Sunday, February 17, 2013

What's Wrong With Trance Nowadays?

Trance, like other genres of music, has evolved through the years. And this has resulted to numerous people complaining about how DJs or Producers are moving away from the scene. How those DJs are not true to themselves and what not.

Yes, most of these DJs/Producers have evolved and you cannot stop that. Even the purest of the pure DJ have slightly change the way they make music. Why? First, it is their way of living. Creating music is what puts bread on their table especially for those who have families. And if it means that they have to alter music, then they have to in order to survive in this business.

There is really nothing wrong with Trance or other genre. What is really happening is how the fans are reacting to the change. Some fans accept it while some fans don't which is normal. I have been following EDM for a long time and I have seen fans come and go as music evolve but this last two years, I have seen fans or the so called "true fans" go overboard with their hatred of a DJ who decided to alter their style a bit. And this is more rampant, nowadays, in trance music.

The latest incident involves the A State of Trance 600 celebration in Mexico City, particular during W & W's set.  Because they played more of a progressive trance/house set, someone decided that they should teach W&W not to mess up trance and told their followers to fill W&W's facebook post with images of "poop" emoji and to make a long story short, people followed.

Is this really how we treat DJs nowadays? Just because you didn't like what they are playing, you decide to do some drastic measure to try to ruin them? Or is it just jealousy that they are where they are and you are not?

Why can't we be open-minded about this? I am a big fan of Trance yet I have accepted the change that has happen within the genre. I don't listen because its a trance or pop or country or house. I listen because I like the beats and the rhythm whether it be rock, rap, trouse, dubstep or trance. And if I don't like a set or tune, then just turn the volume down or hit the mute button and do something else. That's much easier that bashing the artist.

Trance is not dead, it gets ruin by narrow-minded people who instigate hate towards Producers and/or DJs who they deemed "sell-out" artist. If you don't like what you are hearing, why are you still listening to them then?

A State of Trance 600 is suppose to bring people together and unite us all. Yet the hatred and bashing of artist makes us more divided.

As Armin van Buuren said "Do Not Be a Prisoner of Your Own Style"

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Valentine's Day Tracklist

The day of hearts is here once again where restaurants are filled with dinner dates and air is filled with love. And one way to set the mood for the day, or night, is to have a nice list of songs for the heart. So here are some of my suggestion to set the mood for a fantastic valentine's date (in no particular order):

1:43 - Sa Isang Sulyap Mo (Filipino)
98 Degrees - I Do (Cherish You)
Andrew Rayel ft. Jano - How Do I Know
Another Level - From the Heart
Arash ft. Helana - Pure Love
Armin van Buuren ft. Ana Cridao - Down To Love
Atlantic Starr - Always
Atlantic Starr - Masterpiece
Babyface ft. Mariah Carey - Everytime I Close My Eyes
Basshunter - Angel In The Night
Bon Jovi - Bed Of Roses
Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are
Christopher Cross and France Rupelle - I Will (Take You Forever)
Color Me Badd - All 4 Love
Color Me Badd - Close to Heaven
Color Me Badd - I Adore Mi Amor
Daniel Bedingfield - If You're Not The One
David Pomeranz - Born For You
David Pomeranz - King and Queen of Hearts
Devotion - Girl It's You
Edwin McCain - I Could Not Ask For More
Edwin McCain - I'll Be
Elvis Costello - She
Eraserheads - Kailan (Filipino)
Eraserheads - Pare Ko (Filipino)
Eraserheads - With A Smile (Filipino)
Extreme - More Than Words
Fabolous ft. Tamia - So Into You
First State ft. Sarah Howells - Reverie
Freestyle - So Slow (Filipino)
Freestyle - Till I Found You (Filipino)
George Benson - Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You
Joe - No One Else Comes Close
Jojo - Weak
Lady Antebellum - Just A Kiss
Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
Laura Jansen - Use Somebody
Lee Min Jung - Again (Korean)
Lee Min Jung, Seo Young & An MiNa - You're My Angel (Korean)
Lifehouse - You And Me
Mariah Carey, Joe & 98 Degrees - Thank God I Found You
Mr. Big - To Be With You
Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland - Dilemma
Peter Cetera and Cher - After All
Peter Cetera - Glory of Love
Restless Heart - When She Cries
Richard Marx - Right Here Waiting
Rivermaya - 214
Rivermaya - Adik Sayo (Filipino)
Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply
Sisqo - Incomplete
Sixpence None The Richer - Kiss Me
Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U
South Border - Kahit Kailan (Filipino)
South Border - Love Of My Life (Filipino)
Stephen Bishop - It Might Be You
Teeth - Prinsesa (Filipino)
Tiffany - All This Time
Toni Gonzaga - We Belong (Filipino)
True Faith - Perfect (Filipino)
Wet Wet Wet - Love Is All Around
Yui - You (Japanese)


