SONG OF THE DAY: BT – “Skylarking”

No one does pretty soundscapes better than BT. “Skylarking” is a gorgeous, bordering on epic exploration of synths and keyboard melodies, starting from a hybrid of ambient and classical music which gradually builds in intensity until the beat comes in – leading to an almost-Hi-NRG-style production. Not to sound cliched, but there is definitely a ’90s feel here, reminiscent of the beautiful trance-y circuit tracks that would bring a warm feeling to all those dancing.? If there was ever a track worthy of the label ’emotional technology,’ it would be “Skylarking.”? What make this track sound classic also makes it sound timeless – it is neither overly aggressive, nor formulaic stadium – it’s a pretty track that will sound perfect in an opening set for a trance night or a closing set for a progressive night.? For DJs that require a more primetime mix for their floor, Ilan Bluestone goes progressive electro while Maor Levi toughens it up with a harsher, glitchy remix. The video is absolutely stunning using time lapse footage of the Northern Lights over Alaska. The breathtaking visuals perfectly capture the emotion of “Skylarking.”

Image Courtesy of Armada.

REVIEW: Armin Van Buuren – ‘Intense’

Written by: Jason Haynes

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When it comes to trance, there is no bigger name in the field than Armin van Buuren who has established himself as the top representative of the genre. Not only has he been voted the number one DJ in the world for the past few years, but he has also maintained a massive presence in the EDM community with his highly popular State of Trance radio series and live shows worldwide. I was definitely curious, though, to see what direction Armin would take with his fifth studio album, considering his last release, Mirage, was something of a disappointment with its more commercialized sound. One had to wonder if Armin was going to follow the path of Tiesto and create more radio-friendly music, which would feel like a sellout to his true fans. Intense finds the highly acclaimed DJ trying to find his inner voice and moving forward and while the new release is an improvement over Mirage, fans are still left however with an enigma that never truly captures the vision and sound that originally catapulted Armin to fame.

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INTERVIEW: JES (2013)

Most of us were introduced to Jes as the singer of Motorcycle’s “As the Rush Comes.” In the past few years, she has worked with some of electronica’s finest ? Tiesto, BT, Paul Oakenfold, Ferry Corsten, Robbie Rivera? ? and with her distinctive voice, incredible songwriting, and emotionally powerful performances she has managed to set herself apart as a true artist.?? In addition to singing and writing, she also DJs live and does a weekly radio show (complete with special TaxiGirl mashups). ?Watch out for a new artist album from her later this year, along with several big time collaborations.

DJ Ron Slomowicz: You work with so many great producers, how do you meet everyone?
Jes: I think that when you have a bit of a track record you meet a lot of people and it is just about connecting with the ones that you have a spark with. I have been very lucky; I go to a lot of conventions and do a lot of shows. I just came back from Taiwan and I was in India for the first time, ?I do a lot of amazing shows with all the people that you would want to meet; you just need go right for them and meet them while you?re there.
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