VIRTUAL SERVER
"Fallen"
A Different Drum (ADDCD1125)
Release Date: Exact release date unknown

Virtual Server is a project of Russia's DJ RAM, with vocals provided by an assortment of performers in the independent synthpop realm. The single "Fallen" features vocalist Chrissy Franklin of The Echoing Green and System 22, while "Love Is Only" features Charlie Wollborg of Brave New World. "Fallen" is a trance styled track that can easily stand up with many of the major label offerings to the trance market. The remixes are equally strong, starting with Estonia's Plazmatix pumping up a pulsating bassline and percussion section. Finland's Neverwood provide a haunting piano line over a thick, throbbing bassline and synth strings. Deft, from Russia, provide the most aggressive mix of the song, the strangely titled "Soft" mix. If the vocals had been excised from the track (rather than being included in their entirety), the track would be almost unrecognizable from most major label trance offerings; as the vocals fill out the track into a complete song, however, it stands above the mainstream competition. A remix by Arizona's Intuition closes out the disc. This mix gives the song more of a pop feel, with a slightly slower drum track and some minimal guitar. The other song on the disc, "Love Is Only," has more of a dance-pop feel to begin with. However, the music track never really feels like it progresses very much, primarily sticking in one groove with only a minor variation when the chorus is reached. The middle break changes the main groove simply by stopping the percussion. Russia's An-2 provides the sole remix of the song, which only marginally improves on the original track. The single is definitely recommended for the mixes of “Fallen,” with the highlight of the disc being the Neverwood mix.

(reviewed by Daniel Aeschliman on December 28, 2002)