As 2012 progresses, we’re introduced to the next major compilation addition while Los Angeles ’12 remains in the background: A State of Trance 2012. Back when it first started in 2004, it used to be released around the beginning of the year, shifting towards September in 2008, June in 2009, and back to early spring starting in 2010. This year, ASOT 2012 was released on March 1st, the earliest it has ever been released; no doubt to coincide with the 550th episode of ASOT Radio. Will this have impacted the quality so soon after pushing out ASOT Yearmix 2011 and other end of year activities combined with prepping for ASOT 550? Read on to find out…

I’ve said in my previous review for LA ’12 that the ASOT Compilation series is one of my “I’ll listen to this regardless if it’s good or bad” CDs as, for better or worse, it has tunes that define the mainstream trance genre for the rest of the year. Unlike the city series of Markus Schulz, I really didn’t start picking up ASOT until about 2008. Since then, it’s been hit or misses for the compilations for me. Last year, I thought 2011 was particularly good for the ASOT Compilation. We had CD1 hits such as Winter Stayed, Sandstone, and Rebound. CD2 had SED, We Control the Sunlight, and Skyfire (all three are good albeit overplayed). The tracklist for this year included the standards, such as The Blizzard, Susana, Aly & Fila, and Orjan Nilsen. While disappointed not to see anymore Triple A collaborations, I was pleased to see VillaNaranjos, Abstract Vision, and Andrew Rayel on set.

Unlike LA ’12 in which I hadn’t heard any of the songs ahead of time, ASOT 2012 is a little different. Partially because I listen to ASOT Radio more than GDJB, partially because some of the tracks have been on for a while. The Fusion was on LA ’12, Tenishia’s and Armin’s song (CD1) have been played on the show, Hyperfocus was on LA ’12, Invasion, Gaia, Nova Zembla, and 550 Senta have been on and/or out. So I was a bit disappointed to see many songs that have been already played and/or released on labels already. Still, I stand by the fact that songs can differ in quality between stand-alone and within a set, so I was looking forward to a night on the beach and in the club.

As with LA ’12, I will offer my thoughts on each CD separately, the compilation as a whole, and final concluding thoughts.

So, let’s go On the Beach CD1:

1. Omnia & IRA – The Fusion (Armin van Buuren’s Intro Edit) (3/10)

Last year, we were treated to Triple A’s “Winter Stayed” as our intro, a perfect example which embodies the spirit of CD1’s feel and vibe, especially with an intro tune. And while the intro starts off calm, it goes quickly into Omnia’s and IRA’s beat. Unlike LA ’12, Armin keeps the dubstep beat in. And unlike LA ’12 where Markus put this song into CD2 (the more upbeat half), Armin puts this as the first song for CD1, the typically more relaxing part of the compilation. Horrible. As CD2 intro? Definitely. CD1? Maybe if this were late night at Cancun, but not ASOT’s beach. Now, I absolutely love this song (despite everything wrong with it: the trouse, the Gareth Emery vibe, the dubstep portions), but this isn’t CD1 material. This was made for the clubs; keep it there Armin. Thankfully the rest of CD1 isn’t a club scene. We have a nice drop into

2. VillaNaranjos – Granadella (9/10)

Ah, this is more like it. It has that Ibiza sunset feel, that faded, pitched, unintelligible vocal spiking between the soft drums. The guitar plucks are a part of this soothing melody. There’s no fancy breakdown, no complex structure. Just a beat to listen to the waves crash as the sun sets below the horizon. If this had an intro mix, it would have been a perfect way to start off this side of the compilation. We get a quick transition to

3. Sunlounger feat. Zara Taylor – Try To Be Love (Roger Shah Naughty Love Mix) (7.5/10)

I love Zara’s voice. Her voice on “Lost” was breath-taking. The follow-up, “Found,” did not reach the same heights of play, sadly. Armin said on his pre-550 party that this was the follow-up to “Lost.” While I disagree for said reasons, it still had the potentials of excellence between Roger Shah and Zara Taylor. You get that Sunlounger melody, those guitars, that beat. It does have that tint of dirtiness to it (it is the Naughty Love Mix after all); those beats and Zara seducing you deeper and deeper. But despite all of this, it just doesn’t reach the same levels of “Lost.” It will do well mainstream, but I miss the older Sunlounger vibe that is only hinted at in this song. We get a crescendo of a transition to

