Armin Van Buuren feat Trevor Guthrie - This Is What It Feels Like

The Trancemaster is back with a new single featuring Trevor Guthrie (formerly of SoulDecision). Trance songs with a gorgeous male vocal have been making quite a comeback lately. The Electro/Dance/Rock track is so well done. It's very versatile in that it could work on Pop radio or in the clubs with the same version. The remixes are by Antillas & Dankann, David Guetta, and Giuseppe Ottaviani. Antillas & Dankann's aggressive Electro treatment works but might be too noisy for some. David Guetta's is pleasant but it doesn't deviate much from his usual blueprint. Giuseppe Ottaviani turns it into a big room Trance masterpiece recalling what Armin used to do in the early 2000s. Fans of that style will love that one. Giuseppe's version is the best of the bunch.

-Listen to the Giuseppe Ottaviani mix here (YouTube)

Grade: A

Airscape - L'Esperanza

It has been nearly 11 years since this Trance classic was released. A new mix by the duo themselves has been completed recently. They have jumped on the electro-house bandwagon that has been popular for the last couple of years now. Their mix bears some resemblance to the smash hit "Infinity 2008" by Guru Josh Project. Not necessarily a bad thing. The main synth riff that made "L'Esperanza" is used in the new mix. Several remixes from the original releases of the song are included on the single. The Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren and Original mixes are included. Even 11 years later, the original mixes still pack quite the punch. Also check out the Beam Vs. Cyrus and Svenson Goes To The Love Parade mixes. The latter is more in line with the remixes that Airscape did during much of the early 2000's.


Listen to the new S&G mix here
Listen to the Original mix here

Grade: B+ (for the new mix)/A (for including some of the original mixes)

Nadia Ali - Crash And Burn

Formerly the voice of Dance/Electronic duo iiO (with Markus Moser), Nadia has set out on a solo career. Having appeared on singles by Armin Van Buuren, Lance Jordan and John Creamer with Stephane K, this time, it's her first, proper solo single. "Crash And Burn" does call to mind some of her work with iiO as she was heavily involved in the writing and recording process. This track showcases her ethereal vocals superbly. The main mix is similar in style to the iiO album tracks. The various remixes range from Dance/Electro to epic big room Trance and even a downtempo, chillout mix.

In addition to this song, there's talk of a second iiO album being released towards the end of the Summer which may consist of recordings completed prior to Nadia and Markus' departure from iiO. It is tentatively titled Exit 110.

Overall, this is one of the best releases of the year. This one is sure to be a classic.

Grade: A+