Introduction

We start our yearly compilations in 2014 a bit late this year. In the past few years, we’ve been treated to the ASOT Yearly Compilations before the mega-festivals across the globe, but this year, it seems Armin’s making us a wait a bit. Still earlier than 5+ years ago with summer releases, but definitely a bit later than the February Release from last year.

We’ve got a great 2014 ahead with the standard Anjunabeats and Markus Schulz compilations to look forward to later in the year. So far, we’ve been treated to a Markus Schulz album, a JOOF Compilation, Eco’s Constellations In You, and a few others to start off the 1st Quarter. Later on the year, the potential follow-up to Group Therapy from Above & Beyond as well as the Boom Jinx album, amongst others. Finally, while the club sounds in trance have been making waves for the past few years, we’re starting to see the mainstream crowd flock to Trap and Deep House. Will we see any future cross-overs? Or will trance continue in the 138 range? Only time will tell.

But for now, we start our spring off with Armin van Buuren’s A State of Trance 2014. This is the 11th year of the compilation, being released before the big finale of ASOT 650 at the Winter Music Conference in beautiful Miami, Florida, USA. As always, expect to see tunes on this album that were heard already during the prior live sets for ASOT 650 if not already released on the various labels.

Armin’s been busy with his Armin Only Tours from his album release last year, so unfortunately I expect that constant touring and preparations for these sets have taken a toll on the series yet again. ASOT 2013 clocked in just shy of a 7/10 in my prior review, with the first CD being too scattered for any decent flow and the second CD lacking consistency in great songs. So how will 2014 stack up? We’ve seen a departure from the Beach and Club feelings over the past few years, and my guess is that the 138 style Armin has been pushing will make its way into CD2. Is it time for Armin just to ditch these names and go with Club / 138 for the CD?

As I’ve stated in the past, I listen to these compilations for better or worse, as this compilation no doubt has tunes that define the mainstream trance genre for the rest of the year. These songs will be on air for the next 3 months and will likely populate some of the spots in every Top 20 Trance list at the end of the year. Looking over the tracklist this year, we’ve got the potential for a decent release in the series, with another Alex M.O.R.P.H. and Natalie Gioia track, some new tunes from Hazem Beltagui (one of my favorite artists from last year), Scream II Markus Schulz Tunes, newer Armin and Gaia tracks, and of course some serious uplifting from Simon O’Shine, Aly & Fila, and John Askew.

We’re also changing cover styles again. After the lonely bench photo from last year, we’ve got a…silhouette-isque, teal face? Not really sure, but definitely more monochromatic than last year.

As usual, Armin’s compilations are a mix of many unreleased tracks with a handful of either released or already played tracks. Let’s get to what you came here for. I will offer my thoughts on each CD separately, the compilation as a whole, and final concluding thoughts as always.

So, let’s go..

On The Beach with CD1

01 Adam Szabo & Willem de Roo – Medusa (Intro Remix) (8.5/10)

We don’t start that soft, with the synths kicking in the lows from the get-go. So if you were expecting a really toned-down intro, you won’t get it here. But you do get a soothing one, one that really hints at an old school Blizzard and Omnia production (think 2008 or so). So when the main drum kit and synths kick in after about a minute and a half (with the pitch-up), you get the impression that you’re in for a great ride for the first CD.

That being said, it’s painting a picture that’s been different of years past. Instead of relaxing outside on the beach as the sunsets in CD1, you’re already center-stage of a nighttime party. I’ll talk later why I think Armin needs to readjust his theme names for the CD, but for now just remember that this isn’t the same beach that Armin’s visited in the past. Still, if you can look past that, it’s a great mix of 2008 style sounds with the newer club sounds of today. Definitely has the Omnia vibe to it, and Adam Szabo and Willem de Roo have had label success on Enhanced Recordings in the past few years.

02 Tommy Johnson feat. Nanje Nowack – Burn The Sun (7/10)

Looking through the tracklist for this side, a few things are going to stand out. There’s 17 tracks and there’s a lot of “featuring,” so you know that there’s going to be a fair bit of vocals for CD1 (this is no City Series Compilation from Markus Schulz where vocals come once an hour). You also know that transitions are going to be quick. But whereas in the past few Armin compilations they’ve been poorly done, this one actually went well. Hopefully we’ll see this trend continue.

We’re quick to the breakdown, which features a nicely-tuned pan flute sound (interesting choice, and a great one at that). “I see it crystal clear as we burn the sun.” It’s refreshing to not see the same vocalists used over and over again by artists (Ana Criado was all the rage a few years ago). As you might expect with trance songs, the vocals have the depth of a kiddie swimming pool and the complexity of water, but we don’t typically listen to trance for their lyrical persuasion, do we?

The song itself is your standard fare from Tommy Johnson. A nice light vibe to it with the backings of any “pick-a-song” that you might hear in passing on Monster Recordings or Enhanced. So it’s not particularly stand-out or special, but it’s keeping things light to start of CD 1.

03 Alex M.O.R.P.H. feat. Natalie Gioia – My Heaven (6/10)

The follow-up to last year’s hit Dreams. Which is a follow up to the very successful An Angel’s Love. I had a soft spot for Dreams, and Natalie’s voice was heavenly in that song. So can Alex MORPH do it yet again? Or will this just be another pointless followup of the same sounds / vocalist that others have tried (and failed) at in the past.

