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Recently I managed to lay my hand on a promo of Gareth Emery's new compilation: 'The Podcast Annual 2007'.
.. And i couldn't wait to get this thing started. But the moment i started listening, i couldn't detach myself from my earphones for whole 2 hours!!!
Gareth definitely takes you on an unbelievable journey with his work!
Don't attempt to listen to the CDs if you don't have the time to finish them up!
I read the review of the compilation at www.trance.nu, and i think they did a great job, so here it is!
"The Gareth Emery Podcast has been a key feature to his growing stature on the trance scene. One of the top twenty most downloaded dance music podcasts (itunes chart) and nominated for an award at last year’s Miami Winter Music Conference, twice a month it gives the general public a neatly packaged selection of Gareth’s really rather good taste in music. The Podcast Annual 2007 aims to bring together the highlights of the podcast over the last year, future hits and exclusives. Anyone who listens to the podcast will know it builds from house, through progressive to driving trance over the course of 45-60 minutes and a glance at the tracklist shows plenty of treats on offer.
CD1
After a short atmospheric ambient breakbeat intro he fires in the fantastic Iman – We Are You by the mighty Andy Moor, which is as good as any prog trancer released this year, chunky beats, smooth pads, gentle melodies and excellent use of female vox create a perfect groove. Next up is a podcast favourite artist, the Dutchman Eelke Kleijn with 8 Bit Era. This is progressive electro house perfection, bouncy as you like, a record that is bursting with joy. The meaty and trippy Under The Influence by the awesome David West follows, that is all haunting vocals with excellent use of effects before one of the tunes of the year Fine Taste – More Grey Than Blue. Filthy bassline, melodies and vocal samples that just dance effortlessly over it and an immense breakdown – superb. This is followed by another personal favourite, Raw Shape – Sunrize. I first heard this on Marco V’s last Combi:nations album and fell in love straight away, the uplifting synths are underpinned by an excellent tough bassline that almost convince you the sun is still shining.
A couple of Emery productions form the core of the mix. The Jerome Isma-ae mix of his new single More Than Anything is barely recognisable from the original, turning it into a tasty proggy chugger with a tranced-out climax and Tasardi & Storyteller turn in an impossibly lush remix of the piano and string drenched Rue de Garr – Soul Symbol. The always-consistent Phatjack appear with Latenight Symphony, a brilliant mix of epic strings and tough electro grooves followed by the crazily funky Noel Sanger – Nothing remixed by rising talent Mohawk. The fantastic Fine Taste pop up again with a remix of another top tune, Nick Hogendoorn & Eelke Kleijn – Where Are My Goggles. They beef up the already brilliant bassline and really work the superb melody in the breakdown. The penultimate record is another contender for tune of 2007 (yes it was released this year!) Andy Moor vs. Orkidea – YearZero – this still hasn’t lost any of its magical grace and is a great addition to the album. The mix is brought to a close by the anthemic French Kiss-esque Lys mix of bonkers Brighton boys My Digital Enemy – Wasted that takes it to a whole new level and is the perfect way to round off a stunning mix that never dips in quality.
CD2
Plenty of familiar faces here for the trance fan. Opener Kyau & Albert – Always A Fool is one of the best records the German duo have made – the first breakdown is one of the most spine tingling moments of 2007 – and the vocals are excellent getting the mix off to a strong start. Emery then throws in a hat-trick of his own productions. His remix of Albert Vorne – Formentera What and his collaboration with Lange – Another Me, Another You need no introduction to trance fans, they are both destined for classic status and work like a dream together. The third and final Emery production in this mini-segment is his bootleg of Boosta – Dance Is Dead, a much sought after record that you will be lucky to find anywhere else. The vocals are a bit love/hate in their silliness but the chunky and melodic Emery production results in a track that really works.
