Global Underground: Amsterdam

Nick Warren | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 19, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 30, 2000
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Global Underground
• ASIN: B00004VVX7
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #168,401 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Word

2. Eternity

3. I'll Call U

4. Intensify

5. Riddem Control

6. Hedfunk

7. Mechanisms E-H

8. Bullet (Cannonball)

9. Isolated

10. Gyromancer

11. States Of Mind

12. Groove Attack

13. Ajuna

14. Sparc

15. Play

16. Swarm

17. Reformatted

18. Enhanced

19. Dive Into The Deep

20. Ultra Vixens

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nick's past efforts have raised our expectations, January 26, 2001

By 

Douglas A. Greenberg (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Global Underground: Amsterdam (Audio CD)

The folks at Boxed surely love Nick Warren, as this is his fourth Global Underground set (that's more than any other dj can claim). Each of the three previous Warren efforts has been distinctive in style, so it's not surprising that GU018 Amsterdam is startlingly different from GU011 Budapest, his previous set. Budapest was intense, uptempo, squelch-laden, trancey, and unrelentingly banging (but no, it was not "cheesy," people). This time around, Warren has moved more in a more eclectic direction, including tracks that span trance, techno-trance, tribal-ish house, and even some touches of funk. What unites many of these selections is a tendency to establish a particular rhythmic/musical groove and then to stay there for long periods of time. In other words, some of the tracks may seem "monotonous" to people not previously steeped in the world of (relatively) noncommercial electronic dance music. Personally, I think the results are satisfactory (especially if the music is played LOUD), but the set is just uneven enough to add a tinge of disappointment to my overall reaction.

The first cd starts out outstandingly, with two lovely, textured trance tracks, including the phenomenally beautiful "Eternity" by Ariane. The groove then turns toward housey-tribal material that while certainly excellent overall, does tend toward the repetitive, and this style may not please everyone. The subtle progressions of Warren's own Way Out West track, "Intensify," have grown on me with repeated listenings, and Main Element's "Hedfuk" is outstandingly intense and hypnotic. Mumps' "Mechanisms E-H" veritably exudes infectious energy. On the down side, however, Hipp-E and Tony Presents Soul Interactive's "Riddem Control" seems to spin its percussive wheels endlessly, and a glitzy, pounding track like Fluke's "Bullet (Cannonball)" (those grunting-style male vocals!) simply seems to me not to fit well within the mood and flow of the mix overall. James Niche's "Isolated" has a bouncy, infectious trancey quality that make it a winner (it would have fit in well on "Budapest"), but the final track on the first mix, Soul Driver's "States of Mind," is musically undistinguished while employing Middle Eastern-style vocals that seem more jarring than trance-inducing.

The second cd includes a series of tracks that explore rhythmic textures of different types, and this makes for pleasant listening, but does not leave one with the impression that the music overall is memorable. Inserted within this generally techno-trancey style is a single track that incorporates a truly infectious hook, Revolt's "Dive Into the Deep." Personally, I love this record, but its role within the quite different flow of the set overall seems a bit problematic.

Also: in GU018, Warren has selected three tracks that prominently feature sampled spoken vocals (unlike Paul Oakenfold's unfortunate experiment in "Perfecto Presents Another World," however, these are intrinsically parts of the records he plays, rather than something added on in gimmicky fashion). Clearly some listeners find such samples (about music, about drugs, about Mr. Peterbilt's sexual avocation) to be "cool," but I think that such samples are more effective within the context of a live set (a one-time event) than in a cd set which listeners are expected to play repeatedly. In other words, the interruption to the flow of the music and the gimmicky quality of the samples can cause them to become tiresome relatively quickly.

There are a few flaws, but this set by Warren has sufficient musical intensity and overall quality to make it well worth the money. Despite the claims of some would-be experts on the craft of beatmixing, Warren knows what he is doing in this regard and is certainly a first-rate technician on the turntables. This is not the best GU set ever (even for Warren), but for fans of electronic dance music it's still likely a welcome addition to a cd collection.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warren's best to date, January 27, 2001

By 

Sam McCarthy (New Haven, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Global Underground: Amsterdam (Audio CD)

This is Nick Warren of Way Out West's fourth release in the Global Underground series, eclipsing the amount any other DJ has in the series by two (until Digweed's LA GU is released. I can't wait!). In my opinion this is Warren's best work to date and perhaps, the riskiest GU since Hong Kong. His earlier GU releases in Brazil, Prague, and Budapest and Back to Mine set all favor hard, driving trance with little progression in terms of buildup and breakdown. Amsterdam completely deserts this style for a sound of deep, progressive house with some minimal trance touches on the outside. Not to mention the sexy vocals of Way Out West's own "Intensify" and "I'll Call You" (one of the best tracks I've heard in '01 thus far). Thrown into this electronic potluck are some very sleek tribal beats like on "Riddem Control" and "Swarm". What I like the most about this GU is that it touches more genres of electronica in one set than Emerson's Uruguay or Oakenfold's NY or Resident Cream releases while maintaining a certain tone throughout the mix.

CD1 is the better of the two, setting the GU's tone of a dreamy landscape narrated by progressive rhythmic house and sexy vocals and tribal beats. From the first track "Word" I felt like I was in a trance dream, as opposed to his Budapest or Back to Mine releases where I felt like I was at the late-night club. CD2 picks up where CD1 left off, only increasing the pace a little, but nevertheless maintaining this very subdued, minimal sound that has made Sasha and Digweed trance gods. Notable tracks such as "Play" and "Dive into the Deep" are cornerstones of CD2 worthy of individual play time.

I don't know why Warren's style has changed so suddenly. I would have liked to hear him live in between Summer 99 and Fall 00 when this was released to see how his style was changing. But GU:Amsterdam makes it clear that progressive house with minimal trance touches is emerging as both Warren's and the fat lads' preferred sound. I was a little disappointed with the latest GU's from London and Cape Town, but Amsterdam has revived my faith in just how original and cutting-edge the Global Underground sound is. Before I close, I would like to address one issue of complaint by many reviewers and people I've talked to about this GU: the mixing. The mixing is much more aggressive and quick on this GU because Warren is doing it LIVE! He is not allowing a computer or synthesizers to do it for him. This is really Warren's mixing, which doesn't compare to other GU's artificial mxing solely because it is done manually without the aid of cutting-edge technology. Warren's efforts with Amsterdam, despite how much people detract from it because of the mixing, still ranks up there with San Fran and Hong Kong as my favorite GU's. Pick this one up now.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars People don't understand the point of this grandiose mix..., September 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Global Underground: Amsterdam (Audio CD)

When someone buys Nick Warren, they want something out of the ordinary. This is not so with most other DJs; with Oakenfold and PVD you're set for banging trance, and with Sasha and Diggers you're set for melodic trance. With Nick Warren, every set is a new experience, but they are all kept together with that subtly percussive, uplifting and musical sound that is his signature. The pure creativity of this mix got me, it fit perfect for a wierd but wonderful experience. The same thing with Renaissance Revelation, people don't understand that it is meant to be a totally new experience. Don't let techno junkies and cynical trainspotters get in your way of the enjoyment of this mix!