Armin van Buuren-A State Of Trance Forever[Mini Album)[A State Of Trance]

Atragun91091

Member
Aug 30, 2020
230 Posts
101 Thanked
Armin just announced on today's ASOT episode his new mini/collaboration album entitled A State Of Trance Forever

Tracklist:
1. Armin van Buuren - Turn The World Into A Dancefloor (ASOT 1000 Anthem)
2. Armin van Buuren & Maor Levi - Divino
3. Armin van Buuren & Sander van Doorn - Jonson’s Play
4. Armin van Buuren & Rank 1 - The Greater Light To Rule The Night
5. Armin van Buuren & AVIRA - Sirius
6. Armin van Buuren & Paul Oakenfold - Sonata
7. Armin van Buuren and Aly & Fila feat. Kazi Jay - For All Time
8. Armin van Buuren & Tom Staar feat. Josha Daniel - Let Go
9. Armin van Buuren & Push - In The Dark You Shine
10. Armin van Buuren & Jorn van Deynhoven - Lost In Space
11. Armin van Buuren & Giuseppe Ottaviani - Magico
12. Armin van Buuren & Susana - Home With You

https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-state-of-trance-forever/1579676313

I know most of these have technically been released, but it includes a few new ones. Notably a collaboration with MIKE Push, Aly&Fila, Paul Oakenfold and Susana. I'm excited to hear them. I'll include a few of the released tracks videos so no one throws a hissy fit.



 

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,913 Posts
2,809 Thanked
Will give this a chance once it's out, interesting to see these collabs. Says September 3rd as a release date.
 

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,913 Posts
2,809 Thanked
Curious how the Push & Armin track will sound!
Let me channel my inner cynic here. Sensitive opinions ahead. Reading them might result in an increased heart rate, increased chance of a neurotic episode, and complaining about the negativity.



They will try to blend their old styles together and "go back to their roots", but it'll end up sounding like a mixture of their modern styles. Expect a forced "epic" ambitious ASOT-style melody and one or two of their trademark oldschool sounds, just to get the more gullible overly excited on social media about them going back to their roots.

I sure do hope they surprise us with a TOTY banger, but I sure as hell don't expect that.
 
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Progrez

Guest
How many Armin tracks are there in this album? Is this a follow up to Mirage and Imagine and Shivers?
 

Freezer

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2020
1,194 Posts
593 Thanked
Armin calls it follow up to Balance, so its a full album. The thing is, that he will add more tracks to the album in the future digitally, physically I would expect part 2 somewhere in the future :)
 

Aoi O

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2020
251 Posts
155 Thanked
Tokyo
all garbage as was exactly expected. He is more and more disappointing with everything he does the last couple of years. From the ASOT show that goes from the bad to the worst and with every single release he puts out.
Anyways this the last time i even open a thread or listen to tune related to him. So sad to see the biggest talents on the scene to become like this (commercial edm garbage)
 

Freezer

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2020
1,194 Posts
593 Thanked
all garbage as was exactly expected. He is more and more disappointing with everything he does the last couple of years. From the ASOT show that goes from the bad to the worst and with every single release he puts out.
Anyways this the last time i even open a thread or listen to tune related to him. So sad to see the biggest talents on the scene to become like this (commercial edm garbage)
Not sure what you exactly dislike about this album, For me this is his best album in the last 17 year...I like 80% of these tracks a lot. This is his most trancy album since Shivers or maybe even 76 from 2003 :)

I would give this album a strong rating of 8/10
 
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Atragun91091

Member
Aug 30, 2020
230 Posts
101 Thanked
Armin calls it follow up to Balance, so its a full album. The thing is, that he will add more tracks to the album in the future digitally, physically I would expect part 2 somewhere in the future :)
Well I’ll be damned. It is a new actual album then. Definitely more up my alley than Balance.
 

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,913 Posts
2,809 Thanked
Let me write another one of TranceFix's trademark hater reviews. I'm mentioning this only so that it can be completely dismissed without prior judgement or argument. It's gonna be a bit long too, and I'm very hungry as I'm waiting for food. You've been warned.



Let's start it off by saying it is severely underwhelming. I am yet to decide whether Armin making this style of trance (if it is indeed such a thing) is encouraging or not. Let me explain why.

I actually (surprise!) like some of his pop tracks. They are focused and undoubtedly popular, yet they have a certain touch to them - maybe the details - that makes them at least fun to listen to for a couple of times. Maybe it's the Armin factor. They are what they are, it's very clear and there is no need to hide that or to pander to multiple demographics.