There really isn’t any transition to this song: it’s your standard stop/go fare from Armin. The actual song itself carries over a few synths from Dreams, but I’m not a fan of the underlying instruments used (the ooo-aaa in the background). It takes away from the more summerly sounds in the front of the mix.

As always, Natalie’s voice is a great addition to the track, but I think her prior work was just a tad better, and unlink Dreams, I almost rather have this track as a dub mix rather than the vocal mix. Combine that with the soothing yet decent sounds from Alex, you get a track that might be great in a mix but fails to really shine out. “Your smile, your touch…Your love…”

04 Dart Rayne & Yura Moonlight – Athena (7/10)

Part of an EP recently released on the A State of Trance sub-label alongside Battleship, we get the power-duo of Rayne and Moonlight. Both have had strong success in the past, and again this song really highlights their abilities as producers. It keeps in line with our prior songs, mixing soothing synthetic strings and a bit of the club sounds popular in Hour 1 of ASOT. The breakdown is a bit more boastful, however, from our prior tracks, kicking the mix up a few notches as we move deeper into the night. In that sense, it’s going to be a miss for some of the listeners who expected just the purer sounds of Yura Moonlight, but I think overall the duo did a good job on the track; it’s definitely the better release on their EP.

05 Andrew Bayer – Once Lydian (9.5/10)

Andrew Bayer. What a talented producer. The man has touched and shaped a wide range of music, from his Deep House releases on Anjunabeats (including You and his remix of P.O.S.) to his trance releases (Keep Your Secrets featuring Molly Bancroft, The Emergency with BT, and In and Out of Phase) to his funky progressive house (England and Detuned). He even slowed down the tempo a bit with tracks such as Need Your Love. His two artist albums so far have been an exploration into the electronic sound, and you can expect that every release from him is refreshing, new, and willing to push the boundaries of music forward. Sure it’s a hit or miss system, but Andrew seems to be pushing out more hits than misses lately.

Anyway, this song. It’s a quick transition to it, starting with the standard club drum kit popular in today’s Anjunabeat releases. That’s the only downside to this song, and the only thing keeping it from a perfect 10 in my mind. But the majority of the song is this superb synthetic exploration of mind, of sound, of soul-searching, and of movement on the dance floor. It is the 2014 equivalent of the way trance is meant to be: not just another club song, but a journey of the mind and body. To enter into a trance-like state. Where all thoughts and worries are pushed aside, and it’s just you and the music with the DJ as your guide. It is hands-down one of my favorite tracks from Andrew Bayer’s recent releases, and is definitely on my list for my personal Top 20 of the year. I would be content just keeping this on replay for the remainder of the 80 minutes for CD1. Perhaps alongside the club drums and kicks at the beginning and the end, the only other downside is it has more of a great end of night club sound rather than a beach sound, but for Bayer, I’ll make an exception.

Oh yes, Lydian, I assume, is reference to the musical scale first proposed in Greek musical theory.

06 Aly & Fila feat. Jaren – End Of The Road (Hazem Beltagui Remix) (7.5/10)

Talk about high expectations for this song. Jaren working again with Aly & Fila after a decent transition is one thing, but my 2013 producer of the year, Hazem Beltagui, on the remix? After hits such as We Are, I was definitely excited for this track, despite it being our 3rd vocal of the night. “But I’m just losing my mind…” It’s a track with heavier low kicks and a dirtier and distorted synth as its main beat, making it a great followup from Once Lydian. The breakdown is where we see the sounds of Hazem finally creep in: “A feel a shift…I take a breath from my heart.” The piano breakdown is refreshing here, especially since we haven’t had it as of late. And while it “feels like the end of the road, it’s not the end of the road” just yet, as we’re only a third of the way in tonight.

07 Bogdan Vix & Renee Stahl – Forever (6.5/10)

We’ve got a smooth transition and key change into our next song with the beautiful, haunting voice of Renee Stahl (from last year’s Pink Skye on Anjunabeats). Haven’t heard much about the Romanian producer Bogdan Bix, so it’s refreshing to see some new names on our list this year.

“As the winter comes…ache and fall forever.” The lyrics match the introductory beat. It’s a bit darker and a bit sadder than what we’ve had so far. “You’re the best thing that I found…forever…I will never love again.” Unfortunately, it’s the post-breakdown where the song falters, introducing club elements and big room sounds that really ruin the sound that was found in the beginning of the song. It fits in well with the past few songs in this clubbier section of CD1, but I rather see the full 6 minutes of a track being given to another song more worthy of the time. Especially when the middle 30% is such a large difference from the buildup and outro of the song.

08 Fabio XB & Liuck feat. Christina Novelli – Back To You (Wach Remix) (6.5/10)

Another quick transition here. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a fan of Wach from his track on UR 7, and Christina Novelli is starting to bore me after her involvement with a constant stream of tracks since 2012.

