We’re into the 9th month of 2012 now, and we still keep getting hit after hit from the trance music scene. Tritonal’s recent remix album just dropped. Jaytech released his second artist album. Eco released his first compilation (Constellations in You). BT released not 1 but 3 albums within a month. We even have a Mainstage Music compilation coming up. But while I thought the next few months would be a bit dry of compilations until the end of year (where we can expect the normal batches of Yearmixes and possibly a few more artist albums), we received a super early Christmas present from Armin: the 6th Installment of Universal Religion. Why is that surprising? Is it worth listening or even buying? Read on to find out…

As my reviews go, let’s first dive into the history of Universal Religion and Armin van Buuren. By now, most people involved in the trance scene will start to recognize that Armin puts out 3 compilation albums: A State of Trance, A State of Trance Yearmix, and Universal Religion. The yearmix is just that: 70+ of the year’s top hits on the radio show mixed in a 2-hour mashup. It’s released every year. Likewise, since 2004, Armin has released A State of Trance Compilation. While it’s varied from year to year, one element has remained constant: it’s a studio mix by Armin featuring mostly unreleased and exclusive tracks. The third compilation is the Universal Religion, or UR, series. This differs in that it is a live set recorded at one of Armin’s shows (lately it’s been during an Ibiza session).

We were first introduced to this concept in 2003 with Chapter 1. The CD was filled with now-classic hits: “Mushroom Therapy,” “As The Rush Comes,” and Filo & Peri’s “Elevation”. This continued the following year with UR 2004 (Signum, Probspot, and Ridgewalkers all made appearances). Then we had a bit of a gap: UR Chapter 3 or UR 2008 (depending on the label) was released at the end of 2007. Personally, this was the first UR that I was introduced to during the summer of 2008, and one that was on constant repeat. “Daydream,” “How Long?” and The Doppler Effect were standouts for me, but the entire CD is one incredible journey. 2 years later (end of 2009), we get another treat: UR Chapter 4. While perhaps not as good as Chapter 3, it nonetheless had outstanding tracks from BT, Gaia, and Dakota. This was also around the time when trance (and Armin) started shifting tunes a bit; we see a bit more mainstream songs here than from before. Which brings us to the past chapter, UR5. Again, 2 years since the previous installment, we were introduced to two new themes this year. First was a gorgeous album cover unlike the past editions. Whereas 1-4 seemed to encompass this rustic look, UR5 started the trend of this “another world” experience. Second, it went to a double-disc compilation.

Double-disc compilations can be hit or misses in the trance community. The ASOT/City Series, for example, do it well: two themes (Beach/Club and Dark/Prog respectively) that are isolated on each disc. Universal Religion is a bit different, as there has been just a single theme throughout the series so far. This idea that trance can be a transcendental experience; that it can be more than just music. It speaks to all of us, regardless of race, sex, or religion. It’s a universal connector for those that experience this euphoria. A 60-minute set, then, must be polished to perfection to accurately relay this theme. But when you introduce 2 discs, you have the potential for it to not be as tight-knit or polished: one hiccup in 120 minutes could be overlooked as long as the over-arching theme gets across. Which might be fine for the lay listener, but for the UR and trance lover, it’s a change that wasn’t always met with enthusiasm.

Ultimately, I think the two disc compilation worked for the most part. There was definitely some excellent tracks played by Armin during the two nights in Ibiza. Of course, there were a few hiccups. Some of the songs were average. Some too trousey. And perhaps a large complaint by ASOT Forum members was that some of the best songs on the album never got played again (on the radioshow or livesets). As a side, this is one area where Armin and Markus differ in philosophies. While both understand that livesets are designed for the audience that night and will typically be mainstream songs for a large crowd, I’ve always felt Markus takes a bit more risks for the listener on GDJB. But moving on…

As you can tell from the history, most of us assumed that UR6 wouldn’t be out until next year. Rumors of a new artist album from Armin floating around along with UR5 just released last year meant that I think most of us were a bit taken back when Armin started dropping UR6 hints early last month. Of course, that begs a few questions. Will UR be a yearly event? Can UR be as good if recorded every year instead of smaller doses? Perhaps even is Armin stretching himself thin when he has a larger family now? While I can’t answer any of these questions, I can say I’m a bit mixed now on whether a yearly installment is a good thing or not. Can it be? Absolutely. But perhaps it erases that little extra-special feeling a UR compilation carried.

But regardless if wanted or not, UR6 is here; released September 14, 2012 with a cover that continues on from UR5. Personally, I think that, again, it’s very well done. I’d argue that it’s better than UR5: it really conveys a quality of the series in picture form. Regarding the tracklist, we were given a peek of it a few weeks in advance. The initial complaints, of course, were that a good number of these songs have already been played or even released. To that, I’d argue that when playing for a crowd, you can’t just throw in 32 brand new exclusives. Most people coming to see Armin play still want to hear recognizable tunes that get played on ASOT every week, so I can appreciate a mixture of both in a live set.

