BLT & Danny Makov – Anything U Want

Anything U Want is the landmark final album from Yuli Fershtat’s BLT project. Yuli is a veteran of the Israeli trance scene who has been producing his own original style of trance since the late nineties, and his experience shines through on this album, which could easily be considered his masterwork. He’s not alone though – alongside Yuli’s expert electronic manipulations you will hear the live drumming talent of Danny Makov. He provides a very organic character to the rhythms all across this album and is apparently responsible for pushing for more melody in the music. Perhaps there’s something to this, as BLT’s last album God is Love was far more sublime and never reached the energetic heights evident here on Anything U Want. A quirky cover and 71 minutes of sound cement this album’s status as a quality release.

Mind the Gap provides an excellent introduction to the unique sound of this album with a ten minute long journey arranged in several stages. The opening sequence is a smoothly flowing set of sounds that gradually lets a funky beat glide in with an excellent assortment of lively drum sounds. Until sometime after the five minute mark the song has a staggered groove laced with plenty of tribal sounds and a bluesy sort of vibe with riffs and atmospheric twangs from a guitar, all masterfully integrated with a wide assortment of sneaking psychedelic effects that contribute harmoniously to the irresistable rhythms. A lush breakdown lets the song readjust to a steady rhythm coloured by a very appropriate usage of female vocals, expertly fused into the growing synthetic headspace. Serene strokes from the guitar and tribal drumming continues to remain a feature of the song, cohesively holding the long journey together. This is a fabulous way to open the album as well as a unique song in its own right, though it’s too bad about the abrupt ending.

The Calling has been remixed several times already, but this is clearly the ultimate version. I’m not certain how live this edit actually is, but it certainly benefits from the addition of all sorts of different drums and other more esoteric percussive sources. The pumping beat is initially held back as a wild array of cymbals, toms, shakers, and other noises coagulate on the rhythmic plane, complimented by hints of the song’s distinctive theme. As the pace picks up, all the additional drumwork becomes extremely enjoyable; this is the track where Danny’s touch can best be heard. The mystic tones crafted by BLT nicely evoke a magicalfeeling as the spoken sample suggests. Overall this edit features some of the finest drumming ever heard in psytrance – the primal sounds merge beautifully with the electronic side of the production. Guaranteed to make a crowd shake!

The title track Anything U Want is another intriguing fusion of psytrance styles and other influences, straying towards full-on without ever abiding by the formula. The beat rolls with snide abandon, infectious and groovy as hell. The clean synthetic atmospheres that emerge could be described as portraying the sophisticated impression of future living. It is certainly a strong contrast to the dirty sounds that are to follow! Soon enough the vocal hook can be heard sliding in over the rolling beat. The lyrics are a simple repetition of the song’s title, in a variety of intensities and surly iterations. Out of this a guitar comes rocking down the scales to incite the big breakdown. The riffs are pure rock & roll, well integrated with the continuous bass line and an assortment of percussion. After the bridge, a dazzling set of bubbling sounds becomes a feature as the spacious atmosphere later returns, with infrequent stabs from the guitar to keep the song stitched together. This unlikely array of elements – rock guitar, feisty vocals, clean atmospheres, rolling groove – all fuse admirably to create a unique dancefloor hit with some potential mainstream appeal.

The Rain Song takes a step back into the heavy rhythms of the last BLT album with a deep organic journey through the rain forest. The development follows a subtle course: building percussive energy with intricate rhythmic patterns, ripping saws and psychedelic effects fleetingly passing over the frothing rivers of liquid bass. Small melodies creep along to the sound of light choirs, raising tension with layering and intelligent placement. After nearly five minutes of persistant building, the song breaks for a short time, filling the air with big tribal drums and the sound of rain shimmering down from the cloudy heights. The beat returns as the storm continues, and then the track reaches a point where I would make a small criticism. The rainfall sample abruptly drops out without a smooth fade or particularly artful transition. This sudden halt sounds out of place, but the feeling of loss is only temporary, as a huge percussive riff comes leaping out of the speakers to fill the void soon thereafter. The vocals in this section are haunting and beautiful, and there is a curious machine noise used here that works perfectly as a counterpoint. A late break smashes and then resurrects the tension one more time, leading into a timely conclusion. Danny’s drumming is once again quite stunning, and Yuli’s electronics masterfully conjure the spirit of the concept. The Rain Song is another excellent tune despite one minor point of contention.

