Customer Reviews

Politics of Dancing 2

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Those of you looking for an experience similar to Politics of Dancing 1 will be scratching your heads after popping in Disc 1 of this 2 disc set. It's slower, melodic trance, and nothing like POD1. Track 1 is a very bland track, and to tell you the truth, so are 2, 3, & 4. Things don't pick up until track 5, and things really get going with the stunning vocal track Burn on track 6, however it runs a bit too short for my liking (actually only 4 songs on here go longer than 5 minutes). Things get real boring again with the not so hot track Alone. Luckily, 2 scorchers are up next with Lolo's Why and Purple Haze's Adrenalin. The rest of the disc features some decent tracks, but there were 2 vocal tracks I did not care for at all: Filo & Peri's Closer Now, and White Room's Someday. They really don't sound good.

Even though it doesn't say so in the liner notes, I am pretty sure that PVD had a hand in re-editing just about every track on here, just like Politics 1, because nothing is listed as a remix version, yet most tracks vary from their original form. Most of the tracks are fine, including his twist on Adrenalin, which is great in any form, however there are a few duds, and on disc 1, he destroys an otherwise classic bit of melodic vocal trance: The Unknown by White Water featuring Melinda Gareh. The original is pure bliss with a incredible melody that glides through and carries the vocals, but by changing that, he made it into a very dull track.

Disc 2 brings us back into familiar dance floor friendly territory and heralds back memories of Politics 1. It's a high energy trance pace that never lets us, and the beats are non-stop. It saves this 2 disc set, as you can tell so far that I am not very high on disc 1.

I do have 2 gripes about disc 2. The first is that I got the Other Side CD single a prior to this coming out, and I was blown away by both the original version, and the even better Martin Roth remix. What I didn't care for was the guitar riff in the track, and luckily, it is only in the track for a quick few seconds. This is one reason why I didn't care for the radio edit, because it starts with the guitars. Well, PVD has re-edited the original and made is start with the guitars, ughhh! The trancey start of the original version would have started this disc off much better.

My other gripe about this disc is 2 tracks he really did not re-edit well. Mark Norman's T34 is not so bad, but he still lost some of the impact of the super fast original by slowing it down a tad. The real horror was when I heard Marco V's More Than a Life Away -- OMG he butchered it bad!!!!!!!!!! The original is THE hottest trance vocal track of the summer, and it's a crazy, blazing fast techo speed trip, with even trippier vocals. Well, he slowed down the speed of the vocals, and the entire track, and made it sound like crap!!! I couldn't believe it! Unfortunately, most of you may be hearing this track for the first time, and think this is how it shoud sound, as it's appeared on a bunch of other mixes already released in Europe but not here yet (like Ferry Corsten's Creamfields and Cosmic Gate's Back 2 Back Volume 2). I urge you to wait to hear it elsewhere, because this is not how this truly incredible tracks should be heard.

With that aside, Disc 2 is still a screaming ride of relentless high energy trance, and is a full of the neverending dance floor beats that made the first Politics so special. Have no fear if you thought disc 1 was different, because it's Paul back in true form here (except for his unforgivable butchering of More Than a Life Away).

Overall, I give the first disc 3 stars and the second disc 4 stars, averaging up to 4 stars. It's a good thing he re-edited everything here to freshen things up, because when I first checked out the tracklisting, I saw no less than 12 tracks I already had from other mixes released this year. It's all good except for the bad reworking of the 3 tracks I mentioned, and a little let down on disc 1 with some boring tracks. Disc 2 is really the stand out. Still definitely worth picking up.

If you want some even better trance mixes released this year:
Cosmic Gate - Back 2 Back Vol. 2
Art of Trance - Tales of the Unexpected (note: disc 1 is prog. house)
Ferry Corsten - Creamfields (note disc 1 is electro house)
Kyau vs. Albert/Talla 2XLC - Technoclub Next 2
George Acosta - The Lost World
Markus Schulz - Miami '05

Got your Armin van Buuren - State of Trance 2004 and 2005? Well done, you know how the third renaissance is the best yet. Got your Paul Oakenfold - Creamfields? Great stuff. What about Mark Shulz - Miami '05? Now you're getting into the 2005 collection. The State of Trance mixes happen to be some of the greatest trance ever. Oakenfold cooks up some whipping beats also and Mark Shulz launches himself into the same category as these top artists... so what about the daddy? How does his "The Politics of Dancing 2" (TPOD2) make it? Well the best thing about a PVD dual disc release is that PVD ensures that his Disc 2 is as good as Disc 1. This is really what PVD does best. Disc 2 is never an experimental. It is a fully fledged trance album and usually as good as Disc 1 if not better. PVD follows in the path of Carl Cox's techno layout of a Disc 1 build-up and a Disc 2 up and up, doing the same with his great trance compilations and TPOD2 is no different. Paul Oakenfold can deliver on a CD2 whereas Van Buuren and Shulz tend to experiment there. With that said and done Van Buuren has the best CD of any of them, and a nod from PVD can be detected here in remixes of what Van Buuren has covered.