The flow is interrupted somewhat by the noisy stop-start tech track Ricky Forbis – Nothing. This is a prime example of the annoying tech that has dominated dancefloors this year and doesn’t fit the melodic groove Emery had created. (Don't really agree!!!) Fortunately quality control is restored by the brilliant Rafael Frost remix of the already-classic Alex M.O.R.P.H. vs. Rank 1 – Life Less Ordinary – I will never get tired of those strings and Frost adds an extra dimension to an already stunning track. Next up is a 2007 hidden gem DNS – Invisible Touch (Beat Service Remix) on Flütterspark. An initially aggressive electro bassline gives way to an expected Oriental style breakdown before slamming back in the filth – quality record. By now Emery is firing on all cylinders with his excellent remix of the uplifting male vocal trancer Martin Roth & Alex Bartlett – Off The World which is followed by another male vocal, Ronski Speed with Stoneface & Terminal – Soulseeker. Although the vocal is not stand-out material, there is quality in the production that lifts it above average, and takes the mix into more ‘rolling’ territory carried into the rock solid trancer Activa – Ginetix.
Stoneface & Terminal make their second appearance with their stunning remix of More Than Anything, which is one of the biggest tunes of the moment. They’ve really used the original’s melody to its full potential, creating a dirty yet immensely euphoric trance anthem. Approaching the end is one of the top euphoric trancers of the year, the Push-style C.M.R. – Lost Vision. This may have passed a few people by, it doesn’t do anything new or original but everything it does do works perfectly and it kicks hard, adding to the euphoric feel of the closing minutes. Rounding off the album is an absolute classic – Ferry Corsten – Galaxia. Really not much more needs to be said about this record, it is simply legendary, one of Ferry’s best and a gorgeous way to end the CD.
Conclusion
CD1 is the perfect progressive house mix, a stunning collection of uplifting electro from some top up-and-coming producers that is most importantly of all fun all the way. Emery’s skill is that he has an excellent ear for tracks with a great groove, and doesn’t disappoint with this first mix. CD2 is pitch-perfect for getting fired up for a night out, a great mix of filthy electro trance and driving euphoric numbers. Both offer more interesting tracklists than your average trance album, showing Emery’s ear for quality that makes him such a popular DJ. One of the most enjoyable dance albums I have heard all year - highly recommended."
Tracklist
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CD 1
1. 2007 Intro
2. Iman – We Are U
3. Eelke Kleijn – 8 Bit Era
4. David West – Under The Influence
5. Fine Taste – More Grey Than Blue
6. Raw Shape – Sunrize
7. Gareth Emery – More Than Anything (Jerome Isma-Ae remix)
8. Rue de Gar – Soul Symbol (Tasadi & Storyteller remix)
9. Phatjak – Latenite Symphony
10. Noel Sanger – Nothing (Mohawk’s Pathfinder dub)
11. Nick Hogendoorn & Eelke Kleijn – Where Are My Goggles (Fine Taste remix)
12. Andy Moor vs. Orkidea – YearZero (Andy Moor’s First Light remix)
13. My Digital Enemy – Wasted (Lys remix)
CD2
1. Kyau & Albert – Always A Fool (Club mix)
2. Albert Vorne – Formentera What? (Gareth Emery remix)
3. Lange vs Gareth Emery – Another You, Another Me
4. Boosta – Dance Is Dead (Tocadisco remix / Gareth Emery edit)
5. Ricky Fobis – Nobody (DJ Res aka Igor S remix)
6. Alex M.O.R.P.H & Rank 1 – Life Less Ordinary (Rafael Frost remix)
7. DNS – Invisible Touch (Beat Service remix)
8. Martin Roth & Alex Bartlett – Off The World (Gareth Emery remix)
9. Ronski Speed with Stoneface & Terminal – Soulseeker (Ronski Speed mix)
10. Activa – Genetix
11. Gareth Emery – More Than Anything (Stoneface & Terminal remix)
12. CMR – Lost Vision
13. Ferry Corsten – Galaxia
still gotta give him a listen though...
