Ummet Ozcan, Will Sparks – Apex

73%Overall Score

• Lots of classic Ummet Ozcan influence
• Will Sparks’ climactic twist at the end
• Attention to detail toward the ambiance

There was a certain time in the past that a collaboration deal struck between Will Sparks and Ummet Ozcan would have rendered me breathless… Now, after several disappointing projects from the Dutch producer and a Tech-leaning direction opted by the Australian, my excitement simply diminished. “Apex” is the result of their joint efforts and, I must say, there are some real efforts on this one.

It’s infuriating to hear such a synergic blend only now when I am past my devotion to both of their styles. “Apex” is a dark Techno release with enough presence from both Ozcan’s Trance signature and Sparks’ Bounce/Big Room era personality, and the outcome is quite intriguing.

Remaining at a slower rate, the atmosphere surrounds you with a dystopian aggressiveness, and the drop kicks in one after the other. There’s much homage to the older Ozcan sound here in the first part (refer to ‘The Cube’), but also a vigorous Trance sequence programmed towards the third quarter that was particularly unexpected. Will Sparks showcases his merit, especially towards the end where there’s an insane Big Room type drop with his typical heavy kick drums. It even reminded me of “LSD” (w/ New World Sound).

Well, it’s intricate to describe “Apex” in just a few lines. From one side, I didn’t prefer the longer central portion and the unnecessary, overused vocal shots. On the other hand, it breaks my heart to criticize something interesting, inventive, and with a lot of work behind it. I can feel that the two veterans simply sat together and made music because they actually wanted to cooperate and devise something new. A lot of attention was paid to crafting a fantastic atmosphere, and that’s a bonus point.

Do whatever you want with “Apex”, as I didn’t wrap up my mind entirely, although it deserves a listen for its ingenuity.