The breakdown starts early in the song with your standard piano melody. “The current pulls me back to you…” It’s your typical work by Novelli, so if you’re not a fan of her voice, it’s going to get tiring quickly, with you wishing that Armin would consider a dub mix occasionally. But Fabio XB & Liuck do a good job on the production end of things. Nothing necessarily special in their synth or drum kit selection, but it’s got a moving melody worthy of the mood Armin’s created so far. And a second breakdown with a string section that really marks the highlight of the song, followed by unfortunately the low point: “Tide goes in, tide goes out.” You can’t explain that Christina. Moon don’t real.

Anyway, Bill O’Riely aside, I just wish we could take this journey sans vocals, especially when we’re in the middle of a 5 in a row set.

09 Andrew Rayel feat. Alexandra Badoi – Goodbye (6/10)

Andrew Rayel on an Armin compilation? Say it ain’t so. The vocals are heavy from the get go. The sounds are classic Rayel, more in line with his earlier works thankfully than his big room sounds as of late. Is there a piano breakdown? Silly question, of course there is.

Alexandra’s voice, though, is a bit offsetting initially but fits better at the breakdown “before she says goodbye.” The big room synths and pitch up from Rayel bring us into the main melody. It’s a 2014 twist on his earlier works such as 550 Senta. It doesn’t scream big room noise, but it’s not necessarily innovative such as Dark Warrior, which was surprising (in both good and bad ways). The ending of the song reminds me of what would happen if you gave big room trance sounds to Phillip Glass while he was composing Act III of The Photographer.

10 MaRLo feat. Jano – Haunted (5/10)

Another quick transition into our 5th and final vocal in a row, with MarLo and Jano. MaRLo has been hit or miss for me as of late; we see him with his usual sounds here. “Haunted by the night…” Jano’s voice resonates well over the piano and orchestral strings in our breakdown. “Take one breath…it’s not the end.” While Jano has been featured one a fair number of tracks the past few years, I haven’t grown tired of her voice just yet.

The post-breakdown though is definitely the big room noise common in Hour 1 of ASOT, Anjunabeat releases as of late, and random house parties across the US. Which is to say I’ve grown a bit tired of trance songs taking the approach that the only way to get people to move, dance, and feel anything is with big, throbbing bass lines. If 2001 trance was an endless wave of songs with 3 minute breakdowns to see how long you could hold your hands up in the air, than 2013/2014 is an endless curse of songs attempting to see how much they can be big room and electro house while still resembling some sort of trance sound. It’s tiring, and one that I hope will change in the next few years.

11 Soarsweep – Between Empires (6.5/10)

We start with the overused pitch-up synth technique at the start of our song. So nothing special to start here in what seems to be another standard cut and past trance song of today. Club sounds to start off our track. Put in a soothing trance melody. We go with piano and string plucks here (which are nice, admittedly). Massive breakdown to emphasize the importance of the moment. Since we’re exiting the breakdown, we need to bring in our drum kit and pitch up to our final beat, combining the club sounds with the primary melody of our breakdown.

Not to say that this method can’t be done well (it has and can be), but it’s a bit tiring at times. Maybe I’ve just been in the trance scene for too long and have become too jaded to really appreciate modern trance tracks. Maybe my current exploration in true progressive house and deep house (as well as tech house) is a much needed fresh break from a scene that is trying to stay relevant as the rest of the world looks towards big room and electro house. I’m not sure. But I do know that for trance to really step up its game and reach back to its loyal fans, we’ve got to move on from song designs like this one.

12 Craig Connelly – Decibels (7.5/10)

See? Trance can be refreshing in 2014. Craig Connelly has definitely been one of my under-the-radar producers for great kicking house and trance music. This one is a bit weird since it starts out a bit softer than what I’d expect from Craig. It’s a bit more grandiose and soaring in the breakdown than some of his prior works. And post-breakdown is a commanding synth line that’s sure to attract attention on the dance floor. It still uses some elements that have been a bit overused by Craig and the industry, but it’s a short but sweet song to keep the energy and tempo of the mix up as we near the end of CD1.

13 Gareth Emery feat. Bo Bruce – U (Bryan Kearney Remix) (6.5/10)

I’m calling it now. This song is making the Top 10 (if not 5) for the EOYC this year, and will undoubtedly be overplayed to death from now until then. Some might see it as deserved. Others as a bit tiring and just another house trying to be trance song with another pointless vocal. I’m split in between here. It’s definitely a lot better than what Gareth has done in the past year in his move to house and now back to trance, but it’s no where near his Northern Lights album era in terms of pure talent that oozed from each track.

It’s designed as a Top 20 Pop track with trance under-pinnings. Not a personal fan of Bo’s voice here, since it really isn’t distinctive from any other pop song of the past 10 years. And the vocals? Eh…”No I never saw the light…I just closed my eyes…all I saw was you.”

The breakdown is a decent piano piece put together by Gareth, and the overall beat is for the original song is ok. I think Bryan Kearney did a good job at kicking things up a notch with his immediately recognizable synth leads. But I’ve heard harder hitting and better work from Kearney, so I don’t think this is his best remix. But I do think this is the best mix for this song so far (again a dub would shine here).

