Release Date: 17th April 2006
Release Code: ARMA051
Release Label: Armada / Ultra
Introduction:
In the world of online radio, fans and listeners within the trance community are spoiled for choice these days. With new shows and stations appearing on the horizon at a rapid rate, one could be forgiven for losing track with all that is on offer. However, despite this change, one show has continually remained the yardstick throughout – A State Of Trance. Now in it’s fifth year and bypassing the 250-episode mark, fans continue to flock to their radios and computers to listen to a continuous two hour mix of the latest in trance and progressive, with Dutch superstar Armin Van Buuren in control.
To compliment the continued success of the radio show, Armin has released the latest instalment of the A State Of Trance compilation series – A State Of Trance 2006. It is a compilation that is eagerly anticipated each year, as the main ethos of the series is to forecast the definitive and memorable tunes spanning the entire calendar year, despite being released in the Spring.
For this year’s edition, Armin has decided to create each disc around a particular setting – disc 1 being catered for the warmup and sunset moments, and disc 2 representing the peaktime sounds of a typical Armin club set.
However, with heavyweight competition in the compilation stakes, does A State Of Trance 2006 stand out above the rest and is it worthy of a purchase?
Disc 1 – On The Beach
Disc 1 opens with a beautifully chilled, melodic setting, you can just imagine yourself closing your eyes on the beach and listening to the waves crashing against the shore. Armin utilises the main piano melody of the opening track, Shipwrecked, to create a wonderful atmosphere, encapsulating the entire mood of the disc within the first couple of minutes. Shipwrecked is not the most complicated track in the world, however it’s wonderful piano-driven melody proves to be a welcome opener.
German producer DJ Shah makes the first of two appearances on disc 1 with the beautiful and aptly titled White Sand, under his Sunlounger alias. You can’t help but find yourself smiling when listening to the guitar in this track, because you are guaranteed to think about memories of beautiful summers with blue skies and happy times all around.
Next up is upcoming Dutch talent Leon Bolier accompanied by Portland-based diva Elsa Hill. This was one of the few tracks I had not heard prior to purchasing this compilation, and was intrigued to find out how a Leon Bolier track could integrate into a chilled, sunset-type environment. The result is quite surprising, as it is much more downtempo in comparison to Leon’s previous production efforts. I am gaining a fondness to Elsa’s vocal talents also, as she delivers another solid and promising effort with No Need To Come Back.
Moving on, and a track from 2005 which I feared would be placed into the category of wonderful yet unappreciated comes into the fray. Despite the name change from Digifruitella to Timeless, it has remained an almost permanent fixture in Armin’s live setlists, and with good reason. For me, it is probably Matthew Dekay’s finest moment as a producer to date.
At this stage I am appreciating and admiring Armin’s thorough attention to detail when it comes to mixing and sequencing the tracks involved. The impression I get is that he studies the set structure with incredible attention to the finest detail.
Following the expected inclusion of Karen Overton’s remake of the classic Billie Ray Martin hit Your Loving Arms, DJ Shah returns with another spine-tingling effort in the form of Glimpse of Heaven. It is at this stage where the tempo of the set begins to slowly rise, and the listener begins to adopt themselves into the club environment. Junkie XL provides yet another stellar offering with his remix of Niyaz – Dilruba, making guitars sounds cool in a dance track effortlessly.
My main highlight of disc 1 however come with the two tracks that immediately follow however, as Elevation delivers a stunning remix of Basic Perspective’s Small Step On The Other Side. His melody work never ceases to leave me amazed, and his remix offering here is no different in that regard. The next track however looks destined to be my personal number 1 of the year despite being in the middle of May at the time of writing this review.
I admire both Adam White and Andy Moor as individual producers, however there is a special fusion of magic created when they combine under their Whiteroom guise. Everything about their remix of ZirenZ – Edge of Space is flawless, the bassline, the kick off the beats, the buildup and haunting vocals, all leading to a beautiful and breathtaking melody guaranteed to give anyone with a bit of a soft spot the chills.
The main focus of the set switches from melody to groove with the closing 4 tracks of the disc, with Way Out West member Jody Wisternoff delivering the sexy and stylish Cold Drink, Hot Girl. Another highlight for me is the inclusion of My All, showcasing an excellent remix effort from Israeli trio The Flash Brothers.
When Disc 1 finishes I am begging for more, because it is such a wonderful effort by Armin here. It definitely wets the appetite for what is to be expected on Disc 2.
Disc 1 Tracklist:
01. Mike Foyle - Shipwrecked (John O'Callaghan vs. Mike Foyle Mix)
02. Sunlounger - White Sand (DJ Shah's Original Mix)
03. Leon Bolier Featuring Elsa Hill - No Need To Come Back (Vocal Mix)
04. Matthew Dekay - Timeless (Digifruitella Dub)
05. Karen Overton - Your Loving Arms (Club Mix)
06. DJ Shah - Beautiful (Glimpse Of Heaven) (Long Island Dub)
07. Niyaz - Dilruba (Junkie XL Remix)
08. Basic Perspective - Small Step On The Other Side (Elevation Remix)
09. ZirenZ - Edge of Space (Whiteroom Remix)
10. Jody Wisternoff - Cold Drink, Hot Girl
11. Incolumis - One With Sanctuary
12. Jose Amnesia vs. Shawn Mitiska - My All (The Flash Brothers Remix)
13. Envio - For You (Outro Edit)
Disc 2 – In The Club
Normally, when listening to a compilation, it is not very often that your favourite track appears right at the beginning. However, this actually turns out to be the case for me personally in this instance.
