Craig Connelly takes trance music to 'A Sharper Edge'
It was inevitable. We knew it was going to happen again. We knew that Craig Connelly will come up with a new album sooner or later. And the news is finally here now: On May 15, we will all be able to enjoy a trance journey like no other.
4 singles, 7 vocals and 3 more collaborations in one place. Craig Connelly does knows how to pick the vocalists to work with. Really nice people and voices out there. I only listened to the previews on Beatport and already pre-ordered my copy. I know most of them will also be released as singles later on, but I really want the full experience in my playlist. I recommend you do the same. From all the 14 tracks in the album, I heard a couple in Craig sets and like all the other trance fans, I was waiting for a sign the tracks will have a release date. It started with Tranceatlantic, and then with the newly released Time Machine and now, it is all revealed.
From the previews only, you can start a little dance party in your house. Each track is sharpened to perfection. Strong, but emotional. New, but here to last. I could prematurely say that 'Time Machine' with Tara Louise, is one of my favourites, because super strong vocal :D. But also, 'Earth Dimension C-137' - that somehow has a darker side from my point of view, 'Watch the Way You Move' - it is very dance-ish and it give me some positive vibes, 'The Fire' - the collaboration with Peter Steele I knew it was coming and I really like the end result, 'Tranceatlantic' - the collaboration with Factor B - that I already love and is always sending me on the best trance journey; it's very optimistic, and 'Inhale' with Will Rees and 'Run Away' with Cammie Robinson.
You can pre-order it here: blackhole.complete.me/sharperedge.
I’ve so much to talk about with this project, but first I’ll start by saying in my opinion, this is undeniably the best music I have ever created...It’s very a club focused record, every track has been made with the dance floor in mind. There are some subtle moments but I mainly created this album to be an absolute stormer, be prepared for a journey like nothing you’ve heard from me before...
I think we all need this album now more than ever, so if you thought I was taking time off during lockdown think again, this is the start of a years worth of brand new music for you guys to enjoy which I’m sure we will dance to together as soon as we can. - Craig on his Facebook page.
Follow Craig on his socials: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Spotify, Soundcloud, Beatport to be in touch with all the new stuff is sharing and don't forget to pre-order the album!
Tracklist:
01. Craig Connelly - Sonic Grey 02. Craig Connelly feat. Tara Louise - Time Machine 03. Craig Connelly - California 04. Craig Connelly feat. Karina Ramage - Life Half Lived 05. Craig Connelly - Earth Dimension C-137 06. Craig Connelly feat Natalie Major - Watch the Way You Move 07. Craig Connelly - Everyone Loves a Triplet 08. Craig Connelly feat. Tara Louise - What Are You Waiting For 09. Craig Connelly & Peter Steele - The Fire 10. Craig Connelly feat. Alex Holmes - Anything Like You 11. Factor B & Craig Connelly - Tranceatlantic 12. Craig Connelly feat. Siskin - All for Love 13. Craig Connelly & Will Rees - Inhale 14. Craig Connelly feat. Cammie Robinson - Run Away
SUPER8 & TAB’S SCORCHIN’ RECORDS ACTIVATES NEW PROGRESSIVE DIVISION
SCORCHIN’ PROGRESSIVE imprint launches with DREAMS’ EPIC ‘HALCYON’
Scorchin’ by name, scorching by nature - Super8 & Tab’s label has blazed the proverbial trail over the last twelve months. Dropping genre hybrids onto clubfloors left & right, it’s already put new artists like Avenia, Sodality, Hamzeh, Emerge and Zach Evans on the map.
Throughout the spring of 2020 the two Fins are keeping themselves plenty busy with new Scorchin’ singles, the May-release of their fourth artist album (‘These Little Stories’) and April’s 200th episode of their SuperTab radio show. In and amongst though they’ve still found a window to add a new arm to their label. Tightening the genre aperture, the new imprint stylistically zooms in on their first love - here comes Scorchin’ Progressive!
Beginning operations this very day, Scorchin’ Progressive places Dreams’s (title-says-all!) ‘Halcyon’ into high orbit. The work of Anton Sonin (who previously worked with S8&T on the floor-adored ‘Black Is The New Yellow’), it bares all the hallmarks of the new label’s sonic creed. Built ground-up with cooler pacing, thermal pads and bassy undulation, its melodic and harmonic elements sit in the foreground, while its floor-shifting strengths are cloaked within its production engine.