4. The Blizzard – Piercing The Fog (9.5/10)

I hope Omnia remixes this song. Omnia and the Blizzard on the same track can do no wrong. Still, this is the Blizzard, and I had high hopes for this track. Last year we saw the excellent “My Inner Island,” and we are treated to more of The Blizzard’s signature sounds. Armin continues the trend of keeping us in that summer mood, but we see a slight pickup during the quick break (incorporating some of BT’s famous stutter edit tools). It composes lovely synths, a good but not overpowering beat, and overall music that is transcendental. This is the type of music I can just plug into and get lost in. As a side note, this is one of the reasons I love trance: the feelings, the emotions that are kicked up by listening to these 4/4 beats. Bliss. It might not stack up with their previous work, but it still is superb nonetheless. We get a pretty sharp transition to

5. Audien – Keep This Memory (6/10)

Which is odd for Armin: he is one of the best when it comes to transitions. That being said, Audien. Been a while since I’ve listened to “Mind Over Matter.” We have that higher BPM in this track, a lovely piano in the background. Kinda gets away from that beach feel a bit, and the overall melody is ok, nothing memorable. It does become a bit repetitive halfway through: there’s no real buildup and the breakdown is a bit mediocre. While some songs have a beat I want to loop forever, this isn’t one of them. It’s a good filler track as we progress to

6. Alexander Popov – When The Sun (Eximinds Remix) (6.5/10)

Mr. Popov has been producing a lot lately for Armin’s compilations. We get a harsh transition to his song as well, with a dirty beat coming out from left field. We’re definitely past the calm sunset and progressing our way into the crashing tides of the night. The vocal is ok on this track. I’m not sure who Alexander hired for the vocalist, but while she has a good voice, I rather have stuck with a dub for this mix. We’re hitting more euphoric melodies and beats with Alexander, and while it’s catchy, there’s something missing here. I know Mr. Popov can produce better, and I think he’s holding back on us on this track; or maybe it’s just Eximinds‘ vision. Who knows, but we finally get a nice, longer transition to

7. Nash & Pepper – Ushuaia Memories (8/10)

It was odd seeing this duo here. I associate them (and rightly so) with progressive sounds on Coldharbour, so while I expect to see them on Markus‘ City Series, I don’t anticipate them on ASOT that much. Nonetheless, it has a pretty catchy melody to go with the striking breakdown and background vocal/noise. You can hear the hints of the dark Coldharbour progressive in the track, but it tries to stay a bit more uplifting. I like it, but I think it covers more of a club-ish feel than a beach feel, although it works well with the prior song. We get another excellent (but shorter) transition to

8. Mike Foyle & ReFeel – Universal Language (10/10)

This song has already been released (and I have a copy). So off the back, I know the awesomeness of this uplifter. So while not new, it definitely deserves a place on CD1. The buildup is heavenly, the guitar (used a lot so far on this side but not overdone) reminds me of a sleepy Spanish village. Or maybe a French Riviera night. Not sure. But I do know is that these two did an excellent collaboration. The light synths, the soft but deep bass; they all help compliment that guitar pluck. We have an interesting transition to

9. Tenishia – Always Loved, Never Forgotten (The Day Will Come) (7/10)

The beat just increased; the hits just went from 4/4 to 8/4 (or so it feels). We’re back into our rhythm now, last song was just a breather. We again get that background choir and piano beat (notice a trend in beach uplifters?). The breakdown seems to occur pretty early into the song. But that piano, unlike the overall beat, is to die for. Strings, choir, piano: do you need anymore for an uplifting break? The beat comes back to us as a traditional build-up, but I like this side of the breakdown a bit better than the other. It’s good, but the title, I’m afraid, is a bit misleading. Except for that piano. Gorgeous. Onwards to

10. Andy Moor feat. Jessica Sweetman – In Your Arms (7/10)

Another track I had high hopes for. 2009 we saw Andy Moor’s “Faces” with Ashley Wallbridge (huge track). 2010 had one of my all-time favorites, “She Moves.” Can I say, off-topic, that I absolutely love Carrie Skipper? She’s beautiful and can sing trance; seriously, what’s not to love? Anyway, as you might expect, another vocal. We’re with heavier beats now, so it feels more like we’re being beckoned into the club that back outside. Again, I’m not impressed with the vocal. It just doesn’t scream “Uplifting Trance Female Vocal” to me. It’s also seems a bit too tuned/corrected for my taste. All of that on top of a pretty good beat for the most part. I love the synth hits in this track. Sadly, I don’t think it stacks up well with Andy Moor’s previous works on the ASOT Compilation; a pity since we missed out on him last year. A bit of a quick/harsh transition to

