Platipus Records: Volume 1
[PLAT10]
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| Track Listing:
- Union Jack : Two Full Moons and a Trout - 14" Mix (7.45)
- Art of Trance : Cambodia - Clanger Remix (6.59)
- Clanger : Seadog - Fog Mix (6.20)
- Poltergeist : Vicious Circles - Spirit Level Mix (6.01)
- Art of Trance : The Colours - Indigo Mix (7.00)
- Technossomy : Electron Bender - Willi Mix (6.00)
- Art of Trance : Gloria - Transparent Mix (7.45)
- Nicely : Away the Throttle Pedal Stop - Union Jack Remix (6.09)
- Art of Trance : Deeper then Deep - Poltergeist Remix (7.11)
- Union Jack : Lollipop Man (7.17)
- Art of Trance : Sea of Tranquility (6.53)
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Probably the weaker of the three compilations, but its still good. Kicking off on a strong foot with Union Jacks anthemic Two Full Moons and a Trout and The Art of Trance's classic Cambodia sets the pace for this compilation, which unsurprisingly it cannot keep up. Hence some of the tracks become more or less space fillers, but before you put it back on the shelf, let me say that the majority of this compilation is cracking stuff and is an opportunity to get some rare trance classics on CD.
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Platipus Records : Volume 2
[PLAT20]
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A cracking compilation featuring some of Platipus's finest
material. From the recent chart hit Children to Union Jack's two classic tranceathon's Red Herring and Cactus. Not a dud track in sight and a must for any trance lover. Most of the above are only available on 12", and so bringing all these gems together on one CD makes a truly corking compilation.
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Platipus Records : Volume 3
[PLAT35]
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A superb compilation of the recent cd/12" singles featuring on the Platipus record label. All the above are reviewed on other pages and can be found by following the links to the respective artist (apart from Universal State of Mind). For the record, All Because of You by Universal State of Mind is along the same lines of trance as Terra Ferma, although some may find the vocals a tad on cheesy side. When this was first released in '96 I didn't really like it, but I guess I've become more accustomed to cheesy vocals since I've been playing this track a lot recently. On the other hand, I'm not sure why Way Out West chose to dig up Clangers's Seadog, which was originally written in '94 and features on Platipus - Volume 1, but they did and proceeded to give it a revamp in '97 - and in my humble opinion they may as well not bothered, since this was a very weak (re)release from Platipus in light of the string of corking singles that mainly feature on this compilation.
My only other gripe with this compilation is the choice of mix of some of tracks. For example, the Trouser Enthusiasts provided a far superior mix of Loveclubs' The Journey (which features on the CD single/12") compared to the more ambient The Light remix, and likewise with the superior Lens of Atlantic remix of the Art Of Trances' Kaleidoscope. Still, this is just a small whinge (which should be ignored) since all in all this is an awesome compilation.
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Platipus Records : A.R.C. Volume One
[PLAT45 / PLAT45CD]
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| Track Listing:
- Slacker - Scared : POB Seismix (7.22)
- Simple Minds - Waterfront : Union Jack Mix (7.22)
- X-Avia - Going Up : Granny Remix (7.14)
- Sasha - Magic : The Seismix by POB (7.12)
- Chromium - Chrome : Remix by Terra Ferma (9.03)
- POB - Strata : Clanger Remix (7.36)
- Velocity - Lust : Art Of Trance Remix (6.45)
- Funtopia feat. Jimi Polo - Do You Wanna Know: Gut Drum POB Remix (5.04)
- Young Braves - Warriors Grove : Poltergeist Remix (6.57)
- Raze - Break 4 Love : Gut Drum POB Remix (8.05)
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Released in the UK on the 10th Aug 98. This is the Platipus ARC (Artists Remix Collection), which is a superb collection of classic dance records remixed by Platipus's most renowned artists. What is most obvious with this compilation is that over half of the tracks are either remixed or originally written by Paul Brogden ('POB' on Seismic Records, 'Granny' with Claudio Gaiussani and 'Clanger' with Simon Berry), and hence there is familiar sound throughout. Also, the style of music here is very diverse compared to Platipus Compilations (with the exception of the Terra Ferma remix of Chromium's Chrome), which is not a bad thing, but will make this less appealing to fans of the typical sounding Platipus material.
