Category Archives: Trance

With only 2 weeks left until the biggest night of the year, Tomorrowland wants to give the People of Tomorrow across the world a night to remember On New Years Eve, One World Radio Tomorrowlands digital radio station will be throwing a spectacular and magical 24-hour-long live New Years celebration to unite the world, counting down to the start of 2022.

Featuring a special countdown at midnight in every time zone on the planet, the One World Radio hosts will be pulling out all the stops throughout the entire day, ensuring that millions of fans can dance into the new year in style, no matter where they are located.

Gear up and get ready, this is the ultimate party to end this year with a bang and ring in 2022 with the most epic party anthems in the mix, together with your friends & family, your favorite artists, and people from all corners of the world!

Dive into Tomorrowlands wide array of music

Catering to lovers of all genres and sounds in electronic dance music from house to techno and trance people can also dive into Tomorrowlands wide array of music, including the legendary Tomorrowland Aftermovies and hundreds of full sets from the past 15 years onYouTubeand the Tomorrowland Official Playlists onSpotify,SoundCloud,DeezerandApple Music.

Finally, fans can also go down memory lane and immerse themselves in more than 100 exclusive full Tomorrowland DJ sets on Apple Music from the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 festival editions, as well as the digital editions of Tomorrowland Around the World and Tomorrowland 31.12.2020.

Previously unavailable on streaming, legendary performances from the likes of Alesso, Amelie Lens, Carl Cox, Charlotte de Witte, David Guetta, Diplo, Hardwell, Major Lazer, Martin Garrix, The Chainsmokers, Tisto and many more are available to stream and relive theres something in there for any music fan around the world.

Leave a lasting impression this holiday season with magical gifts

TML by Tomorrowland Tomorrowlands official apparel & accessories label is giving people plenty of inspiration to surprise their friends, family and other loved ones with magical gifts and make this holiday season even more special.

Discover a bunch of unique and truly one-of-a-kind Tomorrowland items for him and her, including ski gear, jewelry, speakers and much more definitely lots of original gift ideas to celebrate music, magic and friendship during this years holiday season.

If you want to go all out, leave a lasting impression with Tomorrowlands own sparkling wine Solo Vida Reserva, a blend of magic made with the finest quality grapes and care for with love. Limited to 200 bottles worldwide, the sparkling wine comes in a stunningly designed, one of a kind bottle. A true form of craftsmanship, heritage and authenticity, making it perfect for sharing and celebrating magical New Years Eve moments of happiness and joy together with friends and family.

Tune in to One World Radio on December 31st and celebrate New Years with Tomorrowland and people from all over the world!

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Tomorrowland's One World Radio to throw a spectacular 24-Hr-long NYE celebration - Rave Jungle

Armin van Buurens performance as part of Expo 2020 Dubai's New Years Eve celebrations will be an opportunity for reflection.

The event comes on the back of the Dutch DJ and producer releasing the final 2021 episode of his radio show of 20 years, A State of Trance, and the annual release of an accompanying compilation of tracks tracing trances music evolution over the past year.

Follow the latest updates on Expo 2020 Dubai here

The show and the compilation, which I mix, gives me an opportunity to analyse and deconstruct some of the tracks to really see what has been going on with the music, he tells The National at Riyadhs Soundstorm festival last Saturday.

"Considering we had no real music festivals to play in, it has been a good year. There have been some new talent and also some reworks of old classics, which I am not really a fan of generally, that came out amazing."

Van Buuren refers to Tinlickers exuberant remake of 1995s Children by Robert Miles and veteran Paul van Dyk's modern reinterpretation of the 1999 club anthem Energy 52 by Cafe Del Mar, both of which are included in the compilation.

Van Buuren, 44, is not surprised by the popularity of the remixes. He says a sense of nostalgia is driving both artists' and listeners' tastes as a result of Covid-19.

"The streaming of dance music tracks, in general, went down by one third across all platforms and that's rough for everyone involved. Interestingly, however, when it comes to myself it is my older tracks such as Blah Blah Blah and This is What it Feels Like that are streaming much better, van Buuren says.

"My take on that is people who love dance music link it with memory, such as the amazing festival that you went to and where you saw that beautiful person as the sun came up.