‘Halcyon’ delivered, Francesco Sambero’s double-A side ‘Ghosts’ & ’Can’t See Anybody’ is next down Progressive’s barrel, swiftly followed by label debuts for Reznor, Tom Klav and others. Shedding more light on the music itself, Scorchin’ Progressive’ will take centrestage in Episode 200 of Miika & Tab’s SuperTab Radio, which airs April 22. ‘These Little Stories’ - their new artist album (featuring collabs with Armin, Rodg, Christina Novelli, Jess Ball and others) will debut in May.
‘Halcyon’ from Dreams is available to stream or purchase here (https://scorchin.complete.me/halcyon) now; more info on all of Super8 & Tab’s upcoming activities is available through the online resources below.
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COSMIC GATE CONFIRM 4TH ‘WAKE YOUR MIND SESSIONS’ EDITION
New compilation incoming! Lock May 1st in your calendars!
If last years they were pretty busy with their 20 years anniversary artist album Forward ever, Backwards Never, the time for #WYMS is here back! Skipping it for one year, only because of other priorities, the 4th edition is coming back stronger than ever. Outside of club engagements, remixing Armin's "Something Real" and releasing their "You Mind" single, Nic and Bossi spent the last few months shaping an emotional, exceptional and best out of 4 Wake Your Mind Sessions.
The first glimpse of that can be had this very day as the pre-order curtain (cosmicgate.complete.me/wyms004) has gone up on ‘Wake Your Mind’s next sensational ‘Session’! While there are sonic riches aplenty on board, first thing’s first, that most critical of release dates for your diary: May 1 is the day, folks - so mark it!
As some see compilations as only 'drag and drop', there is also another side of the story, where these are higher-achieving, more evolved and labour of love music compilations albums. Cosmic Gate's Wake Your Mind Sessions is more like the latter. The guys combined the most recent and best works from Armin, Above & Beyond, Grum, Spencer Brown, Genix and others, but also uped the game with music plucked desk-hot from the studios of CG's most 'dependables'. This compilation is also the premiere point for their own purpose-built creations and new Wake Your Minds Records signings.
For early pre-order adopters, three instant-grats from the album (gardenstate’s ‘Delta’, ‘Paradigm’ from Kolonie and Cosmic Gate’s own ‘Your Mind’) are already available. Further, giving you an ear/lip-smacking foretaste of all that’s in store, track clips are available here and you’ll find the comp’s full rundown spec below. More Cosmic Gate WYMS004 news to follow shortly!
Mix 01.
01. Nihil Young & Less Hate - Loss
02. Jonathan Rosa featuring Kyla Millette - Daylight (Simon Doty Remix)
03. All Living Things - Programme Music
04. Sudhaus & The Wash - Meridian (Solid Stone Remix)
05. Tinlicker featuring Run Rivers - Vanishing (Dosem Remix)
06. gardenstate - Delta
07. Fuenka – Bogano
08. ANUQRAM - Bionic Soul
09. Rafael Osmo - Allenby
10. Spencer Brown & Wilt Claybourne - Womaa
11. Chicane featuring Moya Brennan - Saltwater (AVIRA Remix)
12. Rolo Green – Kuat
13. Marc Marberg - Guarana (Kyau & Albert Rework)
14. Cosmic Gate & Foret - Need To Feel Loved
15. Kolonie - Paradigm
Mix 02.
01. Cosmic Gate - Your Mind (Intro Mix) 02. Paul Thomas & White-Akre - Vyote (Grum Remix) 03. Bryn Liedl - Rites 04. gardenstate - Polyform 05. Genix - Rave Daze 06. Andrew Bayer - Parallels pt. 2 07. Mohamed Ragab - Recoleta 08. Greenhaven DJs - To Those Who Forgot 09. Above & Beyond featuring Richard Bedford - Bittersweet & Blue (Above & Beyond Club Mix) 10. Armin van Buuren & Avian Grays featuring Jordan Shaw - Something Real (Cosmic Gate Remix) 11. Cosmic Gate - Universal Love 12. Patrick White - Flowing Dream 13. Thomas Mengel – Axiom 14. Daniel Wanrooy - Endless Universe 15. Mauro Picotto - Lizard (Cosmic Gate Remix)
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Something different: ZOO BRAZIL - FOR SINS AND FALSE ALARMS
Not the usual trance we talk about here, but good music. Trust me.
