Category Archives: Trance

When talking about the future of gaming, its common to hear about teraflops and other technical lingo. Well, hows this for the future? Now, you dont even need an Xbox to play Xbox games, thanks to recently beefed-up capacity for Xbox Cloud Gaming.

On Monday, Microsoft lifted the gate on who can and cannot access the Xbox cloud gaming program. Going forward, anyone who subscribes to Xbox Game Pass Ultimatethe premium tier of Microsofts games-on-demand servicecan stream dozens of games to a number of non-Xbox devices. And as of this week, those streamed games are based on Xbox Series X hardware. For the most part, it works relatively well, though you might get more or less mileage depending on how powerful your machine is, how stable your internet connection is, and what gameplay hiccups youre willing to tolerate.

I recently tested streaming games on a 13-inch MacBook Air from 2017 that overheats when I open two Google Docs spreadsheets at the same time and sounds like a jet engine when I boot up Steam. If this thing can run games, Im pretty sure whatever system youre reading this piece on can run them, too.

To be sure, I noticed some minimal input lag. For a low-intensity puzzle game like Carto, thats no big deal. You can play that game just fine without snap-second reflexes. While playing the far more demanding Forza Horizon 4, though, the lag was far more notable. I also heard some notable audio stutters, which messed with the games phenomenal trance-heavy soundtrack. In the near future, Ill likely stick to low-intensity fare.

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The short version: Practically anything. Apple devices with iOS 14.4 or higher can support Xbox cloud gaming. Windows devices, meanwhile, will need to be on the October 2020 update for Windows 10. As for internet connectivity, Microsoft recommends a streaming bandwidth of 10 Mbps for iPhone, and 20 Mbps for iPad or any device running Windows.

In any case, heres a full list of Microsoft-verified devices. Notably, the popular iPhone SE isnt included, though Ill note that, during last years beta phase for Apple devices, I got cloud gaming to (kind of) work on my SE.

The easiest way to do so is to open up a browser (Edge, Chrome, and Safari are supported) and go to xbox.com/play. Sign into the Xbox account associated with your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. You should see the whole library of games, which Microsoft says are streamed at 1080p and up to 60fps. Click on the one you want to play, wait a minute or two of loading, and voilayoure in. If youve previously played that game with your Xbox account, youll pick up exactly where you previously left off, all of your save data totally intact.

Touch screen controls are now available for dozens of games, including Dead Cells, Tell Me Why, and Hellblade: Senuas Sacrifice. For some devices, you might need a compatible controller. (Full list here.) On my MacBook, I found it easy enough to just plug in an Xbox Series X controller via USB.

To me, the most effective use case here for current Xbox owners. Yes, Xbox consoles sport a lot of storage space825 GB for your own use on the Xbox Series Xbut it fills up fast. Massive games like Destiny 2 and Halo: Master Chief Collection can occupy up to 20 percent of your storage space, easy.

For me, the bigger strain comes from a revolving door of sub-10 GB platformers, puzzle games, and other indie games. When I need to download a massive AAA game, Ill wipe, I dont know, half a dozen of these smaller ones. More often than not, Ill forget to redownload them later, which means Ill forget to pick them back up.

But the expanded capabilities of Xbox cloud gaming means that keeping a game on my console is no longer a prerequisite for playing. Are 4K graphics really necessary to get the most out of chiller fare like Spiritfarer or Carto? Not really! And since the save data carries over seamlessly, theres really no reason to sweat about kicking smaller games off your console. Youll still be able to play them. Its yet another way the latest generation of video games has managed to surprisenot in how the games look, but in how accessible some of them are to play.

