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

Devito

New Member
Aug 25, 2020
23 Posts
45 Thanked
Umbra
will listen to these thanks.

where’s that dude @Devito he usually posts some list of random underground tracks. Last year took a load. Sharing is caring amigo.
Glad to hear that my list was somehow useful to you. I´m gonna eventually post it, thought i´m not sure if this thread is the right place to do it,

Cheers,
 

m_st

Member
Dec 24, 2022
149 Posts
162 Thanked
final selection

Utopian Streams - Now Is The Time
Omformer - 10,000 Ohm
emkay - In Bloom (Sansibar: Bobo's Whip Mix)
Twyi - Reality Checkpoint (Maruwa Remix)
Rigson - Princess of Disks (Rambal Cochet 5AM Mix)
Rambal Cochet - Talpa Lionis
Mick Gristle & Hasvat Informant - Swordbox (Omformer Remix)
Caldera - Dolphin Skii
emkay - pa'af lai
Mikkel Rev - Insula
 

HTY

Member
Aug 5, 2021
233 Posts
137 Thanked
Here's my top 10. The top 3 are simply brilliant. I appreciate the underground stuff you guys share but it's not as memorable for me as what digital blonde, enigma state or others in the typical trance scene make. Saying that I did really love Yenga 3AM and Ray Tracing, both very underground.

Movements was my album choice. CD1 is strongest, but CD 2 is great as well, mostly the middle section part. Activa gets best artist for his effort here, and all of his originals this year are decent or good. Album I have no fucking clue.

1. Synthazia - Siren
2. Enigma State - Waiting For You
3. Narel - Tensile
4. Ovnimoon & Hedustma - Escitalotrance
5. Omformer - Yenga 3AM
6. Coredata - Geometric
7. Rambal Cochet - Ray Tracing
8. Synthazia - Lumi
9. Basil O'Glue - Tell Nobody
10. DJ Dazzle - From Within (Activa Remix)

Psy and Progressive are my favourite genres but those scenes are still weak, with max 10 tracks that really stand out. I still think the trance scene is fun to follow though... obviously otherwise I wouldn't be on this forum daily. You got to think that by the end of the decade it might finally sort itself into a place where quality is the norm again. Here's hoping.
 

Dmoore

Member
Dec 24, 2021
136 Posts
74 Thanked
I am a huge Enigma State fan so my top 10 is packed with his music, but I did manage to sneak in some other dope tracks too. Why does his trance sound so much better than the rest of the 138-140 lot? What's the secret, because it's a travesty that you are the only producer in the scene sounding like this.

1. Enigma State - Waiting For You
2. Enigma State - Sacred Art
3. Enigma State - State of Mind
4. Chris Johnson - These Days
5. Enigma State - Transolar
6. Alan Morrow - Willingness
7. Mac & Monday - Karla’s Theme (Extended Mix)
8. Digital Blonde - Siren
9. Enigma State - Lunar's Theme (E-State Remix)
10. Satoshi Fumi- Ion Tail

Best artist - Enigma State
Best album - Activa - Origins (Remixed)
Best label - Borderline
Best Comp - Movements vol. 1

I wish I had more room to fit that 10,000 Ohm track in, also Filterheadz - Indian Summer. I could make a top 25 easily, maybe I will put that together too. I don't forget the awesome Citra and Es Vedra too guys. I don't message here much, but I found 70% of my top music in the year thanks to this forum.
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: Hensmon

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,940 Posts
2,835 Thanked
Hey there lovely people!

The voting is nearing its end! So I'd like to kindly ask all of you who have not submitted their votes to do so.

Irony being, I have also not submitted mine. But I have asked myself kindly and I will oblige. Yay me!

If anyone has any issues voting, feel free to reach out and we'll resolve it.
 

Vicmarran

Member
Aug 28, 2021
191 Posts
180 Thanked
Age
31
USA
2023 undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the trance/progressive scene imo. For me my top five tracks stood out as truly iconic, each a masterpiece in its own right. The subsequent ones proved equally impressive, making it challenging for me to rank them definitively.

