Customer Reviews

Mexico City (Ocrd)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Best known for his in-your-face breaks, and not having made a double mix CD in ten years, it's no wonder there's been so much chatter surrounding Adam Freeland's Mexico City GU. Admittedly, this is Global Underground's only significant departure, along with Lavelle, from the dependable progressive artists who have collectively cemented the record label in EDM history. Freeland defies the odds and mixes a masterfully solid release that I believe will earn him at least one more go on the GU label in the future.

CD1 swoops into full-force with a progressive breaks/house cocktail, slowly incorporating rock and electro. It is enough to turn your head into jelly - and jelly feels good. Freeland's the type of DJ who keeps people moving by firing shots at their feet. It makes for a pretty memorable experience. The progressive breaks whip, whirl, twist and jump, sometimes lending a kiss of guitar without deviating from GU's quality standards. I dare say there isn't much room to lose attention on disc one because even after repeated listens I still find myself wondering, "where's this gonna go next?" Remember that golden standard, "disc one chill / disc two energy"? Throw that silly notion out the window as Adam Freeland squelches the conventional! And who but Adam Freeland could mix together tracks from artists like Faze Action, Revl9n, Minimal Compact, Spank Rock and Evil 9 and actually have it make sense? Freeland's own "Silverlake Pills" is a notably wild track, as is "Deadly Weapons," "Sharpen the Knives" and "F**k." The very titles of the tracks chosen seem to be competent indicators of what the first mix contains. Finally, "Testarossa" bores into Evil 9's "Happy Ending," concluding this heart-pounding experience.

CD2: Now enter "Ecstasy Symphony," a track which seems too beautiful following the first mix. In fact, disc two's mood marks a wonderful foil for the first mix as it is elegantly orchestrated. There is a time for madness and a time for contemplation, and disc two illustrates the contemplative side of Adam's madness. Soon enough the smooth and funkified rhythm of "Zebras & Butterflies" has my head bobbing peacefully. Tracks further on churn out bassy, alien-esque wanderings before securing a consistent beat which resembles progressive trance. Employing tracks by artists like Cobblestone Jazz, Spaceman 3, James Holden and Justus Konche, disc two is a decidedly more calculated adventure - one that departs so much from Freeland's musical attitude that I still cannot believe my ears when I hear it. 120 Days' "Come Out" is a stand out track, essentially marking the point where the album gains some sort of speed and body; James Holden's "Lump" is one of the dreamiest and hypnotic tracks I've heard in a long time. I would rate disc two amongst the top five oddball GU discs in the entire series, but it is so brilliantly mixed - perfect for cruising, slow dancing or laying on the couch, the styles jump from ambience to minimal to alternative rock. Freeland's imagination is truly incredible. Disc two marks Freeland's imagination blossoming.

I honestly cannot begin to imagine what this Global Underground party must have been like, but I think it is safe to say a couple people left the club on stretchers, others in the aftermath of a spiritual awakening. To those wary of purchasing this album based on the fact that Adam does not fit the typical mold of a Global Underground artist, you are missing out. Putting himself back on the map, Freeland satisfied my EDM appetite with gritty and diverse Mexican madness with a side of extraterrestrialism, and it is absolutely delicious.

~Lex

Don't expect to hear your typical GU album here. If you are hardcore into what is usually put out by the label, then this might not be for you. But if you're willing to check out something a little different, then this is the one. I was listening to disc 1 while doing some work on the computer and realized that my legs were getting quite a workout! The music just makes you move, constantly.

I haven't heard anything from Adam Freeland before this but I will definitely check out more of his stuff now. I think the negative reviews are from people who are disappointed that this album is a 180 from the norm, but if you know not to expect the norm, then get ready for a great experience! This probably should have been released under something other than the "Global Underground" series, like a NU-Breed or something, but the GU people must have wanted to get this guy some exposure, and rightfully so.

Again, different than your usual GU, but one that must be heard, just know what to expect.

It's very unfortunate, really, that this double mix album is getting some of these nasty one-star reviews. I can guarantee that if this was released on a different label under a different mix series, this would not be received as poorly as it is by some reviewers. The main problem with this is that it was marketed to the wrong audience. As you can gather by reading these one-star reviews, much of the Global Underground fanbase is too high-set on expectations for typical progressive house fare that this label is usually known for. I like Nick Warren and Danny Howells as much as the next guy, but someone should change things up a bit once in a while! Hernan Cattaneo's latest Sequential release, for example, bored me to tears!

Anyways, I'm not even sure how the hell to classify the first CD, as it's an energetic frenzied mix of electro, breaks, acid, and guitars. If you're familiar with Ed Banger's catalogue, then you'll have a good idea of what Adam Freeland's going for, as SebastiAn, Justice, and DJ Mehdi all make appearances here. From the moment the CD starts, the energy hardly lets up and Freeland flies through some absolutely sick cuts. A few tracks and sequences that stand out especially are "F**k," "Floating," and "Signatune" leading up to the devastating "Sharpen the Knives." Definitely not for the faint of heart.

