The Harder View

Not long after the Bass Modulators’ first release on DJU Orange, co-labelmanagers Frequencerz take over with a two-tracker that has been anticipated for a very long time by some. Eager to see why part of the hardstyle public had been waiting for Tomorrow & Beyond since way beyond yesterday, I chose to put aside Music Made Addict and Fusion of Sound Sampler 3 in favour of these relatively new guys. Was it worth the sacrifice?

In terms of mastering quality, it certainly was not. Especially Tomorrow & Beyond sounds muffled and unclear. And mind you, we’re reviewing a web release, not some vinyl rip recorded through grandpa’s pickup and a Behringer mixer. Thus, the comparison to Zany’s third sampler, with the usual inbelievable mastering job by Michel Pollen, instantly fails.

But what about the tracks themselves? There certainly is better news here. Tomorrow & Beyond, with its trancy, uplifting melody, would certainly work wonders at a party. However, Frequencerz make the mistake of already letting the pitched kicks come in in the intro, accompanied by a half-baked melody. Trying out new structures is always worthy of praise, but this appears to be a largely failed experiment.

Still, the climax would have made up for the slight mistake that the intro is. Would have, because again, the guys’ lack of professional production experience shows. Had they managed to make the synth sound as massive and overpowering as they meant to, the effect of the track would have been really mind-blowing. Had they managed to get rid of that murky, dusty-attic feel on the kick, they would have created a truly major hit.

So what about Wishes? There is probably even more potential here. An ominous intro and mysterious sample lead the listener into a dark, sinister climax. The mastering seems slightly better here, and it becomes clear that Niels Koster & Pepijn Hol have been listening to Noisecontrollers very well. Still, every track has similarities to other tracks, and the simple fact that this reminds me of NC does not mean it is bad.

In conclusion, this release is not that great. It mainly suffers from mastering and sound design problems, showing how inexperienced its producers are. Yet they are not to blame: who’s to expect Michel Pollen-quality mastering after just two releases? The positive side is, these guys show potential. Wishes reminds of Noisecontrollers’ work, not as a rip-off, but as something based on the same level of musical genius.

Whether they will match those high expectations in the future remains to be seen, but the answer to the question in the first paragraph is a firm ‘yes’. Keep an eye out for these young’uns.

Tracklist:

• A. Frequencerz – Tomorrow & Beyond
• B. Frequencerz – Wishes

Verdict: 72/100