14 Protoculture – Music Is More Than Mathematics (8.5/10)

Indeed Protoculture, Music is much more than just a mathematical relationship of collision of waves. I was impressed with Talisman from Buenos Aires ’13 last year, and was definitely a refreshing side of Protoculture. This sort of extends in the same light. The beginning is much more reminiscent of acid or psy trance to an extent, and definitely high tempo to continue from Bryan Kearney. The breakdown is a bit clubbier than some of his past works, but the vocoder and vocal effects are a bit odd. Good odd, but still interesting from what I’ve heard in songs as of late. It’s definitely a banging tune though from Protoculture, and while not in the same style as Talisman, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing here. Definitely a highlight on this side of the album.

15 Max Graham vs Maarten de Jong – Lekker (6/10)

Maarten has definitely had some great hits over the years, and Max Graham is no stranger to ASOT Fans, especially with his The Evil ID track of late. This definitely takes in line with that style of sound and progression, staying a bit darker up until the breakdown, where Maarten shines. Not to be confused of course with Menno de Jong, of course. Still, as a whole it doesn’t outclass prior works from these two, and is a decent filler as we close out the CD.

16 Markus Schulz – Destino (9.5/10)

As a whole, Markus’ new CD Scream II left me unimpressed. It wasn’t up to Markus standards, and definitely fell short of Scream. That being said, there were a few standout tracks on the album, and this is one of them. Loved it when Markus included it in Buenos Aires , and again it shines here as we finish up our club side…i mean beach side of ASOT 2014. Absolutely love the synth plucks throughout the song; it’s classic Big Room Schulz in line with The Spiritual Transmission and Remember This. Definitely one that’s been on repeat from the album, and hopefully a sound that shines above the other big room club sounds from the trance scene as of late; it does to me.

17 RAM & Susana – RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) (5/10)

Ugh. Of course this is on here. Overplayed and over-rated from 2013 and despite it being out since forever, Armin just has to include it again. Why not some more Coldharbour sounds after Destino? I won’t fault you for that Armin. I’m going to repeat most of my thoughts when I reviewed the Top 20 on ASOT last December. I’ll start by saying that losing a loved one is never, ever easy. And when you lose someone that young, it tears your soul apart. I would not wish such a thing on my worse enemy. However, to use this as justification of a song that had just came out being the Number 2 song of the year in 2013 on ASOT? Another play time on a compilation 4 months later? I don’t see it. Some argue “An Angel’s Love wannabe.”

It might seem like I’m hating on the song. And I’m not. It’s decent beat, overused but still nice piano breakdown, and Susana does a typical job on vocals (albeit not her best work), but remove the sad story behind it, and there’s no substance holding it up. It’s a decent trance track that’s being played again and again months later based solely on its back-story. And for a music movement that should be pushing forward, it’s sad that we keep looking in the past.

So, we’ve finished our On the Beach tour:

CD 1 On The Beach Average: 7/10

Weirdly, CD1 did worse this year than the prior two years, and I personally thought that it would be different this year. But thinking about it some more, the reason it scored 1/2 point lower is simple: there weren’t that many stand out tracks on CD1 that really excited me or even made a push for the genre. On the plus side, there weren’t any really devastatingly bad tracks either, so that’s always a good thing. And while I think Armin has finally found a consistent sound for CD1 in this new era of trance, it’s definitely more of a club setting than a beach setting. Which is a shame, since Armin can do warmup progressive sets so well.

Sand Beneath Your Toes:

Adam Szabo & Willem de Roo – Medusa (Intro Remix) (8.5/10) – A surprising great intro mix this year, and while a bit clubbish, sounded like an old school Omnia track. I love old school Omnia, no surprise why this track was a hit.

Andrew Bayer – Once Lydian (9.5/10) – On my short list for tune of the year. Just a wonderful track from Andrew Bayer.

Markus Schulz – Destino (9.5/10) – Markus’ club sounds aren’t for everyone, but this is probably one of the better examples where he just hits all the right spots for a great moving tune.

Choppy Waves:

MaRLo feat. Jano – Haunted (5/10) – Average MaRLo track with uninspired big room sounds. Jano doesn’t add a whole lot here either.

RAM & Susana – RAMelia (Tribute To Amelia) (5/10) – I know some of the readers of this blog and r/trance love this song. I just can’t see its worth for being on here.

Mixing and Composition – The mixing was better than years past, but again way too many stop and starts due to the number of songs that Armin is including in these compilations. CD1 definitely had more of a club feel than a beach feel as well. Also too many vocals!

On to CD2, In the Club!

01 Armin van Buuren & Andrew Rayel – EIFORYA (Intro Mix) (4/10)

I’m debating whether this or D#Fat was the most useless collaboration that Armin has had in the recent past few years. Both artists have recognizable and over-used sounds. Both are Big Room House songs that attempt to disguise themselves to get into the annual Trance Gala. And both are just songs that could be just so much more.

It’s your standard marching drum pattern at the beginning with the vocal choir you’d expect with Armin on the collaboration. The Andrew Rayel big room sounds leading into a piano breakdown (Rayel of course) and the vocal oohs over the strings (Who else but Armin?). As we saw with D#Fat, as a trance song it fails on so many levels. But it works in a club setting that caters to current mainstream dance music fans. Which means it brings in the money for Armin to (hopefully) do other tracks to cater to longer-term fans. It also means (unfortunately) that this will probably be somewhere in the ASOT Top 20 along with every other Armin and Rayel track this year. They had 11/20 spots last year; at some point I’d like for #ASOTTranceFamily to get off the “omg arminxrayel4vr” hype train and actually put 5 seconds of thought into their personal Top 5 every year.

