Artist: Chakra
Title: I Am (Breaks Mixes)
Label: 3Beat Breaks
By: Simon Jones | 25 October 2003
Tracklist:

• A: Wrecked Angle Mix
• B: Kasey Taylor Oceanbreaks Mix

Chakra "I Am (Breaks Mixes)"

The duo of Ricky Simmonds and Stephen Jones have been responsible for some classic tracks in their time, be it their numerous hits as the Space Brothers, including 'Shine' and 'Legacy', 'Everytime' as Lustral, 'Someone' as Ascension. All were monster hits, but one has to take into consideration their Chakra project. Tracks such as 'Doors', 'Love Shines Through' and 'Home' were all released to variable reception, but none quite achieved the success and accolade that 'I Am' did. Originally released in 1996, the track received mixes from the progressive heavyweights of the time, such as Amethyst and Bedrock, with it's status further cemented with it's inclusion on John Digweed's 1997 mix for Jackpot, 'The Winning Ticket'. Fast forward to 2003 and the track returns, as the launch release of 3 Beat's new label 3BeatBreaks.

The first mix comes from fast rising progressive breaks fiends Steve Gerrard and Russell Pearce under their 'Wrecked Angle'. Kicking off with some lush sub bass beats and lush pads filtering in underneath, the vocal slowly starts to trickle in, with great use of the 'I Am' vocal loop complimenting the devastating bassline perfectly. Synths swirl underneath, slowly rising to the surface as the track drops into the main vocal section in dramatic, with the bass and beats still driving along underneath. Heading out of the first section, the beats go wild and the bass deeper, taking the mix to the next level, before the second vocal section drops the mood momentarily, setting the stage for a fierce peak time outro that will be sending people off the dancefloor in ambulances. Or to sum it up in a few words - this f*!king rocks.

Kasey Taylor's 'Oceanbreaks Mix' is almost a stark contrast, opting for a more early set vibe. Subtle ambience and a drifting melody line sit underneath some soft beats, whilst a big rolling bassline does all the work. Moving forward, the vocal enters, drifting in and out of the beats as they bob up and down, with the melody rising in and out between each chorus, setting a nice downbeat mood to the mix. Quick key changes add emotion to the mix. and the ambience re-emerges with more prominence, creating a blissful, dreamy outro in the process.

Wrecked Angle wreck havoc whilst Kasey Taylor soothes the mind and soul. The truth is that these updated mixes both respect the original whilst at the same time bringing a new and exciting twist to the track. Your destiny is to make sure you own a copy. If you love your progressive breaks this you will desire, and there's more to come so don't despair. A stunning debut for this new label.