Various - In Trance We Trust Xtra Nordic Edition: DJ John Storm

In Trance We Trust: 2001

I've picked up In Trance We Trust CDs for a myriad of reasons: spiffy TranceCritic review, a string of gimmick reviews, a sense of OCD-induced completism. Oddly, and perhaps a bit sadly, I've seldom gotten one because it intrigued me. Y'know, that twinge of curiosity one feels glancing upon cover art, a list of names on the back you're unfamiliar with and wish to explore further. There was a little with some editions (shout out to In Trance We Trust 006, yo'!), but I'm eighteen CDs deep now and it remains a rare occurrence.

Not so with Xtra Nordic Edition. For a label that's always been well-regarded for its classy photos, this one struck out like few others (Ringworld?). I've made my love of frigid Arctic scenery quite known on this blog, so naturally a huge hunk of ice floating in the darkest waters gets my senses tingling. Will this be filled with frosty-cool trance music, some deep chill cuts you just wouldn't hear anywhere else but the Nordic regions of Europe? The Scandinavians were already making quite the rep' with their cosmic disco tunes, could we get something of similar ilk from DJ John Storm?

Haha, no, nothing of the sort. Rather, the early days of Black Hole Recordings – and specifically In Trance We Trust – had a kinda'-sorta' partnership going with the Planetary Consciousness label. Never mind the print was based out of Berlin, they seemed to have a tap on Nordic trance jocks, some of which helmed the early run of In Trance We Trust CDs. It wasn't long before Black Hole would stick with in-house talent, but those initial ties still lingered for a time, and with the Black Hole empire in rapid ascent by the year 2001, what harm in exporting the brand into lands where they already had a beachhead?

As for the actual mix... well, I like about half of it. I've no idea what kind of jock Oddgeir “John Storm” Kristensen is, because this is his only entry within Lord Discogs, though apparently went on to form a Norwegian rap group called Side Brok. In any case, I sense two sets out of Mr. Storm: the one where he has to play a bunch of the Dutchiest Dutch trance that ever Dutched out of Black Hole, and the set where he just bangs things out with some propah' tough tech-trance. The latter mostly comes care of names like Impact and Project 247, with tunes that fit that supposed In Trance We Trust manifesto of showcasing the harder side of the genre.

The other prominent tunes has Geert Huinink as a producer, five out of the twelve. Yeah, that Geert Huinink, so expect those kinds of breakdowns, with those orchestral swells. What's amusing though, is in final track Protuberance from Dawnseekers, as the breakdown reaches its Geertiest moment, Oddgeir cuts the track off and ends the set, denying the listener the expectant gratuitous build-up. Expert trolling there, my friends!

Various - In Trance We Trust 001: DJ Misja Helsloot

In Trance We Trust: 1998

Going back to the very beginning of this label's existence was inevitable, especially if I ever want to sate this bizarre desire to 'complete the set'. Oddly, In Trance We Trust 001 wasn't that hard to find for a reasonable penny, at least compared to the subsequent volumes. Is it because Mr. Helsloot has remained active to this day? For sure Discoggian data is utterly sparse for DJ Stigma and DJ Lars Holte, though that may be for other reasons I needn't get into here.

Anyhow, we should be plenty familiar with the story now. Black Hole Recordings established, DJ Tiësto quickly releasing a couple of his famed Magik mix CDs, fame growing, then *boom*! Sub-labels spring up aplenty. Actually, I'm not entirely sure how many emerged shortly after Black Hole's launch. I was honestly surprised to discover In Trance We Trust was birthed so soon after its parent label though, my head somehow thinking it wasn't until the year 2000. And yet, listening to the inaugural mix CD from this two decade-plus old print (!!), you could have easily convinced me it was launched even earlier.

I know the state of trance was somewhat in flux throughout 1998, but there's still an easily identifiable sound we associate with the era: sawwave anthems, gated pads, melodies that really get your gurn on. I was not expecting to hear vintage choir pads right from the opening in Hammock Brothers' Blaze Of Night. Even more confounding to my senses is this is one of Mr. Verwest's early collabs, in this case Roland Kramer. Right, it totally gets its Sash! on when the peak hits, but so did a lot of clubby trance back then, and not every one of them did the ol' school German trance thing while doing so.

Speaking of way-old aliases hardly anyone remembers, hoo boy are there a bunch of them here. M.I.K.E. and Deruyter (as Extreme Trax), Benno de Goeij (as Ceres), Taucher and Stenzel (as Red Light District), Transa (as Cascade), with Corsten (as Moonman) on the rub. Actually, this Transcend tune is one I definitely recall hearing 'back in the day', and a clear precursor to his massive Out Of The Blue, doing that 'hold the build e-e-e-extra long' thing.

That was 'the future of trance' though, and Misja fills this CD with plenty of old-sounding trance from names like DJ Philip, Solar Plexus, Warlock, and even his own E-Mocean. Elsewhere, tunes like De-Tuned from Reversed Twister, Did You Hear Me? from Red Light District, and, erm, Sakin & Friends' Protect Your Mind and Tiësto's own Theme From Norefjell point to where things were headed.

Which would make for an interesting set if Mr. Helsloot thematically arranged things to support this dichotomy, but he doesn't. Frankly, the mixing is shockingly abrupt, with key clashes and hard slams everywhere. I guess when everyone making the genre aren't all using the same presets yet (much less studio polished into label homogeneity), these things are more noticeable.

Various - In Trance We Trust 022: Menno de Jong

In Trance We Trust: 2018

Heck of a leap here, going from the earliest hard trance out of Germany, to the latest hard trance out of the Netherlands. Yet I can't help but regard the two a little similar. In their respective eras, both are quite niche, a sound primarily enjoyed by a select few in specialized scenes.

And you may think, how can that be true of In Trance We Trust? Isn't trance still the biggest gateway genre with guys like Armin van Buuren as popular as ever? His brand of barely-trance, sure, but that's not what we have here, Menno's style far too beefed up on steroid beats to be of any service for the masses. Why, all these breakdowns and builds actually lead to something, a propulsive explosion forward, none of that anti-drop business Dutch house is saturated with. This is 'second-room' music, the former domain of d'n'b at raves, now occupied by 140 BPM eurotrance because some folks just have energy to spare, and ain't no way the plodding bollocks played in main rooms will cut it.