After initially looking at the listing, I think where the complaints due have a valid point is in old tunes, overplayed tunes, or bad selection of tracks. Let me explain. In CD1, we see some new tunes that have been released, including Solarstone’s “Fireisland” or Skytech’s “What’s Wrong.” There are a few unreleased tunes or even IDs from prior sets. But mixed in this set is a mashup of “Status Excessu D” (a early 2011 tune) and Beat Service’s “Fortuna.” Yes, the same “Fortuna” that was on LA ’12 in early February that received plenty of air-time all through ASOT 550 and summer-long at festivals worldwide. CD2 is a little better in that regards, but we still have tracks that have been played already. In all, I instantly recognize about 12/36 tracks that have been released already, more that have had air-time and identified. Which normally would be okay (again, I understand the dynamics of live sets), but the tunes I have heard don’t necessarily fit into the theme of “Universal Religion” that has been set in years past. So sadly, my initial excited reaction for the release was hindered a bit by perhaps a predictable (dare I say mediocre?) tracklist. However, I stand by the fact that songs can take entirely new meanings and feelings in a mixed set that as stand-alone, so I put my initial feelings to the side and marched onwards.

So, to Universal Religion Chapter 6! As with my prior reviews, I will offer my thoughts on each CD separately, the compilation as a whole, and final concluding thoughts.

So, let’s go to CD1:

Andrew Rayel feat. Jano – How Do I Know (Armin van Buuren Intro Edit) (7.5/10)

Andrew has been everywhere this year, and he’s been on fire. We were treated initially with 550 Senta (still a contender for my Tune of the Year). He’s followed that up with some great remixes on Garuda and Magic Island and put out 2 EPs since then, including Coriolis and Aeon of Revenge. Armin’s been giving him plenty of airtime on ASOT and throughout the summer in Ibiza, so it’s no surprise that we see his name start off UR6.

“Armin! Armin! Armin!” is chanted in the background as the synthetic strings enter into our ears. A beautiful piano melody fades in. Violins and pianos in trance are my favorite. I’m surprised the vocals entered in this quickly; usually I’d expect a build-up before then. We get the very common sped/pitched up sound to bring in our main melody, which while okay, it’s a bit cliche. Speaking of cliche, the melodic synths used for this song sound familiar; nothing special. The vocals are pretty heavily edited as well; lots of reverb. But they aren’t overpowering. Neither is the beat for that matter, which is nice for an intro song (and hopefully should be expected *cough cough* ASOT 2012 Intro – The Fusion *cough cough*). Our breakdown goes back to that beautiful piano. “How do I know” that Andrew just didn’t copy it from his other songs? We don’t, but he’s definitely incorporated that into many of his hit songs this year. Anyway, I really wanted to like this song. I love some of Andrew Rayel’s past works. I love well-done vocals. I’m a sucker for pianos in intro mixes. But I just can’t overlook that annoying pitch up in the beginning. And I can’t overlook that the melody just isn’t anything special or something I haven’t heard a thousand times before on ASOT Radio. Which is a shame as we just started off on CD1. No matter, we have a nice transition to Andy Duguid’s latest.

2. Andy Duguid feat. Shannon Hurley – I Want To Believe (5.5/10)



The bass kicks in almost immediately for this song. For some reason it reminds me of his 2009 single “Signals.” We get treated to Shannon Hurley early on as well, who sang vocals for Protoculture’s “Sun Gone Down” last year. The early breakdown with the Balearic guitar is nice. But so far after 2 minutes, the song seems, weirdly, a bit slow. I’m not saying I need 140bpm 2 songs in, but I keep waiting for it to really kick it up a notch. 3 minutes in and we get the high-pitched synth plucks on top of a heavy bass again. It’s difficult to really pinpoint a main melody (outside the bass) in the song, so it’s a bit disorganized in that regard.

Unfortunately, Shannon Hurley has definitely done better vocals in the past. And this does not even touch the magnificence of Andy’s “Wasted” to start off ISOS 7. So it’s not a bad song, per se, but it’s not doing much for me in the trance department. Nor am I getting any sort of “Universal Religion” vibe from the mix yet at all. It really just seems, so far, to be another ASOT Episode. And then the “whew!” at the end just killed it for me. Unnecessary.

3. Blake Jarrell – Barbados (8/10)

A bit of a rough transition to Blake Jarrell’s latest single, but I can overlook it during a live mix. After the start which seems to be a darker trance song, the synths come in nicely. It’s definitely a song classified as euphoric trance. It’s also our first non-vocal song, but we do still have a few vocal hits in the background. It’s actually soothing throughout; it kind of reminds me of a 2012 take of a song that would go on an ISOS volume to be honest. Great strings, a pleasing beat, and while repetitive, it goes relatively unnoticed throughout the song.