Link:

Xbox Cloud Gaming Is The Future, But Its Not There Yet - Kotaku

MAYBE IM AMAZED: Its taken me several weeks to even begin to approach the magnificent new album by Nick Bradfield (White Rabbit Collective) named Unfinished Work. Although he released it under the name Dr. Trance, this body of worka truly incredible accomplishment of 16 tracks, many of which extend past the nine-minute markdeserves to have Bradfields proper name associated with it from the get-go. This is the second album, the first being The Chosen Ones (2017), in which Bradfield explores unrequited love, walking in faith and fearlessness and vanquishing hopelessness. Technically speaking, Bradfield works heavily with Ableton Live and synthesizers, multi-instrumentation and various human contributions. This method allows him to create albums that can vary quite significantly from each other, as this one does from the previously mentioned The Chosen Ones. Musically, this is quite akin to Icelands Sigur Rs and, similarly, breathes and exhales in deliberately wide spaces. Its themesholiness, devotion, hope, despair and resolutionare often explored immediately adjacent to each other. It cannot be absorbed in one listen nor broken into component parts, which is why, although there are specific tracks that I find to be stupendous, I wont advocate for any in particular. It commands and deserves uninterrupted listening but, upon doing so, requires no work other than a spirit of openness and acceptance. On a personal note, I have absolutely zero qualms about ranking this alongside Yoko Onos Season of Glass, John Coltranes A Love Supreme and George Harrisons All Things Must Pass. Find this on all streaming services as well as rabbitholestudios.org/dr-trance. Follow along at facebook.com/drtranceypants.

HOLA, CMO ESTS: Bilingual rockers Deaf Condors have a new five-song EP out now on Super Carnival Recordings named Sundown Radio. The Spanish-language immigrant declaration Vamos is a pretty killer representation of that weird era of hard rock that blended metal, hardcore and psychedelia, a style probably best represented previously by Faith No More. The very next track, Third World Blues, explores this style similarly but with more of a Meat Puppets tinge. The final track, Sundown Radio starts off with a full-on Ratt-style riff and continues this punchiness through the chorus. Its nearly six-minute running time makes it just way too long. Overall, though, this comes across as less than a polished release-ready collection and more like just a pretty solid demo. Listen for yourself over at deafcondors.bandcamp.com.

AND IT DONT STOP: This weeks Hip-Hop Pit Stop show at Live Wire is a showcase highlighting Volumes Hip Hop which has spent years establishing itself as an enthusiastic go-to source for all things related to Athens hip hop. Featured acts this night are DJ Bobfish laying down the vibes, as well as Followxforever, Boregard, DK, Unique, Paco Marquez (aka Ayo Paco), Elevxn and J.O. & Satch. This night is the next-to-last show of this residency, which is brought to you by ATHFactor-Liberty Entertainment. As mentioned before, these nights are structured as follows: Segment I (89 p.m.) is an open mic session with artists performing pre-submitted tracks, Segment II (99:30 p.m.) features guest DJs and Segment III (9:3011 p. m.) are the feature performances. For all other information, please see facebook.com/athfactor.

THAT WHICH YOU CANNOT HEAR: Author, experimental musician and visual artist Grant Evans just released a new album via Pennsylvanias Flag Day Recordings. Its available as a digital album as well as a cassette tape and is named Taciturn, Moribund. Across these five tracks, Evans works with recorded tapes that he describes as in various states of erasure. Thus, the listeners experience is put in the odd situation of being as influenced by the unknown (i.e., whats been erased) as he or she is impacted by what is clearly present. That said, I wish Id have heard this before I knew Evans process for this, as my reaction would have been more authentic and less an attempt to imagine these fragments as pieces of something else. The empty spaces are not blanked-out canvasses though, and there are moments of very calm beauty, such as the entirety of Beige. Overall, theperhaps unintentionalemotional work involved is amplified simply by knowing the sounds here have undergone some, or many, layers of degradation. As a thought experiment, it calls into question how an experience is murkily affected by unknown absence. As a listening experience, it is non-jarring and quite peaceful. Check it out at flagdayrecordings.bandcamp.com.

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Dr. Trance's Unfinished Work, And More Music News and Gossip | Flagpole - Flagpole Magazine

Over the last three years, London duo Ken Petalcorin and Andy Bowden, better known collectively as TIBASKO, have been creating heat with an appetite for their productions. With both Ken and Andy holding strong musical backgrounds and impressive global travels, TIBASKO have forged a unique sound that spans breakbeat, trance, melodic house and more rich techno sounds. Their first official release of the year is The One/Let Me Tell You EP which comes out by way of Three Six Zero Recordings.