11. Mark Otten – Hyperfocus (Wezz Devall Remix) (7/10)

Another LA ’12 track. Here, we continue that clubbish/beach feeling with Mark Otten. As I said in my prior review, I think Mark Otten is talented. I love the old-school beat this track employs. I think, though, that Wezz’s mix makes it a bit too clubby and techy, though. I think the Original Mix would have been a better fit here. Wezz did a good and interesting mix on this track (love his version of the breakdown), but it’s lost a bit of that old-school feel, that beach-side touch. Still, can’t complain about it being on this compilation. We go pretty quickly to our next track

12. Armin van Buuren feat. Ana Criado – Suddenly Summer (9.5/10)

So Armin’s new track with Ana (who did vocals on last year’s “Winter Stayed”). So Armin, of late, has been hit or miss with me. Some of his remixes have been spot on, but some of his trousey Mirage work, I was afraid, would keep leaking into his normal productions. Honestly, I had issues with Mirage as an album, but that’s another story. So, I’m pleased to report that this isn’t trouse; Avicii won’t be remixing this track anytime soon (and you won’t see it mashed up with Steve Aoki). Another vocal uplifter, but this time, the vocals are superb unlike some of the prior vocals on this side. Ana is also one with a beautiful voice perfect for a trance 135 BPM tune. The breakdown piano, the strings, the choir (seem familiar?), and that beat. Armin hasn’t lost his touch ladies and gentlemen: he still knows how to make banging uplifters for CD1. I’m pleasantly surprised with this track. It’s got a beat to keep you moving as the night rolls on, and a vocal to haunt your dreams as you drift in rhythm with the tide. But, suddenly summer moved on to our next track

13. Alex M.O.R.P.H. & Protoculture – Waking Up The Stars (6/10)

Two big names from 2011. Alex had “An Angel’s Love” and Protoculture with “Sun Gone Down,” both big tracks that were played heavily by Armin on ASOT. So, what would their collaboration bring us? We are first introduced to a bit darker, a bit deeper of a beat than we’ve had so far on this side. It’s also one of the longer tracks on this side. The beat, though, isn’t as mesmerizing as their previous works. It has a beautiful piano breakdown, though. Has that end-of-the-night summer fill. But the rest of the track is average. Still good to move to, just nothing special. We get a good beatmatch by Armin to

14. Susana & Max Graham – Down To Nothing (A State of Trance Edit) (8.5/10)

Ah Susana. Along with Max, a good combination for a killer track. We get the continued theme of a piano breakdown pretty quickly into the song. The vocals are definitely Susana’s style; to me, they are superb. The beat is definitely a bit more chill and downtempo as we finish off our night, but this is what I look for in CD1 for vocal uplifters. We again see the use of quick hitting synths laid on top of some deep bass for the backbone of this melody. You can hear more of Susana’s influences, I think, than Max’s, but that could just be me. But we aren’t down to nothing yet: we still have a duo mix up yet.

15. Lemon & Einar K – We Are What We Are (7/10)

A bit of a rush and harsh transition from our prior song. I’m not as familiar with these artists as perhaps I should be, so it’s difficult for me to compare them with prior works as I’m writing this review. We are coming back to that summer vibe, though, with all the standard tools in a DJ’s belt to make that summer night feel. It’s a worthy track to finish off the CD, with the striking drums and that standard (but effective) synth to keep you moving until the song ends. Not as strong or as much of a breakdown as we’ve had on this CD so far, but I welcome that in a track, especially with the end of our night coming up so fast. The fade out is perfect as we close out the side.

