Artist: Guy Gerber & Shlomi Aber
Title: Sea Of Sand / After Love
Label: Cocoon Recordings
By: Antonella Sirec | 17 November 2006
Tracklist:

• A: Sea Of Sand
• B: After Love

Guy Gerber & Shlomi Aber "Sea Of Sand / After Love"

An aspect of dance music that I always find enjoyable is when a composition turns my way of listening to it completely around and with every listen sounds thoroughly different. While I don’t believe any type of music should be an intellectual challenge, it should however stimulate my mind and compel me to revisit my way of experiencing the music at hand. Released through Cocoon Recordings, Guy Gerber and Shlomi Aber's collaboration in the guise of 'Sea of Sand' and 'After Love' is one such release that easily forced my hand and made me experience the music that was playing through my headphones in a different manner.

First up on this release is 'Sea of Sand' which begins with a nicely rolling beat and various sound effects dispersed throughout. Before long a warm melody is slowly brought into the tune as swirling synths are heard in the background. The tune never strays from its initial tempo but escalates in tension with more use of varying melodies and effects. This is what I consider a very gradual tune, as while the underlying beat remains constant, it’s the layered sounds that grow slowly in tension and volume. I must admit that it took me a good couple of listens before I really began to appreciate all the subtle nuances found here. The more dominant melody, while initially sounding quite warm and inviting, after awhile turned into very melancholic sound that's emphasised by the clicky effects that can be heard. As such, 'Sea of Sand' ended up a surprisingly enjoyable tune when initially I had found it to be quite bland. This is one tune that will benefit from multiple listens and all its interesting elements will only then be truly appreciated.

The second offering is found in 'After Love' and is the complete opposite to that of its predecessor. While 'Sea of Sand' took a couple of listens to recognize the value of its poignant melody, 'After Love' is an instant burst of joy. Opening with a subtle beat and catchy synths, a restrained electro influenced bass is soon heard, as are the dominant melodies and chords that quickly remind me of a delicate buzzing sound. This all combines successfully to create a track that makes for a very uplifting number. 'After Love' grabbed me instantly with its infectious hooks and cheeky riffs. From an arrangement perspective, this too never wavers too much from its original tempo but unlike 'Sea of Sand', it keeps on a continually spirited tip that only gets better with each subsequent listen. This is definitely a track that will find favour in many a DJ box and bring a sense of euphoria to those that hear it.

I always find releases such as this much more interesting as they often force me to really sit down and concentrate on what I'm listening to. My initial assumption of 'Sea of Sand' was that it was pleasant but bland while 'After Love' was instantly gratifying in terms of its style. With multiple listens and a different sense of understanding, these tracks have grown in my estimation as quality compositions. Both fall nicely into a house sound but don't waver too much on the progressive side even though there is a certain nod towards that sound. As such, Guy Gerber and Shlomi Aber should feel proud as they've created two tracks that will transcend specific genres and simply be a pleasure to experience both aurally and physically. Both 'Sea of Sand' and 'After Love' are beautifully crafted tunes that will be enjoyed by many fans and in many different ways.