Gareth Emery Delivers a Memorable Mardi Gras Kick Off at Ruby Skye

For me, going to the club is always a fun time. I love the lights, the music and most importantly, the vibe of hundreds of clubbers in unison totally feeling the music. Every so often however there are those special nights in the club when everything is so perfect, so intensely amazing that time seems to stand still and for a few hours you are transported to a whole different level of state of mind. Such was the case this past Thursday night at Ruby Skye when Garth Emery stepped up to the deck and proceeded to blow the doors, walls and roof off of the club. With Ruby Skye beautifully decked out in Mardi Gras finest and the floor jammed with revelers, the #13 DJ in the world launched a set to solidify his place as an icon of the future of the trance genre. Throughout the over two-hour set, Emery seamlessly mixed melodic trance tracks with upbeat progressive tracks, adding in innovative mash-ups and house tracks at perfect intervals. He effortlessly weaved all of the classic Gareth Emery tracks, such as “Mansion”, “Into The Light” and “Citadel” with remixes of “Punk” and even “Big Sky”. A night with Gareth Emery would not be complete without his recent #1 hit “Tokyo” mashed up with Fedde Le Grande’s remix of Coldplay’s “Paradise” and of course, “Sanctuary” which ended the main part of the set as cannons shot gold, silver and purple foil confetti to rain down on clubbers going totally crazy on the club floor. A special highlight of the set was the first play in San Francisco of his newest hit “Concrete Angel” which was overwhelmingly embraced by the cheering crowd. The track, which I reviewed here recently as a “new masterpiece”, sounded even better on the excellent sound system at Ruby Skye. As the night came to a close, even Emery seemed surprised at the intensity of what had occurred as he told the crowd, “I knew this would be a great night, but not THIS great!” and then with the clubber’s approval, he added in one last spin of “Concrete Angel”. It was the perfect end to the kickoff of Mardi Gras and indelibly sealed the night for all time as a memorable experience, not just for us clubbers, but for the genre itself.

Video of "Sanctuary" and the finale of this incredible night of future trance can be viewed on my YouTube channel .

Gareth Emery Produces a Real Masterpiece with Concrete Angel

Let’s face it; trance “purists” who feel that melodic and uplifting trance is being crushed by the progressive/house end of the genre may never acknowledge the likes of Mat Zo and Gareth Emery as they seek to evolve the genre into the future. So be it and to each their own. But how can anyone debate real genius when it starts you right in the face?   Take Gareth Emery for example. Following his massive success the progressive/house hit “Tokyo” and last year’s hear-it-everywhere, “Mansion” Emery now drops “Concrete Angel (Original Mix).” The track starts off with a driving bass-line that melds into seductive vocals by Christina Novellli and slowly builds in melodic energy. The energy of the melodic notes lift Ms. Novelli’s beautiful voice like a gentle wind to a plateau of sound that envelops you ever so firmly and serves to perfectly support the lyrics, “Let me breath you in, and breath the words in your mouth, Inside your shivering, the silence shouts so loud. I just want to, I just want to stay around, and while my heart beats I promise I won't let you down. If I'm somewhere else it doesn't mean that I don't see, That you don't trust yourself, that's why you don't trust me, It makes me crazy, when you're crazy, you don't speak, You think you know me, but what you know is just skin deep…” At 2:33 in, melodic waves give way to the building bass beat supporting the next layers of Ms. Novelli’s beautiful vocals. This rising interplay between driving bass, melodic waves and vocal textures wrap around each other like beautiful dancers swirling in chiffon clouds ending with break and drop that is pure Gareth Emery. Put simply, the over seven minute ride that Emery and Novelli take us on with Concrete Angel (Original Mix) is a masterpiece of how “pure” melodic trance and progressive trance can work together. The track is a beautifully crafted example of how to seamlessly bring both energy and emotion to the dance floor. Five stars to Gareth Emery for his dedication to the future of the genre! Needless to say, I am really looking forward to hearing this track drop tonight when Gareth Emery comes to Ruby Skye in San Francisco.

