by Noura Alazmi
2017 and 2018 have been two of the most unpredictable years in the music world. In 2017 we sadly lost electronic music dj and producer “Robert Miles”, the creator of the endless tune “Children”, rock band Linkin Park vocalist “Chester Bennington”, and just recently on the 20th April 2018 we learned about the passing of Tim Bergling also known as “Avicii” the creator of the famous tune “LE7ELS” and a few other legends that their memory and music will live with us forever, but trance music always finds its way to make everything better. Well, at least for us hardcore trance addicts.
2017 witnessed releases for some legendary trance artists albums like: “Beyond The Lights” for Aly & Fila, “Blueprint” for Ferry Corsten, “From Then On” for Paul van Dyk and many more. The albums varied in trance sub genres between the groovy progressive sounds and the uplifting and techy banging tunes. Each album will take you into a blissful musical journey.
2018 is looking very exciting with so much new albums releases by artists like Above & Beyond, Driftmoon, Estiva, Ilan Bluestone, Ferry Corsten Blueprint Remixed, Neptune Project and more.
Legends Above & Beyond released their album “Common Ground” on the 26th January 2018 that was recently debuted at #3 in the US charts. Above & Beyond started working on this album around 3 years ago starting with “Northern Soul” track. The album has 13 songs and includes Some beautiful vocal tracks by Zoë Johnston, Justine Suissa and Richard Bedford. If you haven’t heard the album yet go grab a copy because you know why? We all need above & Beyond in our life, as legends Gabriel & Dresden said :)
Going to the central European side, we had a little chat with the “Slovak Boy” Driftmoon about his forthcoming artist album “Invictus” that is expected to be released very soon and he told us the following:
“My album “Invictus” is a 18 track story driver album with almost a year in the making. It features never before heard Driftmoon originals and collabs with Giuseppe Ottaviani, Julie Thompson, Exis or Robert Nickson. Album is signed to Black Hole Recordings with multiple singles signed to Future Sound of Egypt. Storyline focuses on personal relationship, fear of loss and what love means to us.”
You can hear Driftmoon’s album title track “Invictus” here:
You may know the Dutch rising talent Estiva by some of his previous releases like “Sun Goes Down”, “Blossom”, and “Raket” that Armin van Buuren opened his set with at Tomorrowland 2017 at ASOT (A State Of Trance) stage. The album will be very diverse and we’ll get to hear a full spectrum of what Estiva is capable of as he mentioned in a recent interview. His new artist album “Spectacle” is expected to be released 22nd June 2018. Estiva and Ruben de Ronde teamed up for a collab titled “Rainbow” and it’s one of the tracks unleashed from the new album. A track that captured the best of both of them melodically. Estiva mentioned in recent interviews: “we both gathered our tastiest ingredients, put them in a blender and got a delicious ‘Rainbow’ smoothie as a result.” “Rainbow” was the “Progressive Pick” on A State Of Trance 856. Check it out here:
Anjunabeats artist Ilan Bluestone’s debut album “Scars” that was just recently released on 24th April 2018 was also one of the most anticipated releases of 2018. Ilan talked about this album in a video review saying: “I want there to be a track for everyone even for people who don’t know what trance music is or dance music I want them to be able to skip along on the album and hear something that they enjoy”. Our personal favorite track from the album is the vocal track with Giuseppe De Luca “Frozen Ground” very unique beat and melody mixed with beautiful vocals and amazing lyrics. If you love the progressive sound like us you will definitely enjoy this album!
Dutch legend Ferry Corsten’s “Blueprint Remixed” album was also released earlier this year. Ferry asked some of his fellow trance producers to remix the songs of the album and the outcome was phenomenal. Our personal favorite is the remix of the lead track “Blueprint” by the talented Irish Trance producer Ciaran McAuley that specializes in the uplifting, melodic and emotional trance. Check out Ciaran’s new massive single “Watching Over Us” if you haven’t heard it yet here:
And last but not least, the album release that we’re very thrilled about is Neptune Project ’s new artist album titled “A Question of Reality” that is expected to be released later this year. Neptune project, the UK based trance duo, have famous astonishing previous releases like “Lost All My Tears” and “In Your Mind”, and recently their track “Proteus” that was included in Pure Trance 6 compilation.
We had a little chat with Dan Willis, one half of the duo Neptune Project and he reveled to us the following:
“It’s actually been something we have planned for many years but it was only last year we decided to go ahead and undertake it fully. So quite a few of the tracks were actually ideas we wrote many years ago. I think the oldest track on the album we originally wrote in 2008 but we updated it recently. Basically over the years many tracks were ideas or concepts and just sitting on the computer doing nothing. So I went through all of them 1 by and condensed them down to what I felt were the best ones that would suit the album. And then from there we have produced additional tracks, etc. In terms of vocals, Polly Strange who we have worked with before on many tracks has written a couple for the album and Jules Moyce (who is the other half of Neptune Project) has written and sung a couple of songs as well.”
“A Question Of Reality” should be released in July 2018. We have a feeling that this new album is going to be magic!
So much music to look forward to in 2018 and 2019. Armin van Buuren also spoke, on behalf of his Gaia Friends, of course ;) that there’s a long awaited album that will be released for the mysterious duo. No expected date of release is announced yet. Maybe in 2019? We sure hope so.
Another album that is expected to be released on first half of 2019 is a new artist album by “FSOE Fables” boss: Ferry Tayle. Ferry mentioned to us that the album will be very personal and that it’ll include collabs with Sarah Shields and Ludovic H. More news from Ferry should follow later this year. He def has some exciting surprises for us.
Have you checked Ferry Tayle’s incredible new remix of “The Thrillseekers – Halcyon”? Check it out here:
Noura Alazmi facebook.com/TranceFamilyKuwait
