Customer Reviews

COLUMBIA EP

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

OK,I have all of Paul's cd's. And when I got this EP, I was blown away! Very FAST![.] SO? if you dont like fast paced music this cd is not for you!

Just when this writer was about to give up on the dreaded "T" word (Trance; for you ...), Paul Van Dyk went back to the studio and released The Columbia EP. This EP comprises a new remix of the track Columbia, a Starecase remix of Vega and three brand new tracks Out There, Movement, and A Different Journey To Vega. Each track is solid all the way through. Van Dyk cleverly avoids all of the trance cliché's and delivers to the fullest extent combining darker progressive sounds made famous by John Digweed, with the patented in your face bass kicks that Van Dyk has always delivered. Avoiding any lulls or low points, each track on this EP will get the dance floor moving, and are all sure fire `peak time' cuts. Van Dyk's popularity seems to be getting bigger by the day (one of his tracks was even included in the skateboard video, CKY3), and with releases like this, there is no end in sight. Van Dyk has again redefined how trance is going to sound into 2002, while leaving out the cheesiness many associate with the genre.

Waiting over a year to drop new material, shiny, happy trance-meister Paul Van Dyk finally follows up his successful Out There And Back album with a double bang. The Columbia EP, sporting three new tracks and three mixes of his work, and the imminent Ministry of Sound's Politics of Dancing double disc compilation.

Perhaps more than anyone else in dance, PVD ensures value to the customer on his releases. Columbia EP, clocking in at 45 minutes, is no exception. The original "Columbia" is stock high speed work, an unwavering fast beat with his typical synth and squelch sounds on top. Remixed and leading off, the new version stretches to a fuller eight minutes, picking up more detailed drum work and a zipping needle-scratch sound for better peak performance. This, and the slightly lower key "Out There" that follows, emphasize a shift towards geared-live trance; drum rolls, crowd cheering, peaks and breakdowns, and an ever-present deep drum/hi-hat combo are precisely engineered for clapping and screaming fans. Out There's a stormer in that regard, practically irresistible, packing a stuttered beat and synth loop that makes it the hit of the lot.

"Movement" is more of the same, dipping into the acid sounds of earlier work. As much as a breather was needed, the Starecase spin on "Vega" seems practically lethargic. By ignoring melodic hooks, you could argue PVD tracks by design are tough to remix correctly. "A Different Journey to Vega" has a better go at it.

So as expected, fans seeking polished, high-impact trance that cruises along will get good bang for the buck. Those not inclined to excessive speeds and theme park thrills, however, may want to pass.

After progressively mastering his own unique 4/4 hard-core style of trance throughout the 90s, and after his recent album "Out There and Back" trancended past electronica limitations and fears, it is no surprise he delivers his usual goodness here, but without some things that will be dearly missed.

Seemingly following fellow trance master Sasha, PVD slips us an EP with five of his own productions. Also included is a remix of the sublime "Vega" off his year 2000 album by Starecase. However, unlike last year's album, he sticks to a driving persistant hard bass beat, and, unlike Sasha, does nothing to uplift, to instill euphoria, to en-trance. The remix of Columbia and both Vega remixes distort the originals with harder, stiffer basslines. Dancers will enjoy this, trancers will not.

Old fans of PVD will recognize immediately the minimalistic, auditory goodness of PVD. However, gone are any vocals, and the mastery of atmosphere that PVD put in last years album. None of these tracks can compare to the happy atmosphere of "Vega", the deep bassline of "Tell Me Why", or the innocently in love vocals of "Together We Will Conquer." The tracks seem almost just like updated versions of obvious songs such as "For an Angel."

If, however, you are serendipitous enough to happen by Columbia as your first PVD listen, then enjoy what the best in progressive dance has to offer, and how great that is indeed. That is what exactly this album does to you, as one look at the cover and packaging will tell you that this is a special EP, a sexy listen for sexy people, and you will feel special just knowing that this album is yours.

4.5 stars, 5 just because PVD is so wicked cool.

A must have for Paul Van Dyk fans! This by far is one of his BEST EP releases.

Personally I was a bit disappointed with this disc. I really enjoy Paul Van Dyk's work, but franky this was nothing special. If you have his other albums you probably already own a couple of the tracks and the new tracks don't offer anything particularly interesting. If you're a true PVD junkie, then go for it.. However you aren't sure then save your money for The Politics of Dancing -- a much better work.

I picked up this disk on my ride to work. I listened, scanned and was dissapointed by the lack of depth here. OK, I admit that its eurotrance, but it sounds dated to me. After listening to Adam Freeland perpetually for three days straight, this style just doesn't get me off anymore. I found The first Vega remix good, but Vega is one of Paul's best bassline and there is none of that sliipy slow beat here. ALL 4/4 time. Be prepared to cut the bassrange. As after thirty minutes of the same beat it annoys you.Anyway, buy the new Rennaissance release with Nick and Danny.