Stylistically classifying what Zoo Brazil does is a feat most John Andersson watchers gave up on time ago. Never out of design, a desire to confound or to duck the sound-du-jour, it’s simply a consequence of his deep-within musical wanderlust. As a result, more than the average, Zoo Brazil’s longplayers have served as critical waypoint snapshots of where – musically - John’s at.
The transitional arc of his last three have been particularly contrasting. 2012’s ‘Any Moment Now’ was his most song-centric, while ‘Point Of View’ in 2018 saw him explore an as-pacey, but altogether moodier, sombre and possibly even more introspective sonic. And come 2020, through ‘For Sins And False Alarms’, another acknowledgeable different theme prevails. Two years and two months removed from ‘Point Of View’, the Swede fields 12 new tracks, which see the tone deepen and the musical outline reshape into something altogether clubbier.
More instrument-driven in nature, its vocal-less numbers regularly touch on styles broadly housey (both classic and contemporary) and techno-like in style. The vocal cuts that do exist have allowed John to resume working with a close-knit group of singers. ‘Any Moment Now’ and ‘Point Of View’ alumni Ursula Rucker returns, whilst having sung on ‘POV’s ‘Nine Mind’, English songstress Mama’s also back behind the mic. John’s brought new blood in too, with Laura Bettinson (under her FEMME pseudonym) likewise lending voice to ‘Sins’.
‘Getting Closer’ strikes a breezily positive opening note for ‘Sins’, which - through its riff sway, French House suggestions and strummed guitars summons much coastal ether. Every bit its partner, ‘Brighter Than The Sun’ adds bass pulse and shaking breaks, before underscoring its blissed-out chorus with subtle 303. Routing the album down a sparser, more minimal line, ‘I Don’t Remember’ hooks the attention with its haunting sirenic female harmonies and deceptively slight timbale percs. ‘Mystery Walk’ raises the bass profile, kicks the tempo up again and goes night-time cruising. Maintaining the floor pace, ‘Intersong’ brings undulating LFO waves, harmonic float and bass guitar thrum, while reverb, vocoder & snare mark out ‘Alone’s production.
As it passes its midpoint, John unscrews the vocal valve some, releasing more song-led cuts into ‘Sins’ system. Wrapped in an irresistibly groovesom production and lent classic house style by Ursula Rucker, ‘Never Enough’ delivers a stream-of-consciousness on consumerism. ‘Were sophisticated monsters of glamour’ smoulders London-born/Berlin-based singer Mama on ‘Monique’, as John’s production feeds the track house-sultry rhythms and melodies. ‘Atlantis’ meanwhile ushers in some Knuckles/Heard vibes & instrumentation, before ‘Change You’ housily pumps thing back up, replete with it every-bit-as Chicago-esque male vox. Tying off ‘For Sins And False Alarms’, ‘Sweet Talk’ flips both tone and chromosome, as singer FEMME upliftingly brings the album to an end-of-the-night-vibed conclusion.
With subtlety it’s foremost watchword and sophistication a close second ‘For Sins And False Alarms’ by Zoo Brazil sees release on March 27. Full tracklist details are below and you can preorder it from today here (https://magikmuzik.complete.me/sinsandalarms).
1. Getting Closer 2. Brighter Than The Sun 3. I Don't Remember 4. Mystery Walk 5. The Sun 6. Intersong 7. Alone 8. Never Enough (with Ursula Rucker) 9. Monique (with MAMA) 10. Atlantis 11. Change You 12. Sweet Talk (with FEMME)
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Markus Schulz brings Destinations to Spotify
Every journey’s gotta have a destination in mind and this one’s certainly no exception! At the start of the year Markus Schulz's unquenchable love of mixing set him down a new path. Destinations (available now exclusively through Spotify) is his new monthly mix concept. With its own individual mandate, the show will provide fans with a monthly streaming partner to the airing of his weekly, award-winning and now eighteen-years-and-running Global DJ Broadcast radio show
Comprising of 30 tracks, it puts into the sharpest of perspectives Markus’s broad canvas of electronic music loves. Voyaging the techno-depths, travelling the prog foothills and reaching up to the trance heights, each mix journeys towards its Destination. Setting it apart from GDJB, Markus has used the new format to dig back into the crates in order to contrastingly set some legacy tracks - both well-known and more personal ones - into each edition.