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

CD 1 On The Beach Average: 7.4/10

So, CD1, for the most part, encompassed that “On The Beach” feeling I’ve come to expect from Armin. It had it’s hiccups (*cough* Intro *cough*), but made up quickly. We had our typical uplifters, our classic guitar or piano melodies, and our beautiful vocals (and plenty of them). There were some fillers on this side, but there are definitely some beautiful tracks that I’ll keep on replay for a while. The flow wasn’t broken that much: we went from that sunset beach feeling to the night party towards the rising sun as we progressed. Some of the transitions could have been smoother, which was shocking seeing that this is a) pre-mixed and b) Armin, who is good at transitions. None the less, the highlights of CD1:

Sex On The Beach:

The Blizzard – Piercing The Fog (9.5/10)

The Blizzard knows how to make uplifters; this one is no different. Pitching beat, great breakdown.

Mike Foyle & ReFeel – Universal Language (10/10)

The best part of this song has to be that guitar in the break. It’s euphoric. It’s heavenly. It’s transcendental. It’s everything a trance uplifter should be.

Armin van Buuren feat. Ana Criado – Suddenly Summer (9.5/10)

Armin came back to his uplifting roots on this one. And he made a bound-to-be classic tune with Ana Criado.

Shark Attacks:

Omnia & IRA – The Fusion (Armin van Buuren’s Intro Edit) (3/10)

Like LA ’12, this song is superb on it’s own. Like LA ’12, it’s horribly placed in the compilation. Like Markus Schulz, Armin undoubtedly wanted to get the track into his compilation somehow and failed miserably. It’s a club banger; CD2 material. It has no business in CD1 and definitely not as the intro to this side. Luckily, he fixes his mistake quickly in the second song. As a side note, it scores worse here than in LA ’12 as Markus at least put this song on CD2 (the more clubbier side) than CD1 (the more deep progressive side).

On to CD2, In the Club!

1. Ashley Wallbridge – Mumbai Traffic (Club Mix – Armin van Buuren’s Intro Edit) (7/10)

On the good side, this has Ashley’s signature sound. On the bad side, this has Ashley’s signature sound. By this point, you’re going to either love it or hate it. It’s a quick intro this time around to get us into the club (no long, drawn out strings like some intro mixes have). According to Mr. Wallbridge, this song was inspired by his trip to India during his encounter with the famously horrible traffic in Mumbai. Luckily for us, this track doesn’t encompass the same qualities as its name. I like the simplicity in the beat of this song; it’s catchy. But it screams of Ashley’s style. So be warned: if you think every one of AW’s song sounds like the last, you’ll probably think the same here. If you don’t like that in a producer, then the intro here will be as bad as CD1. But if you do enjoy that, and enjoy Mr. Wallbridge, then you’ll be smiling and dancing as we go to our next song (with a perfectly placed and time transition if I might add):

2. W&W – Invasion [ASOT 550 Anthem] (Club Mix) (9/10)

A State of Trance’s 550 Official Anthem as voted on by ASOT Listeners (aka #trancefamily for like 90% of them). I’ll be honest: I wasn’t a fan of this song for the 550 Anthem. I wanted Eco to win that contest (I still think he had the best song there). I wasn’t a particular fan of this song either when I initially listened to it (thought it was about 3rd of the 5 overall). But it’s grown on me and I can see the appeal. It’s got W&W’s Big Room touch all over it. The system’s voice telling us “Invasion.” The anthem-pulling strings as a breakdown. But to escape? W&W’s signature sound. Perfect. I still debate whether this is a true anthem (it can’t touch L.E.D. There Be Light by Rank 1 for instance), but it definitely will get people moving with that big room trance feel. For that, I think it’s brilliant, and a prime example of what I love about W&W.

3. Alexander Popov – Attractive Force (6.5/10)

We get a good transition to our second Popov song of this compilation. It’s definitely a bit techier in here this time around. The beat, though, seems familiar though. I don’t remember where I recognize it from, but I recognize it from a previous compilation. The snyth recoil is nice, but the breakdown is a bit-off for me: the choir-like background vocal is a little strange for some reason. Again, as with “When The Sun,” it’s a decent track by Alexander Popov, but I’ve heard him do better. We get a nice, longer transition to

4. Orjan Nilsen – Amsterdam (7/10)

Orjan had to be Armin’s #1 hyped-up DJ of 2011. It’s not as bad as it sounds: he had some excellent productions throughout the year. He also had some bombs that were still overplayed on ASOT Radio and live sets. Amsterdam isn’t a “Between The Rays” beauty, but it fits in nicely with the club feel here on CD2. It encompasses more of his “Legions” direction I think, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There’s nothing standout about the beat or the track in general, but it still flows well and will definitely be the source of movement on the dancefloor throughout the night. My other complaint is the backend of the breakdown goes on for a bit too long in this mix, so expect to be without a “raise your arm in the air” break for a bit. We accelerate into our next track,