Under the guise of Arksun, Laurence Rapaccioli takes great pride in producing a melody so beautiful it can touch anyone emotionally. When I heard Arisen for the first time I was left completely stunned, I felt I was listening to a masterpiece years ahead of it’s time. Simply breathtaking.
Next up sees a treat for all Intuition followers, as Jonas Steur teams up with Fabb'X to deliver Above. Those familiar bells strike a chord with many episodes of A State Of Trance, so it is no surprise to see the track make an appearance on this compilation. The very same could be said about John O’Callaghan, teaming up with fellow Irishman Bryan Kearney to deliver a dancefloor stomper in Exactly. It is a track with great energy, always guaranteed to get a crowd going.
German duo Kyau vs. Albert appear twice on Disc 2 with their tracks Walk Down and Kiksu. Both of them are strong offerings, Walk Down providing the singalong effect whilst Kiksu creates a strong thrust for the upfront techier side of things to come later on the disc.
One of my highlights listening to disc 2 is the latest genius production by Belgian producer M.I.K.E. – with Voices From The Inside. I can’t help but get hooked in to his basslines and melodies, building and building to a euphoric climax in the breakdown. Following yet another smooth transition (synonymous with the entire compilation really), another fresh sounding melody comes to the fore with DJ Governor’s Red Woods, and as the mix reaches the halfway point, it acts as the perfect anchor to lead the listener into the final stages.
One of the young breakthrough producers I admire the most is Swedish producer Sebastian Brandt, either on his own or as part of Selu Vibra with Ludvig Holm (Algarve). I am pleased to see his talents get showcased on the compilation. The wonderful combination of a dreamy breakdown and a bass packed full of punch deliver an excellent result in his remix of Captured. The same can be said about the next track, World Gone Mad, as Armin slowly teases the listener with what can be expected towards the final few chapters of this enthralling story.
As anticipated, the powerful, tech-trance styled tracks begin to enter the arena, with another strong offering from the Euphonic stable in the form of Stoneface & Terminal – Venus. It is one of those tracks you can only truly appreciate in a loud club environment, great epic trance. The next track however, is guaranteed to send crowds worldwide absolutely nuts. Anything Sander Van Doorn touches these days seemingly turns into gold, and he turns one of Armin’s own tracks, Control Freak, into a dancefloor destroyer.
Another personal highlight of the disc is Thomas Bronzwaer’s Shadow World. You just have to stand back and admire the power and energy in abundance within the layers of his productions.
However, it is rather appropriate that Armin closes out A State Of Trance 2006 with one of his own productions, Sail. For Armin personally he will look back on Sail as one of his proudest moments, as it played such a significant role in his Armin Only performance at Ahoy in Rotterdam in November 2005. It is a track designed to work on a huge audience, where the DJ looks out on a sea of people and hands in the air. It is an excellent choice to close out the disc and the compilation overall.
Disc 2 Tracklist:
01. Arksun – Arisen
02. Fable - Above
03. O'Callaghan & Kearney - Exactly
04. Kyau vs. Albert - Walk Down (KvA Club Mix)
05. Kuffdam & Plant - Dream Makers
06. M.I.K.E. - Voices From The Inside (M.I.K.E.'s Progressiva Mix)
07. DJ Governor - Red Woods
08. Kyau vs. Albert - Kiksu
09. Hiroyuki Oda - Transmigration
10. Under Sun vs. Signum - Captured (Sebastian Brandt Remix)
11. Mannix vs. Kaymak - World Gone Mad
12. Stoneface & Terminal - Venus
13. Armin Van Buuren - Control Freak (Sander Van Doorn Remix)
14. Thomas Bronzwaer - Shadow World
15. Giuseppe Ottaviani & Marc Van Linden - Until Monday
16. Armin Van Buuren - Sail
Final Thoughts:
To judge a compilation, you have to assess the strength of track selection, mixing and overall set flow. For me, Armin surpasses all of these criteria with consummate ease. I think when fans, listeners and clubbers reflect on trance in 2006, they will find the majority of their favourite tracks will have appeared on this compilation, and the reason so many of them will be favourites is because they have been unearthed and championed by Armin himself.
One thing I admire about Armin is his ability to calculate the most wonderful journey from first minute to last, and he is successful in doing so in both discs. Personal highlights for me on the compilation are:
Basic Perspective – Small Step On The Other Side (Elevation Remix)
ZirenZ – Edge of Space (Whiteroom Remix)
Arksun – Arisen
Out of all the compilations I have seen released in 2006 so far, and if I had the option of buying only one, I would purchase A State Of Trance 2006. I think it offers something for everyone, catering for the progressive and melodic minded in the first disc, and catering for the euphoric and techier minded in the second.
Another thing I could say is that the compilation is bulging with so much quality that I will most likely purchase each track individually before 2006 draws to a close. It gives enough indication that the compilation is most certainly worth buying.
2006 is yet another significant year for Armin Van Buuren, he can be very proud of the legacy of this compilation alone.
Rating: 9/10 - The Best Compilation of 2006 so far.
Where Can I Buy A State Of Trance 2006?
You can purchase A State Of Trance 2006 as a digital download (2 separate mp3 files) on Armada / Audiojelly by Clicking Here
CD is available to purchase at Amazon (www.amazon.com) and Juno Records (www.juno.co.uk)
Useful Links:
http://www.arminvanbuuren.com
http://www.armadamusic.nl
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(Along with the Space CD) 
.. stoopid comment i know but .. the pic on the cover .. he doesn't look good there 
