Posted 04 November 2012 - 00:51
Quick review:
Awesome Great Good Decent Bad/boring Awful
CD 1
1. Chicane - Offshore Nick hasn't changed at all. This sounds exactly like something he would release nowadays. Nice breaks track, but I'd rather have a trancier remix
2. Armin van Buuren - Rush Hour (Miserere & Rush Hour) When I first heard this in 2007, I was kinda disappointed because it wasn't as uplifting and melodic as its predecessor Sail. Now that I'm more familiar with Armin's sound, I really like it. One of his darkest tracks.
3. Above & Beyond pres. OceanLab - Sirens Of The Sea (Above & Beyond Club Mix) OMG! Memories from my early ASOT days. :wub: This is probably my favorite Oceanlab track ever. Justine and the piano complement each other perfect.
4. Rank 1 - Breathing (Airwave) (Breaks Dub) The original was already on Volume 2 and this isn't an improvement. It feels like the original wasn't good enough for the pop charts so they added a vocal. I don't see why this track was chosen. I'd much rather have Opus 17 or their York remix instead of this.
5. Tenth Planet - Ghosts (Original Club Vocal Mix) Good track with catchy vocals.
6. Ascension - Someone Typical classic trancer, but it's a nice one. Very dreamy strings, lovely piano and a sweet vocal. :happy:
7. Bossanova - Stonecold I've heard this track once, but I don't remember it having vocals. They are a bit screamy but still decent.
8. Chable & Bonnici - Ride Reminds me a bit of David West during 2006-2007, but given that this track is from 2003, I guess it was very innovative back then.
9. G&M Project - Sunday Afternoon Rather boring track.
CD 2
1. BT - Flaming June (Paul van Dyk Remix) Uhhh... FAIL! This is Paul's 2012 remix and not the BT vs PvD remix from 1997 that I think they wanted. The track is okay, but definately NOT a classic. :rolleyes:
2. Marcel Woods - Advanced Very strong and recognisable riff. Pity that there is no "second run" as in the radio edit.
3. John O'Callaghan feat. Audrey Gallagher - Big Sky Here's something I don't understand: why does no one ever mention the Agnelli & Nelson remix anymore. :confused: It was TOTY 2007, featured on UR3 and the reason I started listening to ASOT. Would have been golden if it was that mix, much more energy.
4. System F - Dance Valley Theme 2001 Cool mixture of different kinds of EDM. Like Advanced, recognisable riff.
5. Andain - Summer Calling (Airwave Club Mix) And fail #2. The cover says Gabriel & Dresden Mix, but as stated in the online tracklist it actually is Airwave's remix. I don't mind, because this is my favorite version. Beautiful vocals by Mavie :wub:
6. Saltwater - The Legacy (Alphazone Remix) Is it me or does the build-up sound very much like Strange World? What follows is a classic uplifting banger.
7. Viframa - Cristalle (Katana feat. DJ Precision Remix) Nice tribal sounds, but doesn't do much more.
8. Airbase - Escape Finally and Airbase track makes it to the series! This guy knows what uplifting is. Pure melodic trance.
9. Peter Martijn Wijnia pres. Majesta vs DJ Shah feat. Adrina Thorpe - Who Will Find Me In The End (Armin van Buuren Mashup) 3 fails on one CD, damn that's bad. I like this mashup and it's well executed, but mashups are classics? Not in my point of view. Especially if the original has a classic status as well (Who Will Find Me).
CD 3
1. Marco V - GODD I only like the vocals in this one. The rest is too techy for me.
2. DJ Tiλsto - Sparkles (Airscape Remix) Okay remix, I prefer Magikal Remake.
3. Solarstone & Scott Bond - Naked Angel Great follow-up to 3rd Earth, though not as good.
4. Push - Till We Meet Again I love these kind of Push tracks. Always a sinister atmostphere and energetic melody.
5. Gouryella - Ligaya (Original Instrumental Mix) Yeah! One of the best examples of millennium trance.
6. Lost Witness - Happiness Happening (Lange Remix) Big ROFL thanks to my mom about "Lange Remix": aren't these all long mixes? :laugh: I think that if this would be released today we'd all be screaming how cheesy it is.
7. Team SR - Leaving London (T4L Remix) Is that Jeza on the vocals? The contrast of soft breakdown vs powerful main part makes it an interesting track. I looked up the original on youtube and I gotta say I like that one more.
8. Mark Norman - Phantom Manor Gives right to its title: another sinister trancer. Very spooky with that evil laugh from Thriller.
9. Shane - Too Late To Turn (Armin van Buuren Remix) WOW! Stunning remix by Armin, in the same style as Janeiro. The vocal sounds a bit like Moya Brennan, though I could do without.
CD 4
1. Ransom - My Dance Strange and funny track, but feels a bit out of place between the rest because it is so much older.
2. Above & Beyond - Alone Tonight (Above & Beyond Club Mix) This was my first A&B track and I fell in love with them. So weird that the same 4 guys came up with Sun & Moan :sick:
3. Markus Schulz vs Andy Moor - Daydream Coldharbour bassline meets Moor bassline. This is huge!
4. Tiλsto & Armin van Buuren pres. Major League - Wonder Where You Are? (12 Inch Instrumental Mix) Thank goodness this actually is the instrumental mix and not that useless vocal mix. I've always prefered Wonder over Eternity, so glad it finally found its way to the compilation.
5. Dumonde - Tomorrow (JamX & De Leon Remix) Hmm... The breakdown is promising, but the climax is underwhelming.
6. Zirenz - Edge Of Space (Whiteroom Remix) More Moor and mysterious vocals :wub:
7. Jose Amnesia - The Eternal Huh, is this the same Jose Amnesia as the guy from Louder? He used to be a lot more uplifting back in the days
8. Tilt - Invisible (Lost Tribe Vocal Mix) Another Andy Moor track on CD4? Could have been spread better IMO. That melody sounds very familiar, I think it's Tilt & PvD - Rendezvous
9. Nico Parisi vs Erik Hubo - Metro Never heard of either of these guys, but woosh what a driving track. I can imagine this was a club destroyer.