Albums I’ve been listening to.

I listen to so much new music every month but i just don’t have time to sit and really think about most of it well enough to write proper reviews of them. So below are a couple of house and a couple of drum&bass new-ish albums i have listened to over the last month or so and my impressions of them.

Martin Solveig – C’est la vie

Release date: 12/06/08

Label: d:vision Italy

Genre: House, Electronica, eletro house

This is a really happy electronic house/pop album which makes for great day-time listening. I’m not sure if it is as good as the previous album Hedonist but there is definitely some potential for some great club-worthy remixes to be made (such as the remixes of ‘I want you’ which have just been released)

Standout Track: I want you/ One 23 Four

Rating: 3.5/5

Buy it

Various Artists – Sensation Amsterdam 2008

Release Date: 04/07/08

Label: Dance Tune (rough trade)

Genre: Electro house, progressive house, electronica, techno

Sensation (formally Sensation White) is a compilation based on the annual Sensation indoor dance party, which was held this year in Amsterdam. The two CDs are chock full of this summers house hits as well as a few electronic and techno numbers to bind them nicely together. Great compilation to have running from start to finish at a party.

Standout Tracks: CD1 – The three song combo from Angello & Ingrosso – “555″->Dirty South – “This Is The End”->Fedde Le Grand and Funkerman – “3 Minutes To Explain”. Damn fine producing and mixing make this a combo you have to dance to. CD 2: Tocadisco – “Morumbi”

Rating: 3.5/5

Buy it

Blasta – Blastorama

Release Date: April 9 2008

Label: Respect Records (Russia)

Genre: Drum & Bass

Blasta is a producer and a DJ who has been lurking around the indie music scene in Saint-Petersburg for the last 10 years. Initially producing trance music he made the switch to drum & bass in 2001. Blastorama is his first solo drum&bass release and it is a great drum & bass album with a mixture of vocal, melodic and dance-floor ready drum & bass.

Standout Track: Reach You

Rating: 4/5

Buy it

Pendulum – In Silico

Release Date: 12 May 2008

Label: Warner

Genre: Drum & Bass, Electronica, Electro-Rock

In Silico is the follow-up to the hugely successful Hold Your Colour.

Hold Your Colour was the album which lured me to dnb music so much like other fans i had high hopes for this album; and much like other fans i was somewhat disapointed. It is still a good album but its not strictly drum and bass anymore, and the tracks which can be labeled drum and bass are not really radically different in style or sound than stuff they released already.

Standout track: Granite (which is kind of sad since that had been released as a single ep long before the album was out – it still has hints of the Hold Your Colour Brilliance).

Rating: 2.5/5

Buy it