Who I Am.” Suissa tries a different vocal range here; they double-track her voice. She may have a secret, but she's not spilling the beans, so as a song, I don't really see the point of it. I'd say this was an addition to fit some kind of story arc, with this one relating back to the relationship theme.

12) "On The Beach": Hearing guitars. Clear vocals, although they are monotone in their application. In keeping with the title, this would be something to listen to while enjoying the freedom and freshness of the beach.

13) "Breaking Ties": An aquatic ending that gives the listener a true sense of the sea while bringing a sunset on the album. Vocals come in, almost like a siren. Spooky ambiance like you’re adrift over the sea. More of the truth and lies, fooling herself, conflicted-emotions dynamic. Slow build is worked up along with the vocals, and the effect is building tension while remaining bleak-sounding. At 2:50 in the song, the pace slows even more. Vocals come back in with “...a life I had not lived yet." This is more of an outro, so it probably isn't supposed to be a song in that sense, although it might speak to those who are into more of a drone, atmospheric type of deal.


It's not clear if OceanLab is trying to tell some sort of story arc or they were simply using sea concepts as inspiration for the album. I was all set to do a write-up tying everything together with all matters sea-related, but I had to scrap that halfway through because the album bounces back and forth between the sea theme and tracks with a relationship/inner-turmoil theme that have nothing to do with water, sand, sirens or shipwrecks. For Suissa, her vocal range goes from whisper tones to mid-range signing, but it doesn't venture beyond that. If this is supposed to be a storytelling album, then I can see it working. If not, it’s no different than any other album with some filler material. If you're looking for something to set voyage to, listen to the album as a whole. If it's bounty you're after, check out tracks 3, 6, 7 and 10.


1) Thump, thump, thump beat with a wafting synth in the background. I call it a synth, but I really have no clue what the technical musical term is. It’s clear at this point that this is more of the sound I’m going for with my music. Now vocals enter the scene. Not sure yet if they fit the beat. Really wondering if this particular beat would be better with a different vocal track than this, or left alone as an instrumental. I’d go with the original for this song because it’s catchier, however, there’s some good promise in this track. Maybe just have better placement and/or more vocal-stutter edits that sync up better. Not too bad, but won’t return to it.

2) Slower pace here. Hmm. Beat and vocals match better on this one. Aquatic feel with summer vibes. The synths roll over themselves in an interesting pattern. Ambient yet driving. I’d recommend this one over the original. Surf ‘n sand, mates.

3) Can’t define this sound right off the bat. Repetitive bass beat with varying piano layering in the background that is slower in tempo. Secondary bass comes in now. Title is “On The Beach,” but I think you’d have to be hammered to think this song is beach-like. Vocals now and they sound crisp and clear. I said on the original that the vocals were distracting. Here they are not as the vocals are treated properly and are well-balanced. At the 4-minute mark now and the beat goes into a progressive-house drop that hasn't been heard so far on either disc. *Looks track up in real time, and yes, it’s progressive house.* I wouldn't say the song resonates in the way that I’d like it to, but it’s a solid song and leaves you to appreciate the dedication and production talent that the remixer brought to the song. Andy Duguid is underrated in general, IMO. Best track so far, would recommend it over the original.

4) If our siren was lonely before, we have Gareth Emery to the rescue. Or is he? Vocals are about the same, not altered too much. Not feeling the beat as it is distracting when compared to the original. Instead of a “do do do," Emery uses a stutter-edit approach to that portion of the song, and this has the effect of removing the emotion that the original had. Midway through, the beat goes off on its own and we’re left wondering what happened to our lonely girl. Emery is doing his own thing. Vocals come back in at the 5:50 mark, repeating the song's chorus. I guess we know why she feels lonely -- the track comes across as being all about Gareth Emery.

5) Traditional trance beat. This is what’s known as uplifting trance, a subgenre of trance which is comprised of faster beats that run about 138 beats per minute (BPM). There is a weird “talking to myself forever” fadeout in addition to the main chorus that does the same. Not feeling that effect at all, but other than that, this beats the original. *Looking up the track listings in real time and I see that the other uplifting tracks are going to be #6, #7, #8, and #10*. Not everyone likes to break the genres down in this manner, and I can understand that. Unless you spend an enormous amount of time listening to this type of music, how would you really know what’s uplifting, what’s prog, what’s classic, etc.? Uplifting in general is supposed to have faster beats, but to me, since the beats are clumped together, for whatever reason, it sounds slower to me. I’m more of a progressive-trance guy myself.

6) This one is boring me. Not sure if this really adds anything above the original. Oh, what’s this? At the 5-minute mark the beat changes completely into a proper uplifting, fast-paced beat. Now it has added something to make it different, but I'd still pick the original over this remix.