The title track, The One, displays a minimalist production style with a simple yet bright rhythm that allows the euphoric vocals to shine through. On Let Me Tell You, the pair take a more eclectic and emotional approach that caters more to their lockdown listeners from the past year. Bold in structure and tone, these two offerings pose TIBASKO as one of the brightest purveyors of melodic electronica.

Heres what they had to say about the inception of the songs:

Weve always looked to extend the frontiers of our music, especially when we envision how our music will be performed. We are introducing more live instruments such as the rich and intricate guitar solo from Ken, Balearic disjointed bells and warped vocals from fellow musician and good friend, Julia Church.

Stream the project below and enjoy!

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TIBASKO Perfect Their Psychedelic Future-Trance Sound On The One/Let Me Tell You - This Song is Sick

The ever charismatic Znas is back with his latest EP titled Philia & Phobia. Released under the new SkyTrance brand, this EP is an identification of Znass overall approach when specifying his musical style, with Progressive Trance being at the very core of what the Spanish music producer feels most at ease with when creating such masterpieces.

As the owner of Znas Music, a multi-genre electronic music label that falls under the brands of SkyTrance and Technoland, it has become quite clear that Znass approach towards his musical style will not be influenced by the constant need of adapting to specific changes within the electronic dance scene. In further detail on the matter, the artist himself adds;

For this EP, Philia & Phobia, I have totally specified my musical style, which is going to be a reference in my artist brand. From now on, the public will identify my tracks like that, a very defined Progressive Trance style: melodic but with powerful bass, and tracks with a lot of punch, and with a very specific structure. My previous works can be framed in a type of experimental music that fused several styles, but that many times remained undefined.

As unique as the artist himself, Znas has opted for a specific approach when blessing his fans alike with his musical prowess. With each EP produced, the artist has claimed that they will always contain a Radio Edit version and an Extended Mix. Thinking more about the practicality and the needs of music, Znas has further stated;

I have also decided that my EPs always contain a Radio Edit version and an Extended Mix. Many will wonder why I gave up making an Original Mix version, because in my way of thinking it is not necessary according to how the music industry is focused, I think more about the practicality and the needs of music, and really radios or Spotify need a Radio Edit version, while deejays need an Extended version, thats why in my work I omit the Original version. Then the general public can buy or listen to the version that they like best.

With the words Philia and Phobia both driving from the Greek language, Philia focuses more on the friendship aspect of humans, whilst Phobia relates to the fear that as humans we cannot escape from. Meaningful to say the least, this latest EP is a representation of different elements and feelings that affect each and every human being, with Znas mentioning;

In this EP I delve into the psychology of the human being, and I try to make people understand that the opposite poles are closer than we think: extremes touch. And that both are equally harmful: hobby or excessive love (Philia) is as harmful as obsessive aversion or irrational fear for something (Phobia). We are slaves of our miseries, we are slaves of ourselves and of everything that surrounds us and influences us for better or for worse.

Out on the 25th of June via SkyTrance from Znas Music, you can check out the Philia & Phobia EP below, and let us know what you think of the two tracks composing this latest EP.

Image Credit: Znas (via Facebook)

More here:

Znas returns with awe-inspiring progressive trance EP, 'Philia & Phobia' - We Rave You

In the earliest stage of life, an infants appetite can seem insatiable, especially when thebaby cries out for food every two hours in the middle of the night. Over time, groggy, fatigued parents look for ways to prolong the time between nighttime feedings. One strategy is to feed infants from a bottle while trying not to wake them, whichnourishes the baby while alsotrainingthem to sleep longer without interruption. Its known as the dreamfeed.

When Nate Gelinas began working on his second solo album as Solitaires, he and his wife were in the early throes of parenting twin boys, and that idea of a dreamfeed seemed to characterize much of his existence, so much so that the term became the title track of his sophomore record, which Gelinas released last month.

More: Staff Pick: Old Hundred spin-off Solitaires no longer going it alone

When you're living with kids, a lot of times I feel like I'm living in some dream or a trance state, said Gelinas, who also drew parallels to the social media feeds and news feeds in which he and everyone else seemed to be swimming. In the title track, Gelinas describes a hazy, idyllic summer day at the river near the Park of Roses, but he still cant escape the digital world. We put our days into the feed/They fade into the screen/Will they mean a little more if we share them with our friends? he sings.

