Thursday, February 13, 2014

Album Review: Markus Schulz - Scream 2


Get ready to Scream some more!

Markus Schulz is set to released "Scream 2", his fifth-studio album and the sequel to last year’s "Scream" album. The 17 track album is sort of Markus’ going back to his roots.

"Scream 2" kicks off with "Reloaded," a track bursting with big room sounds with a melodramatic break filled with haunting chant and rolling kick drums that would surely be a hit on a dance floor. Another dance floor ready track is "Dancing In The Key Of Life" with a higher pitched melody and faster bpm. And "In The Shadows" which shows Markus prowess in producing - blending spoken words seamlessly with big room melody and bass en route to a club room vibe.

There are also tracks that are geared towards the festival vibe and one of my favorite is "Remember This," the most sought after ID last year. Pulsating bass line and melodic synths are abundant on this track as well as in "Mardi Gras" and the darker "Destino" track.

The album is also filled with vocal tracks which might not please the purist listeners of trance. But give it a listen and you will be surprise how well Markus produced each track. Liz Primo’s voice in the piano-filled melodies of "Blown Away" is just amazing while jaw-dropping vocals by Liz Horsman in "Lord Knows" will surely be a fan favorite.

Markus showed his prowess in mixing again - combining old-school dance sound with modern day progressive synths in "Make You Fall" which features the powerful voice of CeCe Peniston. He then found the balance between Lady V’s sultry vocals and big room melodic synths in "Erase You." One of my fave of the album and the new “stalker anthem” as per Markus.

"Scream 2" ends with two great calming tracks - "Reflection" and "Towards The Sun," a track he collaborated with Rex Mundi. Both tracks got that feel-good upbeat vibe that puts a smile on your face.

Markus went back to his roots with the album. It might not be a journey down the rabbit hole but with stellar production and high quality tracks, "Scream 2" will surely be a great addition to anyone’s collection - whether you are a purist or a more progressive listener. So get ready to scream some more when "Scream 2" hits the stores on February 21.

Release Date: February 21, 2014
Label : Armada Music
Catalog: ARMA375
PreOrder: https://www.armadamusicshop.com/detail/AC209305/Scream-2-Markus-Schulz-Arma375



Tracklist:
01. Markus Schulz - Reloaded
02. Markus Schulz & Venom One ft. Chris Madin - Revolution
03. Markus Schulz ft. Liz Primo - Blown Away
04. Markus Schulz - Remember This
05. Markus Schulz ft. Lady V - Erase You
06. Markus Schulz - Destino
07. Markus Schulz ft. Adina Butar - Muse
08. Markus Schulz - Dancing In The Key Of Life
09. Markus Schulz ft. Liz Horsman - Lord Knows
10. Markus Schulz & Klauss Goulart ft. Paul Aiden - Fireworks
11. Markus Schulz - In The Shadows
12. Markus Schulz ft. CeCe Peniston - Make You Fall
13. Markus Schulz - Mango
14. Markus Schulz - Mardi Gras
15. Markus Schulz ft. Amy Kirkpatrick - Gravity
16. Markus Schulz - Reflection
17. Markus Schulz & Rex Mundi - Towards The Sun


This review can also be found on:
- Think IN Electronic: http://www.thinkinelectronic.com/2014/02/get-ready-to-scream-some-more.html
- Trance Hub: http://trancehub.com/v3/reviews/markus-schulz-scream-2/