TranceFix Awards - The Best of 2021

skyriderz

Senior Member
Jul 1, 2020
855 Posts
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After few edits and listening the remaining ones from the list here is my top 10 :)

Track #1: Hoopoe - Matahari
Track #2: Narel & Cosmithex - Endgame
Track #3: Aldous - Moondrops (Stoneface & Terminal Remix)
Track #4: Trance Wax - Throne (Activa Remix)
Track #5: Estiva - Sky
Track #6: Alex Wright - Airglide
Track #7: Monada presents Space Wanderer - Bioluminescence
Track #8: Terk Dawn pres. Divinity Of Mind - Alpha Centauri (Vascotia Remix)
Track #9: Coredata - 94
Track #10: Dark Matter - Girl with the Rainbow Hat
Best album: Activa - Origins
Best producer: Activa
Best label: Pure Trance
Best compilation:

Also I liked the most among the list
Activa - Polestar
Activa - Into Pieces
William Byrne - Echo
Eco -Let You Down
Will Atkinson - Last Night in Ibiza
VillaNaranjos - Cala D'Hort
Enigma State -Enigmatic

 
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Peenuts

Resident Doctor
Jun 28, 2020
331 Posts
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Track #1: Activa - Polestar
Track #2: Activa - Leave A Light On (Marcos Remix)
Track #3: Activa - Restore My Faith
Track #4: Jaytech - Dreamworld
Track #5: meHiLove - Beautiful
Track #6: VillaNaranjos - Gualadest
Track #7: Farius & SueMcLaren - Love Is Love (Protoculture Remix)
Track #8: Ferry Tayle & Dan Stone - Vona (Sean Tyas Remix)
Track #9: Illitheas - Oblivion
Track #10: Kyau & Albert - Runaway Girl

Imo it's been a relatively quiet year for trance. Some good tracks here and there, but there really wasn't a consistent label i particularly vibed with. The Pure labels have been a bit of a disappointment; whereas i've been liking more and more of the Anjuna output. Artist-wise, i'd go with Activa - he's had quite a few quality tracks over a range of styles which really showed his versatility.
 

Hensmon

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TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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Didnt like the Enigma State tracks @trancedanne? Agree with those Activa choices but I went for Lost Language and Disharmonic in my top instead of Future Memory and Into Pieces. He released so much good music this year.

Also how have you head the YAMS album? That's a Jan 5th release so those will be eligible for next year ;)
 

Vicmarran

Member
Aug 28, 2021
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To be honest I do the same, but for Trance from 2021 I had a list of around 150 tracks. With all genres from this year maybe 500. Certainly a monster list if he's hit over 1000 just from 2021 Trance/Prog alone!

I am also a Itunes nerd man, with 20 years under the belt. Have around 800 playlists all organized and labelled correctly. Sounds like we approach things very similarly.


I am so glad to know that there are also freaks like me that compile and arrange their tracks in massive playlists, not that surprised to see that coming from this forum, that is why I joined, like-minded and organized people that love top tier music. I have been using “everynoise.com” for two years so far and it has been amazing when it comes to being on the loop for the new stuff, every Friday I religiously check the “Uplifting/Progressive Trance” genres which enlists every track released on that week, then add every single track to a Draft playlist and then select the ones I really like and include them in my main playlist. This year’s draft playlist had over 4,400 tracks lol. It’s a lot of dedication time, yes, but I just hate to miss on great music, I can say almost 90% of the new stuff is garbage but also there is always gems hiding waiting to be found.
 

trancedanne

Senior Member
Aug 11, 2021
530 Posts
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Didnt like the Enigma State tracks @trancedanne? Agree with those Activa choices but I went for Lost Language and Disharmonic in my top instead of Future Memory and Into Pieces. He released so much good music this year.

Also how have you head the YAMS album? That's a Jan 5th release so those will be eligible for next year ;)
Enigma State really nails the oldschool sound which is really damn cool, however i think there is to much emphasise on supersaws, they overtake to much of his music. Thats why i have never been a big fan of Corsten or Transa for example. Regarding YAMS, he was nice enough to send it to me a couple of weeks ago. For me those tracks are from 2021 despite being released next year, but yeah for next years list i might reuse them ;)
 
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Sleepy Robot

Senior Member
Jul 7, 2020
671 Posts
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The Netherlands
Didnt like the Enigma State tracks @trancedanne? Agree with those Activa choices but I went for Lost Language and Disharmonic in my top instead of Future Memory and Into Pieces. He released so much good music this year.

Also how have you head the YAMS album? That's a Jan 5th release so those will be eligible for next year ;)

I'm probably the only one who still havent' heard any of those Enigma tracks. What's up with this release?
 
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Jetflag

Elite Member
Jul 17, 2020
2,699 Posts
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The Enigma State tracks will be a 2022 release - so shouldnt really be included in lists here imo.

