New track: Myon & Late Night Alumni - Hearts & Silence [Ride]
September sees Myon renew a studio relationship first formed in 2014 with his debut co-production with the US Late Night Alumni collective. Tonally and thematically ‘Hearts & Silence’ picks up where ‘Under Your Cloud’ left off. It again underscores the brilliant, near-alchemic triangulation between Myon’s clubbier, more driving studio instincts, L.N.A.’s cooler housier, elements and the quiet persuasion of singer Becky Jean Williams’ empathetic, affecting vocals.
On the club mix Myon‘s techier contours and more electro-lining FX light the track’s touch-paper. Against its riding percussion lines and elegiacally bleeping intro melody, collectively they instil a lament-filled emotive to its early minutes.
As sensitively written as they are deeply moving, Becky’s ‘Hearts & Silence’ lyrics and vocal put the brilliance of her from-the-heart songwriting into sharpest possible focus. As the track moves towards the drop, those more wistful vocal accents fade, replaced - in feel and tone - with first hope, and then belief.
Though their music Myon and L.N.A. skilfully shadow this transition. With evermore uplifting elements – orchestral strings, seaside atmospherics and beautifully crafted/strikingly elevating synths all supporting the shift, it swells to its heartening, enriching post-break conclusion. Classy, organic music making at its absolute finest, you can listen/buy Myon & Late Night Alumni’s ‘Hearts & Silence’ here: https://ride.choons.at/heartsandsilence
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Story of a track: Nikolauss - Lifdagar [Subculture]
How many times you wondered how a producer came up with a melody? What is the inspiration behind a specific track? How much did he/ she worked on it? What were the challenges?
Even if I live with the producer, even if know most of the challenges, a track is still a mystery for me at first listen. I usually replay it for a couple of times, to give it a proper listen. I usually replay it for a couple of times to give some proper feedback. And with Nikolauss's tracks this challenge is the strongest one. He is too close to my heart, so sometimes talking about his work with him can be quite harsh. Or too nice.
Lifdagar means "life" in old Icelandic. And this track means "life" to me too. It is all about what love, joy, energy, pure bliss. It was one of the fastest melodies that took life in my mind, but the most challenging one to put it in a track. - Nikolauss
When I first listened to Lifdagar, I was in a teambuilding with my colleagues and Andrei was home alone for the whole weekend. He sent me the link, and instead of "I miss you', he said "Please, let me know what you think about this track. Before thinking bad of him, for not saying "I miss you", you have to listen to the track again. Also, sometimes, many times actually, this is his way of expressing with no words. Sending a track and amaze me with what he can do. With how brilliant his mind can be.
This is pretty much our conversation about it:
Me: Mmmmmmm. New sounds.
Andrei: Yes. Do you like it?
Me: It sounds interesting. There is a "thing" in the track at the beginning. It feels like the track is going backwards for a moment. Is that intentional?
Andrei: Yes. I tried to to get out of the usual.
Me: Sounds nice. I really like the melody.
Andrei: Sure?
Me: Yes. Thought of a name yet?
Andrei: Lifdagar. Old Icelandic word. Do you like it?
Me: Mmmmm.. It sounds a bit heavy.
Andrei: I don't think so.
(2 days later, still away)
Me: I really like Lifdagar. It sounds amazing!
Andrei: :D So you like the name then?
Me: It grows on me.
Andrei: I love it. It is nothing common about it. It's different.
Me: I fell in love with it. Madly. Like I did with you 5 years ago.
Andrei: Come home.
Me: Coming to pick me up?
Andrei: YES.
That was pretty much it. I hit play and magic happened. I hit play and instantly fell in love with the melody, the vibe, the everything of the track. I put it on repeat, again and again and enjoyed every second of it. Every note of it. Lifdagar means to me, to Andrei , to us a lot. It is something different from him. Something mystical. Something to challenge his career and make him pursue this dream even more.
When he signed it with Subculture, when we saw John liked it, Neal liked it and they want it to the label, that was another special day for us. I usually show my joy like crazy, and Andrei is more quiet. He is happy with the results, but lets me show it. Lets me exteriorize all those emotions and pop the bottle of wine to celebrate.
I always joke with him about this, that I should leave him alone more often, if he does such amazing tracks like Lifdagar. But he always shuts me up when he insists that me being away was not the reason at all. It was the heat of the creative process. The moments, the special ones, when he opens Ableton and everything goes smoothly. All planets are aligned and work seems easy. If only every time would be like that!
