Anjunabeats Volume 10 (Review)

Posted by Middy on March 5, 2013

While Anjunabeats Volume 9 seemed to have a noticeable difference between the two CDs, the landmark 10th volume found a way to make it seem as though there was no distinction between the two CDs and created a smooth, uplifting journey that transcends traditional genre barriers and shows the direction of Above & Beyond’s flagship label into the future as one that is forward thinking and defies labels. The compilation features tracks from familiar faces on the label like Maor Levi, Norin & Rad, Andrew Bayer, Jaytech, Arty, Oliver Smith and Kyau & Albert, while giving the chance for many others to shine on this 2 CD, 30 track album. Above & Beyond do a flawless job of mixing between tracks, making the intros and outros between songs seamless and almost not noticeable. Grab a copy below and start listening to the tracks below. Read on to dive into the review of the full compilation.

Beatport | iTunes | Physical CD

The first disk starts just like an Above & Beyond set with “Small Moments” that sets the mood for the entire compilation and gets you in the right mindset to be immersed for the next 2 hours in this album. The compilation features 11 previously released tracks and the sunny, summery “Isla Margarita” is one of them that helps you further ease into the first CD. It is followed up by a new track from Soundprank, “Animus” (an ode to Assassins Creed?) that continues along the same vein as “Isla Margarita” and is then followed up by Audien’s chart topping single “Wayfarer”. Mike Shiver makes his contribution to the compilation with the euphoric, piano driven “Ohh” that with its slower tempo shows the variation of BPMs on the album. Jaytech makes his only appearance on the album the aggressive, yet melodic “Inception” that has slowly grown on me with each passing listen. Maor Levi makes the first of his 3 contributions on the album with Boom Jinx and Ashley Tomberlin in “When You Loved Me” that starts with an emotional build with female vocals and sweeping guitar plucks that relinquishes to a drop of a driving low end thumping bass. Released last week, Oliver Smith’s “Pressure” combines a chugging bass line with a euphoric melody leading into the therapeutic, EDX like “Pink Sky” from Ronski Speed, one of A&B’s favorites.

Next up is my favorite 8:30 on this entire compilation. The first 5:33 of it being the highly anticipated “Walter White” from the album mixers themselves, Above & Beyond — their only new track on here. It demonstrates a new sound for them that we have been seeing in their club mixes in the past year. I am not going to speculate on whether or not this is an indication for future productions, but “Walter White” is one of the blockbusters on the compilation and a surefire hit in the A&B discography for years to come. Quite possibly my favorite on the entire album, “Glühwürmchen”, a track I have played over 20 times in past several days, fuses both a powerful bass line and an impeccable and addictive melody for a combination that creates one of the standouts on the album.

To finish out the first disk are two Maor Levi tracks sandwiched around the already released “Here We Go” from Ost & Meyer. The single “Holding On” shows the more downtempo and melodic side of his sound, while the remix of the Tri-State track “Liquid Love” sounds a lot like one of the club mixes we have been hearing from Above & Beyond of late.

Disk Two starts with another one of the standouts on the album, Andrew Bayer’s lone track on here “England”. It is progressive, electro and trance all rolled up into one infallible track that propels you on a journey that both challenges and mesmerizes your senses. After last years hit single on Anjunabeats volume 9, “Bloom”, Norin & Rad put together the follow up in “Aldo” that remains similar stylistically with its quick punchy alternating bass line and atmospheric synths, yet still remains a unique track on the album and for themselves. Genix picks up the tempo a little with “Stateside”, an acknowledgment to the dance music explosion in the states, with its fluttering key play and atmospheric synths. In between two popular, already released tracks, “K.O” from Nitrous Oxide and “Sinai” by ilan Bluestone, Super 8 & Tab provide us with their next big uplifting hit on the label in “L.A.” that is sure to find its way into many sets around the world.

7 Skies and Nitrous Oxide make their second contribution to the compilation with their collab “Right On” that takes a grinding low end, not unfamiliar on this compilation with long synth chords and reverbed piano. Arty makes his appearance on volume 10 with “Believe In Me”, which may not have been as anticipated as “Together We Are” or “Grand Final” or have the staying power of “Nehalennia“, but it is yet another outstanding track from the young Russian. I am intrigued to see who he goes with on the vocal mix. The club mix of “Black Room Boy” follows as the second CD turns the corner into its last half with the previously released track “Revolved” from Eximinds getting the nod as well — one of the heavier tracks on the album.

Genix makes his third appearance on the album with an uptempo remix of the classic “Home” that Above & Beyond has been playing out recently. Following this are three previously released tracks from Ronski Speed, Lange & Genix and Mike Koglin & 7 Skies that help wind down the second CD and the entire compilation. They set up the final track from Bart Claessen & Raz Nitzan pres. Who.Is that uses a fast paced trance bass line, but remains a soft, mellow finish to the entire compilation, just as Above & Beyond would do with one of their sets.

Above & Beyond use the Anjunabeats Volume 10 compilations as showcase for what is to come on their label and to display to the world what they have in their arsenal at that moment. With this display of previously released tracks and with what is to come from them and their running mates at the label, it is a strong and promising indicator of what we should expect in for the rest of the year from the powerhouse trance label.

Tags: Above Beyond, album, Anjunabeats Volume, compilation, label, line, Maor Levi, track