Without those memories that festivals provide, many of the tracks will be hard to swallow. This is why people are hearing old songs again and artists are revisiting older tracks, it's about rekindling those memories until the festivals return.

The DJ says he's seen proof of that theory across his festival sets this year, including the UKs Creamfields in August, last month's Electric Daisy Carnival in the US and his debut at Soundstorm in Saudi Arabia on December 18.

A seasoned performer in the Mena region, he sees no reason why the crowds at Expo 2020 Dubai would be any different.

I have seen the trance music community develop in the Middle East because I have been performing in that part of the world for more than 10 years, from Wadi Rum in Jordan to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and now Saudi Arabia, he says.

"It has been interesting in that trance music is really appreciated over there and there is that same pride in it that I see in certain parts of Eastern Europe, Argentina and Australia. This is really special considering the music is not as popular as other forms of electronic music today, such as EDM."

A reason for that enduring appeal is A State of Trance, a two-hour weekly programme hosted by van Buuren, where he plays a mix of new and interesting tracks emerging from the genre.

Launched in 2001 on Dutch radio station ID&T, the show grew from cult following to each episode amassing, according to the official website, an estimated 40 million listeners across more than 80 countries through YouTube and 100 FM radio stations worldwide.

The programme not only elevated trance music artists to festival headliners, but launched van Buurens career globally.

A State of Trance also helped pioneer the wave of artist hosted radio shows by dance music acts including Hardwell (Hardwell on Air), Above and Beyond (Group Therapy) and Jacked Radio by Afrojack.

It really began with this dream of having my own radio show. That where I first heard trance music because I was too young to go to clubs, he recalls.

"So the show really began for people who couldnt go to clubs and it grew to become this amazing global community and having its own dance music festival.

Also, looking back, this was really the time when the internet and social media werent really as big so it was a perfect marketing tool for me because I was speaking directly to my audience.

While trance musics popularity receded from its golden decade between 1998 to 2008 a time when the genre spawned popular hits, and artists such as Tiesto, van Dyk and van Buuren dominated the top spot of DJ Mag Top 100 DJs list the chart topper says the music remains in a healthy place.

"It is niche all over again. It has this comfortable feeling where artists don't have to try to find a popular sound or style and just be themselves, van Buuren says.

Trance music used to be the most popular sound in dance music. It's not anymore and I hope it doesn't become again. Where it is now is just perfect.

Expo 2020 Dubai's New Years Eve celebration begins at 3pm on December 31. More information is available at expo2020dubai.com

Updated: December 25th 2021, 9:41 AM

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Armin van Buuren on his Expo 2020 Dubai set and the 'perfect' state of trance music - The National

Cats love the finer things in life, whether it's relaxing in a sunny corner or enjoying cuddles with their owners.

As many as two-thirds of the animals also seem surprisingly attracted to a little green plant called catnip, which can see them enter a bliss-like trance after a few sniffs or if they rub themselves against it.

Teresa Keiger, creative director of The Cat Fanciers' Association, told Newsweek: "Not every cat responds to catnip in the same way, and some cats (and most kittens) don't respond at all."

But Nepeta cataria, which goes by other names including catmint, catwort and field balm, has long been recognized around the world for the dramatic, sometimes intensively intoxicating effects that it has on the animals.

Owners generally won't be able to say for certain how susceptible their cat will be to the potent greenery until kitties are aged between about three and six months.

The key to the attractiveness of Catnip, which is a close relative to aromatic herbs found in kitchens, is now understood to lie in a chemical contained in the plant's oil, called nepetalactone.

This powerful ingredient is stored in its leaves, stems and seeds, and relatively little of the oil is required to be smelled before the majority of cats start randomly rolling about, playfully pawing and melting into feline ecstasy.

A 2021 Science article cited a study suggesting: "The key intoxicating chemicals in the plants activate cats' opioid systems much like heroin and morphine do in people."

Nepetalactone not only drives some cats crazy, its powers also include an ability to repel mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches and termites.

Researchers found that nepetalactone by itself is 10 times more effective than DEET, a key ingredient in most insect repellents.

The same scientific study also sought to explore exactly why cats in the wild are attracted to catnip and eventually hypothesized that the animals are "essentially applying an insect repellent."

