Artist: Sebastian Schmidt
Title: The New Direction / Lounge Trip
Label: Silver Planet Recordings
By: Simon Jones | 4 July 2003
Tracklist:

• A: The New Direction
• B: Lounge Trip

Sebastian Schmidt "The New Direction / Lounge Trip"

Sebastian Schmidt has been producing for almost eight years now, slowly finding his own sound before finally getting to release some material on Lightning Records and it's offshoot labels as we entered the 21st century, and now he is the latest addition to Silver Planet's roster, as the label returns after a slight absence. He delivers the first of two singles he has in the pipeline, with this one featuring 'The New Direction' and 'Lounge Trip'.

'The New Direction' is indeed just that. Shifting away from the normal fare associated with Silver Planet, this techo edged cut kicks forward with a large bouncing bassline in unrelenting fashion, as laser synth stabs edge into the track on occasion, leading up to an ambient solo. It's here the melody is introduced, big riffs rising over the pounding bass, through a series of drops and headlong into the final stretch. Not quite a new direction, but something that works quite adequately.

Flip over to the b-side for 'Lounge Trip' which is based around a percussive loop that forms the main groove of the track. Warm chords filter through at the end of each sequence, leading up to the main hook, in this case a big electronic synth riff which cuts through the sounds as tough drum patterns shake underneath to finish it off.

Not exactly the best return Silver Planet could have hoped for, and it will be interesting to see how further releases will compare to the output of the last few years. With the label's 50th release on the horizon time will only tell if the label survives to see another milestone.