latininxtc Advanced Member
United States
7,307 posts Joined: Feb, 2006
Posted - 2017/05/14 : 18:08:42
I hardly notice the difference from the original one that was on the Bonkers series. Could be my phone, or the shoddy audio quality on the video, or whizzkid's cuntflaps farting out his "rhymes"
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2017/05/15 : 01:28:01
quote:Originally posted by latininxtc:
I hardly notice the difference from the original one that was on the Bonkers series. Could be my phone, or the shoddy audio quality on the video, or whizzkid's cuntflaps farting out his "rhymes"
It's subtle, I'll give you that, even through high quality audio equipment.
But that's exactly why I loved it. Takin' Me Higher is not a track you want to **** with. All Styles did was give it a bit more power so it wouldn't sound weak alongside other late-'00s tracks.
Sometimes I feel like I'm one of the only people aware of its existence and basically the only person who really cares about getting a release. A lot of people probably either didn't hear it or didn't even notice that it was an update. Afaik, it only got played at a handful of events in 2009 -- never in any studio mixes or anything.
Takin' Me Higher is probably in my all-time top 50 so I knew as soon as I heard the update in 2009 (back when I used to care enough to listen to livesets despite the MCs) that it was indeed an update.
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
latininxtc Advanced Member
United States
7,307 posts Joined: Feb, 2006
Posted - 2017/05/15 : 15:14:13
quote:Originally posted by Smoogie:
quote:Originally posted by latininxtc:
Well since you're an expert of sorts on the track, original or updated version?
Not that many people on the dance floor!
Oh well, could be worse, it could be a Crudstep room!
That's because it was the opening set at 10PM on the 6th night of HTID In The Sun 2012. That was DJ C and MC Reconize, who I'm guessing that time weren't well known. After the 1st night the opening sets were always slow.
On top of that a lot of folks were watching the Euro Cup game where England was losing in great fashion as always. During this time is when more people were starting to come in.
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2017/05/16 : 20:48:24
quote:Originally posted by The drunken scotsman:
quote:Originally posted by latininxtc:
Well since you're an expert of sorts on the track, original or updated version?
That's the updated version.
I'm with Elliot on this one, another unreleased gem. I was a big fan of the original but that sounds very dated now.
Glad I'm not alone on this one mate
I also agree about the original. Actually, I get a bit depressed when I listen to some of my old favourites from that era and find that they just sound too weak now. My misery is compounded by the fact that nobody is producing tunes of this quality with modern production values.
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
quote:Originally posted by latininxtc:
Well since you're an expert of sorts on the track, original or updated version?
That's the updated version.
I'm with Elliot on this one, another unreleased gem. I was a big fan of the original but that sounds very dated now.
Glad I'm not alone on this one mate
I also agree about the original. Actually, I get a bit depressed when I listen to some of my old favourites from that era and find that they just sound too weak now. My misery is compounded by the fact that nobody is producing tunes of this quality with modern production values.
Odd that you lot like the updated version, for me Hardcore made in the early/mid 00's always sounds much better to my ears then what came after. harder kick drums and not overly polished and compressed.
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2017/05/17 : 00:34:53
quote:Originally posted by Elipton:
I would say that the original is better imo, but I have no complaints about the existence of an updated DJ tool.
One sounds better in the headphone, the other sounds better on a dancefloor.
Interesting. What is it that you like more about the original? I mean, it's kinda hard to make a really strong comparison because 2009 has never been heard outside of a liveset afaik but obviously you have an idea of what you prefer.
I find the update more pleasant in all cases. A lot of early-to-mid '00s productions didn't have the same bounce in the kick/bass interaction. That focus on a hugely bouncy perc/bass combo that started in around 2007 really took hardcore to a whole new level imo.
What I hear in the update is an improved kick/bass combo and a meatier lead with very much the same tonal qualities as the original. To me, it's an upgrade in every sense while still being the definition of an update (i.e. nothing lost in translation).
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2017/05/17 : 00:46:31
quote:Originally posted by Bring Me Round To Love:
quote:Originally posted by Elliott:
quote:Originally posted by The drunken scotsman:
quote:Originally posted by latininxtc:
Well since you're an expert of sorts on the track, original or updated version?
That's the updated version.
I'm with Elliot on this one, another unreleased gem. I was a big fan of the original but that sounds very dated now.
Glad I'm not alone on this one mate
I also agree about the original. Actually, I get a bit depressed when I listen to some of my old favourites from that era and find that they just sound too weak now. My misery is compounded by the fact that nobody is producing tunes of this quality with modern production values.