Heck, Menno opens this edition of the label's mix CD series with psy trance! Well, as close to psy trance as we could ever expect. With its full-on bassline, spacey synth leads, and occasional wibbly fills, GMO's Forty-Two is honestly rather generic for prog-psy, but loads more interesting as an opener than nearly anything I've heard out of In Trance We Trust. That's followed by a Liquid Soul & Zyce rub on Paul Oakenfold's Full Moon Party that's rather goa-leaning itself. Yes, that Oakenfold, when he re-dabbled a bit in goa a decade ago. Goodness, are we in for a complete re-invention of the In Trance We Trust brand, bringing psy to the party in a bid to maintain underground cred? Heck, I see a Flowjob track among the label's recent singles!

Yeah, no, Menno's own Ananda bringing things back to the usual sounds we're familiar with. Actually, this tune reminds me more of older In Trance We Trust, with a solid, strident hook and all, but even that bit of nostalgia bait (plus another updated remix of Beautiful Things) quickly succumbs to the 'steroid trance'. As I've said before, I don't mind this stuff too much, so long as the breakdowns don't last long, and the mastering gives some room for the synths to breathe. There's a few tracks in here that are hilariously bricked though (dear Lord, does Amir Hussain's Mana ever sound buried under the over-driven beats), and I can't help but start checking my watch the tracklist as the set carries on. Spoiled by the tease of psy at the beginning, I guess.

So In Trance We Trust 022, despite the slight hint/tease of evolution at the start, is mostly more of the same from Menno's relaunch of the label. I like it better than where its been, but still feel it's only three-fourths of all that it could be. Needs to rid itself of tired eurotrance tropes, methinks.

Fictivision - Ringworld / Outpost

In Trance We Trust: 2003

Yes, I admit it: it's totally the cover art that drew me to Fictivision's Ringworld. Just the retro feel of it is enticing enough, though being among the most unique images of ITWT's catalogue doesn't hurt either. Like something out of a '70s astronomy book, before we had amazing telescope photography splashing across our pages, relying on the imaginative guesswork of painters.

Arny Bink typically used beauty shots of various Earthen locales and scenery in his photography for the label, giving the early In Trance We Trust releases their distinct character over so many other trance prints of the early '00s. I wonder what inspired him to go so cosmic with Fictivision's debut? Also, did Arny make it himself? The legal details say the artwork is owned by Black Hole Recordings, so maybe so.

Anyhow, I wouldn't have acquired this single if the music within was rubbish – lovely artwork can only take things so far. Fortunately, Fictivision was one of In Trance We Trust's unsung heroes of the label's golden age, each of his singles among the classiest a bloated Dutch scene could offer. Heck, it was his pairing with Phynn on Escape that clued me in that there might still be some worth in a genre I'd long since abandoned. But while his partner would go onto a decent little career of his own, the Fictivision project ended after just four singles.

Instead, the man behind the moniker, Bart van Wissen, focused his attention to producing proggy electro house after, as was the style at the time. I listened to a few of those singles, and they're fine for what they are, but I get more of a kick from his darker, dubbier prog from before the Fictivision years. In any case, a genuine talent that could have offered so much more if he'd gotten a similar break as his buddy Phynn did.

And how does Ringworld go? Right, it's honestly a fairly standard epic trancer with a cosmic bent, including a mild breakdown for the main lead to go a little quiet for a tasteful build. It's still a lead that triggers the Proper Trance synapses in my brain matter though, which can happen provided its not surrounded by a bunch of bollocks. The flipside Outpost is more straight-forward, leaning on that Ton-TB brand of tech-trance that was making the rounds of Black Hole at the time. Not bad, though I've heard better out of Fictivision, including that pairing with C-Quence in Symbols, not to mention another epic cosmic outing in Out Of Orbit, his final release with In Trance We Trust. Man, that's another one I wouldn't mind having. Shame you can't even buy these in MP3 format anymore.

Erm, yeah, full confession I nabbed Ringworld from the Seeker Of Souls, all my regular options exhausted. Still, between his Fictivision stuff, and the material released under his own name, Mr. van Wissen has enough to compile some sort of retrospective on Bandcamp. Would definitely drop dollars for that.

Various - In Trance We Trust 021: Adam Ellis

In Trance We Trust: 2016

In all seriousness, why am I still collecting this series? Let me recap a moment. I first got Phynn's set (ITWT 011) because it looked like an interesting item to review for TranceCritic. I got a pile of others after relaunching this blog because I thought it'd make for a fun little gimmick week, what with all the guest review spots from Street Fighter Alpha 3 characters. I needn't carry on with that though, as clearly it ran its course with no other characters left to do guest reviews (no, Dahlsim doesn't count; nor the Final Fight guys, including Guy). I could have just left it there, but something drew me back, to the point I'm now looking to complete the full In Trance We Trust set, even the Nordic Editions. Is it the touristy cover-art? An actual, shameful enjoyment of Dutch eurotrance? Still paying back on a lost bet or dare?

I suspect the idea of this label has somehow taken hold, a concept that, in theory, I should enjoy. I've always preferred the harder, faster side of trance music since its earliest German days, but not so hard it falls into over-the-top parody. As promoted, In Trance We Trust is supposed to hit that sweet spot, and many of its earlier releases actually delivered what I'd hoped to hear, sporadically enough to entice me further despite the low batting average. It's like a TV series with a kick-ass theme song making you think you're in for a dope show, and perhaps has a couple classic episodes, but is mostly a lot of crummy acting with repetitive, cliche plots. Or voting conservative thinking this time their fiscal policies will sort things out instead of fuck everything up worse.

Anyhow, In Trance We Trust 021. It's pretty much agreed that Menno de Jong's relaunch of the label was successful, but could that momentum be maintained? In the label's tradition of tapping up-and-coming talent for a little spotlight shine, Englishman Adam Ellis takes the reigns of this bold new era in the label's history and basically delivers more of the same of what ITWT 020 gave, except condensed down to a single CD. There's the pummelling beats and strident anthems and never-ending breakdowns, but eh, about what I was expecting anyway. The set feels a bit front-loaded with vocal tunes, but is balanced out with some of the hardest modern eurotrance I've ever heard (which isn't much, to be honest).

I've seen this sound sometimes referred to as 'steroid trance', which is apt. It sure sounds like an ultra-beefy version of what the genre was like at the turn of the century. Like, Michelin Man bulky, or Macho Man Randy Savage at the end of his WCW run. Certainly not the lean, mean trance of the '90s, much like the Macho Man of his WWF run. Gosh, does that make early '00s trance NWO Randy Savage? Still capable and talented, but often overshadowed by all the egos in the surrounding environment.

