Artist: Greg Benz
Title: Kickdrums and Ex-Girlfriends
Label: Proton Music
By: Julien Roby | 24 March 2012
Tracklist:

• 96 Mix
• Dub Mix

Greg Benz "Kickdrums and Ex-Girlfriends"

It's been a while since I have heard a Greg Benz track. In the early 2000's, Greg Benz was one of the most prolific producer. I still have fond memories of his "Dilation" track on Release Records back in 2004. Getting to listen again, for the first time in a while, to productions from an artist you once loved is always a hard exercise. Hard because, at the same time, you're excited about feeling the same things you once felt - but you're also anxious to be disappointed to not find back the same thing you were once listening to.

I have to say, the anxiousness quickly went away when I started to listen to Greg Benz new release on Proton Music. It's certainly a departure from the trancy sounds of the first Greg Benz tracks, but that's actually a good thing. What you get here is a more mature sound, in line with what you would expect from great modern electronic music. Starting with deep house infused sounds in the background, constrasting with a more uptempo beat, you feel immediately like something great is going to unfold. Smart percs pattern are quickly followed by a groovy bassline. And it's not long before a mental vocal snippet joins them. Toward the middle of the track, the bassline takes the lead & drives us through a few distorded pads & great FXs. Soon the vocal snippet strikes back & drives the track toward its final build up, now growing on you with the addition of a few synths lines.

I have to say I'm pleasently surprised by this release. Was not sure what to expect & ended up shaking my body to the groove of a track building up in subtle & classy ways. Note that the great original track comes also with a Dub version, stripping out some of the synth lines for an equally as good result. Recommended.