Unlike the folk-indebted songs on 2016 album Southcoast, which Gelinas described as vehicles for the lyrics, Dreamfeeds tracks began sonically with a desire to avoid predictable chord progressions. I wanted the music this time to have more sharp turns ... [so] you didn't know where it was going to go, said Gelinas, who supplanted acoustic guitars with the big, electric guitar sounds employed by90s bands of his youth like Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer.He also recruited friend and former Old Hundred bandmate Jon Helm, who contributed guitar and helped Gelinas record in fits and starts over the past five years.

Gelinas took a different lyrical approach, as well. The first album was really a backlog of ruminations and thoughts about my life, my childhood, and just trying to make sense of 30 years, he said. For Dreamfeed, Gelinas zoomed in tighter, focusing on the mundanities of everyday life. On Pale Horse, a section of the first verse reads like a weekend checklist: Clean the bathroom, clean the basement/Check the chimney, then forget it/Is the water coming in again? Is the water coming in again?

Its the anxiety of that, worrying about, What if there's a storm? And what if the water comesin? And what if the tree falls on the bedroom? ... I've never heard somebody write a hard-rocking song about anxiety over water getting into the roof, but I feel like that's valid, he said. There's a lot of meaning that comes with all those mundane things, and a lot of fear. My wife and I often talk about that. We were both pretty anxious people, but not to the degree of when you have kids. The anxieties just go into overdrive: What kind of world are they living in? What is it going to be like? Are they OK? But then you have the day to day, and its just taking care of the basics.

Along with an awareness of the fragility of life amid the busy-ness of life, Gelinas also wrestles with his new identity as a dad on Dreamfeed. Sometimes I forget that Im more than a father, he sings on the title track. Then,on Staycation, Gelinas describes the split personalities that often come along with parenting: The kids will soon be home/And well turn back to the people that they know.

I don't know if anyone's ever ready to have kids. We weren't ready, and we didn't think we'd have twins, either. I felt like I lost connection with my normal identity … and it ran the risk of just erasing other parts of me, especially the first year or two. If Im honest, it wasnt until year four that I started to truly be more at peace with how much fatherhood has dominated and redefined me, Gelinas said. There was a tension with the identity of being a private, quieter person who likes a lot of time to read and write and make music. It was hard to still be that and be a dad. … But it's been good. I've grown into a different kind of self.

That sense of peace amid the struggle comes through on the title track. Even as Gelinas strains to remember the other parts of himself, he acknowledges the blissful moments and accepts the changes parenthood brings. I guess I wouldnt have it any other way, he sings.

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Solitaires enters the 'Dreamfeed' on second album - Columbus Alive

A masked axe murderer approaches your car, but it won't start. You frantically turn the key in the ignition, until the engine finally sputters to life and you make your escape with seconds to spare. You're jamming shells into a shotgun as a shambling zombie approaches, and you manage to load it and pull the trigger moments before your brain gets eaten. Your flashlight's batteries die suddenly in a dark and dangerous place, and you furiously whack it with your hand until the light flickers back on and you breathe a sigh of relief.

These are just a few of the classic horror movie cliches Spookware, a WarioWare-inspired collection of bizarre microgames, riffs on to hilarious, addictive effect. If you've never played WarioWare, it's a rapid-fire parade of tiny, surreal interactive vignettes you play against a strict time limit. And Spookware, which you can download for free right now on Itch (or name your own price if you're feeling generous), captures the breakneck pace and absurd humour of those games perfectlybut with a keenly observed horror twist.

You control Spookware with the arrow keys. In one microgame, a hand moves rapidly back and forth above a telephone, and you have to hit the down key when you're directly above it to call for help. In another, a ghoul crawls through a doorway and you have to repeatedly hit each key in a clockwise pattern to turn a valve and bring a shutter slamming down on it. At first, the fast pace is kinda relentless. But you soon adjust to the game's peculiar rhythm and enter a wide-eyed, trance-like state as you furiously tap the keys against the clock.

The presentation is superb too. It has a scrappy, hand-made, almost zine-like feel, with a touch of Terry Gilliam's Monty Python animations. This, combined with some delightfully lo-fi music and weird pitched-down voice samples, gives the game a compellingly chaotic energy. I really had to force myself to stop playing to come and write this. It's also clear the people who made it have a real passion for horror films. It's a tongue-in-cheek satire of the genre in some ways, but also a joyous celebration of what makes it great.