However, the obvious sheer enjoyment they experience could still be the main motivation.

Research also illustrates that big cats including leopards, cougars and lynxes are susceptible to catnip's charms and although lions and tigers can react strongly as well, they do so less consistently.

The intense effects are usually short-lived, lasting for approximately 10 minutes for most cats.

And regardless of the kitty's reaction, once the high ends, approximately two hours will have to pass before your pet will again be susceptible to catnip.

The plant can be a useful training aid because of its powers, and it can help to make living spaces more attractive to the animals.

Catnip also has a long history in traditional medicine for a variety of problems, ranging from stomach cramps, indigestion, fevers and nervous conditions. However, its medicinal use has fallen out of favor with the development of modern drugs.

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What Does Catnip Do to Cats and Why Do They Like It so Much? - Newsweek

Right through history be it during war times or a downturn in economic stability red lipstick has always been used as a way to lift ones spirit and countenance. So for those who are yet to discover the magic of a red lipstick, now is as good a time as any. Everyone has a red, they say. Trite but actually, more than ever, it is true. Broadly speaking, the key finishes are creamy, shiny and (my personal favourite) matte. Mattes of old have (justifiably) gained a reputation for being brilliant for colour payoff but so drying they turn your lips to sandpaper. The new formulations, however, are much more sophisticated than their predecessors, so you can expect a deep, rich long-lasting pigment that doesnt compromise on comfort. The breadth of tones available is also impressive. The red lipstick is, contrary to popular belief, not monolithic. You can get a bluey red, said to be pretty universal (Byredo is a good example of this); a brownish red (Lisa Eldridges Cinnabar, Macs Viva Glam 1); an orangey red (Confidence by Kjaer Weis); a pinky red (Valentinos Spike Red) essentially there is something for everyone. You just need to try them and see what clicks. That said, if the idea of an opaque red still feels like too big a step, try Violette FRs Bisou Balm. This will give you just a hint of red and a less intense starting point.

1. Kjaer Weis Lipstick in Confidence 44, net-a-porter.com 2. Violette FR Bisou Balm in Betisse 24, violettefr.com 3. Too Faced Lady Bold Lipstick 22, selfridges.com 4. Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim Lipstick 39, cultbeauty.co.uk 5. Valentino Rosso Valentino in Spike Red 40, valentino-beauty.co.uk6. Byredo Mad Red 35, byredo.com 7. Vieve Modern Matte Lipstick in Muse 19, cultbeauty.co.uk 8. Pat McGrath Matte Trance Lipstick in Elson 35, selfridges.com 9. Lisa Eldridge Velvet Lipstick in Cinnabar 26, lisaeldridge.com 10. Mac Viva Glam 1 Lipstick 17.50, maccosmetics.co.uk

Follow Funmi on Twitter @FunmiFetto

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Ten of the best red lipsticks - The Guardian

Two greats of the Dutch techno scene unite for a fourth time as HI-LO and Reinier Zonneveld unleash the mighty String Theory on an unsuspecting world. Following in the footsteps of Saw Of Olympus, Balearic Mornings and Existencia, its another huge slice of cutting-edge techno.

Recalling classic Dutch tech-trance in its groove, String Theory is driven by a murky pulse of sub bass, tough-as-nails kicks and crisp hi-hats and claps. A rolling arpeggio menacingly snarls and rasps, building its darkly-tinged chord progression before a classic string sample teases into focus.

The string melody is based on the theme from Alfred Hitchcocks legendary 1960 film Psycho, composed by Bernard Herrmann. His score for the film was ranked #4 on the American Film Institutes 25 Greatest Film Scores poll, and his family approved the use of it in String Theory.

The strings are quickly snatched out of the way as the arp grows gruffer and rougher and snare rolls build the intensity. In drop 16th-note hats and cymbal rides to propel the track higher, the strings brilliantly gated into an irresistible rhythm. The breakdown lets the strings unfold in their full glory, on-beat claps pounding the beat as filters and reverbs do the rest. Its a stunning track that will be a highlight in any set its dropped in, and yet more justification for the ongoing collaboration of these two brilliant minds.

