Tag Archives: Ferry Corsten

Midweek Music: SG Lewis, Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Farzam & Joman

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Another week, another set of reasons to get up and dance. There’s a big range here, but each track definitely gives you a unique vibe and reason to groove. Without further ado, grab your volume control and dive in with me!

SG Lewis tugs at the heartstrings with this one. This future garage triumph takes the recently released Magnets, off Caracal by Disclosure ft. Lorde, adds its own delicious spin and some powerfully relaxed vibes. It’s takes a lot to fuck with Disclosure if your name isn’t Flume, but this is executed well. The break at 1:50 is unexpected but totally welcome. Drift away on this one.
There are things I never thought I’d say when I started writing, and “Here is the new Armin Van Buuren & Cosmic Gate collab” is certainly not one of them. This kind of stab at a classic trance vibe, Armin-ified is packed with shimmering nostalgia. The punch and ethereal feel is a throw back to trance that we listened to a decade ago. While it’s definitely more of a festival banger than anything from that era, that’s really only because we’ve actually got festivals outside of Amsterdam now. A huge tune I expect to hear in sets for months, blast this. Annoy coworkers & significant others with it, this one is worth it folks.
Continuing the classic trance vibe, Ferry Corsten released his remix of Ayla’s Ayla from 1999 on Soundcloud. Ninety fucking nine! The world was entirely different back then. Anyone who knows Ferry can tell just how long ago this collab with Vincent de Moor took place. The two break structure, the restrained production, the deep Northern Europe feel, it’s all there. If people want to know what dance music sounded like a generation ago that filled stadiums, you play them this.

Switching gears entirely, coming back into the future to a track released two days ago by a producer from Germany with Arabic vocals. This kind of melodic dubstep is really easy to screw up, but FARZAM does spectacular work on this tune. He seems to be a producer of cinematic, trance-y, stepp-y tracks and a gifted one at that. It’s a wonderful effort and I really want to hear more like what’s happening at 2:14. It’s a gorgeous sound that the world needs to hear. Enjoy it & thank him for making it.
Last but certainly not least, I’ve gotta give it up for Joman. Ever since he made the greatest dubstep remix that has ever been and ever will be made in the history of dubstep remixes, I’ve kept a close eye on this guy, occasionally being a somewhat creepy cheerleader. But, he continues to hit his stride and pushing the edge of his skills. This new tune is no exception. It’s a wobbly electro feeling tune with a hard driving progressive edge. This is usually a genre and a toolset I can’t take seriously, but like TheFatRat and Madeon, he’s using the shimmering chords and the vocals appropriately, while backing them up with a well derived punchy beat. The dubby breakdown at 2:30 reminds everyone that Joman can produce with the best of them and deserves your attention. I’m gonna keep repping this dude, and not just because he’s a Master of Karate & Friendship.Beneath a Neon Sky is a certified banger that is going to get picked up.

Midweek Music: Avicii, Ferry Corsten, Wyclef Jean, Delta Heavy & More!

