It’s been awhile since I posted some new trance, but quite frankly there just hasn’t been that much good trance released lately. Hopefully, the dry spell is over as this new collabo from Ferry Corsten & Giuseppe Ottaviani is amazing. Ferry has been on a progressive house kick lately, straying away from his trance roots. This track is a return to the sound that made him most famous, euphoric, uplifting, melodic trance.
My deepest apologies for not providing the weekly dose of trance last week. To make up for it, I’m giving you a double dose of Trance Thursday with six brand new trance bangers. This week’s throwback track is a classic from Super 8 & Tab and is one of my favorite trance songs of all time.
Ferry Corsten has been taking a lot of heat lately for straying away from his trance sound and producing more progressive oriented tunes. Well luckily for all of us, Ferry is back with a vengeance and getting back to his roots. Kudawudashuda was first premiered by Ferry at some of his NYE shows POP and White Wonderland. It’s a choppy, hard-hitting progressive trance track with blaring synths echoing during the breakdown. Let’s hope that Ferry continues this trend and continues to pump out more true trance for the rest of 2013.
The Anjunabeats Vol. 10 release party was held in NYC last weekend at Roseland Ballroom. Sanity Dub by Ronski Speed has been featured recently in Group Therapy Radio episodes. It’s an upbeat, progressive trance song with plenty of melodic and dreamy chords that we’ve come to love from Anjunabeats. The compilation album from Above & Beyond is slated to release March 6th.
These next songs were all featured in Armin van Buuren’s latex mix album, A State Of Trance 2013. I selected four of my favorites to share for Trance Thursday.
Nehalennia is a collaboration between Armin and Arty that no one saw coming. In a recent interview, Arty proclaimed that he would get back to his trance sound in 2013. Well this song is definitely proof of that, and if he sticks to his word we’re in for some great music from the young Russian this year.
BT’s newest release Skylarking is an absolute masterpiece. It’s melodic trance to the core and the perfect tune to relax and set your mind free. BT has been absent from the trance scene lately so hopefully this is a sign for more releases in the near future.
Gaia is AvB’s heavy trance alias. He always cranks up the BPM on his Gaia releases and Humming The Lights is no different. Armin has been promoting a Who’s Afraid of 138 campaign recently, shifting the focus back to the true trance sound of super fast beats and pounding basslines. This song doesn’t quite get up to 138, but it seems we won’t be seeing any more We Are Here To Make Some Noise type songs from Armin.
Lost Language is yet another standout production from Alexander Popov. I love trance songs that start soft and slow. This track features exactly that with a brief, echoing voice sample. Then all of a sudden the bass starts thumping and the journey is off.
Super 8 & Tab released Elektra back in 2008. This is one of my favorite trance songs of all time and I think you’ll see why. It’s melodic and uplifting, yet funky and heavy at the same time. It features amazing progression, and it’s one of the songs that put Super 8 & Tab on the map.
Happy Trance Thursday to all! Tonight, I’ve got some great new trance tracks that have been released over the last couple weeks. The throwback track is not one to disappoint either.
Starting things off, we’ve got the latest Anjunabeats release and yet another song from the upcoming Anjunabeats Vol. 10 compilation. Nitrous Oxide brings us K.O. and I could not think of a more perfect song title. This track literally punches you in the face. Atmospheric synths, a grinding low end and quick key play are evident throughout while a minimal electro trance drop gives the track power for the live venue.
Rank 1 are titans of trance music and are widely regarded as one of the originators of the Dutch trance sound pioneered by AvB, Ferry Corsten, and Tiesto circa 2007. Their new collaboration with M.I.K.E. entitled Elements Of Nature should bring a smile to trance fans everywhere. A dark melodic tune with a fast-paced and uplifting vibe, Elements Of Nature puts a fresh spin on some of the more classic elements that encompass trance music.
Armin van Buuren’s 1999 hit Communication is undoubtedly one of the most iconic tracks in trance history. Its dark, haunting melody has stood the test of time, and while it certainly has a classic, late 90′s vibe it also still sounds amazing in 2013. With the ASOT 600 Expedition Tour right around the corner, Armin has released a 2013 remix package for Communication. Faruk Sabanci’s rendering enhances the airy piano theme and retools the main hook into a big, dramatic, and utterly riveting cascade of synths.
