The Vitals:

Label: Deeplife Records
Genre: Progressive House
Number of Tracks:  4
How to Obtain: www.beatport.com

Factor Scores:

Production Quality: 7.0
Programming and Arrangement: 6.5
Entertainment Quality: 6.0
Total: 6.5 – Above Average

Z's Take:

Every Knee and Every Tongue (EKAET) is a four-track EP that includes two remixes of the original track and a second track titled "God is Love (remix)", which according to Dima's webpage is a Ukrainian Hillsong original.

I accidentally listened to the "God is Love" track first and that, combined with the artwork and the title of the EP, made me expect the EKAET tracks to be very string laden and worship stylized. I was surprised to instead find that the original and the two remixes were minimal stripped down trance tracks with only touches of the epic flavor I was geared up for by then.

The original "Every Knee and Every Tongue" track starts out with the bass and kick bringing an immediate minimal tribal energy. It builds slowly over the next few minutes as high-hats and dub/reggae tinged hits drop into the mix.  A delayed vox speaks "Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" in variations throughout the song. The song continues in the same minimal head-bobbing beat for most of the track, changing only briefly for the entire vox sample and then coming back in for a final 3 minutes.

The dub mix of EKAET is essentially the same mix as the original but without the vox sample.

On the third mix, Jeremy Kadinger gets his hands dirty and drops us into a similar minimal track with some nice flavor changes. The beginning of the track is very close to the original but within the first minute and a half of play time, a new spoken vox sample is added. This time, it is an extended sample that expounds a bit upon the original. Then, the track airs out into a simple—yet addictingly groovy—bass line that is reminiscent of early Scott Blackwell stuff. This mix isn't nearly as long as the original, but it gels perfectly with the other two mixes of this track.

Lastly is the remix of the "God is Love" song. As I mentioned, I listened to this track first. This song is more of what I expected from the entire EP as it immediately brings in some pads and synth sounds that weave into the nice four-floored kick and bass. At a minute and a half into the track, a synth-guitar brings in a beautiful melody and then lightly deposits us on top of a bed of bass and keys that carry the melody through the song. Throughout this track, there are hints of trumpets and organ that leave you feeling a little like you have come from a worship service. Though there are no vocals in this mix, the melody and keyboard notes are enough to bring a joyous energy to this track.

The quality and production of this EP is above average. Though there are a few minute details that could be cleaned up, this recording sounds polished enough to include in any mix set. The "Every Knee and Every Tongue" tracks are minimal and true to the genre but lack in any real energy that would keep me listening. They would be good to start an afterhours mix or something but need something more to bring them up to the next level.

The "God is Love" mix is by far my favorite on the EP. It brings a sound of worship and joy to the listener and definitely inspires me to dance. If the rest of the tracks on this EP were as full and melody-driven as the "God is Love" mix, the entire recording would be a must-have for any trance fan.

DJ Dima is one to keep an ear out for, though. This is his first EP, and already the production hints at future hits for him. I look forward to the next release by this talented DJ and producer.