Artist: Reza
Title: Solitude
Label: Looq Records
By: Chad Harnish  | 23 May 2002
Tracklist:

• A: Original Mix
• B: Jondi & Spesh Remix

Reza "Solitude"

Based out of San Francisco Reza has just become (Jondi & Spesh's) Looq Records latest signing. Reza, Born in Iran, moved to the States in 1985. He has been tweaking knobs since the age of 19. In 1996 Reza moved to San Francisco and started DirtyHertz Productions, a music and sound design facility. In addition to recording productions under Reza, he has composed music and designed sounds for companies such as Apple computer, Big Fish Audio, E-Mu Systems, and MTV.

Original Mix

The Original Mix of ‘Solitude’ sports a vocal that will pour emotion over any audience. It's strikingly blissful. The track quickly builds to an emotional late night anthem using an electronic sounding synth often heard in the form of trance that is big with the likes of Ferry Corsten. However, it's not what you use; it's how you use it. Reza twists it through the track in a way that rips in and out of the vocal so it comes off less anthematic, but with a more sincere emotional feel. The synth builds and builds to a climax only to drop out, being replaced with a beautifully melodic synth line going solo with the choppy vocal. Amazing. The track builds in a way that will grip your chest and has lasting effects.

Jondi & Spesh Remix

Layered within the chugging beat and the bouncy bass line, this cut will keep you legs rocking and your consciousness floating. Jondi & Spesh introduce the vocal early on so the emotional level you are going to experience is realized immediately. I could listen to this vocal line throughout the entire mix however Jondi & Spesh really know how to tease you with it. Towards the middle, when the beat drops out and the buzzy synth kicks in, and it gets very quiet, you don’t know what to expect. So when J&S kick it back in...and the vocal re-emerges, it is purely magical. Audiences will flock to the booth to see what this track is if they can pull themselves off the floor. This is my mix of choice.

Looq records is a globally focused progressive label founded by Jondi & Spesh. They release the music of Jondi & Spesh, Lasse Looq, and Jerry Bonham to name a few artists. They are gaining much momentum this year with releases such as this one. Keep an eye out for them.