We sometimes forget that music is cyclical. As a new generation of clubbers discover sounds for the first time, they mistakenly believe the decades old genres are somehow a new phenomenon. The styles we attach to the terms techno, trance, progressive, and house are moving targets at best — words that are now redefined on an almost weekly basis.
Cycles is Max Graham’s “Yearly Snapshot” of his own musical journey, a collection representing the natural progression in his taste. As always with Cycles, the elements of melody shine through this classically mixed compilation (like Graham’s own ‘Redemption’ and his remix of Solid Stone and Jennifer Rene’s haunting vocal tune ‘Not Enough’), but much like his successful career over so many years, the mix takes a wide arc of influence as it moves from Tim Penner’s lovely piano opening to Alex Di Stefano’s tough as nails ‘Black Panther’ and back down to a perfectly fitting closing track by Gai Barone entitled ‘Psycles’ (written exclusively for this mix).
Solid Stone, a mainstay in Graham’s set list, has no less than three unreleased tracks. Also making two appearances is rising star Thomas Vink whose production style effortlessly combines organic Techno beats with beautiful melody and emotion. From Guy J’s progressive label Lost n Found to Techno’s Drumcode and Yin Yang, ‘Cycles’ once again celebrates all that’s good on that dance floor regardless of genre.
Like Cycles Radio this compilation showcases the ongoing diversity and evolution in Graham’s sound, it’s the closest representation to what you’ll feel at a 6+ hour Open to Close set condensed into 78 minutes of well- constructed bliss. As the musical landscape changes we welcome this, the 6th revolution of Cycles and are eager to see where the pioneer heads next.