I’m rambling. The song sort of works if you don’t think about it too much for a club banger. So I guess it does work for this side of the album, but it’s not great trance. And it’s a lazy intro edit designed to get straight to the beats. But I think it’s perhaps marginally better than D#Fat, but then again I’ve always been a fan of the older W&W sounds.

02 Ørjan Nilsen – The Late Anthem (Way Too Late Mix) (6/10)

You hear that transition? The speed and note pitch-up? Expect to hear that frequently on this side of the album. On the plus side, that means we’ll have more than 1 second transitions, so I’ll take the small victories.

Anyway, Orjan. This is the man that brought us La Guitarra and Behind The Rays, two of his best works in the trance genre. As of late, however, we get two sounds from him. The Violetta sound which is amazing, and the Mafioso sound, which is big room. This song, a too late entry for the 650 Anthem, is a mix between the two. Again, the buildup is the latter, with the direct drum kicks and heavy lows. But the breakdown (short and sweet) is a medium pitching synth in the style of say Violetta. In that case, while not the best work that Orjan has ever produced, it’s far from the worse. And it’s a song that definitely keeps a club atmosphere grooving.

All of that being said, it’s definitely no trance anthem, so part of me is glad that it was “way too late” for ASOT 650.

03 Alexander Popov – Quantum (7/10)

I’ve been wanting to like Alexander Popov for a while now. He’s definitely released some hits on Armin in the past, but I’ve always seen him as an okay uplifting trance producer. Nothing bad about the songs, but they just lacked something special about them.

This song attempts to fix some issues. It’s in your standard club style as of late for the trance scene. But the breakdown with the angelic chorus, and the back and forth with the muted synths and those at full blast is a nice back and forth. And the main bass line just hits all the right low spots. So will it win fans over to Popov? Probably not. But there’s something about the song that’s letting me re-focus on Alexander moreso than prior attempts. So while it doesn’t go in as a full win, it’s definitely in my view as a production that is attempting to do more to the scene than before.

04 Eximinds – Phoenix (6.5/10)

Eximinds used to make some great progressive and uplifting trance, so it’s unfortunate to see them follow the path of so many other producers who feel that the only way to sell tracks and make money in today’s scene is by making club productions.

That being said, it seems that while Eximinds is unwilling to go fully back over to their original sounds, they at least re-test the waters with Phoenix. The quick pulsing synths and play with the low-pass filter in the breakdown actually sounds decent. While the main melody is definitely driving for a club, it’s got too much of that grandiose “hey look at me” type melody. But that’s a minor point as the piano accents the backing sounds.

So, best efforts? No where close. But definitely surpasses some of Eximinds’ recent works in the club scene.

05 Gaia – Empire Of Hearts (6.5/10)

The new Gaia. The next bastardization of a name in Armin’s war path. Armind was the first victim, and now it seems that any club song with the heavenly synths recycled from prior songs is now worthy of the Gaia name.

Because that’s what the song is: your standard buildup club drums. The classic Armin breakdown that was heard in his earlier songs. And then building up to the main melody with the same style that we’ve heard in 95% of his Intense Album tracks. And finish with the main melody that, again, works for a modern club scene. But Gaia was never about that.

Is it the worst Gaia production? I think that award goes to Stellar. But it’s a poor follow-up from Humming The Lights; at least that track at least attempted to be unique and keep in line with Gaia releases of the past.

For those that are looking for another Tuvan or Aisha, look elsewhere.

06 RAM – Kingdom Of Dreams (8/10)

So with the start of this track, you can see how Armin’s lowly transitioning into the “Who’s Afraid of 138?” and “Who’s ready for some serious uplifting” part of his radio show and now compilation. It’s got only minor club sounds in the beginning, but is really more of a classic uplifter from RAM. A few similaritys to RAMelia, but not much. The breakdown feels like I just got transported to the Barbican Centre and had the London Symphony Orchestra compose music from scratch. Really well done, and the main melody, while perhaps normalized when it comes to all the sounds, is actually more of a call back to older RAM.

I was pleasantly surprised with this song, and expect to see this do well in the coming months. The only fault is that pitch up out of transition that seems so popular now-a-days.

07 Type 41 – Mythology (Dimension Remix) (7/10)

Speaking of annoying transitions…We have a short song here and go quickly into our breakdown, which you can definitely hear Dimensions’ touch on it. Very appropriate for the work that Type 41 has done on Silent Shore, and seamlessly transitions from the piano to synths back to the main beat. This is the type of trance I miss, and am glad to see it alive and well on a mainstream trance compilation. Again, still has the club pitch-up sounds that are just un-necessary, ones that I am still waiting to go away 3 years later. Which means the exit of this song is more big room sounds rather than the center focal of the song which works in the trance world. So think of it as Once Lydian, except not as spectacular.

