9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just Be shows why Tiesto is the #1 DJ in the world, January 13, 2005
This review is from: Just Be (Audio CD)
I was extremely skeptical of even buying this album. I thought Tiesto was energetic, but not amazing live-- his original compositions usually lacked something-- and only his remixes seemed to stand out. Basically, I thought DJ mag was full of it and Tiesto was way overrated.
After finally listening to this album and Parade of the Atheletes, I strongly disagree with my opinion I had before and am amazed of how skeptical I was even before trying a sample of the real Tiesto.
I have never listened to Tiesto's other full-release album, In My Memory, so other reviewers who angrily state that Tiesto has lost his touch, or failed with this album, I would have to disagree. Many artists, as Tiesto is a true musician, don't stick to the same style and same exact music that made them who they are in the first place. Tiesto spins and mixes trance from across the world-- it's never the same as listened to in his In Search of Sunrise Vol. 3 and Nyana, as well as his numerous remixes from Sarah McLachlan to the Dave Matthews Band. Ferry Corsten did not stay with his well-known melodic trance and went house with his recent album Right of Way. Oakenfold's style is all-around as most of his albums are mainly progressive to melodic trance, his full-release album Bunkka proved that Oakenfold's diverse styles and abilities as a musician. How is Tiesto any different?
Just Be is an album filled with sorrowful strings and a beat that flows with effervescent energy that Tiesto seems to channel too well. Each song is filled with energy, making you want to get up and move-- to do something. 6 tracks of the the total 10 are vocals, 4 are instrumentals. To many this is discouraging, I think it's beautiful.
"Forever Today" starts off the album with slow strings that stops and leads into a fast-paced beat that washes over you with strings and synths. This track leads you into the next track where BT sings his heart out, "Love Comes Again".
Similar to his housey-synth melodies in "Traffic" or sounds of "Lethal Industry", "Loves Comes Again" is another floor-thumping track complete with vocals from BT and music from Tiesto. Lethal combination.. This leads you into the intersection of "Traffic".
"Traffic" is a track with pulsing bass and dramatic synth melodies. Just another one of your Tiesto anthems (wink).
"Sweet Mysery" is my personal favorite off the album. A slower beat and highly different from his other tracks before, this song is heavy with lots of heavy synths and strings, not to mention the almost eerie-industrial feel to it. The lush vocals complete this track, making it one of the best ones.
"Nyana" first made its appearence on his Nyana album, what a classic track this is. Gives you a nostalgic feeling of the classic trance days, a progressive trance song that just washes over you in a euphoric wave.
"Ur" is yet another ominous, slow track with a trip-hop beat rather than a trance beat. This track really reminds me of a track from Rob Dougan, from the trip-hop beat to gritty vocals and overall feel. Great melody at the climax of the song. Truly emotionally-charged.
"Walking on Clouds" picks the album up from the depressing feel of "Ur", with amazing vocals from Kirsty Hawkshaw (She was the vocals behind many tracks for artists such as Delerium and Orbital). Nothing too hard, just a simpler, soaring song.
"A Tear in the Open" opens up with just foreign vocals (no idea what language it is, sounds Mediterranean or Middle Eastern). Another strong song... my second favorite. Far from the sounds of "Nyana" or the house feel of "Traffic", it explores the vocals and turns them into a pulsing track.
"Just Be". Great lyrics, great vocals, great beat. No more explanation needed on the first single from the album.
"Adagio For Strings" the infamous Adagio for String originally composed by Samuel Barber, later turned popular by William Orbit who did his own rendition of the classical piece, as well as by Ferry Corsten. This is all-around favorite for most people, taking the beautiful melody of the classical piece and turning it into a 7-minute floor-grinding anthem.
Tiesto did a marvelous job on this album, focusing more on his tastes of classical melodies it seems.
This album, Just Be, him being the man behind the music for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, his Parade of Atheletes album from the Olympics, and his world-wide tour to all his fans... he deserves his third-straight title of DJ Mag's #1 in the world.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Progress, January 25, 2005
This review is from: Just Be (Audio CD)
Trance lovers must always push themselves to listen to what at first seems like garbage only to know other trance lovers around them who like this new sound. Tiesto in general is no exception to this rule, in fact he happens to be hardest of the pro trance Djs to get into but when you do, no doubt you will scowering around the place for everything else he has done.
This album is along the same lines as something like Sasha's Xpander, Airdrawndagger etc. It has lots and lots and lots of vocal singing but to be honest lovely voices and rocking trance work well, as they do here.
If you are looking for flawless banging and mixing then go to his in Search of Sunrise series, Magik or grab Oakenfold's new creamfields. This is more an artists album than a clubbing adventure.
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