Lifdagar had an amazing path till now, reaching no.3 on Beatport the other days, and still going strong in Top 10! It is amazing how much support it has from the trance community. It is great to see it played on amazing stages like Mainstage at Luminosity Beach Festival by John O'Callaghan (I was crying like crazy while in the crowd trying to see how people receive it, and they enjoyed it a looot!), at Subculture Australia by the same music man, and everywhere else around the world!
Hope you grabbed your copy: subculture.choons.at/lifdagar and checked its journey through Andrei's socials: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube.
Strongest message for trancers: Music rescues me - Paul Van Dyk ft. Plumb [Vandit]
Of course you already know about this beauty! But of course I had to write about it too. The message of it is too strong to miss it. Paul Van Dyk ft. Plumb - Music Rescues Me is the track to properly start and make people talk about his 9th album, album with the same name.
After collaborating with Plumb for the perfect "I don't deserve you" in 2012, this track is the perfect reunion of these amazing music people. ‘Music Rescues Me’s song is co-penned by the lyricist behind latter-day van Dyk anthem ‘Home’, Snow Patrol member and long-time personal friend, Johnny McDaid.
Paul & Plumb’s shared history reaches back three whole PvD albums, to ‘EVOLUTION’ and ‘I Don’t Deserve You’. Beloved by fans from both respective quarters, the pair stayed in close contact, looking for the right project to resume the partnership on. That came following a song-writing session between Paul and Johnny. “It took a little while, but, says Paul, in ‘Music Rescues Me’, I knew we had the right follow-up for Plumb”.
If you ask me, this track has the strongest message a track can have: Music rescues me. Music rescues us. I can't even remember how many times listening to a track got me out of a dark place or made my day better. I think we all can't see a life without music and we all have our stories to share. The track is simple, lyrics reach right to the heart and once you hit play you get to the right place: a place of happiness, of joy, of calm.
Set amidst epic, reverb-rich guitars strains and dynamic rhythms, ‘Music Rescues Me’ is a track whose rapturously positive-thinking/feeling chorus is only equalled by its imaginatively stimulating verses. Paul & Plumb’s ‘Music Rescues Me’ got out on September 14th through VANDIT Records. It’s available to stream/purchase here: https://lnk.to/PaulVanDyk_MRM
Alsooooooo, great achievement: Paul van Dyk received the Trance Master Award at the 21st annual DJ Awards. Right! Exactly what I am saying for years now. He is a trance master for a lot of us and the one that introduced us to this beautiful music. He deserved this award and deserves many more!
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‘Music Rescues Me’s October album launch show at new London club titan The Printworks is now less than a month out. Having already housed some of the biggest names in electronic music, on October 12, it’ll play host to Paul’s début performance of the album’s music. PvD will become the first artist to deliver trance to the history-steeped surrounds of the former newspaper printing plant. If you’ve yet to secure a ticket, don’t delay - the majority have already been snapped up! Get yours via paulvandyk.london today.
New track: Alessandra Roncone & Jak Aggas - Vivi La Musica [Degenerate Records]
A new track that caught my ears lately is the latest one from Alessandra Roncone, a collaboration with Jak Aggas, called Vivi La Musica, out with Degenerate Records.
And it caught me because of its simplicity. Because it is easy to listen. Because it is a very nice declaration for music and about music. I really like it. It starts powerful, it continues with a very nice uplifting melody and it gives you that good vibe you may need from time to time.
To be honest the meaning of the track is in what I say: music is not just music. Music is life and we have to let it flow inside us. This was the meaning. I made the melody as always: a normal arp following the chords I choose for the break. Nothing different from others of my tracks. It may seem like a simple meaning to the track, but it is what it is. Not as big in meaning as 'For Our Angels', but bold in statement: Don't just listen the music, but live it! - Alessandra
I also like the voices on it. Plus, its statement (told through Alessandra's voice): "La vita è musica. Falla scorrere dentro di te." (Music is life. Let it flow inside you). A very simple statement, but one that means a lot. A lot about trance music, about any music we might like and listen to every day.
And to be clear: I heard a lot of rumours about who is actually working on its own music or not, about who is using help or not. And I do not care. The truth is known only by the people involved, and it shouldn't impact our attitude towards music. If a track is good, it is good no matter what. No matter who worked on it or not. No matter who needed help or not. No matter who's name is on it or not. Music is music and it shouldn't be lead by names, but by the actual feelings it gives us.
Vivi La Musica is a good track and you should have it in your playlist too. Grab your copy here: degenerate.choons.at/vivilamusica.
