Artist: Various Artists
Title: Secret Planet 003
Label: Secret Planet
By: Chloe Harris | 9 September 2004
Tracklist:

• X: Chris Salt - Undertow
• Y: O.M.B. - Code 5

"Secret Planet 003"

The third and final sampler from the Secret Planet compilation comes from the UK’s Chris Salt and Japan’s O.M.B. They step up to the series with their own takes on techno influenced beats and melodic atmospheres. 'Undertow' lays low but gallops along with Chris's natural ability for watery electro grooves, while O.M.B. goes back to the old school techno trance sound with rolling arps and longing effects.

The talented Chris Salt creates a soothing melodic tune with an electro feel. 'Undertow' opens up with a trancy bottom end that gallops through chords. Hypnotizing effects engulf sparkling melodies twisting and twirling them together, while riding along sweet percussion built on claps, drops and fills. Gliding for a while, the song opens up into a new melody and the whole thing shifts gears. The warmer atmosphere drops off and we go deep under. New piano accents float into the darker tones and the song looms along again traveling through chord changes and sparkling melodies till the end.

Japanese artist, O.M.B. creates a mild techno trance tune 'Code 5' on the flip. A rolling arpeggiation sets into the bottom giving it a trance bassline and feel, while a looping wafting sound creates a longing feel. Airy sounds wash up and down over the song until everything floats into a break allowing a sassy bouncy chord to move with the beats, but overall it just lacks that certain something that would have rounded it off properly.

'Undertow' is a superb track, and one of the best off the Secret Planet album, but I feel 'Code 5' could have had more punch and creativity, and as such this final sampler is probably the least impressive of the three, saved only by another great track from Chris Salt.