Customer Reviews

Layered Sounds 2

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

 

 

Once again Bedrock brings yet another great mix for all to enjoy. This is vol.2 of the layered sounds mix comps. and in my honest opinion many steps above its vol.1. Cd1 is Bedrocks downbeat selections and I must say (though I am not too much into the chill or downbeat mixes) this cd has truly a great sound. It seems to me that most "Chill" cds seem to have a bit to many obsucure tracks that do not mix to well. I really like the flow and the track selection of cd1. A bit like the amazing Northern Exposer feel. Now on to the reason I bought this cd, CD2 "upbeats" has some amazing Prog. house tracks. A much better and DEEPER mix than vol.1 with lush sounds and some GREAT remixes. I have purchased almost every big label release at the moment (Renaissance, Global Underground, Balance, Tiesto's new ISOS)yet this mix(more so disc 2) seems to be getting played a bit more.Both cds are Great prog./chill mixes that should not be missed by both fans.

while disc 2 is an enjoyable mix i think disc 1 is the real prize. i dont have a lot of ambient music as it can be difficult to find amid all the cds churned out. however disc 1, especially the tracks by Yunus Guvenen, are something to really close your eyes to. Very pensive, beautiful music.

Bedrock has got to be overall one of my favorite labels, when they get cds right, theyre always amazing. Take Chris Fortiers' and Jimmy Van M's Bedrock cds for instance, they're both some of the best dark, deep, progressive house mixes out there, from beginning to end . But many times i have bought other Bedrock cds such as this one or Foundations and find them to be somewhat boring. They're so prog that they eventually just get boring and long and make me want to skip the cd forward. But they do have some really good moments in between. So yes, the cd does have some nice parts but there's lots of boringness in there also. Overall, i recommend the cd only if you are already familiar with Bedrock and really want it, not if this is your first time listening to other Bedrock cds.

Props to Bedrock Records for another quality compilation. Disc 2 here is a mixed set of the spacy, breaks-inflected progressive house that Bedrock is known for. It has some nice tunes, especially in the banging middle section (best artist name ever: "Astro and Glyde"), but it's pretty much what you'd hear on a Friday night big room dancefloor. Disc 1 is where things are at. It's a compilation of downtempo tunes; some are ambient and some have hip hop beats. At times, the cuts get airy and frictionless (this *is* Bedrock we're talking about), but when the ingredients gel, as they often do, the results are downright beautiful. Check out Yunus Guvenen's "Indigo" for some tear-jerking business - definitely one for the chill-out room.

Last year, Layered Sounds 1 certainly hit me the right way, but I'm just a tad partial to these stylish Downbeats vs. Upbeats two disc compilations we've been seeing from the big prog labels. This year, Layered Sounds 2 exceeds the high standards set by its venerable predecessor. If you enjoyed the first, you'll love the second. To say that Disc 1 (the Downbeats) delivers a delicious chillout vibe is perhaps an understatement. Ever hear something that struck you as so beautiful in places it gave you the chills? That sums it up better. If you've ever made a mix tape or CD yourself, you'll notice that different mixes of the same song -- Terry Grant's "I'll Kill You" -- mark the opening and closing on the first set. Jennifer Horne's amazing voice notwithstanding, you'll wonder why Digweed would employ such a programming cliché as that. It's that fine line between genius and madness thing. Digweed's on the side that starts with a "G." And the rest of the set goes down like a slightly techy, late afternoon cocktail savored aurally on the Balaeric island of your choice. I'll have another, while you're up.
Disc 2 (the Upbeats) will prep you right for the evening's magic ahead -- you know, that mild, anticipatory adrenaline rush before heading out. The track list includes selections by Digweed himself (under the Bedrock moniker), Derek Howell ("Happy To Be Sad"), Pole Folder ("Salvation On Slavery Sins"), POB and Taylor ("Aura"), as well as Luke Fair, Steiger, and others. Much better than this, it does not get.

I give it 3 stars from a prog. house point of view. There's no arguing that Diggers' has it going on but this is NOT a progessive house album. A few tracks lead you towards it but then leads right back to prog. breaks.It you want progessive breaks then you will totally love this. Personally breaks feel slower to me - not that I haven't danced my ass of to some great break sets at desert parties - but Layered 1 CD 2 has my vote.
RE: the downtempo - it's good but if you're looking for some great chill go to Kruder & Dorfmeister. I plan on trading LS2 in.