Renaissance Presents ALiVE

James Zabiela | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 10, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: System Recordings
• ASIN: B0002IQB0S
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,157 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Luke Vibert - Ambalek (Zabiela's Delboy Edit)

2. Diplomat - The Number One MC & DJ Crew

3. Jason Sparks - Gangsters (Si Begg Remix)

4. Elite Force - Peyote Road

5. Hisham Samawi - Holding On

6. Rob Mello - Fantasize (No Ears Dub)

7. Hisham Samawi - Spirals

8. Smash TV - Circuit Breaker

9. Dallas Holiday - Forgive

10. Atomic feat. Sweet Hustler - Shine a Light (Lee Coombes Remix)

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Southampton Sounds with TARDIS Record Fuzz (Zabiela's Homebaked Intro)

2. Basic Pleasure Model - How To Live (R3volve Remix / Zabiela's CDJFX Dubit)

3. Sound Alliance - C'est La Dior

4. PJ Davy - What it's Worth

5. Lincoln - Funky Odd Box

6. Perc - Ice Cream For Kenton (Spartak's Tek Dub)

7. Diplomat - ZX Complex

8. Kraymon & Future Funk Squad - Firewater

9. Alex Arzeno & Ali Kay - A New Day

10. Deetron - Don't You Know Why (Edit 9000)

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

System Recordings is proud to present Renaissance’s brand new 2xCD mix compilation ‘ALiVE’, from fast-rising UK DJ/producer, James Zabiela.

James’ career has been meteoric to say the least. After winning Muzik Magazine’s Bedroom Bedlam competition in 2000, he went on to win the award for Best Bedroom Bedlam DJ at The Muzik Awards one year later. Quickly snapped up by Sasha’s Excession booking agency a few weeks later, James has spent the last several years traveling the world performing to sold-out crowds alongside the likes of Sasha and John Digweed, Deep Dish and Danny Tenaglia.

Teaming up with Renaissance and System to deliver ‘ALiVE’, the latest mix compilation from the UK’s premiere clubbing authority, James Zabiela proves why this young stars’ accolades have been well deserved. Knowing what a great track should sound like and the places it can be taken by manipulating and working it for maximum dancefloor impact is James Zabiela’s forte. Layering different sounds with the aid of two Pioneer CDJ1000s, an FX unit and a pair of trusty Technics 1210 Turntables, James’ hands and ears don’t let up for a second, leading the listener on a breathtaking musical journey over the course of ‘ALiVE’s’ two discs.

Renaissance is synonymous with groundbreaking artwork and top-flight music, and ‘ALiVE’ carries on in the fine tradition with cutting edge music and rich graphics.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Original and exciting, but not for everyone, January 9, 2007

By 

Steven Nicolaou (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Renaissance Presents ALiVE (Audio CD)

You are probably not helped in knowing by now that this CD is either worshipped or scorned, so I'll try to address both perspectives here, to help you decide which side you're likely to take. I've followed James's music since 2002. I always had a sense that his programming had a sharp edge, but it felt like he hadn't established a stylistic identity yet.

Driven by a need to find his identity by distancing his sound from the mainstream, he embraced progressive breaks when progressive house was beginning to sound stale, but although well executed, the mixes were forgettable. As breaks too became more mainstream, he escaped it by shifting into a warm, minimal, micro-house vibe that I thought was beautiful. Tight mixing, sustained rhythm and insidious programming that took its time creeping under your skin, this is when I first caught onto his ability to reward the patient listener. Alas, minimal house is no way to explode on the dance scene, so he shifted to this new retro robot, ZX Spectrum disco, press stop and turn cassette to side B tech-house sound, bringing us to ALiVE.

He's certainly carved a unique identity alright. Photo shoots with Daleks, vocal samples from Doctor Who (or approximations thereof), crisp, metallic beats, and even a track with reference to the TARDIS have all secured him his very own tonal real estate. ALiVE brings together his love for retro sci-fi, acid house, breaks, and superb mixing and effect skills to a tech-house compilation with a baseline that refuses to be the doormat.

