Introspection 1.0
Looking inwards for a few sets as in order to progress, one has to allow time for Introspection.
The Menu: from the somewhat darker, Indie and Nu-Disco side of Progressive House.
Do not be alarmed with the first track, just play along even if you think like my eleven year old son that old rockers are not your cup of tea.. The rest is a very solid, clever and original upload. Let yourselves go with this one, reward beckons!
Two acknowledgments: Richard Vasquez aka Doctor Love (check his podcast here) because under his influence I am trying to be more eclectic and less mechanical in my mixing. Lars who is driving my slow shift to progressive and trance and is introducing me to German Progressive house. Thanks guys, genuinely grateful.
I hope you give this Introspection series a fair listen. In the next few sets, you will discover new tunes, new sounds and you will be listening to some very clever music. It will not be boring! At worst, it will be mildly challenging but extremely rewarding..
Since I preventively gave ourselves 3 hours of soulful vocal happy pills before this Series we really should not experience any severe withdrawal symptoms for a few weeks.
Now dim the lights and relax..
Playlist:
Highlights:
Starting with the remastered live version of “Private Investigations” from famed rock band Dire Straits..
Not sure what gave me the idea and the urge except maybe hearing on Richard Vasquez’s podcast drops one would not expect in a house set. But I can feel the intimate connection between progressive rock and progressive house.. Furthermore knowing that this was recorded live in front of an audience of 110,000 blows my mind. The respect I have for artists who can not only write, sing but also perform at that level is limitless. So I hope you will enjoy it and if like my 11 year old you have a problem with “the cheesy sax” it is Ok there are a lot of very good tunes to come in the set..
Vanessa Daou’s “Loves Lives in the Dark”. The track prefigures what I hope the set will be. Great production, big BIG driving bassline and interesting left field vocals.
“But Maybe” from the great Hamburg based German progressive house producer Oliver Schories. Instrumental cut, with great pads nice breaks.. I am telling you the German Progressive House scene is where interesting things are happening..
“Julia” all about the atmosphere and a massive bassline.. If you can listen to it on a good system or headphones the better.. I love those melodic journey tracks. I “had’ to add some vocal samples. As most of you now well know, Xtian would have trouble going through 30 minutes without any vocals..
And yes I did go a little bit heavy on the sample but I was in MY journey and it felt gooood!
“Left Your Love” by Climbers.. By now it was time to inject a little melodic sugar in the set.. and What a track.. The vocalist, Yasmine Azaeiz, has the perfect range and phrasing for progressive and trance.. At 51:18 keys are starting and you just know that we are oh so so close of those great vocal trance tunes of the 90’s .. You will be sing along “ à la première écoute”..
Give me 10 similar tracks with a few higher BPM ones and I return to trance in a heartbeat..
KANT Danish producer of Progressive/Indie), I have used “Hold You” before, I absolute adore this track. It is built and structured like classical music, a very simple vocal hook but perfectly pitched ( who says Xtian does not do male vocalist?). It is clever, it is happy.. Love it!
“On The Inside” from Motif, apart from the very sloppy mixing (too late to correct), this fits so well in the general mood of the set. Again heavy bass, simple vocal hook, discrete percussions yet so intricate.. This could ONLY be produced in Europe..
“Good News” by Thomas Langner from Cracow Poland (check his soundcloud), I love the filtered bass, those very subtle guitar.. If you do not feel the connection between Progressive House and Progressive Rock there , you need to re-listen to you classics..
I have covered Gui Boratto ‘s “Too Late” before therefore will not say much but for my absolute admiration for unknown vocalist. Very sexy voice! As for the guitar in the background.. Yeah!
Ben Delay’s” Deep Inside” love everything the production, the dirty filtered bass, a 2014 track which is already in my top ten..
“Falling” from Nikolas Noam . Call it Progressive House, call it down tempo Trance, Trouse.. who cares? but please find a good reason to spend 6 minutes with it.. I guarantee you will feel better for it.. I particular love the looping key pads in the back, just lovely..
“Let The Music” back to VERY clever sugar with trance sounding vocalist.. Again so so close to Trance heaven.. Just push the bass and let your self be driven, seriously.. headphones on, high volume I dare you not to throw your hands in the air and dance.. Yes “Let the Music…”.
“Summertime Sadness” I am going through a bit of a Lana del Rey obsession.. But everyone will have to admit that this remix is fab.. Talk about dirty, dirty filtered bassline.. Lana’s voice so close to have the same effect on me than Nadia Ali’s.. So close.. It will pass but in the meantime Lana will pop in and out of this podcast often.
I hope you give this podcast a fair listen, it will grow on you, it will.
Back with Introspection 2.0 very soon… This one will come to yu from Hong Kong..
A très bientôt
Xtian
