In the world of pop music, new artists backed by the "industry machine" methodically churn out assembly-line material in rapid succession. In the rap genre, two or three CDs a year from some prolific artists isn't out of the ordinary. In some rare cases, like with an Annie Lennox or a Celine Dion, major labels have infinite patience with the true "divas" of the trade, giving them unparalleled hiatus to harness their God-given talents into the commercial and artistic masterpieces they inevitably produce. In the tightly-knit dance community, however, it is rare to see artist development ever truly reach a level of fruition that produces even one full-length release. Oftentimes even the best of American dance talent find their vocals being shipped overseas to Italy, the UK, and the Nordic states to be scattered over countless independent labels to garner a legitimate release. Whether the result of clueless US labels unable to recognize the "full package" potential before them, or perhaps simply artists who don't know how to recognize the power of their own "brand," there are only a rare handful of exceptions to the rule who rise to the top and find the artistic satisfaction of producing a full-length dance release with a respectable label. Such is the case of American dance powerhouse Jes, whose new Ultra/Black Hole release Disconnect ends her prospect of Euro-label hopscotch with a thundering round of much-deserved applause.
Place the package before you and you are instantly impressed. A stunning photo of a true diva, white guitar thrown confidently across her shoulders and true "performace" make-up as if she just walked off stage from taking part in a triumphant Kiss reunion concert, a sticker beneath her name making the subtle declaration "The Voice of Tiesto." One wouldn't need say much more than that to get the attention of any clubber worth their salt in this day and age, but the legacy goes much deeper than that. Sure, the album was produced for Tiesto's Black Hole Recordings label, but this New York native has a pedigree upon which association with Tiesto is just a crowning achievement. She got her start as a singer while attending art school producing tracks in friends' studios when time allowed. She paired with producer Mike Olson while working at a studio in Los Angeles and as Guardians Of The Universe, the two found marginal success on the popular mp3.com with their early singles "Starchildren" and "One Moon Circling" (the latter of which made the final cut for this release). "Starchildren" went on to be included on one of Paul Van Dyk's popular Politics of Dancing compilations, which led to increasingly important collaborations with West Coast legends D:Fuse and Deepsky.
Take a look at the fine print and you'll realize that this wasn't tossed together in a hurry to beat any deadline. The publishing dates of the tracks range from 1997-2005, and Jes has readily admitted it took her two years to complete it because of her touring schedule, so 2007 gave birth to this career spanning box-of-chocolates of musical genius. And the rare connecting element? They're all written or co-written and produced by her.
It opens with "Ghost," an early career collaboration with Deepsky that had a successful independent release early last year and was a seminal hit across Europe. Other early career hits are also part of the package, as we find her Guardians Of The Universe track "One Moon Circling" and Solar Stone collaboration "Like A Waterfall" (which has been re-recorded in a more guitar-oriented style) on board here. The inspired track "Heaven," set for international release in December as the next single, is sure to bring much-deserved attention to this album, as it has all the hallmarks of a big-room anthem. Already being supported by major trance DJs like Armin van Buuren and Tiesto himself, this song will definitely put 'Planet Jes' into its proper orbit.
