The debut album from Alex M.O.R.P.H. is finally here and its on one of the finest record labels around today, Vandit! Alex is a highly talented DJ but is his first productions collection up to par? Find out...

The production skills of Alex M.O.R.P.H. have been gathering pace over the past two years and the fruit of his labours is all on show with 'Purple Audio'. It's his first artist album and another debut one to feature on the world renowned Vandit label. It's Paul van Dyk's very own label and you can't really get a better quality control tester than the German dance music legend. He has been building up a good stream of quality releases over the past year with singles releases like 'Photograph' and 'No Regrets'. You may remember him for some excellent remix work as his remix of Andy Moor's 'Halcyon' was simple top draw in every respect.

There is no doubt Alex is a very talented DJ having been in the clubs for years but his production releases have not really been highlighted all that much until recent times. This debut album then is his showcase of what he can really do behind the production desk.

Release Date: OUT NOW! (Available from the i:Vibes record store!)

TRACKLIST

1: Alex M.O.R.P.H. - No Regrets (Feat. Simon) (Purple Classic Mix)
2: Paul van Dyk & Alex M.O.R.P.H. – In Circles (Alex M.O.R.P.H. RMX - Album Edit)
3: Alex M.O.R.P.H. Feat. Katie Marne – Spirit (Original Mix)
4: Alex M.O.R.P.H. Feat. Roberta Harrison – Photograph (Original Mix)
5: Alex M.O.R.P.H. Feat. Simon – No Regrets (Album Mix)
6: Alex M.O.R.P.H. – Ask You Again (Album Mix)
7: Alex M.O.R.P.H. – Sunshine (Club Mix)
8: Alex M.O.R.P.H. Feat. Ana Criado – Sunset Boulevard (Original Mix)
9: Alex M.O.R.P.H. – Break The Light (Original Mix)
10: Alex M.O.R.P.H. – Eternal Horizon (Album Mix)
11: Alex M.O.R.P.H. – Purple Audio (Original Mix)
12: Alex M.O.R.P.H. b2b Woody van Eyden - Heavensgate (Original Mix)
13: Alex M.O.R.P.H. Feat. Michael – Wanna Be (Album Extended Vocal Mix)
14: Alex M.O.R.P.H. Feat. Roberta Harrison – Photograph (Purple Acustic Mix)
15: Alex M.O.R.P.H. Feat. Ana Criado – Sunset Boulevard (Purple Acustic Mix)

There seems to have been quite a few releases before this album from Alex with records like ‘No Regrets’, ‘Photograph’ and ‘Sunshine’ all being from this year and the end of 2008. I have enjoyed more or less every single release he has been putting which bears well for this collection. The album is a 15 track affair with good offering of guest vocals and collaborations.

The intro track is a ‘Purple Classic Mix’ of No Regrets is a chilled version of the original with the vocals of Simon. Classical in sound and a nice way to break in the album if your listening to it as a full DJ mix but with the version I got with the full tracks it’s just one to skip to get into the hustle and bustle.

Alex collaboration with Paul van Dyk is up next with a special album edit of ‘In Circles’. It’s Alex remix but he has changed a few things slightly for this album. The soft piano lead is still in there but the track has a dark atmosphere to it on the build with flutters of sound lurking in the background. Sweeping chords go well to keep the mood in here with a progressive feel to how it all rolls out. It’s another one to break in and introduce you to the album I think here.

Spirit is a record that is not new to this album as he released this as a single with a remix from Daniel Kandi. It’s a much layered building record with a female vocal by Katie Marie. The beat has a slightly tribal drum pattern feel about it right from the start. The breaks in here are very melodic with deep chord changes on the bass line and metallic keys fluttering in and out. It’s another dark progressive track from Alex with a swirling main melody that has some grit to it when it drops in. The vocals add to the flow of the track but don’t stand out as the main hook that keeps you interest. I think that is the chords that drizzle along as the track builds up.

The acoustic talents come to the forefront with Photograph which is another track he has already released as a single as I reviewed it on the pages a few months ago. I liked it then and I still like it now. In here you find Inviting female vocals from Roberta Harrison with the guitar being the main thrust for the main break. Complimenting that is a soft but firm beat and elegant layout with a hint of uplifting feeling in there. It’s not the full out pounding stuff you may well be used to from Alex but shows his slightly softer acoustic side to music.