Ferry Corsten is without a doubt a legend in the trance scene. He’s been in the game for 20 years and continues to pump out hit after hit. His famous track Punk is one of his best efforts and one would think any remix would fail in comparison to the original. Well the young Russian, Arty, set out to prove the doubters wrong and boy did he ever. Released just over two years ago, Arty’s remix of Punk is one of my favorite dance songs of all time. I have never not heard this song go completely off in a live setting. Every time it gets played, people lose their shit and the dance floor gets destroyed. This is one of those songs that you’ll never get tired of, and when it gets stuck in your head it’s a pleasurable thing not an annoyance.
I’M BACKKKK! And just in time to post my top ten trance tunes from this past year. 2012 may have been a breakout year for trance in the United States. The scene absolutely exploded here and the rise of the Trance Family was quite evident. I’m really excited to see what is in store for the genre in 2013, but before we get there let’s take a quick look back at the top 10 from 2012.
10. Tritonal- Slave (Tritonal & Ben Gold Club Dub)
Yes, I’m extremely biased toward Tritonal. I couldn’t make this list without posting at least one track from Chad and Dave. Slave was definitely the biggest track for the Tritonians from the past year. USA!
This was one of the more underrated trance songs of this year. The build draws you in right from start. Once the bass hammer is dropped, there is no looking back. After the epic build comes a beautiful breakdown that sets up the crazy euphoric drop. Mad props go out to Rafael Frost for this amazingly crafted song.
8. Andrew Bayer & Matt Lange feat. Kerry Leva- In And Out Of Phase
Time to get a little deeper with my second favorite member of the Anjunabeats family, Andrew Bayer. In And Out Of Phase was one of the standout selections from Above & Beyond’s Anjunabeats Vol. 9 compilation. It’s definitely got more of a deeper, progressive feel, but is still plenty worthy of wrecking the dancefloor. Andrew Bayer has a new album coming out in 2013, and it’s safe to say he’ll have another massive year.
The original mix of Brute came out in 2011, but I’m able to feature this rework that was just released by Armin back in October. Brute is nothing short of a trance anthem. It’s trance music to the core with the fast pace, pounding drums, and heavy bass. The extra drum sequences added by Armin in this version put the icing on the cake.
Above & Beyond have been hammering out Bloom in most of their sets this year. It’s yet another banger from Anjunabeats and the perfect example of the ever growing trance 2.0 sound. The heavy bassline and pumping horns kick things off. The synth filled breakdown and drop get you lifted.
Two trance titans come together to rework the 1992 trance classic. The result is nothing short of incredible. Loops and Tings is a hypnotizing trance tune that got play across the globe in 2012. It was a staple for many of the top dj’s playing at Ibiza, ASOT Invasion, UMF, EDC, Creamfields, and Tomorrowland.
A&B released a slew of club mixes from their Group Therapy album in the last year. On My Way To Heaven was definitely the standout from the bunch. The buildup is one of the dirtiest we’ve seen from the UK group. It has a pounding, pulsing bassline and the vocals layered over the top are perfection. Having witnessed this song live at EDC and A&B’s Warfield show in SF, the drop goes off!
3. Dash Berlin feat. Emma Hewitt- Waiting (W&W Remix)
The original mix of Waiting was already a huge track in and of itself, but the W&W remix takes things to a whole ‘nother level. W&W probably experienced the biggest rise in popularity of any trance DJ(s) in 2012. The boys from the Netherlands took off thanks to help from Armin van Buuren. Their ASOT 550 anthem Invasion put them on the map, but this tune was by far their highlight of 2012. The drop is massive so crank this shit up to the max and get the party started!
Omnia and Ira are individual trance producers that teamed up to give us one of the year’s biggest hits. The song takes off right around the 1:00 mark. The glitchy synths and pounding bass grab your attention right away leading to the incredible build. The drop will make jump up and reach for the heavens.
Gareth Emery had another massive 2012 by releasing The Saga, DUI, and his remix of Labyrinth’s Last Time. However, Concrete Angel was by far his best song this year and IMO was the top trance tune of 2012. Thankfully, it was released all the way back in February so we got to enjoy the song for most of the year. I probably heard this track played in 90% of the trance dj sets I experienced live in 2012. That’s how massive this tune was. I also included the HUGE Craig Connelly remix for your listening pleasure. It was an incredible year for the Trance Family, cheers to an even bigger 2013!
My apologies for not getting Trance Thursday up yesterday. Just bump these tunes for your Friday parties instead! Duckies have a big game against Stanford tomorrow so I though a picture shout out would be appropriate.
