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Listen here
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2021-07-29
Hello all, it's been a while. In recent months life threw me quite the curveball and I ended at Rock Bottom and nearly worse but the universe had other plans so for better or for worse I am still here and thus Razormane Selects is back as well! And this edition will be a little different from the previous instalments. You could say this is a bit of tribute to where A State Of Trance Radioshow is right now, in this particular moment in time.
Because with the exclusion of the two Morbeck tunes and maybe one of the Marco V's, this tracklist is full ASOT-supported tracks. Or to put it differently, ASOT was my source for these tracks. That shouldn't be such a big deal right? It kinda is for me though. You see, in 2012 around 550, I turned away from ASOT. The sounds, styles and artists I had come to love over the course of late 2005 all the way through 2010 were basically no more. The show took a direction that wasn't for me. It was difficult to let something go that had brought me so much joy... Heck, ASOT had educated me on Electronic music! It was part of my identity... As high school friends, work colleagues and fellow University students only ever seemed to listen to the glorified autotune-riddled, Bubbling-beat based noise or Indie/Hippie Pop/Emo wailing, I had these incredible soundscapes to listen and escape to as I went on my numerous walks through Amsterdam, trying to make sense of myself, of the future, of life. ASOT was a moment me and my brother would zone out from the bullshit that surrounded us and get sucked into a sonic adventure hosted by quite possibly the most charismatic Radioshow host this scene will ever see, Armin van Buuren. In later years I would tune in online with some of the great friends I've made since then... We've known each other for over a decade guys, let that sink in for a moment... :) But yeah, ASOT was growing up, maturing. To have to say goodbye to that because I had to face the reality that it was no longer intended for me, sucked. I don't like change. Even if it is for improvement, I always take a while to adjust. Let alone when I fail to adjust because the change just doesn't resonate with me. I am cursed with a love for nostalgia that no doubt comes from my Cabo roots, the Morna and Sodade are engraved in my soul. It's why the melancholic masterpieces tend to overshadow the euphoric ones for me. For that journey to have to end, was tough.
When Armin and Benno blessed the world with Moons Of Jupiter two summers ago, that lingering pain and annoyance subsided. That one type of project I had dreamed they would do, they did. Heck, we even got blessed with an incredible Paradiso Live Show. That 15 year old me was back, overjoyed with his heroes once again creating an aural escape into a world of electrifying sounds and melodies, moods that resonated deep within. I was at peace.
When ASOT #1000 was on earlier in January, I decided to tune in. I decided to pay my respects to Armin. Because even if the last 10 years of the show had not really been my cup of coffee, I will never forget those 2005-2010 years. I STILL listen to the Top 30s from those years regularly. They are part of my identity, part of my soul! They are me. The actual episode #1000 that covered the 50 best out of the ASOT Top 1000 voting opened with Suburban Train. I tuned in, chat on Youtube running wild, Whatsapp on as my music friends were on as well. And I friggin wept. I don't know what came over me. It was just so special to sit there, 15 years after my first taste of ASOT knowing that I had been a part of that journey, at least for a bit. The amazing people I met. The highs and lows life had thrown at me over the past decade and a half. And from that episode onward, I decided to tune in again. Every Thursday night. As much as possible.
So far I've only missed two or three episodes. And hey, I am still me, I still don't like the generic uplifting, the vocal overkill or over-the-top noisy bigroom stinkers hahaha... But I have to say that ASOT is entertaining me on a weekly basis again... I don't know if it's the nostalgia for the routine, the fact that my music friends also tune in and we listen together for old time's sake. But Armin's selection have reached a level of quality again that keeps me coming back for more. Some 10 years later after that goodbye, here we are again. *sigh* Who would have thought? :)
So this month's selection reflects that quality for me. It reflects the moods and soundscapes that do it for me and that ASOT is providing again, sometimes in one episode, sometimes spread over several. I'd usually put the spotlight on a few tracks in the selection and try to emphasize why they are rocking my month. But this time I am going to let this list speak for itself. It's embedded below so just hit play on this 3 hour something long journey. Progressive (House), Trance, Techno, Tech Trance, Melodic, trippy, raw, deep... It's all in there. This is a reflection of what the COVID-era Armin is selecting for us. Producers have been stepping up a notch to bring us memorable music rather than the sugary fastfood instant-gratification nonsense of the early/mid '10s. Quite frankly, there's never been a better time to give ASOT a second chance if like me, you grew up with it in the mid '00s but lost interest over time. And hey, if it still doesn't do anything for you that's fine too. But for me it's bringing just that slight bit of happiness in these seemingly never-ending, mentally-draining COVID months.
Extra shout-out to Armin: when is the last time I bought FIVE brand new singles by the man himself (and that doesn't even include Sirius with AVIRA because it isn't out yet!)? Next to that Ferry, Marco and Bolier are all still in crazy form too... Damn son, it really feels like I'm back in 2006 and I'm loving every second of it. I hope you will too. ;)
Sit down, kick back, hit play and get carried into a State. Of Traaaaaaaaance...
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Purchases:
Sunny Lax - Neowise (Extended Mix)
Scorz - That's Life (Extended Mix)
Ezequiel Arias - Solar (Extended Mix)
Milkwish - North Beach (Extended Mix)
Scorz feat. Lewyn - Easy Love (Extended Mix)
BetweenUs - Lost Island (Extended Mix)
Protoculture - Deep Forest (Extended Mix)
Pierce Fulton - I Can't Remember If It Was A Dream (Jordin Post Remix)
Kryder - Come Home Soon (Extended Mix)
Paul Arcane - Sisu (Extended Mix)
Ahmed Helmy - I'm The Future (Extended Mix)
Armin van Buuren feat. SKOLES - Goodbye (Extended Mix)
Ferry Corsten - Lemme Take You (Extended Mix)
Armin van Buuren & Sander van Doorn - Jonson's Play (Extended Mix)
Armin van Buuren & Maor Levi - Divino (Extended Mix)
Marco V presents Vision 20/20 - WA/VE (Extended Mix)
Push - Remind (Extended Mix)
Factor B presents Highlandr - I Want You (12" Extended Mix)
Armin van Buuren & AVIRA - Sirius
Marco V presents Vision 20/20 - PU/RE (Extended Mix)
Fergie - Alpha Centauri (Extended Mix)
Marco V & Roel Salemink - Rollercoaster (Extended Mix)
Morbeck feat. WYAD - Travel In Mind (Original Mix)
Morbeck - Jim Carrey & The Universe
Armin van Buuren & Rank 1 - The Greater Light To Rule The Night (Extended Mix)
Ferry Corsten & Leon Bolier feat. NBLM - Trust You (Extended Mix)
Stoneface & Terminal - Moonscape (Extended Mix)
Davey Asprey - An Ocean Of Stars (Extended Mix)
Sam Laxton - Rocha (Extended Mix)
Vini Vici x Neelix x MKLA - Come Close (Extended Mix)
Armin van Buuren vs. Jorn van Deynhoven - Lost In Space (Extended Mix)
Joint Operations Centre - Gizmo (Extended Mix)
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That's all for now, until next time! You can find the previous batch I bought here.
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