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Abyss & Judge – The Vision / Rok It Review
Atmosphere. Most of you will probably remember that as Nagoom’s latest release on the Superplastik label. Sadly, especially the A-side did not manage to deliver what the title promises. But when listening to Abyss & Judge’s latest release, it is the first word that comes to mind.
Their third release on Showtek’s Dutch Master Works label, The Vision / Rok It has been much anticipated by the circle of fans A&J have already managed to gather amongst hardstyle lovers. For good reason – whether you like or dislike them, their previous releases have always had a unique and appealing sound, managing to set them apart from the masses. Let us see if the guys manage to keep up their rep.
The record’s first track draws you in immediately with its mysterious, scarce yet effective piano playing. No better way to set an atmosphere than with some creepy piano notes. And it doesn’t stop there – our mystery piano is quickly followed by a dark, copious synth that will simply not allow you to lose attention. One point of critique is the use of somewhat bland samples in the break. This is compensated by its length though; it so short you can hardly even call it a break. A good thing, because this way, you remain immersed in the beautiful, enticing atmosphere the intro creates.
The melody, then, is a lot happier than the intro. However, the two do not detone; in fact, the climax melody manages to add an extra layer, making for a complex whole that remains enchanting even after listening to it multiple times. Still, note that enchanting and atmospheric as it may be, The Vision is not very innovative or technically special. The odd piano arrangement and short break save it from getting the ‘generic nustyle’ stamp, but someone should get A&J a bunch of new sounds. They age.
Speaking of sounds getting old – Rok It uses the exact same bells and synths in its intro as Rapture, the A-side from their previous release. This is something you don’t earn points with in our book. Of course, one should never change a winning formula. Still, that does not mean the formula cannot be improved.
On to the song itself. The intro would actually have been good if it were not for the blatantly recycled sounds. Its kicks pack a good amount of punch and some serious bass power. Unfortunately, it is followed by a melody that, easy-listening as it may be, is not very special at all. Accompanying this are some self-recorded vocals about… rokking it I suppose. Too bad the guy who did these vocals is not a very good MC at all, making them quite pointless.
After such an amount of critical remarks as this you may be inclined to think Rok It is a very bad song. Allow me to disappoint you: it is not. Apart from the ‘stolen’ sounds, it is a song that is easy to listen to, and not that bad. I does not have much good going for it either, though.
End conclusion: as you may have guessed, the A-side wins. A very well-written track, especially good for focused listening from beginning to end. The B-side is not necessarily very bad, but boring and bland and it brings down the end verdict by a fair amount of points.
Tracklist:
- A. Abyss & Judge – The Vision
- B. Abyss & Judge – Rok It
Nice review