Customer Reviews

Creamfields

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It's not so much that my preference in music has changed so drastically in recent years but my love of techno had all but died, until now, due to redundant mixes, even by some of the best (Paul Oakenfold included). After doing some soundtrack scores for big movies I didn't even bother buying his last couple of albums as they sounded uninspired and tediously mediocre. It seemed to me like he was striving for a more mainstream audience while losing some hard-core fans in the process, but when he failed to gain the fame he might or might not have been seeking he apparently went back to his roots, and I thank my lucky stars for that! He's better off sticking to what he's good at, and that would be creating passion-driven atmospheres atop wicked beats that quickly get the blood pumping, making it extremely difficult to sit still for too long.

The melodies on disc one of 'Creamfields' are very melodic sounding with lush trance rhythms similar to his work heard on 'Tranceport' while disc two, albeit not as fulfilling or quite as addictive, features a lot more singing with shorter dance tunes, providing more of a club-friendly feel. Overall, though, I found this to be a satisfying record and can only hope that Paul Oakenfold continues his quest for greatness anew.

Does this take anyone else back to a wilder, more free and uninhibited time? While the content is new, the feelings invoked while listening awaken something that has been dormant for a few years. Simply put, this is a great compilation. If you remember the days before hip hop blared out of clubs, or have ever hugged a complete stranger in a club for no reason at all - this compilation is for you. While I don't endorse hugging strangers, I do endorse this compilation - enjoy :)

when i bought this album i wasnt to sure about it. after bunkka and great wall i had lost most hope in Oakenfold. But listening to this has blown me away and put my faith back in one of the all time greats. disc 1 is a lot of smooth melodic trance. no harsh synths or choppy beats. just all great tracks with a nice groove. tracks like "i found you" "first sight" "clear blue" and "jump the next train" are all mindblowing tracks. very reminisent of 2000-2001 trance. disc 2 is one and the same. a little more upbeat but still very melodic and sweet groove tracks. tracks like " one day" "nice guys finish last" and "particle" are absoultely great songs. this album takes you back to a time when trance was pure. no hype and no pop-culture mouths to feed. out of all his albums id have to rate this 2nd only to tranceport. enjoy :)

It's back again!!! I would say that Oakie before this and after his Essentials back in 1999 was off. but this compilation has prove again that he is still in the decks and hope remains. totally pure trance as in Tranceport, or Another World. Both CD's are genious work! If you're a so-called fan of Oakie's mixes! you wont doubt it! you must get it.... especially for me CD1 takes me to another tranceporting world!

OMG! I must say that im impressed with this album.This is the only Paul Oakenfold that reminds me of my all time favorite trance cd,Tranceport.Both discs are excellent,and you couldnt ask for more,except for Oakie to stick to this style of music from now on.I dont understand why he had to sell out to all the little teeny boppers by releasing such crap as "bunka" and "the club"by perfecto..what a joke!!!His remix of U2's "beautiful day"is just awesome.Dance fans,if you dont get this album your a fool

Ok...so there's no Goa or Acid like in Fluoro and Voyage into Trance. Nor is there any hard trance or DnB like in Tranceport and the GU mixes. What we do have however, is probably one of the few "good mixes" Oakenfold has produced in quite a while. After a disappointing run with his recent slew of Perfecto label compilations, Oakenfold goes back to the basics, with smooth mixing , a superb tracklist, and the genre of music that truly defines Oakenfold as one of the top ten djs.

While some of the tracks are already rather dated, there is no filler in either of the cds, resulting in a very seamless mix, which is quite unusual for Oakenfold who tends to focus more on unique tracks than transitions.

If you're a fan of some of Oakie's earlier works, particular GU007 or Tranceport, you'll definitely want to pick up a copy of this.

I've been an Oakenfold fan for many years and its nice to see him back on track. "Great Wall" was somewhat of a bore and became tired after a few short spins. I picked up a copy of "Creamfields" and it will stay in my CD player for quite some time. It's fresh, crisp and easy to get into. It's none of the hardcore stuff from Oakenfold's earlier years and some fans may not get into it. There nothing new or groundbreaking in the selections. It's just a solid mix of really good mainstream electronica. You can listen to it anytime and its perfect for partying or driving. I love it and would recommend it to anyone.

When one loves a musical artist so much, they typically are among the last to believe the rumors that a particular artist is growing old, and losing their touch. Lately alot of people have been referring to Oakey as a sell-out and saying that he's too far gone to make any good music. They're all wrong. This album, along with quite a few others Oakey has under his belt, show why he's the best at what he does. The entire CD flows seemlessly from one track to the next, all of songs feel as though their spot in the mix is precisely where they were meant to be. No choppyness whatsoever. This album is one of the best.