Various - In Trance We Trust 010 - Collector's Edition 1

In Trance We Trust: 2004

I might as well complete the collection, right? Like, I'm only missing a handful of these compilations now. It'll be nice to say that I've a complete set of at least one long-running, on-going series should I show off all my CDs to someone. They'll say, “Boy, that's a lot of CDs, any complete collections?” And I'll say, “Yeah, one.” And they'll ask, “Is it Fabric? Balance? DJ-Kicks?” And I'll say, “No, nothing so prestigious.” And they'll say, “Ah, something more trancey then: Distance To Goa.” And I'll say, “No, not that either.” To which they'll ask, “Well, which one?” From which I'll reply, “In Trance We Trust.” After they'll inquiry, “But.. you dislike Dutch eurotrance. Why that series?” Forthwith I'll respond, “Because it was there.”

The tenth volume of In Trance We Trust's showcase mix series is unlike any other volume in its two-decade history, in that it's a 'best of' double-disc extravaganza! Look, it was the mid-'00s, when two CDs worth of music could still be considered a hefty amount to take in. The Black Hole Recordings off-shoot had been in operation for six years by the time it hit number 010, so I'm sure they felt the time was right for a little summation on their catalogue. Good thing too, considering the first creeps of trend-chasing decline would rear its head in the follow-up volume two years later (thanks, 'electro' house!). Say what you will about this early era of eurotrance, it at least knew what it was and made no apologies for it.

Like, I know I'm gonna' be in for breakdowns – oh lordy, are there ever breakdowns – but I don't hate these so much. I think I've just trained my brain to tune the naff bits out, and enjoy the elements that I do enjoy. The pumping rhythms, the spacey pads, the plucky riffs, the energetic leads, and, yes, even the occasional overwrought supersaw anthem, if tastefully done. Things still feel like in a state of flux in this period of eurotrance, the subtler, classy tunes still rubbing shoulders with outright cheese. And heck, even the cheese sometimes hits on those guilty pleasure endorphins the best of eurodance nails every time. Plus, the production isn't all unbearably bricked, which is nice. Ooh, I can hear the air between the beats!

As this is a 'collector's edition', there's no big spotlight on a guest DJ handling the mix, but Cor Fijneman does handle the CD2 set. CD1, meanwhile, isn't even mixed at all, making this the only disc in In Trance We Trust history to offer full, uncut tracks. I'm assuming these are the tunes that didn't fit in Cor's set, but still deserved highlighting of the label's history.

So lots of familiar names throughout, but one glaring omission stands out to my eyes: Fictivision's Ringworld. That's, like, my favouritest track from this label ever! No, I'm not just saying that because of the single's super-unique cover-art. It's a good trance tune, I swear!

Various - In Trance We Trust 020: Mike Saint-Jules & Sneijder (CDs 2 & 3)

In Trance We Trust: 2014

So Menno de Jong's mix for this 3CD mega-event Twentieth edition volume of In Trance We Trust turned out better than I expected. I suspect two reasons for that. First, Menno's unabashed enjoyment of the vintage euro-trance stylee came through in his mix, infecting me with his enthusiasm in the process – too often sets like these come off perfunctory hits rinse-outs, but not so much this one. Second, as this is an anniversary release, of course one of these discs would go the throwback route, saving the other two for contemporary takes on trance. I may as well enjoy the CD that shares some attributes of my early rave days, even if I did my darndest to avoid it back then. After all, whatever Mike Saint-Jules and Sneijder have in store will obviously be inferior.

Oh, hi Sagat, what brings you to this review? Wait, what are you-

Sagat: Tiger Genocide!


*several hours later* Oh man, did I ever get some sense knocked into me. A real slap-shocker, just like listening to these remaining two CDs.

I’ll be damned, but both discs mostly pick up right where Mr. De Jong left off. Mind, Saint-Jules’ set does plod for much of its first half, the sort of thunking anthem prog that made some previous In Trance We Trust volumes such a chore to get through. Things get especially dire midway with a pair of tunes that sound like they’re hitching onto recent Dutch house nonsense (of course Richard Durand would be one of the producers). It was all that I feared from these sets.

Then, in an instant, MSJ’s done with it, starts unloading his own brand of hard trance bangers, and holy geez, these are just as much fun as Menno’s offerings. Why are these fun? Logic says I’m supposed to hate these, but damn if I don’t get the feels for these anthems. They’re just so unapologetic, earnest, and don’t give a fuck what those other scenesters think. It doesn’t hurt ol’ Mike keeps his mixes quick, never letting tunes dawdle for longer than they need to – even the breakdowns have something keeping the momentum, serving as lulls rather than full-stop dithering tedium. It’s euro-trance that utilizes its clichés with efficiency, and is all the better for it.

Meanwhile, this Sneijder fella’, hot damn, he’s just relentless with the energy. Even with breakdowns and supersaws and the whole lot, I’m completely on board his set from start to finish. It’s the beats, mang, relentlessly vicious rhythms that make all the requisite euro-trance downtime bearable (I imagine even with a gun to their head, euro-trance DJs would sooner take the bullet in their brain than play a track without a breakdown).

I still wouldn’t recommend In Trance We Trust 020 to anyone uninterested in this scene, but then it’s not trying to win such folk over anyway. These guys are done with appealing to tourists, perfectly content catering to those who never stopped trusting in trance. D’aaww, so sappy. PLUR hugs!

Various - In Trance We Trust 020: Menno de Jong (CD1)

In Trance We Trust: 2014

The folks at Black Hole Recordings had to realize the In Trance We Trust brand was in desperate need of a shake-up. The genre its namesake was based upon had dwindled in clubber interest and market share. Much of the old guard moved onto more lucrative ventures. New singles continuously failed at enticing a new generation into its scene. All that remained were staunch die-hards, those who truly did trust in trance regardless of popularity. It isn’t as massive a group as those found at massive festivals, but at least they were a dedicated bunch, who'd stick with you through the good times and the bad, provided you didn't deviate from what they felt was a purity of their preferred music. What was the label to do then? Try riding the trendy bandwagons in the hopes of remaining relevant, or start catering specifically to a guaranteed, though smaller, following? Speaking of Menno de Jong's career...!

Okay, ol’ Menno hasn’t taken quite the same path, mostly resisting throwing his lot in with noisy electro anthems and dubstep permutations like many of his brethren did. For a chap who seemed primed for a larger career though, he floundered a bit at the turn of this decade, soon after closing up his Intuition Recordings print. Aw, I actually kinda’ liked that label, his Intuition Sessions mix one of the few CDs that got me tentatively giving trance another chance. While it’s no surprise he’d end up at one of the mega-labels, it’s interesting that he’s releasing singles and now offering a set on In Trance We Trust. Their DJ mixes have mostly gone to up-and-comers and relative unknowns for over a decade now, and surely Mr. de Jong has enough scene clout that he need not slum it with sub-labels.

