The Sound of Garuda mixed by Gareth Emery [Garuda]

What a difference a year makes… 12 months ago Garuda was but a word and a concept in the mind of a DJ/Producer. Now it’s a record label, a club night and a rapidly crystallizing sound in its own right. Much the same can be said of its creator, Gareth Emery. This time last year he was a challenger, No.23 in DJ Magazine’s Top 100 chart and starting to put pressure on the established trance hierarchy. This year he’s there, ushered through the door and into the inner sanctum of the world’s Top 10 DJs.

Though not out on shelves yet, I’ve had the pleasure, and privilege to review a press copy of the album, and to say that I loved every minute of it would be the understatement of the year. CD1 features tracks from Ashley Wallbridge, Tritonal, David Forbes, Activa and Gareth himself, including a few exclusive reworks made specifically for this album.  CD2 takes the same route as the first, featuring tracks from Robbie Buri, Rex Mundi, GNX, Marco V, Cosmic Gate and others.

Each CD tells a slightly different story, as disc one is titled 2010 and disc two, 2009.  I’m sure you can draw your own conclusions as to their meaning.  Overall, the track selection is impeccable, if I were behind the wheels of steel for this comp, I’d have not chosen a single different track to include. The mixing, is as expected, top notch, and leveling throughout is pristine.

Read on past the break for my breakdown of each CD,  and for the full track list, as well as details on the 2XCD set! I’d love to post samples, but for the time being, you’ll have to hum along with me as I describe the mixes…

CD1: 2010

The CD kicks things off with a fanstastic progressive trancer by none other than recent stalwart Ashley Wallbridge (free download here!).  Ashley’s had a stellar production year, seeing a few collabs with AVA’s Andy Moor, one of which is the intro track to CD2! Harmonies has an infectious groove, a deep sound that reminds me of Markus Schulz‘ productions and a harmonic melody that is both memorable and nostalgic. What a track to kick off a 70 minute mix, it has me completely hooked.  Hell, the rest of the CD could be banjo toting hillbillies singing so far out of tune they make crying hyenas sound pleasant and I would still sit hear like a grinning madman.

Moving along we’ve got a punchy remix from Shawn Mitiska and Ad Brown (free download here!), two blokes I absolutely love, Ad being my pick of the year for ‘producer-to-watch’, and he’s been tearing up the progressive scene like it’s nobody’s business. After their remix of Repeat After Me is an absolute fan favorite by Wippenberg that features some lush 8bit-esque synths that hook me in and just don’t let go. Pong, much like Chakalaka was, is massive and goes down best when taken with 5000+ people.  Administer bright lights and sexy clubbers for best effect.

The first vocals come courtesy of Mark Sinclair and Terry Ferminal, as the latter pumps out a groovy little trance number that, though doesn’t fit too well with Pong, manages to change things up, leading up for the next 50 minutes of play. Also worth noting is my apparent obsession with reverbed/filtered male vocals, yum.  Immediately after Pictures of You is another vocal trancer, this time with the gorgeous voice of Emma Hewitt and Gareth lending a Garuda rework of his original.

It’s at this point that mix truly develops into a trance beast, with the next few tracks jacking the energy levels to new heights with tracks from Pulser (Broken Universe), Sander van  Doorn (Ninety) and Ali Wilson (BoomBox), all faves of mine! Gareth then shows off some handy work with tracks 11/12, mashing up two techy vocal smashers by Marcel Woods and Artento Divini into a singular, meshed track that begs the question: Why don’t these two collab more often?

The Stoneface & Terminal remix of Suede by Tritonal reeks of the texan duo’s crisp programming work, and well, the German duo’s rework is a club ready, filthy beast that causes instant smiles and foot pounding. The last three tracks rounding out CD1 are dark, very dark, and pack a ridiculous punch for a solid 15 minutes before finally letting go. As Greg Downey and Activa finish things off, it’s rather impressive to look back at where this mix began, with Ashley’s powerful, but mildly relaxing opener.  It isn’t until the full journey is complete that I am able to reflect on the last 70 minutes of music, and frankly, I’m blown away at Gareth’s ability to effortlessly transport me through the entire trance spectrum, not withstanding Hard Trance and Euro Trance, two styles we can all do without!

Best Track of the CD: Ashley Wallbridge – Harmonies (Sound of Garuda Intro Mix)

Best Remix of the CD: Mark Sinclair – Pictures Of You (Terry Ferminal mix)

CD2: 2009

We now venture into CD2 and the very first track kicks things off with a smashing kick, unique vocals and those vocal stab effects that Andy has come to be known for…who can forget the meow-meow-meow in his 2005 hit Halcyon? Faces is a track we highlighted here a few months back, it’s been on repeat ever since and I’ve yet to get tired of it.  It’s euphoric elements and dirty club edge make it perfect to kick a set off, and judging by the fact that Purple Haze’s (Sander van Doorn’s) latest, Bliksem is the 3rd track in on this CD, we’re in for a skull kicking good time!

Moving along we’ve got a big room clubbing track with Dennis de Laat’s Sound of Violence. Dennis is an artist I’ve kept an eye out for in the past, and though I’ve not picked this track up, I’m fairly certain Mr van Doorn has been blasting it, and for good reason. The vocal track is haunting, full and deep, conveying a sense of urgency, anxiously awaiting for the proverbial ’sun to go down’. As Gareth mixes out of this track it’s pretty easy to pick out the incoming track, Lethal Industry, though my brain’s thrown for a loop as I’m now hearing what sounds like two other tracks mashed in! Unsurprisingly, I own all three of these, making it rather easy to pick out, and to think that Gareth combined a classic, a prog house fave and a recent Andy Moor trance production into one coherent track, is well, dumbfounding.  I give the man massive props on this one, I’m left wondering how, and I’m left loving it all.

