There is no such word as Solaris in any dictionary. I have checked, as their press release says there is, so even if they invented it in order to come up with a premise to name their group, if that is their only subterfuge, then I can forgive faulty research and throw my headset on because the music is mostly dope. "Versatile" from the group Soularis [Soularis Music, Inc] is cooking non-trance, they tell me, but I say it is very dance, with elements of all of the above and very club-friendly music.
A masterfully mysterious mélange of electronically-embellished rhythms and appealing smooth vocals that can plant your cosmos far beyond the star Spica whose light we see just arriving from many years past, yet still looks fresh and bright in our present consciousness, which explains the refreshing, meaningful lyrics. They named the album for the amalgam of underground, tribal, trance, and progressive grooves which are their quiddity.
All of these tracks bump with a lively pulse. "Without you (I feel blue)" achieved first place recognition in the 2003 Billboard Songwriter's Contest in the Dance category; an award Sniper feels was kind of "bogus" because they didn't even get a record deal, but instead "two thousand dollars in gifts," and nothing really tangible. "They couldn't even bring us out to L.A. like we were supposed to be [going]." Billboard didn't have their thing together for such a long-standing institution.
I especially enjoy number ten, "Follow Me (to heaven)", a slightly cathedral-like anthem with a brilliant vocal by the mellifluous songstress Julia who croons "Follow me to heaven/walk with me forever..." lyrically. This uplifting track would be the one I would put in "A" rotation on my fantasy dance music radio station or on our hometown's WKTU FM. Unfortunately the quartet was rebuffed there, a scenario that typifies what is wrong with the playlists of traditional terrestrial radio these days – the hidden scandal to come.
Fortunately, as Sniper, the founder of the group said to me, "There is XM Radio and we are [currently] being played on there." Yes, these high pointers jam out of NYC; Queens to be exact, so I'm not surprised that they have more than a clue, and more than a few studios. "We've got material backed-up..." he says. I remind you that New York City is the original melting pot, and these four all have Russian roots, so let us meet the players.
Soularis is composed of Sniper on keys, Gulliver, the "soul" of the group, on bass (who has worked with the likes of Mary J. Blige, Will Downing, Angie Stone, and more next there is Jazz, who played much of his youth in Europe and also is on keys; I mention Julia again because she has talent on the piano, specifically, as she solarizes. Finally, I introduce you to Alex, or "Universe," who rose to become one of the managers of Soularis because his forte seems to be in the marketing and promotion aspects of the music business. They came together kind of by accident; much like our solar system is suspected to have.[p]_z_dancemusic_z_);
Back to the music: on track four, "Golden Cage," we hear a very mixable rub for all us Dee Jays in da house – you know I wouldn't steer U wrong! Julia could be mistaken for any of the classic disco or underground divas of the late seventies/early eighties on this one. The piano on cut seven "Life" has the feel of the early nineties jam "Children" (you know the one) to it, and I hope that is Julia ticklin'...
With every tantalizing replay the introspective instrumental track "Dream A Dream," number thirteen, stands out even more. A song like this can help you think through your issues in a way similar to a good physical workout! Oh, that might be vigorous dancing that I'm talking about!
Insofar as where we can catch-up with Soularis, they are "in a holding pattern right now" they told me, but a video is on the cusp to be released at any time. Reinforcing their versatility, they did a jazzy track with the Sacramento Kings' mercurial forward Ron Artest. Well, we the cosmos beckon to see and hear them in person, and so with that wish in mind this astronomer bestows four stars, hoping they come out of hiding very soon and buzz us close like an asteroid.