4. Solarstone with Aly & Fila – Fireisland (Future Disciple Remix) (7/10)

Ah, Solarstone. Excellent year so far with the “Pure Trance” motto in full swing. Aly & Fila also contributed here, celebrating recently their 250th episode. I haven’t heard much from them this year, and from the song that I have (“Coming Home”), they haven’t impressed much. Regarding Fireisland, this is a song that’s already been out for a bit, and while I think the original is better than the remixes, the Future Disciple Remix is the one I would choose out of all of them.

We had a nice transition in from “Barbados.” I do enjoy the buildup of this song. The double-hits every beat of the drums. But they fade away as we get that guitar. Solarstone’s prime. The guitar solo here is majestical. It’s weird though; I almost could see a guitarist just rocking that out on stage at a rock/alternative festival. Not saying I want alternative/trance to start mixing (I’m looking at you Ferry and Beiber), but I think it works here. But we fade quickly out from Solarstone/Aly & Fila’s slower touch and back into the heavier beats to end the song, which seemed to go by quickly for some reason.

5. Armin van Buuren feat. Ana Criado – I’ll Listen (9/10)

The follow-up to the summer hit, “Suddenly Summer.” Ana Criado’s voice is lovely as ever, and she’s working her way up on my favorite vocalist list for trance. Armin’s back with his signature sound. He claims he was inspired by some of Push’s early works for this song, but I’m not seeing it. However, it’s definitely more in line with his style of “Suddenly Summer,” which I enjoy. It’s not classic Armin, but it’s not “Youtopia” Armin either. If his new artist album features more of this and less Sophie-Baxtor, we might have a better album on our hands than “Mirage” was for a good part.

Anyway, what’s there to say about the song? It’s Armin’s latest sounds and synths. You’ll either love it or hate it in that regards. The vocals are well done, so long as you like vocal trance. The breakdown before the main chorus with the piano is heavenly. “And you can…show yourself, I’ll listen.” I’ve definitely been listening to this song. Released last week, it’s definitely been on repeat for me. It just captures, for me, the sounds of mainstream trance in 2012; specifically, the good sounds of mainstream trance in 2012. So well done Armin. But does it fit into the UR theme? Perhaps, but in that regard, it’s been a bit weak so far.

6. Abstract Vision & Elite Electronic vs Broning – Relict (6/10)

The AV/EE duo is back after Kinetic on ASOT 2012. As we progress through the CD, it’s picked up a bit in terms of “dance-floor-ability,” and the this song captures that splendidly. It’s got a nice bass line to it to start off with faint strings building up. The main melody is decent, save for the light choir, but nothing that stands out. The breakdown with the choir taking the dominant force is a bit cliche? I mean, it’s nice, and so is the buildup after the breakdown, but it doesn’t seem “fresh.” And while maybe I’ve been listening to trance so long that I’m jaded of the new stuff, I’d like to think there are still ways to make new tracks; we’ve already heard a few in this mix so far.

So don’t get me wrong. It’s not that the song is bad by any means. It’s just a relic(t) from songs before.

7. Protoculture – Perpetual Motion (7/10)

Protoculture, I’ve been learning, is a hit or miss for me. “Waking Up The Stars?” Miss. “Sun Gone Down?” Hit. So Armin continues on with the heavier-bass songs, but it seems slowed down just a tad. The breakdown though, throws me off. It almost sounds like Protoculture got replaced by Ashley Wallbridge. The more I listen to the song, the more I’m convinced that it really is Mr. Walbridge’s new single and not Protoculture. The synths just sound way too familiar for my liking. On the positive, he captures Ashley’s penchant for having a catchy beat. So it’s a great song for dancing, but points off for imitation, which in the trance world, isn’t always the greatest form of flattery.

8. Ørjan Nilsen – Burana (7/10)

Orjan, Orjan, Orjan. I remember when La Guitarra came out in 2008. That song was on replay the entire summer as I walked to class everyday. A classic trance song, for sure. Since then, it seems he’s let the fame get to him. Yes, we’ve had some great hits like “Between The Rays.” But then we’ve had some trouse (and ok ones at best), like “The Mule” or his latest “PhireWorx.” And while some of it can sound good (“Viking” found on UR5), other’s just don’t capture the type of trance he used to make.

So while the piano plucks at the beginning hint at an older Nilsen, the background synths scream the direction of 2.0 Breakdown is early on after a mere 36 seconds, but it’s a soothing piano. And while it’s a pitch build up to the main melody, it ends up not being over-powering. Nor is the song under the same mold he has been using lately for his latest trouse hits (which have, sadly, been released on the Armind label; pity since Armind songs use to be the creme de la creme). So, while it’s definitely far from his best work, it’s definitely above some of his not-so-great ‘trance‘ hits. And while I still hesitate to call this ‘trance‘ fully (euphoric fans are screaming right now), it’s a bit closer than some of his past hits. It’s got a great beat and rhythm though, so it works in my book.

