Stowers & Young - Ocean [Perceptive] + Interview

Started by KrisA, May 17, 2009, 12:03:41 PM

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KrisA

May 17, 2009, 12:03:41 PM


Ehren Stowers is making a third appearence on the Perceptive Recordings label. His first release was called Icarus and only a few months ago he released the stunning piece called Both Worlds. On this release Ehren has teamed up with Alex Young. Remixes come from some of UK's finest Sly One vs. Jurrane and Rozza.

Original Mix
Starting out nicely with rolling percussion, delayed choir effects, claps, hats and a kick drum. A rise plus a stretched choir effect launches the a rolling acid line and next stop is the rolling bassline which is being placed on top. A dark progressive synth makes another layer add-on and this is where the melody starts to build and the progressive synth fades. The main melody feels euphoric and atmospheric. The break section is being carried by some great string and the heavy pads which makes out the 'backing' layer. Back to the main melody and next a techy drop with some cool delayed effects.

Progressive Mix
The progressive version holds some of the same elements as the original. The sounds has been modified with reverb which adds atmosphere and gives the sounds a more 'open' touch. The deep bassline hooks in the track really adds a great progressive mood. The whole structure in the tune is not far from the same and the surroundings have been given a progressive rework.

Sly One vs. Jurrane Remix
This would be the 2nd remix this producer duo has done for Perceptive. Some of their work tend to be very dark and moody but this is quite a happy and uplifting remix. The main leads are fantastic. One being a lush heavily delayed synth and one being a big saw lead. An overall beautiful melodic interpretation!

Rozza's 'Out There' Mix
I have followed Rozza's productions for some time now and he rarely dissapoints me. It is a bliss to hear that he is making progress in his productions; his sense of detail has improved and this reflects this mix. More interesting fill-ins are being used which only makes everything more interesting. I'm not sure why he named the mix 'Out There' as I feel this is his traditional sound. It does have some techy touches but nothing that clouds the smooth melodic trance feel. Gorgeous mix.


Verdict
I am all over the Rozza mix which is my pick. I have always enjoyed his melody chord progressions and his choice of sounds. The originals both hold some great sounds but I am not much into the combination of sounds being used in the break. I had actually hoped for the Sly One vs. Jurrane to be a tad more in-your-face, but they still get away with it though. Nothing short of a great remix.

Beatport: 25/05/2009
All Other Stores: 08/06/2009

Perceptive @ WWW
Perceptive @ Myspace
Ehren Stowers @ Myspace
Sly One @ Myspace
Jurrane @ Myspace
Rozza @ Myspace



Ehren Stowers Interview

We caught up with Ehren Stowers ahead of the release of 'Ocean' to see how he's been keeping himself busy and found out what makes him tick.

How long have you been producing?
I started off in dance music as a DJ first, having played in many top clubs for about 4 years before turning to production. I started producing in 2004 after meeting Andy Young at the first Trance Generation event we held in London. We got on well and shared the same passion for music, so he took me under his wing and we produced our first track together titled 'Stowers & Young – The Second Coming'. We received a lot of support for the track from many high profile DJ's. Encouraged by this success, we carried on producing together throughout 2004 and 2005. At the end of 2005, having learned a great deal from working with Andy, I then started producing on my own. Although working solo can be great fun (providing the freedom to take a tune wherever you want), equally I find collaborating with people just as liberating (bouncing ideas off each other can really help). Since initially working with Andy, I have collaborated with Corderoy, Mystery Islands, Simon Bostock & others. I love working with Andy, and having recently completed 'Ocean, we are now working on a remix for Corderoy's 'Rock Guitar' due out this summer on Insight. Like all trades however producing is never easy, so you need to keep working at it hopefully improving with every new step.

Which producers in particular do you take inspiration from?
There are so many inspirational producers out there. For me though Corderoy is a great inspiration, as is Solarstone, Simon Bostock, Ben Gold, Mystery Islands & Activa. Sly One & Jurrane are also on fire at the moment, as is evident by their recent remix on the 'Ocean' package.

What is your personal favourite from our own discography and why?
Twisted Symmetry – I think because for me, it was the start of a new chapter in my life and that is evident in the sounds used and the direction taken on the track.

What can we expect from you in the coming months?
I am currently busy working on a new techno/tech influenced track which is really exciting me at the moment. Although it will still be uplifting, it's a bit of a departure from my previous releases. I have also recently completed a remix for Perfecto, 'KT – Wish You Were Here' – which is due for release shortly. Additionally, I have completed two EP's for Alter Ego (featuring tracks 'Tomorrow', 'White Sands', 'Quarantine' & a collaboration with Mystery Islands entitled 'Morphine').


This is the 2nd time you have teamed up with Andy, do you have any plans for further collaborations with him or any other producers?
Absolutely, I love working with Andy. I also have plans to work with Simon Bostock & Corderoy again and hopefully Adam White.

Following the success of your tracks in the past 12 months, on a variety of labels, have you thought about an artist album?
I definitely have enough material for one, but at the moment I am focusing more on singles or EP releases. Never say never though!

Which producer/producers are you expecting big things from this year?
I wouldn't be surprised if Ben Gold makes a lot of (good) noise this year.

The last 2 years has seen the fall of many club nights in the UK, still it has also seen the rise of huge success stories such as Digital Society, The Gallery @ Ministry and the continued rise of Electronic Sessions. Can we expect to see/hear more from your own 'Trance Generation' sometime this year?
It has been a tough time for the UK club scene, and in particular trance. Part of the reason for this is that many DJ fees are still too high. Although many artists can expect higher fee's abroad, the fee's need to reflect the local activity of the scene in order for it to be sustained. This indeed, has always been London's primary problem as far as trance is concerned. Although The Gallery is the one exception (they however are consistently booking A class artists which always attract the crowds). For the scene to be vibrant the smaller venues need to be equally successful; this attracts more people into the scene which filters across the whole food chain. As it stands, many of the smaller nights just simply can't afford the artists they need to sustain themselves. House/Electro is a good example of this - DJ fees are generally very low compared with trance, and as such are far more popular in London as a general rule. With Trance Generation, we always aimed to break these rules, in that it was a non profit organisation – every penny went back to the clubber in DJ's, visuals, décor etc. Trance Generation has never gone away. Promoting is hard but rewarding work. As such, we took the ethos that we would only put on events when we wanted to. We have had a bit of break since our last event now – and as such I think it's safe to say, that you will hear more from Trance Generation over the next 9-12 months.

What is your favourite club night right now?
It is still The Gallery – although I was cautious about the move from Turnmills to the Ministry – I have since fallen in love with the new venue. The Gallery was the night that first introduced me to Trance in early 1999, and will always remain at the top of my list.
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