★★★★☆
Cosmic Gate’s sixth album, Start To Feel, exudes positivity and optimism right from the opening track, “Happyness,” which draws on a peaceful infusion of beats and a fluent bassline for that picture perfect summertime joyride. Emma Hewitt’s resonating vocals materialize after an intro of haunting solace on “Going Home,” making for the potential immaculate pairing of Cosmic Gate’s duality: Nic Chagall and Stefan “Bossi” Bossems behind the decks and the enchanting Ms. Hewitt’s presence on vocals.
Start to Feel is unabashed in its array of anthems: The synthy raise-your-hands-in-the-air of “Sparks After The Sunset” with Sarah Lynn, the cool reverb of “Yai,” the sexy club groove of the title track “Start To Feel” with Cary Brothers, the runaway winning potency of “So Get Up” and the synthesized effervescence of “Crushed” are all gems. It’s the skillful intermingling of love-letter anthems and heavy-hitter chart busters like these that Cosmic Gate have time and again flawlessly generated to make them masters of their medium.
Notably it’s “No One Can Touch You Now” featuring singer-songwriter Mike Schmid that delivers an unadulterated distinctiveness of rousing, breathy vocals and hastening ascending rhythm that makes it equally impressive as guy-gets-girl-loses-girl music video material, a dance floor-ready dedication and a throw-caution-to-the-wind reverence.
Once again Cosmic Gate has accomplished a coveted concoction of aural sensations to delight the masses on the dance floor, at music festivals and at intimate summertime gatherings to endure for generations.
