Release Date: 18 February 2022
Label: Black Hole Recordings
Packaging Type: Digipak
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 8715197022637
Release Date: 18 February 2022
Label: Black Hole Recordings
Packaging Type: Digipak
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 8715197022637
Description
A Richard Durand album is a rarer item these days and even more welcome for it. Since the heady times of his 'Always The Sun' debut, swiftly followed by 2012's 'Wide Awake' and 'Richard Durand Versus The World' the following year, the Dutchman's taken a more measured approach to the longplayer release.
'The Air We Breathe' in 2018 ended a six-year interlude, and it's been a further four to where we stand today.
That, specifically, is the release of 'Reactivate', his consummate fifth LP, which releases Jan 28. Unlike some contemporaries, Richard's not fundamentally re-designed his sound to mirror world events.
His consensus was that - even had he wanted to, something less floor-centric simply wouldn't have been him. Durand's toughly propellant tones have been hardcoded into his productions ever since he took the decision to depart the 'In Search Of Sunrise' series. Having completed 'Reactivate' in early December, its release window fell naturally into the New Year and its title says much of Richard's hopes for 2022. Speaking to that in the first weeks of January, he said: "The world's not where it was twelve months ago and in another twelve, we're not
going to be where we are today". So I decided that, instead of looking back, I was going to look forward, and into the full stretch of 2022.
This is an album that's stands ready, poised for that time when the global order to dance is given again."
While unmixed, in both approach and structure, 'Reactivate' is probably Richard's most 'music-compilation-like' LP to date. As such, its earlier moments are largely given over to tracks with a song-based bias. Featuring the never-less-than reflective words of Christian Burns, the touching vocal refrains of his most recent single, 'Almost
Home' opens the album. That transitions perfectly into the harmonically affecting mid-paced space of 'It's Not Too Late', adding to the album's early sense of bitter-sweetness.
As with Christian, the album has presented Richard with the opportunity to re-collaborate with Christina Novelli.
Emotionally, 'My Guiding Light' generates the uplift, while 'Made Of Stone' that follows it - and features singer- songwriter Sarah De Warren - adds lyrical resolve. With the inclusion of his recent debut team-up with HALIENE (on the Beatport #1 'Give Your Heart A Home'), 'Reactivate's needle begins to swing and the album increases its instrumental presence with the ethereally natured 'Tales Of A Silhouette'.
"This", said Richard,"is an LP born out of hope. Every clubber has either had, or is going to get that moment when belief turning to reality. I had mine at Dreamstate back in November of 2021. Unlocking some of the tracks from this album there for the first time was about as uplifting and belief-bringing moment as I had last year. It finally allowed me to see, not where we've been, but where we're going. The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, and growing brighter all the time".
Tracklisting
Bt
Solarstone
Kyau & Albert
Dennis Sheperd
John Askew
Cosmic Gate
Various
Ed Lynam
Ferry Corsten
Richard Durand With Lange
Various Artists
Various Artists
Sneijder
Richard Durand
Richard Durand