Customer Reviews

Live at Om

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

 

 

A friend of mine once asked me why I prefer house music over hip hop, and my response was easy: house is more free flowing, more sensual, and, quite frankly, a lot more fun to dance to. A case in point is the excellent "Live at OM" set by two of house music's most respected DJs: Derrick Carter and Mark Farina. These are two CDs of hypnotic grooves that are mixed seamlessly, as we've come to expect from DJs of this caliber. The first disc comes from Mark Farina, who gives us some twisted and nasty grooves in the form of "Revolution" by To-Ka Project, "F--- Hodges" by Jason Hodges and Jacob London's "No Farting in the Ice Fort." Derrick Carter gets his moment to shine on the second disc, and it's the slightly better of the two. We get some really pounding beats on killer tracks like "Simon Says Bounce" by Kings of Tomorrow, "Classic Vibe" by Backroom Production and "Telefunky" by Freaks. While both DJs are clearly different in style, the compliment each other nicely on "Live at OM." It's also fitting that this recording took place on Valentine's Day, because the project sounds like it was done with lots of love and affection. One of the best house compilations I've heard this year so far.

For those of you who have never had the chance to see either of these two live, your wait is over. The track selection and overall vibe of this CD make it a must for any true house fan, you will not be dissapointed.

I'll try to spell everything right, unlike other reviewers. These cds are a good example of Chi-town jackin house music. Farina is pretty good, but if DC doesn't get your head noddin' to the point where you almost get in a car accident, than there's something wrong with you. Go listen to Oakenfold, or Tiesto, and wave some glowsticks around. Bangin!

These guys are super-star deejays for a reason: skills. It shows on these discs! The un-edited live mixes presented by each respective deejay is very much in their typical veins: carter digs into the funky chicago sound, never afraid to play an older track; while Farina drops his classic funky jazzy san-fran stuff along with some unexpected (but refreshing) acid influenced stuff.

Both are flawlessly mixed and the crowd adds a nice element to the music. Don't sleep on this one!

There is nothing like buying a DJ mixed cd and knowing that it was mixed on turntables by the actual DJ and not programmed using computer software. Both Farina and Carter show why they are true house kings on their respective discs, mixing live as a true DJ does. Most of the tracks are great and the flow is smooth and danceable.
Still, some tracks on both discs lack originality and are quite boring. Also, the mixing is not impeccable, like many people seem to think. Granted, the sets were recorded live, but many of the mixes from both DJs are sloppy. My only other critique of this CD is that neither DJ appears to be taking house music to a new level. This has become a plague for electronic music the last several years and no DJ or producer has taken the initiative to step up and try to change it. While I love and respect both DJs for what they have done for house music in the past, this CD shows that, at this point, their creative endeavors have plateaued.

Well, in fact, I understand why a lot of true deep house headz are disappointed with this mix. We are veeery far from San Francisco Sessions vol. 1, or even far from Connect. But, in the same time, we still stay into the quality house music, with, like often with mark, a real deepness. The BPM is higher, but the track selection is very fresh. Okay, that's not the 90's deep house, that's 2005 deep TECH/house. Try to make a set in the same vein of SFS1 with nowadays records... it's difficult, cause even deep house is changing. 4,5/5 stars for the Farina set. But the Derrick Carter set is just...OK in my opinion. I found it more boring than Mark set, and the track selection is less interessant. Well, it's just a question of tastes I think...

i listen and listen and listen to this cd. stacy kid is a good dj. i've heard him spin in person down here in chicago and i did not want to leave.

i love all types of music, ecspecially the electronica movements. i saw review's of kaskade and in the reviews i saw this guy's name mark farina. the one mentioned soulfull, deep jazz like house sound. with rich movement and soul. stuff to make you shake dat azz. so when i was in the local cd store the other weekend, i saw this cd. i thought of the reviews, and said to myself, self, why the hell not. but, i didnt really know the actual sound that mark had, so i didnt open the cd yet, i was going to check out the sounds on cdnow. but, i couldnt wait so i opened, popped it in the old cd player, and was TOTALLY, AND I MEAN TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY BY HOW BORING THE FIRST CD IS. i hear more music and beats and rythem turning on my computer, opening my car door hearing the ding ding ding ding sound, not putting on my seatbelt fast enough in my car, ding ding ding, not turning of the turn signal when changing lines fast enough, ding ding ding. put it this way, i was listening to cd 1, i thought i was and hoping i was only on song maybe 3 or 4, check the track, it was on song ten. this cd was so bad, i took it out and put in the cd 2, the mr carter one. second time around for the second cd was a better find. to bad you cant buy them sepperate, but you cant. dc was better, kept my ears from not falling asleep. but it wasnt as deep, or soulfull or as jazzy as i was hoping for. if i was to base deep house on this cd, or cds for that matter, i wouldnt waste my time in looking for much more, and nether should you, skip this one, let's check out kaskade, or that migel guy, or maybe some of marks other stuff, maybe he was just having a bad night!!!!!!!!!!!

i don't know much about Derreck but Mr. Mark Farina was used be such a great DEEP HOUSE dj back in the days... Mushroom Jazz, cisco sessions and so forth... So, when i saw the cd at some local cd shop, i bought it without checking out samples. Big mistake!!! the BPM was way too fast my DEEP HOUSED ear drums, thus it sounded like Hollywood's stupid big club music (Mark, you sell out!! I remember he did 8 hour set just outside of L.A. only a few years ago...) If you like hard or progressive house (they suck by the way) you'd love it.