Craig Connelly pres. CIRCA96 - Here 4 U / Perfect Moment EP [Higher Forces]

Artist(s)
Craig Connelly pres. CIRCA96
Release title
Here 4 U / Perfect Moment
Label name
Higher Forces
Release date
Jan 31, 2025
Release type
EP

Z Dobrej Woli

Elite Member
Mar 5, 2022
1,237 Posts
1,740 Thanked
Age
32
Poland
Website
facebook.com
I wanted to create an opening EP to my new project CIRCA96 which is 100% integral to my core beliefs about dance music, it's origins and the direction I wanna go in the future. When I was in school we didn't have genre's or BPM's, we just called everything 'Dance Tunes', it was more than just a sound, it was a culture. Our whole identities were defined by the music we listened to and the places we went. I want to bring back that feeling of belonging. I want to bring back ART to dance music in a time when it's all about the marketing. This is what CIRCA96 stands for.

I’ll go into much more depth about each of these tracks and there’s so much story to tell you, but for now go check out the two samples on my SoundCloud.

https://soundcloud.com/craigconnelly%2Fcirca96-here-4-u-released

https://soundcloud.com/craigconnelly%2Fcirca96-perfect-moment
 
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Julian Del Agranda

Elite Member
Jul 3, 2020
1,860 Posts
2,266 Thanked
I doubt it’s because of passion, but simply because ‘oldschool’ is becoming the latest hype… that he now comes with this.

The story feels ironic for me. It’s a marketing strategy. If he really cared for it, he would have played Enigma State tracks all over the place, but he never does? So…. Where’s the support?

sorry to be the grumpy old guy here.
 

Z Dobrej Woli

Elite Member
Mar 5, 2022
1,237 Posts
1,740 Thanked
Age
32
Poland
Website
facebook.com
sorry to be the grumpy old guy here.

You’re so far away from our grumpy masters out there 😅

You may be right… or wrong - this is what he wrote while presenting one of these teasers earlier:


He will say: haters gonna hate. Anyway, a’propos @EnigmaState - I saw in comments that Nathan asked Craig for full version in dm, so maybe he could say more about the whole track before release of EP ;)
 
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Reactions: EnigmaState

Recharge

Elite Member
Sep 26, 2020
1,153 Posts
673 Thanked
Age
39
No matter what the reasons are the songs sound really good. Who cares if he is pivoting towards old school trance because its coming back to fashion. Lets just enjoy it...
 

Nickpaddock

New Member
May 31, 2024
10 Posts
5 Thanked
Both tracks sound good from the samples and a fresh sound for Craig.

However the negativity police will not like them for being less than 11 minutes long or made for todays scene or not exactly how one or two individuals like their trance.….. it’s getting boring. If you don’t like, skip to the next track or critique based on the production - not how trance used to be/should be/needs to be.

Or make your own if you know what the entire trance scene and every single trance lover needs…..no I didn’t think so
 

Julian Del Agranda

Elite Member
Jul 3, 2020
1,860 Posts
2,266 Thanked
Well, if you thought about @Julian Del Agranda, you’re so wrong, man ;)

Thanks mate, I didn’t wanna bother replying.

Just raising some questions about motives, I think there’s not that much wrong with that. There’s always people saying you should not say anything. Thát is what’s boring to me. Lol.

His reply doesn’t make sense. I’m not longing for “exactly my trance” at all. I’m longing for authenticity, we will have to see what the future brings.

Calvin Harris also did one and a half ‘trance pop’ attempts, haven’t heard much about that ever since.

But looking forward to full tracks, and if they are cool I will support them, don’t worry.
 

Daysleeper

Lost in Trancelation
Jul 13, 2020
2,713 Posts
1,924 Thanked
Sweden
Sounds like an amateur made these. The drums and bass is just boring stock-standard. Zero creativity.
 

Bully is back

Member
Jul 21, 2022
31 Posts
22 Thanked
I doubt it’s because of passion, but simply because ‘oldschool’ is becoming the latest hype… that he now comes with this.

