Tritonal’s album “Piercing the Quiet” boosted their popularity in 2011. Since then Dave Reed and Chad Cisneros have been busy traveling the world and playing at the biggest EDM events. Now, after much anticipation, “Piercing the Quiet Remixed” has finally hit the stores. This album features remixes from talented producers like Daniel Kandi, Juventa, and Stoneface & Terminal.
The album begins with Tritonal’s EDC intro edit of Mat Zo’s remix of Lifted. Mat Zo’s remix of this Tritonal classic is arguably just as well-known as the original. This is a fitting intro track to the album as it sets the tone for things to come. The bright piano and the dreamlike quality of Cristina Soto’s voice work extremely well together.
The second track is the Ost & Meyer remix of Retake. Like the original mix, this track has an uplifting quality to it, especially in the middle section. However, the remix is edgier, sporting a gritty bassline and intricate percussion. The remix has a strong Anjunabeats quality, which Ost & Meyer are known for. I thought the remix was well done because Ost & Meyer are able to put their own personal stamp on it without taking a away from the essence of the original track.
Stoneface & Terminal are on remix duty for the third track, Still With Me, featuring Cristina Soto, who has been Tritonal’s go-to vocalist since the early days. Stoneface & Terminal give this song a beautiful makeover, turning it into an uplifting trance track. The lush chords and bright synths at the beginning give the song a very ambient feel until the beat kicks in on the second half. The vocals are used sparingly, but they still have a strong impact on the track.
The fourth song is the Beat Service remix of Sometimes I Wish, featuring the vocals of Bethany. Beat Service’s remix has a heaving driving section as well as a melodic middle section that showcases Bethany’s vocal work. The vocals are followed by a bright arpeggiated melody and an exciting buildup.
Maor Levi’s remix of Can’t Keep It In is the fifth track. This remake is a very creative take on the original, which was a huge hit for Tritonal. Maor’s version begins with Jeza’s voice over a powerful gritty bassline. The tune quickly turns into a gentle half time section featuring a guitar and some more Jeza. The remix suddenly picks up steam, turning into a fierce floor-destroying banger. The rising chromatic line in this section adds a lot of drive to the track. Maor Levi went all out on this remix, and I can definitely see this track being a big hit in the future.
Number 6 is a lovely remix of Shapes Revolve from Juventa. One of the most prominent features of this track is its dirty bassline which gives the song an electro house feel. The middle section is a bright buildup packed full of uplifting sounds in addition. The buildup leads to the climax of the track that sports a heavy bass and more bright synths. This is track is another quality remix from the young talent.
Murakami is the 7th track on the album. The Madison delivers a bright euphoric remix. Like many of the tunes on this album, this remix has a heavy driving bassline section, which is there to make everyone dance. The vocal stabs and effects add a lot of color to the track.
Number 8 has been a staple of Tritonal’s live summer sets. It is none other than the Rafael Frost remix of Something New. The talented Rafael Frost turns the already amazing original into an epic big room trance masterpiece. I’ve the effect this track has on crowds, and it always makes people go wild. Like the original, Rafael Frost gives this track a driving bassline. However, his version has a stronger minor quality than the original. The climax of the track is when the huge, stately synths come in. The rhythm of Jenry R’s vocals differs from the original, and I feel the effect is nice. This tune is the highlight of the album for me and it gives me goose bumps every time I hear it.
Track 9 is the Estiva remix of Ziziki. The driving bassline and creative synth lines make this tune very danceable. The pounding percussion adds a lot of character to the track. The middle section is an epic statement of the melody with a prominent snare breaks. The melody is similar to the original, maintaining its big room sound.
Track 10 is the Super8 & Tab remix of Piercing Quiet. Like the original tune, Cristina Soto’s vocals are the main focus of the track. Compared to the original, the Super8 & Tab remix is a busier, edgier tune. I thought the transitions in the track were well done. The song seamlessly floats from one mood to another. The major buildup before the climax has a playful quality to it. I’m sure this track will find its way into many DJ sets.
The following track is another vocal gem from Tritonal and Cristina. The song is Everafter, remixed by Craig Connelly. The gritty bass at the beginning is hard not to dance to. Cristina’s vocals sound excellent in this remix. This is another tune that Tritonal has rocked stages with. The beautiful middle section will transport you to another world. This is an all-around great remix from Craig.
Track twelve is the Dan Stone remix of the lovely I Can Breathe. Dan Stone breathes new life into the track with exciting percussion patterns and a lovely piano section. I love Cristina’s vocals in this one. The pumping bass gives the track a lot of direction.
Next up, is the Daniel Kandi remix of Broken Down. This one is pure up-tempo tech trance goodness. Daniel Kandi”s heavenly pads sound complement Cristina’s voice perfectly. The middle section is one of those special hands up moments where you lose yourself in the music.
Track fourteen takes us out of the trance realm and into the world up dubstep, courtesy of Seven Lions. This second remix of Still With Me is an incredibly trancey dubstep (Tritonalstep?) masterpiece. The uplifting character of the original is still there. However, the deadly dubstep drops are something new. I love the breathing quality of the track. It is rare for a dubstep track to appear on a trance album, but the Seven Lions remix is a welcomed addition to the album. Tritonal has been throwing this tune into their live sets, frequently closing with it. I, for one, think it’s a tasteful closing track as it gives me a warm feeling.
But wait, there’s more. This is a 2-Disc set! The first on the second disc of mixes is the Tritonal club mix of Piercing Quiet. This mix is a bubbly, pumping take on the track. Piercing Quiet is one of my favorite Tritonal tracks, and the Tritonal club mix is fire! There are plenty of vocal sections from Cristina, as well as a great rolling bassline.