08 MaRLo – Visions (7/10)

This was the MaRLo I wanted to hear in CD1 with Jano instead of Haunted. It definitely has his signature club sound from the development of the beat into the breakdown. Armin did a good job transitioning to this song after we had a few higher tempo tracks; on the opposite hand, I rather have just seen tracks like Visions played earlier in the mix solely and focused on a slow rise up to 140bpm.

Anyway, this track. Good work by MaRLo. Catchy tune, danceable beat, and in line with some of his better works in the past few years.

09 Inge Bergmann – Oblivion (8/10)

And back to the more energy and tempo tracks. So Inge Bergmann is otherwise known as Lemon, who’s name you may have seen in Solarstone’s sets as of late with hits such as We Can’t Fly. Ignore that urge to connect those two together. Two different artists sadly. This is the Lemon that’s associated with Lemon & Einar K. A good deal of ASOT Label records, but none particularly that stand out in my mind.

That being said, this track on the “In Trance We Trust” label might just change that. It’s got a decent melody into the breakdown, which sounds very Tubular Bell like. Sort of mysterious and haunting. That lone drum tap 3 times in the background to enhance that feeling. Back to a moving main melody. It’s not the most impressive track, but it’s got a unique flavor to it that suits well in the mix.

10 Wach – Carthage (6/10)

When I reviewed Universal Religion 7, I mentioned that Wach’s The Queen was full of cliche elements in trance and brought nothing new to the table, but as an 18-year old producer, hadn’t perhaps had the time to develop a signature sound yet.

This song attempts to correct some of those issues, but unfortunately still relies on some trance cliches to push a song across to the audience. The breakdown starts off interesting with the strings, but then goes into the typical, long-winded piano & strings melody. The main melody is your clash between uplifting and club sounds (mainly, what happens when we push 128 anthems up to 1.3.8.). So, in similar fashion to what Wach has produced in the past, it’s not necessarily anything bad or him doing anything wrong, but it just feels like a filler track in a mix, one that you’ve already forgotten about by the time the next song comes into fruition.

11 Jorn van Deynhoven – New Horizons (A State Of Trance 650 Anthem) (7.5/10)

We come to the expected “insert anthem here” for our mixes with Jorn van Deynhoven’s New Horizons. While maybe not the best anthem from the 650 Compilation, it definitely was one of the better ones. And while no where close to the best anthem of all time for a trance event, it at least attempts to be memorable.

We start with the classic sounds of van Deynhoven at the beginning, setting up for the breakdown. A muted flute perhaps? Followed by the inevitable symphony and choir that seems to be a necessary staple in modern trance anthems.

That being said, Jorn does it well, and it definitely feels more designed for the uplifting trance that’s been kicking around as of late instead of The Expedition which was more in tune with the club sounds in the scene. I enjoy the muted 12 bar / full blast 4 bar he uses to get out of the breakdown back into the main melody. Variance in an otherwise 4/4 world.

12 Dart Rayne & Yura Moonlight and Katty Heath – Stole The Sun (Allen & Envy Remix) (9.5/10)

A vocal! This is how we should do it for a trance set, and everything is working nicely so far. Great transition, the second Dart/Yura collaboration, and Allen and Envy on remix duties. It’s promising a great song.

Our quick movement to the breakdown confirms this thought. “The promise you made…you stole the sun. Here in my heart…” I really like the vocals on this track. Katty Heath did an excellent job here, and who’s voice I definitely wouldn’t mind hearing again in future songs.

But the track itself is actually just that much better than Dart/Yura’s Athena, and man did Allen & Envy do a great job on remixing it for the high energy and tempo setting. Well worth the release on A&R Recordings. And definitely a track that’s perfect for this side of the CD. Well done.

13 Simon O’Shine & Adam Navel – Marathon (Simon O’Shine Remix)(10/10)

Ah, Simon O’Shine. Apprehension was such a well received track last year, and I was interested to see how a sequel (albeit with a different co-producer) would change anything.

Spoilers. It doesn’t. It’s got that great orchestral breakdown with the fading vocal “aahhhs” in the background. I love the 3 notes at the end of the break, as if you’re just setting up for the end (as if all hope is lost), but then, that runner’s determination in a marathon kicks in for the full finish. Definitely a great uplifter from Simon O’Shine. I don’t know how it compares to Apprehension; both are excellent tracks but the co-production change is noticeable. Still, doesn’t lower the quality of the song, and is a solid effort from a producer I need to keep my eye on for the future.

14 Allen Watts – Blackout (8.5/10)

We’re still in a end-of-the-night setting with high uplifting bangers, treated to our first Allen Watts track of the side. Talk about a great tune from Monster Digital, who’s just pushing out some great tracks as of late (up there with Blue Soho in my recent favorite labels). Largest critique here towards Armin is that this track has been out and released for a few months, but I’m not complaining since it hasn’t been played to death like other songs on CD1 at the end…

Anyway, track itself is a solid production from Allen Watts. A short but sweet breakdown with a melody that’s perfect for the club while still maintaining the typical Allen sounds. While in the past I’ve been a sucker for a good piano breakdown, I’m really starting to enjoy the faded choir vocal hits that are being used in the genre as of late, at least for now. We’ll see how long it takes for it to be overdone and played out way past its time.