This week I’ve got a variety of different Trance tracks that I think you’ll enjoy. First is a new original track from Seven Lions called The Truth. I’ve really grown to love Seven Lions sound. He is pretty much the only dubstep artist I’ll listen to anymore. The reason I’m featuring him in this post is because his style is more of a melodic, trance-infused dubstep. This song is his most upbeat one to date.
I’m really looking forward to seeing Ferry Corsten at POP on New Year’s Eve. He’s one of the true legends in trance music. His edit of System F Out Of The Blue and Cosmic Gate The Theme works so well. The mix is seamless; you can’t even tell it’s two different songs being mashed together. Prepare to get tranced out listening to this one.
Dyno by Mike Koglin and Genix was featured on Above and Beyond’s Anjunabeats Vol. 9 compilation. This was one of my favorite tracks off the album and I think you’ll see why. It’s so positive and uplifting, yet dirty at the same time. The pounding synths make you want to raise your hands in the air, but a shower might be necessary after the drop.
This week I’ve got a classic off Armin Van Buuren’s 2005 album Shivers. Empty State is a fast-paced tech trance banger. I love the vocal contribution from Mic Burns as well. This is a song fitted for a late night trance session, when the BPM gets cranked up a notch. It’s cool to see how Armin’s sound has evolved since his early production days.
For the second installment of Trance Thursday, I chose some tracks that have been in heavy rotation for me lately. I also wanted to feature an amazing documentary entitled “A Year With Armin van Buuren”. This documentary follows Armin through 2011, and shows you so many different sides of him. You get a great glimpse into the life of an icon, getting to experience first hand his creativity, drive, passion, and the empowering impact that he has on people.
To start things off, I found this gem while digging through my iTunes library last week. Ferry Corsten’s edit of Till Tonight by Laidback puts a trance twist on the progressive house anthem. The song had grown a little tired, but Ferry breathes new life into it.
This next song is a remix of Virtual Friend from Armin’s most recent album Mirage. BT does wonders to this song, and it’s no wonder because he’s one of the true veterans of the genre.
Like all Jochen Miller songs, Wild And Perfect Day reminds me of summer. This one has been on repeat since June and the Michael Jay Parker remix is fantastic.
W&W have been on a tear lately, and they’re truly one of the top up and coming trance duos. The MarLo remix of Impact has gotten support from all the top trance DJ’s the past couple months including Ferry Corsten, Markus Schulz, and Armin van Buuren.
The final song for vol 2 of Trance Thursday is a really dope mashup by Disfunktion. The majority of the track features Rafael Frost’s Channel 4, but it subtlely blends the piano and breakdown from Arty’s Kate. The result is an absolute must listen.
To wrap it up, heres a new one from Sebastian Drums. Best known for ‘My Feelings For You’ Sebastian has actually been running his own record label, Work Machine, for five years now. Here is his remix of the new Guetta song, Turn Me On
“Still With Me” by Tritonal was one of my favorites on their debut album, Piercing the Quite. This new club mix turns the track completely around, bringing new energy. They turn the once peaceful track into a big sounding, clubby and uplifting trance song with a lot of progressive elements to it. I’m in love Soto’s vocals, they work wonderful with the club mix’s energetic and euphoric sound. This song is currently the number one trance song on Beatport. Download: Tritonal – Still With Me (Club Mix)
Dirty South is just continueing on his massive year. Walking alone debuted on Swedish House Mafias Essential mix and is set to be released within the next week. This track brings sweeping synths, bass and perfect vocals from Eric Hecht. Download: Dirty South – Walking Alone (Original Mix)
Heartbeat is a Trance duo hailing from Argentina. They add various Spanish-styled note sections into their tracks, giving them a identifiable sound. They recent signed onto Armin Van Buuren label, Armada. This is there most recent single. Download: Heartbeat – Roses Never Cry (Original Mix)
It has been a little since my last post, but what can I say…. I am a busy guy! Todays post will be dedicated to trance music. We will have a little this and a little that from the biggest names. Its time to speed up the BPM.
First up Ferry Corsten & Armin van Buuren team up together to produce another track which will be featured on Ferry Corsten’s artist album this year. “Brute” is taking over the dancefloors worldwide by storm. This track has great potential, I feel like it needs a remix to send the build up to another level. What’s your thoughts?
A trance mix wouldn’t be complete without my favorite artist Gareth Emery. His new single “Mansion” is off the new album, The Sound of Garuda: Chapter 2. The album is definitely worth a listen.Download: Gareth Emery – Mansion