9. Beat Service – Fortuna (2/10)

When I first saw this on the tracklist, I thought there was a mistake. Fortuna? The same song from February? The song on LA ’12 that’s been played on repeat all through the summer? Putting this song in the mix here was a horrendous decision. And the timing couldn’t be worse. The transition was rough from “Burana.” The sounds and styles of the songs are complete opposite. The only reason this song is even in this mix is because Armin couldn’t put it in ASOT 2012. That and it’s Ibiza-tourist pleasing.

Like a few songs that Armin has put in his mix compilations this year, this song falls under the “Ridiculously great song that has been overplayed ad nauseum and has no business in the mix.” So, 99% of you trance fans should know this song by now. Nothing has changed. I won’t spend time reviewing it. Buy Markus’ LA ’12 to find the proper placement for this song. Because it really is an excellent song. Just doesn’t belong here.



10. Andrew Rayel – Aeon Of Revenge (7.5/10)

Another Rayel song, albeit one that has been out for a while. A bit puzzling, but no matter. We did have a smoother transition this time around coming out of “Fortuna.” Anyway, the melody in this song is classic Rayel. The piano breakdown is superb. The synths are a bit rough coming out of the melodic soft-spot, but it’s a very uplifting and powerful beat throughout. I do think, though, that Andrew tried a bit too hard with this song, being that it was the follow-up to his “550 Senta” hit. It shares just a bit too many similarities for my liking. And, outside of that piano, just doesn’t capture that same feeling.

The other thing is that Armin decided to play the entire song out, so while I appreciate the second mini-breakdown (“How About Some Piano…”), it’s a bit too long and repetitive for the mix in my opinion. But again, it’s a great beat, but “550 Senta” spoiled me.

11. Skytech – What’s Wrong (Skytech’s Stadium Mix) (6.5/10)

Interesting to see Coldharbour on a UR mix, let alone Coldharbour Red. Another song that’s been out for a bit, we go from uplifting trance to dark techy trance. Not sure if that really works (or should even be attempted) on a UR mix. Nor do I think Skytech’s Stadium Mix should have been used, which is a bit more “Big Room.” Great for a “In The Club” ASOT Mix, not so much for UR.

Still though, it’s got all the classic Coldharbour sounds. Deep bass. Fade into nothing breakdown. Heavier, darker synths with a great melody to bring us back into motion. A head-banging, hips-swaying song for sure. A bit repetitive for it’s main melody, but I think I’m okay with that for this song. And while I enjoy Skytech’s work here, I’m not sure if I approve of it’s placement in UR6.

12. Stoneface & Terminal – Green Velvet (7/10)

“Cameras ready, prepare to flash.” Whoops. Wrong Green Velvet. But speaking of people who have been in the scene for a while, Stoneface & Terminal. 10+ years in the scene and still making nice hits.

We have another semi-awkward transition here as we go from deep, dark Coldharbour to soothing, uplifting Euphonic or whatever label this will be out on eventually. When the hi-hats and bass kick in, it almost feels as if this is a slowed-down, chopped drum & bass song with Brian Eno laid over the top with the long, drawn-out “ooohs” from a choir. It’s interesting, but doesn’t last for long: we get our classic trance melody in shortly after. After listening to this a few times, I think reworked, the primary melody by itself slowed down would make a great intro mix. As we close out, I love the string section in the background. The song is full of energy and, for possibly the first time so far tonight, I’m starting to feel back into the Universal Religion groove again.

13. A.R.D.I. – Premonition (5.5/10)

The introduction to this song is average, with basic drum kit. The breakdown strings are nice, but the synth to bring us to the main melody….eh, not feeling it. We went from a bit too relaxed and melodic straight 180 degrees to tech trance. It’s a bit too overpowering in the mix for my tastes. The melody itself is also a bit generic; there’s nothing too catchy to take away. It also reminds me a bit of some older trance songs for some reason (specifically Project 6’s “Lost”), but not in a good way. I also think this would have been better placed after Skytech than the S&T song we just had.

Also, as a side note, I always want to say Arty, not Ardi, for some reason. #FirstWorldTranceProblems.

14. Matt Davey – Believe In Me (6.5/10)

And now we got to a more euphoric, uplifting track. Make up your mind Armin! Matt Davey, I’d venture to guess, is a bit newer to the trance scene, but I enjoyed his recent work with Lo-Fi Sugar with Higher Ground. Anyway, song. It’s just there. It’s relatively catchy, but there’s not much substance to it. I don’t know, it just sounds like a great filler track for some reason, but nothing special. A bit too heavy to be truly euphoric and uplifting; a bit too ‘happy‘ to be darker trance. The soft vocal hits in the background were nice though.

I’d also like to point out that while we had a slew of vocals to start off the mix, we’ve been vocal free for a while now. It’s an interesting composition choice by Armin, strangely.