15 James Dymond – Siren’s Song (7.5/10)

Another great producer for two sub-genres. He’s been making some excellent uplifting songs like this for a while now, but I daresay he has some older fans that might be calling him back for his tech-trance sounds.

Regardless, a well developed melody with high energy all around. The quick change in the middle of the song (pitchup and weird vocal) ruin it just a tad from the energy that we’ve developed, but I understand the need for a quick 5 second break. Still think that could have been handled better, though.

16 John Askew – Shine (8/10)

A surprising quicker and rougher transition here from Armin, considering how well he’s done for the last half of the mix. Part of the issue is that the lows are just a bit too much, especially from our prior song.

Anyway, Askew hopefully needs no introduction into the work he’s produced as of late. It’s your standard production all-around, with a classic breakdown that refuses to cut out the electronic drums in return for a continued beat. Initially, I wished the song was more tech-y as we’ve seen in some past productions, but you can start to hear the same modulation of his sounds that we’ve seen in his prior tracks and remixes of the past. No where close to my favorite work from him (that belongs to his remix of Stresstest), but definitely a solid track from Askew. I just was hoping for it to be a bit…tech-ier.

17 Armin van Buuren – Save My Night (Allen Watts Remix) (9/10)

Right, so I don’t care that this song was made in conjunction with Heineken. This is the new style of Armin that I can really get behind and enjoy. The original song has a great groove to it, and definitely one of my favorites from “More Intense.” The remixes were hit or miss, but Allen Watts did a great job at crafting a new beat for the track while keeping in the original elements. And ensuring, of course, that it was a great uplifter in the process.

“The music saves my soul. The beat saves my life. Tonight, the DJ saves my night.” It’s missing that muted pluck synth from the original song, which I actually did enjoy, but it would detract from the rest of the mix. And that’s where Allen Watts really shines on this remix.

In short, while the original song is definitely the newer style of Armin, it’s remixes like this that really make it versatile for all listeners of trance. #SaveATop20SpotForWatts please. Now, let me take a #selfie.

18 Armin van Buuren – Ping Pong (9/10)

“Ping. Pong. Ping. Pong. Ping. Pong. Ping. Pong.” Just in case you needed the lyrics for this song.

This is one of those really catchy tunes that you’d never expect Armin to actually produce, let alone play, let alone market after the fact. Yeah, it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the mix, but I’m fine if we can end with this track. It’s absurdly simple. It’s definitely very acid trance fused with electro house. But my goodness is it catchy as everything. I can completely understand why and how this would be a hit in Armin Only and ASOT 650 sets. It’s such a diverse set of sounds that I can’t remember Armin actually exploring in a long time, if at all. The first half is definitely catered towards the club, the house go-ers. But the second half is so…unexpected? The first time I heard it, I actually wasn’t a fan. But it grew on me quickly. Sounds like something W&W would have used in their arsenal. A bit Mission Impossible influenced as well.

It’s a fun song. You can’t take it seriously; that’s not what it’s meant to be. And when we have songs that are trying to be the center of attention in a mix, you have songs like this that just sit back sipping margaritas on the beach. And they’re the ones that end up getting the crowd surrounding them. Who knew having fun paid off?

So, there you have it: On the Club.

CD2 In the Club Average: 7.5/10

CD1 was definitely a club mix, 128-134bpm all the way through. It had no connection with its “Beach” name. This CD, however, at least kept to its club roots, but in two different parts of town. We had the big room sounds in the first half, with the second half being full of 138+. I’ll talk more about that in my FAQ, but hopefully you can see where that second half really helps push up the average score to 1/2 point higher than CD1.

Dancing with a Dime:

Dart Rayne & Yura Moonlight and Katty Heath – Stole The Sun (Allen & Envy Remix) (9.5/10) – Just a great vocal track with the energy that only Allen & Envy can provide.

Simon O’Shine & Adam Navel – Marathon (Simon O’Shine Remix)(10/10) – Superb co-production from these two. Excellent breakdown, and a worthy successor to Apprehension from last year.

Armin van Buuren – Save My Night (Allen Watts Remix) (9/10) – Allen Watts takes a good Armin song and turns it into a great one. He misses the main melody after “Save. My. Night.” but I can forgive that: the rest of the remix is spectacular.

Armin van Buuren – Ping Pong (9/10) – It’s a fun song. It’s catchy. You’re either going to hate it or love it. But get used to it. It’s going to be in every set for a few months and be Top 5 at the end of the year.

Overpriced Liquor:

Armin van Buuren & Andrew Rayel – EIFORYA (Intro Mix) (4/10) – Another worthless collaboration with a big room sound producer. Marginally better than D#Fat, but then again, that’s not a big accomplishment in a trance compilation, is it?

Gaia – Empire Of Hearts (6.5/10) – Better than black marks like Stellar, but a lazy Gaia tune. Humming The Lights was just that much better last year.

