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Tuesday 23rd, October 2007
Preach - Transatlantic

DJ Preach is a French-Canadian producer who has built his reputation on powerful tech trance tracks, which caught the ears of the likes of Marco V, Armin van Buuren and Tiesto, who signed him to his FBI imprint for the release of his debut artist album, Transatlantic. Preach has drawn on a wide variety of vocal artists and influences to create a constantly surprising album.

Read an interview with Preach here.

The album opens with Universe, a solid, chunky tech-trancer with great power and drive that we have come to expect from Preach. A trippy, glitchy melody is the standout feature in this tune, riding a gritty bassline and a strong start to the album. This is followed by my personal favourite Preach production – Broken Inside. Class thrashy tech percussion and a stunningly powerful snaking melody, along with a great vocal sample (where he is actually saying ‘broken ties’) make this the perfect tech trance track. After these two typical Preach tracks, the album throws up the first couple of surprises. Flying Blue, featuring Saskia Lie-Atjam is practically a pop track, with Radiohead-esque guitar riffs. It’s well constructed but the lyrics leave something to be desired, and Preach fans will no doubt be quite bemused by it. He then moves into more chilled territory with Love Like Water featuring Tracy Saxby on vocals. Again, guitars feature heavily in a much more effective track, with some great smooth pads complimenting the sweet vocals creating a very pleasurable listen.

It’s A Crime 2007 is back to more familiar Preach sound. A tough kick and a fast paced bassline, quickened by small clicks and dirty bass throbs builds with a great melody into a dancefloor shaking climax. There is a great flow to this record that makes it one of the standout tracks on the album. Preach goes acid on Somewhere Between The Stars, which sounds like it came straight out of German studio in ’94. A very good thing in my book and an excellent tune with a gorgeous melodic climax. Back on full throttle with Heaven that despite the angelic title is pure filth all the way with a quirky riff and tough kick that when it all comes together results in a euphoric and powerful beast. Dark Shadows messes about with the beats, before an oppressive bassline cloaks the production with another simple but effective melody building in. the break serves up more odd sounds, before the bass kicks back in. A quality production that is very Cosmic Gate in style.

Next up in another of the more experimental tracks – Needin’ You Around featuring the vocals of Ray Elmigton. Here Preach goes rock – and to pretty good effect. Noisy, thrashy, shouty, this could almost be Prodigy. Definitely a matter of taste but I really like it, it is well produced and really works on the album. After that moment of madness, time for another vocal number with Ali on Hunger. A solid kick and initially quite minimal production builds superbly as the strong vocal dominates. There is a drop as warming pads build with a twinkling melody into a smooth, tech influenced trancer. Possibly the best vocal track on the album. The title track is up next, Transatlantic and it is a bit of a monster, dirty basslines, full-on aggression up to a haunting break full of bleeps and industrial sounds before it kicks back in with immense force plus some great string action before the end. This is Preach in his element and it rocks hard!

One final vocal track before the end, Memories featuring Fla. Nice chunky percussion and warped pads with a heavily treated vocal and a superb uplifting bassline create a slightly dark but very effective vocal tech trancer. The closer Burning House is another surprising one. Minimal in nature and bassline driven it builds to a very satisfying acid-tweekin’ climax meaning when the CD stops spinning it leaves you wanting more!

Conclusion

Preach has crafted a very interesting, unique and varied album here that should surprise people familiar with his sound. Alongside his trademark tech-trance thumpers, he throws in acid, old school, rock and even pop into the mix. Not everything comes off perfectly, but at least he is trying new things and on the whole this is a solid, well produced and most importantly of all, works as an album and doesn’t sound like a collection of club records. Recommended listening.

Tracklisting

1. Universe 6:57
2. Broken Inside 5:00
3. Flying Blue 3:29
4. Love Like Water 4:21
5. It’s A Crime 2007 6:36
6. Somewhere Between The Stars 5:54
7. Heaven 6:41
8. Dark Shadows 5:38
9. Needin’ You Around 3:14
10. Hunger 6:33
11. Transatlantic 7:09
12. Memories 5:30
13. Burning House 6:03

Written by:
frombeyond

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