Robert Nickson – ‘Halo’
The master of trance, Robert Nickson is back with another absolute uplifter of a tune. ‘Halo‘ is every trance fan’s dream — with an angelic melody that builds you up towards a climax that explodes with emotions, this tune truly brings listeners to trance heaven.
Giuseppe Ottaviani – ‘Till We Meet Again’
A true master of melodies, Giuseppe Ottaviani returns to the Armind label with another release of unparalleled beauty. Stacked full of layered basslines, soaring synths and rousing harmonies that brush the very fibre of our being, ‘Till We Meet Again‘ is one of those tracks you always come back to.
Maxim Lany – ‘Disruption’
“‘Disruption‘ was born out of a longing for the summer season. I started working on it after a long studio session near the end of last year when the weather was all cold and wintery, and wanted to end the day doing something fun. So I had this big melody and started creating an ambiance and groove around it on the spot. That spontaneity, that drive to do something for fun alone, charged this record and helped me turn it into a track I’m really proud of.”
— Maxim Lany
Allen Watts x Steve Dekay – ‘The Phuture’
A supremely energetic, no-holds-barred record, Allen Watts and Steve Dekay’s ‘The Phuture‘ is designed to set a new standard and break sound systems at the same time. With gargantuan synth blasts amplifying its anthem-like spirit and stomping beats causing additional carnage, this record shoots fans straight into the next era of Trance.
Various Artists – ‘A State Of Trance 2020 Sampler 1′
In this first of two samplers from Armin van Buuren’s ‘A State Of Trance 2020‘ album, Fast Distance, Beatsole & Whiteout, Ahmed Helmy and Sunset’s Eugenio Tokarev take charge with their monumental productions. Featuring respectively ‘Home‘, ‘Oracle‘, ‘Freedom Soul‘ and a remix of Sunset & Alpha Force’s ‘With You‘, this four-track selection shows just how magical Trance music can be.
Grum x Genix – ‘The Light’
The Anjunabeats rave resurgence continues, as two of our label stars head deeper into the world of industrial dance music; Genix and Grum see ‘The Light‘. With a nod to Brothers in Rhythm, ‘The Light’ is a bruising statement record from two of the scenes most exciting talents, celebrating the modern club minded sound of Anjunabeats.
SIAN – ‘X’
Influenced by industrial, darkwave, synthwave and classical electro, the 18 tracks on ‘X‘ — including previously released singles ‘Subzero‘, ‘Like A Drug‘ and ‘Freakuency‘ — showcase SIAN’s versatility as a producer and explores his ideas behind the meaning of ‘X’.
BLACK NEON – ‘Midnight In LA’
TransAtlantic super collective BLACK NEON return with the fourth, final and titular single from their stunning debut EP release, ‘Midnight In LA‘. From the minute the needle drops, the track oozes with the same kind of sultry, hazy, night-time heat that California‘s premiere city is renowned for. The production slips easily between sentiments of R&B, rhythms of jazz and airy segments of EDM, all tied seamlessly together by Sam Bruno’s softly seductive vocal line. Warm padded bass thuds gently underneath soft guitars, light percussion and twinkling melodic runs that sparkle softly like the stars above LA, creating a heartfelt love letter to the city of dreams.
Tom Morello x Shea Diamond x Dan Reynolds x The Bloody Beetroots – ‘Stand Up’
In a charged response to both the outrage and solidarity rising from the national reckoning over police brutality and systemic racism, GRAMMY Award-winning musician and activist Tom Morello turned to a score of fellow artist comrades – Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds, producer The Bloody Beetroots and artist/activist Shea Diamond. The result is ‘Stand Up‘, a reflection of the diversity of people unifying against racism in this moment.
Jon Gurd – ‘Lion’
An evocative track that pairs hefty breaks and an engulfing synth riff, ‘Lion‘ is “about the courage that you need to summon for situations where you need to take a leap of faith.” Jon Gurd explains the track’s contrasting emotions; “maybe you’ve got to find some positivity in a dark or sad situation, or there’s a big change coming and it feels scary. You need to find that Lion inside of you to give you the courage to make the jump.”