15. Jorn van Deynhoven – Headliner (9/10)

And we get another ridiculous turn around from softer music back to hard-hitting 138. Armin must be mocking: “Who’s afraid now?” Jorn van Deynhoven’s had some pretty good songs on the UR series so far. Spotlight was interesting, but pretty catchy. His remix of RAMsterdam for Chapter 4 was legendary. The song starts off pretty quick and hard, but in a good way. As we go to the breakdown, the light airy synths fill the air. The high pitch plucks almost sound like a child’s lullaby. Or something from Zelda. I love it. The beat to get us back into the groove is just as superb: Jorn doesn’t waste anytime to get us back into the groove. It’s a catchy bassline. It’s a great melody. It rocks the floor. In short, it’s classic Jorn.

16. Sasha Carassi & Mikael Jonasson – Void vs Gaia – Status Excessu D (Armin van Buuren Mash Up) (4/10)

I was a bit surprised to see Status Excessu D in a mashup this late in 2012, let alone on a UR CD, but I could be pleasantly surprised, who knows.

Thankfully Armin sticks to a style this time and keeps it heavy, quick, and a bit techy. The down side is that I’m not pleasantly surprised. The buildup is from Void, and is that standard, overused Klauss “Turbulence” buildup that was great in one song, not 100. I hate that producers feel the need to butcher this sound 500 ways to make their songs seem like they’re moving somewhere, when really it’s just a man running on a treadmill in the same place over and over. The radio voice in the background doesn’t work for me either. Now the breakdown of the song I can appreciate. Armin’s Gaia sounds at it’s more recent best. The strings and that melody….classic Gaia. While it’s no Tuvan or Aisha, it’s definitely a Gaia that was miles beyond “Stellar.” And just when we except SED to continue on with its great beat, Armin puts the annoying Turbulence beat back in again. My ears. And then we end it our CD with a great outro? No, just the pitched, slowed down cut out. Less Void, more Status Excessu D next time Armin. The song’s only redemption is Gaia.

That wraps up our first disc!

CD 1 Average: 6.56/10

So I’m not sure if it’s the fact that it’s a Friday night when I’m reviewing trance music stuck at home because I’ve had a cold all week, or if it’s because I’ve become so jaded by my dislike for how the mainstream trance music scene has shifted in the past few years, but the first CD here didn’t do so hot. Even if it wasn’t a part of the Universal Religion series, I don’t think it would have done much better. Some parts were just a bit too trousey or a bit too generic sounding or a bit too overplayed. We started off with all these vocal tracks but then lose it completely. We go from dark, heavy trance to euphoric. Then back again. Rinse and repeat. Then there really wasn’t any huge surprises in artists on this side, and consequently, nothing really surprising on sounds either. Luckily some of the artists I had high hopes for (Jorn) came through. Others (Andy Duguid) did not.

But let’s take it a step further. I know Armin’s sound has changed over the past few years. I know this is a live set, so you have to appease a crowd as well as listeners to the CD. But I feel that this first side of UR6 didn’t just miss the bulls-eye on what a UR album should sound like, it completely missed the board. There were only a few times during the set when I felt like I was listening to a nice UR masterpiece. Then it gets destroyed minutes later. Heck, even UR5’s CD1 was overall better than the first side here. CD2 has much work to do for UR6 redemption.

The highlights of CD1:

Goddess of Trance:

Jorn van Deynhoven – Headliner (9/10) – Cannot wait until this is released. It’s a proper trance banging hit.

Armin van Buuren feat. Ana Criado – I’ll Listen (9/10) – That signature Armin sound overlaid with some beautiful Criado vocals. Just a great vocal on an otherwise average mix.

The Devil’s Spawn:

Arimin’s Song Selection – Dark progressive or uplifting euphoria. Pick one or the other. If you pick both, play roughly similar sounds together. Don’t keep fading back and forth between them.

Sasha Carassi & Mikael Jonasson – Void vs Gaia – Status Excessu D (Armin van Buuren Mash Up) (4/10) – Took a beautiful Gaia song and ruined it with Void. Keep the trance songs with the trance albums and the techno songs with the techno albums please. There’s a reason these two genres don’t overlap much in the mainstream world.

Beat Service – Fortuna (2/10) – What was Armin thinking here? It didn’t work in the mix at all. Yes, it’s a popular song, but there are about a dozen songs since this was released that are as popular, if not more so. Throw in an Ashley Wallbridge song (Bang The Drum Omnia Remix) or, heck, even some new W&W song. They both would have worked better here.

So, will Armin’s second set save the day? Or will it be another 60 minutes of average misery? On to CD2!

1. Alex M.O.R.P.H. – Eternal Flame (Original Breaks Mix) (6.5/10)

Starting off quickly here with Mr. MORPH himself. We don’t really get a nice string intro as we did to start of CD1. Nor do we get the sounds of Andrew Bayer as we did last year in UR5. In fact, we get an interesting ‘breaks‘ mix to start off this side. Not my particular cup of tea for the first song in, but the breakdown is melodic and soft, so I can forgive the intro drums…maybe. As the main melody kicks in, it tends to drown out the drums in the background, but honestly I think a strings mix would have been better here than trying to make it sound all drum and bassy.