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Between July 4th & Labor Day, people check blogs less, they vacation more & need tunes to move to. For the summer, instead of doing music at night, I’ve decided to try something different. I’m going to try and put together a weekly set of tracks, most new, but the occasional oldie/goodie, for you, my faithful readers. Let me know if it’s a good idea.  Ferry Corsten remains one of my most favorite DJs, though he rarely gets to spin the music I love him for. Even though when he headlines mainstages, he does a lot of electro house & progressive, in my mind, he will always be a pure trance DJ. With this release and his recent new Gouryella track, it’s as if he has been reading my mind. The break at 3:19 is one of the best in the world and has been for years. This is a staple in his sets across Europe, but I’ve definitely been privileged enough to hear it on our shores on more than one occasion.  Mixmag premiered one of the better remixes of Giorgio Moroder’s new track “74 is the new 24.” Yes, that’s actually the name of the track, he’s really getting down and funky at 74. The tune has some interesting little guitars and some “I clearly listen to Daft Punk” vocoding effects which are totally welcome. It’s got a vintage, funky feel, while keeping the energy up in a 90’s dance kind of way. Kris Menace & Lifelike have grabbed my attention with this track, so y’all should keep an eye on them with me.
 Avicii is back, and he brought Wyclef Jean & Matisyahu with him. It’s a strange departure for Avicii and I wonder who wanted this deal to come together most out of the trio. Matisyahu & Wyclef Jean drop perfectly capable/dope rhymes, and the reggae vibes on this are strong. Avicii brings in the bluegrass & country influences from his previous work, as you can hear in the builds and lead up to the chorus. This is definitely a step in a new direction so definitely let me know if it’s something you’re feeling.   Bringing the energy down entirely is Glo. This downtempo/chill artist has studied at the School of Burial and we’re all better for it. I cannot get enough of this kind of sound. Do not play this for people on drugs, but if you’re sad, you just got dumped, or if you’re just walking in the rain, this is your jam. I know it’s mine, and if you want more, check out glo’s album saknad here. The list of tracks is fantastic, and it will get you through.  Last but certainly not least, Delta Heavy‘s got a new jam that’s out July 17th. This is no bullshit Drum & Bass. Classic, perfect Delta Heavy, like only he can be. Delta Heavy is able to use female rock vocals in a way I don’t think anyone else in the space besides Flux Pavilion can touch. And now I want to see a Delta Heavy/Flux Pavilion b2b set.

That’s it folks, leave a comment if you liked this format & want to see it again, or if I should get back to a track a day. I live to serve.

Mix Of The Weekend: Above & Beyond – Ferry Corsten’s Guest Mix

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Ferry Corsten - Above & Beyond Guest MixFerry is one of the greatest trance legends still innovating & still climbing. Up there with PVD, Tiesto (before the fall) & Armin, he’s been consistently generating dope trance since before I graduated from high school. This quick 30min mix he did for Above & Beyond is framing his latest EP, of which was my soundtrack for the month if you missed it. The mix is a refreshingly non-anthem trance set, with one unidentified track that I now can’t wait to identify. If it’s snowing where you are, hopefully this helps you warm up a bit.

Earworm Of The Month: Ferry Corsten ft. Haris – Back To Paradise (Flashover Mix)

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Ferry Corsten - Back To ParadiseSometimes a track stays with you for a little while. Sometimes, you go back to a track and you find more to like about it. This is one of those tracks. Ferry Corsten has been in the trance game longer than the term EDM has existed. This original track, featuring the soaring vocal work of Haris. These kind of euphoric vibes & soulful lyrics don’t come along very often, and when they do, they’re usually saccharine or idiotic. The build is powerful, with a drop a friend of mine labeled as shockingly chill. I couldn’t agree more, and I hope this starts reminding people that breaks can sound like that. No need for the trouse or trancelectro that we’ve become used to. It can just be smooth, joyful & rambling on, like the morning sun. This is a must listen and Ferry deserves your undivided attention for this.

Ferry Drops Euphoric Trance & We Love Him For It!

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Ferry Corsten feat. Haris - Back To Paradise (Flashover Mix)This is the kind of music that I feel like we really should be listening to all the time. If you’ve seen a Bill & Ted movie, this is my Wyld Stallions vibe. This is the music that brings peace to the world, if we’d only just all listen to it. Specifically the 2:30 & on build. This kind of extended euphoric, driving, yet modern trance sound is exactly what I think 2015 needs. I can’t wait to hear what the rest of this EP sounds like, and I am terribly sorry for sleeping on this one. This is weeks old, and I really should’ve been on top of it. This track is everything right with dance music at the moment. Sink your teeth in and show some love to Ferry. He is one of the best. Bomp this track loud and you’ll see why I think so.

A Brief History Of Trance (2014 Edition)

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(This is a repost/expansion of a post I did last year at EDMTunes. Give them some love & help me thank them for giving me the opportunity to yell in long form on the internet about music people don’t listen to anymore)

As fans of Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, Tiesto, Ferry Corsten and others can tell you, Trance has been around, but it’s been a while since it’s been at the forefront of the dance music consciousness. But how long has it been around for, and how did it get here? I’d like to take you on a brief trip, from Trance’s humble beginnings, through its boom around the millenium & all the way up to New Years 2014.

