Terra Ferma
Claudio Guissani, better known as the one half of Union Jack, returns with a solo project called Terra Ferma. Claudio also works with Paul Brogden of POB fame, under the name of Granny.
Single: Floating/The Scream
[PLAT21]
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These tracks follow in the steps of Union Jack, and Claudio's
give away talents are clearly audible. Floating is a fast trance anthem, uplifting with massive build-ups whilst The Scream is darker and powerful. This single is a must and a welcome addition to the Platipus label.
Single: Lunar Sunrise
[PLAT29]
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Luna Sunrise is the pre-album single and there is only one word to describe this - awesome. When I first put this in my CD player and hit play I was greeted by a fairly average Platipus sounding intro and I thought this was just going to be one of those singles that I'd only ever play once.....two minutes later it rocketed off sky-high into the realms of stomping uplifting trance, superseding anything that Claudio Giussani has ever
produced before. Its based around the usual djumbe beats and long
build-ups that we expect from Union Jack, and it is similar sounding to Floating, the first single released by Claudio as Terra Ferma, but its definitely the African chants that sing along with the bouncy beats that do it for me.
Visions is nothing that special I guess, fairly standard
stuff really, but with a track like Lunar Sunrise on the
A side, who cares!
Album: Turtle Crossing
[PLAT 30CD]
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A great album from Claudio Giussani. Kicking off with the
wonderful Lunar Sunrise and also features the hits Floating and The Scream. But is there anything new??? Well, the answer to that is yes! Admittedly, if you already own the previous two singles then you already have the better of this album, but the new tracks here are all good, covering various Platipus styles ie, all having the same tell tale Guissani sound, yet ranging from ambient (Planet Ogo) to quite hard trance (Fire).
Single: Obelix - Featuring I-Ching
[PLAT46]
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Released 8/98. This track is a collaboration between Claudio and I-Ching. The "original mix" is a moderately slow paced progressive/acid trance tune that incorporates many of Terra Ferma's best points; a wonderful Indian chant combines with an uplifting melody and an acid 303 bassline. My main gripe with the original mix is the horrible way the track fades out at the end - not very DJ friendly. The AA-side was written solely by Claudio, hence the title of 'Terra Ferma' remix. It has a stronger opening than the original mix, with the Indian chant leading into a 303 bassline that's unmistakably Union Jack. Its much more bouncier than the original, yet still retains the acid riffs. I can see this mix getting quite a bit of airplay in the club scene - a wicked track!
Claudio says..."We have been working on a Techno Trance mixture of a track, with a bit of an Eastern vocal thrown in for good measure. It features lots of 303's and a million fat synth riffs - possibly one of the most complicated tracks I have made, yet it still sounds very simple." The Terra Ferma remix is "more funky, with a bouncy Union Jack style 303 bassline, lots of Chrome remix style percussion, the vocal is more involved and there are now some lush Terra Ferma strings and harmonies to accompany it."
12": The Gate - Iron Eden
[12AD 030]
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Released 11/98 on Additive Records. The original Extended Version of this track is a superb slice of progressive trance. Terra Ferma provides an excellent remix - the uplifting bouncy beats retained although an extra bit of kick is added for good measure - don't miss this one.
12": Don't be Afraid
[PLAT68]
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Released 12/99 on Platipus Records. The title track is essentially the old single 'Floating' with vocals (by Katie Ashley) over the top. The mix is labelled as a dub mix, which is kind of weird because it isn't dubbed at all. Hummmm. Anyway, if you like vocal trance then you'll probably like this. However, if you're like myself and find excessive vocals just a little bit too cheesy then don't despair because over on the flip is 'Teeth of the Jungle'. This (thankfully) is a wonderful, melodic, uplifting slice of 303 fuelled trance that we are all used to Terra Ferma producing. In my humblest of opinions its this B-side track that is the stronger of the two tracks.
12": Wolf
[PLAT72/PLATCD72]
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Released 5/00 on Platipus Records.
Album: The Adventures Of...
[PLAT75/PLATCD75]
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Released 6/00 on Platipus Records. ‘The Adventures Of...’ is the second album from Terra Ferma. It opens with four tracks lifted straight from the recent singles, with no obvious changes. Hence the first couple of tracks are quite vocally, with Katie Ashley adding to what is essentially ‘Floating’ (from the single of the same title) in the Club Dub Mix of ‘Don’t be Afraid’ and the uplifting and bouncy ‘Keep Moving’. ‘The Wolf’ is a fantastic atmospheric trancer, featuring great ethnic vocal samples and pounding bassline - best of all is the way in which this track gradually builds up and layers. ‘Teeth of the Jungle’, one of the strongest tracks to feature from the recent singles, remains a firm favourite from this album, with its clever combination of trance, 303's and drum and bass interludes. There's a bit of a story as to where the "In My Trousers" sample actually evolved from: Ewan Bailey wrote the Play "Teeth of the Jungle" that Claudio did the music for. That's how the track came to be. All the vocal samples on the track are Ewan saying lines from the play, e.g. a giant Macanga tree etc. The play was about a couple of brothers who hated each other. "In my trousers" was the sub-adolescent response of Ian (the younger) to his new teacher Mrs Greengage. i.e. "she gives me a funny feeling... in my trousers". Thanks to Ewan Bailey for clearing that one up! ‘Spiritual Being’ opens ambient with a whispered vocal of ‘I am a Spiritual Being’, from which a deep heavy bassline pounds in, onto which a grinding acid sound layers over. The vibe given off is dark and deep - another whispered vocal, this time stating 'I Can Read Your Mind', following in the same style as ‘Teeth of the Jungle’. The track is nicely structured with big acid 303’s build-ups, although it finishes rather abruptly. More whispered vocals and in comes the pounding beat of ‘Homeless’. Elements of this track actually don't sound too dissimilar to 'Floating', but that's not a bad thing I guess. ‘Superstar’ opens with a lengthy ambient intro with lots of space-like spoken samples. Once it winds up it breaks into an excellent bouncy track, with oscillating 303’s and glorious vocals and piano scales entering the mid-track break and carrying over into the second half of the track. Surely this track should be remixed and become a single - this is one of the major highlights of the album.
‘The Adventures Of...’ opens with a rather cliché’d electronic orchestra with soothing Oboe solo, before breaking into typical TF type trance. The midtrack breakdown again suffers from over-trying with the feel good factor - nice female operatic style vocal but its all a little too much and rather than raising my hands in the air I find myself reaching for the skip track button on the CD player. ‘Among the Stars’ opens with a gentle break beat with yet more half whispered spoken samples. It gently trundles along, very gradually building, all the time maintaining an air of quirkiness.
There’s definitely something about this breakbeat-trance crossover, and it must be said that Claudio Giussani has perfected it. Sunrise opens with the sound of waves crashing on a beach with a melancholic classical piano melody - this washes away and in kicks a pounding bassline and a really catchy acid sounding melody with big builds, gentle breaks and foot-tapping percussion. Yet another of the many highlights of this album. ‘Epilogue’ ties the album up, with chants from William Wolf (who also provides the ethnic sounding vocals on ’The Wolf’), in a gentle swirling ambient little gem, that ends with a couple of bars of a blissful piano melody. So, all in all a fantastic new album from Terra Ferma, who has successfully proved that his debut album was by no means a fluke.
Other Info:
Also available are the Terra Ferma Remixes of DJ Tomcraft's Mind, which was originally released on Germanys Kosmo Records, before being signed by a subsidiary of Arista records.
