Roger Shah - Magic Island - Music For Balearic People Vol. 3

[Steve]

For the next instalment of Roger Shah’s pre-season audio-postcards to the White Isle, he returns with chapter 3 of ‘Magic Island: Music For Balearic People’.

Everyone who has ever taken an Ibiza-bound flight has been influenced and inspired in some way by the island. Few though have felt its magnetic pull to quite the same degree as Shah. Musically every move he’s made in the last 5 years has stemmed from his attachment to the great White Isle and his expedition to capture musically as much of its essence as possible continues with his new compilation album.

Vol. 3 again brings 160 minutes of previously unheard music, all entirely exclusive to the album. Mixed together in super-immersive fashion by Roger, each disc moves through a sound arc, from the daytime trappings of sun, beach and bar, and on (with perfect tone & tempo progression) into the night… and into the clubs.

Magic Island aficionados will know that Shah uses these albums as the first listen-in points for the tracks he’ll be using as his prime dance-floor rockers during his round-the-world-and-back summer season.

Following the runaway success of his ‘Lost’ track, Roger has re-teamed with Zara Taylor to deliver ‘Found’ – its beatific, luminous sequel. To the doubtless delight of fans (‘Lost’ was after all the no.1 track on the no.1 trance radio show in 2008) ‘Found’ will become the first track to spin off as a single from the album. Also on the re-collaboration tip, Roger has made a speedy return to the studio with Signum’s Ronald Hagen. After their Beatport chart-busting ‘Healesville Sanctuary’, the pair are back with another well-primed piece of floor-artillery in the shape of ‘Ancient World’. Another of Roger’s most renowned pseudonyms kicks off MI:3 second disc. Co-crewed by Ralph ‘Fridge’ Fritsch, Black Pearl sets sail again (following up ‘Bounty Island’, ‘Coral Sea’ and ‘Java’) with the mellifluous, halcyon ‘Discovery’. Already the subject of fairly intense fan speculation (with Roger using the track to open his ASOT450 set in NYC), it was met by a flurry of ID request..

On the compilation Roger is also exploring new collaboration routes. ‘Eden’ is his debut team-up with Dutch DJ & producer Leon Bolier and the latter’s ‘trance with twist’ effect can clearly be heard on the moody atmosphere-laden number. At the opposite end of the scale ‘Lay Down’ (don’t let the title fool you!) is a peak-time vocal number with Ross Lara on co-production duties and Todd Wright on vocals.

The album also contains a number of solo outings from Roger; included among them are ‘Over and Over’ which on-the-ball fans will recognize from his Songbook long-player. Roger has given the Nadja Nooijen sung track a more club-energizing feel on his 2010 remix and it will quickly follow ‘Found’ out of the gate as a single. This summer Roger will undertake his first ever solo show, which will take place on ‘Guaba Beach in Cyprus. ‘Guaba Beach’ the track will naturally enough become the anthem for the event!

Aside from all Shah-fired audio attractions there are also white-hot new tracks spread across the melodic-thru-euphoric trance range to look out for from young guns like Nuera, Walsh & Mcauley, Pedro del Mar & The Ridgewalkers, Semantica, Dimension… the list goes on.

The Magic Island albums are a million light years away from the typical throwaway Ibiza compilation that haunts download stores and CD racks come summer. Each one is every inch a serious endeavour by Roger to capture the spirit and quintessence of the island through exclusive, relatable quality music. They are now becoming the last box-ticks on the to-do list of clued-up clubbers & beach lovers from around the world before they jump onboard airplanes and head Evissa-bound. Pt 3 should prove no different.

[PM Vibes]

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Dimension pres. Long Island feat. Anthya - Opposing Worlds: nice track, emotional vocal and melody!! Great choice.
High Noon At Salinas & Kyrst - Ocean Spray: this is probably the first time that I don't particularly like a Roger's balearic track. It sounds similar to Virgin Kyle Beach (which was a superb balearic track), while I don't like this follow up. I think it's missing a good melody, sounds like made in short time. I'm expecting a lot better from Roger.
Sunlounger feat. Zara - Found: great track. Awesome vocal, typical Sunlounger style. Very nice! Can't wait to hear the new Sunlounger album
Black Pearl - Discovery: yet another great track from Shah & Fritsch, glad they are keeping this project alive. Great melody, excellent arrangement as usual, even if probably not at the same level of Java or Coral Sea. Of course we want also the Kim Svärd remix as usual
Dimension pres. Long Island - Cies: niiiice melody
Roger Shah & Ross Lara - Lay Down: a more pop-oriented song. Addicting vocal and amazing arrangement by Roger, I love it. Very positive tune, one of my favourites. Nice job!
Roger Shah & Tenishia feat. Lorilee - Catch A Cloud: another nice song of this "team". Deep lyrics as usual, nice voice and arrangement. Even if I still prefer You're So Cool
Roger Shah & Leon Bolier - Eden: typical Roger's uplifting style, just a bit less emotional and epic than his Savanna's productions. Nice tune!
Roger Shah - Guaba Beach: WOW! This is the kind of song that when I hear it, I immediately think: "this is a Roger's production". Simple but amazing melody, reminds me of Epos project. Epicness all the way!! Not a type of song you can easily listen to these days. One of the best songs of the compilation. Looking forward to some good remixes, as this solid production deserves. Great, great, great!!

Kim Svärd - Manne's Song. Well, I think we have the song of the year. Since I heard his (unreleased) remix of "Coral sea", I knew this swedish guy had potential, but this track is really a masterpiece. SO emotional. A beutiful piano part as always and a brilliant, emotional, heart touching melody, which make you smile, cry, and whatever else. Listen after listen, it just becomes better and better. Perfect production, nothing else to say.
Thanks to Roger for supporting this producer, and I hope his tracks and remixes will always find a place on Magic Island releases.


Overall I found CD1 not at the same level of past volumes. Just a few tracks are great, and it's still missing some Roger's balearic productions. I read/listened to some recent Roger's interviews and I know that his latest tours influenced him, and of course an artist follows a development path, which means not making the same thing all life. BUT... I am a huge fan of past Roger's balearic songs, because nobody else was as good as him on producing them. So let's hope to see some new Balearic songs... starting from the new Sunlounger album
CD2 great as always.

Thanks Roger!!

[MasterT]

No replies?

hehe, got my discs last Saturday and had no chance to listen to it completely, yet...

[neroli]

Got mine on Beatport this week. Make me feel happy. Different CD's on is own way. Represent something special to listening when i feel for it. Anyway... Proud to encourage you Roger and thk again for all this music with full of love !