So what's the matter with modern Armin (the past few years only)? I feel like, with """"trance"""", he has the need to pander to multiple demographics and has lots of focus groups. Bit of vocal, bit of anthemic main melody, bit of plucks, the structure is expected (though this was always the case), the beats are clean and punchy but hollow... Designed to work at a festival but also in the headphones, to evoke goosebumps AND make you jump AND make you sing and whatnot... His tracks are not really focused and feel like the result of multiple third-party inputs, rather than artistic vision. That's the main thing I don't like.

This album might be a step forward in a couple of things (mainly the focus), but a couple of steps back as well, which I'll explain.

And one of those steps is simplicity. Simple can be good, yes, but this is just devoid of musical ideas. Clean and crisp sound but ultimately hollow. Beats without any creativity. Basic and predictable structure. Not nearly enough harmony. Melodies that feel like the work of an amateur, melodies that feel forced and made just for the sake of them.

And that's what I ultimately don't like about these tracks. They also feel forced and shaped by others. If the melody is not good enough, why do you need it? Why the same combo of beat, bassline, (plucks), pads, main melody, (vocals)? Is that all the style there is in trance? Where are the tracks with chords (and he did make them)? Where is the rhythm? Where are the atmospheres? Where is the energy? Where is the soul? Why do they sound alike even though he changes the main elements? Where is innovation, where is creativity, where is vision???

Let's go through these one by one:

Turn the World into a Dancefloor - what you'd expect from a modern ASOT anthem. Just what I was talking about. Melody below average. Does nothing for me.
Divino - may be a bit better but ultimately regresses to the mean of this album. Does nothing.
Jonson's Play - probably one of the worst melody combos on this album. The sounds are awful.
The Greater Light to Rule the Night - the only one that stands out, and is a bit better done than the rest in every way.
Sirius - this is where I got almost angry. The track that rips off is iconic. I don't even know which one it actually is, but the synth and the riff is iconic and when you hear it evokes strong emotions. This is just a dumb interpretation of that that does absolutely nothing for me. The rest of the track has nothing in common with the first part and also does nothing (but doesn't anger me as much).
Sonata - sounds like two amateurs trying to make a track in a pirated FL Studio. Seriously??? One of the worst tracks on here, if not the worst.
For All Time - out-of-tune vocal Aly&Fila specialty. Does anyone listens to this before a release or is it just released at the whim of the producers?
Let Go - the melodies ruin this. Very weak, could've been better.
In the Dark You Shine - had so much potential. The beats sound good and interesting, has a bit of energy, but ultimately, what ruins it - you guessed it - is the melody. Very very forgettable.
Lost in Space - those acid stabs from the beginning annoy me. Preset. The squarish main melody is a bit annoying to the ears. It's a bit above average compared to the rest of the album.
Magico - awful piano melody. I know he's playing piano but the writing is awful. It had potential, the main melody is decent but the climax feels a bit lacking in energy.
Home With You - Susana has a nice voice but that's not enough for me. The piano is again very basic, and the track, even though not trance, also does nothing for me.

In conclusion, judged separately from Armin's body of work, as music, this is absolutely below average and not something I'd put myself through again. When you compare this to Armin's discography, I feel like this is some of his weakest stuff. Mirage even makes me feel emotions, I find myself singing along, remembering the melodies. It's the best of his modern stuff. 76 was something else entirely, Shivers is a bit more commercial but ultimately very very enjoyable. Imagine meh but good, even Intense was ok in parts. But it's getting worse and worse.

Without the name and marketing, this would not be released, and this would not be enjoyed.

Ultimately, I know this will be either hated by people who share a similar outlook with me, or announced as Armin's best work ever by his fans. Some will hate it, and I admit most will enjoy it. But I tell you, IN 10 YEARS this will be absolutely forgotten and the cash long spent. It will not be his legacy, if he even cares about such a thing at this point.



I should probably yell all this at the pizza delivery guy once he fucking arrives!!
 

Daysleeper

Lost in Trancelation
Jul 13, 2020
2,495 Posts
1,713 Thanked
Sweden
Let me write another one of TranceFix's trademark hater reviews. I'm mentioning this only so that it can be completely dismissed without prior judgement or argument. It's gonna be a bit long too, and I'm very hungry as I'm waiting for food. You've been warned.



Let's start it off by saying it is severely underwhelming. I am yet to decide whether Armin making this style of trance (if it is indeed such a thing) is encouraging or not. Let me explain why.

I actually (surprise!) like some of his pop tracks. They are focused and undoubtedly popular, yet they have a certain touch to them - maybe the details - that makes them at least fun to listen to for a couple of times. Maybe it's the Armin factor. They are what they are, it's very clear and there is no need to hide that or to pander to multiple demographics.