Then again, hitting the big Two-Oh is something to celebrate for any series, so why not have a prominent name at the helm. And as ol’ Menno’s been one of the genre’s resolute ‘old-school’ supporters, it makes good sense having him provide a throwback euro-trance set. There are breakdowns, girly vocals, and oh God is there supersaws. None of these have any chance of being a hit in this day of EDM, and despite production chops at the bleeding edge of modernity, are all recycling the same standard formulae from euro-trance of old.

Yet, I’m strangely fine with this, even enjoying myself most of the time. The energy is relentless, especially in the latter half when tunes absolutely tear (yeah, that’s John Askew for ya’). Menno even provides a rare vocal tune I unashamedly like (Creatures Of The Night), proving the ol’ Law Of Averages I guess. No matter how overwrought, cliché, or sappy this set goes, MdJ kept pulling me back in, anxious to hear what sort of anthem he’d drop next. It’s like he’s paying homage to that scene’s roots (the fun and the wack), and screw whatever recent developments have gone down. Those are sentiments I can respect.

Various - In Trance We Trust 011: Phynn (Ishkur's Review)

In Trance We Trust: 2006

(Click here to read my original TranceCritic review)

(note: one of my ironclad rules is I will not review anything I do not have in my personal collection of music, even if I've already technically paid for it - Ishkur doesn't have such scruples though, so he pinched in to do a review of this for me. Enjoy!)


Eurotrance is like a rollercoaster. The first time, you enjoy it. You enjoy it a lot. You enjoy it so much, you go again. And again. But after a hundred times, not so much. For nearly 20 years eurotrance has inundated us with the same ride, the same coaster, the same up and down nonsense in music stores, supermarkets, elevators, hotel lobbies and every La Senza, Bebe and Hot Topic in every mall. Some people never tire of riding the same coaster. Those people have the musical sensibility of a squirrel and the insecurity of a crack whore, to the extent that they’ve created their own annual popularity contest to tell themselves how good they are at their own music. You call them every cracker-ass white dutchbag at Sensation White. We simply call them trancecrackers.

Continuing the compost crap collection of common cookie cutter cardboard cutout copycat cracker-ass compact disc compilation compositions for low countries cunts is In Trance We Trust 011, played by Phynn. I won’t say mixed because trance DJs don’t mix, they play pre-recorded music. You might recognize Phynn as the Dutch trance DJ everyone loved. No, the other one. No, the other one. No, the other one.

The In Trance We Trust series started in 1999 as a showcase of the titular sublabel of Testicle’s Black Hole Reamings, promising to bring a harder edge to Dutch eurodisney cheese, which is like promising to make your food spicier by adding mayonnaise. They’re up to 020 now, each one an annual sampler platter of the label’s milquetoast offerings, indistinguishable in form and content. And yes, that is how they number them. That means we have 977 more to go. Listening to them in succession would feel longer and more agonizing than Stephen King’s ‘The Jaunt’. [you don’t know the half of it –Syk]

This mix is thoroughly unremarkable in every conceivable way. You’ve been on this rollercoaster before. There is nothing new or special here. 79 minutes of disposable, formulaic, feather-lite fluff, only 53m of which is actual trance (the other 26m are breakdowns – long, boring, annoying, non-dancing wristwatch-checking go-to-the-bar-and-get-a-drink breakdowns). For this reason I give it an objective score of 67%. It is a C-average mark. Just like Phynn’s career.

Tracks of note:

Kay Stone – Alone has one breakdown and it’s only 8 bars. That makes it a moderately decent trance song.

Mode Hookers – Breathe is a piss-poor attempt by Sander van Doorn to make farting bassline house that all the kids were into at the time.

Phynn’s own track Close Encounters runs the gamut of the stop-start nonsense that makes eurotrance so insufferable. It’s easily the worst track and also the longest. Gee Phynn, promo whore much?

Airbase – For the Fallen, a breaktrance number in the Freeland tradition, proves my theory that trancecrackers will listen to other genres but only if trance producers make them.

Phynn’s mixing: You know they have bots that can do this now, right?

Various - In Trance We Trust 009: DJ Mark Norman

In Trance We Trust: 2004

The boys that built Black Hole Recordings and all their various offshoots were growing up, starting their first tentative steps as successful stars outside the safe embrace of familiar family. Erm, only one was successful, but then Mr. Verwest’s always been a driven individual, capable of taking root anywhere he so chose. Not so much the others though, but as the likes of Fijneman and Helsloot had drifted from the In Trance We Trust print, it was time for a new generation to take up the mantle (though after veteran Ton T.B. gets his kick at the can, ‘natch). Fresh blood, rising stars, innovative outlo- AHAHAHA! Oh, that last one’s rich. All the latest crop of producers did was recycle the old tricks and put a fresh coat of paint on it, but hey, it’s not like kids discovering trance for the first time knew any better.

Whatever. I have to talk about Mark Norman, one of these supposed new stars of the future. He – or rather still they (Mark de Jong left the duo a few years back) had already released a few singles on the short-lived label Silver Premium, finding a new home with Magik Muzik when that one folded, and have remained within the Black Hole Recordings family to this day. Norman Lenden only releases sporadic singles now, but for a short while in the mid-‘00s, the Mark Norman brand was a hot product emerging in euro-trance’s re-shuffling of movers and shakers, a force for the harder side of the scene that wouldn't follow turncoat trends like hardstyle or electro house. And then he did when festival paydays became the norm. So it goes.

In Trance We Trust 009’s another mix that surprised me, and not just because I got the proper CD this time. I’m already familiar with Mark Norman’s style of music from his (their) productions, and given the annoyingly repetitive era of eurotrance this was released, was expecting something similar to Helsloot’s last mix or even Phynn’s set for ITWT011 - some good tunes, but mostly tedium and another fuckton of breakdowns.

And while that’s kinda’ holds true for ITWT009, there’s far more consistent energy in Mark Norman’s chosen weapons of rinse-out. This set goes for the hard anthemage from the opening, and doesn’t let the pedal off until the laser leaves the aluminum. Okay, I can vibe to this, absolutely. Even the breakdowns seldom kill the set’s momentum, and the only outright cheese moment is the obligatory Tiësto promotion, Love Comes Again. Gotta’ pay respects to the label’s Godfather.