  1. Allende – Fading Light
  2. Slam Duck – Allure
  3. Enigma State – Waiting for You
  4. Jaron Inc., Activa – Inspire (Activa Rework)
  5. Aerium, Avalon 62 – Eneabba (Movement Edit)
  6. Øna – Øna
  7. The Noble Six – Moon That Never Sets
  8. The Noble Six – Astral Projection
  9. Breakfast – The Spice
  10. Enigma State – Transolar
  11. The Thrillseekers, Hydra – Standing on the Edge of Space (Cold Blue Remix)
  12. Sneijder – Dawn
  13. Coredata – GeoMetric
  14. Coredata – Shagohod (Narel Remix)
  15. Factor B – Connected (Lostly’s Change of Season Remix)
  16. Lostly – As You Leave
  17. Allende – Horizon Painter
  18. Slam Duck – An Ode to Love
  19. Marsh – Endless
  20. Marsh – Veil
 
Last edited:

Sleepy Robot

Senior Member
Jul 7, 2020
683 Posts
423 Thanked
The Netherlands
Yes yes, mine will be in on time. I just started making a list of possible contenders which i then have to trim to contenders and then trim to the final 10 and then place them in the ranking. I do think i have my number 1 choosen...but maybe not.... :rolleyes:

Technically still 3 days left right?
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: Archon

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,940 Posts
2,835 Thanked
An incredible year. The underground scene absolutely nailed it. Not only was it incredible in perfectly replicating the styles of old - it did so with phenomenal musical content - but new ideas were forming as well. I would say that my Top 10 is very much colourful - all tracks are almost non-standard, and not fully trance either. I felt like, especially in the underground scene, we’re seeing less and less borders between sub-genres and genres; it’s all becoming just electronic music again.

It's not "there" yet, but the overall trend is looking phenomenal. I think I might've enjoyed this year's discoveries more than in the previous few years.

So, on to what 2023 brought us.

Top Tracks


The order of these is how I voted. Votes which carry the same amount of points are unordered. I'm pretty sure I left some tracks out - this list consisted of stuff I favourited on Deezer and Bandcamp. There is bound to be stuff I forgot. I might go over your submissions and see if there is, but I think the top 10 is solid.

1. Sleep D - Punch Drunk (ft. YL Hooi)


I have to give it to Sleep D. I have not heard this style of music since Banco de Gaia, an artist I appreciate very much. Very easy on the ears. It’s atmospheric, but in a way we’re not at all used to. For me, this is quality electronic music, one I feel will stand the test of time. It certainly stood up to me listening to the album for a million times already.

2. Caldera - Dolphin Skii


The most unique track of the year for me. Has a huge “underwater” feel to it. It’s completely faultless, dare I say perfect. If you let it develop, it absolutely rewards you.

3. Utopian Streams - Now is the Time


This track is incredible in every way. I’m a sucker for dreamy prog trance, and this one absolutely delivers. Just like they used to make them. It’s like a warm hug and a cup of tea under a blanket on cold days. It honestly deserves a #1 spot, but the two tracks above also do. The difference being, the top two are slightly more unique.

4. Satoshi Fumi - E1


Dreamy progressive trance done right. Very simple, yet cohesive. Progresses wonderfully. Lovely sounds. And finally some warm chords!!

5. Adam Pits - Take a Moment


One of the more unique tracks of this year. Breaks - I know - but incredibly well done. The layering of synths (and the synths themselves) is worthy of praise alone. Fantastic piece of work by Adam.

6. Reflex Blue - Paradigm Shift


Another one seemingly inspired by Banco de Gaia, and his first albums. Trippy synths, repetitive patterns, ethnic samples. Fantastic stuff, definitely something I want to hear more of in the next year.

7. Reflex Blue - Utopia Hz


Early 90s non-4x4 vocal house is my first association upon hearing this. Fantastic stuff.

8. Reflex Blue - Way of the Compass


Great 90s ambient. Love the way it develops. Reflex Blue is certainly one of the more prolific artists this year. Did someone here say Banco de Gaia again??

