[.ca] Xpander (5 Tracks)

From Amazon.com:
DJs Sasha and Digweed are known throughout the world for their sublime mixes and clever choice of material popularized by their Northern Exposure CD series. Beyond the interminable techno and house of their contemporaries, S & D have found some magic key with which they make real music out of monotonous dance-floor detritus. Their mixes breathe, travel, and reflect, making armchair listening a resplendent journey in the head. Those of us who would rather endure an evening with Sugar Ray than get caught in some ear-shattering dance dungeon find solace in the mercurial, near shamanic sounds of S & D. But can solo Sasha match the muse? Xpander follows the S & D formula to a T, leaving you wondering who is the genie and who is the master in that partnership. Almost subliminally, the Sasha tracks "Xpander," "Belfunk," "Rabbitweed," and "Baja" unwind as much in the air as in your head. The beat, of course, is omnipotent, but Sasha adds touches of glowing ambient, experimental house, soundtrack surrealism, and trippy, Warpish techno. Remember that scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey where our hero, Dave, travels light years in a single moment, only to find himself looking at his own aged body eating eggs? Xpander is the eerie modern soundtrack to a heightened aging process, one where the mind gets lost in the void while the body either shuts down or dances. --Ken Micallef

Xpander:
I've been listening to all types of techno for almost 14 years now and it's always interesting sifting through all the crap that's out there. However, this CD is perfect for those who love dreamy trance with layers of melodies and a good dance beat. It's rare that I can find a mix to listen to over and over again, but Xpander is definately one of those great rare mixes. Buy it!

Thrilling!:
I know this review is a little late, but Xpander still sounds fresh today. I purchased this after I heard the Belfunk track on Sasha & Digweed's "Northern Exposure" and wanted the stand alone track. What a surprise. Xpander is a dancefloor assault composition. Track 1, Xpander (Edit) is just that...an edit. Proceed to the full version. The intro makes my hair stand on end. Also worthy of mention is Rabbitweed. Sasha departs from his traditional 4 on the floor rhythm and ventures into a MidEastern influenced rhythm and melody. After a few minutes into the song, a haunting melody forms over a metronome tick in the background. Then, Sasha unleashes a sick, psychodelic wall of sound. Great song. I have really enjoyed his solo material. Cheers!

The Great Xpander:
Can there be any doubt that Xpander is the greatest "trance" tune of all time? No, there can be no doubt about this.

Classic Electronic Music:
Xpander is Sasha's defining moment. He had already proven that he was a phenomenal DJ with his work with John Digweed, first on the genre defining Renaissance Mix Album, and subsequently on their amazing Northern Exposure releases. This release solidified him as superb producer, and as the leader of the trance movement of the late 90's and progressive movement of the new millenium. This is perhaps the perfect starting piece for someone just starting out with the genre. It's affordable, and you are given four timeless gems of modern electronic music. I especially enjoy "Baja" with it's chillingly gorgeous chanting and trippy bassline. An abosolutely essential purchase.

An excellent Piece:
I agree with a lot of people that this sets a high standard for Sasha and that it is indeed an excellent piece. The only thing that bothers me about this CD is that it's not mixed. Other than that I have no complaints. Xpander, a track on the CD is very nice and it's tempo is decently fast and up beat. Belfunk is also a nice track, starting out slow and then going into a frenzy bass and electronic synths playing throughout the song. Rabbitweed, the most interesting and probably the most complex songs on the CD, meant something for raves and such, I really like this song. Baja, the last track and a nice ender for the CD, soft and mellow, sorta a cool down I suppose. Kinda dreamy and with some bass here and there. All and all this is an important CD to own if you like Sasha's work or if not it might be a nice starter into the world of trance.

• Xpander \oEdit\c
• Xpander
• Belfunk
• Rabbitweed
• Baja