Recipe: Steamed Mussels

This is really easy to make.

Ingredients:
Juice of 1 lime
2 cooked corns, half
bunch of parsley, loosely chopped
2 lbs wild mussels
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon butter
pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup olives
1 cup Red Wine Vinegar

Rinse the mussels under cold running water while scrubbing with a vegetable brush. Discard any with broken shells.
Heat oil in a stockpot. Saute garlic. Add the mussels and give them a good toss.
Add red wine vinegar, lime juice and pepper flakes. Cover the pot and steam over medium-high 5 minutes until the mussels open.
Toss in parsley, corn and butter and steam for another minute.

Remember, the juice is good for dipping hot garlic bread.

Serves 2

Album Review: Armin van Buuren - Intense

Get ready for an Intense journey

One of the most highly anticipated album of the year has finally been released! “Intense” is Armin van Buuren’s fifth artist album. The 16 track album was three years in a making mixing electronic beats with classical sound.

The album begins with title track that combines Armin’s melodic beats with Miri Ben-Ari’s violin riffs to produce an amazing start to the album. This is followed by the first single of the album “This Is What It Feels Like” featuring Trevor Guthrie. This track got that “feel good” vibe with amazing melody and the lovely strong voice of Guthrie. This is followed by two more vocal tracks, a techy-house “Beautiful Life” featuring Cindy Alma and the lovely melody and beats of “Waiting For The Night” with Fiora.

In comes “Pulsar” with it’s pulsating beats and uplifting melodies. Then comes four straight vocal tracks with each having there own sound. “Sound Of The Drums” which features the voice of Laura Jansen kicks off with mellow piano keys before bursting into melodramatic beats and rhythms. “Alone” is another “feel good” track which features the strong voice of Lauren Evans wrapped around melodic chords and uplifting bassline. “Turn This Love Around” is a collaboration between NERVO and Armin which features the electrifying voice of Laura V. The track got that housey-trance crossover with some classical violins chords. Then comes the high energy track “Won’t Let You Go” that features the sultry voice of Aruna.

Armin continues with two non-vocal tracks. The short melodramatic piano-filled “In 10 Years From Now” which serves as an intro to “Last Stop Before Heaven.” The track is bursting with melodic beats and high-octane rhythms. This is followed by another early released track in “Forever Is Ours” featuring high-energy synths and massive breaks with the amazing sultry voice of Emma Hewitt that would surely melt your hearts. He continues with this phase with “Love Never Came” that features the deep voice of Richard Bedford. These two tracks would surely be a fan-favorite.

Armin goes hard with “Who’s Afraid of 138?!” increasing the tempo with faster beats per minute leading to transcending sounds but keeping the melodies intact. This track would surely be liked by the higher bpm fans. Intense ends with “Reprise,” a Bagga Bownz collaborated track that has it all - drums, violins, electric guitar, synths - all mashed into one beautiful uplifting track signaling the end of an Intense journey.

Purist may not like the current sounds of trance but Armin van Buuren shows why he is on top of the EDM scene transcending the boundaries of the genre while keeping true to his roots. Three years in the making.. it was worth the wait.

10/10

Tracklist
01 Intense (feat. Miri Ben-Ari)
02 This Is What It Feels Like (feat. Trevor Guthrie)
03 Beautiful Life (feat. Cindy Alma)
04 Waiting For The Night (feat. Fiora)
05 Pulsar
06 Sound Of The Drums (feat. Laura Jansen)
07 Alone (feat. Lauren Evans)
08 Turn This Love Around (vs. NERVO feat. Laura V.)
09 Won’t Let You Go (feat. Aruna)
10 In 10 Years From Now
11 Last Stop Before Heaven
12 Forever Is Ours (feat. Emma Hewitt)
13 Love Never Came (feat. Richard Bedford)
14 Who’s Afraid of 138?!
15 Reprise
16 Humming The Lights (iTunes Bonus Track)

Released Date: May 3, 2013
Armada Music

Where To Buy:
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/intense-bonus-track-version/id626898249
iTunes Canada - https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/intense-bonus-track-version/id630744518
ITunes UK - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/intense/id627436733
Beatport - http://www.beatport.com/release/intense-extended-versions/1078202
Armada Shop - https://www.armadamusicshop.com/intense

Stream on Spotify - http://www.arminradio.com/

Armin van Buuren - website | Armin Radio | Facebook | Flowd | G+ | iTunes | Ping | SoundCloud | YouTube | A State of Trance | @ArminvanBuuren

NOTE: This review is also published at TranceHub.com - http://trancehub.com/music/product/get-ready-for-an-intense-journey-armin-van-buurens-intense-reviewed/

Album Review: Paul Vinitsky - Re*Invincible

Paul Vinitsky just released his second artist album aptly named “Re*Invincible” as a club version of this debut album released a year and half years ago. The 17 tracks LP contains a mix of Trance and Progressive with a little dose of house music.

