Artist: Aidan Lavelle
Title: Fear 4
Label: Silver Planet Recordings
By: Simon Jones | 24 April 2006
Tracklist:
  1. Minilogue - Out Of The Curious
  2. Rhythm Unlimited - All I Wanna Do
  3. Ficta - Eli
  4. Vector 13 - Rise
  5. Luke Dzierzek - Echo
  6. Tony Senghore - Peace (Sebastian Ingrosso Mix)
  7. Luke Dzierzek - One Day
  8. Leama & Moor - Complex Synth Patterns
  9. Speedcats Feat Owen Jarvis - Speedcats (Roel H Mix)
  10. Vector 13 - Hear Us
  11. Vector 13 - God Has Lost Its Soul
  12. BCML - Mr Horowitz
  13. Aidan Lavelle - Ferara

Aidan Lavelle "Fear 4"Aidan Lavelle "Fear 4"

Out Now on Silver Planet Recordings

Silver Planet's 'Fear' series has been around for a few years now, with the inaugural edition from James Holden still revered as perhaps the best volume in the series. Since then, the Flash Brothers and most recently Chris Salt have stepped up to the plate to deliver volumes for the series, with Salt's double disc extravaganza a wide spanning showcase of some of the best classics and tracks of the time from the label, making it the standard by all which subsequent volumes would be measured. With Aidan Lavelle's 'Fear 4' now upon us, one is not quite sure what to make of it when looking back at the series overall.

The last year or so has seen the label shift it's focus towards a different sound that it had previously established, and in the process they've brought a mix of varied talent to the label that includes Luke Dzierzek, the excellent Nutrunner and many more of the current names making an impact in the UK and across Europe. Some of the label's most successful tracks of recent times are included here, with Dzierzek's 'Echo' and the Roel H interpretation of Speedcats self titled bassline monster of particular note.

So why does 'Fear 4' feel like it's lacking somewhat? The mixing cannot be disputed for Aidan Lavelle does an amiable job with the track selection here, but the album does suffer for its reliance on some of his own production work and the aforementioned Silver Planet successes. There is the odd exclusive (Lavelle's 'Ferara' and 'Hear Us' from his Vector 13 guise), but overall the album feels more like an artist showcase than a mix compilation. Granted than as the series progresses, the wealth of back catalogue tracks that are available to use diminishes, but following on from Salt's mammoth double cd, one expected so much more.

Sadly, this latest volume in the Fear series falls short of such expectation, and whilst indeed it does have it's moments, the overall track selection, and its reliance on current tracks and the discography of Aidan Lavelle just ends up leaving a feeling of emptiness, and the album itself for me, feels very uninspired.

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