Slam Duck - Pure Progressive Vol. 3

Progressive didn’t give birth to the mix-comp, but through the fabled likes of ‘Northern Exposure’ and ‘Global Underground’, it did elevate it to a higher form. With its eponymous album series, it is to these lofty heights that Solarstone’s Pure Progressive aspires. In order to reach them however, radical approaches have been required!

Mixcomps and albums are works of art and heart, which their creators can pour months, sometimes even years into. However, to pull both off simultaneously, and as a dual-release no less … well, that takes a special kind!

It is one with precedent though, as both Orkidea and Forerunners have previously delivered (in 2020 and 2022respectively). Early last year, Solarstone laid the same challenge at the feet of another long-time musical likemind (and regular Pure Progressive contributor), Slam Duck.

Split between The Artist and The Mix discs, ‘Pure Prog 3’ divides in order to conquer!! The former sees Alexander ‘Slam Duck’ Smirnov field an impressive ten new, previously unheard Slam Duck-ers. Meanwhile, drawn from the studios of Solarstone, Gundamea (aka Stoneface & Terminal), Clameres, Forerunners and others, the latter has Slam whipping 13 desk-hot cuts up into a formidable wall of progressive sound!

After ‘Space Trace I’s intergalactic overture, The Artist supplies the deep space funk of ‘Fragile’. With echoes of early Kleinenberg, ‘Afterglow’ keeps the vibe flowing, while ‘Frazzled’ balances out its rock-ish guitars with cursive synths. Quickening the pulse, ‘An Ode To Love’ brings in melodic trance elements, while ‘Allure’ pitches a mid-disc curveball, adding a quirkily offbeat breakbeat number to the album. Vocally, ‘Palmy Days’ is a call-back to the golden age of house, as guitar-jam and sunrise synths deliver its elevation. For those looking to add some thump to their prog, ‘PP3’s got you covered, as closing act numbers ‘Trust Me’ and ‘Middle Ages’ issue clear invitations to the dance!!

Tracklist:

Disc 1 - The Artist. 

1. Slam Duck - Space Trace I
2. Slam Duck - Fragile
3. Slam Duck - Afterglow
4. Slam Duck - Frazzled
5. Slam Duck - An Ode to Love
6. Slam Duck - Allure
7. Slam Duck - Palmy Days
8. Slam Duck - Trust Me
9. Slam Duck - Middle Ages
10. Slam Duck - Space Trace II

Disc 2 - The DJ.

1. Avenue One - Glass House
2. Clameres - Extraterrestrial
3. Namatjira - Rountree
4. Enlusion & Slam Duck - Baikal
5. Gorkiz & Disto - Vortex
6. Forerunners & Mike Isai - Arrakis (Partenaire Remix)
7. Solarstone - 4ever (Mir Omar Remix)
8. Abramasi - The Glowing Way
9. Gundamea - Flares
10. Kay-D - Lambda Code 11
11. Vasily Dvortsov - On Transgalactic Bridge
12. Esthetique - Reborn
13. Narel - What Your Cause Will Be