Today’s guest review spot was supposed to be Sakura, but she’s late as usual. Mm, who else hasn’t had reviewed one of these yet? Hey, Birdie, what do you think of Mark Norman’s In Trance We Trust mix?

Birdie: Prefer some UK garage ‘n’ grime m’self, mate.






Wait, didn’t you die before either of- *oof!*


Sakura: Sorry, sorry I’m late! I thought I saw Ryu on the way, and…

Various - In Trance We Trust 007: DJ Misja Helsloot

In Trance We Trust: 2002

Misja Helsloot has the distinction of kicking off this line of DJ mixes, way back- Hold a second…

*best-worst Londo Mollari impression* MISTA Helsloot! MEESTA Hell Sloot! MEESTA HELL SLUTTY-SLUTE!

Sorry, had to get that out of my system. Where was I? Ah, yes. Mr. Helsloot, the second jock to get a second shot at mixing In Trance We Trust. After spending much of his early DJ career in third tier status, this should have at least propelled him up a notch within Dutch trance’s sphere of influence. Not that it was a good mix (oh Hell no!), but the In Trance We Trust brand still had that shiny Tiësto allure glow, and any chap associated with the brand should have benefited from the rub. Why, it’s the perfect time to spend the next few years producing singles and running a label (Gesture Music, plus sub-label First Second Records). Neither took off in any significant way though, either failing to generate much traction in an increasingly bloated scene, or ol’ Misja grew bored of the business model. Eventually he re-refocused his efforts on productions and DJing again, thus completing the typical path for most trance hopefuls in the ‘00s.

I’ve been spoiled a couple times with this series, especially with Cor Fijneman’s last mix (who’d have guessed!). I cannot deny I had some expectation- nay, hope that In Trance We Trust 007 would surprise as these earlier editions often have. After all, I know just how shit these CDs would turn in later editions, and older stuff’s just naturally better, amirite? No, ima-not-rite on this one, as most of the latter-era In Trance We Trust mixes at least have one thing this volume doesn’t: actual set flow.

True, the tunes were often balls and jumped on way too many bandwagons, but there was some care to how they were stitched together. Mr. Helsloot shows no such craft, simply aligning a bunch of unrelated epic, melodic bangers one after the other and calling it a day. Even when a few good tunes stand out, they’re isolated instances, whatever momentum they generate quickly undone by a follow-up with a gratuitous full-stop breakdown. Oh God, are there ever fucking breakdowns on this CD. And what’s with Ton TB’s Future Voices aping a pile of old-school Oliver Lieb tricks? It’s like he mashed up Netherworld with ancient Spicelab. Now I want to play ITWT06 instead – the real deal’s there.

Guest reviewer for this CD is none other than the aspiring woman’s pro-wrestling superstar, Rainbow Mika! She keeps insisting on some promo time, and might as well give it here.

R. Mika: Wait, I’m on now? Alright, trance music! Um, this is like J-Pop, right? Oh oh, no, that’s not it. Oh dear, I don’t know anything about this. Just, just give me a chance to listen to it some more. Does Zangief listen to trance music? No? Ah, well, I’ve some autographs to sign anyway. Exhibition matches at Sardine Beach every Saturday!

Various - In Trance We Trust 006: DJ Cor Fijneman

In Trance We Trust: 2001

Last round, I lamented ending up with Cor Fijneman’s first mix for In Trance We Trust, as his immediate follow-up looked more interesting of the two. Well fret not, 2013 Sykonee (oh God, I’m doing this…), because your future self will enjoy In Trance We Trust 006 after all. Oh, and while I’m conversing with Near-Past Me, you ought to get on that Silent Season label’s CDs before it’s too late. Trust me.

ITWT005 caught me off guard by high the average BPM was, so thoroughly subjected to trance’s gradual slowing throughout the ‘00s as I was. However, the Blackhole sublabel was initially designed as an outlet for the harder, clubbier side of the genre, so I shouldn’t have been. Yet, diving into ITWT006, fully expecting a brisk tempo from the outset, I’m still struck dumb by how fast these tunes are. They’re not the hard-hard form of trance either (freeform?), mostly hanging around melodic side of things the Dutch jocks adored.

And what’s this? Tunes with energy and drive. Synths flying in from space. Hooks that aren’t sap. Bangin’ 4am tech-trance business. Freakin’ old school acid trance! I know the release date on this claims 2001, but ol’ Cor’s mix sure feels like a ‘90s one. It’s not like he’s included a pile of older producers and tracks in here either. Yeah, Mr. Lieb get’s repped, and Airwave had a solid discography behind him by that point. Many more on here were just breaking out though, and would go on to have lengthy, respectable careers. Marco V’s here! Orkidea’s here (providing a mint remix to Tiësto’s Flight 643)! Darren Tate’s here (as Citizen Caned)! Of course Mr. Fijneman’s here too, bringing in a Geert Huinink assist for a surprisingly solid tech-trance outing in 10 PM. Unfortunately, Geert Huinink is also in at his Geertiest on the track Escalator from Headstrong. Too… much… Dutch…

While most of these trance tunes tickle me right, ol’ Cor’s mixing still isn’t much to get fussed about. That said, his set construction’s mostly sound, melodic stuff dealt with early, and then segueing into pounding tech-trance for a strong finish. Oh, except for one utterly daft moment near the end with cheese-mongers Dance Nation’s Sunshine (with Mr. Fijneman on the rub of course), hopelessly misplaced in- ah, forget it. The CD’s been good, and you’ve earned this silly moment, Cor. Nu-italo lives!

Anyone new to trance will figure In Trance We Trust 006 as rather old-fashioned these days. We better get a Street Fighter who’s about as old-fashioned as they come, T. Hawk. This guy’s so old-fashioned, it’s like he’s an old-timey stereotype!

T. Hawk: Hn. I’ll ignore that. The music does little for me. Some okay rhythm, not much else. That’s all I have to say about this.






Nothing at all? How about some of these titles, like Spirit In The Sky?

T. Hawk: …






Mysteries Of Life?

T. Hawk: …






The Journey? Nothing?

T. Hawk: …






Implacable.

T. Hawk: Yes.

In Trance We Trust: Super Champion Review Project Turbo - Round 2 Fight!

C-c-c-comber Breaker! Wait, wrong game. Initiate Super Fire Blow! No, that's not it. Test my might? Oh HELL no! New challengers appear! Yeah, that's the stuff.

