Darude
12": Darude - Sandstorm
[0070880ERE]
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Promo release 5/00 on Neo Records. Licensed from Edel Records. Written by Ville Virtanen. Arranged by Ville Virtanen and Jaakko Salovaara. Additional production by JS16. This one has been dominating the airwaves in Europe and is now set to be one of the big tunes of the summer here in the UK with its forthcoming release on Neo Records. The original mix is an addictive raw 303 trancer, whilst the JS16 Remix is more progressive in style. Both cuts are quality and will suit different dancefloors.
CD Single: Darude - Sandstorm
[SIRCDS1601]
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Import release on 16 Inch Records in the UK 6/00. Written by Ville Virtanen. Arranged by Ville Virtanen and Jaakko Salovaara. Published by BMG Music publishing Finland. Produced and mixed by JS16 @ JS16 studios. Cover design by Sampo Hänninen. Stargate Music OY/16INCH records. 16INCH records is a registered trademark of Stargate music. See above for description.
CD Single / 12": Darude - Sandstorm (Remixes)
[NEOCD033R / NEO12033R]
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Released 9/00 on Neo Records. Written by Ville Virtanen. Arranged by Ville Virtanen and Jaakko Salovaara. Produced and mixed by JS16. Additional remix and production on track 1 by Ariel & Thor House, and on track 2 by Terpsichord. Further remixes of Sandstorm were inevitable (and i'm sure there will be more). Ariels remix is the better of the two, sticking close to the original format, whilst Terpsichord goes heavier and darker, somewhat losing it on the way. The Original mix still remains the superior version.
12": Darude - Sandstorm Remixes (Talla 2XLC)
[URDDJ2096]
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Released 9/00 on Urban Records (a division of Universal Records). Written by Ville Virtanen. Arranged by Ville Virtanen and Jaakko Salovaara. Additional production by Talla 2XLC. Two superb remixes from Talla 2XLC, both of which are along the same lines. The opening three minutes of Talla's Super Club Mix breaks completly from the format of the original version so much that you'd not think this to be Sandstorm. Eventually the analogue riff creaps in and the track steps up a gear and goes full throttle. Watch out for the almighty build-up in the last quarter of the track. Talla's Club Mix hasn't got quite as much drive as the Super Club version, although what it lacks for in drive is made up for in suspense. Another long opening that eventually gives way to the analogue riff, teasing at first with just a couple of notes (which will work a treat on the dancefloor now that the original version is so well known), before breaking into main part of the track which isn't a mile different from the original. This is an essential addition to the collection.
CD Single: Darude - Feel the Beat
[74321757302]
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Released 8/00 on 16Inch Records. Written and produced by JS16. Arranged by Ville Virtanen and Jaakko Salovaara. Darude follow up 'Sandstorm' with their second single and its going to be another winner. This time round the vibe is more commercial sounding due to a female vocal sample of "I can feel the Beat", although the acid riff from 'Sandstorm' still manages to crop up in both the Original Mix and the JS16 Dark Mix. The JS16 Dark Mix isn't as dark as the title suggests, although it is deeper and harder than the
Original Mix. The Soundfreak Remix drops the acid riff, adopts an acid-electo bass line and goes all "Robert Miles" with a dreamhouse style piano melody in the breakdowns - it all works quite well although the piano bits are a bit too cute for me. This just leaves the Missing Link Remix which is a decent house version. Overall, four quality remixes that will bode well in commercial club land.
CD Single: Out Of Control
[74321820732]
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Released 2/01 on Stargate/16Inch Records. Written and produced by JS16. Arranged by Ville Virtanen and Jaakko Salovaara. Additional remix and production on track 3 by Heikki Limatainen. This is the third single from the album, the first of which to completely escape the 'Sandstorm' formula. The Radio Edit and Extended Mix are shorter and longer versions of the album mix, respectively, and fail to improve on the rather weak melody of this fairly formulaic trance number. However, head straight for the Bostik Remix, which is a driving trancer, dropping the weak melody of the original and making good use of the electro-voice sample from the original version.
Album: Before the Storm
[159836-2]
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Released 8/00 on Universal Records GmbH. This is the debut album from Darude and it can be summed up in one word - weak. It all appears to be a very rushed effort to cash-in on the success of 'Sandstorm' and could have done with being held back a few months and bit more thought spent on it. A couple of the tracks sound very dated, whilst others are just formulaic trance showing little imagination. Its a right old mixmash of styles too - trance, hard house and breakbeat all have a look in, which isn't a bad thing, but as an album it really doesn't flow from end to end. With two versions of 'Sandstorm' and 'Feel the Beat' its obvious that this album needed padding out.
CD Single / 12": Out Of Control (Back For More)
[NEOCD067 / NEO12067]
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Released 9/01 on Neo Records. Out of Control written by JS16, Cathi Ogden and Julie Morrison. Arranged by Ville Virtanen and Jaakko Salovaara. Sandstorm written by Ville Virtanen. Produced and mixed by JS16. Remix and additional production on track 3 (CD) and track 2 (12") by Tom Stephan and on track 3 (12") by Jan Driver. 'Out Of Control (Back For More)' is a pretty weak affair and hence the need for the extra 'Sandstorm' remixes to back it up. Of these new remixes, Superchumbos Sandy Sandstorm by Tom Stephan is just plain weird, whilst the Jan Driver Remix is an excellent deep and progressive version.
Other Info:
For further information on Darude see their official web site.