Both artists have had an incredible year despite the many challenges facing the music industry. Reinier sold out 13,000 tickets for his solo headlining 10-hour long Awakenings show during ADEa rare feat for a techno artist. He also made his entrance in the Alternative DJ Mag Top 100 and his label Filth On Acid is continuously claiming the number one spot on and off as the best-selling techno label on Beatport. HI-LO meanwhile has had a release on Adam Beyers Drumcode this year, and several releases on Filth on Acid the 2 most influential techno labels in the world at the moment.

He also remixed tracks for the likes of Nina Kraviz, collaborated with Will Clarke and T78 and received heavy support from other underground scene luminaries like Pan-Pot, Joseph Capriati, Enrico Sangiuliano, ANNA and Joris Voorn to name a few.Out today, String Theory arrives just in time for peak festive season and a whole lot of kitchen raves. Hows that for a Christmas present?

Listen to the track below.

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HI-LO & Reinier Zonneveld's acclaimed collaboration series continues with 'String Theory' - Rave Jungle

Idea

15:00

by Katherine Dee

Theres something about TikTok eclipsing of Google in web traffic that felt almost inevitable.

According to my iPhone, I spend an average of 4 hours a day on TikTok. Between 5AM and 7AM, when I first wake up and between 11PM and 1AM, long after my boyfriend has dozed off and Im preparing to sleep. I am easily viewing a little under 1,000 TikToks a day. Now scale those numbers to whomever is behind its 3.3 billion downloads; its not so crazy to see why it has claimed the webs number one spot in traffic.

But why do people spend so much time on TikTok? Why do I spend so much time on it?

Post-Soviet life #fyp #foryoupage #sovietaesthetic #postsoviet #xyzbca

( ) Molchat Doma

TikTok invites heavy, trance-like usage unlike anything Ive ever experienced. Youre lulled into a state of never-ending swiping, 15 to 30 seconds of a catchy song looping over everything from impoverished men dancing in drag to the ruins of the USSR to enticing recipes. In a single minute, youre rubbernecking, getting angry about communism and feeling hungry.

It does something to you that Google, or even other social media apps, could never compete with.

You might compulsively Google questions or scroll photos on Instagram, but TikTok asks nothing of you. It doesnt even need to hear your idle thoughts, via a Googled question or a status update on Facebook or Twitter.

So sophisticated is the app that it knows the exact kind of videos you want to view. This is at once acknowledged as a sign that TikTok may not be trustworthy and celebrated, as demonstrated through the popularity of TikTok psychics and tarot card readings, where its common to believe youve manifested the video you were supposed to see. A disturbingly specific video might make you think, this app is violating my privacy, but it also takes on an almost magical quality. It knows you, and that could be used for good, even if theres also a capacity for malevolence.

But is it the user interface alone that makes TikTok so powerful, even in a climate where people are increasingly distrusting of Big Tech? While thats a big part of it, I think something else is afoot, too. TikTok is alluring for the same reason you go looking for advice on Reddit: its unfiltered. It is humans offering advice to other humans. TikTok shares that humanity. Its mediated by a screen, but it feels real.

Manicured influencers abound just like any other app, but for the most part, videos are messy, bizarre, unpredictable. It mirrors the unpredictability of human-to-human interaction in the physical world, but without any of the legwork. Reinforced by an addictive UI and a spate of seemingly never-ending restrictions on how we socialise, no wonder people cant stop swiping.

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Why do I spend so much time on TikTok? - UnHerd

When a customer calls or comes into your tire dealership, its easy to get into a rhythm and read from a script. What can I do for you today? Whats the year, make and model of your vehicle? Whats your tire size? Important questions, sure. However, this is called winging it; its not a true sales process, says Steve Ferrante, CEO of Sale Away LLC and the producer and host of Pinnacle Performance Training, a program that teaches independent tire and auto service businesses how to improve customer relations, build winning team cultures and produce greater sales results.

Click Here to Read More

With more than 30 years of successful sales and management training experience, Ferrante is employed by many of Tire Reviews Top Shops as a sales coach that helps establish a sales process based on a companys values toward customer service. In addition to being a regular contributor to Tire Review, Ferrante grew up in and around his familys auto service business in Massachusetts and is an avid auto enthusiast.