5. James Dymond – Overthrow (Protoculture Remix) (6/10)

Haven’t heard of James before; his Discog profile is also a bit thin (these two go hand in hand). It has a nice, soothing breakdown that pushes out the choir force. But it seems a bit out of place on CD2; it works for that euphoric breakdown if we needed one, but I don’t think we need it this early in the CD. It might be a CD1 track, but the synth hits and bass don’t carry a summer vibe to them. They also aren’t ones that will be lighting up GodsKitchen either. I’m curious, of course, how much of this is Protoculture’s doing; I’ll have to hear the original when it comes out.

6. Abstract Vision & Elite Electronic – Kinetic (8.5/10)

Oh man, this is club material right here. The beginning hints at a W&W “Mustang” feel; that same synth hit. Heavy synth strings line the breakdown with the drum beat. But when it cuts back to the main beat, you’ll be back to pounding the clubs in no time. This is your 1AM wake-up call, when you still have hours to go before sunrise, and the alcohol is coursing through your veins. Yeah, it sounds a bit like W&W’s signature beat here, but I think it’s still superb Big Room Trance. Which isn’t a bad thing: big room sounds (good ones anyway) definitely keep the floor rocking all night. An uncharacteristic harsh transition towards our next song

7. Armin van Buuren presents Gaia – J’ai Envie De Toi (9/10)

Ah, the new Gaia. So brief history of Gaia (Armin’s alias): 4 Elements, Tuvan, Aisha, Status Excessu D, and Stellar. In my opinion, 4 Elements was superb, Tuvan was amazing (actually a fan of Gareth’s mix on that one as well), Aisha was spectacular albeit different from the previous 2 (some people didn’t like it as much; I love it, especially Ashley’s touch), SED was excellent, and Stellar was ok in my opinion. So, how does this French-vocal laced J’ai Envie De Toi measure up? It goes back to the older Gaia sound, so superb. J’ai Envie De Toi means, by the way, I want you with a sexual undertone to it. But enough rambling about Gaia: the song. Superb beats. Great use of an accordion I think? Has that French-music touch to it. I love the vocal in this song: it’s seductive and enticing. It’s a moving song that will keep you on your feet, especially as there really isn’t a huge breakdown in the song like Aisha. So yes, the new Gaia. Excellent. Maybe not on the levels of SED, but definitely beats out Stellar (the weakest of the bunch). We go to our next club tune as Gaia’s transition carries out into

8. Abstract Vision & Elite Electronic – Blossom (6.5/10)

We just heard this duo right before Gaia. I’m not a particular fan of the same artist on the same side of a compilation, especially with songs this close to one another. It seems like Armin skipped most of the buildup for this song (only 3:05 on the disc) and instead went straight to the crescendo of the song. It’s a bit different style than Kinetic, more euphoric and uplifting; happy. It’s actually a bit hard to tell the beat from J’ai Envie De Toi; which, combined with us just hearing this group, makes it a bit weaker in the compilation than if it stood by itself. Armin cutting it short to go to our next song didn’t help either.

9. Wiegel Meirmans Snitker – Nova Zembla (Armin van Buuren Remix) (8.5/10)

It’s rare to see Armin remix a main title song in a movie soundtrack. When this first came out, many actually thought this would be a Gaia remix, as it’s styled very closely to the patterns that Armin uses for his Gaia alias. Alas, it’s just a standard-name remix. But, it’s not your standard track. The Dutch vocals are haunting. The beat seraphic. It perhaps isn’t as much of a club song as I’d like it to be on this side (or at least that club style we heard earlier), but it’s one of Armin’s better mixes. Did I mention those vocals and how superb they are? Anyway, we have a nice transition to our next uplifter,

10. Andrew Rayel – 550 Senta (Aether Mix) (10/10)

Stop the presses. This is the track that’s been out for a while, yes. This was also rumored to have been designed for A State of Trance 550 as the anthem song, but Armin said Andrew Rayel was not in the contest. Armin did say he would play this a lot during his sets though, keeping his promise during the London broadcast. But the track. This is the definition of uplifting, anthem trance. This is a contender for the top song of 2012. The intro beat keeps you moving and building to that breakdown. Oh my word, that breakdown and piano is heavenly. A rush of every emotion from the night so far swarms around in your head as your arms touch the sky above. And as it slowly picks up in rhythm, your body begs you to do the same. It’s perfect, no other word for it. Andrew Rayel is a master at production. Armin said he’s on the list for ASOT 600 Anthem contest duties. If he can make 550 Senta Part 2, it would win hands down. But this song….my life is complete after hearing this gem. How can there be 7 more songs on CD2, as we can only go downhill from here?

