From the moment trancy London house mate Seb Fontaine slaps down Cevin Fisher's "Music Saved My Life," it is clear that this latest quality release from the Global Underground series is going to be a well-designed journey.... more » Wasting no time with ambient soundscaping, Prototype 2 showcases a DJ who manages to blend trance, funk, and the general feel of techno into one belter of a Friday-night double. It has a subtle blend of smooth edges and thunderous power, with the effortless glide of Stone Factory's "Sunset" or the undulating glide of Soultrance's eponymous effort all warm and fuzzy alongside the intensity of pounding techno-trance such as Durango-95's muscle stretching "Drum Decay." Liquid Art's expansive, house-trance-textured "Liquid Groove" is the true departure point into uninhibited abandon. DJ Jan's "X Santo" is all about sliding past speed limits (which Paul Van Dyk's "Avenue" keeps up nicely) before Fontaine brings the sunrise with a mix of Atlantis's "Fiji." Prototype 2 demonstrates that it is one thing having records, and quite another knowing how to use them; Seb Fontaine has both. --Steffan Chirazi« less
From the moment trancy London house mate Seb Fontaine slaps down Cevin Fisher's "Music Saved My Life," it is clear that this latest quality release from the Global Underground series is going to be a well-designed journey. Wasting no time with ambient soundscaping, Prototype 2 showcases a DJ who manages to blend trance, funk, and the general feel of techno into one belter of a Friday-night double. It has a subtle blend of smooth edges and thunderous power, with the effortless glide of Stone Factory's "Sunset" or the undulating glide of Soultrance's eponymous effort all warm and fuzzy alongside the intensity of pounding techno-trance such as Durango-95's muscle stretching "Drum Decay." Liquid Art's expansive, house-trance-textured "Liquid Groove" is the true departure point into uninhibited abandon. DJ Jan's "X Santo" is all about sliding past speed limits (which Paul Van Dyk's "Avenue" keeps up nicely) before Fontaine brings the sunrise with a mix of Atlantis's "Fiji." Prototype 2 demonstrates that it is one thing having records, and quite another knowing how to use them; Seb Fontaine has both. --Steffan Chirazi
"Well lets see CD2 is great. Peak time sound is the best way to describe it. Basically this means this is the kind of music you want to listen to as your just about to enter a club on a Saturday night. Sebs Hooligans mix of Open your eyes is awesome because it doesnt have the stupid refrain open your eyes and see the child you are in it. Song 2 MIro OHHH MY GOD: simple so simple but so good. 3 and 4 are average...but then you reach 5 and then the rest is gold from there EXCEPT FOR AVENUE....GOD I HATE THIS SONG! Pvd is awesome but please this song TOTALLY doesnt fit in here. I dont like CD1 but I mean IM really not into that whole style of music way too loud and noisy for my liking, but some may like it. Anyways CD2 is almost perfect and makes this a good buy if you can tolerate tech house or whatever the music on cd1 is called."
Listen before you buy.
coma black | Baltimore, MD | 07/10/2000
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I'm not really good at reviewing DJ Set's because well.....im not even old enough to get in a club (lol) So, I dont really *REALLY* know the effect this music can have on you live. I do know a good track from a bad one though, so for those of you who wont hear this live I can convey to you my thoughts on Idle Listening. Disc One, like previously reviewers have said is a very house progressive music.. Not much trance here! But thats not what everyone in the world likes in a DJ Set so lets listen to this house progressive music... All in all I find most of it to be moving.. Once you make it up to track 10 "somebody scream" you get a more addictive sound....I like this track because its kewl when its loud. Its my favorite on the first disc. It feels trancy when you listen deeply... Following that trancy track is "iguana" (where do they come up with these names?) this music doesn't make me think of Iguanas....I guess its kind of like deep jungle music? Well, whatever. This track is kind of kewl...a mover w/out a doubt... As you can tell im very bored with the first disc, track ten is worth noting however, so sample that one k?Disc two is by far the better! Starting with Nalin & Kane "Open your eyes" Well, I can say you better start listening because this DJ Set suddenly started kicking! Disc Two is full of Trance which is by far the coolest live music in the world! The first track is constantly building with no chances of respite! Following that "By your side" Very very noteworthy. This is the kind of track you want to get caught speeding for! After your done cruising with Miro you slip gently into (seamless mixing I might add!) Liquid Groove, I dont find this track to be very uhh....smooth...I dont think of a "Liquid Groove" I mean, its pretty good but its not a highlight of the Set so "try" NOT to skip this one the second time around. Next is "slapbang" keeping me