To all that aren't familiar with Oakenfold's rise to fame, he started out with the Perfecto Label in 1990. He then took a strange path to support goa trance, a risk which paid off at that time. After soon losing its luster, goa trance passed away, but it seems to have left a profound effect on Paul Oakenfold. It is with this that he starts off his double CD set, "Creamfields."
The first track sees matt Darey take a shot at the Perfecto of old, with a new track that has the chant similar to a track used by Oakenfold when performing one of his goa sets. The first disc, agreeing with the reviewers on this page, does take some time to develop, culminating its development at track five. "Clear Blue" sets up the beautiful "Como Tu," which Oakenfold has remixed for this album. Tilt makes its return to Oakenfold's decks with both "12" and "The World Doesn't Know." This isn't meant to leave out "Space Maneouvers Part 3," however I don't think this track is worthy of its name, mainly due to the fact that part one is a legend, and just does not remind me of its past history. Nonetheless, the first disc closes with a nice vocal "Jump the Next Train," and in a way keeps your mind intrigued as per Oakenfold's direction of disc two.
I should first mention that before I go into the description of disc two, I have almost all of Paul Oakenfold's works. From Fluoro, to Resident, to Journeys of Stadium DJ ('94), I have come to the understanding that his music is meant to uplift your soul. In many of his releases, his discs peak toward the ending, such as "Piledriver," "Imperpetua Mobilia," and "Delerium." What separates this second disc from all others is the constant peak time trance from track one to track 12.
I know that many reading will either (a) agree, or (b) disagree. Nevertheless, this disc starts with a stellar production from DJ Suzy Solar, and it is this tempo that never lets up throughout. Sneaker's "Scatterbomb" makes an appearance, and just when one thinks that Oakenfold's "Time of Your Life" was not original enough, he harks back to his essential mix in Cuba and resurrects "People Want to Be Needed," by the Auranauts. A true trance gem, I give lots of credit to Oakie for choosing this track, as it presents him as one that can mix a '04 track and blend it in smoothly into a track from '96. Now, everyone knows that his mixing skills aren't as good as Sasha, or James Zabiela, but c'mon, track 7 into track 8 is pretty damn good. He then never lets you down, taking it from peak track to peak track, and even paying tribute to Hard House Dj's with his own remix of Mauro Picotto's "Lizard." And just when you think he's going to let it down easy, he gives us one of the best finishing tracks yet, from no other than John Fleming.
With all that he's been up to lately, Paul Oakenfold surely has made a valiant attempt at quieting some of his harshest critics with his latest "Creamfields." If anyone is interested in two solid discs of progressive, house, and slight goa trance, do not hesitate to purchase one of the best releases of 2004.

I'll be honest, classically, I have not been the most devoted Paul Oakenfold fanatic out there. I only own this, Tranceport, Global Underground 007: New York and A Voyage Into Trance, but I have heard enough of both his live and studio mixes to know where I'm coming from with this release.

I am really not enthralled by the Perfecto label's output, either. I think Oakenfold has been sliding down the commercial slope, getting ever-so-perilously close to the edge before managing to climb his way back. Only to repeat the process. Yet, to his credit, he has been releasing progressivly less cheesy mixes lately, and I think Creamfields is the cream of the most recent crop for him. It's got style, with a surprisingly good track progression and better-than-average mixing. It gives a new impression to his name which used to represent the juggernaut of the trance subculture to me. That was a long time ago, of course.

I like both discs pretty much equally. At times, I think the beats, some laced with vocals, could be comparable to GU007:New York's first disc, although that may be giving Creamfields a bit too much credit. Regardless of what artist or other mix I could compare this one to, it's decent and worth picking up as it finds a cozy place in my harder trance rotations along with Thrillseekers, Armin, Tiesto and Solarstone. I can't listen to Tranceport anymore, and AViT was so dark, brooding and monotonous that I've given up on it entirely.

I gave this mix 4 stars primarily because there are too many instances where Oakenfold throws in a transition, shifts the bpm or tosses in a funky little rhythm that I felt should have continued for much longer to act more as frontrunners than as transitional sound bytes between one 4/4 beat to the next.

All-in-all, however, if you find yourself just beginning to get into the genre, or have already cemented your place within it and have lost faith in Oakenfold's ability to appeal to the real fans of dance music, give this album a try. It might be the catalyst needed to convert you back to the dance floor; this album cries, "Join Us". Not an unappealing proposition, all things considered.

~Lex