This album is one of the strangest in Vangelis’ discography. The pieces on this 1980 work are a concept album, like many of his early works, but it’s not immediately clear what the concept is. The six tracks are songs that seem to about a dystopian future. “I can’t take it any more” basically repeats… Read More Vangelis – See You Later
This 1975 recording is one of Vangelis most important recorded works. It is the earliest example of his richly orchestral style of electronic music. There were earlier recordings, of course, some of which were complex, melodic works, but none demonstrated his ability to create the aural equivalent of an orchestra’s full force. On Heaven and… Read More Vangelis – Heaven and Hell
If you’re looking for a greatest hits of trance package, this may fit the bill. Trance fans, though, may find Pure Trance a little too generic. Pure Trance has a lot of good cuts. ATB’s “You’re Not Alone” is presented in an Air Play mix. Tatana’s “Global Thinking” is a blueprint for trance/dance cut. It’s… Read More Various – Pure Trance
This CD is a gift for fans of the music of Philip Glass. The music captures the lyricism of his best work, and showcases the full range of his style within a collection of short piano pieces. The Etudes are an interesting collection. As etudes, they explore a range of piano technique. They also explore… Read More Philip Glass – Etudes for Piano
ATB is best known for his memorable dance track 9pm (Til I Come). ATB mixes trance tunes with straight-ahead dance electronica. ATB is the nom-de-dance of Andre Tanneberger, a German DJ/producer. His first album, Movin’ Melodies, set the pattern for his later work. ATB’s albums tend to have two or three great cuts, and the… Read More ATB – Dedicated
For a lot of electronic music fans, the pioneers of electronic music would be Brian Eno, Kraftwerk, Klaus Schulze, or Vangelis. For younger fans, they might be Derrick May, Juan Atkins, or Jesse Saunders. This CD really goes “back in the days” to the days when electronic music was in its first heyday in the… Read More Various – Pioneers of Electronic Music
BT hits a home run with ESCM, a near-perfect collection of trance and dance tunes that showcase his technical chops and musical vision. ESCM is a varied collection of electronica music that includes straight trance numbers, dance electronica, and a cut that’s a little bit industrial. It’s a strong album overall, and while the trance… Read More BT-ESCM
Global is a retrospective greatest hits package of superstar DJ Paul Van Dyk’s work over the last ten years. It’s a good introduction to his work and worth a listen for dance electronica fans. While it takes off in many places, it rarely soars. The CD is a mix that contains Van Dyk’s most popular… Read More Paul Van Dyk – Global
Before “Rockefeller Skank” and “Praise You”, Fatboy Slim released this 1977 techno album. It’s full of bass and big beats, and like much of Slim’s music, it makes extensive and original use of sampled loops. It targets the dance floor, and the beats and songs are heavy enough and catchy enough to do the trick.… Read More Fatboy Slim – Better Living Through Chemistry
Day of Radiance is a little different from the other three members of Eno’s seminal ambient series. It sounds upbeat and happy! How much happy ambient music do you hear? This album is basically a Laraaji album produced by Brian Eno. This album is the brightest and most upbeat in Eno’s Ambient series. Edward Gordon,… Read More Brian Eno/Laraaji – Ambient 3: Day of Radiance
