Artist: Blue Haze
Title: Spacious
Label: Aurium Recordings
By: Chloe Harris | 16 August 2004
Tracklist:

• A: Original Mix
• B: Benz & MD Mix

Blue Haze "Spacious"

After two outstanding releases by Benz & MD on Aurium, Blue Haze is up for the third release with his grooving emotional house music. His discography has grown rather large as of late with productions coming out on many different labels. His sound ranges from groovy to hypnotic house, but always has a bright sound and a lot of focus on the bass and groove. 'Spacious' is a prime example of what Mick Burns does so well. Swirling synths, orchestral sounds, and clicky beats make for an uplifting progressive tune, while Benz & MD add a darker edge with creepy voices and echoed sounds.

A sliding airy synth starts in with the drums and it all drops into a stabbing bassline that has an electro feel to it. Shakers and claps bring in more percussion while a wiggly sound moves underneath creating a shuffle. Sweeping synths start to grow with the tune bringing in the melodies and changes, and floating out to a break introducing jazzy twinkles. Another swinging synth melody kicks in moving side to side between the speakers and falls into a smooth orchestral break. Drops of piano fall into the dramatic and full layers of sound, which pops back into the sliding airy synth we started with and back into the drums, bassline and wiggly sounds.

'Benz & MD' turn the tune into a dirtier version with echoed parts and creepy voices placed perfectly in the mix. The drums are more tribally with nice claps heavy sounds, which make a meaty core of filth. The melody has been changed into a rolling bouncy synth that moves along with swirling background synths and wiggly bottom end. Dropping off into a lengthy break, a spacey ambient part makes way for more rolling synths. Echoes and delays bring the beats back in, while a sassy groove works in behind the synths and follows the tune till the end.

This is an outstanding release for Aurium. The talents of Blue Haze and Benz & MD are phenomenal on their own, but together on 'Spacious' there is something special that happens with the music.