The second CD, although less intense, is much more varied. The first three tracks are hypnotic and fairly subdued before building up to a track by 120 Days, a band whose sound reminds me of Kasabian if they went a more psychedelic route. From there Freeland goes through some techy minimal into a downright weird track by James Holden before getting back to a more conventional rock sound with Silversun Pickups (!), which took me by surprise. Many of these groups/bands would be more familiar to indie rock fans than progressive heads, but that doesn't mean there's a drop in quality here. Freeland continues this sound until the mix comes to a distorted fuzzed-out close.

Clearly the people who went out and bought this before doing any sort of research (are they familiar at all with Freeland's track record??) or sampling have themselves to blame. I suggest that anyone else who is curious about this release would sample some of these tracks before making a decision. It's not the best GU mix by a long shot, but it's way more fresh and exciting than a lot of releases lately.

Well, you'll either love or hate this album, nothing in between - I'm in the former camp. I'd consider the genre more New Rave or electro (many tracks coming from the Ed Banger label). It's definitely a fresh sound, the kind of kick in the balls GU needs. Last time I checked, GU is not strictly prog. Think back to the first GU by Tony De Vit and all the diverse sounds that came since then.

I'm usually love Adam Freeland's stuff. I have several of his albums and his Essential Mix on Radio1 a few years ago is still in my playlist as one of my favorites. Also a huge fan of the Global Underground series (I have every one of them), I was excited to see Freeland's name in the lineup. Sadly, I think this is my least favorite GU so far.

I'm not sure what Adam was trying to do here, but disk one just never really gets going and disk two is just a mess. There are so many times in it where it seems like he thought "let's just make a ton of random noises here and see how it works out." It didn't.

I was very disappointed with this release and hopefully Freeland doesn't go quite so experimental if he gets another chance on the label.

I have been a huge Global Underground for years now, and I say I was not expecting this. This is not your Daddy's Global Underground. Take that as a warning if you like. If you do not want to wander outside the box that is the norm for Global Underground I would not recommend this CD, but if you are looking for something different, something that defies genre labels than this is it.

cheers to GU for giving Adam Freeland this platform. he doesn't hesitate to bring it. the one star reviews seem to be people who want this labels' releases sounding similar. make no mistake: Adam Freeland will not give you a mix that sounds like Nick Warren's last couple.

What he gives you on CD1 is mostly house with a breakbeat swagger. At times it's hard to believe it's not breaks, which mostly it isn't. the precussion, synths and samples stand up and make you take notice--if you follow me. the beats are heavy (wet n wild, phantom), techy (walking machine), trippy (37 grad, deadly weapons), and...well, pretty hard to categorize because if it's not all of the above and more it's some eclectic stuff Freeland's is goodly enough to share with us. understand, this is not atmospheric house. read: this disc rocks and will refuse to become background music after a few spins.

CD 2 is another story. the first three tracks smoothly build from airy to light, into the funky vibe of Advance and the synth rock of Come Out. then we take another ride through house before Lazy Eye (!!). The only real dips are Holden's Lump (disclaimer: i traditionally don't like Holden's stuff and don't understand the hype) and Immersion, which is a trippy seque but sort of loses me coming off Lazy Eye.

now that i've had this set for a month, i put on CD2 more because it's a little closer to my regular music moods. but CD1 is the gem. it's just a little too intense for everyday, and that's not a bad thing. don't be afraid of the new music.

eclectic, trippy, rocking = goodness for the ears

Ok I have not written a review in a long time. But I have to let my voice be heard. This cd is truly an amazing mix. No, its not progressive, house, or trance. It Breaks (and a few rock songs thrown in for good messure). Now dont get me wrong, I was thrown off on the first listen. Almost did not give it another chance. But on the second listen I got to really soak up what Freeland has done here and its GREAT. I mean come on people, Who else can have you right in the middle of a pounding breaks mix then all of the sudden throw down a smoking rock song (Lazy Eye)on disc two. Any way I'm not going to go into the specifics of the cd, just trust me GIVE IT A CHANCE

The problem I have with the negative reviews regarding this release is that many of them start off with:

"This is noisy and awful! I've been a fan of GU ever since the series existed and this is nothing like what they play!"

Yea okay. If this was a Seaman release--or Digweed--then sure, be angry. It would be a complete disaster of sound. You got hooked by the expectation of heavily layered, ethereal progressive house and got edgy, punchy electronica. Complain--people will listen.

But if you have been following Adam Freeland around, or electronic music in general for that matter, you'd know that he's not a progressive house DJ. In fact, he isn't even a house DJ. Known for his blistering breaks and genre-defying sets, Adam has slowly progressed (pardon the pun) towards the French and Australian labels (Ed Banger and Modular come to mind), pushing the boundary between house, electronica, and rock.

To me, the combination is sublime. I love every minute of this release (I'll give the other reviewer some slack since the revl9n track IS a bit weird). If you like artists like SebastiAn, Busy P, Digitalism, The Bagraiders, Ajax, and other "new electro" stars, then pick up this album. If you are a diehard fan of groovy, deep progressive house, then this album shouldn't have even attracted you in the first place.

A real dancer in my book.

the diversity and open mindedness of this set is mind boggling. so great to see a dj, after so many years of spinning, still having the passion and balls to search out and find whats exciting in music today. if you want the same old same old, 2 minute mixes, tribal/proggy tracks that go nowhere, and sets that are so predictable they sound like the dj went to the john and never came back, then dont buy this. if you like your music fresh, exciting, mind bending, then this is the thing for you.