So what's the matter with modern Armin (the past few years only)? I feel like, with """"trance"""", he has the need to pander to multiple demographics and has lots of focus groups. Bit of vocal, bit of anthemic main melody, bit of plucks, the structure is expected (though this was always the case), the beats are clean and punchy but hollow... Designed to work at a festival but also in the headphones, to evoke goosebumps AND make you jump AND make you sing and whatnot... His tracks are not really focused and feel like the result of multiple third-party inputs, rather than artistic vision. That's the main thing I don't like.

This album might be a step forward in a couple of things (mainly the focus), but a couple of steps back as well, which I'll explain.

And one of those steps is simplicity. Simple can be good, yes, but this is just devoid of musical ideas. Clean and crisp sound but ultimately hollow. Beats without any creativity. Basic and predictable structure. Not nearly enough harmony. Melodies that feel like the work of an amateur, melodies that feel forced and made just for the sake of them.

And that's what I ultimately don't like about these tracks. They also feel forced and shaped by others. If the melody is not good enough, why do you need it? Why the same combo of beat, bassline, (plucks), pads, main melody, (vocals)? Is that all the style there is in trance? Where are the tracks with chords (and he did make them)? Where is the rhythm? Where are the atmospheres? Where is the energy? Where is the soul? Why do they sound alike even though he changes the main elements? Where is innovation, where is creativity, where is vision???

Let's go through these one by one:

Turn the World into a Dancefloor - what you'd expect from a modern ASOT anthem. Just what I was talking about. Melody below average. Does nothing for me.
Divino - may be a bit better but ultimately regresses to the mean of this album. Does nothing.
Jonson's Play - probably one of the worst melody combos on this album. The sounds are awful.
The Greater Light to Rule the Night - the only one that stands out, and is a bit better done than the rest in every way.
Sirius - this is where I got almost angry. The track that rips off is iconic. I don't even know which one it actually is, but the synth and the riff is iconic and when you hear it evokes strong emotions. This is just a dumb interpretation of that that does absolutely nothing for me. The rest of the track has nothing in common with the first part and also does nothing (but doesn't anger me as much).
Sonata - sounds like two amateurs trying to make a track in a pirated FL Studio. Seriously??? One of the worst tracks on here, if not the worst.
For All Time - out-of-tune vocal Aly&Fila specialty. Does anyone listens to this before a release or is it just released at the whim of the producers?
Let Go - the melodies ruin this. Very weak, could've been better.
In the Dark You Shine - had so much potential. The beats sound good and interesting, has a bit of energy, but ultimately, what ruins it - you guessed it - is the melody. Very very forgettable.
Lost in Space - those acid stabs from the beginning annoy me. Preset. The squarish main melody is a bit annoying to the ears. It's a bit above average compared to the rest of the album.
Magico - awful piano melody. I know he's playing piano but the writing is awful. It had potential, the main melody is decent but the climax feels a bit lacking in energy.
Home With You - Susana has a nice voice but that's not enough for me. The piano is again very basic, and the track, even though not trance, also does nothing for me.

In conclusion, judged separately from Armin's body of work, as music, this is absolutely below average and not something I'd put myself through again. When you compare this to Armin's discography, I feel like this is some of his weakest stuff. Mirage even makes me feel emotions, I find myself singing along, remembering the melodies. It's the best of his modern stuff. 76 was something else entirely, Shivers is a bit more commercial but ultimately very very enjoyable. Imagine meh but good, even Intense was ok in parts. But it's getting worse and worse.

Without the name and marketing, this would not be released, and this would not be enjoyed.

Ultimately, I know this will be either hated by people who share a similar outlook with me, or announced as Armin's best work ever by his fans. Some will hate it, and I admit most will enjoy it. But I tell you, IN 10 YEARS this will be absolutely forgotten and the cash long spent. It will not be his legacy, if he even cares about such a thing at this point.



I should probably yell all this at the pizza delivery guy once he fucking arrives!!
Zv4Go4v.gif
 

TeardropNL

Senior Member
Jul 13, 2020
331 Posts
208 Thanked
Sonata is so good! It has more a Push sound than the actual Push collab track. But great tracks anyway really.
 

Freezer

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2020
1,194 Posts
593 Thanked
Sonata is so good! It has more a Push sound than the actual Push collab track. But great tracks anyway really.
yeah, thats what got in my mind as well :D Sonata is catchy, I really like the track a lot :)
 

Munki

Senior Member
Jul 13, 2020
354 Posts
110 Thanked
Sonata is push the legacy, and the push collab sounds like parts of universal nation 🙃
 

Freezer

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2020
1,194 Posts
593 Thanked
Gagi: why you put so much effort on something you dont like?
Its the same case as i would go and write a review about a new Scooter album :)