Aria

Track Listing: Willow Un Bel Di Secret Tear Dido Pace Pace Pamina Blue Habanera Home Willow - DJ Tiesto's Magikal Remake Dido - Armin van Buuren's Universal Religion Mix

Released 4/00 on Black Hole Recordings. Conceived, created and performed by Paul Schwartz and Mario Grigorov. This is a beautiful concept album, featuring many well known classical and operatic pieces that have been reworked into fantastic ambient soundscapes. And to top it all the recent trance remixes of Willow and Dido have been added to the end of the album.

Track Listing: Willow - DJ Tiesto's Magikal Remake Dido - Armin van Buuren's Universal Religion Mix

Released 4/00 on Black Hole Recordings. Conceived, created and perfomed by Paul Schwartz and Mario Grigorov. The DJ Tiesto Magikal Remake of Willow, derived from Otello, is the best of the two tracks on this 12". This is driving uplifting trance, with a spine tingling melody and an operatic breakdown mixed with a glorious piano melody and a Vangelis style, powerful synth line. Magikal is the correct title for this. Over on the flip Armin van Buuren's Universal Religion mix of Dido (derived from Dido and Aeneas) opens with a long, melancholic, Banco-de-Gaia style introduction (i.e., lots of samples of astronauts), into which drives the trancey beats with operatic vocals. This is an excellent concept, which you'll either love or hate.

Track Listing: Ombra Mai Fu Furioso Sogno Metamorphosis 2: Danae Ballo Orchestre Engloutie Amami Lascia Farewell Metamorphosis 3:Cyane Ascension Metamorphosis 1: Arachne Furioso - Instrumental Mix Ombra - Chilled Mix

Released 9/04 on Koch Records. Conceived, created and performed by Paul Schwartz. Vocals by Rebecca Luker. Since their initial release, 'Aria' (1997) and 'Aria 2 - New Horizon' (1999) have sold over 150,000 units worldwide. Now Koch Records are re-issuing these earlier titles, along with this third instalment in Paul Schwartz's Aria series, 'Aria 3 - Metamorphosis'.

As with the previous two chapters, 'Metamorphosis' combines the powerful soprano vocals of Rebecca Luker with Paul Schwartz's mix of contemporary ambient-dance and opera, transporting the listener into a world of deep, sensual and emotional moods. Breath-taking and heart rendering, beautiful and melancholic; such is this roller coaster ride through Paul Schwartz's classical world of Aria.

Many thanks to Two Sheps That Pass... for the promotional copy of this album.

Other Info:

For further information on Aria and Paul Schwartz see their official web site.