Duca - After Dark

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Duca

Title: After Dark

Label: Tribal Vision

Date: September, 2008

 

 

1. Snowman

2. Canadian Visa

3. Astronaut

4. After Dark

5. Ducaralho

6. 120

7. Diploma

8. United Nations

9. Zakon

10. Hit the Target

11. Last One

 

 

Czech label Tribal Vision is another monster on the progressive trance scene. Artists like Tegma, Fitalic, and Vibrasphere helped to put them on the map. Duca is Dusan Sekic and he ahs appeared on almost 1 million compilations so he is no rookie. I haven't heard any of his music prior to this review so I am curious to see where his version of progressive begins. The cover is...well, I don't know what that is. It looks like a light shining on...something against a black field. Anyone know what that is?

 

The first thing I noticed is the length of his tracks. Not a one over 8 minutes and most around the 6 and a half minute mark. This usually means one of two two things: Either he doesn't need more time to tell his tales or this is a rampaging mess of 11 tracks. Well I am here to tell you it is the former. What you get are big fat house-like grooves. Kicks that are so thick it sounds like you're slamming a pillow with a sledgehammer. This is what progressive trance would sound like if it were in a car crash with house music minus the annoying vocals. There isn't a lot of evolution as this album seems to be devoted to the groove. That's not to say there isn't any melody, there is; it's just not as complex. But lest you think this is a bad thing, the strength of this disc lies elsewhere. For example, when that bass groove first appears on "Canadian Visa" it is absolutely guaranteed to set the mind wobbling.

 

So is it good? I thought so, but not for melodic, storytelling track evolution reasons. It's not that type of trance. This is get your ass up and shake it music. If you're looking for the deep and layer rich progressive of Flegma & Nerso, keep looking. This ain't that type of party. That is why the tracks don't need to be 8 or 9 minutes long. Any longer would be overkill for what this music wants to accomplish. The main gripe I find with this, is in it's simplicity, all the tracks can sound the same. Add house beat, mix in funky bass, and then agitate. But what it does, it does pretty well. This guy can twist a bass groove and make you want to dance, but I want my music to do that as well as tell a rich layered tale. So for home listening, this is good up to a point, but then can become tedious. However if you are on the dance floor, this would do.

 

Psyshop

 

Mdk