2. Omnia – Infina (7/10)

It hasn’t just been all Andrew Rayel, Omnia’s been on a roll this year as well. “The Fusion” took the trance scene by storm. Omnia’s remix of “Bang The Drum” was superb. And then “No One Home” with Ana Criado was just lovely. Yeah, the last two sounded a bit the same, but it’s Omnia’s signature sound, and like I’ve always maintained with Ashley Wallbridge, you either love it or hate it.

This song is no different. It’s a great instrumental. The classic Omnia synth. After the quick breakdown, it almost reminds me of Gareth Emery’s “Stars.” But we go back to the standard melody throughout. It’s a bit repetitive and there’s not much buildup, breakdown, or progression in the melody. So while I love the sound of Omnia, this song doesn’t do a whole lot for me.

3. Richard Sebastian – Full Disclosure (7.5/10)

So apparently this is Mr. Sebastian’s first release with this moniker, but I haven’t heard of any of his other aliases either. Kind of an interesting melody to start, but nothing spectacular. The breakdown though…the electronic organ and strings. Well done. Very well done. It’s got the makings of a great uplifter all over it. The buildup after our break is standard and cliched, but works here. The melody is great for the most part. The synths used are a bit generic; hopefully with time Richard can develop his style a bit more. My only complaint is that Armin should have cut the song and moved on after the first breakdown. Bringing in the second break made the song just a bit too long for my tastes.

4. Jaytech feat. Steve Smith – Stranger (Kyau & Albert Remix) (8/10)

A bit surprised to see this track here in a UR mix. I mean, no offense to the Anjunabeats label, but let’s face it: they’ve moved onto embracing their ‘Trance 2.0‘ house-influenced sounds. Which is great when listening to Anjua mixes. Still a bit iffy here. Luckily Kyau & Albert tone this down a bit.

In fact, Kyau & Albert re-work it enough to actually make it a nice sounding trance melody for the most part. I could have done with a dub here. Male vocals in trance are a hit or miss (more often a miss), and here…well, they’re ok, nothing special. The melody itself I do enjoy, though. It’s got the right amount of zest and spice to it to get a dance floor moving while still maintaining a nice atmospheric vibe to it, aged to perfection. I am glad that Armin picked this mix here; the original would have been too ‘2.0‘ for my tastes here.

5. Juventa – Metamorphose (6.5/10)

Oh man, we start off strong here. Track 5 and Armin’s skipped over the soft euphoric stuff. There’s a reason Juventa’s been on Perfecto a few times so far; this song is no different. It’s heavy hitting trance, but with a bit more uplifting vibes rather than a darker, Coldharbour vibe. The synthetic strings are a bit too airy near the breakdown, but it’s short lived. The main melody is a bit uplifting and a bit techy, but when the heavier bass kicks in with a few minutes left, it’s definitely a song to get you moving. Overall, it’s a pretty good club banger, although the second breakdown/reintro could have been left out.

6. Faruk Sabanci – Elveda (6/10)

I’m enjoying this side so far, especially with artists I don’t hear that often. Unfortunately, Faruk has to ruin it with that annoying raising pitch-bend junk that plagued us from side one. I really don’t understand the appeal of that sound. Sabanci has redeemed himself though with the breakdown. As James May would say, “Everything is lovely in [breakdown] land.” And the beat coming out from the breakdown reminds me a bit of some older, classic trance. It’s not a polished, refined synth hit, but has a bit more ‘raw‘ feeling to it. With the bass behind it, it keeps us moving quite well through the night so far. So overall, I’d say it’s a pretty good track save the pitch-bend unnecessary junk.

7. Daniel Kandi – 3 Strikes UR In (6.5/10)

That was a bit of a weird cut for Armin from Sabanci to Kandi. No matter. Daniel Kandi is no stranger to the UR Series, as evident by the title to this song. Sagittarius is one of my favorite releases from him recently. This song, though, doesn’t live up to that as much. The beginning of the song is ok from his past works. The breakdown is decent as well. I feel like the beat the entire time, though, is just pinging back and forth from left to right speaker. It’s not, but it feels that way for some reason. It’s a generic uplifting track though, at the end of the night. While nothing bad, I’ve heard better from Daniel.

8. Dash Berlin feat. Emma Hewitt – Like Spinning Plates (Alexander Popov Remix) (6/10)

Dash Berlin has been making splashes in the trance world again. It’s been far too long since I’ve heard some truly outstanding work from them. Emma Hewitt also is on fire this year, releasing her first solo artist album on Armada. Here, though, the vocals are, unique? It’s not as smooth or colorful as, well, “Colours.” And then Alexander Popov’s touch on it is more along his techier/dirty route than his uplifting side. Luckily the breakdown is all Dash Berlin with the beautiful piano, disturbed a bit by Emma’s vocals, which are a bit indistinguishable. It almost reminds me of “Vampire” with Carrie Skipper, ‘cept Carrie Skipper did a superb job on that track.

