OceanLab, shaken and stirred

If ever an album was ripe for cherry picking, it's a remix collection. And OceanLab's Sirens of the Sea - Remixed is the perfect example. The original, released last summer, was a chance find with some real gems that no one really mentioned until the year end's best albums lists. It was a trance album that had broken out of its genre, due in no small part to songs like Come Home, Lonely Girl, On a Good Day, Miracle and Ashes. And now OceanLab have employed their mates and peers to produce 25 mixes - yes! Count 'em! There's a few duffers, but throw this many at the wall and it's not bad to have at least 15 stick!

OceanLab is a project for trance producer trio Above & Beyond with singer Justine Suissa (who also featured on Chicane's classic debut album in 2000). They are legion because their fans are many. Check out the love worldwide on the A & B TV episodes here and here.

Fittingly, I stumbled across this new release just like the original. Two mixes stood out straight away. Michael Cassette's Come Home is a wonderful hybrid of menace and euphoria and Martin Roth's Miracle is techno claustrophobia, a kind of condensed trance. It's worth checking out other stuff from Above & Beyond's label Anjunbeats. For instance, Michael Cassette has a current track, Summer, available on iTunes which is perfect aural fodder for pool-lounging.

Come Home (Michael Cassette Remix) - OceanLab

Miracle (Martin Roth Vocal Mix) - OceanLab



Buy the album here and here.