Customer Reviews

Northern Exposure : Expeditions

5 star:		(86)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This 3rd and newest installment in the ever-popular Northern exposure series is perhaps the finest showcasing of U.K. based DJ's Sasha and John Digweed yet! Their ability to effortlessly blend together dance tracks so smoothly will put them on the DJ map forever. This double disc set offers a little of what the fans who see them at their monthly gig in NY's club TWILO experience... older club tracks(such as Delta Lady's "anything you want")blended with the most cutting edge dance music to create an aural atmosphere unlike anyone else's.The highlights of this cd are all of the hard to find(or never released)remixes, such as the unreleased US remix of Jayn Hanna's "Lost without you", an excellent progressive trance track with very beutifull vocals.Some standouts of this cd are the energetic reworking of Delerium's "silence" wich features Sara Mclachlan on vocals, Platipus records superstar Union Jack's "morning glory", humate's "love stimulation", and the 2nd cd closer Mike Koglin "the silence", wich lifts the main epic melody from Depeche Mode's "enjoy the silence".But the best treat for all who buy this cd is the inclusion of the new, as-of-yet unreleased track from Sasha himself, titled "belfunk". This is one of the prettiest songs I've ever heard, and is right up there with Sasha's other epic singles "Arkham asylum" and "be as one".This is a very recomended cd for any fan of Sasha & John Digweed, or for anyone who wants to hear a new turn into the world of epic house & progressive trance.

I simply cannot say enough good things about Sasha and John Digweed. Anyone who has listened to their music extensively will probably testify that alone they are fantastic DJ's, but together they are magical. S & D are masters of their craft who know exactly how to weave patterns of sound that elicit powerful emotional responses. More than once have I been driving in my car, listening to S&D,and been completely moved to tears. The way in which they subtly blend the sounds together is amazing. Their attention to detail is unequaled. Anyone who can truly appreciate fabulous mixing, combined with a track selection that is very well planned out, absolutely cannot ignore anything by these artists. This CD in particular is a good example of the skills of Sasha and Digweed. The first disc begins with a rush of sound that cascades into the melodic and beautiful rhythms of Space Manouevers. Some gentle vocals whisper at you in I Know You Love Me Too. The pristine simplicity of Sasha's own Belfunk adds a nice touch of personality. Absent from the US release is the excellent Sarah McClachlan remix. The second CD is very different. The ambient Seaside Atmosphere beginsthe CD, with the downbeat mood carrying over subtly into tracks 3 and 4. Here the pace which was only beginning to show itself starts to pick up. The synth rhythms here layer themselves in such a way as to give you many different layers to pick out. The upward spiral of Pure Frictions Groove carries over perfectly into Gamelan from Red Devil. Track 7, Mess With Da Bull, brings about a highly energetic climax which blends the beat with the melody fantastically. The crescendo from 7 falls beautifully into the melodic Love Stimulation from Paul Van Dyk and crew. Breeder (a favorite of S&D) brings a tune written exclusively for this mix in next. The combination of a tune by Breeder fitted into the mix perfectly by S&D makes this track a great standout. The mood then changes to the vocal track Anything You Want. The way the breakbeats just creep themselves in there always makes my spine tingle. What can I say about "The Silence?" This track is a complete miracle. It is one of the best songs I have ever heard, period. Anyone who can appreciate well done music will like this track, regardless of what style they like. A great end to a FABULOUS mix. These artists are the absoulte best at what they do, and this is one of their best works. Find out why so many people have made these two their Alpha and Omega of music. Try it !

No, this is no paul van dyk, no tiesto, no armin van buuren. This is trance. Real trance. Not pop. No cookie cutter breakdowns, buildups, and hit-me-over-the head anthems here. Thank you S&D.

Oh, this set is one of my favorite of all time.
From the first moment I heard it, I knew this was "not of this earth."
If you liked the previous volumes, this will you do more with a lot more intensity.
This double set it's filled with mind blowing beats & melodies as well as incredible & flawless mixing by the best djs in the world.
Sasha & Digweed, prove, once again that they have control of the turntables and they know how to use their skills.
The track selection is nearly impossible to match. I get chills from listening to this thing.
It's too good to believe. It makes you think..."how on earth, does anyone have the ability to make such good music, and to mix such good music in such a perfected manner?"
My ears are being trained to the sound of the "mixed" tracks.
Wait till you listen to the bass lines on track #7 on cd 2. Ha!
You will then know what I'm talking about.
I will do this though. I will recommend you buy this cd before you do any other.
You will not be dissapointed. This I guarantee.
This set, without a doubt, will spin for ages in my player.