11. Ralphie B – Icarus (7.5/10)

A bit of a rough transition to Ralphie’s song. But the beat picks up quickly and is a head turner. It’s got an interesting pad going in the background, but definitely adds to the song. We finally get almost a full-stop break for the first time tonight. The uplifting part; the beautiful strings mix with the choir to produce a super break. But it’s a quick one back to our main beat. Heavy hitting drums with that euphoric hint make it a good follow-up to get back into our grove following Andrew’s 550 Senta. A quick transition to

12. MaRLo – Megalodon (6.5/10)

Ah, we’re keeping the tempo up here. Another short song, so we jump to the break pretty quickly, but it’s definitely got some good pad/bass in here. The backbeat for a few seconds doesn’t follow a 4/4 pattern either (which is refreshing). But there’s nothing particularly unique about this song, nothing that makes it stick out on CD2. Some of the synth sounds like Orjan’s work as well, which is troubling. But, it’s a short song, so we go towards

13. Armin van Buuren & Orjan Nilsen – Belter (7.5/10)

Orjan and Armin make their second appearance on this side with their collaboration. We get some more background choir in this song. You can hear more of Orjan’s uplifting hints here than “Amsterdam” alongside Armin’s signature production touches, particularly in the breakdown (all Armin right there in my opinion). The quick-hitting drums exiting the uplifting part bring us back into the club scene with Orjan taking control, keeping us in the moving rhythm as 2AM rolls past. But this is no Brute; it’s no Take A Moment. I think it’s similar to Rex Mundi’s work in Los Angeles ’12: it’s a good song, but knowing the history and skillset of these producers, it could have been better. We get a nice, longer transition to

14. Gareth Emery feat. Christina Novelli – Concrete Angel (John O’Callaghan Remix) (8/10)

Call me a hater. While I enjoyed Gareth’s “Tokyo,” I didn’t share the same feeling when I heard the Original Mix of “Concrete Angel.” Honestly, it’s an ok song. Which would be fine if I didn’t have to hear / read how superb or “back to trance roots” this song is on every trance forum. The vocals don’t remind me of classic vocal trance, the beat is typical Emery-fashioned, and has a bit too much house/trouse elements in it for my liking. It sounds like what would be on Top 40 Radio now-a-days, which means it usually fails in the trance community. So the original mix was uneventful to me. But this is the JOC mix, and I love his progressive/techno/tech way of looking at trance music (Subculture always has the club bangers alongside Captivating Sounds in my opinion). So I’m pleased to announce that while this still doesn‘t qualify for me as the “Back to trance roots!!!!” that people proclaimed from the mountaintops (or at least bolded forum posts), it definitely is the preferred mix over the Original. More of a trance/club beat than the original. The vocals are well done, although I haven’t grown use to Christina’s voice just yet; something off on them. Still, it’s definitely going to get air-time on the trance radio shows; just please #trancefamily, vote 550 Senta higher for the end of year countdown. “Soon there will be nothing at all” as we get closer to the end of our club journey, but first, we have a nice transition to

15. Paul van Dyk feat. Ummet Ozcan – Dae Yor (7/10)

Ah, van Dyk with Mr. Ozcan. Ummet had some superb hits last year and continued this year with Miami Sundown. Haven’t heard from Paul in a while. This will be out on his new artist album this year, and definitely reminds me of the uplifting trance from last decade, with simple beats and leads throughout the song. Some might find it absolutely fantastic as a blast from the past, but I think it’s good, just nothing special. I’m also struggling to find Ummet’s touch on this song as well. But we go quickly to

16. John O’Callaghan & Heatbeat – Las Lilas (6.5/10)

Our second mention of Mr. O’Callaghan on this side. Definitely a track for Subculture Recordings. It has JOC’s progressive touch to it with the uplifting piece from Heatbeat. It’s one that will keep you moving as the club begins to close and the night wears your energy thin. Not really a break in the song (but at 3:27, it doesn’t need one). Nothing particularly fancy, but a nice beat and transition to