A strong opener is the POB Seismix remix of Slacker's Scared. This was the stronger of the mixes originally released on XL-Records in '97 and probably will work well on the dancefloor.
The Union Jack remix of Simple Minds Waterfront was a '98 CD only release on EMI records, featuring on the Simple Minds single of Glitterball (along with a Jam and Spoon remix of Don't You Forget About Me and Fila Brazillia's remix of Theme for Great Cities; Fluke also remixed Theme for Great Cities on the following Simple Minds CD single War Babies). Its an ingenious remix from Union Jack, and will bring a smile to the faces of those old enough to appreciate the original release of Waterfront by Simple Minds in the Eighties.
A marching bouncy beat with acid 303's build and layer in the Granny remix of X-Avia's Going Up. Sublime vocals are provided by X-Avia, whom also featured with POB on the '97 single The Awakening on Platipus/Seismic Records - this is definitely one of the stronger tracks on the compilation. Sasha's classic Magic has been dug up and dusted off by POB - however, the vocals sound old and dated, even though the remix itself is adequate and is actually better than the '94 original; I would have personally left this one to rest in peace. And on a different note I'm not sure why the Terra Ferma remix of Chromium's Chrome is included on this compilation - this had a formal 12"/CD single release on Platipus only a few months prior to the release of A.R.C and hence is the only track out of the ten to have been previously released on Platipus, not to mention that the original mix also featured on Platipus Records Volume 4. Although its a great track, I'm under the impression its here to pad out this compilation.
The Clanger remix of POB's Strata (originally released in '94 on Seismic Records) is initially minimal sounding, although once it gets going an uplifting oscillating melody creeps in and quirky electronic voice samples saves the track from the "experimental/abstract track" bin. The Art Of Trance remix of Velocity's Lust (a '98 release on Superstition Recordings) has all the hallmarks of the AoT; choirs of background harmonies behind a charging beat and a minimal electronic melody, which in the later quarter of the track really builds as the tempo steps up a gear - definitely one of the stronger tracks on this compilation. Unfortunately POB's Gut Drum remix of Funtopia's Do You Wanna Know (originally released on Prima Vera Records in '95) is nothing special - the vocals are very "housey" and the melody is quite uplifting, but the fat beats give an overall dark impression to this track.
However, the gem on this compilation must be the Poltergeist remix of Young Braves Warriors Groove (originally released on Rhino Records in '93), which wastes no time at all and gets straight to business in this AoT sounding trancer (Simon Berry's solo projects are Poltergeist and Art Of Trance, hence the similar sound). A very uplifting melody and a charging beat add to an addictive formula - this one will get dance floors moving. And its back down again with the second POB Gut Drum remix (and closing track on the compilation) which is Raze's Break 4 Love (originally released on Champion Records in '94). Back in '94 this was a house classic, but here in '98 the Sasha-esc vocals are part of a tired "been-there-done-that" formula. Shame really.
So, overall this compilation will definitely appeal to DJ's and to those with specialist music taste. And I'm sure that a lot of these remixes will work well on the dancefloor. However, with the exception of a handful of tracks this compilation is nowhere near as accessible as the Platipus Volumes 1-4. The mood is up and down from track to track and there's little consistency throughout which will make for difficult at-home listening.
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Platipus Records Volume 4
[PLAT50 / PLAT50CD]
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Released 10/98. Following on swiftly after the release of the Platipus A.R.C is the fourth in the Platipus Compilation series, featuring the best of the Platipus 12"/cd single releases over the last year. Unlike the previous three compilations Volume 4 features an additional three exclusive tracks, the best of which is undoubtedly the long progressive trance remix of Humates 3.1 by John Digweed and Nick Muir's, aka Bedrock. The other two exclusive tracks, Narcotik's Blue and S.O.L's Pollenflug (by Oliver Lieb), are nothing to write home and fail to break any trance boundaries. [Note that subsequent to the release of Volume 4 all three "exclusive" tracks have been released as singles on Platipus] But that aside, the rest of this compilation is pure excellence; if you're not up-to-date with the last years worth of Platipus singles then this compilation is a must.