A new episode of Destinations becomes available on the first Friday of every month, with the complete playlist available through markusschulz.complete.me/destinationsplaylist. Online today, March’s features fresh cuts from BT, Protoculture, Above & Beyond, Oliver Smith, Purple Stories Anske and others. Seamlessly woven in & around are tracks more classic in nature, including those from Chicane, Gabriel & Dresden, Giuseppe Ottaviani and Markus himself.
For those with one eye/ear on the future and the other on electronic music’s rich and storied past, Destinations splits the atom. Hit up Spotify to check this month’s Destinations now.
Destinations:3 Tracklist:
01. BT - Atari's Lantern [Armind] 02. Oliver Smith - Warehouse [Anjunabeats] 03. Rodg - 9th Ave [Armada Music] 04. Mike EFEX - Exodus [Coldharbour Black] 05. Anske - Back in Time [Coldharbour Recordings] 06. Yuri Kane & Ana Criado - Running Wild [Raz Nitzan Music] 07. Protoculture - Titan [A State of Trance] 08. Mr. Pit - Shana (Plastic Angel vs. Duderstadt Remix) [Armada Music] 09. Above & Beyond - Blue Monday [Anjunabeats] 10. Daxson - Bexley Square [Coldharbour Recordings] 11. Ferry Corsten & HALIENE - Wherever You Are [Flashover Recordings] 12. Ruben de Ronde & Evgeny Lebedev - Neverlost [Statement!] 13. John Grand - Echo Memory [Euphonic] 14. Markus Schulz presents Dakota - Who Are You [Coldharbour Recordings] 15. Cosmic Gate & Ilan Bluestone - Be Your Sound (Ilan Bluestone Remix) [Wake Your Mind] 16. Andy Moor - Resurrection [AVA Recordings] 17. Tom Fall - Arcadia [A State of Trance] 18. Markus Schulz & Adina Butar - Indestructible [Coldharbour Recordings] 19. Mr. Sam featuring clAud9 - Cygnes (First State Remix) [Magik Muzik] 20. Daniel Wanrooy - Back for More (Markus Schulz In Search of Sunrise Rework) [Coldharbour Recordings] 21. Arkham Knights - Medusa [Coldharbour Recordings] 22. Holbrook & SkyKeeper - The Endless [Flashover Recordings] 23. Giuseppe Ottaviani - Aurora [Black Hole Recordings] 24. Pants & Corset - Malice in Wonderland 2019 (Phutek Remix) [HTE Recordings] 25. Claus Backslash - Mysterious Ways [We Are Trance] 26. Purple Stories - Breathless [Coldharbour Recordings] 27. ENZO - Letting Go [AVA Recordings] 28. Sean & Xander - 29 [M.I.K.E. Push Studio] 29. Markus Schulz and Departure with Gabriel & Dresden - Without You Near (Fisherman Remix) [A State of Trance] 30. Chicane featuring Moya Brennan - Saltwater [Armada Music]
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LIVE 3.0 BEGINS: GIUSEPPE OTTAVIANI LAUNCHES V.3 OF HIS LIVE CONCEPT
We all have seen the announcement on his socials. We all watched the short videos of his updated concept of 'studio-in-a-case'. We all booked tickets to at least one event where he will be doing this. 2020 is the year of Giuseppe Ottaviani 3.0.
New decade, new gear. Having changed electronic music’s live performance game once, Giuseppe Ottaviani does it again. We've seen him create music, in-club, in real time, launch that music (Evolver album), doing some stellar shows with Live 2.0. But now, he steps up his game, advancing it to give the musician near limitless control over each & every sound he delivers.
Giuseppe expands: “trance starts and finishes with its music and our shared experience in hearing it. That’s what sets our sub-genre apart and makes it unique. The artist who can customize the floor experience to the audience to the greatest degree is the one who’ll reap the greatest crowd response. That thinking has been central to everything I’ve done for many years now and without doubt is the driving force behind the Live show experience. My goal is to make every element of the music played exclusive and unique to the set, the night and the moment. Live 2.0 was heavily geared towards that, but I think through 3.0, I’ll be within touching distance of that aim”.
