Among the number of renowned Israeli producers to be influenced by the fertile late '90s Tel Aviv scene, Guy J is perhaps the most commercially-minded of the bunch, crafting progressive tracks that aim for the big room first and the headphones later. J's debut album on Bedrock last year typified his approach of blending the most palatable elements of prog, trance and house into a mainstream stew. It's clear, though, that there other sides to J's sound that have been unexplored thus far. Take "Shaman," for example, which starts out like a normal little house track before getting taken over by a shimmering synth solo that utilizes all of J's knob-turning abilities. Filtering it mercilessly throughout the barely-there five minutes, it's a striking tour de force that melds progressive and electro into something that should please fans of both genres—and more.
With the ridiculous synth solo as material for remixers, it's interesting to see how each producer deals with it. Mohan smooths things out into a slow-burning deep mix that despite its attempt at histrionics fails to take off. Cari Lekebusch, meanwhile, pushes the tempo and garners a momentum that rewards the small build-ups with solid pay-offs. To these ears, though, the gem here is available only digitally: Lontano cuts up the wild synth pattern and builds a yearning, epic number that even shoehorns in some Japanese koto for good measure. It's a stunner, and deserved to have the vinyl treatment.
Buy Guy J - Shaman at
Tracklist: Guy J - Shaman
 A1 Shaman (Original Mix)
A2 Shaman (Mohan Das Spellbound Mix)
B1 Shaman (Cari Lekebusch Remix 1)
Digital Exclusive: Shaman (Lontano Remix)
Digital Exclusive: Shaman (Cari Lekebusch Remix 2)
| 