This next one has become well known in the trance world already. It is none other than Can’t Keep It In, a track that has been destroying dance floors everywhere that Tritonal goes. The massive chords in the middle section are nothing less than splendid. The dirty bassline is nothing but fun to dance to.
Tritonal’s club mix of Ziziki is picks up where Can’t Keep It In left off. This mix is very different from the Estiva remix. The melody is played by different synths and the chord progression differs from the Estiva mix as well. The Tritonal flavor of the track is immediately recognizable. This is another big room banger from the duo. The quirky percussion and the sliding gritty bass line make this track stand out.
Ziziki turns into Lifted with Tritonal on remix duties again. This club mix goes well with the other tracks of the album, sporting a gritty bassline designed to get people moving on the dance floor. The middle section puts the spotlight on Soto, allowing her voice to shine. The club mix has a very different feel than the Mat Zo remix.
Up next is another Tritonal club mix, this time in the form of I Can Breathe. What I like about a lot of Tritonal’s tracks is their creative use of percussion. This is immediately apparent in the beginning of the track. However, what caught my attention the most was the snake-like melody that Tritonal threw in. This melody sets the remix apart from other versions of I Can Breathe. This version is slightly darker than the original.
The Tritonal club mix of Broken Down is a euphoric one. The chord progression and melody is similar to that of other versions of the tune, but I love the old school sounding synth that Tritonal uses in the middle section. One of the more laid back tunes on the album, the Tritonal club mix is certainly a great addition to “Piercing the Quiet Remixed.”
Immediately following “Broken Down” is the club mix of “Something New.” Already a well-known Tritonal track, “Something New’s” killer bassline always makes me smile. The peaceful middle section is a great listen, whether in a club, or sitting at home. “Something New” is pure bliss, Tritonal style.
The Tritonal and Ben Gold club dub of Slave has been one of my favorite tracks of 2012. The melody is stunning and the energy of the track is high the entire time. One must not forget about the immediately recognizable melodic bassline. Slave is a great demonstration of the power of Ben Gold and Tritonal.
Everafter returns as a Tritonal club mix. Cristina sounds superb on this track. Her voice meshes well with the other sounds in the tune. Her singing on this track seems to always stick in my head.
Suncatcher lays down a grade A tech trance rendition of Still With Me. Suncatcher turns this Tritonal tune into a fast paced uplifting wonder. The tune seems to constantly lift you higher and higher. The dreamlike spacey quality of the track is very much like the original, yet this version is more driving. I feel like I’m flying high above the clouds when I listen to this gem.
The Nitrous Oxide remix of I Can Breathe showcases Nitrous Oxide’s exceptional production skills. The dirty, hard-hitting bassline is one of my favorite aspects of this remix. I also love the euphoric pads Nitrous Oxide uses. Slow buildup to the climax has epic written all over it. Nitrous Oxide hits the nail on the head with this mix.
In case you haven’t had enough Ziziki, Steve Brian drops in for an inspired remix. The Steve Brian remix is overflowing with energy. I love the bright, relaxing sounds in the middle section as well as the groovy climax. His unique take on the tune is a fine addition to the other “Ziziki” remixes.
Mike Shiver delivers the final Everafter remix on the album, and it’s a strong one. The sharp synth stabs are fire! The mysterious atmosphere of the first section of the song quickly changes into a flashy big room sound. Mike Shiver gives us a very fun mix to listen to.
The final track on the album is Ziziki, in the Cramp remix. Cramp’s remix has a very progressive feel to it. I love the grooviness of the tune. It really gets you moving! The middle section contains some heavy synth hits that lead to an explosion of beauty. Cramp’s remix is a fitting end to an excellent remix album.
Packed full of quality tunes, “Piercing the Quiet Remixed” is not an album to be missed. It covers many different styles of trance, including progressive, tech, with even a bit of dubstep thrown in. The remixers are some of the best in the business, and they deliver cutting edge productions that deserve many listens. Tritonal steps in for several inspired club mixes, many of which are proven showstoppers. I give it two thumbs way up. If you haven’t bought this album yet, I suggest you do so right now!
Tracklist:
CD One – The Remixes
1 Lifted ft. Cristina Soto (Mat Zo Remix – Tritonal EDC Intro Edit)
2 Retake (Ost & Meyer Remix)
3 Still With Me ft. Cristina Soto (Stoneface & Terminal Remix)
4 Sometimes I Wish ft. Bethany (Beat Service Remix)
5 Can’t Keep It In ft. Jeza (Maor Levi’s Starlight Remix)
6 Shapes Revolve (Juventa Remix)
7 Murakami (The Madison Remix)
8 Something New ft. Jenry R (Rafael Frost Remix)
9 Ziziki (Estiva Remix)
10 Piercing Quiet ft. Cristina Soto (Super8 & Tab Remix)
11 Everafter ft. Cristina Soto (Craig Connelly Remix)
12 I Can Breathe ft. Jeza (Dan Stone Remix)
13 Broken Down ft. Meredith Call (Daniel Kandi Remix)
14 Still With Me ft. Cristina Soto (Seven Lions Remix)
CD Two – The Club Mixes
1 Piercing Quiet ft. Cristina Soto
2 Can’t Keep It In ft. Jeza
3 Ziziki
4 Lifted ft. Cristina Soto
5 I Can Breathe
6 Broken Down ft. Meredith Call
7 Something New ft. Jenry R
8 Slave with Ben Gold
9 Still With Me ft. Cristina Soto
10 Everafter ft. Cristina Soto
Luc Mosley – EDM TOR
