New York, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Armada Records) -
Max Graham makes a welcome and long-overdue return to the mix album arena with 'Cycles', his first double-disc album for over 6 years. Since his break-out smash 'Airtight' back in 2001 Max has steadily been building a reputation as an exceptional DJ and producer. As always with Max at the helm, the journey across the two discs is as diverse as it is energetic... From moments of house and techno brilliance right through to the melodic numbers Max is famed for. The mix twists and turns in a way that propels you to listen throughout, keeping you in suspense.
Max's own 'Intro' sets the wheels in motion on CD1 with it beat-less atmospheric textures that sounds reminiscent of classic mix albums of days gone by. Analog People in a Digital World follow with 'The Envelope of Life' which pierces through the pads of the intro and sets the tone of the disc with its driving bass and fleeting sparkles of melody. By the time track 3, Oliver Moldam & Patric La Funk's 'Good Fellas' swerves into the picture, you can sense that Max is already delivering a no-nonsense mix simply by eschewing the meandering tendencies warm-up sets usually descend into. The track is stuffed with weighty Detroit chords, giving a house vibe to an already varied sound palette.
The first of Max's own productions arrives in the form of 'Frozen', a track that typifies the sound of the disc with its tightly wound, highly compressed grooves and momentary flashes of melodic brilliance. Never one to travel directly in a straight musical line, Max later steers the mix back into housier territory with Patch Park's 'Got That Mi' which precedes David Tort, DJ Ruff & DJ Disciple's 'Destination', another of the Chicago-influenced tracks on the disc. As Lemon 8's 'New York, New York' seamlessly slides into the frame Max moves through the gears, pushing things towards the more melody rich end of the house spectrum. His own mix Of Roland Klinkenburg's 'Dusty Horizons' further emphasises the rising peak time energy that has formed, before the disc is rounded off perfectly by Analog People in a Digital World's 'Violet Trip', a track that does exactly as it suggests with it's trippy, other-worldly synths and luscious melodies.
Disc 2 begins in a similar manner to the first with Max's 'Intro' although second time around the swirling pads are punctuated by more defined and immediately peak-time sounds through Tim Le & Wollion's 'Bodymovin'. The Kos track 'Zero to Hero' follows and again the intensity levels are taken up a notch with its broad soundscape and driving progressive beats. Max's remix of Marcus Schossow's 'Sweedish Beatballs' enters the fray around the halfway point, throwing huge portions of melodic goodness over the now fully-charged beats.
Again showing-off his diversity in selection, Max slides in Mat Zo 'Fumar' that brings a wonderfully Baleric vibe to the disc with its massive Spanish guitar-infused breakdown. As the mix reaches its summit Max offers a welcome vocal passage through Whelan & Discala's remix of his own track 'I Know You're Gone' which poises the mix delicately for the final straight. Mitiska & Medina's massive 'After Hours Ensemble' rounds off the journey in fine euphoric style.
As Max explains, "I love music and so many different styles turn me on, it's been written that you can leave the room for 20 minutes when I'm DJ'ing and come back to a completely different sound".
For a taste of the many shades of house, techno and beyond, this two disc collection is a perfect illustration of where Max Graham is at right now.
A&R Manager of Armada Records, Sander Bouma says "It's a big honour and pleasure to have Max on board of the Armada and with this compilation he once again shows us his exceptional musical taste. The CD's have both been on repeat in the Armada office since we got the masters in!"
Max Graham presens Cycles is out now on Armada Records.
'CYCLES' TRACKLISTING:
CD1
1. Max Graham - Intro
2. Analog People In A Digital World - The Envelope Of Life
3. Oliver Moldan & Patric La Funk - Good Fellas (Patch Park Remix
4. Max Graham - Frozen
5. David Tort & DJ Ruff Meets DJ Disciple - Destination (La Sexy Mix)
6. Patch Park - Got That Mi
7. Dubfunk - Mandala (Patch Park Mix)
8. Lemon 8 - New York New York (Patch Park Mix)
9. Simon Shaker vs. Groove Garcia - Soultechi (Simon & Shaker Remix)
10. Roland Klinkenburg - Dusty Horizons (Max Graham Mix)
11. Mango - Handelskai
12. Analog People In A Digital World - The Violet Trip
CD2
1. Max Graham - Intro
2. Tim Le El & Woolion - Bodymovin' (Inpetto Remix)
3. Kos - Zero To Hero
4. EDX - Premiumline
5. Max Graham - Turkish Delight
6. Marcus Schossow - Sweedish Beatballs (Max Graham Mix)
7. Soliquid - Music Is For Rich People (Mat Zo Remix)
8. David West & Orkidea - God's Garden
9. Mat Zo - Fumar
10. Cressida - 6AM (Kyau & Albert Remix
11. Max Graham Feat Jessica Jacobs - I Know You're Gone
12. Ketho Fet Michael Calderone - Silent Room
13. Mitiska & Medina - After Hours Ensemble (David West Remix
MAX GRAHAM TOUR DATES:
July 31 - K'os Panama City Panama
August 1 - Nocturnal Miami FL USA
August 08, 2008 - Rich's Houston TX USA
August 14, 2008 - The Church, Denver CO USA
August 15, 2008 - Celebrities Vancouver BC Canada
August 27 - Body English Las Vegas NV USA
August 29, 2008 - Heaven Seattle WA USA
August 30, 2008 - Ruby Skye San Francisco CA USA
August 31, 2008 - The Whiskey Calgary AB Canada
September 5 - Crobar Buenos Aires Argentina
September 6 - Cha Cha Club Bogota Colombia
September 13 - Gryphon Ft Lauderdale FL USA
October 4 - Rumrunners London, ON Canada