“While its previous version was all about creating new music live on stage, he continues, Live 3.0 is about individualising the performance of the music that the previous version helped birth. Performing a track generally means you can play it a number of different ways. With 3.0 though, that’s rendered near infinite. Adding or subtracting sounds depending on the setting, time of the night or read of the crowd - every track played can - and will - take on a new profile, effectively being tailor ‘remixed’ to that moment.”
What’s inside the case ---
To do this, from its casing up, Giuseppe’s completely rethought his technological marvel. With performance at its heart, it has for the first time a striking lighting/visual aesthetic. “With 2.0 people couldn’t see me play its keyboard component as it was desk level and within the box. With 3.0 the two keyboards and the drum machine are raised up high, which will naturally brings a far greater connection between what the audience sees and what the audience hears”.
Technically I will have one laptop running 6 stems per track, which will harness full control of the kick drum, bass, leads, pads, vocals and drums of every single track. The second laptop will hold all my keyboard sounds and additional loops & effects. In this way I can, for example, mute the original kick drum of the track and play a break-beat loop from the drum machine, or I can mute the lead and play a different melody on my keyboards, or even solo the vocals, applying something in their place… Sonically, it’s gonna be the wild west!”
Where & when ---
Throughout 2020, at festivals and arenas around the planet, Giuseppe will bring the tracks you love, albeit sounding studio-box-fresh and with the additional anything-can-happen thrill of live. Edging musician and machine that much closer together, Live 3.0 rolls out Q1, 2020.
For more information and updates, connect through the links below.
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Album of the year: Cold Blue - 'the sensual' WINTER
Oh my. Cold Blue related news. So, expect for an “awww”, “awesome”, “perfect”, “best” kind of article. You know I can’t hold myself when it’s about Cold Blue and his music.
This article is in my drafts for a week now. It got a while for the whole album to sit, to break the Spotify algorithms because of how much I had it on repeat, and to give me the right words to describe it.
I could say this is Album of the year for me. I know I said it before about other albums, but this ones make it for me. And yes. Because it’s Cold Blue. Because I love everything that comes from his hands, his brain, his SOUL. Only the news of the album convinced me this will be epic. The name. The artwork. COLD BLUE. All this is enough for me to call it album of the year, without even a listen.
When I hit play tough, my life was turned upside down and back to normal. It did convince me even more this is album of the year and it deserves all the attention. “Winter” is a complete journey through feelings and emotions. A complete saga into trance music. You can grab your copy here: https://blackhole.complete.me/winter.
“Generally I find the winter season to be more of a challenge. Something to be “gotten through”, a necessity before spring and summer are back around. So as much as this album is a “celebration’ of winter, it’s also dedicated to periods when we experience retreat and introspection. It’s a tribute to the ups and downs in life. During every downtime, there are important lessons to be learnt for the next rise. To my mind, in spring we grow, in summer we shine, but in winter we learn.”
And how nice it that? I never thought of winter like that, but now I reading what Tobias is saying, I completely agree. It is a very nice metaphor of what seasons are. Of what seasons can be to us.

Of course, I have to give my full review to this and please, don’t ask me about a favorite. It is too damn difficult to choose. Each track is perfect in its own way and the whole experience is really special to me.
In Peace – this will be my new meditation song. It is exactly what the title says. PEACE. Peace of mind. Peace of joy and happiness. Yes, peace. It is about that feeling of happiness and peace, of a clear mind and soul. Very cool introduction to the rest of the album.
Shine – cheerful. Instantly putting a smile on my face. The mysthical voices, the melody, the whole trakc is hypnotic. Perfect way to get into the meditation place I am talking about in the previous paragraph.
Winter Gates – Or more: Travel to the Winter Gates? It feels like a travel to me, this one. Driving. Strong. Motivating the listener to reach that place, which the Winter Gates hold. It feels like it is the last step before reaching it.
Golden Leaves – A classic in disguise. The melody of this track is taking me back to that meditation ‘peace’ of mind. The piano in this one is so soft, so emotional, so gentle. Like a caress. I can feel its touch till my bones. Till my last atom. Goosebumps to the soul.