A State of Trance 2012 Average: 7.26/10

So, there you have it. A State of Trance 2014. Armin continues his compilation magic this year with his 2CD mix to start off the 2014 Year of Trance. This is usually one of the most anticipated albums by Armin van Buuren every year (the other being the Yearmix), and it’s not a surprise why. Memorable tunes, two settings, and a flow to keep you plugged in for hours with the CD on repeat. However, like we’ve seen in the past few years, transitions are still an issue for Armin when mixing 17-19 songs a side in an album, but the flow is definitely improved this time around. Time for the FAQ!

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy this?

You’re going to hear these songs regardless of your purchase for the next few months if you haven’t already. But a purchase really depends on where your passions lie in the trance field. If it’s the club sounds that fill Hour 1 of ASOT, then definitely. You’ll enjoy 3/4 of this entire CD without question. Some weak tracks, of course, but overall it has the sounds that will please your ear. If you’re an Hour 2 sort of person (that super uplifting), I’d avoid it and get tracks individually. You’re only going to be really enjoying the second half of CD2; potentially a few other spots in CD1.

Where do you place this on your ASOT list?

Due to styling difference, up until 2008:

• 2004 (some old school nostalgia on here. I mean, we start off with Mark Otten and Solid Globe. How can that not be a good compilation?)

• 2006 (especially CD1: magical)

• 2005

• 2007

For 2008-2011:

• 2008

• 2010

• 2011 (barely beaten out by 2010)

• 2009

And for our current 2012 and onwards

• 2012

• 2014

• 2013

Regarding the earlier mixes, they all are superb in their own rights. I think 2004 is just a wonderful 2 hour journey. 2006 CD1 is one of Armin’s best. Even 2007, while “last” in that ranking, is far from being average. All four are well worth your time to listen to if you haven’t already.

Regarding the next set of sounds, I loved 2008. Perhaps I’m a bit biased there as it was my first ASOT compilation that I listened to. 2010 and 2011 are very close to each other; both were excellent in their own ways. 2009 was a bit weak (good songs, just not a strong mix even 4 years later).

After Armin started to switch his styles a bit, we get the past three years of compilations. I think 2012 is still a strong contender for a good mix. Nothing on the older ones, but definitely up there. 2014 goes right in after that. Despite perhaps its push away from the Beach theme, it overall is still a solid album, especially if you enjoy the club sounds of today. But I have to place 2013, despite it being the 10th anniversary of this series, as the weakest. It couldn’t even follow up to 2012, which was kind-of weak to begin with.

Kind of interesting how, in my view anyway, that the even years typically produce better results than the odd years.

What made you happy?

• Andrew freaking Bayer. Once Lydian is this new style of trance done right.

• More Hazem Beltagui this year. It’s no We Are, but it’s still a great remix.

• Music is so much more than mathematics, no?

• The second half of CD2, from Stole The Sun to the very end.

• Ping. Pong.

What made you sad?

• Gaia. Just like with some tracks before, Armin produces a mediocre track not worthy of the name.

• Transitions are better than 2013 and even 2012, but still quick. I miss smooth transitions for mixes. At least this 138 push is bringing back good ones.

• Andrew Rayel. How the mighty have fallen.

• RAMelia. Please stop playing the song Armin, I beg you.

So, let’s talk about “In The Beach” and “In The Club.”

These are worthless names now. This was probably the first year that I really can’t point to any song that provides any sort of beach feeling in CD1. At least in the past few years we’ve had tracks that at least attempted to do so. Skylarking and We Are from 2013 are some highlights there. But Armin’s given up actually making great, lower tempo mixes. Or maybe it’s because all the 128-134bpm in the mainstream is all house sounding tracks now instead of great, slower trance. But those songs are out there, though! It’s sad, then, to see the only track that comes close is Medusa in the intro.

CD2 is a mixed club now as well. No more do we just see uplifting trance, but now a mix of the slower big room sounds followed by the uplifting sets. Again, at least we’re consistent instead of all over the place (for the most part), but still it begs the question: could the compilation be better organized?

Since it seems hardly likely that Armin’s going to be producing or selecting tracks in the same style as, say, 2004-2011, then he needs to change his titles in my opinion. “On The Beach” should resemble actually being on the beach, not just in some over-priced club in Ibiza. So I recommend “In The Club” and “Who’s Afraid of 138?!” or if we’re trying to stick with the same name, “In 138.” I don’t know; naming things isn’t my strong suit.

What I do know is that Armin should stick the club tracks into one CD like he does in Hour 1 and do CD2 as Hour 2 from his radio show: 138 and above. There’s definitely interest and enough tunes (his whole WAO138?! episode). So let the compilation reflect the split in the scene right now. More people would be happier and purchase the compilation in my opinion.

Would you recommend this album?

Really depends on your taste in music. It’s not bad necessarily, and is definitely a step up from 2014. It fits more in line with 2012, but with a bit less beach side of things. Basically, if you can ignore the grouping and enjoy the club trance sounds of late, you’re really going to enjoy the album. Most of the producers here pushed out their good production skills, at least when it comes to their current sounds.

If you’re a fan of the uplifting sounds, there are better albums out there. You’ll only get a small taste of 140bpm and more in the second half of CD2.

If you enjoy the sounds of 2000s Armin, run away quickly. Don’t even think you’re going to hear any real beach anthems in CD1, save for Adam Szabo and Willem de Roo.