17. Aly & Fila vs Jwaydan – Coming Home (7.5/10)

So this duo won ASOT’s Best Song of 2011 last year with “We Control The Sunlight.” Which was one of those songs that was good, just not #1 good to beat out other top-spot contenders like “An Angel’s Love.” Again, I blame #trancefamily. But I digress. Will this match the level as last year from ASOT 2011? I don’t think so. For one thing, it sounds like Aly & Fila are riding out their resounding success from WCTS and copied/pasted it for this song. I know, if it ain’t broke, but I’d like them to do something a bit more different than switch up the vocals and melody a bit. Overall, the vocals are pleasing to listen to, and the beat is relaxing to listen to…definitely a nice way to end our night at the club after a long hour of pounding beats, sweaty bodies, and one too many. So, there you have it: a good track to end the mix, but a bit too much like “We Control the Sunlight” for my liking.

So, there you have it: On the Club.

CD2 In the Club Average: 7.6/10

So CD2 definitely felt more consistent throughout the mix sticking to the club thing. The flow was just as good as CD1 as well: uplifters where they needed to be, heavy beats and dance moments when needed as well. I think the song selection and transitions were better on this side. We also saw some of the more memorable songs from the entire album find home on CD2. Some highlights:

Time-frozen Slow Grind:

W&W – Invasion [ASOT 550 Anthem] (Club Mix) (9/10)

Big room, W&W style. It is made for the clubs, and will absolutely rock the crowds at 550.

Armin van Buuren presents Gaia – J’ai Envie De Toi (9/10)

Gaia is back! Superb track reminiscing of the “Tuvan” days; definitely beats out it’s previous “Stellar.”

Andrew Rayel – 550 Senta (Aether Mix) (10/10)

Pure. Uplifting. Anthem. Trance. Right now sits as my song of the year. Will be very difficult for me to change that opinion as well. The original and Aether mix are both superb. Buy them; you won’t regret it.

Beer Goggles:

James Dymond – Overthrow (Protoculture Remix) (6/10)

Kind of a puzzler on CD2. Doesn’t really feel mashed well in CD2’s club setting, bringing in a breakdown and uplifter that’s not needed yet so early in the night, but doesn’t have a summer vibe to fit in CD1. A bit out of place.

A State of Trance 2012 Average: 7.5/10

So, there you have it. A State of Trance 2012. Armin continues his compilation magic this year with his 2CD mix to start off the 2012 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 no surprise why. Superb tunes, two settings, and a flow to keep you plugged in for hours with the CD on repeat. I enjoyed his track selection this year, although there weren’t as many exclusives as I would have liked. In addition, I was surprised on some of his transitions, but no matter: time for the FAQ!

Should I buy this?

Do you like summer tunes or uplifting club music? Do you buy anything Armin? Do you want to listen to the songs you’ll be hearing in ASOT 550 and on ASOT Radio for the next 3 months? Do you want to hear the 2012 TOTY by Andrew Rayel in a mix? If you answered yes to any of these questions, buy it.

Where do you place this on your ASOT list?

For 2008 and beyond compilations:

2008

2010

2011

2012

2009

I loved 2008. 2010 and 2011 are very close to each other; both were excellent in their own ways. 2012 is just a step below these two. I think that the songs on 2011 were stunning and a tad bit better than what we have this year. 2009 was a bit weak (good songs, not a strong mix). But don’t get me wrong: 2012 is still an excellent compilation.

What made you happy?

Andrew Rayel. Gaia. The Blizzard. Andrew Rayel. Suddenly Summer. Andrew Rayel. I’m a bit biased, I know. The song selection, though, is what made me happy. Some weak ones, but some strong ones as well.

What made you sad?

The intro to CD1 (Why Armin, why?) and some rough transitions, odd for such an experienced DJ like Armin.

Would you recommend this album?

Yes. I think some of it pales to what Armin can produce; however, the majority of the album is well-done. If you listen to ASOT or any of Armada’s labels or artists’ radioshows, it’s a definite as these songs will be on their shows for at least the next three months. I wouldn’t be surprised either to see some of the songs make it to the Top 20 Songs of 2012 on A State of Trance Radio this December.