Its fair to say that most of the party-going world has heard the name Deadmau5, and as his fame has grown so too has the reputation of his label, Mau5trap. Thus, when a FULL ARTIST ALBUM is released on said label, it would be wise for dance music fans to take serious note. This week's record or interest belongs to one of the original Mau5trappers, German-born Moguai (who's been with Mau5trap since 2002), and it is nothing short of masterful! In a culture that much prefers single releases, the fact that Deadmau5 himself has given Moguai the nod TWICE in a little over two years should tell you all you need to know, but just in case it doesn't let me try to help drive the point home: THIS ALBUM IS AMAZING.
The first single from the album was itself titled "Mpire" has been showing up in clubs across the world for about a month prior to the album release, and its very indicative of the album as a whole... musically brilliant and incredibly danceable. The track effortlessly alternates between beautiful synth lines, thumping beats, and that gritty/grimy bass that has dominated house music for the past couple years. This signature Moguai sound is as much a result of his musical prowess as it is his masterful mixing and careful arrangements, which can be heard in both his albums as well as his live mixes and radio shows. The complexity of this album in particular is what really makes it stand out, from its unstoppable rhythms of "N.E.O." to the euphoric harmonies of Heimaterde & Styrum, this album shows what REAL talent sounds like... especially with dance music's recent influx of complete junk. Each track feels unique but the album as a whole still feels like one large body of work, a feat that any true musician will attest to not being easily accomplished.
As if Moguai's own creative vision and abilities weren't enough, this album finds him teaming up with a couple of great names from the dance music world, from bagpipe aficionado Tommy Trash to a personal favorite of mine in the Kosheen DJs. No doubt you will be hearing selections from this gem for at least the next year, so keep an ear open the next time you're at a club or show, because Moguai is here to stay. This album cements his ability to appeal to both a dance floor and a casual listener, and will be a hard work for any artist to outdo this year... and if this IS our doomsday year than I'll be that much happier knowing that at least we got to rock out to this masterpiece!
I give this a solid 9.5/10.
ENJOY!
Soundcloud (ALL tracks free to stream) - http://bit.ly/xSnmVq
Beatport - http://bit.ly/wt7ESS
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