Artist: Akodama
Title: Slightly Forward
Label: SAW Recordings
By: Chad Harnish | 29 May 2002
Tracklist:

• A: Akodama Interior Remix
• B; Trendroid Remix

Akodama "Slightly Forward"

Most of you have heard of Madoka by now and have fallen in love with his warm melodies and unique, moody style. Madoka takes a different angle on production under the alias Akodama. Under this guise, he delivers a fresh sound and is “highly focused on materializing his perception of dance music's future”. You can hear this focus materialize in ‘Slightly Forward’.

‘Slightly Forward’ (Akodama Interior Remix) is one of those tracks that should gain your attention immediately as it manages to sound unique in today’s world of deep and dark monotony. The fierce bass line has potential to flatten walls when played on proper systems and the groove is absolutely sinful. The track sounds as if it is under the attack of spacey effects and a sprinkling of vocal distortions. About half way through the track, Akodama’s alter ego Madoka peaks his head through and gives us a bit of melodic bliss with a short breakdown. The vocal briefly breaks out of it’s electronic synthesis and the true female sampling says “Leaning slightly forward” layered over the bass line. Quickly returning to the groove, the track picks up as if it has never left us to begin with.

The next mix comes to us from the very promising artist known as Trendroid. Pankaj and Matt Edwards throw down their “sound of the UK with the attitude of New York” sound onto Akodama’s piece resulting in a, dare I say, darker, deeper version. A Bedrock meets Twilo sound if you will. They have done a great job with the percussion and have dropped out the Akodama’s enormous bassline in favor of a spacey grumbler. The groove that they create will make for a sexy dance floor.

This track is being charted all over the place from top jocks such as Satoshi Tomiie, been supported on Sasha & Digweed's Delta Heavy tour and has been enjoying longevity on Balance Promote Group's weekly chart return.

Mark Venneri has been busy with Madoka productions, Akodama, and even his own record label Private Reality Records which has just been picked up to become part of the 3 Beat Label Management roster. Watch out for Mark’s forthcoming releases and remixes on SAW, Plastic Fantastic, Deep, and Extrema.