Pure Chicago Goodness
2008-02-05 by The Double K
Ron Trent – Altered States
So I just spent half an hour or so sorting out a posting of the Carl Craig “East Side Mixx” of this track from 1992, wrote a whole lot of blurb about it and then finished off by saying that you should also go out and find the original version from 1990, which is sparser, rougher and pretty epic at almost 14 minutes long.
Then I had another listen and realised that actually the lusher, fuller production sound that Craig brings isn’t really all that, and he also brings far too many bloody bongos to the mix for my liking. So scrap the remix – this original version from 1990 has it all, with more balls than anything Carl Craig ever produced, and Ron Trent made it when he was only fourteen!
Here we have a real builder: wicked drum programming that subtly progresses throughout the track, getting heavier and heavier while soaring soulful strings bring the emotion and that incessant catchy-as-hell bassline keep your head nodding and toes tapping. This is an absolutely killer track that for me sits firmly on the border between house and techno, proving that at heart they are the same thing and that such labels are ultimately futile. (I suspect that Ron, hailing from Chicago, would call it house but personally I wouldn’t like to call it either way.)
By all means go out and find the Carl Craig mix if his style floats your boat, but I reckon this will be the version that you come back to in the end. Oh go on then I’m feeling generous – here’s the Carl Craig version too. It has a lusher, fuller production sound and too many bongos!
- Ron Trent's MySpace page
- Check out the video of a lecture at a Toronto music academy - he gives a personal perspective on the history of house music and towards the end of part 1 he discusses the making of "Altered States"
- Buy It Here
Comments 
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Nice one Kev. Laurent Garnier played this at a Tribal Gathering I went to many moons ago. The mixtape of his set acquired seminal status (at least with me and Tommy S,)but this is one tune from that tape that I couldn't name. At least until today.
And…you guessed it….he played the Carl Craig mix, which I think is great. This orginal kicks too though.
In those days I would have told you that Techno was my thing, and would have been suspiscious of anything labelled hourse. Nowadays I know better, 'cos its all house music at the end of the day.
Don't get me wrong – the Carl Craig mix is still a great track. It was just those bongos at the end that made me think twice and come back to the source.
On the aforementioned mix the track faded before the bongos kick in. There are a couple of other corkers on this mix that I've never found out the names of.
There is a partial tracklisting here:
http://www.troonik.com/r/2/8898/laurent-garnier-universe-tribal-gathering-1993-04-30.aspx
We've had most of the tunes on here at one time or another!
Nice one again. THE mystery track I've been after is Lust by Dave Angel. Tommy will be particularly excited to find this out. Its a great tune. Most of the others are familiar favourites.
Nice post kev, and I am indeed SO excited to find out that that track of the oft-listened-to-munted LG universe tape is Dave 'the boy' Angel. I will be hunting it down. Hope you're recovering from those double whiskies…
Just remembered that this features on Prins Thomas' live in Toronto set for Resident Advisor, now archived and unavailable, alas.
http://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspx?id=74