Cold Blue - Songbird would be my top pick for a 2021 Trance track. Most of my favourites of the year were Techno.
Same goes for Something More , its a 2022 release, Though I will say I'm immensely honored that you put that in your top10 list @Vicmarran

thanks🙏
 

Sleepy Robot

Senior Member
Jul 7, 2020
671 Posts
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The Netherlands
Voted!

Overall a very good year for my taste. So many tracks that could not be included. I also didn't want to put in only TDB tracks.
One thing i have noticed that over the year i add a lot of tracks to playlists and my bought library but i somehow forget them because there seems to be always something new.
So I want to start enjoying tracks i have liked and bought more this year instead of adding new ones constantly. But i remember saying something like that last year too so... :cautious:

Here we go:

Top 10
Track #1: The Digital Blonde - Aventador
Track #2: The Digital Blonde - Balerika
Track #3: Hopoe - Matahari
Track #4: Narel - Relinquish
Track #5: Stu McNally - The Majestic
Track #6: Narel - Everstone
Track #7: Stoneface & Terminal - Lose My Need
Track #8: The Digital Blonde vs Tandy - Antithesis (Ovnimoon Edit)
Track #9: Narel & Cosmithex - Endgame
Track #10: Breakfast - Morning Rain

Other tracks worth mentioning:
Lostly - We're Descending
Facade - Razor Crest
Facade - Altona Pt.2
Daniel Lesden & Enlusion - Dark Entity (all mixes)
Basil O'Glue - 1999 (YAMS Remix)
Basil O'Glue - A Forest Fable
Basil O'Glue - Untold (Martin Le Blanc Remix)
John Dopping & Anthony Yarranton - Amrita (Amritone Remix)
Enlusion - Astarte / Crepuscular
Alex Starsound - Dwarf Shortage (The Digital Blonde's Last To Know It's Raining Mix)
Alex Starsound - Laserdelic (The Digital Blonde's Pure Joofage Remix)
Alex Starsound - Rise 'n Moonshine (The Digital Blonde's 303db's Mix)
Alex Starsound - Deepturbo - (The Digital Blonde Mixes)
Coredata - Alien Threat
Coredata - 94
Essco - Thunder (Coredata remix)
Mac & Monday - Silhouette Girl
Peter Steele - Singularity
Plu-Ton - Leap of Faith
Lots of Activa tracks ;)

Best album: The Digital Blonde - N3ON

Other albums needed mentioning:
Narel - Diary of a Synthy Kid
Enlusion - Absorbed Reality
Artifact303 - From The Stars
Activa - Origins

Best producer: The Digital Blonde
Runners up: Narel and Activa.

Best label: Forescape Digital
Runner up: Pure Trance and sublabels.

Best compilation: Solarstone - EA4

Self made up categorie:

Best overall EP: Stu McNally - Accesive Rhythm
 

Electronlyman

Senior Member
Jul 14, 2020
466 Posts
280 Thanked
I'm not going to post my full choices, because it was so hard and I feel it is unfair to some, there needs to be more than 10 in the top 10! 😄
One thing is clear for me, TDB has dominated the sh@t out of the Trance scene this year. 😎

That album, coming out of the underground, crushed everything this year.
To think there's a 00.db album coming up next, makes me tickly and excited like a kid under the Christmas tree!

Also there are the Eco, YAMS, Madis and Mind.In.A.Box albums coming up real soon
The last two are not strictly Trance, but heavily influenced/partly Trance.
MIAB is coming back after a longer pause from releases, so curious what they come up with this time!

The year 2022 could be just as good, possibly better than 2021 was for releases!
 

Hensmon

Admin
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,109 Posts
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No,its a 2022 release. No vinyl out yet...digital release is before vinyl.

Enigma State tracks will be considered 2021 and included in the list, many votes for them already. We're not being super strict and this track was being played all year by most, def feels like a 2021 moment rather than 2022. So if you wanna vote for it please do!
 
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aSeb

Senior Member
Jul 13, 2020
589 Posts
312 Thanked
It was surprisingly difficult to pick 10 best tracks of the year, but here they are:

Track #1: Terk Dawn pres. Divinity Of Mind - Alpha Centauri (Vascotia Remix)
Track #2: Trance Wax - Throne (Activa Remix)
Track #3: Ferry Corsten & Leon Bolier Feat. NBLM - Trust You
Track #4: Activa - Polestar
Track #5: Stoneface & Terminal - Lose My Need
Track #6: Estuera - Anaphora
Track #7: Activa & Lo - Leave A Light On
Track #8: Narel - There's the Walrus
Track #9: Cosmithex - Polarity (Timewave Remix)
Track #10: Daniel Kandi & Prox - Space Tonic

Best album: Activa - Origins
Best producer: Activa
Best label: Forescape Digital
Best compilation: Solarstone - Pure Trance Vol.9


Some fine tracks had to be left out of the top 10, and I also did not count the Enigma State tracks for 2021. Those would have definitely be on the list.