Gareth Emery feat. Christina Novelli –Concrete Angel (Original Mix) - Garuda

Again! Dash Berlin + Jonathan Mendelsohn = Beautiful Music

At this point, I’m thinking what else can Dash Berlin accomplish to prove his rightful place on top of the list of trance DJ’s? After dropping a solid string of #1 trance hits including Waiting and Disarm Yourself featuring the phenomenal Emma Hewitt followed by Better Half of Me featuring the powerfully emotional vocals of Jonathan Mendelsohn, Dash Berlin now delivers a trance tour de force with World Falls Apart. World Falls Apart grabs you from the first beats with a speedy take-off that jumps right into grittier, but no less emotional vocals once again provided by the talented Jonathan Mendelsohn. From that point onward, you are taken on an up and down, back and forth thrill ride that leaves you breathless. Interplaying and seductive uplifting melodies rise up from underneath the bass beats at just the right moments, giving Mendelsohn’s beautiful vocals a chance to shine and you a chance to catch a breath before the momentum builds back in to spin you around and around in joyous delirium. Make no mistake; this is one track that grabs you firmly and doesn’t let go from beginning to end. World Falls Apart is a powerful, spring-loaded trampoline of a song that forces you to confidently jump higher and higher off the dance floor with every successive beat. I guarantee, you’ll be surprised at how high you can jump and will want to just keep on jumping.   
 

Dash Berlin feat. Jonathan Mendelsohn –World Falls Apart – Aropa (Armada Music)

Currently #19 on the Beatport Trance Top 100 Chart

Apologies for Being AWOL! But...I'm Back!

Everyone,
I apologize for being MISSING over the last few weeks. I've had to deal with some unexpected issues here off of the dance floor and away from the club! But, now I think all is under control and I'm Baaaack!

I will be posting a new review later today and then...going to the etd.LOVE show in San Francisco this weekend! YES! you'll get a review of Gabriel & Dresden, John OCallaghan, and Myon and Shane 54 from the show. It's going to be great!

I'll also be back at Ruby Skye on February 10th for Paul van Dyk and again on February 16th for Gareth Emery.

So, stay checked in, 'cuz I'll be coming at you with MORE FUTURE OF TRANCE!

Oh, btw, the boys of Tritonal put on one AWESOME show at Ruby Skye. They tore the walls DOWN! I'm still editing my video from that amazing night. I even got to meet Chad and Dave after the show and got a signed poster. Thanks guys! YOU are simply the BEST!

Thanks for hanging with me,

Larry

Vast Vision Storms Into 2012 With Black Shores

2012 is starting off amazingly great! Now here comes one move-it-out track from the boys of Vast Vision. A year since after they delivered 'Ambrosia' to us on the Future Sound Of Egypt label, Vast Vision gives us Black Shores (Original Mix). The time was obviously well spent and the wait was worth it! A refined, sweeping, bold and beautiful piece of music, Black Shores (Original Mix) is the kind of trance that instantly hooks you in. The signature progressive / uplifting trance sound of Roland Andriese and Stijn Coppietersis is all there, combined with perfectly set-in bass to create a track that will have you up and dancing around like it had me doing in my studio. In fact, I just could not stop playing this one. Black Shores bursts out of the gate with a bass-line like a gang of horses out of the starting gate down a racetrack. This drive of energy soon allows a beautiful electronic undertone to gently dissolve into the mix as melodic notes rise to sweep you up. The momentum builds as the combined sound gains energy, making it feel as if you are on a ride through the clouds. The melodic sound gains altitude to a point where the energetic bass beats join back in for a totally amazing ride to heaven. Black Shores (OriginalMix) is a richly textured, boldly driven, and perfectly layered piece of sweeping music from Vast Vision. I really want to hear this one in the club.

Vast Vision –Black Shores (Original Mix) – Future Sound of Egypt (Armada)

Out now on Beatport, available on other channels January 23rd.

