Lost Tribe — Gamemaster: storytelling in an extended mix
Gamemaster combines a spoken passage, a rolling groove and a melodic theme into an unusually theatrical trance record. The voice is part of the atmosphere rather…
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Ayla — Ayla: a journey through remixes
Ayla’s self-titled track became a fixture of melodic trance, with several mixes giving its central theme distinct treatments. The melody has an introspective quality even at…
Read story →Planet Perfecto — Bullet in the Gun: a harder club moment
Bullet in the Gun pairs a tough groove with a vocal hook and an extended club arrangement. Its sound captures a more forceful strand of the…
Read story →Alice Deejay — Better Off Alone: a pop-facing trance hook
Better Off Alone puts a memorable synth melody and a concise vocal at the centre of a dance-pop record shaped by late-1990s trance sounds. Listen closer…
Read story →Fragma — Toca Me: melody on the edge of trance and house
Toca Me connects a direct melodic hook to a club groove that crosses between house and trance. Its identity is compact, rhythmic and immediate. Listen closer…
Read story →Darude — Sandstorm: the riff that outgrew the club
Sandstorm is instantly identifiable from its insistent synth riff and relentless rhythmic drive. Its wide recognition can make the craft of the original arrangement easy to…
Read story →Cosmic Gate — Exploration of Space: propulsion first
Exploration of Space favours a tough rhythmic drive and a distinctive synth motif. Its energy comes from the way those elements lock together and repeat. Listen…
Read story →Armin van Buuren featuring Sharon den Adel — In and Out of Love
In and Out of Love pairs Sharon den Adel’s vocal with an expansive Armin van Buuren production. The vocal melody gives the track a crossover identity…
Read story →Above & Beyond — Sun & Moon: an anthem built around a song
Sun & Moon combines Richard Bedford’s vocal with the dramatic builds associated with Above & Beyond. Its chorus makes the track immediately legible even outside a…
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