Solarstone - Pure Trance Volume 10 (Compilation) [Black Hole Recordings]

[Jay Shuffler]

Morning / afternoon all. New to the forum but a long time avid listener and fan of all things trance. This is a superb compilation IMO. Curated masterfully to create a real flow from start to finish. Rich has done a stellar job here, and it's up there in the gods with "Movements" for me. Congrats to those involved in this subliminal curation.

 

[Macker]

congrats @LostLegend and @Macker !

Pre-ordered, cant wait to check this out.

Cheers mate!

 

[Vicmarran]

Cheers mate!

Going thru disc 1 and God your track slaps hard.

 

[Vicmarran]

Allende's Fading Light made me cry. Stunning track.

 

[Katadunkass]

By the looks of it, it most likely also made Daysleeper cry, but for different reasons

 

[LostLegend]

'Tim Verkruissen - Velvet' is an absolutely gorgeous track.
Fantastic production, the use of space and the stereo field in the intro, the groove that's pushed so hard it's almost on the triplet grid, really nice synth work and nice chord progression as well. Potentially my favorite tune of the album.

 

[trancedanne]

A few tracks has potential such as the Digital Blonde track but almost all of these are just meh.

 

[Julian Del Agranda]

Not heard the whole thing properly yet. But I did listen to the 1st cd yesterday. And a portion of the 2nd.

I don't agree with daysleeper at all, that this mix is all the same. And then I only judged based on cd1.

I actually thought it had a nice variety in sounds, synths, ideas. Macker - Arrakis, lovely one. And also Sinful Biz - Magnetic sounded very fresh to me. With those exotic synths. You don't here this kind of stuff elsewhere. Leap of Faith also sounds great. Cool clubby kick and hats.

I thought it was very good. Really liked cd1.

 

[Quethas]

Well every one of us likes different things and sounds...

I will still need to listen to 3rd disc and give the compilation another go after it. Admittedly I was bit distracted occasionally with first disc, but overall it I too think it has a lot of potential, even reminding Electronic Architecture at times. Second disc was more meh to me with couple of highlights (I usually like Proteus and this one was not exception).

 

[Electronlyman]

The intro on CD1 is so good, it reminds me too of Electronic Architecture.
The transition from Robert Nickson's SF Remix to Aquarius's Arpeggiator is sweeet!
Digging the Leap Of Faith remix, it's gr8!

On the second Disc, the Proteus' track stands out for me.
When his track came on, my gf asked me who made it.

Third CD is probably my favourite one. The most intense and entrancing journey from PT Vol. 10.
Superb stuff from The Digital Blonde, Solarstone & Super-Frog Saves Tokyo and @LostLegend
- very cool progression in your track mate!!

 

[Aquarium]

First listen to CD 1 and CD 2 and think I prefer CD 2 more. That last track on CD1 is awesome, sounds like Xpander synth. I think it was CD1 last track anyway... I am listening on bandcamp and didnt pay attention to the number. So far so good.

 

[Quethas]

I will still need to listen to 3rd disc and give the compilation another go after it.

I liked first and third disc quite a lot actually. The Digital Blonde combined with Jump The Next Train vocals was superb for me. I assume there are many who don't like that mashup, but it combined two things I like in a very nice way. And the end with Chillout Outro was just an excellent way to finish the mix.

The track from @LostLegend was one of those which caught my attention during my two listens. Really good job there!

I ordered the physical copy. That is something as the last CD I had ordered from the series was nr. 4 with Gai Barone

 

[SaltAcidFatHeatAcid]

The beatwork in all of these tracks are def their weakest link, including the bass/basslines. They all sound extremely dry and plasticky and slappy/tired overall. theres no roundness or dynamic sound to any of it, and the rhytmical patterns sound basically the same in all tracks. Just the most basic of basic really muddy rolling non-defined bassline and the same slappy plasticy clap/snare to every track. Theres no variation to the rhytmical patterns. The only differece from the slow tracks on the first disc to the second/third is that it just more beefed up, its still the same tired rhytmical beatwork and sound.

Always enjoyable to read your comments . While I agree that the beatwork in these tracks is not overly complex, I'm not surprised. I've been listening to Rich's and the label's productions and tracks for a long time, and I don't think he places a ton of emphasis on them other than meeting a sound and basic standard (be curious as to what producers who have worked with him would say about that). Not for the more proggy stuff anyway. The beats serve to drive the melody forward, and be more background/less focused, which I like. The melodies, atmosphere and dreamy feels seem like the lead players here. He seems to be pretty driven by the emotion contained within melodies and dreamy soundscapes in a similar way that I am. In discussing this with friends over the years, I've realized that not everyone gets that feeling in the same way from powerful basic melodies. Stuff I love that is quite simple, even repetitive, yet melodically beautiful sounds boring to others, or not complex, basic. What I've come to love about (some) if the PT content, is the simplicity brought to tracks, while maintaining solid musical ideas, and taking risks. Don't get me wrong, there is a ton of generic stuff on PT as well, but I respect the hell out of the labels and producers as they are making stuff that gives me the dreams and feels of the old days. Proteus' stuff - where else can you find stuff like that? Lose My Need by S&T, again where else does that stuff pop up?

Must make it hard for all these producers to appease us all eh? And I know they aren't doing it for the $$ that's for sure. I'll reserve judgement on PT10 until I've heard it a few more times. My first impression is quite solid. There are some excellent moments for sure!

 

[Julian Del Agranda]

CD2 is a bit on the safe side I think. There are some nice tracks in the mix though. But there is a little less daring choices in the music. Prevail (Solarstone Retouch) is the winner for me on this disc. Edit: Proteus - Lost Love, I really like this one too.

