quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J I'm sorry, but my job isn't to bend around big names because they're big. It's to treat everyone the same, and that is what I do. Most of you wouldn't hesitate to call a hip-hop or country track "shit" and roll out the prejudices about those styles. That's called bias, and I don't do it.

First, I wouldn't review styles and genres of music that I don't like. Second, if I were to review those styles, I would base my ratings on the caliber of work in that genre/style. If Clint Black's new album has a lot more to say and is done better than 95% of the country albums that came out this year, I'd give it a very high rating even if I personally think the music is shit, simply because it exceeds the expectations of the genre.

That said, do you really feel like PvD's album is mediocre compared to everything from the mainstream trance genre that's been released in 2005. I'd say it's above mediocre and I'd have probably given it a 7/10 or an 8/10. Usually, in my opinion, the bottom 25-40% of ratings aren't used. To only be slightly above that doesn't say very good things about the CD. It was better than ASOT 2005 and ISOS 4. I personally enjoyed Ferry's two comps more, but Creamfields Disc 1 isn't even trance. It's better than Matt Darey's Upfront Trance. Anjunabeats Vol. 3 wasn't bad and I'd probably rank that just below PvD's CD because of a few tracks that I didn't really like (Oceanlab - Sirens of the Sea, for example).

As a reviewer, your job is to come across as having an open mind to start with and letting the CD's impressions on you do the writing in a way that allows you to be critical but still come off as professional.

That said, what CD that's come out in even the past two years would you give a 10/10? It would be good for us to know so we can make a more informed decision about what critics we care to listen to.

I'm agreeing with System-J since the first post, and I like pod2 but pod1 and other 2005 compils like asot 2005 are much better than pod2...
I'm a PVD fan but he's not like some years ago, not only him, but tons of djs dont please the crowd like that old times, but I cant do nothing, just move on to hear other djs...
And I think that was not only pvd fault, but his managers for dont allow him to answer the interview... cus the 6/10...

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10/10 is a coveted mark for us. You have to remember that 6/10 is not mediocre- it's above average, but it falls short of real quality. The only record I've given 10/10 from the last two years was Leftfield's recent Greatest Hits. To us, 7/10 is a record well worth owning. 8/10 is a great record. 9/10 is a brilliant one, and 10/10 is an all-time classic one.

It is easy to say "well, what has come along better" and I say "not much" and ramp the score up. But I own so many compilations, from waaay back or only a few years, which are so much better. I love this music, I honestly do, and I was genuinely dissapointed to see POD 2 fall below expectations. When I picked up PVD's "Perfect Remixes" anthology, I was blown away by how much better it was than POD 2. The man can make some of the best trance around, and when he does, I'll be the first in line to praise it. However, I felt that the record was a let-down, and a squandered potential, so I didn't go easy on it.

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Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

It's a shitty situation, but that's the way it goes. This happens in every music genre.

Look at it from PVD's perspective: Why would he give you an exclusive interview, which will draw people to your site when on that very site is a negative view of his latest cd release? You have to put yourself in their shoes. I know it sucks but that's life and you should have realized that and waited to post the interview before you posted the negative review, simple as that. Btw, I thought POD2 was weak too

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M.I.K.E. IS GOD

quote:

Originally posted by Numidia It's a shitty situation, but that's the way it goes. This happens in every music genre. Look at it from PVD's perspective: Why would he give you an exclusive interview, which will draw people to your site when on that very site is a negative view of his latest cd release? You have to put yourself in their shoes.

exactly

There are some pretty whack reviews on that site. The Psychlopedia review is waaay off. Thres are some amazing tracks on that album and the reviewer canes it. WTF? no idea...lol...

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6/10 = 60/100. 60%. That's an F in any course. So you flunked PVD's album. I'm not surprised he declined the interview.

60% is a C at my level. What course has 60% as an F? Besides, that's a daft analogy. Should I choose to extend it, the guy has kicked out A* stuff before, and suddenly he's dropped all those grades. What would a teacher say to that?

___________________
Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

quote:

Originally posted by Axolotyl There are some pretty whack reviews on that site. The Psychlopedia review is waaay off. Thres are some amazing tracks on that album and the reviewer canes it. WTF? no idea...lol...

It's called an opinion. No opinion is right, no opinion is wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by Demoted It's called an opinion. No opinion is right, no opinion is wrong.

Bullshit. Opinions can be wrong. Opinions are proven wrong all the time. We waged a gigantic war 60 years ago killing over 30 million people just getting rid of an entire class of opinions.

Anyone can have an opinion. That's not hard. No one is impressed that you can do that. But to get your opinion noticed, to make it more attractive to others, to make it sound, concrete and unignorable, is to justify the logic and the understanding of your opinion through supporting evidence, empirical research, and keen observation. That's what turns it into a quality meme. That's how your opinion becomes an elite member of human brainfarts. And that's how your opinion can be right.

This whole thing has made me look retrospectively at the review, and there is a lot in there which was only meant semi-seriously, and has been taken badly by people. I think when your favourite artists are at the wrong end, it's easy to assume something is more malicious than it is. For instance, the whole names thing was just a little joke I added, because it's a weighty review and I didn't want to stay po-faced all the way through. I will remember to try and be more black/white on this next time, because humour is difficult to convey in text.

Now I really must go to sleep.

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Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/