If you're looking for something fresh, the landscape is certainly unique and exciting. In true Zabiela fashion, it can take time to grow on you, and when it does, you can't shake it off. I had the first half of CD2 playing in my head for weeks after hearing "Funky Odd Box". ALiVE is even more exciting if you're a DJ for several reasons. James tears a hole in the EFX 500 as he mangles tracks beyond recognition, and makes extensive use of the CDJ-1000's hot cues and loops. But the true gem is in the sleeve. James was nice enough to fill 4 pages of it with a detailed chronological description of his every move: his signature effect-based transitions, EQ flips, warps and custom sounds. This alone is worth the price of the CD. The first 10 seconds on CD1 alone are given no fewer than 2 paragraphs!

If you're not a DJ however, or remain uninterested in the technical wizardry, I do agree somewhat that this mix can be a victim of its own ambition and its need to be different. In his push for a certain direction, James occasionally paves the way with some rather forgettable tracks, which remind me of his earlier breaks era. The astute listener will catch on their purpose a few tracks down the road, but to the listener in the moment, they sound like filler that you can do without. There are some tracks that I'll even admit to wanting to fast forward badly, but for my self-discipline and assurance of delayed gratification. Frankly though, not every listener can be expected to force themselves through a track, no matter how sweet the reward that follows.

James also has a tendency (here and in most other mixes of his) to end a solid string of tracks with abrupt changes, which I find wasteful of good momentum. Lastly, his tempo can range widely. Though executed brilliantly (I could never imagine how "Aduro" could slide down to BT's "Childhood "Montage" in two steps), it sacrifices consistency for originality.

Ultimately this CD is a landmark, because it debuts a brilliant DJ and effect wizard in his strongest identity yet. If you're eager for something really fresh and solid, if you're drooling to find out what knobs he turned and what buttons he pushed in "Nine" at 03:11, how he used the paper label of a vinyl record in one of his effects, or how he constructs a motorbike sound purely out of the CDJ-1000 live, then this CD was made for you. Buy it right now. You will endure the filler tracks, because the reward for your patience is sweet, the endings cathartic, and all will be forgiven.

If you're simply here with a preset idea of what you like, this is probably not it. You will eject the breaks for breaks' sake pieces and few of us would blame you. At best you may fast forward to the good bits, and perhaps learn to deal with the lack of warmth. That's ok. James Zabiela isn't for everyone, but if you're still intrigued, you should probably give it a shot.

4.0 out of 5 stars Hot stuff from THE tech house mixmaster., October 28, 2005

By 

Doctor Trance (MA, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Renaissance Presents ALiVE (Audio CD)

Just like Utilities, the hottest stuff is on Disc 2, while Disc 1 suffers slightly from a few dull tracks. The quality of tracks seems to suffer with the last half of disc 1 (with the exception of track 12), so you may want to pop it out early and switch to disc 2!

Aside from getting his tracks perfect, James' relentless mixing skills and techo house sound are the hottest out there now. I can't wait to track down Sounds in Motion and 001, his first two mixes, as I am completely enthralled with Utilities and Alive. Actually, I have barely been listening to anything else lately, and recently got a hold of his 2004 Essential Mix which features a great mix of REM, movie soundtracks and sound bites, and tech house! Well worth obtaining for the Zabiela fan.

If you are looking for a new and imaginative tech house mix, don't miss this one. His stuff takes a few listens to grow on you, but it inevitably will if you give it a chance! And hey, anything featuring the Daleks has gotta be good, even if the Daleks are Zabiela created!

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Sorry...but mmmm no., October 1, 2004

By 

bcauseisaidso (Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Renaissance Presents ALiVE (Audio CD)

I can't believe the ratings that people are giving this. There are a total of 2...yes 2 solid tracks on the entire double album. Maybe it's because Zabiela's style just isn't to my liking...or maybe my tastes in electronica have evolved into something different but after 5 minutes of listening to whacked out samples and non-congruent sounds I had to turn it off. Take a look at my other reviews. If you like any of my recommendations then please don't buy this album. Save yourself the money cause it definatly isn't worth it.