Search - Joel Xavier :: Whoop Records Progressive Trance

If you REALLY, REALLY like progressive house

Douglas A. Greenberg | Berkeley, CA USA | 03/02/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This mix represents the latest installment within Topaz Records' ongoing and highly laudable effort to bring the best of various small European trance and progressive house labels to a tiny but growing American audience. Previously, Topaz has put together mixes that cobble together tracks from Platipus, Eve, and Limbo Records; with Whoop! emerging as one of the most interesting purveyors of British progressive house tracks, this latest release is consistent with these previous efforts.Actually, there have been several previous "best of" Whoop! mixed releases, including two mixed by Nigel Dawson, one by Brent Borel, and another disc by Joel Xavier and Andy Lekker that was included as a giveaway in *International DJ* magazine not long ago. This Topaz release, in fact, shares several tracks in common with the previous Xavier and Lekker mix.The music itself is good, listenable progressive house (the "progressive trance" label in the cd title is a misnomer, but then again, that's nitpicking). With the exception of a couple of highly infectious and energetic tracks such as the Tarentella v Redanka remix of "Saturn, Redanka's "Sonic Strategy," and the already-much-played "Eleven Hours" by Dominion, however, the material really is not outstanding, and is not likely to appeal greatly to casual fans of the genre. Consequently, this disc can be recommended to two basic types of listeners: 1) those who REALLY like the progressive house sound and so can be satisfied with a mix that is less than stellar (I would include myself in this group); and 2) those who have developed a growing curiosity about lesser-known types of European electronic dance music and might wish to get a decent taste of trancey progressive house at an attractive price. For people looking for somewhat more consistently good releases that incorporate this type of music, however, I would recommend some other mixes, including Dave Seaman's "Renaissance Awakening" and "Global Underground--Cape Town," Sasha and John Digweed's "Northern Exposure: Expeditions," John Debo's "Chrome 01," and D:Fuse's "Psychotrance 2001.""

Peek at the early steps of a forward-thinking label

Richard Diaz | 04/04/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Not quite sure why it takes two chaps to mix nine tracks, but considering Joel Xavier and Andy Lekker are the founders of Whoop Records, we'll cut them some slack. Especially since they've been responsible for signing and developing some of progressive's best artists: Quivver, Mike Monday, Tarentella & Redanka, Nick Muir, Nigel Dawson and more. Whoop willingly busts conventions in music, evidenced by the title track "I Need You" by Naked Ra, a techy-breaks number worthy of the full eight minutes given here. Dittos to Skynet's "Way of the Wave," a shimmering disco nugget which would be labeled tech-house now. Add in Redanka's fantastically dark, druggy "Sonic Strategy" (with a completely different second act) and the obligatory prog-meets-NASA- dialogue tune "Saturn" (done well) for a rock solid package. Lowlights? Dominion's "11 Hours" teeters on girly overdrive with lyrics "I will love you all my life" while Hard Attack's "Very Contemporary" simply packs a truckload of effects together in hopes of gelling. Still, this is an excellent peek at the early but steady steps of a forward-thinking label, albeit one primarily for the prog fans. Watch for volume two out in early 2002."