Reviews

You’re in for a treat from the Italian producer that brought you “Satisfaction” and “Cinema”. Benny has tastefully created uplifting house music for decades, and now he is back with remix of a house classic.

Marshall Jefferson’s 1986 hit, ” Move your Body” is an iconic house music track that brought life to the underground parties, at the beginning of a rave revolution. Since the beginning, future generations of DJ’s and Producers have been inspired by tracks like this. Now that dance music is stronger than ever, and with new artists bursting in the scene almost faster than the speed of sound, we can’t help but wonder how the classics would sound  if they were written almost 26 years later.

The piano section at the beginning has been replaced with a collective of strings and brass synths, the track eases in smoothly. A longer and digital reverb has been added to compliment the polished re-work of the backing track. Some of the original elements of track were incorporated in to the remix such as the main hook, 808 sounding drums and the piano. More bass has been added to emphasise the bass drum, whilst sounding plucky. Benny Benassi has always brought fresh ideas to the table. Having been in the music industry since the late eighties, Benny doesn’t only move the times, he is one step ahead.

Whenever you tell a non-dance-music-educated (or NDME) individual that you like dance music, you’re often met with a eye-rolling reaction followed by a hefty sigh and a comment along the lines of “anything not made with an instrument isn’t music” or “what like that ‘Cascada’ shit?”

The truth is, as you and I (the more educated followers of the genre) know, is that dance music is as varied and musically accomplished as every other genre – providing you make the effort to find the “good shit”.

And here we have some real steamy good shit. “Control” is an EP released by Shifted on the “Our Circula Sound” label that in the space of just three tracks would be sure to wipe the smiles off those arrogant toss-pots that talk down the genre. It starts of with Telic, a high-tempo but deep club track that would finish most peoples nights off – but in a fashion that would have you leaving the venue grinning from ear to ear. It’s shifty but constructed. “Solus” is also high-tempo but ferociously melodic, vibrant yet strangely comforting. I don’t know how to put it except that it’s like wearing a really warm blanket in winter that happens to be pulsing madly with coloured light.

“Image Tunnel” is an inspiring wind down, it’s more downbeat and sounds like the kind of music you hear playing when you go to see those weird and wonderful art-movies at festivals – and I mean that in the best possible way, it’s wonderfully invigorating.

Control then is extremely melodic, high/slow tempo, atmospheric, there are some awesome beats here, the perfect soundtrack to late night saturday shenanigans.

Released 16th December 2011 on Our Circular Sound Records

Counterstrike bring us the fourth chapter of the collaboration series on their own imprint ‘Counterstrike Recordings’. Previous releases have included dancefloor destroyers with heavyweight names such as Cooh, Receptor and DJ Hidden, and this latest offering doesn’t disappoint. The two tracks featuring German neuro master Current Value (Obsessive 3am Mix/Obsessive 4am Mix) are typical of the styles of both these well established artists – in-your-face, pounding, relentless Drum & Bass.

There’s nothing especially groundbreaking about these two tunes but fans of this genre will appreciate their no-nonsense darkness. Counterstrike & Nympho – ‘Midway’ is more of a rolling tune, with sharp bass stabs and intricate breaks guaranteed to get the crowd moving.

The stand out track on this EP is the collaboration with Syd Vischi (aka Hybris). A grumbling bassline sits behind what sounds like the world’s tightest snare drum. In fact I’m dying to hear this on a big soundsystem, one of those tracks you know is going to knock you back a foot or two when it drops.

An all-round solid release from South Africa’s finest pioneers of the dark!