Artist: Christian Cambas
Title: It Scares Me
Label: Bedrock Records
By: Simon Jones | 14 October 2003
Tracklist:

• A: Original Mix
• B: Micali & Ajami Mix

Christian Cambas "It Scares Me"

Located in Athens, Greece; Christian Cambas has been involved in music production for several years. With an education at the acclaimed Berklee College Of Music in Boston to his credit, he has been involved drum and bass movements in the US. During this time he also run his own label, First Commandment Records, a small drum and bass label which received support in the US and Europe. Upon returning to Greece after completing a degree in Music Production and Engineering, he soon got further and further into the world of progressive music via several remixes for a label in his homeland. Alongside a dj career which earned him slots at many events and clubs around Athens, his love only grew, and was invested back into his production. 'It Scares Me' is one of several tracks that he has created, which received early support from Moonface who featured it on a KissFM mix. This led to support from other djs such as John Digweed, Chris Fortier and the Low End Specialists, and now the track now finds it way onto Bedrock, continuing the label's developing trend for pushing new and diverse sounds.

Indeed, the first thing that strikes you about the track as the 'Original Mix' gets underway is it's big 80s style influence. Electronic synth percussion, big snares and a vocal that is very reminiscent of such great vocals as Dave Gahan and Human League's Phil Oakey create a big room sound that will stand out amongst much of today's 'progressive by numbers' tracks. Huge sweeps and fading drops add depth to the track, but it's the vocal that rises over the top and impacts on the floor in massive fashion. Coming on the back of an 80s revival will do this track no harm, but do not be fooled, this is no one trick pony, but a superb track in it's own right.

The remix is provided by the pairing of recent newcomer Chris Micali and Digweed favourite Ali Ajami. Together they add a more traditional flavour to the track, building the track around a deep, hypnotic groove. Heavy hitting drums add a distorted edge to the sounds, with the melody line of the original slowly working it's way back to the surface as the track moves towards the break, the big vocal hook being teased in before being unleashed over a tight breakbeat section, rising in and out of the beats with spine chilling results as the melody washes over the top and the beats fade out to leave a haunting vocal solo that will leave the dancefloor waiting for a big drop. And as the beats kick back in, that's exactly what they get. An uplifting finale to an innovative and fresh remix from two of the scene's nu breed.

Another big single for Bedrock, again pushing a slightly different sound to what many would associate with the label. With a forthcoming EP from Randall Jones featuring the great Ursula Rucker to watch out for plus Bedrock's landmark 50th release, it would appear the rest of the year looks to be a big final quarter for one of the scene's biggest labels.