Artist: Opencloud
Title: Life EP
Label: Proton Music
By: Jason Calvert | 6 September 2005
Tracklist:

• 1. Life (Original Mix)
• 2. Vous & Je (Original Mix)
• 3. Never (Original Mix)
• 4. Sculpting With Jackhammers (Original Mix)

Opencloud "Life EP"

Blake Potter and Corey Spengler's Opencloud outfit has been ripping up dancefloors across the globe lately, showcasing their strong production abilities and an impressive consistency which is slowly earning them a solid reputation in the scene. For the first time here, we are presented with four of their original works, each containing its own sense of charm and quality which is different from the other. An EP that is sure to impress many progressive fans out there.

First up we have the title track of the EP. Life sets up a laid back groove early on, with some swirling pads and tight effects. The melody subtly runs through the background, creating an atmosphere which at first is not instantly recognisable, but its presence is definitely there. The lush and easy going feel of the track makes it an excellent opener for the EP, and gears up the listener for what is to come.

Vous & Je takes a different route, pumping us with tight breakbeats and some simple melodies running through the mid ranges. These elements are complimented by a light vocal running through the background, and the deep bassline holds the track together. There is nothing too complex here, just a simple breakbeat number with effective results.

Never goes back to the 4/4 side of things, with throbbing percussion and some twisted effects ripping things up. The melody is very light, and makes a small appearance during the breakdown. However, after this we don't see much of it again, and the mood doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the tracks on the EP. It tends to lack the direction of the others, and could be seen as one of the weaker moments on the EP.

Sculpting With Jackhammers ensures that the EP ends with a bang, and this is definitely the heaviest track presented, providing a strong contrast to the opening tracks. A furious percussion ensemble is complimented by a ripping bassline, yet to prevent things from getting too dark, a beautiful melody line runs through the mid to high ranges in the background providing a magnificent contrast. Definitely one of the strongest tracks on the EP, and the way that it fuses lush melodies with insane beats is really quite amazing to say the least.

An interesting array of tracks are shown to us here, and without a doubt there will be at least one track on the EP which will grab your attention. Covering a range of moods, it holds quite a bit of versatility, whether you are looking for some warm up openers, or a banging peak time monster to drop late at night, you will likely find something here to suit. Opencloud are building up quite a solid name for themselves, and the future ahead can only look brighter.