Next we have the incredible Graceful Dead, a stirring emotional tribute to the late Avihen Livneh (Cosma). The sound is lighter now, with a progressive morning feel to the arrangement. After slight introductory hints to future melodic themes, the song gets down to the percussive explorations that have been so successful thus far. Sneaking and creeping melodies languidly waver across this growing assemblage of sound, and soon the bass line formally drops in to say hello. A sprinkling of guitar hints at further developments, while pleasant melodies smoothly sweep past with a delicate sonic caress. The highlight has got to be the stunningly beautiful breakdown in the last third of the song which cycles back in with awe-inspiring beauty. Yuli expresses a genuine passion in this powerfully emotional production. There is no question in my mind that this will last as an enduring classic of psychedelic trance throughout the years to come.

Patterns Of… is a curious experimentation, clocking in at a staggering 13 minutes in length. This sounds like a return to territory that BLT has covered in previous years – groovy psychedelic trance with a hypnotic arrangement. Despite being the longest track on the album, it leaves this reviewer with much less to write about than the rest. Aside from some solid work with a fat wriggling bass line, as well as the usual top-notch drumming, the song itself is active primarily on a subliminal level. The arrangement develops in an intelligent way, but one needs to listen closely to hear all the details. This approach causes this song to be quite hypnotic; it’s easy to tune out and drift off when this megalithic monster comes flowing out of the speakers. The story culminates with a massive surge of energetic rhythms and a well-suited sample that aptly concludes this tale of mathematical exploration.

The Missionary Mix of Space Boogie revisits another old classic from the BLT discography. Originally composed with DJ Nadi, it also happens to be the first BLT song I really enjoyed. This remix is the ultimate version no doubt, fleshing out the funky themes of the original into a dancefloor thrilling epic! Wild organs clash with menacing synthetic sounds to create a wicked fusion. James Brown samples perfectly compliment the eventual breakdown, and what else is there to say? This music is pure enjoyment distilled into an ideal blend of groove and energy – crank it up!

Epitaph features lyrics written and performed by the man behind the machine. This final song is composed by Yuli alone and, fitting for an album of this calibre, carries a strong personal meaning. I will leave the interpretation of the message up to the listener; I think it is enough to say that it suits the conclusion of the project as no other gesture could. The music itself is an ad hoc mixture of melancholic choirs and upbeat rhythms, exhibiting the depth of production and nearly unrivaled ingenuity heard all across the album. The final segment introduces an entirely different tone, getting down to business with a wonderfully funky lead for a minute or so. After that it’s all downhill, as the structure of the song unravels into the simplicity of the beat and finally echoes off into silence.

Anything U Want represents the final album of BLT, who announced the retirement of the project shortly after it was released. Only remixes and other leftover material remains to be featured on compilations around the world. Luckily, Yuli’s days of producing are not yet over, for he continues on in the guise of Perfect Stranger, crafting deep tribal progressive trance with the same level of quality one can expect from this master sound manipulator. I can think of no better way for Yuli to have laid the BLT project to rest, as this album possesses a nearly unparalleled level of quality. Anything U Want is a serious contender for the best album of 2004. BLT & Danny Makov set a high standard for all other psytrance releases to measure up to, without question. This future classic is essential listening for all psytrance fans; it seems improbable to me that the brilliance of this album would be lost on anyone at all. Highly recommended!