November Rain – It feels like November. Like a cold, but still cozy one. Good for a retrospective. A quick look back to what was before, but still with a thinking ahead. It’s optimistic.
Frozen – Contradictory to the name, this track is quite hot to me. It makes winter feel lighter. Softer. Warmer. It shatters all the “ice” with its warmth. It feels like a hug.
In Madness – darker. Proper name for it. It sends me to …And madness remains? Could be a follow up. Could be linked. Could be not. Thing is, in combination with it, it’s a very strong statement. And one I completely agree with. Because madness is not bad. Madness is not negative. When you put it to work, you can only do good in the world. We are all mad. Mad with our passions, mad with our dreams. We just have to make them happen. 🙂
Colors – Dreamy. Covering the full spectrum of colors, I can see this track filling its name shoes. It’s like a travel through the rainbow. Through the universe. It sends me a bit to Interstellar and the feelings I have every time I listen to that soundtrack. Optimism. Hope. Happiness.
Recovery – Uhhhh this one. This one takes the morning mediations even further. It somehow highlights all my thoughts and wishes. It puts them in order. It perfectly aligns the stars in order to reach my goals. Calmly. In no rush. This is the vibe I am getting from this one.
Ode To The Sun – SPECIAL. Something really really special. Not only it is dedicated to one of our life sources, but it feels like the star itself. Grandious. But still small on our sky. Powerfull. But still gentle. Energetic. It makes you cherish each small thing in life. It makes you gratefull.
Reflections – Romantic. Sensual. Sexy I would say. Like a summer breeze. Like a night at a cabin, in the middle of the mountains. Like a FOREVER moment. It is a very good track to think of all these. To plan them. To enjoy them. To never miss a joy in life. To never miss a smile. To never miss the love.
The whole album is like a love letter. At least I see it this way. It is dreamy. It is full of hope and ful of thoughts. Thoughts of good moments. Joys and happiness. Thrill and butterflies. It can be a love letter to a lover. To a friend. To a moment. To anything that YOU want.
This may not be the usual album review, some may be used to, but it is how I see this music. I could never write about technicalities. Music is not about that. It is about feelings. The feelings it gives you when you first hit the play button. The feelings it gives you when you have it on repeat. The feelings you have on the dancefloor. The everyday feelings.
What’s your view on the album?

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Light Years. A journey through the Cosmic Gate.
There is no secret. I like Cosmic Gate. A lot. I loved them. Their music shaped my ears through the years, made me love trance music more and contributed a lot to my dance parties in the office, at home, in the bus, pretty much everywhere.
Recently, they launched a new single, called Light Years. The track is taken from their Forward Forever Backward Never LP, coming on August 23.
Track first.
It is a journey. It is the Cosmic Gate journey they take us to, each time. It makes you instantly recognize it is a Cosmic Gate track. You already know the sounds that give you goosebumps, the one that make you jump and the ones that make you lose your mind on the dancefloor. It is classic. New, but classic.
And of course, I like it. There is no saying Cosmic Gate, without me liking it. This track reminds me of something old, but something new. I really like the euphoric sounds and the drive this track has. Sugar, spice and everything nice. This were the first words that came through my mind when I first hit the play button.
Cool and melodic in all the right places, euphorically summit scaling everywhere else - you can experience that ‘Light Years’ feeling for yourself right here, right now (stream or download here: https://cosmicgate.complete.me/lightyears)
Now, the album.
[Previously] Fair to say Cosmic Gate have had a pretty charmed start to their milestone twentieth year. The first six months alone have seen the duo serve the aforementioned brace of Beatport #1s with the MINT-playlisted ‘Come With Me’ and the “profound” (say DJ Mag) “9/10” ranked ‘Need To Feel Loved’. January brought word of their first Grammy nomination and further saw the group kick off their Forward Ever, Backward Never tour – one that to date has touched 30 cities globally.
I listened to the album, and it has some really interesting tracks in it. Some classics reworks (like The Wave and Not Enough Time), some remixes from Cosmic Gate for Tracks like Need to Feel Loved or Lizard (I really likee their take on Mauro Picotto's classic <3), remixs from other artists (like Ilan Bluestone or Andrew Bayer), but also new stuff. You'll definitely be in for a treat.
