Trance Reviews
by Shadowrunner
photo by Todd Comer

November flew by fast and I hope you all are giving thanks for all that is great in your lives. Now that it is December it is definitely a time to be giving thanks. We can all be thankful that we have a scene that can cater to many different tastes, and very competent local dj's to help bring electronic music to the forefront. We can give thanks to the coolest people in the Midwest who spread the positive vibes and come to support their local electronic music scene. Last but not least, we need to thank the bars, venues, concert halls, proprietors, and politicians who support our local and regional scene. It is my hope that we can make the scene grow immensely in the next year. So, in this holiday season, I hope that we can find you all happy, prosperous, and loved.

Many people lately have asked me how I keep in tune with the trance scene while being stuck here in the Midwest. After I give them the "The Midwest is so rockin, and you don't even know" sermon. I point out that there are many outlets to seek out all that is new and strange in the outside world of electronic music. This has prompted me to include in this months review a link to an Internet radio station that caters to trance music.

ETN.FM
Dance Community Network
Founded and based mostly in the United States, ETN is a primarily a trance and progressive streaming site with lots of extra content. Time slots are allotted to many well known and respected trance & progressive dj’s and producers such as: Airwave, Mark Norman, Yves Deruyter, and Gabriel & Dresden. If you have no clue as to whom these producers are, its ok. There are many links next to their bios that you can check out for yourselves. With so many extras like articles, full dj and live pa sets in downloadable formats (mp3 & wav.), chat rooms, and forums, ETN is a integral part of the trance culture. Please check it out and have fun streaming.

BaLi - 'Construct'
Sometimes it is my pleasure to review a mix cd that has a higher level of quality and programming. Coming out of San Fransisco, BaLi has put forth his newest effort “Construct”. This psycho-active deep tribal progressive pumper hits right down to the core. This cd starts out dark and sensual with deep percussive energy and moves into a banging progressive massive that smoothes out with some grooving breakbeat. Finally, this cd funks out with some understated vocal sample and a solo bass guitar riffing a dirty bass line. The programming is very fluid as it transitions from one track to another. Many genres like psytrance, tribal, and latin percussive house are used like paint on a canvas to aid in the overall expression of emotion and movement here, but make no mistake, this is truly an intense progressive thumper. BaLi has an impressive rise to fame and continues to work hard as a producer and dj. I invite everyone to check out his web site, listen to his mixes, and try to convince your local venues or promoters to book BaLi for a night to remember.

Reviews:

In this dry and cold time of the year, it is only befitting that I bring you the newest tracks that get you hot and wet. The outdoor festival and party season is over and many producers are turning their efforts towards the studios again. This is a great thing because, by the time World Music Conference rolls around, we all will be benefiting from their efforts soon. Wish them a merry hibernation and we shall see them soon.

Mike Foyle vs Signalrunners - Love Theme Dusk – Armind
If you plan on witnessing moonbeams glitter in the dark, you will need beautiful music to set the mood off. If you just want to bang away in the dark the Airbase remix takes the dark percussive trip up to the break then opens up into a lavish piano driven descending melody. M.I.K.E. heads up the second remix in his usual energetic fashion with hard driving synths and baselines. But the Signal Runner’s Sunrise Mix is the one that knocks it out of the park. Faster, stronger, better is the Signal Runner way. All these tracks have such a sensual undertone with mad percussion.

Pink Floyd Feat. Afrika Baby Bam - You Better Run (Alfix Remix) – Foot Fetish
Dark beats and inspired flow from Afrika Baby Bam, DIZZAMMN!!! This two tracker on the Foot Fetish label took me back to a time when I had a black light and a black felt Pink Floyd poster in my room. COUGH COUGH, and it was a gooood time, just like these two tracks.

Jon Silva - When I Kill EP – Shayan Music
Hop in my time machine and we are going to go back and witness the birth of the lil’ silver box we call the 303. The first of three tracks reminds me of an old Lil Louis Vega track that just was a simple building masterpiece. As time goes by in the track it just keeps building then breaks and builds all over again. Acid 303 tweeky goodness!!! Then if you are a fan of electro then the next two are gonna get your groove on. Beatstreet flavah comin at cha’.

TDR - Squelch - Pt 2 (Housetrap Remix) – Oxygen
Damn! Who set off the alarm? All you mutha fuggahs in trouble now! Once these two tracks get a hold of you on the dance floor, they gonna beat you like you owe them money! The percussion hits harder and hopes to make you bleed a fusion of house and trance.

Gambas - Explode (E-Craig + Steve Murano Remixes) – Kontor
I put this one on here so that you can track it down and hear one of the best break downs I have heard in a long time. The Germans have invaded your sound system and they mean business. Hard driving trance with sick breaks will be unleashed upon the masses when you drop this in prime time.