An in-demand remixer to all sorts (
Madonna to
Yoko Ono,
Stevie Nicks to
Wax Poetic),
Morgan Page has every financial reason to drag his feet when it comes to his own productions, which is why progressive house fans take notice on the rare instances when an album bears his name.
Believe is only his third release of original productions in over eight years and it’s the biggest to date, with guest vocalists like
Télépopmusik’s
Angela McCluskey and
Jan Burton bringing some serious crossover potential to
Page's smooth house constructions. Think
Deep Dish around the time of
Junk Science and you're close, although
Page follows in the spirit of
Dish collaborator
Richard Morel too, as some of
Believe’s more wistful numbers come off foggy and mysterious. Then there’s the more direct “I’ve Had Friends,” which curses backstabbers through a whirling dervish of eletro-tribal house beats and
Jan Burton’s feverish vocals. Regular
Page vocalist
Lissie is featured on the hypnotic late-night cover of
Pete Yorn’s “Strange Condition,” along with the richly textured dream world called “Believe.” While the melancholic mood throughout the record might wear on some,
Believe is a well-crafted mood piece for the prog house faithful, featuring all the murky atmosphere the producer’s underserved fans crave. ~ David Jeffries