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Playlist Of The Weekend: White Raver Rafting’s Insane TomorrowWorld Playlist!

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Damn. 10+ hours of music, dedicated to the festival that’s happening again here in the good old USA in just over 50 days. If you want to know what the kids are listening to, or if you just have hours and hours to kill with some of the biggest tracks of the season, White Raver Rafting has got you covered. I don’t even know where to start when it comes to these tunes, but with hits from Avicii, Bassnectar, Garrix, Diplo, Zedd, Tiesto, Datsik, A-Trak, Richie Hawtin, Nervo, Ferry Corsten IN JUST THE FIRST HOUR ALONE, I think you know where this is going. Tons of music, to put into your face during your August cookouts and basement DJ sessions.

Midnight Music: Gouryella by Gouryella (Ferry Corsten + Tiesto)

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This week for the Throwback Thursday edition of Midnight Music, I’m delighted to present a track that’s started getting radio play again. Ferry Corsten has started putting it back into his sets after a huge request for it during his weekly mix show. It shot back up in the Beatport trance charts and I’ve started to hear it again. This collaboration between two of the hottest names in trance was an instant classic that you’ll love. Also, check out my favorite Gouryella track from after Tiesto had left the group, Ligaya, which is Filipino for “happiness.”

New World Punx Drops First Single “Romper” & Music Video

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While some of us had the good sense to not miss their debut performance at A State of Trance 600 (reported on here), the rest of the dance music world got their first taste of the New World Punx, the new mega-collab between Ferry Corsten & Markus Schulz, at either Roseland in NYC or Palladium in LA. The act is harder, more in your face and definitely way less ethereal and smooth than an act like Above & Beyond or something of the like. However, this is by design, as the two mega stars relayed to Billboard last week.

Romper is an intense, stompy track that infuses a serious amount of “you’re two steps from hardstyle” energy into the dance floor. They are acutely aware of the stagnation of mainstage dance music these days, and as Billboard reports, they’re down to drop the drop as it were. Keep the energy up throughout the set, and not wait for the same build/drop/blowout formula that caught trance, electro, house and is slowly entangling trap within its unimaginative tentacles.

Album of the Month: Trance Essentials 2013, Volume 1

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http://www.armadamusic.com/news/2013/04/trance-essentials-2013-vol-1/

Armada Music has been an institution for a decade now, bringing the best in trance, tech trance & progressive to the people. While keeping up with the 20+ hours of podcasts your favorite DJs put out each week can be exhausting, there are a number of tracks in these sets that always stand out. Armada took 50 of the best trance tracks from late last year, early this year and fired them off, ready to land in your lap and explode in an orgy of sparkle, vocals, chromatic chords, uplifting, massive & progressive bass. The first CD launches with huge tracks, with Nehalennia, The Spiritual Gateway, Kudawudashuda &  the MaRLo edit of “Perfectly” hitting your ears one after another. The Love Comes again remix, the Pure Mix edit of Seven Cities by Solarstone & the radio edit of Andrew Rayel’s Musa are gorgeous mixes of recent crowd favorites that have blown up dance floors from Dublin to Dubai & Sao Paulo to Shanghai. They keep the energy going along with a half a dozen tracks in between that you’ve probably not heard but probably should. Superfly by Jorn van Deynhoven is a spectacular hard trance track that pushes the party to a higher level, buy anyone that’s a fan of my writing can tell you that Jorn van Deynhoven can do no wrong in my eyes. The tune is one of 2 dozen that are exactly what trance needs to be right now. Anthemic, big room and explosive with the energy to push back against the forces of trouse and top 40 infused commercial chomp-back that true trance fanatics shake their heads at. New York City by Alex M.O.R.P.H. is of course a favorite and the mix that’s offered at the end of the CD is a great choice for just putting on and leaving on while you dance around in your underwear in your bedroom before hitting the town.

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