The Politics of Dancing 2 is a fully fledged album, not a sequel. It is PVD putting himself back in the competition again (as if he was ever out of it; instead waiting until after the summer to release his pulsations) by mixing faster and bigger beats, lots of bass, bass, bass, with CD1 containing 17 mixes and CD2 showing off 14, for a grand total of 31 tracks! That is about 1/3 more than any of the other top artists offer even though the running times are roughly the same. Still it is about the mixing and PVD does it oh so well. There is a summer feel to most of the club house hits, upbeat, maybe even a little pop at times, lots of melody with the third renaissance reducing its use of vocals to find its grass roots in trance as electronica, here TPOD2 keeps those vocals appropriately minimal except where they work (as it is supposed to be) to infuse what is as progressive as anything anyone is doing right now. It is art, nothing less, although some might perceive first interpretations as experimental, it is just a matter of your ears getting used to what is going on (trance!) and is well worth training yourself into. Albums like these are made for long distance iPod intercity treks. Best tracks include "Translantic", "Dream On", especially "Burn", "Adrenlin", "Closer Now"... you know when you start quoting half the album as the best tracks that you got a winner. TPOD2 is a must have for any trance collection. 2004/2005 happens to offer the best trance ever. The third renaissance is peaking right now. PVD does it again. TPOD2 is a must own. Album cover art is very nice. Disc 2 contains some PC multimedia. Enjoy.

I can't mix to save my life but the one thing I have which, depending on the person's perspective could be a gift or a curse, is an uncanny ear for music. I don't need a review to tell me a review or a rating from Rollingstone or yahoo or a friend's endorsement to tell me when music is good or not. I am the kind of person that can hear six seconds of a song and regardless of its genre spend years feverishly looking for the artist. (And I eventually find them because I am that tenacious). It was Oakie's epochal tranceport that got me hooked on trance in the first place. Sasha and Digweed's initial mixes followed. Involver was my eye opener and I felt Oakie returned to glory from the despicable commercialism of pop with Creamfields.

Now I have been a loyal PVD fan since his official debut album seven ways and his remix of Humate's love stimulation still makes me sway. I own and treasure Out there and Back, most of his previous production work and the initial politics of dancing. While his music, like every other uber-dj on the planet, lacked that humane element that you find and take for granted in Sasha and initial Oakie mixes, he still had this formula of perfection that set him apart from even the best (and when I mean the best I mean the likes of Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Sasha, Deep Dish, Carl Cox Oakie,ATB, BT and james Zabiela and even the king of cheese and all that is unoriginal DJ Tiesto.) Simply put, I really did believe this Berliner to be the Lord of Trance.

That said, I have to admit that POD II is my LEAST favorite PVD cd purchase in years. It is just as disappointing as Fundacion NYC. I dunno. Maybe a friend of mine is right. Maybe it is more than just a fluke and is more like an actual trend. It is not the production work. It is not even the track selection which is impressive. It is certainly not the mixing. It is not even the cropping up of tracks that seems to be antagonzing everybody. After all the same technique was used on POD I and it worked like you would not believe. It is something more obscure and difficult to define. While every trance lover will spew testaments about this album to you I suspect (and I don't think this is presumptous) that when the buzz dies down they too will feel the absence of that something. Far be it from me to define what that something is. If I coulkd this review would be shorter. I'll give it a shot though.

If you have ever heard Sasha's Ibiza mix there is a point in the album in which he mixes from the Jimy and Sarah "talking" track to Stage One. on the second disc there is this point in which he mixes the first BT track all the way in to the Cass and slide classic (I'm still scratching my skull over how he did that). On PVD's OTB there is this point when out of the initial cosmic samples the the trance riff Vega rises seemingly out of nowwhere. On tranceport, Oakie's legendary mix from the Sasha vs The light purple track by Gus Gus to Ascension's someone. On PVD's seven ways it is the transistion between the opening track home to the next track. On creamfields it is the peak of the perfect wave track just before the Shane 54 mix. It is everything on the Mark Schulz 2005 outing. it is Hybrid's Symphony, the petter track playing of UNKLE and richard file on Involver. It is that undefinable intangible but nonetheless vital "something" about this strange genre that I have come to recognize and respect.

Paul Van Dyk, you are simply amazing and I love what you did at 1015 in SF but in all honesty, this cd does not have it.

Recommended for trance lovers. All fans of the initial birth of the genre stay far away from this. wait till it gets cheaper or something. Bad choice for initial PVD purchase.

