Rob Evanoff
Electronica

Ten 2 EnTrance
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By Rob Evanoff

10 2 Temptation: As we move out of winter and into spring, it's time, yet again, to embrace the sun with joyous grooves and sanctimonious rhythms. Conversely at the same time, one must acknowledge chillout Sundays where a steady soothing recovery is essential. In observance of this emotional dichotomy, I suggest to you ten temptations, both in anticipation of those impending glorious rays of warmth and a means of natural self-medication in pursuit of restitution to one's karmic chi.

1.		Ashley Casselle response (Automatic Records) Mixed by Gatecrasher's Digital Revolution room resident DJ, Ashley Casselle (who also records under the moniker Ashtrax), this is the debut album release from Automatic Records. Containing 23 tracks, CD one consists of brand new previously unreleased material whilst CD2 is a selection of some of the best Automatic releases from the last couple of years including the hugely successful Cass & Slide "Perception" (a timeless progressive anthem), the 16B remix of Electric Tease "Your Lovin'" and the Cass & Slide remix of Astral Projection's "Liquid Sun". After recently hearing Ashley mix live for the first time (opening for Anthony Pappa at Giant in L.A.), I was an immediate convert. If you're into progressive trance/ house and are looking for a new Sasha, Timo Maas or Nick Warren, Casselle should definitely be on your radar as one of the next great ones.
2.		Zero 7 simple things (Palm Pictures/Quango) Oh, we all long for the simple things in life, the kind of unique simple pleasures that make us smile without even trying. Welcome to a new level of simple pleasures, those of Zero 7. The men behind their numerical moniker, those melting your mind are U.K. soul producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker who have remixed the likes of Radiohead, Terry Callier and Lenny Kravitz. simple things drips with silky vocals by Mozez but it's the dreamy sexy sounds emoted by Sia Furler on "Distractions" and Sia w/ Sophie Barker on "Destiny" that will take you to a place far away. If you enjoy a fluid lathering of acid jazz, funk and neo-soul and seek music from artists such as Air, Thievery Corporation, Groove Armada and Massive Attack, then it's time for you to dial into Zero 7.
3.		dj ferry corsten globaltrancemissions_02 (Moonshine Music) Otherwise known as System F, Dutch DJ Ferry Corsten rose to prominence in the late '90s as one of Europe's top trance DJs, highlighted by an anthem-filled appearance on Ministry of Sound's first Trance Nation album. Now, Ferry has joined fellow countryman, DJ Tiesto, in taking the U.S. trance scene by storm. Whereas globaltranecmissions_01 was inspired by Amsterdam, global_02 takes it's cue from the clubbers paradise of Ibiza and while cuts like Oceanlab featuring Justine Suissa "Clear Blue Water" do include plenty of pulse-racing beats, it's the melodic peaks intertwined with Justine's lilting vocals that makes _02 an essential listen. And when your sound system won't go past 11, it's time to hit your local club and catch Ferry fever. Corsten recently brought his epic trance prance to the Mayan Theater in L.A for a 3-hour set and it didn't take long for the room to become super-charged with Ferry frenzy.
4.		Air Everybody Hertz (Astralwerks) French duo Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel return less than a year after releasing 10,000 Hz Legend (their take on a chance meeting of Kraftwerk and Pink Floyd in a neighborhood lounge) with a remix collection. Out of the ten remakes, five are of "Don't Be Light" (which featured alterna-hipster Beck on the original), sequenced as nearly every other song including the opener edited by Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk. These five tries aside, it's the edit of the original version that remains the victor of this collection and one of the highlights of 10,000 Hz. Everybody Hertz also contains multiple versions of two other tracks and one exclusive new song entitled "The Way You Look Tonight". And if several remixes of "People in the City" aren't enough, also included is a live video of the track shot at the Mayan Theater in L.A. in July 2001.
5.		Rae & Christian Nocturnal Activity (!K7 Records/Grand Central Records) The Manchester production duo of Mark Rae & Steve Christian (R&C operate the Grand Central label) hit their stride last year with their critically-lauded sophomore effort Sleepwalking, which brought their brand of British hip-hop, acid jazz and downtempo laced soul to international acclaim. R&C now have the tables turned on them as they are reworked by the likes of Faze Action (with their Reggae remix of "Hold Us Down" featuring The Congos), Groove Armada (with their Country House remix of "Let It Go" featuring The Pharcyde), Atjazz (with their Flugelhorn remix of "Not Just Anybody" featuring Kate Rogers) and the swinging bossa nova of Truant's Little Witch Pass remix of "Vai Viver A Vida" featuring Tania Maria). This seven-minute Truant remix makes a perfect centerpiece for a long night of Nocturnal Activity.