The album kicks off with three emotional remixes beginning with Aknael & Bekeela remix of “Me & You”, a track which features the stunning beats, melodic rhythms and the lovely voice of Kate Walsh. This is followed by the Dejan S. remix of “For This Love” with Meital De Razon on vocals and the Jay P remix of “Hypnotised” featuring the lovely voice of Lizzie Curious. These tracks got the “relaxing vibe” to it with more emphasis on synths and melodic beats.

Vinitsky switches gears with “Smile,” a subtle classical inspired track filled with harmonious chords that would surely bring a smile into your face. This is followed by “Rock Tonight,” a collaborated track with Andrew StetS filled with haunting melodies and rock-vibe rhythms. Vinitsky shows another side of his production by lending his voice to this track. This is followed with a more progressive vibe in the track “Jogja.”

Vinitsky geared the next few tracks to a dancefloor vibe with Airsoul remix of “Heaven,” StetS remix of “Invincible,” “One Heart” featuring the lovely voice of Fisher and Vadim Spark’s remix of “Say No.” This is followed by Jordi Roure’s take on “Believe in Us” adding some techy-electro vibes in this melodic track which features Vinitsky’s vocals.

Adam Kancerski emphasize the bass in the track and changing the tempo in “Two Worlds” giving it a more trance vibe. This is followed by Arisen Flame’s take on “I’m Alone” doing almost similar to what Kancerski did to the previous track. Vinitsky the brings in the back to back uplifting tracks in “Save Me” featuring Jane Maximova and “Can We Breathe” which features Elizabeth Fields. These two tracks are filled with haunting melodies couple with techy synths that would surely be a hit on the dancefloor.

Second Sine added a more techy vibe to the track “Tomorrow” emphasizing percussion and big room sounds. The album ends with Oleg Espo’s take on “All I Know Now” with Lo-Fi Sugar. A track filled with high-octane beats and a melodramatic break.

Re*Invincible is mostly remixes of Paul Vinitsky’s album Invincible. Most of the remixes are good but some have similar sound. I wish there would have been a more balance between new tracks and remixes since this is an artist album.

8/10

Tracklist:
01 Paul Vinitsky ft. Kate Walsh - Me & You (Aknael & Bekeela Remix)
02 Paul Vinitsky ft. Meital De Razon - For This Love (Dejan S Remix)
03 Paul Vinitsky ft. Lizzie Curious - Hypnotised (Jay P Remix)
04 Paul Vinitsky - Smile (Original Mix)
05 Paul Vinitsky & Andrew StetS - Rock Tonight (Original Mix)
06 Paul Vinitsky - Jogja (Original Full Mix)
07 Paul Vinitsky & Marta Lay - Heaven (Airsoul Remix)
08 Paul Vinitsky & Khashassi - Invincible (Andrew StetS Remix)
09 Paul Vinitsky & Fisher - One Heart (Original Mix)
10 Paul Vinitsky ft. Loona - Say No (Vadim Spark Remix)
11 Paul Vinitsky - Believe In Us (Jordi Roure Remix)
12 Paul Vinitsky pres. Alien ft. Ruma - Two Worlds (Adam Kancerski Remix)
13 Paul Vinitsky & Diki - I’m Alone (Arisen Flame Remix)
1. Paul Vinitsky & Jane Maximova - Save Me (Original Mix)
15. Paul Vinitsky & Elizabeth Fields - Can We Breathe (Original Mix)
16. Paul Vinitsky & Diki - Tomorrow (Second Sine Remix)
17. Paul Vinitsky & Lo-Fi Sugar - All I Know Now (Oleg Espo Remix)

Released Date: April 22, 2013
Label: Vendace Records

Where to Buy:
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Re-Invincible/dp/B00C8QL0WQ
Audio Jelly - http://www.audiojelly.com/releases/reinvincible/34835
Beatport - http://www.beatport.com/release/re-invincible/1070581
Dance Tunes - http://www.dance-tunes.com/#home/album/435483/reinvincible
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/re*invincible/id632306855
Juno Download - http://www.junodownload.com/products/paul-vinitsky-re-invincible/2185682-02//
TrackItDown - http://www.trackitdown.net/track/paul-vinitsky/re-invincible/trance/5674241.html

Stream:
Sound Cloud - https://soundcloud.com/paulvinitsky/sets/paul-vinitsky-re-invincible/
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeLiPW-kXt2a3JU6p5Y7nkAi1rjPgCF2c
Spotify - http://open.spotify.com/album/5mhg2QtwVevwzfXSls7lq3
Mini Site - http://www.paulvinitsky.com/reinvincible/

Paul Vinitsky - website | Facebook | MySpace | SoundCloud | YouTube | @paulvinitsky