Trance | Cosmic Gate – Calm Down (Remixes)
Posted by Spice on November 5, 2012
German trance duo Cosmic Gate just dropped the full package for their single “Calm Down,” and while you’ve probably been hearing the original in some iteration for the better part of a year, solid new interpretations from Omnia, Ost & Meyer, and Zetandel (and an extended mix to boot) make this a nice treat for early in the week. Omnia’s remix has already been making the rounds, getting airtime on ASOT #583 and in Thomas Gold’s latest essential mix , and if you’re a fan of the young Ukrainian’s driving progressive style then you’ll definitely enjoy his latest handiwork. Ost & Meyer take a more restrained approach than Omnia but weave in big room synths that strike just the right balance. Rounding out the package is Zetandel, who pulls a Kaskade and furnishes us with a chillout mix that’s reminiscent of the latter half of Fire & Ice.
Fun fact: Omnia’s real name is Smirnov Evgeny Aleksandrovich. Now say that five times fast.
Trance | Trance Tuesdays
Posted by Spice on October 9, 2012
Greetings, Trance Family. I trust this post finds you well. While this particular family member is still reeling from a positively massive (to borrow Armin’s favorite word) few days — Jochen Miller and Armin van Buuren on Thursday; Above & Beyond on Saturday — it is now time to move past the weekend and pay homage to a sampling of the glorious releases that have dropped in the past week. And glorious they truly are.
First up is the remix package for the stunning “I’ll Listen,” a song that may seem languid and understated at first but which proves wickedly catchy upon subsequent listens. Never doubt the diabolical tendencies of Armin. Check out John O’Callaghan’s “dark” mix above and then join me in trance heaven after the jump.
Dubstep, Electro-House, Progressive House, Trance | Zedd – Spectrum EP
Posted by Spice on July 31, 2012
I hope you’re not sick of hearing “Spectrum,” because the full remix package is finally out and it delivers everything you could possibly want and more. So let’s just run right on down the list….after the jump, because there’s a lot going on here.
Preview, Trance | Zedd Feat. Matthew Koma – Spectrum (Armin Van Buuren Remix) [Preview]
Posted by Spice on July 6, 2012
Well. So much for that Beatport competition.
Armin debuted this yesterday on ASOT (sidenote: did anyone have any idea he even had this thing in the works? Sneaky bastard) and when I learned of this fact I was so overcome with the potential awesomeness of such a musical coupling that I had to excuse myself and think of less exciting things, like Japanese proverbs and the technical science underpinning the Higgs boson. As a matter of fact, those physicists might have gotten it wrong — this remix might actually be the Higgs boson. I don’t know. All I know is that 1) “Spectrum” was already an absolutely incredible song and 2) there’s pretty much no conceiveable way for Matthew Koma’s vocals not to complement Armin’s lush soundscapes wonderfully.
And let’s just say that AVB delivers. He masterfully augments the emotional moments in “Spectrum,” bringing us to blissful crest after blissful crest before shifting seamlessly into pure, feel-good trance. I do love the original, but I’ve always found Zedd’s synths after the drop to feel a bit incongruous and choppy after the smooth, chromatic verse and chorus. This to me is perfection. No word on a release date yet but you’d better believe that I’ll be first in line when it drops.
Dubstep, Electro, Trance | Porter Robinson – Spitfire (Bonus Remixes)
Posted by Spice on July 3, 2012
Team OWSLA coming in hot this morning with a little pre-holiday gift for everyone — a free, bonus remix package for two of the tracks on Porter Robinson’s Spitfire. I’ve been (im)patiently awaiting the release of Lazy Rich’s heavy, energetic remix of “Vandalism” for the past four months, so this was quite a pleasant surprise. Dirtyloud also takes on “Vandalism,” putting a dark and gritty spin on the track by folding in some ferocious synths. Finally, Bjorn Akesson’s unexpectedly pitch-perfect trance reboot of “Spitfire” is lush and haunting and might be the darkhorse best in show. The Swedish up-and-comer deftly builds off of Porter’s chord progressions to create an innovative and tightly-produced remix that sounds utterly fresh and ready for ASOT or TATW. Frankly, it reminds me a lot of “Je Envie De Toi,” which is high praise. Who knew that the glitchy, vaguely sinister “Spitfire” could lend itself so well to trance?
Free Download from Beatport: Porter Robinson – Spitfire (Bonus Remixes)
Preview, Trance | Wach Pres. Oussama Mlaouhia – Tunisia (Original Mix)
Posted by Spice on May 24, 2012
Hold the phone. Who tuned into ASOT today? I did, and Armin just dropped the below track as this week’s Future Favorite, and it pretty much blew my mind. Who is Wach, you ask? Great question. His SoundCloud reveals that he’s an up-and-coming 17 year-old producer (real name: Oussama Mlaouhia) from TUNISIA, of all unlikely but amazing places (hence the title, I guess) who is just breaking into the game but clearly has prodigious talent. Awesome. Simply awesome. This track is the definition of top quality trance; it boasts a driving beat, some riveting and intense breakdowns, and a stirring melody that will give you chills. In fact, it’s precisely the kind of thing you’d expect to hear heavy hitters like Gareth Emery, Markus Schulz, Jochen Miller and of course Armin himself drop into their live sets. “Tunisia” will officially be released on Blue Soho Recordings in the near future, but for now you can download the ASOT rip for free below.