The pick for best producer could not have been easier though. Activa was completely in his own league.
 

Hensmon

Admin
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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Those would have definitely be on the list.

Now is the time to include it. Most people have and wont be on next years.

I have a very similar list to you btw, glad to see the Narel track on there.
 
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Narel

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Aug 4, 2020
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Enigmatic at this moment feels better to me than In My Fantasy, but not so sure. IMF has a better melody I think...

Hard to not give the album nod to @Narel's from earlier this year, that was really really lovely and kept coming back to it. Could easily include Walrus, Cortex Vortex pt II and Counter Entertainment in my top 25 of the year.
Thanks for the positive comments man : )
This album was a labour, but worth it. My JP8000 crapped itself not long after finishing ‘There’s the Walrus’ so I was really glad to get it done, the track is 80% JP.
 

Narel

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Aug 4, 2020
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Voted!

Overall a very good year for my taste. So many tracks that could not be included. I also didn't want to put in only TDB tracks.
One thing i have noticed that over the year i add a lot of tracks to playlists and my bought library but i somehow forget them because there seems to be always something new.
So I want to start enjoying tracks i have liked and bought more this year instead of adding new ones constantly. But i remember saying something like that last year too so... :cautious:

Here we go:

Top 10
Track #1: The Digital Blonde - Aventador
Track #2: The Digital Blonde - Balerika
Track #3: Hopoe - Matahari
Track #4: Narel - Relinquish
Track #5: Stu McNally - The Majestic
Track #6: Narel - Everstone
Track #7: Stoneface & Terminal - Lose My Need
Track #8: The Digital Blonde vs Tandy - Antithesis (Ovnimoon Edit)
Track #9: Narel & Cosmithex - Endgame
Track #10: Breakfast - Morning Rain

Other tracks worth mentioning:
Lostly - We're Descending
Facade - Razor Crest
Facade - Altona Pt.2
Daniel Lesden & Enlusion - Dark Entity (all mixes)
Basil O'Glue - 1999 (YAMS Remix)
Basil O'Glue - A Forest Fable
Basil O'Glue - Untold (Martin Le Blanc Remix)
John Dopping & Anthony Yarranton - Amrita (Amritone Remix)
Enlusion - Astarte / Crepuscular
Alex Starsound - Dwarf Shortage (The Digital Blonde's Last To Know It's Raining Mix)
Alex Starsound - Laserdelic (The Digital Blonde's Pure Joofage Remix)
Alex Starsound - Rise 'n Moonshine (The Digital Blonde's 303db's Mix)
Alex Starsound - Deepturbo - (The Digital Blonde Mixes)
Coredata - Alien Threat
Coredata - 94
Essco - Thunder (Coredata remix)
Mac & Monday - Silhouette Girl
Peter Steele - Singularity
Plu-Ton - Leap of Faith
Lots of Activa tracks ;)

Best album: The Digital Blonde - N3ON

Other albums needed mentioning:
Narel - Diary of a Synthy Kid
Enlusion - Absorbed Reality
Artifact303 - From The Stars
Activa - Origins

Best producer: The Digital Blonde
Runners up: Narel and Activa.

Best label: Forescape Digital
Runner up: Pure Trance and sublabels.

Best compilation: Solarstone - EA4

Self made up categorie:

Best overall EP: Stu McNally - Accesive Rhythm
Thanks man, very much appreciated : )
 
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Magdelayna

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Jul 13, 2020
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Now is the time to include it. Most people have and wont be on next years.

I have a very similar list to you btw, glad to see the Narel track on there.

They will have it on the 2022 list because if they like it,they will buy the release this year. You have to have the rules one way or the other. Do you go by official release date or when a producer puts a sample up lol.
 
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Propeller

Senior Member
Jul 20, 2020
686 Posts
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UK
Track #1: Martin LeBlanc - Lagom (original mix)
Track #2: Glynn Alan - Limitless (original mix)
Track #3: Hoopoe - Matahari (Narel remix)
Track #4: Stoneface & Terminal - Lose my need (original mix)
Track #5: D.N.A. - Northern Grounds (extended mix)
Track #6: Akkima - Moments (Intro mix)
Track #7: Kineta - Clone Drone (original mix)
Track #8: Narel - Everstone (original mix)
Track #9: Estuera - Jupiter Impulse (extended mix)
Track #10: Milla Lehto - Blade Runner (extended mix)

Best album: Narel - Diary Of a Synthy Kid
Best producer: Coredata
Best label: Pure Trance
Best compilation: Solarstone - Electronic Architecture 4