Whatever famous fighting game phrase you prefer, I am indeed breaking up my regular queue for a brief return to the world of In Trance We Trust. Revisiting the series' music for my December 2013 ACE TRACKS Playlist got me curious whether the label was still kicking around or had quietly folded into the glowstick illuminated night. Not only has it held on, but even knocked out another mix, reaching the mighty Volume Twenty in a 3CD extravaganza! Damn, I knew I shouldn't have let Dan Hibiki deliver the final blow to the series. Guess it’s time for me to step into the fighting arena for another round (plus a few assists from various Street Fighter Alpha 3 participants, ‘natch).

Of course, I can’t return to a DJ mix series without adding some stipulations for which volumes I’ll buy. Last round, I picked up every edition that was cheaper than In Trance We Trust 011, my official introduction to these CDs. Turned out every single mix after DJ Phynn’s set fell into that condition, so I’m left with very few still out there regardless. Since I was getting In Trance We Trust 020 no matter what (because glutton for punishment, right?), I figured rounding up whatever mixes were cheaper than that one as the best option for a purchasing stipulation. So now I have every volume of In Trance We Trust aside from the first four (expensive rare now). That includes In Trance We Trust 011, but the CD still hasn’t arrived, now two weeks overdue - I don’t know if it ever will. I’d rather not waste anymore time waiting, but I’ll see if I can come up with something in its space instead.

Various - In Trance We Trust 019: Kris O'Neil

In Trance We Trust: 2012

Well, at least I didn’t have to endure a breakdown until two minutes this time, but there it is once again. God almighty, when will this trope- oh, it’s already back to the beats. Well, good then. But I bet this opener will come to a full stop for a standard build-up and- wait, it’s already doing the build-up? Without a pause? Holy cow, and it drops right after the peak; no dawdling, just hitting that anthem instantly. Okay, that wasn’t so bad, but it was just a one-off, I’m sure. The rest of this disc will- oh, wow! The entire first half of this mix has tracks like that.

I’ll grant some builds go a tad long (Cosmic Gate just can’t help themselves), but there’s no sense of momentum lost - just bangin’ tune after bangin’ tune, many with a hooky anthem and hard rhythms. Hm, and snares or claps on every beat, no less; rather like hard house come to think of it. Hey, this isn’t trance at all, it’s anthem house!

Right, so I should have expected it from a 2012 mix CD, as tons of DJs jumped on that genre’s recent resurgence (and stop calling it retarded names like ‘trouse’ or Trance 2.0). I can totally see the euro-trance faithful hating Kris O’Neil’s offering to the In Trance We Trust series, signifying yet another example of the scene they reverently coddled turning to sounds more popular to a general audience. Yeah, well, them’s the breaks, kids. Now you know how the old-old schoolers felt when the Dutch sounds ya’ll loved started dominating trance many moons ago. Stings, don’t it.

Anyhow, Mr. O’Neil’s quick mixes (average of four minutes per track!) of tunes that keep the energy escalating does peter out by the midway mark, after which he indulges in some tepid vocal cuts (dear Lord, that Wanrooy track with Blake Lewis is hokey), and tech bangers for the end. A couple are okay, but can’t match the unabashed stupid-fun the first half of the CD offered, which was more than could be said for so many other volumes.

Thus, that’s the last of the In Trance We Trust series, perhaps period. ITWT019 was released a year-and-a-half ago, and though the label still comes out with the odd single, there hasn't been word on a twentieth volume hitting stores any time soon, digi or not. Gee, I know the whole mix CD market’s got little appeal to most young punters out there, but surely a mega-label like Black Hole Recordings sees some merit in maintaining In Trance We Trust. Did Kris O’Neil’s offering tank that bad to kill it off? Or was the inclusion of so much anthem house a sign that In Trance We Trust no longer trusts in trance?


If this really is the end, then it’s only fitting to have In Trance We Trust put to pasture. Let ‘em have it, guys!

Gen: “Zan’ei!”

M. Bison: “Psycho Crusher!”

Akuma: “Shun Goku Satsu.”






Dan: “Chouhatsu Densetsu!

Various - In Trance We Trust 018: Marc Simz

In Trance We Trust: 2011

I've gone on about how bad some of these In Trance We Trusts are, but they haven't been dreadful-bad or anything. Despite many stretches of misery, unoriginality, or boredom, I can at least get through them with some decent tunes along the way. This one though... Oh God, this one...

Not even ninety seconds in, and I’m hit with a full-stop breakdown. What the fuck was the point of those limp opening beats then? You didn’t mix from anything, Mr. Simz. Either start your set with proper rhythmic build to hook me in, or don’t bother at all – use an ‘ambient intro’ if you’re going this route. Fine, the main track is nice as an opener, but the next track after that has another full-stop breakdown. And the one after that. And after, and after, and practically through the whole bloody CD. So much for set flow. Here’s the start of a new tune, it stops, here’s your dithering breakdown and build, thump-thump, and moving on. And dear lord do these breakdowns ever go on. It’s like the worst of DJ Scot Project, but with plodding prog beats rather than pounding hard trance.

And I thought I’d heard some wretched ‘melodies’ in such breakdowns before. Saint X’ Gabriel has to rank up there with the most overblown Dutch synths victimizing my ears, made even more hilarious by the ‘minimal’ bloopiness that forms the rhythmic backbone. Give me the good ol’ days where Dutch anthems were just supersaw nonsense. Wow, how I miss those alre-

Ah, fack me, I didn’t mean for you to actually include those sort of tunes at the end, Marc! Virtual Vault’s really getting his System-F on with Freedom, Simz teams up with Geert Huinink for an orchestral breakdown-build that lasts nearly three fucking minutes, and Juventa’s As You Are is, well, about typical for the classic Anjunabeats sound. Guess it was alright for what it is, but not after such a pathetically structured set such as this one.

Man, even some of the tunes I kinda like have things working against them. Fefelove & Abramasi’s Try To Catch A Goldfish has strong, spacey trance elements in play, but are undone by a distorted low-end drowning everything out. Ruby & Tony’s Praya kinda tickles my ‘dumb-fun’ centres with its anthem and chopped up McProg vocals, but it don’t last long enough.

Ugh. In Trance We Trust 018 is a total turkey. I can’t imagine the series getting worse after this, but there is still one more to go. Courage, Sykonee...


Is this the worst CD of this reviewing project? Let’s ask the worst Street Fighter, Dan Hibiki, if it’s so.

Dan: “Hey now, don’t be like that. I’ve proven myself in the fighting arena, as I’m sure Marc Simz has proven himself in the DJ arena. In fact, I don’t even need to listen to this to know it’s the strongest CD of them all. Yahoo! Am I right, Jimmy?”

