TranceFix Best of 2023 - VOTE OPEN! - Thoughts on this year?

[Sleepy Robot]

Does a compilation need to be mixed?

 

[Hensmon]

Does a compilation need to be mixed?

No man, unmixed comps all good

 

[Perpetuous dreamer]

I didn’t follow the scene that well in 23. I find myself still discovering and listening to classics 80% of the time. There were a few mixed bunch that I liked that was share here so will try and remember. Enigma State tracks were cool and I usually like digital blonde so will have a listen to the ones you guys are suggesting.

 

[Anderanao]

Voted. My toty was Willigness by Alan Morrow. The rest I will keep hidden for now.

Some special mentions that didn’t make my top 10, but close

Allende - Horizons Painter
Sniejder - Dawn
Andre Maier - Citra
LJR - Last Satellite
Solarstone - Vision
Estiva - Via infinita
Noble Six - Rings of Saturn
Lostly - Reach You
Sunda - Pillars

 

[Hensmon]

Here are some more unknown ones that I found myself playing a lot this year. Not sure if they will be in my top 10, but lets say I have a soft spot for them. My final vote will likely feature lots of Digital Blonde, Enigma State, Rambal Cochet, Borderline and Undeground tracks and one or two of these below.

Unconventional highlights:
B to E - In My Hive (Original, Instrumental or Remix!)
David Pasejo - Awareness (just beautiful analogue relaxation downtempo - maybe my toty!)
Caldera - Dolphin Skii (the whole EP was awesome)
A.S.O - Go On (Extended Mix) (ok not trance but the whole album is great, and the tranceir remixes that came were good too)
Thurlow Joice - Lemon Citrus (Varial sick too)
Alan Backdrop - Insane World (lovely downtempo track from his album)
Maara - Nothing Special (more downtempo stuff)
Astral Bandit - Different Kind of feeling (don't usually like speedy trance but this one I rate)
Utopian Streams - Planet JX (fav breaks track of the years, or maybe Fantastic Man - The Beach) (best EP of the year? - might make this a category next year)
Temple Rat - 東風 (lovely atmospheric unconventional one)
LJR - Last Satellite (underrated?)

Best artist - Either Enigma State or Rambal Cochet

Best comp - Movements. No good underground ones this year and Movements continues to get better with each listen

Best label - Tough one.... Borderline is a contender, as is UTE. The underground in general is so dispersed with its quality, and with increasing self
releases non really take the lead as standout, instead its 1 or 2 really good EPs spread across 20 labels, or more.

Best album - Maara's album The Ancient Truth is probably my album of the year, but none of it is trance so cant vote for it. Covers mostly downtempo, breaks and dnb, but with that nu-music skin. The production is sick throughout, and i'd say every tracks is ranging from decent to strong. Adam Pitts or Reflex Blue album probably gets the vote then. That Sleep D one was cool too.

 

[Jetflag]

Top 10 of what I consider to be music that "stuck" with me this year in no particular order:

Filterheadz - Indian summer
Andre maier - es verda
Julian Del Agrada - El sueno
Caldera - Dolphin skii
Rigson - Ayys
Øna - Øna
Macker - Arrakis
Allende - Horizon painter
Activa - Twilight
Chris johnson - these days

close contenders for the top 10:


AA Meeting - Air
Enigma State - Waiting for you
Solarstone & Super-Frog Saves Tokyo - Existence
horizons - Haarlem (2 a.m mix)
Magnevi & Marnix Mulder - Legatum (Julian Del Agrada mix)
façade - The One True Morty (Narel & Deepcry Remix)
Artifact 303 - any re-release this year.

Best album: will probably go to Alan Backdrop - Insane world
Best comp because I don't like tooting my own horn and movements one had two of me on it: Pure trance 10 (though only cd 1)
Best artist: I will also give to Enigma State.

 

[erickUO]

Submitted my vote, leaving best artist nomination in blank.

2023 started interesting but then goes okay-ish. Not many standouts, but after rechecking the forum and my Soundcloud likes, there are plenty enjoyable tracks and albums compared to last year.

I still find Nutrance interesting. Even though some releases starting to follow a formula, the overall palette still gets richer in either trancy or non-trancy way. The golden era of trance doesn’t happen overnight, so I still have hope for this scene.

On the regular side, not much really happening isn’t it? But at least there are some good releases.

 

[Contraband]

On the regular side, not much really happening isn’t it? But at least there are some good releases

yuh it’s dead on regular trance side, aside from Enigma State and Activa and his efforts. Have a check on r/trance and what they list and it’s like they live in a different reality. I know each to his own and all that but I swear Trance has a level of delusion not seen in any other scene.