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Platipus Records Volume 5
[PLAT65 / PLAT65CD]
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Released 10/99 on Platipus Records on CD and DJ friendly 6xLP (lmt. ed.). The fifth volume in the Platipus Records compilations is a bit of a mixed bag. There are a handful of strong, typical Platipus tracks such as 'Two Full Moons & a Trout' by Union Jack, 'Madagascar' by Art Of Trance and the previously unreleased Quivver Mix of 'Calling Your Name' by Libra Presents Taylor. But the rest isn't as accessible as previous Platipus compilations, and thus will probably only aspire to those of select taste and DJ's alike.
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The Best of Platipus
[PLATCD70]
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| Track Listing:
Disc1:
- Narcotik - Blue
- I-Ching feat. DJ Patrick Reid - Ways of Love
- Union Jack - Two Full Moons and a Trout
- Poltergeist - Vicious Circles (Union Jack Remix)
- Union Jack - Morning Glory
- Art of Trance - Gloria (Clanger Remix)
- Art of Trance - Cambodia (Clanger Remix)
- Quietman - The Sleeper (Man With No Name Remix)
- L.S.G - Hidden Suns of Venus
- Union Jack - Cockroach
- Humate - 3.1.98 (Bedrock Remix)
- Terra Ferma - Lunar Sunrise
Disc2:
- Art of Trance - Kaleidoscope (Sunday Club Remix)
- Universal State of Mind - All Because of You (Mindsweeper Mix)
- Albion - Air
- Libra Presents Taylor - Calling Your Name (Ferry Corsten Remix)
- AMbassador - The Fade (Original Mix)
- Moogwai - A Night Out
- Art of Trance - Madagascar (Original Mix)
- Salamander - Tempest (Union Jack Remix)
- Union Jack - Red Herring
- POB - Strata (Clanger Remix)
- Quietman - Tranquil (Art of Trance Remix)
- Art of Trance - Easter Island (Cygnus X Remix)
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Released 12/99 on Platipus Records on 2xCD. Mixed by Anthony Pappa. This is a superb, well mixed compilation, featuring tracks that cover the entire span of the history of Platipus Records.
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Platipus Records Volume 6 Limited Ed. 2-CD
[PLATCDX80]
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| Track Listing:
Disc 1:
- Libra Presents Taylor - Anomaly: Calling Your Name (Ferry Corsten Remix)
- Moogwai - Viola (Armin Van Buuren Remix)
- Art of Trance feat. Caroline Lavelle - Breathe (Cygnus X Remix)
- Z2 - I Want You (Original Mix)
- Albion - Air 2000 (Ferry Corsten's Open Air Remix)
- POB feat. DJ Patrick Reid - Blue Bottle
- Paragliders - Lithium (Oliver Lieb Remix)
- Ambassador - One Of These Days (Todays Mix)
- Terra Ferma - The Wolf
- I-Ching feat. DJ Patrick Reid - Soulstorm
Disc 2:
- Libra Presents Taylor - Anomaly: Calling Your Name (Original BT & Taylor
Mix)
- Moogwai - Viola (Original Mix)
- Art of Trance feat. Caroline Lavelle - Breathe (Dawnseekers Remix)
- Z2 - I Want You (Lange Remix)
- Albion - Air 2000 (Hybrid's Supersonic Remix)
- POB feat. DJ Patrick Reid - Fly
- Paragliders - Lithium I
- Ambassador - One Of These Days (Original Mix)
- Terra Ferma - Teeth of the Jungle
- I-Ching feat. DJ Patrick Reid - Ways of Love
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Released 2000 on Platipus Records. This CD was released as a limited edition 2-CD set, then only as the
first CD. Thanks to Brian Harris for this information.
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