Artist: Ashtrax Feat Ben Woods
Title: Digital Reason
Label: Deviant Records
By: Simon Jones | 4 November 2002
Tracklist:

• A: Original Mix
• B: Ogenki Clinic Remix

Ashtrax Feat Ben Woods "Digital Reason"

Ashtrax are DJ Ashley Casselle along with studio whizz and producer James Christopher. Over the past few years they have enjoyed success with tracks such as 'Helsinki' and 'Kafka'. 'Digital Reason' was another one of those tracks that gained accolades, even though it was only included on one of the early Y3K albums in it's instrumental form. Now it's been updated and reworked as single in it's own right, featuring vocals from Hooj mobster Ben Woods, so let's see what what they have cooked up for us..

The 'Original Mix' retains the hypnotic pulsating breakbeat groove that made the instrumental version so good, some deep sub bass effects sliding amongst the layered beats as synth effects flicker dimly undeneath the sounds that are being crafted. Things come to a standstill briefly before the tempo gauge is rotated and things get a little more down and dirty as the vocal growls from within the break patterns, fighting it's way through as the track twists and turns its way forward to a stunning grand finale

The remix comes from James Holden and Gwill Morris under their Ogenki Clinic guise. In comparison to the original this takes us on a darker, more withdrawn journey, it's industrial sounding synths vibrating over a trippy percussive groove, slowly winding it's way forward like a machine systematically changing gears, the rolling sub bassline that is Ogenki Clinic's trademark adding to the eerieness of the track, quirky effects looping around the atmospheric harmony that lurks within, before travelling deeper into the dark murky depths as high pitched loops and synths rattle around in the cavernous void created by the bassline. Sinister, moody and a very unique interpretation of the track

It's been long awaited, but it's finally here, sounding fresher than a lot of the product on the market at the moment, make sure you snap up this 12" and keep an eye out for the remix disc as well, which will feature remixes from Ashtrax and the Filterheadz.