Search - Bedrock :: Foundation

A solid buy for progressive DJs and hard-core Bedrock fans

Christopher Culver | 12/08/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The ultra-trendy progressive house label Bedrock (founded by John Digweed) released FOUNDATIONS in 2000. This two CD collection brings together many unreleased remixes of tracks features on the label, and it's a interesting release both for DJs who want to get their hands on tracks not found anywhere else and for fans of progressive who just want to hear more of their favourite producers.FOUNDATIONS opens with Bedrock - "Heaven Scent (John Johnson Mix)". It's a great mix, even though "Heaven Scent" in all its forms has been played out since its appearance in 1999, this is one of this collection's more captivating tracks. The two remixes of Science Dept. tracks, "Repercussion (Funk Function's Future Mix)" and "Persuasion (Dominica Mix)" are slow, hypnotic songs that would be easy to build a set up with. Van M & Leeds - "More (Austin's Unreleased Mix)" is an idiosyncratic mix that regrettably sounds too dated for use today. Ditto for the two Moonface tracks here; "Futurised Fears" and "Overactive" were key tracks in the progressive house scene of two years ago, but now could be attacked as bog-standard progressive fodder. Disc 1 closes with Bedrock - "Voices", which is a track that I think has gotten better with age.The second disc of FOUNDATIONS is a bit more anthemic. It opens with Mainline - "Narcotic." Featured one Sasha and John Digweed's COMMUNICATION collaboration, this deep and organic track is so subtle that it may only work as an opening to a set, but it's fantastic nonetheless. Austin Leeds - "Force 51" is an incredible track, featuring a slow buildup to chugging synths that still refrains from being cheesy, and it is perhaps the best track on FOUNDATIONS. Leed's other track, "Moondriver", is a less anthemic track that moves along just fine. The fourth track, Steve Lawler - "Rise 'In (Nalin & Kane Vocal Mix") is the low point of this collection, as the atrocious vocals ruin what is instrumentally a solid track. Happily, FOUNDATIONS swiftly recovers with Saints & Sinners - "Pushin Too Hard (Futureshock's Confession)", an excellent remix that keeps all the catchiness of the original but is full of added surprises. Alchemy - "Bruiser (Evolution Mix)" is a wispy, ambient remix like much of Evolution's work, but with its odd tempo jumps does something new. Revolt - "Moonlit (Room Drumland Mix)" is one of Revolt's most disappointing tracks, but a DJ might find room for it at the end of a set.If you are just the average fan of progressive house, FOUNDATIONS isn't worth getting. This unmixed collection is really for DJs and hard-core Bedrock fans, who will find a lot to like in it."

New Foundations of trance

Rodolfo J Sotelo | Cliffside Park, NJ United States | 11/20/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well this is a cd a must have for every trance lovers, specially GU lovers, because It has tunes in theirs original remix & others in special versions. If you don't know about the songs, and want to hear complete big tunes of new DJ's & Producers like Danny Howells, Steve Lawler, Jimmy Van M all these guys behind John Digweed's production just take it, because you will not be dissapointed instead you can find them on others collections. CD1: A perfect intro and remix for the Bedrock Project "Heaven Scent". Danny Howells with "Repercussion" " Persuassion" behind Science Dept project takes you through the space, Jimmy Van M "More" concentrates your energy, Phil Thompson behind Moonface "Futurised" & "Overactive" put you in a perfect mood. Closing CD1 bedrock's(J.Digweed) "Voices" which is beautiful. All these songs are deeply & dark. CD2: Known tracks of big producer Austin Leeds (tracks 2,3) start your feet moving. New producer Steve Lawler "Rise'In" (Andry Nalin & Harry Kane remix)calls you to dance. Track 5 is one of the high points of this year,one of the best big tunes. It makes you feel crazy.Last 2 tracks close your imagination into the reality, they bring you to the Earth....fantastics. Some of Deep House, Progressive trance and beautiful grooves. In conclusion I will call this project as "Communicate 2" (Sasha&John Digweed). This is not a continuous mix. It has all complete versions. That's one of the reasons It's worth buying. If you like to feel the sounds, bass, grooves of each song completely this is your cd, if you are looking for mixed ones I'll recommend you the GU series, and "Communicate (Sasha&Diggers)" for example."

Top highlights from Global Underground, bonus mixes

Richard Diaz | 12/30/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First off, this is a 2-disc set, Amazon isn't posting a complete track listing, so I've included it within the review.Trance fans of the deep and stylish, Bedrock collectors, John Digweed obssessives, yup this two-disc round-up certainly has all the groups covered and stands up as a top-notch dance label compilation and precursor to the Bedrock artist album (that'd be Digweed and Nick Muir) slated for a February 2001 release. Picking off the numerous exclusive highlights from the last half-dozen Global Underground sets and like-minded others (Danny Howells' Nocturnal Frequencies 2, Pete Tong's Essential Mix) and adding a small selection of debuting tracks, well, that sure sounds like a winning formula.Now it has to be said, even at the expense of turning in my gold-plated Digweed Fan Club card, that the breathtaking `Heaven Scent' original is inexcusably not included, replaced by a drab John Johnson mix that muffles the exultant hook and thus, the beauty. Getting past that, Science Department (Danny Howells and Dick Trevor) have two excellent takes on `Repercussion,' the delicious melody of Funk Function's version -- who is Lucien Foort, a quality spinner in his own right, import-hunters should seek out his 2-CD Singularity set released this year -- and the minimal elegance of Dominica afterwards. Austin Leeds and Jimmy Van M (finally given the proper stage for his sets with Ministry of Sound's Trance Nation America) don't really do much with their unreleased `More' mix, taking a full five minutes to open up. Moonface is Phil Thompson, beginning to be touted as Bedrock's next big thing with a solo album targeted for early 2001 as well. His `Futurised,' first heard on Global Underground Hong Kong, radiates a skin-crawling, trippy darkness backed with a harder, slower beat, and is simply, incredibly cool. `Overactive,' unfortunately, is a plodding DJ tool. Finally, the original `Voices' wraps up the disc, though the arguably slightly better Slacker and Freelance Icebreakers (Jimmy Van M and Sean Cusick) aren't included; probably because everyone already owns Communicate anyway.Speaking of Communicate, it's mildly disappointing to see Mainline's `Narcotic' and Austin Leeds' `Force 51' both there and again here, though they are solid tunes, as is the mostly percussive `Moondiver.' The Nalin & Kane Vocal mix of `Rise In' will raise eyebrows for the unexpecting, but their druggy, psychedelia-clouded take is inspired and technically polished. Futureshock's rub of `Pushin Too Hard' doesn't alter enough to stand out as much as their past efforts, perhaps doesn't need to. Alchemy's energetic `Bruiser' (Evolution Mix) was picked as the last track on Pete Tong's Essential Mix, and rightly so, it's a soaring keeper.So what's holding this back from being a great album? In unmixed format, the tracks have extended filler (Vinyl Stretch Syndrome) on each end; perfect for mixing but disruptive to continuous listening. This makes Foundations that odd case where the whole doesn't equal the sum of its parts. Grade: B+ (the tracks) B (listening experience)"