Artist: Pryda
Title: Remember / Frankfurt
Label: Pryda Recordings
By: Antonella Sirec | 12 December 2006
Tracklist:

• A: Remember
• B: Frankfurt

Pryda "Remember / Frankfurt"

One of the standout producers of 2006 is undoubtedly Eric Prydz. Whether creating his own music or remixing the work of others, he has left many a DJ and dance music fan quite literally panting for his work. With his various aliases he has created such tracks as last year's 'Aftermath' under the guise of Pryda and with his Cirez D alias, such gems as 'Knockout' and 'Punchdrunk'. Under the Pryda name, he returns yet again in spectacular form with the release of 'Remember / Frankfurt'.

'Remember' begins on a crisp beat while a muffled vocal is floats in from the background until it becomes a prominent feature. The sounds of a snare is shortly introduced as the beats take on a more padded sound. Varying synths and chords are gradually layered with the main melody coming into play. Nearing the three-minute mark, the track really swings into full strength when the electro-tinged bass takes centre stage. From here a slight break down is heard before the bass really kicks in. All the while the looped vocal can be heard throughout and is used more as a sound then an actual vocal treatment. This grows and lessens in volume as it intertwines effortlessly with the melody. Through another breakdown the bass once again kicks in with force and as the tune nears the end, the looping of the melody and vocal slowly close the track out.

Over the last few months, 'Remember' has made appearances in live sets ranging from the likes of Sasha and Anthony Pappa to those DJs that are barely known. While this track is clearly a winner with both DJs and their audiences, for me, it has become somewhat annoying after multiple listens. Musically, this is one of Pryda's best compositions and from my perspective the way in which he has treated the bass can blow a person's clothes off if coming through the right speakers. Unfortunately, I just found the constant repetition of the vocal to be irritating and somewhat unimaginative. As such, 'Remember' could have been well served as a purely musical number without any vocal. Nonetheless, I can live with that as this is a supremely dance floor friendly track that just smacks of a fun time.

On the flipside of this release is 'Frankfurt' which I consider a little slice of musical heaven. Opening on a single demure beat, the track soon begins to draw in a simple melody that grows in volume as a drum pattern is quite literally stuttered into the composition along with melodic synths. This naturally builds the tension of the track before easing off slightly to add a touch of the dramatics. It's at this point that another melody is introduced and then 'Frankfurt' really comes into its own. With layers of synths and riffs, the tune continues to build at a gradual rate before once again easing off into a subtle break down. This effectively allows the bass to be drawn in and allows the tune to take on a subtle change in ambience. While maintaining that feel for a minute or so, I found myself carried away by those varying melodies. A slight key change indicates that the track is nearing the end and as it does, the melody that was slowly drawn in at the beginning is now drawn out to close things off gradually to the sound of a stuttered beat.

'Frankfurt' is by far the star on this release. Beautifully structured, the success of this tune lies in those varying melodies, which grab you immediately and keep you wanting more. This is the type of tune that just gets better and better with each listen and never sounds or feels stale in anyway. Without a doubt in my mind, this is one of the best tunes I've heard in 2006 and one that I will favour for many years to come.

Overall, this is yet another fantastic release from the talent pool that is Eric Prydz. Of the two tracks on this release, I gravitated towards 'Frankfurt' immediately because of those welcoming melodies that continue to envelope you even after its finished playing. While I found the vocal aspects of 'Remember' to be irritating after consecutive listens, there's no doubt that musically, it's one hell of a track. I'm constantly amazed at how this producer treats his basslines and these two tracks are yet another example of this. For me, it is and always will be all about the bass.