In this episode of Whats Trending with Tire Review, presented by AAPEX, Ferrante delves into:

Watch above or subscribe to Whats Treading with Tire Review onApple Podcasts,Spotify,Google Play,YouTubeandSpreaker.

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Breaking the Buying Trance with Steve Ferrante - Tire Review

Attendees of the most recent Above & Beyond show had to put in work to get there, with the trance trio performing Monday from the top of a looming granite monolith in the Colombian Andes.

The show, hosted by electronic livestream series producer Cercle in partnership with ProColumbia and Medellin Travel, required audience members to take 740 stairs to the top of Piedra del Peol, a 787-foot granite dome located in Guatap, Colombia, about two hours from Medelln.

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At the summit of this National Monument, the beloved UK act played an hourlong set that oscillated between the shimmering highs and darker outer edges of trance. Watch the complete performance below.

Above & Beyonds Tony McGuinness and Paavo Siljamki then sat down for a brief interview, during which Siljamki who told Billboard about his terrifying bout with COVID-19 in 2020 reflected on the event, saying obviously our thing is called Group Therapy, and its been truly such a challenging time that were living through, at least for me it feels that these kinds of moments are truly healing. Ive had my own battles and just coming here surrounded by so much love, it just feels really touching.

This Above & Beyond set marked Cercles first event in Colombia. Since launching in 2016, the Paris-based promoter has hosted some of the worlds top electronic acts doing livestream shows from exotic locations like a Bolivian salt flat, a Croatian waterfall, the top of the Eiffel Tower, and the French Alps.

Usually, these locations have never received or hosted any concert or music event, Cercles Head of Communication Pol Souchier told Billboard in 2019. We need to have permits to shoot the location and host an event there, and sometimes we even need to create rules around the event, because theyve never received guests for music events or an event at all.

Originally posted here:

Watch Above & Beyond Play From the Top of a Granite Monolith in Colombia - Billboard

Today hypnosis is widely used by psychotherapists, psychologists and other clinicians in western medicine to treat a range of conditions. But there are those in the medical field who believe its full potential has yet to be fulfilled and that it could be employed more widely in the operating theater instead of general anesthesia.

Looking back over the centuries and across different cultures, the use of hypnosis, mesmerism and trance-like states in medicine is well documented. Hypnosis has been used for pain relief since the 1840s when Scottish surgeon James Esdaile employed his own form of mesmerism with success during major operations, according to Dr. Carol Ginandes, clinical health psychologist and Ph.D. assistant professor of psychology in the department of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

However, with the discovery of ether and chloroform later in the decade, it was side-lined as a medical tool. Dr. Ginandes said:

Hypnosis is not integrated into the medical milieu and yet there are many studies that show it can be used in lots of situations adjunctively to great advantage. It could be employed in some situations, with certain individuals, who have the capacity and have been prepared in the right way, instead of general anesthesia. The advantages are numerous: general anesthesia is a tremendous stressor on the human body, and it can destabilize the many dynamic variables of homeostasis in the surgery itself.

In 2018, Prof Alessandro Frati, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the Sapienza University of Rome and Consultant Neurosurgeon at SantAndrea University Hospital, undertook a study trialing the use of hypnosis during awake brain surgery. All six of his hypnotized patients reported significantly less pain and discomfort than would normally be expected during and after the surgery. He explained:

Hypnosis gave us the opportunity to test all the neurological functions of the patient during surgery with the patient completely unaware of being operated on, but differently convinced that he was in a different situation, more pleasant and less stressful.

Through hypnosis, the patients achieved a transient dissociation state before the operation. He added:

Hypnosis-aided resection of an intrinsic brain tumor located in eloquent areas is safe and effective. It decreases the incidence of intraoperative pain and complications and postpones refractoriness to intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring and neuropsychological testing.

Psychiatrist Prof Henriette Walter, a retired professor from Vienna Medical University, runs training courses in medical hypnosis. She said:

Hypnosis can be very effective in a range of medical areas. It could be used to replace anesthesia in minor surgery, such as skin surgery, and in dentistry. It can be very helpful if you are pregnant or have an allergy to pain medication. I do think we should educate our medical doctors more on the possible uses of hypnosis.

Dr. Ginandes, who has explored the use of hypnosis throughout her career, has found it useful as a tool to relieve pain and ameliorate healing following surgery. She prepares her patients hypnotically by devising audio programs for them to listen in before the procedure.

