Artist: Trey Smith
Title: Collection
Label: Gravitation Records
By: Michael Schreiber | 24 October 2002
Tracklist:

• A: Original Mix
• B: Outlanders Remix

Trey Smith "Collection"

“Collection” marks the return of Trey Smith on the Source of Gravity label, following up to “Subhuman” from April 2002. Both of these tracks were conceptual demos he had been working on, until the Source of Gravity crew were given them while on a trip to North Carolina in September 2001. Although not fully completed at that time, interest was sparked from Chris Fortier who then tracked down Trey and signed them to the label.

The Original Mix takes the listener on a deep dark surreal trance journey. The track is more like a collection of surround sound-like effects combined to give the listener the perception that they are circulating around them. It might work well mixed together before or after some of James Holden’s recent productions which somewhat have the same feel to them. It starts off with an electric buzz-like sound with harmonica and whistle sounds echoed in the distance. Then a sweeping wind-like sound swirls through as it comes in and out of the track. The beat to this mix is composed of a few layers – a one-beat drum progression follows along with the electric buzz sample as the track progresses, with more drumming elements added in, including a hollow-tapping sound and a vibration that’s echoed, climbing up in octave and then downward. Muffled child-like female vocal snippets, seeming to pronounce the word “karma” are also worth mentioning as making up the dark twisted vibe. They are still pretty much undistinguishable as to what they are saying though since they as well are echoed inward and then fade out. A haunting heavy breathing sounding as if it’s being done underwater concludes the mix.

The Outlanders mix begins with a standard 4/4 beat, high-hat snare along with the female vocal snippet and whirling wind-like sound found in the original. A five beat bongo-drumming comes in as the next introduced element, but then completes at the 2-minute mark when two sub-bass samples wash over everything else and really become the sounds at the forefront with everything else layered beneath them. Just about 10 seconds before the 4-minute mark, monstrous twisted strings swim over each other establishing the breakdown. Then as they dissipate we are back to the pattern of the first segment with the 4/4 beat, snare, bongo-drumming, female sample and sub-bass sound, until the strings return back at the 6-minute mark. The track concludes with the whirling hollow tapping sample switching back and forth between the speakers accompanying the drumbeat, bongo drumming and vocal.

If you like your trance/tech tracks deep, dark, eerie and that stray from the usual formulas, then these two mixes are worth checking out. You’ll definitely hear how his favorite artists, who include The Orb, Future Sound of London and Aphex Twin, have influenced his work. You might think you hear traces of Plastikman, John Creamer & Stephane K and Blackwatch in there too.