 

[TRANCEBLASTER]

yuh it’s dead on regular trance side, aside from Enigma State and Activa and his efforts. Have a check on r/trance and what they list and it’s like they live in a different reality. I know each to his own and all that but I swear Trance has a level of delusion not seen in any other scene.

it seems to me that regular/mainstream side simply refuses to grow up: the labels/producers are only focused on young audience (15-22 olds). I think this is the main reason why most of the people here are bored with the sounds and structures, maturity is missing. IMHO nu-trance actually respects its audience and treats them like adults..

 

[Progrez]

I will post by thoughts but I don't think trance has ever been age factor or age has never played into it or "maturity" or "immaturity" so I disagree and I don't know what you are smoking but I don't want any part of it. I started listening to trance/Euro Dance/Future Trance when I was 7 years old and this broad spectrum from the serious stuff to the playful stuff we grew up. So did a lot of people.

Most of the house music releases this year has been boring and flat and meh to be honest with the likes of what Hernan Cattaneo and Anjunadeep play on their current radioshows and sets with the current trend of Organic House/Melodic house sound which is annoying, also the obsession of Marsh as well and that being drowned in under "Progressive" and "Progressive House" as well and to me Nick Warren's track selection has been far better . I mean I don't mind the Dokho stuff. But other than that it's been background music that I would just easily forget. The hypnotic stuff in trance or techno world has been cool as Jonas Steur says Trance is a sub-genre of Techno which I agree with him.

 

[SaltAcidFatHeatAcid]

I swear Trance has a level of delusion not seen in any other scene.

Catching up on the ASOT top 50 today, eek. I don't know that I saw a single top 50 track in anyone's list on here yet. It's all well produced, but it all sounds exactly the same.

 

[TRANCEBLASTER]

I will post by thoughts but I don't think trance has ever been age factor or age has never played into it or "maturity" or "immaturity" so I disagree and I don't know what you are smoking but I don't want any part of it. I started listening to trance/Euro Dance/Future Trance when I was 7 years old and this broad spectrum from the serious stuff to the playful stuff we grew up. So did a lot of people.

well ok, in other words, there are no -noncomformist- releases in the regular 'Trance' scene .. I mean something for a skilled listener, 'Techno' or broken styles have this category well developed, there is alot of strange stuff all around... even 'House' has these subcategories since early 90s... from my view the genre has not grown anywhere since mid 00's

 

[Freezer]

my choices, based simply on how many spins I gave the tracks this year, thats fair...

Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Rank 1 & Ruben de Ronde - Destination
John O Callaghan - Riverside
Sunda - Mirage
Daniel Kandi & Christina Novelli & Simon Leon - Haunted
Definitions & Slipstream - Subterfuge
Alex Morph - Paradise
Cold Blue - Dance of The Girrafes
Slipstream - Lagrange Point
Slipstream - Every Situation Is Temporary
David Broaders — Pink Clouding (Suncatcher & Exolight Extended Remix)

album: Miikka Leinonen - Born Just In Time to Explore Trance
artist: Cold Blue
compi: Movement
label: Borderline

 

[Arnoud]

Like some other members I am mostly listening to classics, so this was pretty difficult.

1. Enigma State - Waiting for You
2. Activa - Velika
3. Øna - Øna
4. Filterheadz - Indian Summer
5. Underworld vs. Kettama - G-Town Euphoria (Luna)
6. The Noble Six - Moon That Never Sets
7. Enigma State - Transolar
8. Activa - Into Pieces (Apogee remix)
9. Aerium pres. Avalon 62 - Eneabba
10. Transa - Carla's Theme (Enigma State remix)

Best Artist: Enigma State
Best Label: Borderline

 

[Progrez]

Can we get a list of all the tracks that posted as "Track of the week" as well? I think they deserve a mention too.


Honourable mention goes to Velika

and also
Alexander Church - Artic Haze
Dorian Gray - Atlas [DOSIS017]

 

[goaman]

Found your forum from facebook, good that trance music is still being represented in places like this. Here is what I will vote for currently but I have a lot more music to go through so it could change.

Eclipse - Tropical Blue
Pletnev - I Stole It Somehow
Shjva - Neogen
Bartoli - Leviathan
Rambal Cochet - Mixed Reality
LOIF - Alien System
Bartoli - The Drum Goes
Rambal Cochet - Talpa Lionisu
Omformer - Yenga 3AM
Shjva - Betatron

 

[Hensmon]

Can we get a list of all the tracks that posted as "Track of the week" as well? I think they deserve a mention too.

Any modern track that made totw will be in the shortlist, but yes next year we will keep track properly and share it.

 

[Hensmon]

Voting going good everyone, and quite a good amount submitted so far. We have around 1 week to go, keep them coming! If we can break the record for last years votes we will be over the moon.

 

[Archon]

Shit, I've procrastinated on sending mine. I started writing up my choices but for some reason, stopped. Gotta get on top of that.

 

[Andre Maier (aka NuroGL)]

This should win...