Odd that you lot like the updated version, for me Hardcore made in the early/mid 00's always sounds much better to my ears then what came after. harder kick drums and not overly polished and compressed.
Fair enough mate. To each their own.
For me, the earlier kicks sound too "lazy". They're heavier, yeah, but at the expense of tightness and precision. I prefer that really tight, sharp (and, yes, compressed*) sound that came later on with the emphasis on bounce.
*Although I will say that I think this went too far later on and I hate overcompressed kicks as much as anyone. I still consider it the greatest hardcore album of all time but CXH 4 absolutely smashed the limiter in a way hardcore had never really seen before. It's odd because whoever was producing the overall compilation blatantly put a heavy brick wall on the whole mix. The individual tracks as digis don't sound half as distorted.
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
Elipton Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,268 posts Joined: Apr, 2013
Posted - 2017/05/17 : 04:55:09
quote:Originally posted by Elliott:
quote:Originally posted by Elipton:
I would say that the original is better imo, but I have no complaints about the existence of an updated DJ tool.
One sounds better in the headphone, the other sounds better on a dancefloor.
Interesting. What is it that you like more about the original? I mean, it's kinda hard to make a really strong comparison because 2009 has never been heard outside of a liveset afaik but obviously you have an idea of what you prefer.
I find the update more pleasant in all cases. A lot of early-to-mid '00s productions didn't have the same bounce in the kick/bass interaction. That focus on a hugely bouncy perc/bass combo that started in around 2007 really took hardcore to a whole new level imo.
What I hear in the update is an improved kick/bass combo and a meatier lead with very much the same tonal qualities as the original. To me, it's an upgrade in every sense while still being the definition of an update (i.e. nothing lost in translation).
I've always been a producer and listener that enjoys a certain blend of hardcore. Hopefully I can explain this properly.
For me, the newer version is a little too clean. By this, I mean that the short punchy kick, and the clean bassline creates gaps in the song that slightly takes away from that driving power.
By comparison, the original has a kick and bass that fill in the mix more and loud lead that works harmoniously with various sub-leads and layers. This is the style that reflects my own music and listener preference a little more. By filling in the gaps, you have a track that's flows slightly more fluidly.
But like I say, it's entirely subjective. Both tracks are great and good examples of the development of music between 2003ish and 2009
Elliott Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,137 posts Joined: May, 2012
Posted - 2017/05/17 : 16:06:53
quote:Originally posted by Elipton:
quote:Originally posted by Elliott:
quote:Originally posted by Elipton:
I would say that the original is better imo, but I have no complaints about the existence of an updated DJ tool.
One sounds better in the headphone, the other sounds better on a dancefloor.
Interesting. What is it that you like more about the original? I mean, it's kinda hard to make a really strong comparison because 2009 has never been heard outside of a liveset afaik but obviously you have an idea of what you prefer.
I find the update more pleasant in all cases. A lot of early-to-mid '00s productions didn't have the same bounce in the kick/bass interaction. That focus on a hugely bouncy perc/bass combo that started in around 2007 really took hardcore to a whole new level imo.
What I hear in the update is an improved kick/bass combo and a meatier lead with very much the same tonal qualities as the original. To me, it's an upgrade in every sense while still being the definition of an update (i.e. nothing lost in translation).
I've always been a producer and listener that enjoys a certain blend of hardcore. Hopefully I can explain this properly.
For me, the newer version is a little too clean. By this, I mean that the short punchy kick, and the clean bassline creates gaps in the song that slightly takes away from that driving power.
By comparison, the original has a kick and bass that fill in the mix more and loud lead that works harmoniously with various sub-leads and layers. This is the style that reflects my own music and listener preference a little more. By filling in the gaps, you have a track that's flows slightly more fluidly.
But like I say, it's entirely subjective. Both tracks are great and good examples of the development of music between 2003ish and 2009
Makes sense. I hear exactly the same differences as you but I prefer that tighter and sparser percussion (which I tried to emulate in my production -- make what you love, right?).
Anyway, yeah, the track really does illustrate the evolution of the genre during the '00s. It's literally taking a track from 2003/2004(?) and transplanting it into 2009, which makes for a very interesting comparison.
__________________________________ old soundcloud
i gave up producing
Darren Styles - Takin' Me Higher 2009
Printer friendly
Posted - 2017/05/14 : 18:08:42
