Customer Reviews

Seven Ways (+ Bonus Remix Disc)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The thing that really impressed me about this album is the fact that Paul Van Dyk manages to make Trance interesting. When I got it in 1999, trance had become fairly mainstream and had degenerated to simplistic synth melodies with the now standard *boom-tss-boom-tss* beat pattern. It was truly refreshing to hear this album. Don't misunderstand, it has the aformentioned qualities, but somehow, Paul Van Dyk makes you forget that and lose yourself in the music. The album is extremely cohesive, all mixed together and seeming to follow a natural progression that makes it sound as if you are listening to one long, interconnected piece as opposed to 11 seperate songs. It's not really something to skip around in, you want to listen to it all in one sitting. Add to the spectacular first cd a second remix cd, and this is really a great set to get for burning a couple of hours at a time.

I read the previous online reviews and drew three common threads. First, many people felt that van Dyk sounded better live. I've never heard him live, so I wouldn't know, but my guess is that it's probably true. I hear great potential in these tracks, and would daresay that van Dyk would be banging live. Secondly, many people believed this album to be something truly magical and better-than-caffeine. I disagree on this point. I sat through this album... not once getting the urge to get up and dance. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a chillout album, but the beats just weren't infectious enough to get me up and moving. I guess I've just been listening to so much of this stuff (techno, rave, & trance) that it's just sort of numbing. I still thinks it's good, though. The last thing I read was that his beat is extremely repetitive. This may be true, but I didn't pick up on this at all while I listened to the album. It works very well and shows how skilled van Dyk is at what he does. All in all, I really liked this album.

Quick, how many trance albums can you name? Not compilations, nor DJ mixes, but artistic endeavors crafted by musicians intent on delivering a complete, original experience? More than likely you didn't get past a few fingers, especially if just counting the good ones, but you probably had Paul van Dyk figured in there somewhere. Though known for his DJ exploits or his newest release Out There and Back (a quality if perhaps too-slick tech/trance piece aiming more for clubbers) he should be recognized for making one of modern trance's seminal statements with Seven Ways.

Conceived as a continuous mix, the variety and depth of sound are startling. Opening "Home" has breathtaking builds and chords that pack twice the intricacy of most tunes cranked out today, which in no way prepare you for the fierce, dark growling "Heaven." "I Like It' runes on pure groove, before shifting to the Van Dyk trademark acid squelch/ euphoric atmosphere combo found in several tracks as in "Come and Get It." "People" is the lone stumble before closing with the expansive "I can't feel it," building you up one last time for PVD's oft-mixed "Words." Oh, and there's an entire second disc of alternate cuts to boot.

It's unknown how well electronic dance music can stand the challenge of time, though certainly rereleases of label catalogs like Transmat, and the stream of wide-reaching house and disco sets such as The Loft and Live at the Paradise Garage show the viability. As for trance, Seven Ways plays as invigorating and vital as it did in 1996, no small feat in a genre constantly reinventing its style.

Paul Van Dyk's work quickly rose to the top of my list of favorite trance albums. It's more subdued and less noisy than most other offerings, making it a good disc to just sit back and listen to, rather than getting up and dancing... though it's got energy enough for that too.

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7 Ways has rhythm that will set your minds in a total trance. And this type of music has the reputation of putting both partners on the same wavelength. It also gives both partners a lasting rhythm that actually prolongs the whole experience. I highly recommend, that and it sounds great.

This is one of the earliest and best trance albums available. It is a continuous mix, and features very good snyth and soundscape work. The only thing I found to be rather disappointing was how repetative the album was as a whole. It definitely lacks the depth of sound that can be heard on other mixes(Paul Oakenfold's Tranceport and Sandra Collins' Lost in Time for instance). I felt this album was more for the ears than for the feet. If you want something to unwind to, this is for you. Tracks to look for: Seven Ways, Forbidden Fruit, The Greatness of Britain, and WORDS (his most recognized piece on this album).

Well.. Paul Van Dyk's 45rpm was the first trance cd I ever bought.. and I must say it was very cool.. So I purchased the Vorsprung Dyk Technic, and 7 ways. After a few months, and a steady stream of raving, I have come to the conclusion that paul van dyk sounds 10000000x better live. After seeing him at a rave, I must say no CD of his does him justice. The man is an insane dj who once played from sundown to sunup at a desert party. I advise you to save your 20 dollars that would normally go to a PVD CD and check out your local rave scene to see if he will be playing anytime soon, if so you should spend that 20 dollars on a ticket to the party instead.

You definitely get your moneys worth in this album. Each track on the original CD is inventive, introspective, original, and most importantly, good to listen to. What separates PvD from other artists is his ability to be one of the top club spinners in the world but also be at the top in music production. Perhaps Sasha and Digweed are the only ones in the trance genre that can approach that sort of acclaim from a guy like me.

As an added bonus, there is another disc full of b-sides included, which in my opinion is better than the original. The tracks on the bonus disc are more dance-oriented, and that's not to say the material on the original disc isn't, but the beat and progression on the bonus disc simply bangs louder and draws more of a response out of me.

Paul Van Dyk is one of, if not the best, trance/club music producers on the planet, and "Seven Ways" is his best offering to date with his style of mixing all of the individual tracks together, giving that sense of a "journey" which is more the responsibility of a DJ than a producer...PvD happening to be among the best in both respects.

Paul Van Dyk is an amazing producer and this cd gives a perfect example of his unigue songs. It is very uplifting and melodic, not unlike BT. Forbidden Fruit, on my first listen, put me in another world! Close your eyes to this one and you'll find yourself swaying. Words is a big hit in clubs, and it is easy to see why. The second cd is an added bonus, which makes it even more value for money. Put this on on a rainy day, while stuck in traffic on your way to work on a Monday morning. Trust me...you'll feel better!

I first stumbled upon Paul van Dyk in a Playboy article, and decided to give the CD a try. I was amazed! PVD's talent for mixing rich melodious techno sound is unmatched. My personal favorites are "Beautiful Place" and "Forbidden Fruit". This album will remain my favorite for a long time. If you buy this CD, be sure to get the edition with the bonus disc. PVD's other albums "45-RPM" and "Vorsprung Dyk Technik" are also awesome and will introduce you to techno at a level you've never heard before.