The story feels ironic for me. It’s a marketing strategy. If he really cared for it, he would have played Enigma State tracks all over the place, but he never does? So…. Where’s the support?

sorry to be the grumpy old guy here.
It's amazing the level of insight you have into someone you don't know. Well done you.
 
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Reactions: Freezer

Trance4Ever

Senior Member
Dec 18, 2021
543 Posts
286 Thanked
Very clean production specially the first track, but at same time it sounds very thin/brittle/digital.

Maybe he wanted to create the classics himself first before playing other people's track produced in similar style.

Edit:
Getting some pvd vibes with the first track.
 
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Propeller

Senior Member
Jul 20, 2020
724 Posts
475 Thanked
UK
Agree with daysleeper, the drums and bass do sound very stock which equals a lack of creativity. The melody in the first track is decent. It sounds like a good build up melody to a bigger and better melody that would develop later on as in classic trance tracks of a certain type. For example, Mea Culpa - Spiritual Light (John 00 Fleming mix). The snippet sounds like it starts at the breakdown though so that melody is probably the main melody itself.
I didn't follow trance that closely in the 2010s so have no idea how Craig Connely became well known. Has he produced anything great because I've never heard anything outstanding from him or even anything like 7/10?
 

Recharge

Elite Member
Sep 26, 2020
1,153 Posts
673 Thanked
Age
39
Agree with daysleeper, the drums and bass do sound very stock which equals a lack of creativity. The melody in the first track is decent. It sounds like a good build up melody to a bigger and better melody that would develop later on as in classic trance tracks of a certain type. For example, Mea Culpa - Spiritual Light (John 00 Fleming mix). The snippet sounds like it starts at the breakdown though so that melody is probably the main melody itself.
I didn't follow trance that closely in the 2010s so have no idea how Craig Connely became well known. Has he produced anything great because I've never heard anything outstanding from him or even anything like 7/10?
Pretty sure Black Hole is his shot to fame, although he did some remixes back then, I think...

I really don't know why people like to shit on him, from the younger generation he always struck as one of the more talented ones. I remember I really liked his previous albums with A sharper edge being my favourite


For some reason I can't find the post about his other album A Sharper Edge, so here are my favourites and a prove he makes some amazing music, not just because of fads.

Maybe his big mistake is always pivoting towards popular generic uplifting and vocal...



 
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ChurRuy

Member
Jan 4, 2023
96 Posts
52 Thanked
I've always liked Connelly's productions, but mostly the non-vocal stuff, which can be too sickly and commercial feeling at times. I guess his music is very designed for more commercial trance fans, but that's OK.

His melodies are great I think, so him going towards a classic sound I welcome with open arms. I think with time he can deliver something very good. I already like the melodies and feeling he captured in these Circa96 tracks. I think the comments on the percussion are valid.
 

EnigmaState

Senior Member
Jan 17, 2021
334 Posts
546 Thanked
You’re so far away from our grumpy masters out there 😅

You may be right… or wrong - this is what he wrote while presenting one of these teasers earlier:


He will say: haters gonna hate. Anyway, a’propos @EnigmaState - I saw in comments that Nathan asked Craig for full version in dm, so maybe he could say more about the whole track before release of EP ;)

Not quiet accurate. Craig asked me to drop him a message and we had a chat about music in general, and he sent me the EP.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Very different for Craig and also nice to see him doing something different. Some will enjoy, some won't. That's the nature of the cookie. For me, I really enjoyed it
 

EnigmaState

Senior Member
Jan 17, 2021
334 Posts
546 Thanked
I've always liked Connelly's productions, but mostly the non-vocal stuff, which can be too sickly and commercial feeling at times. I guess his music is very designed for more commercial trance fans, but that's OK.

His melodies are great I think, so him going towards a classic sound I welcome with open arms. I think with time he can deliver something very good. I already like the melodies and feeling he captured in these Circa96 tracks. I think the comments on the percussion are valid.
One of my all time fave tracks of Craig's is The Universal.