The Northern Exposure series has ended with this sublime 2 disc set :( I think 1999 was supposed to be the end of the world or something, so there's no coincidence that this series came to an end during this year.

Ah well, this album is a nice way to go out on top. The first disc is definitely the house disc whereas the second is the trance one. You can tell from listening to the previous installments in this series that this album is a departure from the first two. Just as well since the sound in style changes all the time.

Like all the Northern Exposure releases I still listen to this one a lot, even now. There's something about good music that lasts and lasts. Of all the installments I like this one the least, but that's still high praise. This CD sounds like a transition of sorts, not quite the zenith of trance like the first two, not quite progressive which was to follow. Maybe this is why I like it the least.

In any case, Sasha's "Belfunk" is not to be missed on the first disc. That song is the end of a nice buildup that starts with track 4 Jayn Hanna's "Lost Without You" and continues with The Light's "Expand the Room". Sadly the rest of disc 1 doesn't interest me much.

Now disc 2 is where all the action is! It starts off pretty wicked warped with Head Honcho's "Waters of Jericho", which sounds like the background music to some mythical beast being conjured up from the depths of the sea or something. Anyway, after that excellent track there's a two track relaxing lull I often have the urge to skip through, I mean after "Waters of Jericho" the following tracks are a BIG letdown. Anyway, by track 4 all is redeemed with the misnamed track "Polarstern" by Der Dritte Raum -- can you believe it, a miscredited song printed on the CD! Oh well, not like you can hear the song's name while it's playing. The rest of the CD is awesome and doesn't miss a beat straight to the end, except for Breeder's "Rock Stone". Highlights on this disc definitely go to RR Workshop's "Mess With Da Bull" and Mike Koglin's "The Silence".

This is an old CD, 5 years, but don't let the age fool you, this is an awesome CD that still holds its own against the current tunes being pumped out, maaaan.

P.S. I'll take "Miscredited tracks for a $100, Alex". Disc 1 incorrectly lists Space Manoeuvres' "Stage One", putting the song name in the artist position. Not really miscredited per se, but still nice trivia to know, no.

Of the CDs this duo has kicked out, I'm willing to say this is their second best. While it doesn't have the soul and depth of Northern Exposure II: East Coast Edition, it has more of a frenetic energy than their more recent "Communicate" album.

The first positive thing I'd like to say about this set is that, at the time of its release, it was not a "Best of What's Hot Right Now" type of album like so many others that are released. If you inspect the liner notes, several of the tracks already had several years behind them. ("Morning Glory" and "Waters of Jericho" were both from 1994 and "Anything You Want" goes back to 1993. For example.) A very classy thing to do. Evident, I would say, of a desire to construct a proper mix with a theme and flow rather than something out to please the "What's Hot Right Now?" crowd of record shoppers.

Anyway, disc one has more of a deep groove to it than the second. While it has its melodic peaks and even a bit of fresh funkiness ("Expand the Room"), this set seems to concentrate on maintaining more of an atmospheric quality. Unfortunately, the highlight is the first half of the disc, particularly the now (in)famous "Space Maneouvres" (of all things, the second track) and the beautiful "Lost Without You."

Disc two is more of a stormer. It picks up with some "older" trance, slightly atmospheric, but winding up into "Polarstern" and the "trance-with-teeth" that follows clear through the rest of the CD.

The set is worth the money, definitely. Oddly enough, while I'd assert disc two to be the more consistent, even better of the two, I find myself listening to the first one most often. I can't quite figure that out. I'll have to break myself of that habit. Still... If you don't have Northern Exposure II: East Coast Edition, pick that up first. Then this. And if you like what you hear, start exploring these artists' independent projects.

Well worth it if you get it cheap, but Disc One is not good enough. Breeder provides a great ominous, brooding start - just how I like it. Space Manouevres is gorgeous, dreamy, bubbly - although it dates rapidly because of the Star Trekky samples we don't mind because it seems to promise a mix in the pleasing northern exposure tradition. With Morning Glory the melodic theme hardens and the pace quickens - seems to be morphing nicely then oh dear......the vocals on Lost Without You don't match the mood at all and it all starts to go downhill. Expand the room slaps a naïve irritating, discordant refrain in your face, failing to retrieve the situation by mixing in the vocal phrase correctly. Belfunk is at best a tryer, certainly no masterpiece, Sasha should stick to mixing. (...). This might be a good pop song but it doesn't belong here. The rest of disc one is irrelevant, the last track gets moving but the vocals make me gag and it's all out of sorts by now anyway so it's time to try the second disc...