Blanka: “Aaroohoaahoo! (You go, Friend Dan!)”

Various - In Trance We Trust 017: Bobina

In Trance We Trust: 2011

Bobina is Dmitry Almazov, a very important person in the world of Russian trance. Wait, are there any others? I know plenty of Russians have made trance over the years, but beyond the occasional cross-over hit (hi, PPK!), none have made much of an impact on the scene at large. Not Bobina though. He got noticed by a few very important people in the trance scene of Western Europe, and gained enough of a following such that he’s consistently placed high in an online poll many folks used to take seriously. He must have blitzed his homeland for votes, and with no other heroes to support, trance fans of the Motherland dutifully came to his support, a Red Trance Army unlike any seen before. Sort of.

Anyhow, he got a record deal with the all-consuming Black Hole Recordings, and as such got a chance at In Trance We Trust. Unlike the recent string of jocks in this series, Bobina already had some experience in the mix CD realm, so we can expect something with a little more structure despite still being constrained by the same ‘play record label’s latest singles’ politics we always deal with In Trance We Trust now.

The first three tracks are vocal trance. Well f

The first track, Reverie by First State and ‘has some personality’ vocalist Sarah Howells, is kinda fun, only that it’s totally Real McCoy’s classic euro-dance tune Runaway. Whether intentional or not, I haven’t a clue, but you can’t hide that chorus from my expert euro-detection ability (the hook screams mid-‘90s too). The second track has a bored sounding Jan Johnston on it, probably because it was Cosmic Gate originally doing the production. The third track has Hayley Parsons on it, who’s done little singing of note so moving on.

Actually, we don’t get anymore vocals until Bobina’s own You Belong To Me some midway through, and hoo boy is this ever set-up to be the anthem of ITWT017. Most of the tunes before were on a proggy tip, some nice synths and atmosphere created but little in the way of rhythmic momentum. Bobina’s cut practically erupts from there with rolling basslines, ultra supersaw washes and such. Really, it’s copying the ‘big Tiësto vocal remix’ formula, which he does pull off, I must admit.

Some good epic trancers with lovely sounding synths follow (I’m warming up to that T.O.M. fella’), plus some utter wank ones too (oh hi, Carl B). As many of them have halting, overlong breakdowns though, it naturally ruins any musical momentum this set had going for it. *sigh* Nothing changes is this bloody scene, does it.


Bobina’s from Russia. Of course the ‘Red Cyclone’ of the former Soviet Union has something to say about it. What does that big piece of beef, Zangief, think of ITWT017?

Zangief: “Comrade Bobina does the glory of Mother Russia proud, making music for European masses. I prefer the classics, Balakirev and Mussorgsky. Night On Bald Mountain good for wrestling bears in Siberia.”

Various - In Trance We Trust 016: DJ Observer & Daniel Heatcliff

In Trance We Trust: 2010

Hey, I know this Heatcliff guy! True, it's only just recently that I know him, on account he's had a track on but two volumes of In Trance We Trust ago, but it's something familiar. As I recall, it was also one of the better tunes off whichever mix that was (geez, it wasn’t that long ago – are these so interchangeable?). Don’t know anything about this DJ Observer dude though. According to the liner notes they’d been producing together for about half a decade, starting out with remixes for Gareth Emery (when he wasn’t so crap) and ...Robbie Rivera? Uh... *scurries to corner, rocking* It’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright...

I’m not sure how the Misters Heatcliff and Observer go about their DJing, but judging by the arrangement of their set for In Trance We Trust 016, a suspected pattern emerges: one handles the instrumental cuts, the other shows love to vocal tunes. Oh God, are there vocals on the CD. Nearly every other song’s got some tart going on about something, and the first couple gals are annoyingly grating. Hannah Ray apparently got her break providing pipes on Armin van Buuren’s Mirage album, so I can give her some slack in not knowing how to handle vocal trance singing yet (and it’s not like Observer and Heatcliff give her anything interesting to work with). Not sure about Antonia Lucas though, as Lord Discogs may have her mixed in with another Antonia Lucas who sang on house records back in the ‘90s. Get your shit sorted, oh Lord!

After that bit of pain in the early going, things go prog-dull, plodding beats and uninteresting hooks one after the other. Matters aren’t helped when Observer and Heatcliff can’t even get figure out where they want to take their set, jamming in standard slices of euro-trance (Mastteo Marini’s Cosmic Place, their own Fall Call Right Back) in the middle before getting back to the trite McProg fluff.

Speaking of such, I must admit some enjoyment in First State’s Cross The Line near the end. Maybe it’s the better-than-average beats, or maybe vocalist Relyk shows more grace in her delivery than the gals at other points, but it did put a silly grin on my face. Following it with some interesting tech-numbers and an energetic offering from another pair going by T.O.M. & Tommygoff (Callisto Air seems like it learned from the Corsten Book of big-dumb-fun trance), I was almost saddened to have ITWT016 end when it did. Almost.


As luck would have it, Alpha 3 features a pair of fighters who you often face together, Juli & Juni, member of M. Bison’s elite super-soldier force known as The Dolls. What do they think of this CD?

Juni: Commencing audio sampling. Source indicates BPMs of 133 average, with error of 23% due to unfamiliarity of sound.

Juli: Low frequency ranges effective at stimulating left frontal cortex, left parietal cortex, and right cerebellum. High frequency ranges possibly intended for non-human enjoyment.

Various - In Trance We Trust 015: Virtual Vault

In Trance We Trust: 2011

I'm embarking upon uncharted territory from here on out. All those DJs in prior In Trance We Trust mixes, I was familiar with on some level (mostly productions). I know absolutely no one going forward; though do recognize one name because of that blasted DJMag poll. After my tenure at TranceCritic, I saw no reason to keep tabs on the up-and-comers of the euro-trance scene (though I must admit some perverse enjoyment out of watching trance-crackers wail to the stars over the abandonment of their heroes ...excellent). It's not like the music was doing much to listen in on anyway. Seeing as how these forthcoming five volumes all cover the three year span following that time, I'm getting a crash course in what I missed whether I like it or not.

For instance, I've never heard anything about this Virtual Vault chap. Lord Discogs has him down as two guys, but all I see is photos of one, Ben Huijbregts. He's also involved in a few other side-projects like Trebbiano and Lagan Valley, all of which show up on his mix for In Trance We Trust 015. Well, at least it's being more creative than just whoring his regular name out for everything he releases. He's taken trance production back to the old school, when you could have a zillion aliases to work with. Heck, he even used Virtual Vault here rather than Ben. I think I like this guy already.

