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…