No Regrets pops in here for the second time but it’s not the mix I was expecting. It’s another slightly chilled affair with a scuffed break beat powering the track along. The vocal is at the fore front here with it being very strong over the percussion. The melody that powered the classic mix earlier is there but things seem to be chopped up with this mix. I’ve not really made my mind up on this track as it just seems a little out of place when put to the remixes that were released a while ago, which did not feature an original mix from what I remember.

Alex is at the softer edge of production again with Ask You again which an instrumental break beat track. It strikes me to be the middle of a track cut out when listening to it at first as it’s only short. I think he was just having a play with the off beat style in here with the main segment offering a piano chord bubbling along with the main sythn that flows with the track. Sunshine gets things back to a normal key with its big uplifting melody. It’s back to the full emotional driven Trance sound that Alex is known for. The lead in here is crafted together beautifully with sweat bars flickering in on the lead up. The main break comes in from a orchestral driven melody that feeds in the main melody. It’s deeply delicious and as uplifting as they come. The chord changes are spot on and this is the kind of music when heard live puts a goose bump down your spine.

Sunset Boulevard is his latest single that was released just before the album and is another good track. It’s melodic and driving but not full on pounding like you would expect. The single release even got Paul van Dyk back in the studio to do a remix which was very good. Ana Criado provides the vocal in here which is fed in on the build but unleashed fully right in the heart of the track. The vocal has a soothing touch when it drops and fits in with the sound perfectly. The vocal acts a as a sweeping driven synth in here to which works well with all the uplifting builds and changes. The main lead does have a good flow on it with a lead chord change that sets the main break up well. It’s Alex at his most euphoric here.

Break The Light and Eternal Horizon are two new tracks for the album that have not been released as singles already. Break the light is another uplifting instrumental affair replying on its harmonic break that builds up to a tone changing melody surrounded by a fast paced trance beat. Eternal Horizon follows the same pattern but comes across slightly deep with more thud on the main beat. The bass line in here is tremendous though and drives the rest of the percussion in the track forward more. The main break whacks in a building chord of uplifting melody that builds and builds until it explodes with a building drum roll. The resulting explosion should please those Trance ears.

Purple Audio is one of my favourite tracks on the album and another one that he has released before. It’s got a gritty lead in there that’s aggressive but not over the top. Harmonic sweeps of emotion are what I’d describe the background of the track that builds things up to the main break. It’s an uplifting chord that starts to layer itself over the sweeping sythn’s which in turn tweaks the strings that accompany it. Edging on the progressive side but having a filling of dark uplifting sweeps to keep you hooked.

Alex returns with a fresh collaboration with Woody van Eyden who he has created a few audio gems with In the past. Heavens Gate is a tech driven affair with a massive main riff that grabs your attention. The tech style is evident right from the initial beat with slashing kicks and stabs pumping things up. The main leads riff is deep and ruff. It soon gets chopped and stuttered out to introduce a main euphoric break that’s a high pitched electric swirl of sound. That fizzles out and chops back into the beat while the rest of the sounds feed in after a slight delay. The melody comes back form one more offering before being chopped and stuttered out as it got introduced in. You will find quite a different track from the rest here but in a god way.

Wanna Be is another break driven production but this time with a big male vocal from Michael. This one is the odd ball of the lot with an electric guitar driven lead and piano keys tapping over the top. I think this one is the marmite track of the album as you could interpret it as being a bit pop friendly but it’s got something that’s catchy in there that caught my ear. The vocal and the electric guitar driven riff with big dreamy chord drops create a catchy record here. A slightly traditional offering of sounds in here but one you’ll have to listen to make your mind up on.

The final offerings in here are two more ‘Purple Acoustic Mixes’ of Photograph and Sunset Boulevard. They do exactly what they say on the tin and just strip down the tracks into chilled acoustic affairs. Not really my cup of tea really as I’d have rather see two more fully charged Alex M.O.R.P.H. trancers to polish off a very good, but an album that leaves you feeling like you’ve not got the full hit.

Conclusion:
As a debut album goes this is a good one from Alex M.O.R.P.H. but I can’t help but think I was expecting something a bit more from it. The new productions are good and it’s highlighting a different production side to Alex you never knew existed but just lacking that vital bite overall. Still worthy of slapping in the CD collection so get it done.