I was hoping you all would elaborate more on what exactly makes your choices sophisticated. Undoubtedly, all great tracks from the genre, but I'm not exactly feeling the "sophisticated" part. So I was hoping your elaboration would make it a bit easier for me to understand why you consider them sophisticated. Or maybe I wasn't clear enough in my OP. In any way, discussion will make that clear.
Xpander and Suburban Train do sound a bit too simple, though I get your point - they are so well made that you instantly think of sophistication, without analysis.
Haliken sounds just like any other track from ~'05. What am I missing?
Illitheas' track is complex, but I feel overly so. It comes at the expense of being slightly less cohesive. It's still a fantastic track.
Fluke vs JXL track is just stunning in every way, and clearly well made. Just not feeling the sophistication part.
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Here are my choices. And let me tell you exactly why. Headphones mandatory.
First of all, the groove and vibe, the atmosphere is just absolutely perfect. It feels like one, like a certain mood. It sets the stage perfectly for what's to come. The chords and pads are great, and a nod back to the mid-90s.
The piano is just downright orgasmic. The melody might seem random, but it isn't. The panning, the velocity (the force with which the keys are hit) is, I feel, a track in itself (just wait for the 2nd time they appear). Takes a lot of talent to really nail that. It's not exactly on-beat either, but it fits.
What I wanna say is, you can play a piano melody that will feel like one in every way - it will be arranged properly, the velocity would be predictable, the progression would be easy to follow - but to make one that just feels random on first listen, and still have it be incredible and follow the mood and the progression of the track unbelievably well is the sign of a true talent, in my eyes.
The vocals are stunning and fit so well, they just feel like a part of the overall atmosphere of the track. The plucks and riffs that play in the background are also very important. They complement the soundscape so well. And then there's the (anti-)climax, or the outro; the last minute. And what a fantastic minute it is! Never heard anything like it.
I wish I was better with words though. I just feel that this is sophisticated and I can't explain enough why I think it is.
Luminary - My World (Original Mix)
Again with something a bit more atmospheric, rather than trancey. This one's just plain different. Focuses almost completely on atmospheres - the beats stay the same almost completely throughout. The bassline is so low and suppressed you can't almost hear it. And for the entirety of the track, FX hits, whooshes, uplifts, downlifts and small sections, patterns of drums/percussion come and go, along with the atmospheres, vocals and pads. There's really not much to analyze here, just listen.
This track, I feel, would take a talentless guy an eternity to come up with. At the same time, it hasn't got anything spectacular going on, feels like the same track throughout, AND is still absolutely worth the listen. Everything comes and goes at the right time, at the right place, in the right way.
Incolumis - One With Sanctuary (Original Mix)