Beautifully Wrapped, Tritonal Delivered The Future Of Trance Music Today

Note: This post was written late on Sunday, January 8, U.S. Pacific Time

Earlier today ( 8 Jan 2012) a truly memorable event in our trance world occurred. Anjunabeats Worldwide, already massively popular on internet radio, took a ride to universal levels as Tritonal took command of the two hour set. And what happened in those two hours can only be described as a uniquely epic, even historic experience. From the beginning beat to the very final melodic note, Chad and Dave defined the genre of trance music in today’s terms. Even more so, the set mix of melodic and vocal trance, progressive trance, trance vs. house mashups and just plain drive-it-to-the-core house/dance tracks painted a picture of where trance music is headed. With the foresight and immense talent they displayed in today’s set, it’s hard to believe they are only #83 on the DJ top 100 list. Clearly, they “get it” and understand the very soul of the future of trance itself.  Here’s how I know this to be true - With amazing ease, Tritonal delivered a solid two hour set of music that crossed sub-genres and touched the outer boundaries of trance. The brilliant mix of lyrical emotion, musical exhilaration and pure energy came together, flowing out of the speakers and wrapped around me like a welcomed summer breeze. This was clearly in evidence right from the opening track as the debut of the emotionally melodic “Promise You” by Fast Distance and Dimension stacked up seamlessly against Shaun Gregory’s heart-pounding remix of Craig Connelly’s “Manchester AM.” The set also included five amazing mash-ups, not the least of which was an amazing Coldplay vs. Gareth Emery vs. Fedde le Grand triple mashup of “Paradise in Tokyo”. Track after track just worked next to one another and there were even a few other surprises tossed in (which you’ll have to listen out for yourself).  It was the kind of set that I wanted to just keep going on and on, not unlike the massive, totally fulfilling hours-long live sets delivered by the likes of Armin van Buuren and Paul van Dyk in their time as visionary re-definers of trance. In today’s realm, my sense is that very few DJ/producers, such as Dash Berlin, DJ Shogun, tiDy and Cosmic Gate, have so far proven that they have the evolutionary vision to push limits and re-define the future of the trance music genre. Today, Tritonal showed the global audience that they have that same vision, insight and courage.  As I sat astonished and totally exhausted at the end of the two hours, I realized how abundantly clear today’s performance on Anjunabeats Worldwide was not just a beautiful two-hour set of great music, but a memorable and historic marker for the genre of trance itself.  The wonderful reality is this: Today, Tritonal blew open the doors on the future of trance and gave us all the opportunity to see, feel and hear it for ourselves.

The entire two hour set is available for download as a podcast on iTunes. Just search for Air Up There with Tritonal in the Podcast section of the iTunes Store.

 
F.Y.I: I’ll be witness to the future of trance in person when I see Tritonal live at Ruby Skye in San Francisco this coming Thursday night. Look back here next weekend for my review of what is sure to be an epic show.

Looking Back Has Andy Tau Looking Ahead

The New Year is off to a blast of a start with several impressive new tracks hitting the club floors. One of the best is Andy Tau’s bold track Looking Back, which is given an even stronger remix treatment by Nhato. Looking Back (Nhato Remix) delivers right out of the gate with a driving bass-line that twists with ascending and descending waves of melody and then punches out a bass bomb that drops on you just 35 seconds in. From that point on, Looking Back (Nhato Remix) does just the opposite of what the title implies. There’s no looking back as competing bass beat waves dissolve into soft melodic piano notes. But don’t be fooled, the melodic interlude quickly and assuredly rises up to beckon the bass back onto the stage. Without ever losing momentum, bass and piano come together to build into an explosion of sound that is sure to have every club floor shaking. Looking Back (Nhato Remix) drives its point home without ever looking back.  A surefire winner from Andy Tau, now out on Infrasonic.

Andy Tau - Looking Back (Nhato Remix) - Infrasonic Recordings