This music on here’s pretty nice for the most part too. While the only cut that got my blood pumping comes at the end – a fun, twinkly melodic trance collaboration with Ørjan Nilsen called Too Late (wow, I thought twinkle-prog was dead in 2010) - there wasn’t anything that had me burying my head as in the previous couple volumes either. No breakdowns overwrought, no vocals too trite, hardly any sub-genre bandwagon jumps, and ...what’s this? Off beat voices plucks in Kimito Lopez’ I Am Rave. Oh man, there go my German trance nostalgia endorphins!

If anything, Virtual Vault shows something of a fondness for trance before all the electro, side-chaining, brickwall mixdowns, yada yada – whatever you figure the sound of roughly 2002 euro-trance was. This may be a deal breaker if you only want up-to-date sounds and such, but if you’re in the market for a more recent take on turn-of-the-century trance, ITWT015 should serve you fine.


Okay, this one went well, but I still fear the future. I need a fortune-teller to provide guidance in how I should proceed. Say, Rose, you lovely lady, might you be interested in reviewing some music?

Rose: “Not music such as this, immature man. I prefer the opera, and these ‘musicians’ use of baroque chords fool me not, nor should they you. The cards point to other forms far more appropriate for your particular personality, should you remain on your chosen path. Do not falter, no matter how bitter the wine tastes. Fill my glass, please.”

Various - In Trance We Trust 014: Daniel Wanrooy

In Trance We Trust: 2009

The good news is the compression production is behind us – oh, the wonders of sonic dynamics and space between the beats, crystal clarity and not a trace of mud in earsight. The bad news is we’re entering the ‘generic vocalist’ era of trance now, with two such indistinguishable gals gracing us with their non-presence in the first few tracks of In Trance We Trust 014 no less. Okay, tons of vocal trance since even the ‘90s suffered from this; at least Black Hole Recordings had enough clout in hiring ladies with some personality. JES may have always sung from the back of her throat as though she was about to have a wonderful bowel movement, but she stood out as someone unique. Melissa Mathes sounds almost identical to Susie (4) in this CD though, and it only gets worse after this one (Lord help me, there’s still five more discs to get through).

Anyhow, Daniel Wanrooy. He’d already been DJing on the side during his days as one-half of Progression (they of multiple progressive trance singles you’ve heard but probably can’t remember), so he’d been active for a while before striking out solo. Having his chance at an In Trance We Trust volume was a good start in getting his name out there, but he fails to do much of note with his effort. The opening is the usual smattering of pleasant Balearic numbers and McProg vocal cuts, then he heads down the god-awful anthem road with tracks containing breakdowns and builds that go on far too long and seldom offer a memorable payoff (holy cow, is that Topher Jones cut ever pointless). It’s just like Carl B’s mix, but at least with better sound design.

Things got interesting with some strong tech-beats in Daniel Heatcliff’s Phoenix. Yeah, it abuses the breakdowns too, but when the tune’s on, it’s on! It definitely regained my attention in this mix, and I was engrossed in where it would go next when… Oh dear, those vocals, they’re awful. This whole track is awful. Who the fuck is this, and why is it so familiar? *checks tracklist* Fack me, Richard Durand! Not that twat again, I thought I was done with you. We’re getting this shoved in our face just because he had that album out too, aren’t we.

Wanrooy seemingly corrects this atrocity by offering up more tech bangers to finish, but it isn’t enough to save INWT014 from being a middling affair. Kinda like most of his music, sadly.


It feels like ol’ Daniel’s always been around, yet never made much of a mark. Adon’s been around since the very first Street Fighter, but do you remember him from any of the games?

Adon: “What kind of introduction is that? I’m the ‘God Of Muay Thai’, and you want me to review European trance music? I ought to snap your spine for such disrespect! Get out of here, I’ve a date with destiny by defeating the man with the ‘Ten’ symbol on his back.”

Various - In Trance We Trust 013: Carl B

In Trance We Trust: 2009

Wait, Carl B. DJ’d too? I recall he had a brief flirtation with popularity around the time this came out, and was even tapped for a track in Tiësto’s In Search Of Sunrise 7. I also remember calling that tune cloying or some derogatory shit. Dear Lord, and his mix for In Trance We Trust 013 features four of his productions. I can expect pain on this one, can’t I?

Well, no, just boredom for the most part. Say what you will of the track-by-track up-and-down quality in the old editions of this series, at least they had personality. Hell, even Johan Gielen’s effort in the last volume had distinct music throughout, dodgy though some of it was. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for Mr. Barrdahl to unleash the super-compressed epic trancers that was yet another awful attribute plaguing the scene (read up on the Loudness Wars, kids). His collaboration with JPL on Orchid Blossom is a perfect example of it, beats and synths hopelessly muddy, with no dynamics to speak of. Let these tunes breathe, for God’s sake. Things thankfully clear up with Existone’s Sunshower, an excellent slice of energetic trance that kicks everything that came before to the curb. Even the dithering piano breakdown’s tolerable, but only because all the bloody breakdowns that came before were pants.

Oh yeah, there’s a ridiculous amount of breakdowns in this set, easily the worst batch of the CDs I’ve covered. I can handle a few here and there, but these are of the gratuitously overlong type, with those piercing ‘melodic’ synths that are about as subtle as a boulder to the face. I get that was sort of Carl B.’s thing, and if you wanted to stand out in the trance glut in those days, you needed those ultimate anthems in your arsenal, but not one after the other. Wasting them in the early portions of a set is just overkill.

A couple dabblings outside this sound crop up on this mix, like minor electro elements found in Fred NuMF’s Directions and Mr. Sam’s Cygnes . Also, the track Sticky Tape features music on minimal techno bent, and is totally out of place in a set such as this. It does segue nicely into the dull final stretch of tunes though, so there’s that.


Carl B.’s production is like a brickwall of sound. Edmond Honda is a big brick of sumo. Clearly a perfect guest reviewing match if ever there was one.

E. Honda: “Ghaa, ha, ha! I like your gumption, comparing me to boisterous music like this. No doubt the great art of sumo is comparable to the impressive sounds on this CD. These were made by the Europeans? Hah ha, I knew the world had much to offer, but I never dreamed they could outdo even our finest kabuki troupes in theatrics. Maybe I should take in some concerts there. I’m certain they’ll welcome a world-famous rikishi such as myself at a club, ghaa haa ha!”