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Trance Forum » » Forum  Music Reviews - Maelstrom aka DJ Emok, Iboga rec, nov 007
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Maelstrom aka DJ Emok, Iboga rec, nov 007

aden
IsraTrance Full Member

Started Topics :  81
Posts :  212
Posted : Nov 22, 2007 22:20
Artist : Maelstrom aka DJ Emok
Title : Maelstrom
Label : Iboga CD52
Format : CD & MP3
Cover : http://twohandsdistribution.com/images/covers/ibogacd52-500.jpg

Tracklist

1. The Bomb —126 bpm
2. React (with Liquid Soul) — 130 bpm
3. Da Shizzy (Motion Drive remix) — 128 bpm
4. Breaking The Border — 133 BPM
5. Red Wine (with Hydrophonic) — 135 bpm
6. Walking Tall — 128 bpm
7. Disco chick —128 bpm
8. Harbour Candy (with NDSA) —128 bpm
9. Chapster (with Nyquist) — 130 bpm
10. Chapster (Perfect Stranger rmx) — 128 bpm

Mikael Dahlgaard is one of the founding fathers of Iboga records, and has been releasing top-notch quality music for the past 10 years. He has also made a name for himself as one of the most in-demand DJs in the world of Progressive music. As a music producer, he has published two full-length albums together with Jeppe Ornkilde, under the name of Phoney Orphants. “Symphony”, the first one, has deservedly been hailed as a milestone of recent years’ output. A couple of years later, the second album made itself noticed for integrating electro to the realm of progressive trance. After a few singles, he’s now releasing his first solo album under his new moniker Maelstrom, with the support of some distinguished sidemen of the progressive scene.

1. The Bomb
The Bomb is a housy groover with a sweet bouncy bass line that progressively ushers in soft echoing pads which gradually receive more reverb and build up a more airy atmosphere in the second half of the track. The rhythmic ideas are catchy and not only is it a great opener with low bpm and high groove energy, but it makes you step into the dance immediately.

2. React
React is a collab with one of the pillars of Iboga records, Nicola Capobianco aka Liquid Soul who released a stand out album at his home label in 2006. His discography also includes heaps of tracks at the best Progressive labels such as Plastik Park, Plusquam, Sog, Blue Tunes, Spinn Twist and Domo, some of them written with DJ Martin under the Earsugar moniker, or at Iboga Mexico with Ace Ventura as Liquid Ace. The track features a compelling rhythmic section with a more pounding bassline. The first short break features a very tasty voice sample which should light up smiles on dance floor faces, while the second one introduces a more atmospheric melodic line which endows the last sequences with a trancey feel. No doubt this will make all parts of your body wriggle and will please the demanding crowds on the dance floors.

3. Da Shizzy (Motion Drive rmx)
Next is a rmx with one of the Iboga regulars, the Zurich based producer Philip Guillaume, also part of the Rumble Pack and Natural Flow projects, who was already on rmx duty in Perfect Stranger’s recent rmx album, and has had a few digital releases earlier this year. Emok’s original was a memorable sweet and groovy cracker published in the last edit of the “Summer Collection” compilation. The rmx pitches up the tempo and brings the piece into trancey territories with a nice rhythmic section but leaves out the hick up motif which made the original so groovadelicious. This is well done, however no real original ideas in there.

4. Breaking the border
This new solo contribution has more Phoney Orphants’ accents and features Emok’s ability to build up intelligent and compelling groove based on a nice melodic vein infused with pop reminiscences. The break injects some smothered vocal samples and launches the second half of the track which features brief atmospheric sections. This is dancefloor friendly and uplifting at once.

5. Red Wine (with Hydrophonic)
The fifth piece is cowritten with the South African project Hydrophonic known for its full-on releases at Nano records, but whose interest in Progressive has lead to a couple of tracks, one of them published at Flow records. “Red Wine” provides a higher octane rhythmic combo but the synth work and general arrangements of the piece sound fluffy and it would arguably require more tannin to make it a fullbodied red wine. But it is a matter of personal taste.

6. Walking Tall
With Walking Tall, the album takes a more electro twist, and showcases Emok’s soft spot for today’s trend in Progressive. And it does the job really well! given that the track has already been caned by some of the prominent DJs around. This is fat pumping electro with rubbery synth meant for the dance floor, and again, the melodic progression after the break combined with the vocoded vocal interventions makes it interesting all the way.

7. Disco Chick
Disco chick remains in the same register and pretty much the same range of arrangements with more emphasis on the rocking hi-hat. This is siliconed hammering electro funk for clubby fans, and will work dance-floor wonders as well.

8. Harbour Candy (with NDSA)
Co-written with New Disco Sound Alliance, the housier side of all-time favourite Ticon, this track has already had a nice discographic destiny having been released in Ace Ventura’s compilation “New Order”, digitally reprinted at Prestige, and last but not least, nicely remixed by French duo Solead. Its insertion in this CD is justified to further illustrate the electro-house skills of our man, with a strong emphasis on the vocal edge of electro, thanks to the voice of Filip from Ticon.

9. Chapster
This track sees another precious collaboration with Freq’s housier side-project Nyquist, who has an album in preparation due out at Iboga in 2008. Chapster features a forceful prog-house build-up that will lead you to the electrifying climax of the break. It orchestrates and expertly stages the final sequences with the beat slamming back on the groovy hand claps, light electro stabs and airy motifs. This is peak time music which will earn massive dance floor response.

10. Chapster (Perfect Stranger rmx)
The piece is also remixed by another highly respected musician from Iboga : Perfect Stranger, whose recent production (check his rmx album “Changed” or his “Eyes Wide Opened” at Iboga Mexico, to name but a few) is constantly evolving and ceaselessly takes the demanding listener to newer and broader sonic horizons. It dubs the piece with a unique blend of softer, atmospheric, technoish beats, with a rich yet subtle orchestration that is all about elegance, especially in the light percussion treatment or the kind of dim, smothered voice he adds in the first half. Great concluding piece that gives a deeper edge to the original!

Bottom line:
This is a successful first solo album loaded with dancefloor friendly tools, and also a real treat for the ear, showcasing Emok’s talent in production skills. My preference goes to the low BPM solo and collab tracks as he thrives in the prog-house, prog-electro register. Another winner from Iboga!

http://www.iboga.dk
http://www.myspace.com/ibogarecords
http://www.myspace.com/ibogaemok
http://www.progressivetunes.com
Nathan
IsraTrance Senior Member

Started Topics :  301
Posts :  3605
Posted : Dec 15, 2007 13:50
Good album.
my Hebreview

http://www.layla.co.il/ContentView/ContentView.aspx?cimid=117632&cid=116

          -=The Meaning Of Life Is To Give Life A Meaning=
xrust
IsraTrance Full Member

Started Topics :  63
Posts :  1742
Posted : Dec 18, 2007 11:26
nice album overall,but i miss the dirtiness of phoney.
track number 2 was the only one i had the chance to test in dancefloor,and it is very effective           Signature:



Trance Forum » » Forum  Music Reviews - Maelstrom aka DJ Emok, Iboga rec, nov 007
 
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