9. Omformer - 10.000 Ohm


This track starts off as a mid-90s ambient tune, but turns into a dreamy, fast-paced trance beauty - also from the same period. What more would you want? It’s tracks like these which give the word trance its meaning.

10. Mikkel Rev - Sub Sea (Peace Mix)


Another very dreamy entry. Fantastic track from a fantastic album.

Tracks that didn’t make the cut


  • Fantastic Man - The Beach

Late discovery, but a fantastic breaks track. Beautiful sounds and melodies. It’s truly heartwarming stuff.

  • Thurlow Joyce - Varial

Very slow and smooth, progresses wonderfully.

  • Sleep D - From Village to Empire / Hockey / Planet Waves

From Village to Empire is a fantastic ethnic track - you already know what it reminds me of. Great, captivating stuff.

Hockey is weird on the first listen - a bit wonky, even - but if you let it develop it does have that something.

Planet Waves is a vibe! One of the most joyous tracks of this year for me.

  • Reflex Blue - Overview Effect

Reflex Blue unsurprisingly delivers again, with a great breaks track.

  • Mikkel Rev - Nothing So Hidden / Insula / Regrets

Mikkel Rev knows a thing or two about creating a specific vibe, a specific atmosphere. All four tracks I included are a perfect example of that. They even share (some, most or all) these atmospheres/moods, even though they are in completely different styles!

  • Eivind Vullum & Telephones - Tustna (Telephones Suenotechno Rush Mix)

A mixture between different styles of the 90s. Fantastic track.

  • SY - In Your Mind (Sunrise Mix) / Evolution (Afterhours Mix)

Fantastic, lush house. It sounds like it was just ripped from 2trancentral’s YouTube channel and released. Great stuff.

  • Basically anything from ASC - The Depths of Space

One of the biggest surprises of this year was this album. I discovered it this month, and loved every second of it. Because it’s 100% not trance, I won’t include it in any of the other fields, but it is a quality album nonetheless. Worth listening to.


Best Artist


For me, based on the number of tracks in the top 10 alone, it’s Reflex Blue. Made a proper, high-quality, gem-filled album.

Other very worthy mentions are Mikkel Rev and Sleep D - a discovery of the year to whom I would've given the best artist title, but since they are already included in almost every other category, I decided to include others.

Best Album


It’s clearly Sleep D - Electronic Arts. This one just drew me in at first listen. The album I listened to most this year, and it still never fails to put a smile on my face. The quality is insane, it has many different styles, and at the same time you can feel the producers had fun putting it together. It’s not just a collection of tracks either. Free-spirited electronic music, I would say.

This year was fantastic for albums. Lots of high-quality ones in circulation. Mikkel Rev, Reflex Blue are again worthy of praise for their works.

Best Label


This is the puzzling one for me. I haven’t followed any labels, nor have I paid any attention to where the good stuff was released. My vote is one of support for our own label (TF.R) and what we’re trying to do. Hoping for a prolific 2024!

Best Compilation


Vote goes to Activa’s Movement: One. Basically the only one I listened to, and I loved it! Good compilation of well-made modern trance. Not much competition here either.
 

Quethas

Member
Jul 15, 2020
172 Posts
212 Thanked
Finland
I have been researching and recapping my list for few weeks now. I think today is time for the last tweaks and then I'll submit my vote.

Thanks to this thread I came across with Cape Town's Tears of Jupiter which will be really high on my list. However, I think I will give first place to Deepcry - Alpha. Synthazia - Siren had the reservation for the top spot for a long time, but I eventually decided to drop it few positions. I haven't listened to The Digital Blonde's Synthony yet so that potentially could still shake things a bit.

I thought Pure Trance had a strong year and it will win my label/compilation category.

I won't be voting for Reflex Blue as @Archon does, but I'd like to thank you for the album suggestion. It was the best of the suggestion bunch and really close to be my favorite album of the year.
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: Hensmon and Archon

No Return

Member
Mar 9, 2022
127 Posts
81 Thanked
The votes are in baby!

