#manu riga

8th installment in the Club Traxx - Progressive House series, featuring original tracks and remixes by Manu Riga, Cid Inc., Lloyd Trimmer, 21street, Stan Kolev, Matan Caspi, Airwave, DJ Fire, Kintar, Gai Barone, LoQuai, Philthy Chit, Matteo Monero, Audio Noir, AquAdro, Moshic, Hector Sawiak, Chantola, J-Junior, Angga, Rise And Fall, John 00 Fleming, Christopher Lawrence, Santiago Garcia, Dark Soul Project, Franbeats, Anthony Yarranton, Zan Prevvé, WayWork, Jakhira, Kindred Spirits, CJ Art, Michael & Levan, Stiven Rivic, Rishi K., JJ Grant and Digital Department.

Notable Bonzai artist Manu Riga is back once again with a quite stunning piece of work. "Cimmerian" is an ethnically charged dark prog house stomper and comes backed up with top notch remixes. Manu is a busy guys at the moment as he works hard in the studio on his own material, remixes and collaborations which makes for a very exciting future.

We open with the Album Mix, the intro alone will have you intrigued as a watery effect rises from the depths accompanied by hair raising ethnic vocals. It's not long before the kicks ramp up the energy on an epic journey that lies ahead. Brilliantly crafted percussion arrangements build up layer upon layer to create a strong progressive groove while the bass drones away in the background drawing you in. The ever changing vocals are prominent throughout and are a very strong feature of the track with some beautiful synth work matching up perfectly. Just at the midway point the intensity of this track increases tenfold as a myriad of sounds clash in total harmony and a big surprise pops up in the shape of some classic piano, awesome! This is an experience not to be missed and a testament to the stunning talent shown in Manu's work.

Veteran of the progressive sound Van Bellen is up first on the remix. Yoogie is responsible for some absolute stunning remixes and releases on Bonzai over the years and here he continues with the same forthright creativity that always inspires. To say we are in for an epic journey is an understatement, the track opens with a superb punchy kick with percussions supplying a cool underlay. The bassline creeps up out of nowhere and before you know it your locked into a full on progressive ride. Brilliant synth and pad work keep the ears trained with anticipation as the dynamics of the track flow effortlessly. The break reveals beautiful melodic sequences which leads us straight back into the pulsating rhythm, superb stuff!

The impressive LoQuai takes to the mixing desk next with a progressive masterclass. The ethnic vocal opens the track and then powers straight into a head on collision with chunky kicks, crisp hats a brilliant rolling bassline. LoQuai certainly takes the track deeper with dark grooves and minimal use of the vocal, when the vocal is used it creates full effect and this creates a wonderful dynamic within the sound. Intense strings rise and fall as this non-stop relentless groove weaves its magic across the spectrums, top notch indeed.

Finnish DJ and producer Cid Inc. aka Henri Hurtig debuts on Bonzai with a huge progressive monster. Henri is responsible for a massive amount of releases and remixes across many many labels and his talents don't stop there as he also runs his own label Replug. Here he kicks off the remix with a nice chunky kick drum alongside a rhythmic shaker while the bassline rises up to form the basis of a true hypnotic experience. The bassline also forms subtle melodies from deep within and as the track progresses the intensity builds to that of merciless heights. The break reveals stunning sequences that provide respite before getting launched right back into this upfront progressive groove.

Episode 9 of the Afterhour Trax compilation series featuring original tracks and remixes by Manu Riga, Nico Parisi, Chantola, Gai Barone, Kintar, Matt G. & Booya, Relaunch, Kay-D, Airwave, DJ Fire, Van Bellen, Michael & Levan and Stiven Rivic, Matias Chilano, Neon, Moshic, Monojoke, Anton Chernikov, Franbeats, Santiago Garcia, Dark Soul Project, Matan Caspi, Rise And Fall, AquaDro, LoQuai, Steve McGrath, Chris Sterio, Yuriy From Russia, Frangellico, Midnight Star, Concealed Truth, Cut Knob, Hector Sawiak and Rue Duo.