6.		Christopher Lawrence around the world (Moonshine Music) Don your glow sticks and get set to jet set. With it's title gleamed from his hectic touring schedule of over 200 gigs per year, Around The World further cements Christopher Lawrence as America's top trance DJ. World marks Lawrence's third release for the Moonshine label and once again finds his seamless mixing skills in fine form as he switches from a double dose of Luigi "Jet Black"(opening with an Arksun remix which bleeds into a Steve Porter remix) to the swirling hop of Manhattan "Spectrum". From there CL keeps it massively fluid throughout, climaxing with the techno-electro bump of his own remix of Mile High "Night Fever" and the zoom, zoom, zoom of Sonik Kross "Walking With Dreamz".
7.		Chemical Brothers Come With Us (Astralwerks) The Chemical Bros return to this planet for a brief moment to entice the listening world to "Come With Us" to their psychedelic P-Funk influenced place lodged between time and space. This time out, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons (who met at Manchester University in 1989) continue to experiment with block rocking beats, pulsating rhythms and the latest studio technology while upping the ante (once again) with their stellar production work. For those few of us that still do, this CD is a headphones masterpiece that will transport you to a futuristic brave new world. Tom & Ed are supreme masters, building layer upon layer of soaring beats and swelling noise that results in a glorious cacophony of sound. Whether it's label-mate Beth Orton emoting (as she has on three previous Chem Bros recordings) with her subtle vocal elegance on "The State We're In" or the relaxed luminescence of "Star Guitar" (which is an example of what trance music strives and often fails to become) or the fast backwards-track, big-beat sound of old Chemical Bros on "Hoops," one thing is for sure. This record sinks in deeper with each listen and when it does, you will have no problem seeing and obeying the signs that say Come With Us.
8.		Taylor MIXER Presents Resonance (DMC World) Mixer Mag (America's leading club culture magazine thru a deal with Razor and Tie Entertainment) has a monumental 20-volume (and climbing) series entitled United DJs of America in which the hottest DJs are tapped to dig thru their record crates for their "secret weapons" and compile them into a conquering mix. Taylor (a former 4-year resident DJ at Metropolis in L.A.) first appeared on Mixer volume 10 and returns with a raving slab of pleasure-inducing progressive trance. From the Steve Lillywhite produced Union Jack remix of Simple Minds "Waterfront" to Silversonic's Smashing Dub Mix of PMT "Turquoise Dreams" to Oliver Lieb's LSG Mix of Movin' Melodies "Rollerblade" to the epic 11 1/2 minute Maria Nyler "The Other Side," Resonance will set up a residence in your mind and leave your worries behind.
9.		DJ Jaimy fatal tracks (fatal tracks / Black Hole Recordings) Dutch DJ, Jaimy, is so far best known for his musical collaborations with label mate Kenny D who now joins him in a new musical adventure. Within Black Hole Recordings (DJ Tiesto's label) Jaimy & Kenny D. have developed an innovative and addictive imprint called Fatal Tracks which debuts with this release and represents the inaugural DJ Jaimy solo CD. As ears 'round the world gravitate towards the newest phenomenon known as Dutch trance, DJ Jaimy (with this fatal tracks mix) is positioned to keep the flame burning bright with his deep grinding progressive style that influences his single "Time" as well as a bass-heavy Michael Anthony remix of Jerry Bonham "Erendira," a Pete Heller Main Mix of Funky Junction vs. KC Flightt "Voices" and a drum n bass soaked John Creamer & Stephane K Pipeline Mix of Blackwatch "Foreshadow".
10.		Tosca Opera (!K7 Records) Richard Dorfmeister, most well known as 1/2 half of the mastermind trip-hop production duo Kruder & Dorfmeister (K&D began releasing records in 1996) side-stepped in 1997 to produce (with Rupert Huber) a blunt-friendly downtempo opus named Opera. Tosca's atmospheric and hypnotic beat waltz tows the mellow line with experimental injections of spoken word, vocal samples, hip hop drum beats and deep bass lines resulting in an absorbing confluence of sound and mood. From the pristinely sublime opener "Fuck dub part 1+2," to the meditative "Gimmi Gimmi" to the low-key funk of "Chocolate Elvis", Opera moves the way a luxury car does down the autobahn on a rainy day; steady, confident and in complete control. So, buckle up, change lanes and get set to enjoy the ride.