I am a huge fan of the Global Underground DJ Mix CDs. Prototype 2 is part of the GU spinoff "Prototype". I haven't figured out how Prototype differs from the regular Global Underground CDs. I believe the aim was to focus on the latest progressive sound in these sets. While they do accomplish that, I sort of wish they had just kept releasing under the Global Underground moniker. I am trying to collect the entire Global Underground series (an odd task when mixing import and domestic releases) so I already have a decent chunk of similarly packaged discs. Why oh why couldn't this release just fit in with them :)
Prototype 2 was my first experience with Seb Fontaine.
There's no waiting around with this disc. If you are used to the slow intros of Sasha, or Nick Warren sets, be warned. This will get your rear end shaking in no time.
Disc 1, Track 1 [1:1] starts us out nicely with Cevin Fisher's "Music saved my life". I really like the samples in that song, including the one gracing this opinion title.
[1:3] is Jan Driver's "Yo! What?" You really have to be careful with this track while driving. If you get caught up in it, you'll find yourself driving at extreme speeds and yelling "yo ohh what yeah" at the cars around you :) I tend to consider this a good thing.
[1:7] should come with a hard hat. Timo Maas' Eclipse will make the ceiling crumble if played at "proper listening volume" which is, as we all know, determined by the maximum volume setting you can play without being evicted.
[1:8] Maybe I am odd, but the snare and bass line of this track make me think of that Looney Toons cartoon with the Three Little Pigs :) You know the one, where the pigs play at the jazz clubs and the wolf ends up playing a mean sax or something at the end. Anyway, they should do a new version of that cartoon and use this track as one of the club settings!
[1:10] Still with me? I lose a lot of people with the 3 little pigs thing.
I don't care much for this track. Is that Little Richard going "ooooooooo" thru the whole song? This track gives you a chance to go grab a bottle of water and cool down from all that dancing.
Disc Two
Disc Two starts off a little more cautiously than Disc One.
[2:1] Nalin & Kane's "Open Your Eyes" bores me quite frankly. I just can't find anything in it to get excited about.
[2:3,4, and 5] feel nice as a group. They get it kicking and then back it off a bit so you can appreciate the pace.
These tracks are courtesy of Liquid Art, Stefano Libelle & HH, and Climatix.
[2:7] Ahh yes, PVD's "Avenue". I really enjoy this track but I think it got over played. There are some nice bootlegs out though. Check out the PVD vs. Jamiroquai one if you haven't heard it. That one is one of my favorites. I can't listen to Avenue anymore without hearing those lyrics over the top. Seb does a good job brining it in and puts it in a choice spot as well. Avenue's energy does well to spark up the tail end of this second disc.
[2:11,12] We end things off with Mothers Pride - "Learning to Fly" and Atlantis - Fiji. Both of these are nice trance tracks. Good beats, with a good blend of other elements to keep you interested. Fiji sounds a bit tweaked though. It could stand to be a few BPM slower (how's that for picky!).
Overall, mixing is for the most part seamless. Some of the transitions weren't as complex as I like. I want a mix cd to have transitions that make me go "ohhh wow, that was amazing" after a dozen listens. If they don't, the cd will begin to gather dust.
These discs hold to their Underground distinction for the most part. A few big hitters are tossed in (Timo Maas, Paul Van Dyk, Nalin & Kane), but I think they are mostly for the people that won't buy a mix cd unless they recognize an artist. I am not one of those people and prefer to be introduced to material by buying unknown sets.
If you are big on the Global Underground discs, you won't go wrong by picking this one up. If you are new to the Global Underground collection, and are looking for Progressive/Trance stuff, I would start with a Sasha, Nick Warren, Digweed, or Dave Seaman set.
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