Sunday 22 July 2012

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 36

THE IBIZA SPECIALS 2012 PART 3 - POOLSIDE PROGRESSIVE (SIDE B)

Hola chicos y chicas! Welcome back. This week its part 3 of 4 (or possibly 5) Ibiza Specials and the last offering before I pack my bags and jet off to the great Aladdin’s cave of EDM wonders that is... Ibiza!

Immediately, I know a lot of hardened trance heads are going to look at this week’s tracklist and instantly conclude: too girly, too sentimental; too samey, not going anywhere.

But any podcasting guru knows that every once in a while an episode needs to be aimed at a subtly different audience for a subtly difference situation. It needs to go to different places, pull in different directions and give solace to different people. There are two very clear ideas behind this tracklist, both loosely linked to the ‘poolside’ theme.

First off, last year I always planned Poolside Progressive to be two parts. The idea was that part 1 eased the hangover; part 2 pushed up the tempo and picked up the mood ahead of another night’s clubbing.

Unfortunately, part 2 didn’t turn out so well, and in complete frustration I didn’t even bother to attempt it again. I just left it at part 1. Poolside Progressive (Episode 13) turned out to be my personal favourite episode from last year, so given that part 2 didn’t really do the first justice, I was right to drop it.

This year I was even more determined to see through the 2 sided Poolside concept. But I thought I’d approach it from a new angle. Instead of just moving up the tempo, I thought, what would be better around a chilled out poolside than the opportunity to belt out some of the best, most popular vocals in trance music? A poolside sing-a-long, if you will.

As regular listeners will know, I never normally compile tracklists with a number of vocals in mind. I usually make selections based on other factors. In a way, this was a unique opportunity.

But there’s another, more important reason behind the vocal concept this week. In the end, all 4 of these Ibiza Specials are about providing something fitting and appropriate to listen to around the pool whilst myself and the group are actually in Ibiza. And I couldn’t help think this year, what would some of the girls like to hear around the pool?

I must admit, I’m fully aware that some of the girls in our group aren’t quite as much into the trance as the boys. From what I can gather, they have developed a certain situational appreciation for it based on our clubbing exploits over the years; it has grown on them a great deal without ever turning them into the kind of mad fanatics that can sit in a busy office pounding out 140+ trance music just to get them through the working day. Which is, of course, absolutely fine.

I have on a few occasions whilst DJing at house parties been asked by some of the girls whether I can play stuff with more vocals in. Those who have done so have nothing to be embarrassed about, of course, but being the DJ so set in my ways as I am, I haven’t always reciprocated. (Probably too busy panicking about my set). For Poolside Progressive 2012 Part B, I thought, why not set that score straight? The result - an episode of vocals from start to finish.

Sit back on your sunlounger – you are about to be treated to two doses of Emma Hewitt, as well as the fabulous voices of Sarah Howells, Aruna, Ashley Tomberlin, Jes Brieden, Richard Bedford and, the queen of euphoric Ibiza moments herself, Sarah McLachlan. Musically, they are supported by the likes of Myon & Shane 54, Gabriel & Dresden, Above & Beyond, Armin Van Buuren and Maor Levi.


THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST EPISODE 36 – THE IBIZA SPECIALS PART 3
POOLSIDE PROGRESSIVE 2012 – SIDE B – VOCALS ON THE VERANDA 

1. Andain – Beautiful Things (Jorn Van Deynhoven Sundale Remix) [Black Hole Recordings]
2. Matt Hardwick vs. Gulf – Impossible [Kill The Lights]
3. Lange - Out Of The Sky (Kyau & Albert Remix) [Maelstrom Records]
4. Above & Beyond feat. Zoë Johnston – You Got To Go (Extended Album Mix) [Anjunabeats]
5. tyDi & Dennis Sheperd feat. Marcie - Somehow [S107 Recordings]
6. Maor Levi feat. Ashley Tomberlin - Chasing Love [Anjunabeats]
7. Armin Van Buuren feat. Nadia Ali – Feels So Good (Jerome Isma-Ae Remix) [Armind]
8. David West – Make U Mine (Vocal Mix) [AVA Recordings]
9. Cosmic Gate feat. Emma Hewitt – Not Enough Time (Club Mix) [Black Hole Recordings] <<<(Phil’s Tune Of The Episode)>>>
10. Gabriel & Dresden feat. Molly Bancroft – Tracking Treasure Down (Club Mix) [Organized Nature]
11. Myon & Shane 54 feat. Aruna – Helpless (Monster Mix) [S107 Recordings]
12. Above & Beyond feat. Richard Bedford – Sun & Moon [Anjunabeats]
13. Fabio XB & Andrea Mazza – Light To Lies (Gareth Emery Remix) [S107 Recordings]
14. Motorcycle – As The Rush Comes (Gabriel & Dresden Sweeping Strings Remix) [Positiva]
15. Markus Schulz feat. Dauby – Perfect (Agnelli & Nelson Remix) [Coldharbour Recordings]
16. Kyau & Albert – Made Of Sun (Stoneface & Terminal Remix) [Euphonic]
17. Ronski Speed pres Sun Decade feat. Emma Hewitt – Lasting Light [Euphonic]
18. Armin van Buuren feat. Jacqueline Govaert – Never Say Never (Myon & Shane 54 Remix) [Armind]
19. Sarah McLachlan – Fallen (Gabriel & Dresden Anti-Gravity Mix) [Arista]

Well, that’s all from me until after I return from Ibiza. Requests Of The Villa Guests 2012, Part 4 of the Specials, will land, hopefully with as much anticipation and excitement as last year.

See you on the other side!