Zafrir x Chemical Surf – ‘Paranauê’
Prolific Israeli musician, composer, and artist Zafrir incorporates rare tribal elements from around the world into ‘Paranauê‘ with a healthy dose of the hard driving bass from Chemical Surf.
Weiss x Harry Romero – ‘Where Do We Go?’
UK DJ and producer WEISS continues his exploration into dance music nostalgia on new single ‘Where Do We Go?‘, a collaboration with house music legend Harry Romero. ‘Where Do We Go?’ is centred around an infectious piano house vibe. Making use of the vocal from The Alan Parsons Project 1980 hit ‘Game People Play‘, the track repackages a classic sound for modern ears. It marks the second installment of WEISS’ new multi-track story exploring themes of creative expression, unity, love, and positivity inspired by memories and impressions of formative raving years with good friends, new friends and strangers alike.
Second Floor – ‘Storm’
Up-and-coming Austrian DJ/producer duo, Second Floor are rising through the ranks with an infectious pop-dance hybrid sound. Following the recent release of ‘Pier No 26‘, the duo returns to the release radar with the lively summertime tune ‘Storm‘. The fun, flowing melody and catchy beat balance out the heavy emotive aspects of the profoundly rich lyrics with a tinge of playfulness.
Smudge All Stars – ‘Our Lives’
With renowned session musician Richie Stevens at the helm, Smudge All Stars is a sprawling intelligence network reflecting London’s cultural melting pot — it’s ever-revolving door policy deep-rooted by some of music’s most esteemed innovators. The group’s debut single, ‘Our Lives‘ marries funk and reggae’s vintage relationship and is a ray of sunshine reminding all to get the most out of life, even in these increasingly testing times.
The Micronaut – ‘Olympia (Summer Games)’
German multi-instrumentalist and producer, The Micronaut has made a name for himself through his richly textured and enthusiastic compositions. This summer, The Micronaut releases ‘Olympia (Summer Games)‘ — an album that draws on the values of camaraderie and solidarity of the Olympic Games, despite this year’s postponement of the event.
MistaJam – ‘When’
“The bassline is definitely a nod to my early DJing days being part of a sound system that played Reggae & Dancehall, Jungle/DnB, Hip-hop and House & Garage. That plus ‘80s boogie vocals, tough House drums and slightly left-of-center synths equals Dance NRG.”
— MistaJam on ‘When‘
pronouncedyea – ‘World On Fire (feat. David Blake)’
Bringing the heat in any kind of dance music environment, pronouncedyea and David Blake’s first-ever link-up offers quite a bit of clubber’s attitude whilst maximizing its airwave appeal. Featuring the standout vocals of David Blake atop an edgy and infectious instrumental, ‘World On Fire‘ will send sparks flying with every play.
KIDSØ – ‘Childhood’
“The single ‘Childhood‘ is the first step away from the cold and quiet Northern regions of Europe, which gave us inspiration for the debut EP ‘Apart’. The production of the track started in late 2017 and got its color due to frequent trips to South Africa in 2018. At that time, the main vocal melody evolved and got complimented by sounds from the countryside.”
— KIDSØ
SACRE – ‘00:00AM HADES’S BLESSING’
SACRE’s ‘00:00AM HADES’S BLESSING‘ takes two simple yet unexpected colours and runs with them, allowing the two tones to envelope the music video. The viewer is enticed with the occasional sighting of figures, revealing themselves then melting away, giving hints to the strange world that lies beyond. As with the single itself, there is a dark, underlying quality behind the video with small scenes of sensual dancing, contrasted with the light and sweet vocals that radiate throughout. The lyrics themselves speak of a simple love story of two lovers, drawn to each other’s wild side and carrying hopes for a better future.
*Featured image via The Bloody Beetroots, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Maxim Lany and pronouncedyea*