It's why I prefer the 3rd CD over it. It's a little more daring. A little more variety in drums and sounds. Really liked the Jump The Next Train mash-up as well. Robert Nicksons 'Transcend', LostLegends 'Running Man', almost hardtrancy feel to it, 'Cocktail' is a cool tech bomb too.

All in all, I really like the compilation. More than I expected, as I'm just not much into modern trance. But it's a good year for trance. The quality is slowly climbing up again. Really good to see.

 

[Rok]

Enjoyed CD1 and CD3. CD2 was kinda forgettable for me for the most part.

Some of my fave tracks are: The Breeze, Leap Of Faith (Collide the sky remix), Transcend, Running Man, Reactivate (Solarstone Reteouch)

 

[Pokkryshkin]

The first disc is amazing! My favorite here! This is exactly the progressive I want to hear

 

[Windozcilla]

Hi all,

Another new forum menber and long-term trance listener (I discovered Trance in 98) here.

I have listened to each mix a few times and like this alot, more than I expected to.

I think the mixes have a good structure, especially the first has a journey feel to it, and all 3 flow really well. Also taken together the mixes build on each other, so you can easily listen to all 3 in one go and not be bored.
I dont love every track but theres no bad track on here, and a lot of them I really like.

Something which I dont like about many of today's productions is the excessive use of white noise, and that is completely absent here, so its another plus.
Another problem lots of Trance mixes today have, the inclusion of too many tracks and rushed transitions, is also not the case here. The tracks get room to breathe and the transitions are well done and dont follow the same pattern everywhere.

Overall for me this is the best trance compilation I have listened to in years, and I see myself going back to this many times.

Atm my favorite tracks are Arrakis, Connected, Leap of Faith, Reverie, Fading Light, Velvet, Metaversal, Prevail, Running Man, but I really like most of them. Hope there will be a release with the extended versions as a package.

 

[Freezer]

And here is my super-high expected rating (juist joking, i know you hate it) of each tracks after two listens:

Disc 1

1. Stoneface & Terminal - Lose My Need (Robert Nickson Chillout Intro Mix) 7/10
2. Solarstone vs. Aquarius - Arpeggiator Shards 7/10
3. Pablo Gargano - The Breeze 6,5/10
4. Macker - Arrakis 7,5/10
5. Barrett & Bridger - Classic Dreams (Solarstone Stripped Retouch) 6/10
6. Siskin - Connected (Standard Form's Waiting for Stars Mix) 8/10
7. Alucard featuring Amara - Moontribe 7,5/10
8. Deepcry - Delta 7/10
9. Sinful Biz - Magnetic 6/10
10. The Conductor & The Cowboy - Feeling This Way (Siskin Remix) 6/10
11. Solarstone - Leap of Faith (Collide the Sky Remix) 6/10
12. Sherpa - Perception 7/10
13. Yuji Ono, Masaya & Discordia featuring Casska - Reverie (PTX Version) 5/10
14. Orkidea - Xciter (Deestopia Remix) 6/10
15. Adam Nickey - Escape 7,5/10

Disc 2

1. Allende - Fading Light 7,5/10
2. Tim Verkruissen - Velvet 7/10
3. Oliver Imseng - Metaversal 7,5/10
4. Jimi Python featuring Iida Niini - Dream 6,5/10
5. Proteus - Lost Love 7,5/10
6. Brian McCalla - Stones 7/10
7. Solarstone & Super-Frog Saves Tokyo - Rust (Luke Terry Remix) 7/10
8. Temple One - As the Sun Breaks 8,5/10
9. Stoby & G Coulter featuring Liz Cirelli - Sun is High (Greg Murray Remix) 6,5/10
10. Dave Begic - For What It's Worth 6,5/10
11. Luke Terry - Unconditional 7/10
12. Slipstream & Sonic Element - Forgiven 7,5/10
13. Charles Tsai - Prevail (Solarstone Retouch) 7/10
14. Bjorn Akesson - Language (Factoria Remix) 7/10
15. Solarstone - 4ever (Photographer Remix) 7,5/10

Disc 3

1. Wavetraxx - Million Miles to Go 7,5/10
2. Chris Connelly - Aurelion 7,5/10
3. 892NOW - Felt 4/10
4. Lostly - Sawubona 5/10
5. The Digital Blonde - Untitled Dub
6. Young Parisians featuring Ben Lost - Jump the Next Train (Acapella) 6/10
7. Super-Frog Saves Tokyo - Reactivate (Solarstone Retouch) 6/10
8. Robert Nickson - Transcend 6,5/10
9. Derek Ryan & DNCR - Hatsuyuki 6/10
10. LostLegend - Running Man 7,5/10
11. Chris Johnson & Grant Trowbridge - Cocktail 6/10
12. Solarstone featuring Lucia Holme - The Last Defeat PT II (Sam Laxton Remix) 7/10
13. Solarstone & Super-Frog Saves Tokyo - Existence (Pierre Pienaar Remix) 8/10
14. John Askew - Push It (Dawn Mix) 5,5/10
15. Stoneface & Terminal - Lose My Need (Robert Nickson Chillout Outro Mix) 7/10

Gotta say that this is really solid and consistent compilation, where there is not a bad track, they are all good, better than average, however..there are not so many tracks which would stand out or deserves 9/10 and more...so the conclusion is:
CD1: 7/10
CD2: 7,5/10
CD3: 6,5/10

 

[nightslapper]

Mix 1 is really cool except for a few fillers in the end, mix 2 is much less catchy, haven't heard the 3 yet

 

[Hensmon]

Had a listen to CD1 and CD2 and enjoyed the first casual listen. Hard to judge only on one play through isn't it? Some tracks already standing out, but some also feeling a little too cheesey for my taste with the melodic stuff. Have a 7 hour bus journey tomorrow so will play through it all again.