Believe

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.