I’ve just read the review that was given to the new Dawn Tallman single “Heavenly Light”, which I had the privilege to doing two mixes for. While I appreciate everyone’s opinion and know that I cannot please everyone with every mix that I do, there are a few issues I would like to bring up with this particular review:

First off, my mixes were classified as “Euro-Trashy”. Assuming that this web page and reviewer is in Denmark (which makes you MUCH closer to the UK than I am), I’m surprised at this comparison. I would like for your reviewer to listen to tracks such as Eiffel 65’s “Blue”, Aqua’s “Barbie Girl”, Madison Avenue’s “Don’t Call Me Baby”, Brainbug’s “Benedictus” or any of these rather hooky and somewhat silly productions. Neither of the remixes I’ve done to “Heavenly Light” sound that formulated. Secondly, the reviewer compared my mixes to being similar to Junior Vasquez. I’m not sure if this particular person has actually been to New York or have attended a club venue like Exit where he currently holds residency, but my particular production style is in no way shape or similar to Junior’s. I’d advise your reviewer to listen to an actual Junior Vasquez remix, such as his versions to Mary J. Blige’s “Your Child” (RCA), Vivian Green’s “Emotional Rollercoaster” (Columbia), Shauna Solomon’s “You Can Get Over” (Harlequin) or his white label to Elton John’s “Your Song” . Listen to these mixes in their entirety and then re-listen to the remixes I created. If your reviewer can actually do so with an open mind, you will see that there are NO similarities.

My remixes to “Heavenly Light” combines ideas, production styles and influences from producers and DJs such as Satoshi Tomiie, Danny Tenaglia, John Creamer & Stephane K and Lexicon Avenue. It’s more on the futuristic, tribal and progressive side, but it’s mainly intended for an audience that isn’t exclusively into the traditional deep house sound. Just because a song implements sounds that are not typical of a traditional, old-school, Paradise Garage-style formula does not automatically mean that the production is bad or “Euro Trashy”. This is the type of opposition new producers are faced with so many times by those (like this particular reviewer) who try so hard to cling onto the past and refuses to accept anything that can be different. It’s a shame that there are still music critics who are blind on either end of the spectrum, whether it be the obsessed circuit house fan that cannot accept music that doesn’t have formulated hooks, build-ups, noisy synths and “screaming divas”, the mainstream pop head that needs to hear the same “sing-a-long” style music they hear on FM radio on the dance floors, or the deep house extremist that instantly writes off any production just because it’s not under 126BPMs, full of soft pads, double harmonies, flutes and conga drums.

Understand that there are some people who choose to celebrate the past yet still try to push towards the future. As much as I do appreciate, own and play some the classic house records that go back as far as the early days of The Loft, The Warehouse and the Paradise Garage (clubs that were in existence before my time), even I know that in order for house music to progress that we cannot keep our minds locked in one particular timeframe. It’s my appreciation of the past and my drive towards the future which fuels my productions, which is intended for an audience who can get into more than one particular genre of music and diverse production styles. It’s NOT for a group of people who try so hard to recapture days of old that can never be relived to the fullest, no matter how many theme parties, classics or “deep tracks” a DJ plays.
I’m not expecting my statements to change the minds of people overnight, or to start some sort of musical revolt or revolution. All I’m suggesting is that before you write a review (good or bad) that you know the genres of house music and particular DJ/Producer styles before you make a sarcastic comparison just to look good in front of your peers. People who continue to live in a closed minded world will never be able to fully appreciate my work, or the hard work of so many new and upcoming producers around the world. And it’s these types of attitudes which prevent house music (as a whole) from getting the recognition it truly deserves.

Curtis L. Atchison
Midnight Society Productions
www.midnight-society.com