To quote a friend of mine, “You’ll never find me without my headphones on.” In a way my headphones have become a part of me; instead of letting them hinder my style, I’ve let my headphones become a part of it. Just like you can never have enough shoes or handbags, you can never listen to enough amazing music!
—Darren Porter - Foundry (Original Mix)
I was listening to ASOT 560 today on soundcloud, and normally I can listen through a whole set without pausing or rewinding, but today was an exception. As soon as the track Foundry by Darren Porter came on, I couldn’t help but stop the set, look up the song, and put it on replay. Why? Well for one thing the song is amazing! It has so much energy in it; definitely one of those songs that you can’t help but chair rave to (if you’re in a public area where it’s not socially acceptable to dance). Fortunately for me I had the luck of being in my apartment, so what started as chair raving ended in me dancing around as if I were at EDC. If that hasn’t convinced you as to how good the song is, I’m not sure what will. Take a listen if you need a little pick-me up! :)
Rave on little ravers ♥
To understand the new, you have to have an appreciation for the old. One of the most wonderful aspects of music is that a good song is able to transcend time. The song “Sunrise” by Ratty was released in 2000, however when it came on my iPod this morning I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by it’s beauty. Trance has evolved a lot in the past decade, but recently with the huge expansion of the EDM scene it has been one of the genres criticized for not changing enough, for remaining too static. What I guess people don’t understand is the concept of evolution. Evolution is all about diversity; making changes that will make you different from everyone else. As much as I can appreciate the melting of musical genres that is occurring (minus the disappointing and misguided attempt of artists like Chris Brown to start making what they consider to be “electronic music”), the only way that a genre can survive is by proving that it’s different from all the others. Trance may not be the newest genre, and it may not be the most popular one, but in my opinion it’s one of the most distinct genres in EDM. Why? Because it’s one of the few genres that can move your feet, while also moving your heart. Beauty is timeless, which is why trance will never die.
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words; while that’s very true, what’s worth even more words is the feeling that an amazing song can give you. It’s nothing that can be captured through words or pictures because it’s something that resonates with the deepest and happiest part of your soul. Despite that however, I decided to go against the odds and try and recapture the beauty of Bal en Blanc 18th Edition in Montreal, Quebec through photos.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with it, Bal en Blanc is a arguably the biggest electronic dance music event in Canada. Let me break it down for you: once a year, 15,000 people all wearing white, 2 stages and some of the best DJ’s in the world. This year’s line-up included Armin van Buuren, Markus Schulz, Ferry Corsten, Ben Gold, Jochen Miller, Beatservice, Arty, Steve Angello, Fedde le Grand, and more. Convinced yet? If not, here’s the cherry on top of the cake: this year they brought the Fusion Cube all the way from Godskitchen, for it’s début in North America. Did I mention that they lit up the fusion cube to the song “Fusion” by Omnia & Ira? If that isn’t enough to give you a pre-eargasm then I’m not sure what will. Until next year, here’s a small taste of this wonderful night ♥
Enjoy, and rave on little ravers :)
For those of you haven’t heard it yet, Ashley Wallbrdige ’s new album The Inner Me is an absolute must-have. I just listened to it from 00:00 until the end, and I absolutely loved it. This song with Audrey Gallagher is one of my favourite tracks of the album. DJ’s like him give me hope for the future of EDM. Although the godfathers of the genre are still going strong, one day it’ll be their turn to pass it on to the younger generation. But with artists like Ashley Wallbridge, there’s no doubt that trance will forever stand as one of the most beautiful, moving and uniting genres on the planet.
—Lift Off Episode #1 (1st April, 2012)
The best DJ’s are the ones who are passionate and who genuinely love what they do; for them it’s not about the money or the fame, it’s about the music. The EDM scene would be nothing without these DJ’s. That being said, check out the first podcast from Hassan Faheem, a DJ that I personally know - and watch out for his name in the future :)
Take a listen, and let the music take you on a journey that all starts with a Lift Off.
Hassan Faheem: Lift Off Episode #1
1. Andrew Bayer - Community
2. Dakota - Suggestion No. 5 (Erick Strong Remix)
3. KhoMha - The Sky Is Inside You
4. Rank 1 & Jochen Miller Ft. Sarah Bettens - Wild and Perfect Day (Cosmic Gate Remix/Hassan Faheem Edit)
5. Rex Mundi - Opaque
6. Gareth Emery, Ashley Wallbridge vs. St. Brothers, Hard Rock Sofa, Axwell, Thomas Gold - Arrival, Blow Up! (Hassan Faheem Rolling Club Mix)
7. Sander Van Doorn - Chasin’
8. W&W - Invasion (Club Edit)
9. Dirty South & Those Usual Suspects Ft. Erik Hecht - Walking Alone (Arty Remix)
10. Gabriel & Dresden Ft. Secret Panda Society - No Reservations (Kevin Focus Reserved Mix)
11. Andrew Bayer & Matt Lange Ft. Kerry Leva - In And Out Of Phase (Original Mix)
—— Armin van Buuren
This is by far one of my favourite quotes in regards to the trance genre. For those of you whole love trance, you understand what it means. I’ve spoken before about how the EDM scene in general is associated with drugs and craziness, and is probably looked down upon by a lot of people. I guess that’s human nature, we judge what we don’t understand, we judge what seems weird. If I could get people to understand one thing however, it’s what this quote says; trance is not about drugs, trance is a drug. Some of the happiest moments of my life have involved listening to trance, whether it’s just walking home at night and staring at the stars, or being at a show with thousands of other people. The happiness I get from the music is something I could never put into words, and the passion that I feel for the music is a passion that I hope everyone finds at one point in their life. I feel like that’s the problem; we all “like” things, but what’s even more important, and what many people fail to find, is something to be passionate about. Raves and concerts aren’t about getting high; they’re about experiencing unforgettable moments with other people who are amazingly passionate about the same thing as you. Where so many other things in this world divide people, our love for music brings us together.
You don’t need drugs to listen to trance. Trance is a drug. Trance is my drug, and I’m addicted ♥ :)
—Ashley Wallbridge - Zorro
For those of you who haven’t heard it yet, this is a new single off of Ashley Wallbridge’s new album The Inner Me. I just downloaded the sets from ASOT 550 in Los Angeles, and this was the first track that Gareth Emery dropped in his set! I personally love it. However, I must admit I’m guilty of not having listened to the whole album yet. If the rest of the tracks are as good as this though, I can’t wait! Ashley Wallbridge is for sure one of the artists to watch out for in the future. How could anyone go wrong with Gareth Emery as a mentor? Love Ashley, love Gareth, love Garuda! ♥
Enjoy :)