7) This one balances the vocals and the beat to where they don’t feel out of sync. Better than the original, but still no dice on ever playing it again.

8) Catchier beat than some of the others, but then it seems to forget it wants to even be here and it slows down. Then it says, “Oh yeah, I have to do something," so the vocals come in now. What do you want me to say? I’m going to pass on this.

9) Has an *uncha, uncha* club vibe. Reminds me a bit of Andy Moor’s “In Your Arms.” The background...not sure what it is but my brain signals coco-cabana beats or something from the Super Nintendo game Donkey Kong Country. Trying to describe it but I don’t know what it is. A flute, a drum or bongo? Midway through hearing some wood-fire kindling sounds as is indicative of the track’s title. Seems decently produced, but I don’t end up caring about the track.

10) Better match of beat and vocals than the original, but otherwise I have no opinion. No OMG moments when listening to it.


All tracks on this disc are over seven minutes long.

1) Slow piano opening, aquatic feeling. Not all tracks give off an aquatic feeling, I’m just noting the ones that do. Where I said the original was “pointless,” Bayer’s remix gives it life.

2) Piano rift and a light thumpin' bass with vocals. This was the introduction track on the original album, so here, it remains a non-song, and I’m going to do what I haven’t done with any of the other songs so far -- I’m going to skip to the next song.

3) Another remix of “On A Good Day.” Can this beat the Metropilis version? Different vocal arrangement. The line “lost” is repeated to start off the track. Now the track is meandering about, like it doesn't know itself anymore. This would work better in a club atmosphere. I’m skipping to the next track.

4) Upbeat vibe. Piano and synths are fighting for prominence, then the synths explode and the vocals come in. This one over the original, but still no care from me. I'm going to skim over the second half of this disc as this review is getting too long-winded and I find myself looking for an excuse to get distracted.

5) Has a liquid-club vibe (not aquatic). Some different techniques and variations in sounds, which is my thing, so that gets a nod from me.

6) Nope.

7) “Satellite." If track six broke the ties from the original album, it did so to give us the final four tracks, all of which appear to be bonus tracks, and all of them are uplifting trance. Indeed, “Satellite” comes out of nowhere and steals the show. Solid uplifting-trance mix.


8) Another uplifting-trance track. Enjoyable.

9) Mostly an instrumental. The vocals only hum and there are little to no lyrics. Meh.

10) On to the finale. *uncha uncha* beat. Rave-music vibe. Meh.

SUMMATION

Some okay tracks, but largely "Satellite" and the bonus tracks on the second disc would be the reason to pick up this album.

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Reviews l YouTube Playlist: Another Dimension

"All over a bowl of bitter beans."

Aux-In

In this post I browse songs at random from my master list and talk about 'em. Keep in mind, this list has been compiled from listening to music with every spare second, essentially, that I wasn't tending to some sort of obligation. That means that in the tens of thousands of songs I heard over the past few years, these have all made the cut for one reason or another.

I closed my eyes and pointed to the list to pick these songs, one song per page. Currently, the list stands at 312 electronic songs and goes five pages deep. In some cases I had already posted some of the songs picked at random, so I repeated the process until I found songs that I haven't discussed.

THE MASTER LIST (PAPER EDITION)

ASTR is a duo from New York. Their Facebook bio states that they met in a yoga class and that they "shared a musical and artistic sensibility informed by cinema noir, Miami Vice and urban dreamscapes." I would describe this song as a melodic alt-pop song with urban-stoner undertones. Maybe not alt-pop, but city-pop, or urban-pop. I don't quite think it's hip-hop. Or maybe I don't need to care about the genre? Sounds good to me. As it were, it's a really chill song, and the catchy part where it goes "ah, ahahah, ah" is done in a different structure than a lot of songs I've come across. When listening to "Part of Me," I feel like shopping at some sort of upscale, trendy, urban clothing store. But then I'd have to scrap my flannel wear, and that's just not going to happen.


This is a dubstep instrumental by Russian female producer Настя Калинина, or Nastya Kalinina (according to Google Translate). You can hear gun clicks pieced throughout and right before the drops, and these clash with both the intricate piano work and the abrasive sounds of dubstep. It's a subtle-but-clever statement about the dueling dynamics between love & war.


A banger instrumental that I often forget about but hear later and enjoy it just as much as when I first heard it. This is electro house, and it's a fairly simple tune. I chose the radio edit as the original wastes a lot of time in the intro, but if you want the original mix, you can go here.