These tracks below are essential for your dinner date:

Brian McKnight - Back At One
Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are
Chicago - You're the Inspiration
Christopher Cross - Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)
Color Me Badd - Forever Love
Damage - Wonderful Tonight
Devotion - Girl It's You
Devotion - So Wonderful
Fabolous ft. Tamia - So Into You
Joe - No One Else Comes Close
Kenny G - Forever In Love
Laura Jansen - Use Somebody
Peter Cetera and Amy Grant - The Next Time I Fall
Richard Marx - Right Here Waiting
Savage Garden - I Knew I Loved You
Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply
Sixpence None The Richer - Kiss Me
Toni Gonzaga - We Belong (Filipino)


Planning to propose, make sure you got at least one of these tracks on cue:

Atlantic Starr - Masterpiece
Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are
Color Me Badd - The Earth, the Sun, the Rain
Daniel Bedingfield - If You're Not The One
Devotion - So Wonderful
DNH - You
K-Ci & JoJo - All My Life
Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply

If you are using Valentine's Day to say sorry, then use some of these tracks to help you:

Breathe - How Can I Fall?
Boyz II Men - End of the Road
Chicago - Hard To Say I'm Sorry
Chicago - Hard Habit to Break
Chicago - If You Leave Me Now
Hinder - Lips Of An Angel
Hoobastank - The Reason
Ne-Yo - Mad
Toni Braxton - Un-Break My Heart


I don't like people to be sad but if you are and you need to emote the entire day, then these tracks are for you:

Alon - Pusong Bato (Filipino)
Atlantic Starr - I'll Remember You
Audien ft. Michael S. - Leaving You
Avril Lavigne - When You're Gone
Boyz II Men - End of the Road
Boz Scaggs - Heart of Mine
Brian McKnight - One Last Cry
Bruno Mars - It Will Rain
Christopher Cross - Never Be the Same
Christopher Cross - Is There Something
Eminem ft. Rihanna - Love The Way You Lie
Expose - I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me
Fra Lippo Lippi - Beauty and Madness
Freestyle - Before I Let You Go (Filipino)
Gavin DeGraw - Not Over You
Hoobastank - The Reason
Kyau and Albert - Once In A Lifetime
Maroon 5 ft. Wiz Khalifa - Payphone
Matchbox Twenty - If You're Gone
Meat Loaf - I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
Nelly - Just A Dream
Nicole & Friends - Tears in My Eyes
Peter Cetera and Amy Grant - The Next Time I Fall
Rock Star - Parting Time (Filipino)
Roger Shah pres. Sunlounger ft. Zara Taylor - Found
Roxette - It Must Have Been Love
SECTR 24 ft. Chelsea Lee - Say Goodbye
Side A - Set You Free (Filipino)
Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2U
Shogun ft. Emma Lock - Save Me
Tamia - Officially Missing You
The Thrillseekers ft. Aruna - Waiting Here For You
Toto - I'll Be Over You
Toto - I Won't Hold You Back
Usher - Burn


Whether you are celebrating or not, just remember that Valentine's is not all about gifts.. it's about being with someone special in your heart, whether he/she be your girlfriend/boyfriend, husband/wife, family or friends.

Happy Valentine's Day


NOTE: This is not a complete list, I lost my initial listing of tracks and scrambled to complete this in time for hearts day. Most of the tracks are on YouTube so you can check it out