Info Label: Yoshitoshi Rel. date: 29th Sep 03 Cat No: TY106 Reviewer: Sebastian Napora Reviewed: 28th Oct 03 Format: 12" Rating: Tracklisting Adam Beyer & Lenk Dub Original Mix Phil Kieren Remix Adam Beyer & Lenk Vocal

Let this review be a testimony to a thesis, that we do not limit ourselves to review progressive and house records solely here at Soundrevolt.
Here is Phil Kieran – a rising star of European techno scene – Irishman with a head full of ideas for the style progress. He has already done Agoria’s “La 11-eme Marche” remix, Essential Mix for Radio One, “Youth” released for Soma, and finally the release being described right now – “I Love You”.

With this production Kieran proved, that there’s no need to use any sophisticated means to achieve success in production. He built the track using few tones only. Then selected a proper sound for them, and the effect was a simple melody gained with techno styled drums. I believe this could be the end of the text but the release deserves much more attention.

Original Mix’s tempo is 127 bpm but I’ve never heard anyone playing the track that slow before! I have the impression, that Phil, in defiance to everybody, slowed it down as much as he could.
In the background the main theme of the track sounds almost continuously, accompanied by monotonous chords prelude. If there was no breakdown in the middle of the track, I would say that nothing interesting is happening around. Phil relentlessly features his idea for melody and sound, not exaggerating too much in expression. And that’s good!

Kieran’s remix is no longer that slow. I would say it “goes” on its proper speed. Besides that we’ve got quite a good presentation of Phil’s arrangement skills here, because in the first place he builds up the rhythmic of the track perfectly, and then manipulates the breakdown’s beat cleverly, to attack the listener with his deeply distorted melody. That’s an amazing, lively and – as opposed to original – optimistic remix!

Choosing from the two of Beyer and Lenk remixes I pick the dub one. A moderately slow and techy track, whereas on a background of dense percussion beats and distorted bass, a part of the main theme known from the original mix, explodes like a volcano. This sounds like an electric guitar with loads of distortion effects on it. Additionally, the climate of some awe is being fuelled by echoed calls in the back and the prelude jumping from left to right on speakers’ channels.

The snare and some syncopated smaller drum have been added to the rhythmic section of the next remix made by Beyer and Lenk. We also have the bass and the main theme heavily exposed in here. There’s also a choral “I Love You” but slowed down to the maximum. Generally the version is characterized by a huge amount of content and also a lack of an appropriate form.

Phil Kieran’s way to expose feelings is a bit weird, though I won’t oppose if anyone would try to treat me this way. First of all an idea matters, and this applies not only to music productions.

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Yoshitoshi (USA)

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