Side not. Maybe because I like the track too much, the album name it remindes me of Forward Forever from Orkidea (the Indecent Noise Remix), but I may be only me. Beside all this, the album is great and it definitely deserves your attention.
You can head to your portal of choice (https://bit.ly/32T9K4T) to see what’s what, but hold up another minute and we’ll give you a couple of useful insights!
On its announcement Cosmic Gate commented that it was their intention to “take us closer to the 360 of who we are, where we’ve been and where we’re going. In order to do this, the group junked the ‘greatest hits album’ blueprint and approached their 20 years commemorator from four separate production angles.
Tracklist: Cosmic Gate - 20 Years [Forward Ever Backward Never]
01. Cosmic Gate – Come With Me (Album Intro Mix)
02. Cosmic Gate & Foret – Need To Feel Loved
03. Cosmic Gate - Light Years
04. Cosmic Gate & Emma Hewitt - Be Your Sound (Ilan Bluestone Remix)
05. Mauro Picotto - Lizard (Cosmic Gate Remix)
06. Cosmic Gate & Jan Johnston - I Feel Wonderful (Greenhaven DJs Remix)
07. Cosmic Gate - Fire Wire (Andrew Bayer Remix)
08. Cosmic Gate & Denise Rivera - Body Of Conflict (Elevven Remix)
09. Cosmic Gate - The Wave 2.0
10. Cosmic Gate - FAV (Patrick White Remix)
11. Cosmic Gate & Emma Hewitt - Not Enough Time 2.0
12. Cosmic Gate - Human Beings (Rolo Green Remix)
13. Rank 1 - L.E.D. There Be Light (Cosmic Gate Remix)
14. Cosmic Gate - Exploration Of Space (Grum Remix)
15. Cosmic Gate - Analog Feel (Estiva Remix)
16. Cosmic Gate - Conciousness (Genix Remix - Cosmic Gate Edit)
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Compilation to listen: Afterdark 002 Los Angeles [mixed by Snejder]
I haven't wrote a word in a while, and also haven't had the chance to be on board with everything that happened in the Trance community. But when I went to Beatport and see what else was released, I came across a very good compilation from Snejder: Afterdak 002 Los Angeles. This compilation seen the light of day on May 24 and seen that is received some very nice feedback till now. I also received my copy a couple of days ago, so the happiness of enjoying this is even bigger.
2 CDs and 16 tracks. A fine selection that starts with Snejder's Back Home. I think we can all agree this is a huge track and amazing on the dancefloor. Collectively Cold Blue's synth-storming "Another Life", "Redemption" from Alessandra Roncone, newcomer Billie Gillies, master Giuseppe Ottaviani and the one and only Craig Connelly make this compilation one TO LISTEN.
Album-exclusive ‘Here Once Again’ sees the mix go up a gear, opening it up into its tougher second act. Stoneface & Terminal’s ‘Mind Games’, Mandy Reid’s ‘Infiltration’, ‘Taipan’ from Renegade System and others orchestrate the floor action before Sneijder’s harmonic, anthemic revision of Ben Gold & Sivan’s ‘Stay’ kisses it off.
One of my favorites from disc 1 is, of course, Starpicker - Elated. This man is on the run and his track is definitely one of this year's best trance tracks. I don't know how he came up with the melody, but is hypnotic. It gives me the "dance party" vibe, no matter where I am: in the bus, in the car, at the office, at home. Dance party all day long, having this track on repeat.
From disc 2’s outset, Sneijder drops straight back into a tougher groove. Alex Di Stefano dives ‘Into The Flames’, Shugz explores ‘The Darkside’ and David Forbes produces a ‘Phenomenon’ - each raising its pressure by degrees. Into that slipstream comes another swathe of Sneijder’s own, with his recent rewire of Nick Callaghan’s ‘Kill Jester’ and his team-ups with David Forbes (on ‘Flashback’) & Nick Callaghan (‘Marching Orders’) bringing techier tones. The second mix reaches its dizzying zenith with some weapons-grade gear from O’Callaghan & Kearney’s Key4050 project. ‘Egon’ and ‘Utterly Butterly’ viscerally bookend James Dymond’s bringback of Maria Nayler anthem ‘Angry Skies’ and Simon Patterson/Sam Jones pair-up ‘Rotavator’.
