Solarstone: Pure -review

Solarstones previous album Touchstone (2010) was a big let down so I was happy to hear that he was going to release a PURE trance album. Imagine me getting excited: someone finally proclaiming that trance should return to its roots! And imagine my letdown after hearing this album: there arent enough trance songs to even call this a trance album.

Album starts off with a song Pure, in which Solarstone really tries to prove that "I am making trance, this is a trance album, folks!!!"" But the opening is weak, offering nothing new or anything with depth. Next song Jewel goes into the same category, but the third song on the album, Shake the demons, reminds me of early 90´s trance with its haunting vocals and satisfying climax which gathers all the elements of the song into a swirl of sound.

Where do we go from here is a song with Betsie Larkin and probably one of the stupidest songs I´ve heard this year. Coming after trancers this mellow Eurovision ballad is utterly disgusting and seems so out of place in this album. Then comes a typical trancer with Aly & Fila, Fireisland, like a throwback from trance musics boring years. Requiem is another one I hate. This is also something that doesnt belong here, sounding more like 80´s synthpop and non-sense lyrics like "Silence killed the mockingbird".

Rest of the album is more or less Solarstone trying to be trance and then on the other hand offering songs that have nothing to do with trance. Its this dualism that I can´t quite understand. Also the inner cohesion is off, changing pace from ballads to full on uplifting trance.

All in all, this was a BIG disappoinment.  A word of advice to Richie, if you truly want to make an trance album, do it with Giuseppe Ottaviani, from start to finish!!!

I give stars  1½/5