Utterly speechless was my first reaction when I heard “Play it Back.” Simply because it doesn’t sound at all like what you would expect from a Gabriel & Dresden track. Yes, it’s cool, credible, and underground but it’s also… how do I say this correctly without mixing labels, Hi-NRG for 2012. Yes, “Play It Back” is a girl-twirl that you might expect from Almighty or Alias, but done with a progressive twist. The kick drum loop in the intro is the first clue that this is going to be something different- but when the instrumental loops start coming in with the swoops, it’s clear that we are headed into major key “hands in the air” territory. Disparate parts like computer bleeps and electro glitches contrast with swooshes and vocoded male background vocals for what is probably the only current record that could get played at the most credible underground clubs in Ibiza as well as G-A-Y and XXL in London. The last time one of the credible producers pulled this off was when Oakenfold and Steve Osbourne were making all those wonderful Grace records in the ’90s. Since Trance 2.0 was the big buzz term at ADE this year, maybe we could look to G&D bring “back” a new flavor of NRG 2.0 by blending classic energy with modern electro. I am definitely anxious to hear what they come up with next.
Image Courtesy of Organized Nature.