Her own research studies have shown bone fracture and elective breast reduction surgery patients who have been hypnotized in addition to receiving standard medical treatment have healed more quickly than those receiving the standard treatment alone. She said:

There are many studies that have shown hypnosis doesnt just relieve pain but can ameliorate and speed up recovery and in the surgery itself it can stabilize blood flow and dynamic variables. As an adjunct or substitute for general anesthesia, hypnosis has tremendous value.

The barrier to wider use, she believes, is prejudice and lack of knowledge:

Unfortunately, hypnosis has always been associated with the trope of the guy in the black cape waving a pendulum in front of the person who is generally pictured as a young woman. The implication is that hypnosis is some form of controland a malevolent one at that. In fact, that is very far from the truth. It empowers a patient rather than resulting in them being in less control.

Another common misconception is that patients less susceptible to hypnosis might wake up during the procedure. Dr. Ginandes said:

Hypnosis before surgery requires careful preparation and practice. It is not like a light switch, which either works or doesnt work, it can help to a greater or lesser degree.

It is an old-fashioned notion that some people cant be hypnotized, she suggested.

Hypnosis is a state of absorptive, focused awareness that chances are all of us naturally drift in and out during the course of our day. It is different from sleep or from a kind of linear waking awareness and it is a state that appears to be wired into our neurophysiology. We all have access to it with proper instruction.

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Mind Over Matter: The Use of Hypnosis to Replace General Anesthesia - MedicalExpo e-Magazine

BADSISTA by Pedro Pinho

It makes me anxious when I try to wrap my head around all that has been going on in electronic dance music over the last 12 months. I try to imagine myself in a Foucauldian panopticon from which I can see all the events, trends, paradigm shifts and new ideas that have been getting traction in all the micro- and macro-scenes both global and digital. And then I simply laugh at the overreach. The truth is dance music is becoming more and more gargantuan, a chimerical industry made of incongruous parts, or rather scenes, that exist far apart from each other but somehow make up the same complex. Its become practically impossible to see the whole picture even in specific genres like techno or electro, not to mention the whole industry. So instead of providing a complex and detailed overview, I will just share with you some of my observations based on my first year as tQs dance music columnist.

With only a single festival, three club nights, some concerts and two illegal raves visited, I cant really say my year was musically eventful. My experiences of dance music mainly happened online. Arguably, there was less palpable, head-turning novelty this year than any year before. The rise to prominence of hard techno and hard trance or hard dance if you will continued at a fast pace. High-velocity industrial techno stompers reigned supreme at mainstream festivals like Exit in Serbia as well as illegal raves in Kiev, DJ sets at the popular internet radio HR Berlin and, as witnessed on my Instagram feed during quarantine, living room parties. I dont have anything against this trend, but in all honesty it feels a bit retrograde, an all too obvious (re)cycling of dance music aesthetics that were popular two decades ago. (Weve all heard of the 20 year rule when a younger generation "discovers" the music and trends of two decades past.) Though the popularity of speedy dance music may also have to do with the current socio-political situation and peoples dire need to let things out for which, admittedly, theres hardly anything better than pummelling 150 BPM techno.

Similar rediscoveries took place in the realm of hyperpop, which gained even more prominence after Sophies untimely death back in January. But theres a crucial difference between the current techno revivalism of late 90s industrial aesthetics and hyperpop's reclaiming of so-called cheesy dance music. Its true that hyperpop artists have been taking inspiration from late 90s and early 00s dance music genres like Eurodance, nightcore, happy hardcore and trance, but their music usually has a completely contemporary character informed by post-internet aesthetics. Theres nothing retro or hackneyed to it. Its interesting to observe how this 20 year cycle arguably takes on different shapes and forms from more inspired ones like Harlecore to blatant pastiche like in the case of the dull remix of the Jam & Spoon classic The Age Of Love (originally from 1990) by business techno mainstays Charlotte de Witte and Enrico Sangiuliano.