Sunday 8 July 2012

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 35

THE IBIZA SPECIALS 2012 PART 2 - POOLSIDE PROGRESSIVE (SIDE A)

Part 2 of the Ibiza Specials 2012 arrives and, in contrast to Part 1, we are edging into more recognisable territory. With each instalment the pace picks up a notch and we tread ever so gently into more familiar, trancier climbs. Gently as we go...

Many of you will remember my Poolside Progressive episode from last year – Episode 13 – it was arguably my best episode from last year and that was because it was a near perfect translation of an idea in my head into a living, breathing set.

The brief was simple – sunny, hangover cure music to lead the listener out of that dark post-night out cave and get them basking in the Mediterranean sunshine. The challenge this year was to repeat the feat. Easy, right?

What I’ve come up with is an episode that fills the same brief but in quite a different way. Last year’s was generally a tad warmer and more summery, building up to its crescendo more quickly, but slipping steadily back down the other way towards melancholy. This year’s starts out in a much deeper, more sullen place, building much more gradually but to a pacier, more striking peak. There is plenty of sun but maybe with an icier, earlier morning sharpness in places. If last year’s lead us out of the draining afternoon sun and into the sunset; this one is the birth of a brand new day.

A big premium was put on sunlit melodies this year, or more specifically, melodies that pierce through vast clouds like long, shafts of radiant light. ‘Tune Of The Episode’, Daylight by Funabashi is a classic example – for me, an epic progressive classic which absolutely sums up what Poolside Progressive is all about. Hitting the peak of Another You, Another Me, we get that perfectly supreme sunbeam as that main riff pours through the speakers. I’ll never ever forget hearing that tune in my mate Ben Curry’s set at our student union in early 2007; it just lit up the entire room and does now every time I hear it.

Those delicate, Balearic guitar strings also make an appearance on tracks like Ashley Wallbridge – Vision, York’s Reachers Of Civilization and the David West remix of Headstrong’s 2007 single, The Truth.

As mentioned, the flow of this Poolside edition, particularly in the opening hour, is quite different but there are obvious moments where I’ve clearly tried to create a like-for-like mirror of last year.

Michael Wood’s Drop Zone has that Deadmau5-esque vibe of an instrumental I Remember, The Blizzard’s remix of In & Out Of Love moves in for their remix of Beauty Hides In The Deep and there are welcome returns for Dennis Sheperd, Estiva and Vibrasphere’s 2007 progressive masterpiece, Exploring The Tributaries. There is even a trademark, Ibiza ambient moment to end proceeding – the timeless ambient version of Chicane’s Offshore.

My only regret with this version of Poolside Progressive is that the final transition into Another You, Another Me is far from my finest work as a DJ. Thankfully, the rest is reasonably tight so, hopefully, there aren’t too many misplaced beats to enrage that lurking hangover.

Ultimately, what is great about this set is that it strikes a refreshing balance between the softer, mainstream trance and the much moodier, progressive underworld. It draws on many recognisable names in trance music while giving very careful nods to some other areas of dance music that I love but don’t often get to celebrate on TPHP.

And although maybe not as good as last year’s Episode 13, it is a much better ‘follow on’ from the quite sophisticated, deep feel of Spotlight On Ibiza in Part 1 – giving the 2012 Ibiza Specials a very nice sense of even, meaningful progression. That progression will continue into Part 3.

Gonna be by a pool anytime soon? Well, grab some sunshine here! After that first chord change in Quivver – Surin you’ll instantly be in a better place!




THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST EPISODE 35 – THE IBIZA SPECIALS PART 2
POOLSIDE PROGRESSIVE 2012 – SIDE A – SUNDRENCHED AT THE DEEP END

1. Quivver – Surin [BozBoz]
2. Vibrasphere - 102 Miles From Here [Tribal Vision]
3. Space Manoeuvres - Quadrant Four [Lost Language]
4. Hernán Cattáneo & Soundexile - Sonification (Remix) [Sudbeat Music]
5. Michael Woods - Drop Zone [Diffused Music]
6. Matt Darey presents Urban Astronauts - See The Sun (Aurosonic Remix) [Armada Music]
7. Dinka - On The Beach (Arthur Deep Sunset Remix) [Unreleased Digital]
8. Ashley Wallbridge - Vision [AVA Recordings]
9. David West – Welsh Morphology [Anjunadeep]
10. Imogen Heap – Hide & Seek (Tiësto's In Search Of Sunrise Remix) [Songbird]
11. York - Reachers Of Civilization (Pedro Del Mar Remix) [Songbird]
12. Max Graham feat. Neev Kennedy - Sun In The Winter (Estiva Remix) [Coldharbour Recordings]
13. Yenn - Monzen (Stoneface & Terminal Remix) [Euphonic]
14. Cerf, Mitiska & Jaren - Another World (Dennis Sheperd Remix) [S107 Recordings]
15. Mat Zo - Default [Anjunabeats]
16. Funabashi - Daylight [Coldharbour Recordings] <<<(Phil’s Tune Of The Episode)>>>
17. Headstrong feat. Tiff Lacey - The Truth (David West Progressive Remix) [Sola Records]
18. Armin Van Buuren feat. Sharon den Adel - In & Out Of Love (The Blizzard Remix) [Armind]
19. Lange vs. Gareth Emery - Another You, Another Me [Vandit Records]
20. Chicane – Offshore (Ambient Mix) [Manifesto] [Taken from the album 'Café Del Mar - Volumen Cuatro’]

Part 3 coming up in 2 weeks... it’s not Request Of The Villa Guests... so what could it be? I’ll leave you guessing. Until next time…