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Saiko-Pod "Phuture Remixes"
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Music reviews
Something new from the Danish Kox-Pod guys is always welcome. But, this time it isn’t all new. Now we get an album full of remixes of their tracks on the Phutures And Options album released on Spiral Trax and Solstice Music 2002. The remixes are done by mostly other artists within the progressive house/trance style. Last autumn, Ian Ion and Frank E announced that they had split up. Frank is now working on the Kox Box project alone, while Ian Ion is working alone on the Saiko-Pod project. Ian Ion wants it more housy these days, and that’s for sure what we get here. This album is also released on Solstice Music in Japan.
Saiko-Pod "Phuture Remixes" ACDC 2004 (ACDCD001)
1. Wednesday (Okyo Remix)
2. Groove Moderator (Miro Remix)
3. Magnetic Force (Kruger & Coyle Remix)
4. Phutures (Atmos Remix)
5. Two Dots (Jokke Remix)
6. Silent Running (True To Nature Remix)
7. Tron (Air Bureau Remix)
8. Phutures And Options (Souzz Remix)
9. Back To Belgium (Ionizer Version)
They have obviously collected some of the most talented progressive artists to remix these tracks. First out is Okyo (dj Nicka) remixing the Wednesday track. Okyo is a very experienced Danish progressive house dj. The version he gives is a pure house track. Slower and not as drifting as progressive house/trance, but the sounds by Saiko-Pod makes it pretty trippy anyway. Not bad compared to a lot of other house tracks. Track 2 is a remix of the Groove Moderator track, done by the progressive house artist called Miro from the UK. He serves a pure progressive house track. Some of it sounds a bit cheesy in my ears, but I’m sure it will hit the progressive house crowd pretty good. Track 3 is a remix of the Magnetic Force track. Here they have involved a couple of guys who is well known in the progressive trance scene, Krüger and Coyle. They have both been in the scene for many years releasing tracks on many different projects. They will release a Krüger and Coyle album on ACDC this year too. They are going from the tripped out progressive vibes towards a more housy vibe. The version they give us here is totally housy, and to me it sounds a bit flat and boring compared to their earlier works. Track 4 gets better. This is a remix Atmos has done of the Phutures track. He holds on to the trippy, floating vibe in this one, somewhere between progressive house and trance. I have seen him play this one outdoors in the sun, and it works well on the dance floor. Totally floating track with some groovy, drifting beats. Best remix on this album in my opinion.
Track 5 continues with Danish progressive trance dj Jokke who has remixed the Two Dots track. He continues the progressive trance drift, with some stumpy beats and mystic, floating sounds. A bit noisier than the other tracks on this album. Track 6 is a remix True To Nature has done of the Silent Running track. True To Nature is a collaboration between dj Jokke and Tom Von Rosen, both familiar in the progressive house and trance scene. They give us a pretty pumping track, with some pushing beats and a funky drift. Not as trippy as I want progressive to be. Track 7 is a remix of the classic Tron track. It is remixed by Air Bureau, which is a pure house project from Sweden. They give us a typical house track, and in my ears it sounds pretty boring and flat. If you compare this to the fantastic original Tron track, this sounds really terrible! Track 8 is remixed by Souzz, also known as Miro (Steen Thottrup). He gives us a pretty cool progressive house version, with a very tribal vibe. One of the best tracks on this album in my opinion. Very drifting, trippy vibe all the way through. The last track we get on this album is done by Ian Ion himself. This track is pretty funny. He has used some really old samples that some of you who have been in the techno scene from the beginning will remember for sure. A progressive house track with many cool influences of sounds and vibes. This might be the style he will continue making. In my opinion it’s a bit sad after all those years of fantastic Koxbox and Saiko-Pod tracks, but it can come something good out of it too, like this track for example…
This album is perfect for those who likes house music and will probably fit the taste of many progressive trance lovers out there too, but I’m sure many psytrancers will dislike it, so be aware, this is mostly house music!
PK (shivapks@hotmail.com)