If you’ve not clubbed in LA before, this compilation will all-but secure those credentials for you. Across its 30+ tracks, two or more musical hours and disc deuce, Sneijder musically divines LA to a forensic level. You can order/bookmark ‘Afterdark 002 – Los Angeles, Compiled & Mixed By Sneijder’ here (https://afterdark.choons.at/002-losangeles).

Sneijder - Afterdark 002 [Los Angeles] - tracklist
Disc 01
01. Sneijder - Back Home (Club Mix)
02. Cold Blue - Another Life
03. Alessandra Roncone - Redemption
04. Billie Gillies - Evolve
05. Sneijder - Resonate
06. Giuseppe Ottaviani - Panama
07. Starpicker - Elated
08. Sneijder & Karen Kelly - Be With You (Craig Connelly Remix)
09. Sneijder - Here Once Again
10. Project 8 - Reason I Say This
11. Stoneface & Terminal - Mind Games
12. Renegade System & Ed Lynam - Redux
13. Mandy Reid - Infiltration
14. Manuel Le Saux & Unbeat - EVO
15. Renegade System - Taipan
16. Ben Gold & Sivan - Stay (Sneijder Remix)
Disc 02
01. Sneijder - Violate
02. David Forbes - Phenomenon
03. Shugz - The Darkside
04. Alex Di Stefano - Into The Flames
05. Nick Callaghan - Kill Jester (Sneijder Rework)
06. Sneijder & David Forbes - Flashback
07. Sneijder & Nick Callaghan - Marching Orders
08. Simon Patterson featuring Lucy Pullin - Blink
09. Ashley Bradbury - Sesh Gremlin
10. Sneijder - Break The Silence
11. Dante - Cognitive Behaviour
12. Key4050 – Egon
13. Billy Gillies - Open Your Mind
14. Maria Nayler - Angry Skies (James Dymond Remix)
15. Simon Patterson & Sam Jones - Rotavator (Sam Jones Remix)
16. Iain M – Serotonin
17. Sneijder - Decimate
18. Key4050 - Utterly Butterly
8 reasons to say YES to TranceCode pres. ReOrder / Starpicker / The WLT / Skydreamer
On May 25th the Romanian Trance community has a new reason to smile: TranceCode pres. ReOrder + Starpicker, The WLT and Skydreamer. The event will be, again, at Club Azzero and start around 22:00. I like they kept the venue, 'cuz last time was pretty great! Tickets are ~9 euros and you can grab one here: http://bit.ly/RTF-TranceCode-Tickets.
I knew this party was coming. They also announced it officially at their last event Exposure w/ Daniel Kandi, Suncatcher, Exolight, Tesla System and Guard14. But beside my love for the music, I also have other reasons I am saying yes to coming to Bucharest on May 25 for this party:
Starpicker - the man is killing it at the moment. His music is great and I really want to see him more behind the decks. He is my no.1 reason of why I am coming to Bucharest for this party. Not only because I am managing his PR and Social Media, but because I am a huge fan. Love everything he does in the studio.
One of my Tunes of this year: Starpicker - Elated [GO Music]
Disconnection. Of life. Reconnection to my rave self. Continuing the experiment of taking my phone down, and only enjoying the party. No photos, no videos. Only feelings.

The WLT - It is very nice when you see more women taking down the trance scene. And Dana is one trance artist to follow! Lately she did a lot of good work with originals, but also with remixes. Her take on Darren Tate - Particles is great and soon to be released (May 17th)!
Support the Romanian Trance Community. The guys behind Romanian Trance Family staff/ TranceCode are really trying to keep the scene alive. And only for that they deserve a little support. Buying the event ticket, buying the plane/ bus ticket to go there and find a place to sleep after the party are too little compared to what they have to work for to make this happen. Maybe one time, it may not be your favorite artist, but if you love this music, you have to be there.
ReOrder - the man is really good behind the decks and his music always blows the speakers up. I've seen him a little at Luminosity Beach Festival, back in 2017 and I want more.
Skydreamer - seen him behind the decks, and he always delivers.
Friends. It is always nice to see again familiar happy faces, dancing alongside me.

What about you? Are you coming to this event? If yes, what is your no.1 reason?
Trance on!