Magazine
Wildstylez & Noisecontrollers - A Different Story
Label: Digital:Age
Catalog#: DIGI 001
Released: 07 Apr 2011
Style: Hardstyle
Buy it at Hardstyle.com
Fear.FM Release DB
Today, the first and very long awaited release of the new Hardstyle label Digital:Age has been released.
Digital:Age, the new label which has been formed by ex-Scantraxx hero Wildstylez and ex-Fusion heroes Noisecontrollers is a bid to push Hardstyle to a whole new frontier.
We've already heard many House influences starting to arise in modern day Hardstyle, making the overall feeling of Hardstyle softer and maybe a little more accessible to non-fanatics. Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? Well, that's a discussion which has been raging online and within the scene for years. There are supporters and there are people who are sickened by the thought.
Now, without going into the political details of it all, I'm going to be honest when I say that I really don't care. I love my music - Hardstyle. It has to be hard, but when there are melodical, softer pieces thrown into the mix and it sounds great, giving you a special feeling, then I'm all for it.
Both heroes have taken a massive leap into the unknown to create a unique sound within the scene, but I've got a feeling it will grow. It's still Hardstyle, but with a different twist.
"Enough of all this business" I hear you scream. "We want the review!". Ok, ok... here it comes.
A Different Story... well, what can I say. The name itself fits in well with what Digital:Age stands for. A different story in the way they think and feel Hardstyle "should" sound like. "Should" is a dangerous word, because there "shouldn't" be rules in music and this is exactly why I like this release. These guys have the (excuse my Francais) balls to do something different. They've built a name for themselves and they've literally put that reputation on the line to try something new. For that, I applaud them.
What really stands out about this track is the House feeling. It's soft, floaty (even more floaty than any previous Hardstyle track), it's ballsy and frankly, it sounds nice. It will sure pull in a lot of new listeners who are used to the soft House/Trance beats, but who also want that extra adrenaline rush of our beloved Hardstyle. Let's be honest, those kicks are nice! There's no denying that! Pure Noisecontrollers kicks. No screeches, no distorted noises, no brutal Hardcore-ish kicks. Just a geat melody, a great deep kick, a funky vocal and an overall awesome vibe.
I'm digging the arpeggiated type "pluck" sound which is panning through my earphones. Left, Right, Left right... and that funky little vocal laying it down straight to me: "It may be a different story". Before we get to that different story, let's first enjoy some Reverse bass and then slam some pretty heavy kicks in your face complemented by a side chained melody. This part alone is combining the soft and hard to make something.. unique. We've heard it before, so this is just a little dabble in the new world of Digital:Age. You know, to make the step from "normal" Hardstyle to that "unique" Hardstyle Digital:Age claims to have waiting for us.
I literally have nothing bad to say about this track. I put my "fear" of a Hardstyle-split out of the way, because come on... that won't happen. Hardstyle is Hardstyle in all it's shapes and forms. Be it Euphoric, RAW, funky, Housey... if it sounds good, that's all that matters (to me). What I am afraid of is the "sub" genre label our little internet people will throw upon this 'style'. We've already had the sub genre "RAW" shoved down our throats and since the evolution of "Early" to modern day Hardstyle, we've already gotten the "Nu" prefix slapped onto Hardstyle. It's a confusing little scene we have here, so I'm wondering what they're going to cook up about this style. Housestyle?
But before we all spam the internet with a load of jibberjabber just sit back, relax, blast this through your speakers and just have a long think about it. Think about it production wise - Doesn't it sound great? Ok, there aren't exactly any new elements. It's soft, but again not too soft. It's hard, but not too hard. It's the beginning of something new, although it doesn't sound quite too different.
I for one am looking forward to what Digital:Age have in store. I trust both Wildstylez and the Noisecontrollers to know what they're doing. I have never heard a bad release from either of the 2 artists and their mix of styles could lead to some very exciting things. Judging by the first reactions circulating the internet, I think most people are ready to accept a change. It's not a scene changing change, but it's something which might give us another perspective on Hardstyle. We should be lucky our scene has so much diversity. You can still go "back in time" and hear some Early influences. You can stomp your ass off to the "Raw" beats of the Harder style of Hardstyle. You can chillax to the more Euphoric tracks and you can chill-stomp to the hybrid tracks which mix both Euphoric and Raw elements into one exciting track. So much choice to embrace!
My rating? *flips on his Raybans*. (First let me go and buy an ice cold beer) I'm giving "A different Story" a great wide-smile-on-face-while-relaxing followed by a massive and surprising omg-this-kick-and-melo-are-brutal fistpump! A great release by two great artists who dared to walk a different path.
Buy it at Hardstyle.com
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