What a relief. If this was the only disc I would have given it four stars at least. Accomplished and progressive. No over obvious peaking. Amongst the steadiest building trance I have heard. Nicely warmed up by the time the wonderfully infectious Der Dritte Raum track (4) gently emerges, smoothly takes over the controls and winds up the twitch factor. No massive epics, but a superbly selected and interlaced mix. Check out the masterly Breeder and Humate touches. Probably THE most consistent mix I have heard until Anything You Want - I don't like vocal tracks very often. The last track, The Silence, is a fitting descent into reality again.

As one of my most prized and familiar trance CDs, I see this work of art as an epic masterpiece. Having acquired works of both Sasha and Digweed separately, I have seen a pattern with strong introductions, finales, and smooth transitions even Vivaldi would covet. This CD set is no different. Sasha and Digweed have done it again - not only proving that the art of trance has broken down racial barriers, but that it has also fused many distinct musical genres into lucid narratives of what the future of music may bring. The future is now. Bringing their individual influences to the album, Sasha and Digweed still find a way to complement eachother - creating a deep shade of gray where there were once black and white. Blending romantic melodies, hard-hitting beats, and synthesized sounds, Sasha and Digweed make this album a true form of "Audio-Ecstacy" for the new Millennium.

Sasha + Digweed's latest 2 CD set has not failed to impress once more. Both CDs starting out with spacey, ambient sounds, they quickly coalesce into cohesive rhythms and fantastic melodies...You think I'm talking unusually about this? Just listen to their music and you'll know why I'm speaking in such ways...

Nevertheless...Disc 1's finest selections (in my opinion) started off with Stage One's "Space Manoeuvres", and went all the way through Chris Raven's "Know You Love Me Too"...Absolutely brilliant selections.

Disc 2's finest selections (once again my opinion) hit off very nicely with Stef, Pako & Frederick's "Seaside Atmosphere" and then quickly ascends to the harder trance sounds from Polarstern's "Der Dritte Raum" and just peaks unbelievably with Red Devil's "Gamelan" and RR Workshop's "Mess w/ Da Bull"...Once again absolutely brilliant and seamless...

Though some may disagree, but the remix of Mike Koglin's "The Silence" was an unbelievable way to finish off Disc 2...The first time I heard that song it simply blew my mind...What a beautiful build and an incredible way to finish a CD.

First of all, let me start off by saying that this is not the trance you will hear at a live Twilo or Bedrock set from the S+D express. This, along with the rest of the mixes in the Northern Exposure series, is purely minimal, headphone trance for the afterhours. With that said, let me just say that this is one of those mixes that get better with each listen. I was surprised to find out that this CD is quite anitquated by now (by trance standards). Yet I bought this one just a few months ago, and it seems fresher and more original than the mediocre "Communicate". You really need to listen to this one a few times before you really appreciate the beautiful, coherent flow of this one. Also, there are remixes on this one that you won't hear elsewhere that, in my opinion, are better than the originals.

Sasha starts the magic with Breeder's ambient "Tyrantanic" and follows with a dark, haunting, extended remix of "Space Manoevers" (yeah, I know it's a little overplayed). But then what follows gives you an appetizer of what to come: Sasha mixes into "Morning Glory" (an AWESOME track might I add) with skills that show why he is the best mixing DJ in the world. I actually counted this one day, and he takes about 5 and a half minutes to mix it in with Space Manoevers. So smoothe, so gentle, so effortless, so SASHA! The rest of the CD flows just as smoothly with Sasha at the helm, with standout tracks "Belfunk" produced by the man himself and "Micromega." This CD reminded me a lot of what Sasha did on disc 1 of GU Ibiza, a very light, futuristic touch.

Then Digweed takes over at the helm, and starts off with the discordantly airy "Waters of Jericho". This sets the tone for the rest of CD2, which is very dark and dirty trance, touching some progressive house and techno. "Love Stimulation" is my favorite track on the record, and it takes the mix into the concluding grounds, where dark, haunting emotion sets in. Although the Depeche Mode-flavored "the silence" is not really trance and uncharacteristic of both Sasha and Digweed, it is the perfect way to end such a mix. The emotion evoked by this track reminds the listener just what a dope trip the Express has taken you on.

Overall, a great CD that gets a lot of playing time on my discman and will continue to do so until it gets boring. But every time I listen to it, it just keeps getting better and better, kinda like Sahsa and Digweed.