This review covers the euro house track Gasp – Heaven Is A Place On Earth (M@D Radio Vrs.).
This track was released in 2001 as a single along with 3 other versions and the track Hearth. This track is also a highly mislabeled track given other tracks out there by different artists can be quite similar. One track this is confused with is Wonderland – Heaven Is A Place On Earth [2002 Revival Mix] which is a very similar, but different track. Another track this is confused with is another somewhat similar track Ruudaman feat. I-Witness – Heaven is a Place on Earth. Those, of course, are just the tracks that we’re aware of. All of these tracks are just covers of Belinda Carlisle – Heaven is a Place on Earth. Either way, this is not an easy track to properly identify if you don’t have the original source sitting around.
The choir-like vocals worked quite well for this track. It’s ironic that so many other versions didn’t necessarily have this effect, yet the original track had this effect. I would say this was the best use of the vocals overall.
Lyrically, the main vocals are quite simple as they are just the chorus, but given what else is going on in the track, this isn’t really a problem.
The secondary rap vocals can be a little hard to understand, but they can be made out. Ironically, by obscuring the words, it dulled the effect of cliche lyrics. In the process, they also do an interesting job at balancing out the main lyrics and wound up being a nice addition to the track.
In the track is a main melody thrown into the mix. It’s a third element that generally sits in its own section of the track. It has a subtle slide effect which does add to the overall sound. It also works quite well for an overall effect that elevates the quality of the track.
The subtle gallop-like bass-line adds a nicely done rhythm to the track. While mastering does drown out this on some parts of the track, it surprisingly doesn’t affect the overall quality of the track.
One aspect of the track that might be a bit of a turnoff to some listeners is the fact that this has a very highly processed sound to it. Some people might not like this effect, but I didn’t mind the sound personally.
Overall, I thought this was a great track. It has a nice choir-like effect on the vocals and the rap sections didn’t hurt this track at all. It might not jive with some peoples taste in music mainly because of the overall highly processed nature of the track, but I didn’t personally mind. The only reason it doesn’t get anything higher than an 8 is because mastering does drown out some elements from time to time.
Score
8/10
Drew Wilson on Twitter: @icecube85 and Google+.
What IS that guy saying??
All that i’m sure of is
“ya gotta put ya hands togethah”
sounds like something about stardom as well?
I think you’re right on the lyrics. I think it’s “Let’s see what you need with the stardust”. In this version, it’s REALLY hard to tell for sure what the male vocals are saying. Luckily, the Wonderland 2002 Revival version of this track is significantly easier to understand. I’m not convinced it sounds as good (weirdly enough), but it’s definitely easier to understand.
Where IS that version. even when it claims to be wonderland and the revival mix on the CD version, it appears to be the gasp track. i CANNOT tell the difference.
i’ve found the real ruudaman track, and it NOT similar enough to be confused. it’s a cover, instead of sampling the original like this one does.
That’s odd. As far as I know, the 2002 revival mix is typically found on collection CDs (Discogs). Fortunately, it can at least be found on YouTube easily enough if that helps.
That’s what i HAVE found, and it sounds the SAME.
I strongly suspect “Wonderland” IS Gasp, as there are zero verified singles for the wonderland one, but there IS for Gasp version.
Such minor edits, with exactly the same vocals, synth lines, etc. i just can’t see something being copied THAT wholesale unless WOnderland doesnt’ actually exist, and it is gasp after all.
Ok think I finally got it.
“What you see what you need with the stardust… stardom”
You gotta put your hands together, put your hands together, put Your Hands. (Close enough..)”
X2
“Put. Your. Hands. Hands. Put put your your hands hands hands hands. Put. Your. Hands. Hands. Put put your your hands hands stardom”
never mind.
it really seems that the wonderland track is a fairly close COVER of the Gasp track, however strange that is. It does seem to be made from the same midi file, so to speak, with very minor alterations. It’s the Wonderland version that clearly says “close enough” in the rap parts, and i still dunno what Gasp’s original version actually says, but it’s NOT the same. The reverbs are not the same either.
The Ruudaman feat. I-Witness track is nothing like either, and is an actual cover with the complete lyrics. As near as I can tell this mistake got picked up in ddrei tournamix 2 or 3 (i forget which) and made it hell actually tracking down the song for me.