In the more progressive dance music realms in which Im most interested, for example the mutant bass/techno from the UK and beyond, avant garde club scenes from Africa, Latin and Central America and Asia, and post club/deconstructed club activity from Central and Eastern Europe, we mostly witnessed slow but steady aesthetic developments that mainly manifested in even more sophisticated sound design approaches, more intricate rhythmic arrangements and post-genre aspirations. Other than that, I believe there are some crucial ideas that inform all these scenes at the moment: transculturalism, intercontinentalism, aesthetic hybridity, eclecticism and transhumanism, most notably in how they use thoroughly processed human voice as a kind of cyborgian incarnation of the human soul. There are three important collaborative LPs, all outstanding in their own right, that encapsulate these current aesthetic trajectories, and its meaningful that they all come from outside Europe and the USA: MELT by Kenyan visionary Slikback, TEWARI by veteran Japanese producer Scotch Rolex and the recently released full length debut GUETO ELEGANCE by Brazilian talent Badsista.

Its hard to predict what 2022 will bring, hopefully at least the final credits to this pandemic, but I can speculate that when clubs finally reopen for good we will hardly get as much new exciting music as we did in the last year or two. Its apparent that artists really made the most of their absence from clubs and festivals to produce as many great tracks as possible. If I had to choose one production unit that really excelled in providing gem after gem, it would have to be the London duo Overmo-, well actually no, even though they really delivered some timeless tunes. Its the anonymous London duo Two Shell that I had in mind. Their output on Livity Sound and Mainframe Audio and collaboration with Metrist was simply mesmerising, and their tracks Home, Over U and Magicx are my indisputed highlights of the year which I crave to hear in a club asap. And just as I was finishing this write up, they published another charming single to prove me right.

One thing that I pondered on at the end of 2020 a true first world problem was the fate of all the rollers that never got to see the dancefloor and remained forgotten on Bandcamp, USBs, hard disks and unplayed vinyl. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the situation was somewhat different in 2021 as promoters and organisers in the more well-vaccinated and more indifferent countries managed to organise some major festivals and run proper club nights, mostly between summer and autumn, meaning some tracks at least had the chance to get more play and become audiences' favourites. Since I already compiled a list of certified summer bangers back in June, Ive decided to provide its sequel in this years final column. Im pretty sure that you will have more than enough AOTY lists of every possible genre to dive into and I figured you may want to get dancing at the coming family gatherings and holiday dinners with friends, so I decided to provide you with a list of 2021 certified bangers.

The concept behind the list is simple30 tracks from 2021 that I would love to experience through massive speakers if the pandemic suddenly ended tomorrow and we would all gather in the streets and avenues of every possible city to celebrate the end of an era.

30. Sully 5ives(Over/Shadow)

Jungle was one of the genres that bloomed in 2021 with stunning fresh productions by both veterans and newcomers, and this new gen wobbler by UK producer Jack Stevens is one of this years creative peaks for sure.

29. Scratcha DVA Flex (:3LON & Scratchclart)(Hyperdub)

A gorgeous synthesis of South African UK dance music tropes.

28. Koreless Shellshock(Young)

A beatless, synth-heavy banger in the vein of Barker from Koreless long-awaited debut album Agor. Pure synthetic bliss.

27. DJ Swagger Noseblunt(Nerang Recordings)

This one really tempted me to return to skateboarding, but then I remembered that the last time I did it I broke my arm while doing a simple 50-50, so instead I'll stick to this tune and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 & 2.

26. Arca Incendio(XL Recordings)

Though I may not be Arcas biggest fan, I really enjoy this monster of a track. Incendio puro!

25. CAPIUZ Bait Trap(Unizone)

Tribal footwork extravaganza by the rising Italian producer.

24. Blixa Gizmo(Vista Recordings)

Percussive UK techno marked by mesmerising polyrhythms and an overall hypnotic atmosphere.

23. Bala Bala Boyz Vie Des Rois(More Time)

The London-Congolese collective delivers one of the most energetic vocal club tracks of the year in their signature Linglish (Lingala + English) flow.

22. Akiko Haruna Big Boy(Numbers)

A jaw-dropping hyper-techno production composed of metallic techno beats, revving engine synths and Harunas psychedelic voice, ideal for future motorsports events.

21. Don Zilla - Entambula(HAKUNA KULALA)

One of the most foreboding dancefloor bombs of the year by cutting-edge Ugandan DJ/ producer and Hakuna Kulala-affiliate.

