FINLAND'S trance guru Darude will always be chasing the success of his 2000 debut, the hypnotic dance floor anthem Sandstorm. The track had huge worldwide sales and was a best-seller on 12-inch vinyl. Its popularity led to him doing a 2001 global tour, and after his seven week 'Tour de Trance' in the United States last year the tune won the Best Single award at the Golden Turntable DJ Awards there.
With Sandstorm on the track list, his debut album Before The Storm reached the top three in the dance charts in 10 countries.
There are already omens that with his second album - Rush - the Scandinavian has created another gem. But whether the album will have as much universal appeal as his first anthology remains to be seen.
The opening two tracks have both made it to number one on Finland's singles chart. Music grabs attention with its grinding bassline, while Next To You is more synthy with sweet female vocals.
Overall Darude produces a cheesy 'boom boom boom' Euro sound. It's uplifting at times, with lots of big riffs mostly at 140 beats per minute. It's feel-good techno, but really a poor man's version of better-known acts such as Paul van Dyk, BT, or Prodigy. It may appeal to a mainstream audience, but the devout clubber is more likely to get value for money.