Top-tier song. I dig the production, synth work, and vocals on this one. And I do like the lyrics "I've been lost in time, forgetting my mind. If I knew what to do, I'd learn how to erase you." From memory, I assume. The end result is solid, hard-ambient dubstep, and it's extremely catchy. The only thing is that it's a bit repetitive in the chorus parts from a lyrical standpoint.


When I first heard this drum & bass song, it didn't really sound like anything to me, as in that it didn't grab me; it sounded distant for some reason. I get an '80s new-wave vibe from this, which isn't a sound I typically gravitate toward. Not my favorite Sub Focus track, but it was a grower and it has made the list nonetheless.

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Reviews l YouTube Playlist: Another Dimension

"All over a bowl of bitter beans."

Aux-In

It wasn't super easy to get info on Koven other than what can be learned via their music, so I had to go off of some of what they wrote on their Facebook and YouTube. Starting in 2011 and going from there, Koven's work has appeared on such channels/labels as UKF, Ministry of Sound, and Viper Recordings. Kate Ashton was the original vocalist for the duo, but she has since been replaced with Katie Boyle. Ashton can be heard/seen in the "More Than You" [DC Breaks Remix] video, although she's better featured in the original, found here. I don't know why Ashton left. Also, as far as I have been able to tell, Koven has yet to release a hard-copy album of their material. In other words, if a hard copy isn't available via Amazon, it doesn't exist to me .

All of the following songs are with Katie Boyle on vocals.


Ethereal song with a depressing undertone without being morose. The video is in slow motion with Boyle simply walking and singing, which Rowat noted he did in order to introduce the new singer, although it was probably to adhere to a shoe-string budget .


Really nice, melodic choon. I've tried hard to understand the music video, and I just don't get it. An old man can be seen watching three girls in street clothes wandering around abandoned ruins. Is he the groundskeeper? It looks like he has a call radio, so I think he might be a security guard? The girls all look very somber, as if something important at the site had happened, or as if they're there to remember a dead friend or something. Other parts of the video feature Boyle singing, but she's not a fixture in the scenes; it's really more like she's there to narrate what's going on (via her singing). Later, the girls light a flare and burn some [I'm guessing] trash as some sort of ritual? To move on from something painful? Is this symbolic? I just don't get it. If it was one person, that kind of symbolism might make more sense, but because there are three of them, it signifies to me that they all would've had a shared experience. What kind of experience that is, we don't know, as this is never explained. When looking at the lyrics, I still have no idea, but man I'd really like to know.


Positive vibes. Normally, my cut-off on a lead-in is one minute and 30 seconds. If I'm not interested at that point, I will skim the rest of the song, and if I don't hear anything, the song won't make the cut. This one is worth it, even if the first 2:20 takes its sweet time. Then the bass drops and you're good to go. The video is a bit of slight of hand: it features live video from EXIT Festival 2014, but the song appears to be the studio version.


Some of Koven's earlier work left Boyle's vocals somewhat untreated, which had the effect of making the vocals sound like they were on a different plain in comparison to the instrumental. Rowat has since improved on his mixing techniques, and as a result, his work is more balanced. And, while I think Kate Ashton's voice had more power, even if enhanced, I can still appreciate that Koven has that underdog nature about them. I really like these guys and think they can continue to grow in a positive direction. A new EP is expected in June of 2015.

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Reviews l YouTube Playlist: Another Dimension

"All over a bowl of bitter beans."

Thelonious Monkey

Just wondering, you got anything like this?

Aux-In

There are several elements to that song, so it depends on what you're looking for: vocals; the underlying, slower "trapish" beat; the vocal splicing; the feel of the song; or when the song breaks into the dubstep-like drop, etc. If you're looking for a song where the style has the vocalist more talking the lyrics than singing, the bad news is that I have little to no talk-singing tracks on my list. The good news is, however, that I reviewed said list in order to deem the following songs as being anywhere close to what you seek.

Virtual Riot (ft. Amba Shepherd) - "Superhuman" [Titchimoto Chill Out Remix]



^^ Slow, chill song in the talk-singing style. Coffee house, poetry type of vibe.

Receptor & Maximova - "Bayu Bayu"



^^ This one has a lot of different technical elements like the song you posted, except for talk-singing, although it does contain a foreign language.

Faustix & Imanos (ft. Data Romance) - "Echoes"



^^ Kind of has talk-singing, and it's more driving than your song.

Motorcycle - "As the Rush Comes" [Gabriel & Dresden Chill Out Remix]



^^ Surreal as ferk. Top tune.

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Reviews l YouTube Playlist: Another Dimension

"All over a bowl of bitter beans."

Plankton

I've pulled quite a few tracks from this journal, and will be checking them out over the next few days. Pretty good stockpile so far. I'm getting into more of the electro stuff lately.

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