Coming out of the breakdown our main melody picks up and the song is definitely more enjoyable. It’s perhaps a bit slower than what we’ve been used to so far, but I can appreciate the vocal and high BPM break. But that’s about all I can enjoy. For 3 big names in the trance scene right now, I expected perhaps a bit more. That seems to be a recurring theme so far on this album.

9. Paul Webster feat. Angelic Amanda – Time (MaRLo Dub Remix) (6.5/10)

A pretty good transition out from Dash Berlin, but to a song that’s been played a bit so far. It’s got a bit more groove and euphoria built in as we start off. The breakdown really makes use of the air-strings. As we get to the build up, we see where MaRLo makes his touches. I think he’s done a better job here than he did in ASOT 2012, to be honest. It’s a decently catchy song. Pretty good bass line, decent melody, and toned synths to make for a good filler in a mix, but that’s about it.

10. Tomas Heredia – The Witch (7/10)

Yet another really rough transition for Armin: it’s like the radio skipped or something. I expect better from a veteran top DJ. Regarding the song, the main intro beat is ok. I did enjoy the breakdown of this song. Very soothing with the piano and rising strings. Gets ruined though by the quick pulses of the main melody. The overall melody ends up being a pretty catchy tune though despite that hiccup, so I can forgive that and keep this on repeat for a bit. Definitely a good choice, though, for the middle of a club set. We end the song with that piano, which for me is the highlight of the song. Definitely a step in the right direction for Tomas, who’s been disappointing lately.

11. Andy Moor – K Ta (9.5/10)

Andy. Freaking. Moor. Yes, this song has been out for a bit. Yes, it’s on his new album. I don’t care. Play this tune all day and all night. The soft vocal hits. The melody. The feeling this song invokes is heavenly. This is the type of song that belongs front and center on a UR compilation. What makes it so special? The beautiful strings. The synths strumming away at your heart. The vocals cutting through the air like raining sapphires. This isn’t just the best tune on UR, it’s one of the top tunes of the year. Words can’t truly describe this masterpiece; you really just have to take my word for it and listen to this euphoric perfection. 1/2 point deducted, though, for Armin’s lack of mixing (again).

12. Richard Durand & Protoculture – Pleasure (8.5/10)

Yikes; another start/stop transition. Armin, this is a compilation mix CD, not your radio show. You can use your fader just a bit more.

Anyway, another Protoculture tune along with Richard Durand, who hasn’t been on my favorable DJs of late after he continues to botch the ISOS series (or at least Black Hole with the “classics” compilation from this year. Ugh. Anyway). But while both have produced average songs this year, we get another uplifting beauty following “K Ta.” I don’t know if Andy Moor before this just makes everything better or what, but both of these artists did a fantastic job with this track. Short but great breakdown. Proper buildup. Excellent euphoric synth work. Magnificent melody. Armin’s definitely in the groove now, a shame this couldn’t happen earlier.

13. Matt Bukovski – Retrospection (6/10)

So a bit basic of a melody to start off with. The breakdown seemed a bit too forced in regards to how the strings fade in and out. The main melody comes in fairly quickly too. It’s not bad, but there’s nothing too special about it. When the bass kicks in though is when the song starts becoming a bit more enjoyable. However, some of the notes and chords used in the main melody…not really feeling it. It’s got a weird vibe to it as well; I can’t describe it.

14. Aligator feat. Daniel Kandi – The Perfect Match (7.5/10)

Another song that’s been out for a while. Actually, after how the song ended from Bukovski, I could almost, almost see “The Fusion” being mixed in without any troubles whatsoever. Which would have been a disaster. But we get Aligator and Kandi instead. A quick breakdown early on for this song, but it should keep you moving. I mean, the crowd itself is clapping along. Definitely more of a club song than “3 Strikes” which he heard earlier from Daniel. While not overdone, the plucking synths could have been smoother for my taste. Still though, the melody does invoke a nice summer-ish feel to it despite being clubbier than beach-relaxing. The second breakdown here is a bit more in the style that we’ve heard from Daniel Kandi last year in his remix of “Home.” I smell a mashup coming on. But overall it’s great track to place in the end of a set.

15. Mark Burton vs Sunlounger – Try Understatement To Be Love (Armin van Buuren Mash Up) (4/10)

Another horrible start/stop transition from Armin. We go from the nice uplifting trance back to heavier trance bass. I thought we stopped that after the first CD Armin? The vocals are definitely sped up here to match Mark Burton’s music. Rather hear it slower and softer, as Sunlounger is meant for relaxing on a Balearic Beach, not late night in a club. Then the modifications of the vocals just sound off. The beach plucks in the middle of a techier trance song don’t do either song justice. I rather have just seen the Mark Burton song if we had to choose one this late into a set. Throw the Sunlounger song away from this mix. It was great in ASOT 2012’s “On The Beach;” you didn’t need another mashup Armin.