Gai Barone is back after a very successful remix on Manu & Nico's "Reborn" with a fresh twist on progressive house. Gai has been hard at work fine tuning his productions and with results like this we sure are happy to have a great guy like this on board. "Lullaby" comes with two fantastic remixes that will blow your mind for sure.

The Original Mix is quite simply stunning, deep, hypnotic grooves that draw you right in and take control of your senses. Superb arrangement all round with tight drum patterns and rhythmic percussion keeping the flow. The bassline alone is enough to get right into your head as it ebbs and flows alongside top notch FX. On the break a huge sub bass takes control and some awesome synth work adds intensity before crashing back into this solid groover.

Airwave is up first on the remix, this artist has such a hectic schedule at the moment with festivals and parties taking his time alongside his studio work which in itself is epic! Here we see Airwave get into his breaks mode with stunning results. The track intros with calm serenity contrasted with underlying tension and builds up to a powerful thumping kick in breaks style. Melodies are abundant as they weave in and around the track while the bassline springs out of nowhere and adds true progressive depth to the vibe. The break offers up what Airwave does best and that is real intense melodic pads that allow the mind to wander and get lost in the realm of music, amazing.

The hugely talented Manu Riga is up next with his Ethnotic Mix. Manu is another of those artists that puts every effort into his projects to get maximum effect out of his sounds. Much much more to come from Manu in the future so stay tuned. Here he delivers yet again as the track intros with subtle kicks that come out in breaks style before blending into traditional four four beat. An arped bassline rules supreme as it modulates and filters through many different phases then settles into a full on pulsating and hypnotic rhythm. All the while a multitude of FX are going off in the back ground and these add perfectly layered texture to the sound, another fine example of progressive vibes that will most certainly be a feature on many playlists.

Matan Caspi returns to BP after a few top class remixes like Mindgamers "Chasing The Sun" and Chantola's "Make It Happen" both of which faired very well on major download portals. Matan has had an amazing journey so far having worked with many top artists and DJ's, his tracks have been on numerous compilations which is a testament to the talent he has to offer, his track "So High" appeared on Bonzai's My House Is Your House Volume 6. Today we see his full BP debut with "Raid The Bar".

The Original Mix gets the floor shaking for the get go, superb chunky kicks get right under your skin and a huge deep bass rocks the foundations. Cool house stabs tease their way through and lush strings wait in the background. The track comes together brilliantly on the break with the synths becoming much more prominent before getting right back into this powerful groove for the duration, top quality stuff which is destined to feature heavily on many playlists this summer.

The ever dependable Zas & Sanze aka Mindgamers deliver the goods yet again with their superb remix. The guys have a real knack for getting the most out of a sound and this is no exception. From the start you are thrown right into a party atmosphere as the track pours out a strong, funky vibe. The bassline oozes funk and the synths etch out one hell of a cool groove. The break sends up a surreal melodic sequence which works so well with the big rising chords before powering back into a full on ass shaking groove.

Turning the track more toward the progressive scope is Henrik Kantola aka Chantola. Henrik has a very impressive repertoire and has worked with top artists, currently he is working on a new studio album which we hope to see very soon. We caught up with Henrik not too long ago for a quick Q&A so keep a lookout for that soon. The track intros with a deep progressive vibe, the kicks stand right out and a wonderfully deep bassline holds the sound up brilliantly. Sweeping pads do their work creating an ethereal atmosphere while cool FX work add texture. A real supercharged groove is built here and a wonderful contrast to the original which makes this a must for those late night sessions.

