Solarstone – Pure: The Deluxe Edition
With ‘Pure’, his third studio album, Solarstone entered a major new phase in his DJ’ing, producing, singing and songwriting career. The collection heralded his frontline return and was the first gleaming of what has gone on to become the Pure Trance movement. Featuring musical co-productions with artists like Aly & Fila and Giuseppe Ottaviani and vocal team-ups with singers including Betsie Larkin, Clare Stagg and Hannah Magenta, two months on from its initial release it became his bestselling album to date.
Now, after the singles, their remixes, the ‘Pure’ tour gigs and the other significant events the release set in motion, Black Hole Recordings has consolidated all its parts into the definitive multimedia edition of the album. Featuring full length extended mixes of each of its 13 tracks, ‘Pure – The Deluxe Edition’ also now includes a panoramically remixed alternative vision of the album. With remakes from artists including John O’Callaghan, Bryan Kearney, Suncatcher, Peter Hulsman and others, it brings many a new vista. Also included are the incredible YouTube view-baiting videos of single smashes ‘Falcons’, ‘Voyager’ and ‘Lovers’, as well as empty orchestra versions for Solarstone lyric-lovers.
Part by part, track-by-track and video-by-video, ‘Pure – The Deluxe Edition’ builds into the criterion, no-stone-left-unturned album edition. No Solarstone fan’s collection will be complete without it.
The Deluxe Expansion: ‘Pure’s new edition features a wealth of new material, including 21 new tracks, more than doubling its original runtime and providing almost 4 hours of Solarstone listening/viewing experiences. Remix-wise alone it carries 12 incredible new interpretations of the album’s tracks. From the hypnotic acidic bubble of Healium’s ‘Shake The Demons’ remake; Peter Hulsman’s epic 9+ minute journeyman mix of ‘Voyager’ and Suncatcher melodic, thermic take on ‘Fireisland’, it travels the Original versions far and wide. Further in reworks like John O’Callaghan and Bryan Kearney’s respective takes on single smashes ‘Falcons’ and ‘Please’ embody the Pure Trance ethic to a tee.
If you’ve been on a floor over the last year or so and caught yourself singing along to one of ‘Pure’s vocal numbers, the expanded edition of the album will only boost your lyrical knowledge! As the multimedia release crosses over from audio to video, you’ll find the empty orchestra versions for five of its biggest vocal numbers – ‘The Spell’, ‘Jewel’ and ‘Requiem’ among them. If you didn’t know all the words then, you will now! Also on board are the videos to 3 of its key singles. Age of innocence celebration ‘Falcons’, ‘Voyager’s appropriately jet-setting all-four-compass-points travelling and the fan-wowing stop-motion animation of ‘Lovers’ are all featured.
The Extended Versions: as you’d expect Solarstone’s original ‘Pure’ tracks are also included in the release, albeit now in his freshly minted full-length versions. Providing the perfect launch point for ‘Pure’, from its first propulsive beat to the opening sweep of its atomic synths, the title track of Solarstone’s new LP instantly addresses the big rooms. Clarifying that vision further, the celestially gazing ‘Voyager’ masses its booming drums to pulsate the speakers for a heart-in-mouth outer space ride..
With the Billy McGruddy-vocalled ‘Shake The Demons’, Richard re-establishes one of the most talked-about connections from his ‘Touchstone’ album. Following the club hits ‘Electric Love’ and ‘Is There Anyone Out There’, the pair’s latest co-production extends a different tone. Catching the mood of McGruddy’s hazy, higher-than-the-sun vocals, Solarstone directs them to the floor, backed by mesmeric synths and killer 303 churn.
Amongst its vocalists, ‘Pure’ debuts a very special new talent. Over the course of the album’s runtime, Clare Stagg’s folk-tinged delivery makes three stunning appearances. On current single ‘The Spell’, she brings absorbing lyrics, which balance aching lament with an un-crushable spirit of optimism. Don’t be fooled though… with its running bass, bleep-fuelled entrancing lead line and speaker baiting drums, behind ‘The Spell’s immersive vocal splendour beats the hypersonic heart of a floor dominator.