16. Neptune Project feat. Polly Strange – The Inside (6/10)

We end the album with a vocal track from the Neptune Project. We still have a nice beat going from the last song, so we’re keeping the energy high throughout. The vocals here are more soft hits rather than a full vocal-based song. But it brings a nice energy to the song. It’s a pretty uninspired melody for the most part, but the breakdown here is decent. All in all, it’s an okay way to end the album, but it’s no “Viking.” Nor does it even touch the brilliance in Chapter 3 when he heard “If You Should Go.”

So, there you have it: Disc 2 of UR6.

CD2 In the Club Average:6.81/10

So overall CD2 was much, much better than CD1 in terms of track selection, flow, and “UR” feel. It still suffered from things that this entire album suffered from: bad transitions, bad mixing, generic sounding tunes. Which is a shame since I have high hopes for a UR compilation and Armin’s mixing abilities.

Some highlights:

Castle In The Sky:

Andy Moor – K Ta (9.5/10) – Just superb. Simply wonderful.

Castle Underground:

Mark Burton vs Sunlounger – Try Understatement To Be Love (Armin van Buuren Mash Up) (4/10) – Another fail mashup. Mark Burton’s track by itself would have been just fine.

Armin’s Mixing – Again, what’s with the start/stop without fades?

Universal Religion Chapter 6 Average:6.69/10

So, there you have it. The sixth installment of Universal Religion by Armin van Buuren. And boy am I disappointed.

Let’s first go with production. EQ/Sound was fine throughout. But the mixing was subpar, especially for a long-time, world-class DJ like Armin. I don’t get the appeal nor mixing style of pushing start/stop at the same time. Probably because it isn’t mixing; it’s playing a song on the radio, but just in front of a live audience. Armin’s done a lot better on many of his past mixes. His ASOT 2012 suffered from this as well, but not as badly as we saw here. I’m not sure if he’s just getting lazy or people actually enjoy a DJ not mixing songs. But I’m not a fan.

Next is song selection. Armin claimed on Armada Videos that this was a CD to get back to his trance roots, that it would be full of high energy, uplifting tunes. It wasn’t. Sure, there was a good handful that met this criteria. Then there was crap mashups (Void vs. SED), bad remixes of songs that shouldn’t have been on here (Skytech’s Stadium Mix), songs that were played over 6 months ago (Fortuna)….it was just not always the best choices. CD1 especially suffered from this. And then when you saw artists that were recognizable for their music, you got generic sounding synths. Which is probably better than the Turbulence pitch used in some songs; so 2011.

Next to song order. CD2 was pretty decent. I thought it started off ok, but definitely went better as you got deeper into the set. CD1? We flip-flopped more than a political candidate between soft uplifting and degga W&W club music. Can we not just have one or the other?

Finally, we get to the album as a whole. Does it represent Universal Religion? Well maybe Chapter 5 if you had to force me to put it somewhere. But it doesn’t even scratch the surface of the brilliance of 1-4. Sure, there were some songs on here that kept that same feeling, but they were diamonds in the rough.

I think the problem here was there was just too many songs chosen to play for an Ibiza crowd, which now-a-days is tourist overun with house fans. Armin has to cater a bit to that. Which is fine, but don’t record that mix for a supposed “UR” compilation; save that for a Solarstone Pure Trance Event.

Anyway, time for:

FAQ!

Let’s get to the elephant in the room: should I buy this?

Hm. I honestly have a hard time saying yes to buying it. There are some great songs on here, no doubt. But whether they’re completely overshadowed by the average songs or not is your call. I’d say get it if you really like the ASOT Radio Show.

How does this rank with earlier Universal Religion Compilations?

UR5 paled in comparison to 1-4. This can’t even match UR5. That should answer your question.

How are you feeling about this double-disc, maybe yearly, format?

Not good. I rather have Armin record all of his sets and come back to the studio saying, “Hey, that was a really good, back-to-the-roots trance set! Maybe I should make another UR compilation from it” than forcing himself to make a set every summer in Ibiza out of all places. Also, I think the double disc ruined the feel of the UR series. Go back to a single disc. As I said earlier, 2 discs 1 Theme? Doesn’t always work.

What things reminded you of that classic UR feeling?

I’d say Stoneface & Terminal’s work in the first CD and then Andy Moor in CD2. But quite honestly, they were far and few in between as compared to last year.

What tore down this bliss?

Mashups, Transitions, Song Selection. Bad, worse, and poor. No more needs to be said than that.

What should be done different in the future?

Stop releasing them every year, go back to one CD, and stick with trance roots as Armin wanted to do this time around.

Any surprises?

Surprises as in “zomg I can’t believe this album!” or “zomg i can’t believe this album “

Good surprises.

Um, well, if I had to pick one song I didn’t hear really a head of time that was excellent, I’d say “Headliner” by Mr. Jorn.

Last but not least, do you recommend this album?

Oh boy. Usually in the past I came right out and said yes to this question. Here, I think you really have to enjoy mainstream trance on ASOT Radio for me to say yes. Fans of “pure” trance are better off with some of the singles from this compilation.