Belgian producer Adriaan Baussens aka Manu Riga is up next with his Deep Trip Remix. Adriaan is another one of those artists with an extremely heavy workload yet still churns out quality every time. He recently released his latest track "Reborn" which is a collab with fellow producer Nico Parisi and is currently working on other projects including an album. The remix is a super smooth journey deep into progressive vibes. The kicks pound the speakers delivering a shudder through your core while the bassline sits perfectly matched with a lush residue. Classy pads ease by and subtle synths provide a rich contrast, great stuff again from Adriaan!

UK based production duo, Philthy Chit aka Phil Taylor & Chitra Kumar deliver a simply stunning cut with their track "You and Me". The track comes with two top class remixes and is a perfect match for the Green Martian imprint.

The original mix is filled with emotion and innovation which is exactly what these guys love to instil into their sound. Very subtle intro with a nice mixture of percussions that builds to a cool solid kick. You get a sense of deep house until a rising pad leads us into a warm, cosy piano melody which brings the track firmly into a progressive groove. The bassline wraps this track up perfectly, ever so subtle yet highly effective due to the melodic flavour, the accompanying vocal adds a dreamy element while on the break more sweet sounds fill the waves before settling back into a fine musical moment.

The impressive Blufeld is first up to the remix plate. Blufeld is a regular contributor to the Bonzai sound with his own unique progressive ventures and this remix is right up there with some of his finest work. This remix has a much more rigid edge as the melodies have been beefed up and the bassline has extra weight added. A superb kick and percussion arrangement provides a flowing rhythm which steers the groove towards a trance vibe. The break is something to behold, that bassline coupled with quality synth work and a subtle melody will have the power to captivate any audience, stunning!

The exceptionally talented Manu Riga is up next with his Morning After Remix. Manu is another artist who is contributing heavily to the Bonzai sound. He recently released his latest single "Reborn" along with Nico Parisi and already it's performing very well at download portals. Manu's remix fits perfectly with this release as he too allows emotion and innovation into his vibe. The surreal intro leads up to quality kicks with minimal percussions, superbly crafted distant pads sweep by before a cool plucky melodic sequence comes through. The break throws up a twist with a wonderful piano backed up with distorted sounds and some absolutely amazing FX work on a vocal sample, brilliant!

Popular Belgian producer and remixer Jimmy Galle is back with another of his fine creations. "Chocola" serves up a real progressive trance treat and comes backed up with three fantastic remixes.

The original mix fits the Green Martian sound so well, pumped up progressive house with a dash of euphoria. The track intros with a tight kick and percussion arrangement while a sweet melody builds up in the background, this is coupled with some beautiful vocal sequences. On the break melodies spring up with an ethereal pad and more of those sweet vocals, a subtle climax gets us back to the groove. Fresh and energetic vibes to get the floors moving.

Airwave steps up first on remix duties with his Hazelnut Remix and again he delivers pure quality. Solid kicks and distant melodies provide the intro and the track gains momentum in true Airwave style. A deep progressive vibe ensues with intensity being generated in the quality synth work, on the break we are treated to a sublime trance experience with big pads and expert melodies before getting back into a strong pumping groove. One to watch!

The very busy Manu Riga is up next with his Vanilla remix. Adriaan is currently finishing off his artist album with many collaborations included, he has a fast growing back catalogue of quality tunes to date with much more to come. The track begins with a cool steady rhythm, chunky kicks and crisp hats are backed up with a throbbing bass while the melody builds up nicely. The break delivers excellent pads and that brilliant vocal sample, a strong progressive track that would be a great addition on any set.

Beglian DJ and producer Andy Verschaeren aka Max Cue gives us his Strawberry remix. Andy has been obsessed with music since he was 12 and began producing at 16 using Fruity Loops and later Ableton. His tracks have been released on labels like USA Import, Progrezo and more, his tracks have also been supported by DJ's such as Laurent Garnier and Paul Oakenfold. This remix intros with a superb kick and percussion, the bassline powers the track from below with a chunky deep vibe. The now familiar melody adds a cool contrast and the vocal works very well in this setting, as the track builds the melody becomes much more intense and you will find yourself locked in to this groove, top stuff!