There are 10 microgames in this version of the game, so you will eventually wear them out. But I was overjoyed to discover that an expanded, fleshed out, paid-for version of the game is being released later this year, sometime in the fall. The Steam page is promising "hundreds of hand-crafted, fast-paced microgames", which is spooky music to my ears. And there appears to be a story too, about three skeletons going on a scary road trip, which should tie those microgames together nicely. I can't wait to play this.

See original here:

Spookware takes classic horror movie tropes and turns them into wild, weird minigames - PC Gamer

COVERSTORY

Hina thought that the scene of her engagement was like a dolls tea party. Her mother took Hina out of her dollhouse, dressed her up in pretty clothes, and stuck her at the place of importance on one of the bigger sofas in their living room. It hardly resembled the living room she was used to seeing on a day-to-day basis, as it was decorated, lit up and filled with people. Amani and Gohar, who had dealt with her pre-event jitters from the beginning, had finished the process of bringing her safely from her room into the living room, and were now seated around her, talking excitedly.

Sometimes Gohar would pull on Hinas hand, and she would feel it as if it were from far away, and she would resurface from her trance long enough to hear the end of Gohars sentence. Amani was obsessed with taking selfies, and would tap Hinas shoulder every few minutes to take another one. The old feeling that she was supposed to be happier about her engagement beyond the thrill of wearing expensive clothes and jewellery came back. Another thought came sliding right on top of it. If this was dolls play, then where was her groom doll? Was she going to be a singular bride doll sitting on this sofa all evening? She twitched irritably.

Amani immediately pounced. Dont do that, youll spoil your makeup, she said. She took out her compact and patted the corners of Hinas mouth with a powder puff.

The lights made Hina feel hot. The number of people buzzing around made her head swim. She turned to catch the end of Gohars sentence yet another time.

Its like watching a movie of your life in front of your eyes, isnt it? Gohar had asked, but Hina, hearing only the isnt it?, merely nodded. It so happened that Hina had been thinking the very same thing, imagining herself to be the only member of an audience watching the scene before her on a cinema screen. She shook herself, but it didnt snap her out of it.

Someone slid into the empty sofa space next to her. It was strange, seeing someone pop out of the imaginary movie screen and appear next to her as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Hina squirmed in her seat. Who was this person? Another female doll? Why were there so many female dolls in this dollhouse?

The person patted Hinas shoulder firmly. Hina came back to reality and looked into the womans face.

My girl, my darling girl, you look radiant, said the woman. Now, here, show me your hand. She took Hinas left hand and slipped a sparkling item onto Hinas ring finger. This made Hina freeze. Why was this doll giving her the ring? That was all she could think about as the room erupted in applause and jokes, smiles and laughter. She felt two pairs of hands clench her body, one around her shoulders, and the other her arms. One felt like Rays, and the other felt like Ammis. It was the only solid land for her to hold onto in the middle of a buzz of congratulations and tears.

Dear, dont cry, came Ammis voice, then she added to the crowd, Shes just nervous, poor child. She turned to Gohar and Amani. Look after her, I must see to the guests, she said, and she was gone.

Hina saw the ring catch the light and sparkle through a haze of tears as different family members congratulated her. Some held up her ring finger hand and squeezed it with both hands and eyes as if it would relay concealed information. No hidden secrets appeared and soon everyone was finished with their due of greetings and congratulations. The ring still didnt come into focus as the tears swept what was left of her makeup down her face.

Thats it. The pair of hands at her shoulders squeezed her. You two need to take her back upstairs and get her cleaned up, Ray said to Gohar and Amani. They nodded. The walk upstairs was far less of a thrill than the walk downstairs had been. This was mostly because the walk downstairs was an approach to a party where Hina sought after the rest of the happiness about getting engaged. She thought she would find it there, when she got the ring. Now the ring sparkled in floating bits and pieces in her gaze. When Hina reached her own room, dried her eyes and got a good look at the ring, she felt her heart rise with emotion. It was a lovely ring, but it did not bridge the gap like she had thought it would. She was happy about clothes, now wrinkled, jewellery, now returned to its box, makeup, now cleaned up, and her engagement ring, now sparkling on her finger. Yet her reaction to sum it all up was, Thats it? She said as much to Amani and Gohar.

