Artist: Torley Wong
Title: Xristophan
Label: Alternative Route
By: Jason Calvert | 8 October 2005
Tracklist:

• A1: Luke Fair & Desyn Masiello 'Jumbo Prawns' Mix
• B1: Everloved Mix
• B2: Original Mix

Torley Wong "Xristophan"

Torley Wong's story is one which is heart wrenching, and anyone listening to his music should be well aware of his background. For over twenty years, Torley had dreamed of being able to produce electronic music, and when this dream finally came true, a tragic incident left him impaired with hyperacusis, meaning his ears were permanently affected, taking away from him the one thing which truly made him happy: his music. Torley also suffers from a form of autism; however his outlook on the future always remains positive. He pours his thoughts into his online blog, and due to his autism his style of writing is highly unique, and the topics he touches on often hold deep meaning. It is often a truly inspirational experience to read, and I advise anyone with an interest in his work to take the time to get inside his head. Luke and Desyn contacted him regarding an interesting little number of his called "Xristophan", and now here we have it, signed and with two stellar mixes to boast!

Stripping back the Original Mix to its roots, Fair & Masiello take the main hook, slow it down, and throw it over a forward thinking bassline. With some new percussion introduced, this results in a truly genius interpretation of the Original. It gives it a new sense of direction and makes it much more DJ friendly. One can tell that a lot of work has been put into reworking the track, and it was well worth it!

The Everloved Mix recreates a portion of the melody using a string type synth, rich with emotion and driving forward with a smooth breakbeat. With electronic effects meeting more traditional piano riffs, the composition is certainly unique, and one could only wish that it lasted longer than just over three and a half minutes. However, everything it needs to do is done within the timeframe, and there are no complaints there!

The Original Mix is certainly a busy affair, with a lot going on, and at times I found it to be just a little too crazy for my liking. However the other two mixes provided really polish it up to give a clean sound, and the release is well worth picking up for those mixes alone. It is great to see Alternative Route recognizing an artist such as Torley, whose unique sound could never be pigeonholed. His eclectic personality can definitely be seen on the Original Mix, and for a better look into his life, have a read through the interesting posts on his blog.