Search - Paul Van Dyk :: Columbia

PVD Delivers!

James Fan | Durham, NC USA | 09/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After progressively mastering his own unique 4/4 hard-core style of trance throughout the 90s, and after his recent album "Out There and Back" trancended past electronica limitations and fears, it is no surprise he delivers his usual goodness here, but without some things that will be dearly missed.Seemingly following fellow trance master Sasha, PVD slips us an EP with five of his own productions. Also included is a remix of the sublime "Vega" off his year 2000 album by Starecase. However, unlike last year's album, he sticks to a driving persistant hard bass beat, and, unlike Sasha, does nothing to uplift, to instill euphoria, to en-trance. The remix of Columbia and both Vega remixes distort the originals with harder, stiffer basslines. Dancers will enjoy this, trancers will not.Old fans of PVD will recognize immediately the minimalistic, auditory goodness of PVD. However, gone are any vocals, and the mastery of atmosphere that PVD put in last years album. None of these tracks can compare to the happy atmosphere of "Vega", the deep bassline of "Tell Me Why", or the innocently in love vocals of "Together We Will Conquer." The tracks seem almost just like updated versions of obvious songs such as "For an Angel." If, however, you are serendipitous enough to happen by Columbia as your first PVD listen, then enjoy what the best in progressive dance has to offer, and how great that is indeed. That is what exactly this album does to you, as one look at the cover and packaging will tell you that this is a special EP, a sexy listen for sexy people, and you will feel special just knowing that this album is yours.4.5 stars, 5 just because PVD is so wicked cool."

GET READY TO BE MOVED![.]

goth hick | Arky town | 01/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"OK,I have all of Paul's cd's. And when I got this EP, I was blown away! Very FAST![.] SO? if you dont like fast paced music this cd is not for you!"

Trance Resurrected

Scott A. Hammel | Orlando, FL USA | 08/28/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Just when this writer was about to give up on the dreaded "T" word (Trance; for you ...), Paul Van Dyk went back to the studio and released The Columbia EP. This EP comprises a new remix of the track Columbia, a Starecase remix of Vega and three brand new tracks Out There, Movement, and A Different Journey To Vega. Each track is solid all the way through. Van Dyk cleverly avoids all of the trance cliché's and delivers to the fullest extent combining darker progressive sounds made famous by John Digweed, with the patented in your face bass kicks that Van Dyk has always delivered. Avoiding any lulls or low points, each track on this EP will get the dance floor moving, and are all sure fire `peak time' cuts. Van Dyk's popularity seems to be getting bigger by the day (one of his tracks was even included in the skateboard video, CKY3), and with releases like this, there is no end in sight. Van Dyk has again redefined how trance is going to sound into 2002, while leaving out the cheesiness many associate with the genre."