Those on the hunt for the album’s ‘Seven Cities’/’4Ever’/’Touchstone’ moment won’t need to look any further than ‘Fireisland’. Co-produced with Egypt’s Aly & Fila, from the opening throb of its bass guitar and shimmering Med-head melodies, it works in Spanish guitar flecks and sun-kissed synths. On ‘Falcons’ meanwhile, Solarstone is sharing studio space with Italy’s Giuseppe Ottaviani, with the pair conjuring a seismic, uprush-ing number. With its calling female harmonies, breath-stealing synths and high-end horsepower production, ‘Falcons’ is pure trance served by the shot glass. Back in solo mode, on ‘Please’, Solarstone doesn’t back off the throttle for a second, creating a floor flamer that features the spoken vocal musings of a certain well-known 60s rock poet.
Where the drums drop out of the album, ‘Pure’ begins to move in more introspective directions. Backed by his sparse breakbeats and live strings, on ‘Where Do We Go From Here’ Richard duets with Betsie Larkin, for a raw, real and emotive vocal two-hander. Set against the mellow drama of chilled, beat-free ambience, ‘Swansong’ – the album’s fittingly titled closing track – sees Hannah Magenta’s heavenly choral refrain cut deep.
Solo, with vocalists old and new, and alongside heavyweight production collaborators, ‘Pure’ is album title and mission statement rolled into one. Taking its producer back to his grass roots, in the process he has distilled its sound. This is pure trance and ‘Pure’ Solarstone.
A commemoration of the album’s manifold achievements, and its fundamental place in Solarstone’s history, the Deluxe Edition of ‘Pure’ is out now.
Tracklist:
Part 1: Extended Mixes
01: Pure (Extended Mix)
02: Jewel (with Clare Stagg) (Extended Mix)
03: Shake The Demons (with Bill McGruddy) (Extended Mix)
04: Voyager (Extended Mix)
05: Where Do We Go From Here (with Betsie Larkin)
06: Fireisland (with Aly & Fila) (Extended Mix)
07: Requiem (with Clare Stagg) (Extended Mix)
08: Falcons (with Giuseppe Ottaviani) (Extended Mix)
09: Please (Extended Mix)
10: The Spell (with Clare Stagg) (Extended Mix)
11: Lovers (Extended Mix)
12: Presence Of The Past (Extended Mix)
13: Swansong (with Hannah Magenta) (Extended Mix)
Part 2: Remixes & Instrumentals
01. Jewel (with Clare Stagg) (Deeper Sunrise Mix) (8:36)
02. Shake The Demons (with Bill McGruddy) (Healium Remix) (9:07)
03. Voyager (Peter Hulsmans Remix) (9:13)
04. Where Do We Go From Here (with Betsie Larkin) (Instrumental) (4:54)
05. Fireisland (with Aly & Fila) (Suncatcher Remix) (7:39)
06. Requiem (with Clare Stagg) (Instrumental) (6:46)
07. Falcons (with Giuseppe Ottaviani) (John O’Callaghan Remix) (8:23)
08. Please (Bryan Kearney Remix) (7:31)
09. The Spell (with Clare Stagg) (Instrumental) (5:13)
10. Lovers (featuring Lemon) (Alucard Remix) (11:22)
11. Presence Of The Past (Ambient Mix) (7:13)
12. Swansong (with Hannah Magenta) (Instrumental) (6:03)
Part 3: Empty Orchestra Instrumentals
01. The Spell (with Clare Stagg) (Empty Orchestra Instrumental) (5:13)
02. Jewel (with Clare Stagg) (Empty Orchestra Instrumental) (7:15)
03. Where Do We Go From Here (with Betsie Larkin) (Empty Orchestra Instrumental) (4:54)
04. Requiem (with Clare Stagg) (Empty Orchestra Instrumental) (6:46)
05. Lovers (Extended Mix) (Empty Orchestra Instrumental) (4:58)
Part 4: Video
01. Falcons (with Giuseppe Ottaviani) (Music Video) (4:05)
02. Voyager (Music Video) (3:50)
03. Pure Album Trailer (4:00)
04. Lovers (featuring Lemon) (Music Video) (4:31)
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