The highly anticipated third artist album from Darren Tate has arrived with 14 fresh faced progressive tracks from one of the most talented dance producers on the planet. We delve into the music and and let you know why its one of this years most essential albums...
There were rumours of this album during last year that got me very excited but the announcement never came. Darren Tate has always been a favourite of mine over the years ever since his early productions set the sound systems alight. You could pinpoint his music style somewhere in between the trance and house barrier. His signature sound though as Darren Tate is always recognisable and evolves with each year. While he does not hammer out that many productions, mainly due to his very busy work schedule having numerous projects on the go, he’s not forgot about his dance music fans. While he has many different aliases in the dance world like the DT8 Project, Jurgen Vires, Angelic, Orion and 8 Ball he is also a very successful feature film composer with five scores to polish off before this year is out.
Darren Tate though is where I feel he does his finest work and the Horizon’s series collects all that together. The two so far have been fantastic. The first was really just a collection of his tracks to date but the second, released back in 2009 was his first custom built artist collection. The third horizon has finally arrived, it’s taken some time since he released a sampler EP as far back as 2011 with tracks from the album, or at least one as ‘Bala’ never made it onto this new release.
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TRACKLIST
1. Prologue: “The Engagement” (Music From The Motion Picture Film “Snapshot”) 2. The Wave 3. Sympathy 4. The Eternal (Big Piano Mix) 5. Electrified (as Tate & Diamond) 6. Sweet Sin (Dub Mix) 7. Twisted Robot 8. Rise Above The Anarchy (as Tate & Credland) 9. Be You Be Me (feat. Jodie Elms) 10. All I Am (feat. Jodie Elms) 11. Daylight Blinds Me (feat. Jodie Elms) 12. Field Of Dreams (Vocal Mix) 13. Tears 14. Midnight
If were talking numbers then Darren’s third artist album is his biggest today with a grand total of 14 tracks making it into the cut. They are all brand new productions aside from just the two which have been released as singles before ‘The Eternal’, ‘Midnight’ and ‘Field of Dreams’. Those previously featured tracks were all released from 2010 up to late 2011. Having had to wait another year and a bit for the complete third edition of Darren’s production collection the wait has been worth it as the album does not disappoint in the slightest. The Darren Tate sound is back and its better than ever.
If you didn’t know about Darren’s film music exploits then you will be the very moment you pop this in the CD player as he opens up with a cut from one of them. The music is from a film called ‘Snapshot’, which if I’m honest I have not heard of. The track though ‘Prologue – The Engagement’ is one I want to hear more off. It does have that big cinematic sound and a tasty break beat to act as a very delicate intro track for the album. That is one thing I do like about Horizons number three is the tracks are all fused together and not just banged on there from start to stop. The album has a flow going through, similar to a DJ mix; this album will take you on a journey.
The wave tells you a little story as it floats along with a firm beat and delicious piano melodies. There is softness to the music here that creates a very warm inviting feeling. While I’m not sure where the vocal sample came from it fits in with the track perfectly and you understand where the title came from after hearing it. You will be riding the crest of a beautiful wave when this one hits.
There is a good mixture of vocalists featured in the album with two outings for Nicolai Prowse on ‘Sympathy’ and ‘Electrified’. Both those tracks are one ones with an immense sense of depth how the vocal works with the music. The melodies that Darren has crafted together for this album are superb and some of his best. No finer example of this can be found within the track ‘Tears’, which has just been released as the first single from the album this week. There is so much emotion in this euphoric piano rich driven track it’s no wonder it’s called tears. Darren seems to create so many atmospheres within his tracks and for me this is one of the highlights of the album.
That signature sound of Darren Tate from old is there of course and can be found in ‘Field of Dreams’ and ‘Midnight’. It’s soft, delicate, progressive and very engrossing music from start to finish. From deep haunting bass lines to driving piano keys Darren has not lost his touched for putting together and dance record. Horizon’s number three is not something revolutionary, because it doesn’t need to be, but evolutionary. While many artists go experimenting with the latest plug in and take on a new sound to keep up with the mass market, Darren doesn’t. He creates other aliases for that which keeps the Darren Tate sound as pure as it ever was, just a little more refined with each release.
Conclusion:
This is quite simple Darren Tate as his very best with a superb collection of delicious productions that will have you hitting the repeat button. This latest horizon takes you through a journey of today’s Darren Tate sound, which has not changed much and that’s a very, very good thing!
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