Remix of the year: Cold Blue for Joint Operation Centre feat. Kate Miles - Behind The Silence [Subculture]
When I first heard the original I fell in love with it and had it on repeat for days. Literally on repeat. There was no other track that could make me feel what this one made me feel: A deep good darkness. Buuuut, when I heard this remix there were some serious goosebumps involved.
Cold Blue released this on August 24, with Subculture. You can grab your copy too, from here: subculture.choons.at/behindthesilence-coldblue .
If the original meant darkness to me, the remix is something else. As usual, Cold Blue managed to spin the track, the melody, the vibe of it into something le-gen-da-ry. Don't get me wrong. They both are legendary. And could easily be named some of the best tracks of this year. But Cold Blue made me love this even more. If that is possible.
This music man's touch is out of this world. I know. I sound like a complete Cold Blue junkie again. But I can't handle it. I really like how he played with it and gave it a special light. The remix sounds a little bit more playful. A little bit dreamier. At least to me. At least to my soul. Just hit play and you' hear exactly what I mean. You'll see the dance party from my heart. The happiness, the joy, the eargasm this track gives.
Enjoyed it on the dancefloor this year at Luminosity. I enjoy every second of it every time I hit the play button. It is one of my favorites for this year. Actually a lot of Subculture tracks are in my favorites this year. Really hope some are in your playlist too. They are doing great in the scene. They do this music justice.
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Deep darkness: Joint Operations Centre released Behind the Silence with Kate Miles [Subculture]
This is something sooooo dark, but soooo damn good! Joint Operations Centre comes back with a bang! His new track with Kate Miles, Behind the Silence just got released with Subculture on August 3rd and it is definitely something to have in your playlist.
Any day, Joint Operations Centre released something new, it is a good day. It does not happens that often, so we these kind of news makes me happy. Love John O'Callaghan's alias and work, so I can never keep quiet about it. It's been quite a while since he last released "Pathological effect".
It is the first time the darker Joint Ops sound has quartered a vocal, and a pretty darn special one it is too. Kate Miles is the girl on point. Together, she and John have conspired something hypnotic and alchemic for ‘Silence’.
Track sounds perfect. It has that darkness that captures your soul, but it doesn't make it a prisoner. It sets it free. Free to a world of deep sounds. Free to a clearer mind. Free to a goosebumpy state of mind.
Production-wise, John warps up a storm, echoing ‘Behind’s vocal refrains, whilst catalysing its perc loops. Underlain by the finest resounds of doomy bass, he draws its darker parts into the FX banks, from which they emerge frayed, distorted, but charged.
While her sweetly sung tones initially veil the track’s darker heart, Kate’s song quickly stirs the waters deeper still. With John’s violin and pianoforte poignancies underpinning it, come the chorus, the Norwegian singer swings the emotional wrecking ball for a final time, laying its truth bare.
‘Behind The Silence’ dropped on August 3rd. Stream/download here: https://subculture.choons.at/behindthesilence
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Step "Into the light" with Factor B [Subculture]
Well, I have to admit it: I am not the biggest Factor B fan, but his latest releases convince me. Also, the Luminosity set had a huge impact on that. He chose very well the right tracks to close the Pure Trance stage (Copacabana) in the last day of the festival. It was nice to be there on the dance floor, dance like there is no tomorrow and enjoy every minute of it.
And his latest release, "Into the light" is really good. Subculture has a new name on their roster, a very good one. The Aussie producer hit the release gas last year with an anthem convoy by the year;s end included "Invidus", "Liberator", "Origins" and "Something Like a Cure". "Into the light" follows this April's "White Rooms", out of the gate. Brendan topped his work till now.
‘Into The Light’ got its first airing (where else but!) ASOT850 back in February. Inside Jaarbeurs it more than proved its mettle, when Brendan closed his Road To 1000 set with it.
“Armin van Buuren, Solarstone and label boss John O’Callaghan are just some of the spinners who’ve since rallied to its radio & club cause, while DJ Mag UK scored it 8/10.”
To be clear, style and energy-wise ‘Into The Light’ is not kidding around! If your set of speakers is in need of something that doesn’t stint on sonic force, mass or motion, look no further. With a tempo that’s goes straight for the primetime jugular, more rousing sub-melody flow than the Jetstream and a heart as big as an ocean, ‘Into The Light’s got you covered. Pick it up/stream here https://subculture.choons.at/intothelight
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New track: Alex Ryan - Cala Conta [Vandit]
Anyone who’s ever made the trip (and guessing that’s a fair few of you) quickly finds their favourite Cala on Ibiza. Whether you figure on Figueretas, feel the bass of Bassa, lounge on Llonga, dart for d’Hort, go turbo for Carbo, or shuck yer shorts on Salinas, quite simply everyone’s got their spot!