What else do you want? Gohar asked.

Amani glared at Gohar while Hina interrupted all further reactions by slamming her accelerator before she had time to think about it. I wanted to see Sameer! she said. Amani and Gohar were silenced. It was the first time she had taken his name.

To be continued...

Read more:

The Eid Engagement, and Other Weddings # 12 - The News International

Due to his show being close to a sell-out, Jimmy Carrs show has had to be postponed until next year and the comedian will now bring his Terribly Funny tour to The Grand Hall on Friday July 15 2022.

The upcoming visits of the tributes show to: Neil Diamond, The Eagles, and The Bee Gees have also been delayed and will now will now take place on:

A Beautiful Noise: Celebrating the Music of Neil Diamond (July 4): new date: Sunday October 10

The Illegal Eagles (July 16): new date: Friday April 1 2022

Jive Talkin' perform The Bee Gees (July 18): new date: Sunday July 24 2022

There is also a new date for Bingo Revolution with N-Trance which will now take place on Saturday October 2.

All original tickets remain valid for the newly announced dates.

The Scarborough Spa Orchestras Summer season is unaffected and will still get under way as planned on Monday July 12 with social distancing protocols in place.

Cbeebies favourites Sarah and Ducks show on Saturday July 17 will also still go ahead with the show specifically designed for socially distanced audiences.

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Jimmy Carr amongst Scarborough Spa date changes - here's when the events will go ahead - Bridlington Free Press

Today were plucking another new artist out of obscurity for you. Introducing Directional Influence, a New England based techno producer who describes himself as part musician, part designer.

Only releasing his first few singles within the last year, his most recent release Seeing Beyond Fear shows huge potential.

This techno track feels expansive, creating an ambient soundscape where Directional Influence can really experiment within the genre. Were gradually lulled deeper and deeper into a dark trance.

Like an astronaut floating in space, this track makes us feel isolated while simultaneously connected to the shadowy world he creates. Slightly creepy vocal sample lean into this, whispering about what we fear in the dark and what lies beyond the darkness.

Were definitely keeping our eyes pealed for where Directional Influence goes next. You can stream this track using the link below. Enjoy!

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Emerging Techno Producer Directional Influence Debuts Dark Sound on Seeing Beyond Fear - This Song is Sick

Lets throw it back to 2010, a time when Tisto had only recently turned away from trance to focus on more commercial-sounding hits. Back then, the world was a very different place. David Cameron had just ousted Gordon Brown in the U.K General Election, Barack Obama was still serving his first term as President of the United States, and the World was gearing up for the 2010 World Cup tournament in South Africa, where the likes of Diego Forlan, Wesley Sneijder and Thomas Muller would all star, but ultimately, fall short, thanks to an inspired Andres Iniesta, and Spanish side. With EDM still beginning a slow rise, the likes of Avicii or Swedish House Mafia were yet to make the huge dent in the scene which we saw in years to come, butTisto unleashed his massive Diplo collaboration CMon which became a staple part of the 2010 festival season, including his iconic performance in Londons Victoria Park.

The track showcased the best of both producers, with a massive build-up later giving way to a humongous mainstage-ready drop. Cmon was even given a radio-friendly rework in 2011, when Busta Rhymes rapped all over the instrumental classic to create a controversial vocal version titled Catch Em By Surprise. Now turning 11 years old, much has changed since the release of the track, with both artists cementing their legacies further.Tisto has since become a father to his baby daughter, and got married to Annika Backes in 2019. Hes also enjoyed the most-streamed hit of his entire career, in the shape of Jackie Chan. Meanwhile, Diplo has dated the likes of Katy Perry, whilst also heading up his hugely successful Major Lazer project, and teaming up with Skrillex as part of acclaimed duoJack . But today, were rolling it all the way back to May 2010 With Cmon, below!

Image Credit: EDM House Network

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Tisto & Diplo classic collaboration 'C'mon' turns 11 years old - We Rave You