Artist: Tomcraft
Title: When I Was Sixteen
Label: Great Stuff Recordings
By: Jason Calvert | 13 January 2009
Tracklist:

• A1: When I Was Sixteen (Original Mix)
• A2: They Don't Know (Original Mix)
• B1: When I Was Sixteen (Ramon Tapia Mix)

Tomcraft "When I Was Sixteen"

Bavarian big name Tomcraft strikes again on his Great Stuff imprint with another solid release. Thomas Brückner has been floating around the scene for a good fourteen years and his style has varied a lot over the years. Personally I felt that some of his work has been a bit hit and miss but in recent times his style appears to have matured a great deal. "When I Was Sixteen" is a fantastic example of the man at his peak.

The original mix is a deep and driving affair however not as in your face as you may expect. A sultry melody builds itself up over the throbbing bass but never takes over. It cries out slightly louder after blissful breakdown and the energy it creates is outstanding. This is a true crowd worker and should be played loud!

The Ramon Tapia mix sadly discards the sexy bassline that made the track what it was and instead goes for a more minimal approach whilst retaining the heavy percussion. It's an interesting juxtaposition but one which I felt just didn't quite gel. The melody floats in and out and the percussion seems to take over in areas it shouldn't. Some may find that this works for them but it's not quite what I would expect on the Great Stuff imprint.

"They Don't Know" builds itself up in similar fashion to the title track however the feel is more bouncy than driving on this one. The melody is the strong focus however the bass is still banging enough to please fans of the electro house genre. If big room material does it for you then this will definitely get you moving.

As a whole, the Ramon Tapia mix felt slightly out of place and even for a minimal track I couldn't help but feel that it was lacking in some respects. However, the two original Tomcraft works do not disappoint and have already found their way into the boxes of the big names in the genre. For those who have enjoyed previous outings on the Great Stuff label then you will feel right at home with this release.