Trance legend John Askew summed up his experiences from over half a lifetime and channeled them into the tracks found on A Room Full of Pros & Cons.
Turn back the clock three decades, and you’ll find John Askew in the beginning stages of his career. Since then, he’s done everything from releasing seminal albums and taking the stage at the world’s biggest festivals to launching VII and touching other aspects of the music industry. While compilation albums have surfaced during this time, a full-length studio album has been sorely missing since the release of Z List Uber Star in 2008. Now, that’s changed as John Askew released his latest body of work, A Room Full of Pros & Cons.
A Room Full of Pros & Cons arrives after five years of production work from John Askew, a lengthy time span mostly due to his insane schedule, which is spread between his multifaceted role in the scene. That said, the 15 tracks crafted for the album are pure, unadulterated trance energy that’s become his signature over the years, creating an absolute delight of a listening experience that doubles as a look into the depths of his creative mind.
“Grave Digger” leads the journey with an eerie, cinematic intro before jettisoning you straight into a soul-soothing realm where trance is king. “Steady & Stronger” with Shelby Merry, “Push It,” and “UFO” keep that fast-paced energy front and center, rapidly taking you to an altered state of mind as the acid tones and strong melodies set a cosmic ambiance.
“00.00” offers a break from the madness as spoken word vocals begin to take center stage, acting as a proper bridge before “Be Careful What You Wish For” enters the fray. That tune sees John Askew team up with Lyonheart for an atmospheric ride with layers of breakbeats and vocals to entice you to take the next steps down the path he’s laid out for you. You’ll soon want to “Take A Breath” as you’re “Running in the Dark” during the next two tunes that act like a spark after the previous chilled atmospheres.
Yet, at this point, you’re not even close to the finish line; there are still six more tracks to go. Standouts in the last push to the finale include “Organism,” “Aces Hi,” and “Afterburner,” all of which are solo productions from Askew. Amid that run is “I Want Your Soul” with Sinful Blitz that feels larger than life, while the closing tune, “Wild Horse,” brings Shelby Merry back into the mix to set you free with an electronica-twinged, chilled-out ride. You’ll be left in a pensive state but ready to repeat the journey once again, so make sure to give A Room Full of Pros & Cons a spin.
Listen to A Room Full of Pros & Cons on Spotify or your preferred platform, and stay tuned for more from John Askew by following him on social media.
Stream John Askew – A Room Full of Pros & Cons on Spotify:
John Askew – A Room Full of Pros & Cons – Tracklist:
- Grave Digger
- Steady & Stronger (with Shelby Merry)
- Push It
- UFO
- 00:00
- Be Careful What You Wish For (with Lyonheart)
- Take A Breath (with Manika Kaur)
- Running in the Dark
- These Dogs Trust No One (Red Dragon Edit)
- Organism
- When Darkness Comes (with Shelby Merry)
- Aces Hi
- I Want Your Soul (with Sinful Biz)
- Afterburner
- Wild Horse (with Shelby Merry)
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