For Alex Ryan, its Conta – a sandy enclave due west of San An, that quite clearly has made a special impression on the young producer. Returning to VANDIT’s ranks this week after his club hit ‘Atlantis’ stole hearts back in March, ‘Cala Conta’s a track that’s has soul to bare and spirit to burn.
If ‘Conta’ the track is anything to go by, Conta is indeed a place worth hitting. Sprung on a base of influential kicks, flamed percussion and sonorous bass, Alex stirs up its ether through female vocal harmonics. Every bit as engaging, its sub-melody sets it on its course to the break, where iridescent pads, translucent synths and, finally, ripping elevation await.
Moving, magical, inspiring or just plain up-for-it, whatever you seek, ‘Cala Conta’ will deliver. It’s available now through VANDIT here: https://www.beatport.com/release/cala-conta/2336860.
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Summer rush. Goosebumps rush. Euphoria rush: Cold Blue released a new track with Kearnage Recordings
New Cold Blue track alert! New Cold Blue track alert! He just released Rush, with Kearnage Recordings and it is one of my favourite tracks of this summer! This one went straight to my cart today! It is too great not to buy it and show some support for it.
Cold Blue makes a welcome return to Kearnage and showcases his immense talent for creating peak time trance monsters. Rush is destined to be one of the standout trance tracks for the summer of 2018 and has received early support from Bryan Kearney & John O'Callaghan. Don't miss out.
Early support from Bryan Kearney and John O'Callaghan. And how couldn't they not support it? It is huge!
Banged my head so hard on this one. Again, my colleagues at the office were a little bit surprised of what music can do to me. You'd believe after 2 years, they should be accustomed to that. But no. :) And I blame Cold Blue for this. He always finds new ways to amaze me and make me "manifest" on his music. 'Cuz it is a true manifestation on his latest track Rush. There is not only a dance party in my soul. It is a true journey. A true spiritual journey. I went to the moon and back. Definitely one of my favourites this summer. This year!
He opened his Luminosity set with this one. And it was the perfect opening, if you ask me. Right there, front row, on the dance floor, this sounded amazing. And other hundreds of people agree with me. They were right there. Next to me. Dancing like crazy. Crying. Feeling the joy. The pureness of the melody. Experiencing the magic. Enjoying it. Loving it.
Grab your copy of Cold Blue - Rush here: https://bit.ly/2m5PFEh.
I briefly saw him right before his set. And of course, like always, I forgot my own name. I forgot to speak English. I was on the verge of tears, while telling him how much his music means to me and how much it makes me happy. While telling him how much I look forward to his set.Even now, as I am writing this, I get really emotional. That short meeting gave me such a huge smile. Like always, Tobias was kind. And grateful. And simple. That's why I have this huge music crush on him. Because no matter what he is on of the most genuine music men around this industry. Because he always takes the time to bare with my emotions. With my thoughts. My music thoughts. Thank you, Tobias! Looking forward for the next one!
Shine Ibiza has an anthem now. The legend, Paul Van Dyk took care of it!
Sleeps counted less in weeks and more in days, the doors to SHINE - Ibiza’s new trance bastion unlock at Privilege’s Vista Club in early July. You know the dates, you know the day and you know the DJs (and if you don’t, those details are below!). You can have a reasonable guess at the music policy too, but the boys & girls at SHINE aren’t taking any chances there.
They dialled the Anthem Hotline and it was PvD who picked up. A between-albums project, under the Presents SHINE mantle, he rolled up sleeves and delivered a scene-setting encapsulation for his new residency.
Anthem by name and nature, the track wastes zero time in musically distilling the trance heart of Ibiza. Underpinned by a production as set-versatile as they come, Paul folds cyanic pads, temperate bass and chiming sub-melodies into its system. Super-heated key changes lift the track higher, before he draws its elements together, kissing them off fluently with a mainline that’s the very essence of Isla Blanca.
With DJ Mag commenting: “as moments in trance go this month, there’s few to beat its effect - 9/10”, ‘SHINE’s ready to take you to some very special places indeed (though one in particular!). The one your brain will have on repeat all summer long, SHINE on that crazy island here https://bit.ly/2tLDzob from today or listen via Soundcloud here https://bit.ly/2lA48b4
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