After three days of listening to this disc in my car, at work, and at home, I can easily say it's done much more than just grow on me. Finding something newly endearing with every listen, it's easily my favorite disc of the moment. D:Fuse is no stranger to the dance community, especially those familiar with the superstar status he holds on the West coast, but this disc of original material is reaching far beyond the confines of both geographical AND musical boundaries. Known for his energetic sets of progressive trance, D:Fuse has teamed up with some great talents to produce what is without a doubt his most commercial venture to date. Missing from the cover art are D:Fuse's signature cowboy hat and killer smile, but one listen and you'll see that also missing are any signs of taking his first unmixed CD lightly.
The tracks on the album run together seamlessly like a musical suite, pasted together beautifully with sounds of wind chimes, beaches and seductive whispers, bringing to mind the debut album from Enigma. The title track opens the piece, and if D:Fuse's simple vocal of "this is where it all begins" is an accurate introduction, we're in for a real treat! There are two standout tracks on the album, both featuring newcomer Jes, known for her unforgettable performance on Gabriel & Dresden's Motorcycle project "As The Rush Comes." "Living The Dream," already being caned on satellite dance stations all over the country, is a commercial ditty offered in both original and chill versions on the disc, although "Everything With You" seems the likely target for the first single. Both offer full vocals allowing Jes' voice to shine through as the lovely instrument it is. But don't be fooled into thinking this is some cookie-cutter trance outing.
D:Fuse displays a well-rounded set of influences here, running from the trendy trance vocal to the ambient chillout that is gaining popularity in clubs everywhere. "Into Me" is more than a little reminiscent of Madonna's seductive hit "Justify My Love," and the oozing vocals don't tone down the sexy undertones in the slightest. Also teaming up with Pete Lorimer for a few mid-tempo house outings, we get a nice dose of the rare male vocal in dance music on "Other Side" and "A Light Less Broken," as well as a few choice instrumentals to tie it all together.
From start to finish, Begin is one of those discs where you don't need the remote and you don't need to skip a track. If you're a tweaked-out club kid looking for something to sling your glowsticks to, then pass on this. But if you're a veteran clubgoer who can appreciate a bit of sexy sophistication, then this is what you're looking for. No doubt there will be remixes off of this project to satisfy a dance audience, but like Robert Miles or Morcheeba, D:Fuse is reaching out to more than just the club kid in all of us. If the opening line is prophetic of a new beginning for D:Fuse, then I can't wait to see where it's going from here!
