Artist: Joel Armstrong
Title: Park Street
Label: Babylon Records
By: Jason Calvert | 2 January 2006
Tracklist:

• A: Damien Heck 'Clubaholic Satisfaction' Mix
• B: Original Mix

Joel Armstrong "Park Street"

Joel Armstrong hit the scene with quite some force, and since winning Proton Music's remix contest for 'Lost In The Moment' along with Peter McCowan, he has been unstoppable. His last release on Proton Music titled "Serenity" was a brilliant track in almost every aspect, and 'Park Street' is right on par with what we've all come to expect from the talented producer.

The Original Mix is a solid breakbeat affair. Armstrong takes the time to set up some solid texture in all ranges of the track, and this lays down the foundation for a great track. The haunting melodies have a very European feel to them, and as the track progresses, it becomes quite an emotional outing. The melody has a very unique feel to it which sets it out from a lot of other progressive breaks tracks floating around at the moment.

Damien Heck is well known for his solid productions and his dedication to his work. However I felt his remix provided here didn't quite stand up to the Original Mix. A more up-tempo 4/4 direction is sought, and some extra melody lines are added in the higher ranges. This gives the production as a whole a more airy feel, but in doing this I felt the deep emotion of the Original Mix was lost. However, one thing I truly did love about this mix was the dirty guitar riffs that make their presence known at various points in the track. Perhaps a larger focus on this element would have created a more interesting remix. As a whole though, the remix has been well put together, and does not detract a lot from the release as a whole. It just didn't do anything for me personally.

If 'Serenity' did it for you, which I'm sure it did, then you really can't go wrong on this release. Armstrong is gaining a positive and well deserved reputation in the scene, and his ability to take his tracks to a deeper level is showcased here. Damien Heck's remix may work for you, so I wouldn't advise you to pass it up by any means. Next month Babylon are set to give us a hot little release from Rowan Blades & Chris Lake, so stay tuned for more info on that soon!