Trance.nu Review
This two disc 18-track DJ friendly unmixed album showcases the hottest in Finnish trance music. Finland, the Northern European Nordic country, as well as having more lakes than is really necessary, has provided us with a steady stream of quality trance producers in recent years. These include the likes of Matti Laamanen, Miika Kuisma, Aalto and a member of a certain well-known top-ten breaking trance trio (all featured). Oh and Darude (not featured). The Scandinavians, Viking like, have stormed the trance and especially house scenes in recent years and this album should be further proof of that. This is the second edition in the Finity Essence series and again CD1 is labelled `Progressive' and CD2 `Uplifting'.
CD1 - Progressive
As expected, the BPMs are low and the beats are relatively soft yet most tracks are underpinned by Andy Moor-style electro bass lines to go with the lush atmospherics and crystal clear melodies. This is especially evident on tracks like Life In Streams - Brainwash. The album opens with a rather lovely track by Corydalics that has a gentle bassline matched to a gorgeous guitar melody - a nice chill-out tune. Other highlights include the hypnotic drive of Winkee - Brightness and the funky-as-hell Anjunadeep signed Supermodels From Paris that has a great electro groove with well-used vocal samples. Sundawner's Bizarre includes some gorgeous chiming melodies but lacks a bit of drive. The CD finishes with a typically energetic track from Miika Kuisma & Olli S with some great piano and is one of the best tracks on CD1. There are some strong tracks on here, but too many wander into dull prog-trance territory that make for pleasant enough home listening but I can't imagine them being played on the dancefloor - which is what this CD is aimed at.
CD2 - Uplifting
Starts of in deceptively chilled style with a nicely crafted breaks track by Syna before kicking in with the uplifting, happy, euphoric vibe of Winkee - The Island that has quite simplistic production but a certain charm which is continued into the next track End Of Days (In Love) which has some nicely chopped up vocals over that tried-and-tested combination of uplifting melodies and piano. What the first disc lacked in power, this more than makes up for it with the likes of the high-energy trancer Jussi Soro - Backlash. A stand out is the well-known Anjunabeats track from Aalto - 5 with its wonderfully filthy electro bassline that combines nicely with the melodic elements - a master class in modern trance from two of the most talented trance producers around. The adrenaline levels keep on rising with the always-reliable Dallas Superstars delivering a superb remix of Beatpusher that tempts and teases, resulting in a track that would work any trancefloor into a frenzy. This quality high-energy uplifting trance is continued with the underrated K-DE (check out their releases on Monster if you like this) and Sami Saari. The album is rounded off by another utterly brilliant production from Miika Kuisma who shows again how to do power-trance with subtly, with a surprising electro-styled bass line plus a gorgeous guitar melody and some sweet vocodered vocals - one of the best tracks on the compliation.
Conclusion
This is a great compilation for any `pure' trance DJs and for lovers of the Anjunabeats/ASOT sound as there are so many uplifting trance nuggets on here, especially on CD2 that is packed with euphoric melodic stormers. A tad predictable and unoriginal, with many tracks relying on the synth/piano combo, but it doesn't matter too much - they work. CD1 has too many dull tracks but a few sweet electro influenced tunes I'm sure you could squeeze into a warm-up set. As home listening it doesn't work so well, unless you like listening to drum loops, but it is aimed at the DJs. Plus it has some lovely artwork featuring a very pretty girl. Check out the samples on the mini-site - link below!
Tracklisting
CD1 - Progressive
1. Corydalics - Along Overmind 7:20
2. Life In Streams - Brainwash (Club Mix) 9:09
3. Allende - Dismal Clouds 8:39
4. Winkee - Brightness 8:34
5. Supermodels From Paris - Keep On 6:57
6. Pasi Korhonen - White 7:41
7. Sundawner - Bizarre 8:43
8. Tearrain - Sleepless Fall 8:07
9. Miika Kuisma & Olli S - Awakening (Edit) 7:45
CD2 - Uplifting
1. Syna - Force Of God 9:13
2. Winkee - The Island 7:17
3. Miika Leinonen pres. Denver feat. Marcie - End Of Days (In Love) 7:45
4. Jussi Soro - Backlash 8:28
5. Super8 & P.O.S. pres. Aalto - 5 7:36
6. Beatpusher - RHT (Dallas Superstars Remix) 8:01
7. K-DE pres. Far From Near - Mood Swings 7:59
8. Sami Saari - Cherish 8:26
9. Modulation - White Flame (Miika Kuisma Dub) 9:48
Related Links
www.finity.fi
www.finity.fi/fe2
Written by: Jon Nix, aka Frombeyond
http://trance.nu/v3/review_show.php?id=1508