PoD-2 is a return to form for PVD. Ever since he mesmerized us with PoD-1, I have been waiting patiently for PVD to strike back and boy does he!!
The first CD is "wicked" and the tone of the record was similar to Armin's. Of course, the selection of music was masterful. It does take you on a journey that is sunny and optimistic and prepares you to go to the "other side". The mixing is excellent too. The CD starts off with a soothing melody and I was ecstatic when the tempo starts to change at 3:15 mts and by 3:58 mts, you know this CD is a class apart. Words cannot describe the feeling, its indeed priceless!!
The second CD, as many have pointed out, has a vibe similar to the first PoD CD and rocks! However, between the two of them, I prefer the first because its so unlike PVD. Buy this record for a delightful journey! Regret, you will not!!

After reading a few somewhat negative reviews for this album, i thought id express my views on what i think could be one of the greatest trance albums recorded.

trance as we know it, is becoming more popular than ever before.
people are finding something in trance music that they cant find in any other form of music. what is this they find? purity..

ive always believed that trance is the most purest form of music around, and i say this because of the different variables that can define the song or genre. its a form of music that inspires creativity and imagination from people.

and the politics of dancing volume 2 shows this through each and every song that its contains.

the first glimpse i heard of the upcoming TPOD2 album was from a liveset recorded in mid may this year, and from hearing those few tracks, and particularly of the live crowd reacting to these tracks, it really caught my attention. i knew from then on that this would be an album that will really bring trance to where its supposed to be.

So far ive bought all the latest albums from the top dj's.
A state of trance 2005, in search of sunrise 4, creamfields 2005, the politics of dancing 2, Miami 05 and Fundacion NYC. Each of these albums are great, they all have a different experience to offer the the listener.

i disagree with the idea that trance is meeting its doom due to the poor quality being produced. i think producers are moving away from the stale "happy trance" tunes that once flooded the clubs and compilations and are moving into a more personal
interest.

trance is becoming an experience rather than a form of entertainment. Ive heard people saying of how trance has changed their lives in some cases. Ive heard trance tunes so good that it brings tears to our eyes.

Paul van Dyk in my opinion has zoomed and amplified this "X Factor" of trance music through this album. To show that its more a mental and physical experience than anything else. There are individual messages in each and every track for us to find. This is what trance is... and what it should be.
It's a form of expression and meaning. Its an escape from the trials and trivials of every day life.. its comfort and understanding of everyday happenings, created into a piece of music.

Just listen to the last track on disc 2 to understand what im saying - holden and Thompson - nothing....

The mixing on this album is sheer talent, absolutely flawless!
i always knew paul was the best and he proves it time and time again.

keeping trance alive...

The only complaint about this album that I have is that my amplifier keeps tripping when I turn up this Cd to the max. I find myself wanting for louder volume even at peak levels! it's a good thing believe or not, because ive never played a cd so loud like that before! This album is that good!
PVD, you've done it again! Lead the way!

3 words--GET THIS CD !!This is Paul Van Dyk best yet !! I am
a huge fan of trance and PVD of course! But this guy is just the
"KING OF TRANCE MUSIC". This cd is addictively high. DON'T PASS UP ON THIS ONE.. THIS IS A TRUE CLUB-BANGING CD...

I get suspicious when I see so many 5-star reviews, as if the artist and his friends got into a room with a computer late one Tuesday night......

Well, what's amazing is that this album deserves every one of those reviews. Funky, awe-inspiring, chilling, angelic, mesmerizing, relentless...this album runs the gamut.

For me, not a boring song in the bunch. And starting with the delirious beauty of the first five songs and continuing through the Oh-my-God groove of Superfly...well, nice to say that PvD isn't one of those artists where your favorite album is something they did long ago. This is It.

I'm not sure what the big deal is about "butchering" tracks, because there is a thing that electronica artists commonly do called "remixing". A lot of the songs are shorter, I'm sure, to provide room for more songs, thus presenting more new material to those who may not have heard it. Paul van Dyk does a wonderful thing with The Politics of Dancing CDs. He's giving me a chance to hear songs i may not have heard before, and he does a wonderful job of choosing them. His choice of beautiful melodies wrapped inside euphoric harmonies easily take me and hopefully other listeners to a more exciting and pulchritudinous castle in the sky.

This cd is amazing. Kudos to Paul van Dyk for his musicianship and dedication to this music scene, because it wouldn't be the same without him.

This is a piece of art from Paul. I love the whole album (CD1 and CD2, there's no waste). It sounds like sort of.. hybrid.. between Paul Van Dyk and Armin Van Buuren, the best of both worlds.. One of my favorite albums from PVD, indeed. A must have...ABSOLUTELY!

I recently had the privledge of seeing PVD at Nation in DC for his POD2 tour and after a night of hard dancing to even harder beats, I was intent on purchasing this CD.
Reflections was a lofty, armchair affair that never really nailed down that signature PVD kick that keeps you coming back to him everytime. This CD is the ressurection of that crisp, pouding bass that only he can execute. It also blends melody in the breakdowns and bridges to add the emotional hook.
CD 1 is my personal favorite due to its variety (much stronger than cd1 of pod1) and CD 2 is a club stomper with ridiculous pace and streaming energy.

Buy it.