Not only have 5 of the first 8 songs been songs I own and love, the follow up to his 3 track mash-up is a track I loved in 2008, own and still spin regularly.  There’s something about GNX’s edge in his recent productions and his re-rub of Copius Cain can whip just about any crowd into a mad frenzy. Moving into a deep vocal track, Gareth lines up Rex Mundi’s Nothing At All, which, if I’m not mistaken, features the lovely vocals of Susanna. And then Gareth pulls out the single most amazing vocal trance track of 2009, and I’ve got to say, quite possibly the best I’ve heard in over 2 years! The track? Lonely Girl by Above & Beyond. I’m going to zone out now for the next 4 minutes or so…..can you hear me sing along?

Well, looks like I’m back from my sing-a-long daydream only to be smacked with even more Gareth, this time with another of his early Garuda smash hits, Metropolis. The track is great filler, it isn’t amazing or unworthy of an inclusion, but it certainly does pass the time quickly.  Taking things into deeper territory we’re now tuning into some Cosmic Gate mashed up with some nearly ancient Marco V, yet another of my favorite classics Simulated.  This is a rather interesting mashup that works, once again, well, and I’m left wondering how many random mash-ups this bloke has up his sleeve.

The last 5 or so tracks in this CD are such a random and eclectic pick of tracks that I couldn’t believe it when I first read the track listing.  I mean seriously, who plays Jochen Miller into Gareth Emery into Elektra and then follows it up with massive euphoric trance staples? I’ll tell you who does….Mr Emery does.  Yet another of Gareth’s amazing productions in 2009, Exposure shows just how talented Gareth is when producing tracks that have such infectious hooks as this one does.  The man knows what you want to hear and manages to deliver it with every bit of skill he possesses….time and time again.  Exposure is still my #1 track for 2009, and I’m sure many others will agree.

I’d like to point out a major difference in Gareth’s mixing in CD 2 when compared to CD 1, even though the overall musical style is still quite similar between the two.  CD 1 had very fluid and smooth mixing, especially in the first 2/3s of the CD.  CD 2 however showcases a much more rambunctious DJ, slamming tracks in, mixing highs with fervor and generally slapping the listener in the face, making it apparent he’s here to shake things up. And slap he does!

Best Track of the CD: Gareth Emery – Exposure (Short Stab)

Best Remix of the CD: Oceanlab – Lonely Girl (Gareth Emery remix)

The Verdict

I don’t really know how I plan on summing up this 2 CD set of trance glory. The first CD proves that Gareth is smooth enough to battle with some of the big house boys, a la Diggers or Sasha….while the last shows his ability to tear the roof off, a la Halliwell or van Dyk.  Both CDs are top class, my favorite is likely CD 1, but as time goes by, CD 2 is getting better and better.

When does this compilation come out you might ask? It lands in most fine music stores on November 20th 2009, be sure to grab your copy from the Be Yourself Shop!

Score: 10/10

Track Listings

CD1: 2010
1. Ashley Wallbridge – Harmonies (Sound of Garuda Intro mix)
2. Beltek – Niagara Falls
3. Ben Preston – Repeat After Me (Shawn Mitiska & Ad Brown remix)
4. Wippenberg – Pong
5. Mark Sinclair – Pictures Of You (Terry Ferminal mix)
6. Gareth Emery with Emma Hewitt – I Will Be The Same (Sound of Garuda mix)
7. Pulser – Broken Universe
8. Be:Gold – Sunstroke
9. Sander van Doorn – Ninety
10. Ali Wilson – Boombox
11. Marcel Woods – Inside Me
Artento Divini – Biding My Time
12. Tritonal – Suede (Stoneface & Terminal remix)
13. David Forbes – Breakout (Darker mix)
14. Greg Downey – Global Code
15. Activa – Affirmation (Sound of Garuda Outro mix)

CD2: 2009
1. Andy Moor & Ashley Wallbridge – Faces
2. Audible – White Mouse
3. Sander van Doorn pres. Purple Haze – Bliksem
4. Dennis de Laat – Sound Of Violence
5. Tiësto – Lethal Industry
Lange & Andy Moor – Stadium Four (Original Mix)
Komytea – Professional Killers
6. GNX – Copius Cain (Genix re-rub)
7. Robbie Buri – Poker (Dub mix)
8. Rex Mundi – Nothing At All
9. Oceanlab – Lonely Girl (Gareth Emery remix)
10. Gareth Emery – Metropolis
11. Cosmic Gate – Sign Of The Times
Marco V – Simulated
12. Be:Gold – Starstruck (Jochen Miller remix)
13. Gareth Emery – Exposure (Short Stab)
14. Super8 & Tab – Elektra
15. RAM – RAMsterdam (Jorn van Deynhoven remix)
16. Above & Beyond pres. Oceanlab – On A Good Day (A&B Club mix)

Related Posts

1. Gareth Emery – Exposure [Garuda]
2. Fabio XB & Andrea Mazza – Light to Lies (Gareth Emery Remix) [S107 Records]
3. Robbie Buri – Attack [Reset Records]
4. Activa – Transmission [Discover]
5. Conspiracy pres. Introspection mixed by Jon O’Bir