movin, albeit "almost" forcefully with this track. Its a welcome addition to the set, but its mostly just the stuff right between the cake and the icing. Climatix's Freejack starts out kind of squelchy but if you give it time it progresses into a much more attractive sound. (listen for that drum roll) X Santo, (this is a trance track that I personally LOVE) The vocals in this one are mind tripping you definitely have to hear this one loud! A Definitely *highlight of the dj set* This is the kind of track that makes me wish I were old enough to hear music like this live! After Dj Jan has finished reaching into your brain, a more traditional Trance artist comes to the fore with a track that is practically praised by EVERYONE. I find PvD to make music that sounds essentially the same, mostly referring to him as traditional trance I do, Avenue is a kewl track... I mean comon PvD never puts out a bad track does he? However, I like the previous track X Santo much more then Avenue. Like I said PvD is traditional and he tends to keep his trance a little too familiar at times. The next two tracks I will refer to as "fillers" they just wedge between two awesome tracks. Basically they are there to add time to the DJ set yes? haha. Anyways, after you have forced your way through them you get a chance to soar with "resound" this track is kind of a pleasure track that gets you filling kind of light-hearted, following it is more lessons in flying with Mothers Pride. This track IS the *Best of the DJ SET* All you have to do is turn this up and you will get that all too familiar vibe all over your body. I mean it. If you dont buy this Set, hear this track at the least! God, I wish I could hear this live! Anyways, onto the last track of Seb Fontaine's fine set. Its definitely an excuse to rest from the dancefloor, while not being such a bad track... it doesnt have the sheer power of the previous one and its like your building up all this excitement for the next track, but then you realize theres no way it can live up to the hype. Goodnight folks, this is definitely the track that gives you an excuse to take a break.My conclusion is this, since im rating both Cd's I have to do an overall analysis, the second cd I will say now deserves at least a 4.5 rating. The first track is what pulls me down to an even 3. However, since you have to purchase both CD's to get the second disc I can say now....hey buy it. Cuz the second disc makes it worth it! Sample those tracks I praised and you WILL buy it! Peace all...."
Trance for children?
prood | London, England | 08/22/2000
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Yet another mix including Cevin Fisher's Music Saved My Life. Yes, I know I didn't have to buy it to find that out.Disc one is in general hard, large swathes of it are percussion with very little layered on top. Its too stark for my liking, until track 9, Crash by Johan. Then suddenly Track 10 is the climax, overshadowing the remainder which I can only describe as "back to the bare percussive stuff again".Disc 2 -
At first I was determined to describe disc two as children's trance, because the rhythms and melodies are mostly so trite as to be almost childish and the transitions often obvious. But after a few listens I began to tune in and realise that this makes it utterly relentless and quite compelling,. But it only works for me as background or a preparation for something more illustrious. But I swear a dedicated hearing will have you falling asleep until the Climatix track - Bing, you awake soaring above a sweeping, bubblegum lush landscape - a sweet but overlong pretender, then the first "reaching into my brain" drops perfectly into yours, and bingabingabonga you're off to the land of nod again. The bubblegum makes a more subdued appearance later under the name of Never Tell but barely pierces the consciousness and the rest is pretty stodgy stuff. The penultimate track Learning To Fly makes me want to throttle something. The last track, Fiji, has me reaching for the sick bucket, Yeuch. This Seb geezer is a thug, and he's asaulting my sensibilities.Ultimately not satisfying."
Breakbeat/trance Techno 9 on a 10 scale
B. Lynch | USA | 07/11/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Standout Cuts include Cevin Fisher's "Music Saved My Life", Terry Mulan + Halo's "Nickel Bag of Funk", Durnango-95's "Drum Decay", and Stefano Libelle + HH's "Liquid Groove".Very danceable, high energy breakbeat grooves here."
Knowing seb's music
DJ Fabrizio Garibaldi | Lima, Peru | 12/28/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first time i listen to Seb Fontaine was when i bought the prototype 2, by that time i was amazed by the global underground series but until that moment i didn't knew the real power and emotion that makes me feel prototype 2.A mix of a kind of tech-house, deep house and pure house in CD1 followed by energetic progressive house marks a way thay any dj had done before.Tracks like the one of Warriors of love, Chris Cargo, johan and the classic one of Cevin Fisher's "Music save my life" certify that he's leading the way."