Artist: Silencer
Title: Taking Hold
Label: Critical Mass Records
By: Nick Bower | 9 September 2003
Tracklist:

• A: Original Mix
• B: Circulation Mix

Silencer "Taking Hold"

Trying to consistently release quality tracks. It must be tough to keep up a level of standard with releases which never falters, especially trying to better a track that's received critical praise from both the key heads within the industry and fans from the scene. However, Dylan Rhymes & Force Mass Motion (AKA Silencer) seem to have managed it and are taking it all in their stride.

Initially teaming up back in 2002 as 'Force Mass Motion vs Dylan Rhymes', their partnership developed and strengthened from there to form the act 'Silencer'. Since teaming up under this guise they've dropped the devastating breaks payload of 'Rollin n Controllin', then follow-up 'Believing' on us. Now 'Taking Hold' picks up where 'Believing' left off and this time features the sweet vocal talents of Nikita.

A pacey snare opens up Silencer's 'Original Mix', which doesn't beat around the bush at all. In drops a heavyweight bass kick that'll certainly give many speakers a good work out, certain to sound earth-shattering through a club soundsystem. The track delivers that kind of tight, deep bass that shutters your teeth. Snippets of Nikita's vocal ooze around haunting synths which eventually drop to a pulsing bassline. In slams the drums again with Nikita's full vocal now coming to the fore...and boy what a vocal. A polished, sexy and well structured song, sung well, that would put many an expertly-penned, number one single to shame.

Silencer's now trademark chunky 'wah wah' bassline that featured on 'Rollin n Controllin' is dusted off and used once again in 'Taking Hold', with this kicking in mid-way through the track until all sounds drop back to leave a warm synth line running on its own, slowly creating atmosphere and building to a heavy break where both the 'wah wah' bassline and kick drum blast back in. With all the right elements, in exactly the right measures, of phat basslines, kick drums. sweet vocals and overall presence - the Original Mix is one hard act to beat.

This fact is reflected in the Circulation mix. Things kick things off with a fizzy snare sound and muted 4/4 beat, then having the bassline from the original track looped and dropped in over the top. This forms a quite a hypnotic bed for Nikita's vocals to lie upon. However as the track progresses there is little to differentiate the Circulation mix from the original, apart from the 4/4 beat which lies underneath.

Silencer have really delivered a gem here in the Original Mix, one that stands well on its own and as part of an album (as it is featured on their debut release). The addition of a cracking song, with the luscious female vocals provided by Nikita not only makes a change for a Silencer release, but it also sets it apart from the pack at the moment, many other breaks tracks opting for no vocals at all - or veering off to investigate different styles.

The only disappointment is the Circulation Mix - the track had the potential for being so much more developed, however, its the Original Mix which saves the day, this being - very much a worthy addition to the Critical Mass label and quite possibly giving the huge 'Rollin n Controllin' a very good run for its money.