20. Despina Vitamin Party(Kindergarten Records)

Mutant bass mania from Brooklyn.

19. Yikes Coroboree(Midnight Elevator)

An epic breakbeat burner with a bassline so massive it would make even The Bug turn his head.

18. Slikback x Objekt Apex(self-released)

Its hard to choose a favourite from Slikbacks collaborative LP, but I think this collab with Objekt is the most out-there of all. So much going on in just three and a half minutes.

17. Nikki Nair Want To You(Dirtybird)

I havent reviewed any of the US producers recent output in my column, unfortunately, but Ill make it up next year for sure as he just keeps on delivering. One of the most inspired breakbeat producers atm.

16. Parris Skater's World with Eden Samara(Can You Feel The Sun)

A beautiful take on skeletal UK funky percussion and noughties r&b vocals by the singular London producer, whose recent debut LP Soaked In Indigo Moonlight you should definitely check out. One of the most simple and uplifting dance tracks of the year.

15. Ayesha Ecstatic Descent(Scuffed Recordings)

The Scuffed crew had a lot of strong releases this year, but Ayeshas entry is by far the most impressive. Be sure to check out all the other tracks from this superb EP.

14. LCY shhh(SZNS7N)

I basically enjoyed everything LCY did over the past year, from streams and mixes to her releases, and to me this track really encapsulates her futuristic take on breakbeat science.

13. Barker E7-E5(Ostgut Ton)

I feel like this EP unjustly went under the radar even though it completely overshadows Barkers successful LP Utility (2019) in terms of ideas and production. A weapon of mass hypnosis.

12. Simo Cell YES.DJ(TEMT Music)

The French low-frequency maestro delivers some proper bassbin pressure on this one.

11. NKC Reticular Beats(Sea Cucumber)

This sounds rather punk to me, almost like a Beat The Bastards-era Exploited.

10. Air Max 97 Psyllium(Timedance)

The shape of psy(trance) techno to come? I truly hope so.

9. Blawan Under Belly(XL)

The weirdest as well as the most exciting track by Blawan in a while, which brings to mind the image of a group of Boston Dynamics' BigDogs hysterically guffawing at me.

8. Ploy Rayhana(Deaf Test)

The contagious vocal hook of this amped up, UK-powered, Baile funk-ish track will get stuck in your head for months to come. A true 2021 gem.

7. Batu Inner Space(Timedance)

Its impossible to pick a favourite from this excellent EP, one of this years UK techno highlights, but I guess Inner Space really is the most epic and powerful track on here.

6. ZULI Keen Demag(UIQ)

The same is true of ZULIs ALL CAPS on which every single track is a deadly dancefloor weapon of the highest possible quality.

Overmono BBY(XL Recordings)

As mentioned above, the Russell brothers provided some of the most memorable dance music tracks of the year that we will forever be associated with this period in history. Minimalist and emotive, I think BBY functions as a marvellous closer to this not so marvellous year.

4. Peder Mannerfelt Year Of The Rats(VOAM)

Techno track of the year. Period.

3. Two Shell Home(Hyperdub)

This one is quite obvious, innit. As put by one Youtube commentator: genuinely life affirming.

2. Aya The Only Solution I Have Found Is To Simply Jump Higher(Hyperdub)

Though her debut LP is full of exciting ideas and breathtaking sound design, I believe this one really comes across as a kind of manifesto for possible new trajectories in dance music of the future.

1. Skee Mask Testo BC Mashup(Ilian Tape)

Track of the year from my personal AOTY. Theres almost a Christmas vibe to it that is hard to describe. At Catholic masses, they have this ritual when you shake hands with everyone around you as the Sign of Peace, saying, Peace be with you. I'm not Christian, but this track makes me wanna shake everybodys hands and hug everyone I know, cherishing the moments that we have had together and sharing our hopes and fears for the future.

Bonus track:

Joy Orbison born slipping (w/ tyson)(XL Recordings)

I had to add this one as its probably the track that I would most like to hear on New Years eve while reflecting on the past year. A lovely, heart-warming house burner with a huge Joy O signature on top.

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Features | Hyperspecific | Hyperspecific: The Best Dance Music Of 2021 - The Quietus