This turbo-charged compilation of Trance and NRG stompers is an impressive entry from new Nashville-based label Marian Records. While the set starts out with a relatively more credible Trance track, the driving Lost Witness remix of Trinity's "Like The Sun," the album gets progressively poppier as it moves on to frothier cuts like Barcera's "Secret Of Love," "Flying High" from Sven-R-G & Bass T, and "Trust Your Eyes" by Harry Chester that take the stage with their twinkling keyboards and bouncy female vocals. And fans of Cascada's brand of Rave-inflected Hi-NRG should thrill to tracks like the Chris Cute Radio Edit of "Hold Me Back" by Bass Up! and a pair of songs from Siria, "Endless Summer" and "I Will Believe It," which is even remixed by the mighty Cascada themselves.
Interestingly, Marian has stacked the beginning of the CD with mostly originals and held off on the covers until about halfway through, which actually makes for a more satisfying set since the CD doesn't feel like it's relying on the instant familiarity of cover tunes for its strength while it's laying the groundwork in the opening tracks. However, by the time we've reached the halfway point and the CD's musical vibe has been firmly established, the covers start to come fast and furious. Some of the standouts are DJ Manian's cover of Asia's "Heat Of The Moment" which revs up the arrangement considerably while still keeping the layered vocal of the original, Volare's swirling take on the Cutting Crew's mid-80s pop smash "(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight)," and "Have U Ever Been Mellow," a fantastic Scooter-style semi-cover that just uses the chorus of the Olivia Newton-John evergreen ballad over a raging new arrangement.
Of course, the acts are a bit faceless and by the time the furious beats of "MAX Dance 07" are through, some of the groups on this CD may seem almost interchangeable (especially when they're all merged together in the 18-minute megamix from DJ Keno at the end), but the quality of the songs is solid throughout, making future volumes of this series definitely something to watch out for.
