SL-Tronic
» 99.9
Reviewed by Dean Zone
/ Submitted 29-05-07 16:47
Label: Aquabase
Format: 12" Vinyl
Genre: Hardstyle
Yes, can you believe it, another tune called 99.9! Notable other 99.9’s include Mark Gray’s effort on Vicious Circle (complete with an awesome Paul Glazby remix) and of course, who could forget the Organ Donors 99.9. But does this one cut the mustard compared to its counterparts?
DJ Slideout v Roland Kenzo mix
Firstly, before I say anymore, I would like to point out that this is an original tune and not a remix of any other track called 99.9 (of which there seem to be many).
But somehow, the first track on the A side sounds like a remix. Not of another 99.9, but of every other tune DJ Slideout has produced. Ever.
Don’t get me wrong, he is obviously a talented producer, the Slideout vs. Roland Kenzo mix on here is one of the better ones, but the similarity to his other works in uncanny, most notably his remix of Mike Phobos – Bass Down. Taken on its own merits however, it’s actually rather good. Tight percussion deeper than in your average hardstyle track backs up a thumping kick, with lots of attention to detail. Problem is I have heard all the sounds before in other Slideout productions. At times I even thought I was listening to the wrong record they sound so similar!
Taken on its own merits, it’s a good tune. But after hearing this I can’t help feeling that if you have one DJ Slideout tune, you have them all. Bass Down is still his best work to date so far I reckon anyway.
6/10
Roland Kenzo mix
Just what level of input Roland Kenzo had in the previous mix I don’t know, but it can’t have been much given the differences of this mix compared to its counterpart.
It starts much better, with a better bass sound and kick, but then it all goes to pot, with a riff so cheesy you could put it on your pasta and eat it for dinner. Shame really, such a waste of a wicked driving bass line! One thing that is worth of note however, is that both of these tracks share the same side of a vinyl, yet are played at 45rpm instead of the standard 33rpm that is usually seen when more than one track is present per side. A nice touch that I have never seen before, but it’s certainly not enough to save this dreadful remix! If Flip and Fill played Hardstyle (which thankfully they don’t, but anyway), this is what they would play. And to think I thought the Slideout mix could have been better!
3/10
DJ Brush mix
To say I wasn’t looking forward to the B side mixes when I flipped the vinyl over was an understatement. Needless to say, the DJ Brush remix is definitely where it’s at! Starting off fairly innocently, with a sharp kick and lots of hardstyle womps and crashes, it builds well. When the looped vocal comes in, it then mutates into the filthiest scratch sound you could hope for, followed slowly buy a hard as fuck hardstyle bass line. OK, so it wasn’t as deep or as well produced as the Slideout v Kenzo mix, but who cares! Let the mayhem commence!
It continues in much the same vein until the breakdown, where again DJ Brush shows willingness to be original, with a very well done orchestral score that certainly doesn’t go anywhere near the cheese of the Kenzo mix. Think the original For A Princess and you wouldn’t be far off. This then filters down into a more typical hard style synth, and you can guess what happens next.
I knew there was a reason I paid six quid for this lump of circular plastic!
8/10
Shuttlecox Remix
The final mix on this is an electro mix (no, I’m not joking. 3 hardstyle mixes, and 1 Electro house mix). I think the term “WTF” perfectly described my feelings when I saw this. Completely pointless. I am not going to review it because it is not a genre I am familiar with, but let’s just say, one was not amused.
Rating: 
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