Might surprise you guys but Coredata - Geometric (Warehouse Remix) is my toty. I just love Coredata's sound, i love the creativity in the track, and I love the nod to Platipus, my goat label. This one really landed perfectly for me.

Borderline easily the best label, felt like it never stopped this year.

7/10 rating for trance scene as a whole.
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: Hensmon

LeaseOfLife

New Member
Dec 29, 2023
1 Posts
6 Thanked
Hey I decided to register here after my good friend @Contraband told me about this place and shared your 2023 track list with me. The music from the underground is where it's at, just like its always been, so it's delightful to see chunks of it appearing in posts from you lot... but god damn finding people who connect with that shit in the real world is impossible, even in a big city like New York. The clubs here just aren't playing the type of trance and house music that is happening in Europe. I'm talking about artists like Maara, Bliss Inc, Mikkel Rev, Adam Pitts, Spray etc. We're alway 5-10 years behind.

Speaking of Maara, she will be the artist of the year for me, just as she was last year. Sure there are quite a few flops from her this year, but have a look around and you'll find her popping up all over the place and her album The Ancient Truth was excellent. Oprofessional/Omformer is second place and Reflex Blue is third.

I will try and submit my tracklist before the deadline
 

Devito

New Member
Aug 25, 2020
23 Posts
45 Thanked
Umbra
Here´s the Trance/Progressive/Psy/Goa that i recommend from 2023:

Abdul Raeva - Codeine
Abdul Raeva - Hydra (Tiempo Mix)
Aiden Francis - Future Proof
Air Protection Òffice - Acid Waves
Air Protection Òffice - Surfaced
Alan Backdrop - Cikada
Alan Backdrop - Emotional Chaos
Alan Backdrop - Void Fertile
Alan Backdrop - Vortex
Alpha Tracks - April/02
Alpha Tracks - April/03
Alpha Tracks - November/02
Alpha Tracks - November/03
Artifact303 - Feelings (2023 Mix)
Artifact303 - The Ancestors (2023 mix)
Asphalt DJ - Sonic Endeavour
Asphalt DJ & Gzardin - Southern Expedition
B From E - Symetrix
Biodive - Chinga To C
Bliss Inc. - Mind To Mind
Blush - Main Stage
Clint - Cyber Coral (Tribal Sensation Mix)
Cybernet - Druid***
DOS - Dusk
Ekkel - Brain Drain
Gzardin - Bellpoint
Gzardin - Hobo Shop (Gentle Mix)
Gzardin - Robusticks
Guy Contact - Amygdala Tongue Wobble
Hekkla - Reverse Groove (Manami Remix)
Human Resources - Tra3_E
Hybrid Man - Co-Existence
Jeku - Fixed Gear
Jeku - Transcendence
Jotel California - Nabelmilch (feat. Babyblade)
Jotel California - Slow The Sunset
Laars & Cosmic G - Equilibrium
Laars & Cosmic G - Five Atoms
Match Box - Midnight (Bliss Inc. Remix)
Match Box - Nocturnal Synergy
Match Box - Quantum Transients
Mbius - Mr. Nimbus
Modex - Isometria
Morphic Resonance - Hypnoman
Mortar & Pestle - Girls Night Out In Berlin
Mortar & Pestle - Pound Or Be Pounded
Mortar & Pestle - Wet On Sight
Mtty - Oma the Wailmer
Mtty - Shtüm
Mtty - That's Nonsensical
Papa Nugs - Double Tree
Papa Nugs - Jupiter
Remotif - In the Blink of a Cosmic Eye
Sohrab - Dualism
Sohrab - Silk Road
Sohrab - Transfer Learning
Spray - Q3projz
Spray - VT Trad
Voiski - Raqs-e Qemgeen
YASSCORP - I'm The Problem (Blissdub)


***Track was released on December, 23, 2022 (i don´t care)

I´m also assembling a track list with all genres, including House, Techno, DnB, Breaks, etc...


EDIT: I forgot a lot of tracks. Now updated.
 
Last edited: