The very talented UK based dj and producer Alex Wright, who has releases on top labels like Always Alive, Levitated Music, Sundance, Veritas recordings, Blue Soho, and Emergent Shores with support from the biggest trance djs in the world including Armin van Buuren, every month selects and reviews his Top 5 tracks of each month ahead of his radio show Trance Encounters that is streamed on 1mix radio every 1st Friday of every month with great success and big growing following. Exclusively for 1mix radio Alex Wright offers his top 5 trance encounters for September 2016. Alex Wright has studied extensively music production and he holds BSc degree in Audio & Recording Technology from De Montfort University, Leicester (DMU). Enjoy reading what he has to comment on each release with his knowledge as producer and dj and of course put in your diary a reminder to not miss his radio show.
Amos & Riot Night Vs Merc & Amber Trail - What Could Have Been [Afterdark Recordings]
Amos & Riot Night are a rising duo from Liverpool, UK who have recently reached high positions in the Beatport Trance Top 100 Tracks chart twice with their excellent track 'Leap Of Faith' and this being the other one. Merc aka Ed Mant from Bristol UK has also seen success with productions on labels D.Max Recordings, Tangled Audio, and Trance Army Records, and together with vocalist Amber Trail have put together a dancefloor stormer in the form of 'What Could Have Been'. Following on nicely from their Go On Air Recordings release 'Leap Of Faith', you can hear Amos & Riot Night's style of drum sounds crossed with top notch atmospheric pads and nicely executed vocal chops during the intro which sets the mood nicely. The vocal is pretty good and carries the track nicely towards the breakdown where an epic chord progression is released with a punchy rhythmic pluck part accompanying it. The build is very euphoric and I can imagine that key hold causing lots of excitement in a club environment. When the climax kicks in, the treble on the leads gives the groove plenty of drive on top of the rolling, chuggy basslines and well-balanced kick. Congrats to these guys on breaking the Beatport Trance Top 40 Tracks with this.
Additional info:
The original mix of this track was very satisfying and featured some lovely ambient parts. This time the largely underrated American producer Derek Palmer is called up to give his take on it and does an excellent job as usual which of course received praise and support from Armin van Buuren on A State Of Trance Radio. Derek uses some awesome Jaytech-esque square washes during the intro as the melody and pads build on top of warm, pumping drums and basslines. An extra piano part glides above the heavenly soundscape which has already come into view before heading downwards into the calm breakdown. The main piano part it quickly unleashed which is instantly memorable and anthemic in its own right, and the main pluck melody is simple and joyous. If this doesn't put a smile on your face then you seriously need to sort yourself out!
https://twitter.com/LevitatedMusic
Check Alex Wright interview with Edelways here
Additional info:
Edelways - North Wind [Emergent Skies]
Russian producer Edelways has been on fire this month releasing three top-quality tracks into the scene giving us that lush, soundscapy trance sound which is largely missing nowadays. As part of a two-track EP released on Emergent Skies, this track just takes the pick for me but only just. The ambience in the intro is lovely and mind-opening and serves as the perfect ear candy whilst letting the drums build up before the rumbling basslines takes centre stage. Some nice well-chosen counter melodies flicker across the stereo field on top of a swingy chord pluck before the breakdown quickly approaches out of nowhere and allows you to be washed under by a pad of epic proportions that resembles a sudden gust of wind whilst looking out on an epic view. The backing melodic touches are placed perfectly just adding sweetness without taking up too much room and a truly gorgeous Spanish guitar-esque sound plucks out a serenading melody. More incredible sounds make their way in singing melodies full of life and wonder including a seriously cool, super-fast pitch modulated square sound and the chord pluck from the intro at high cutoff. Things build up nicely towards the climax with the kick rumbling louder and louder like an avalanche before take off, and all the aforementioned parts sing together in harmony creating an impressive, rich atmosphere.
Additional info for Edelways:
Kiran M - Captivate [Always Alive Recordings]
Young Indian producer Kiran M who has recently launched his own label Discovery Music makes his debut on Always Alive Recordings with his own brand of well-produced "prog-lifting" trance. The key and bassline of this track takes me back to 7 Skies' Anjunabeats debut 'Caffeine' in a nice way and the pad theme and bendy synth sound bring some nice melancholic tension into the picture. Running at a moderate tempo of 134 BPM it serves nicely as a builder track for earlier on in a set and boasts some nice touches in the break. Quite a natural piano sound plays on top of synthesized strings and orchestral-style reverse cymbals before a buzzy main lead quickly teases its way in as the bassline is brought back in to build up to the excellent climax which sounds perfect to get any feet moving on a Trance Dancefloor. This release really caught my ears as it has quite a fresh sound to it and is different from your average euphoric, peak-time uplifter or vocal track. Great work from Kiran and I wish him all the best with his new label!
Additional info:
▼ Connect with Kiran M :
▼ Connect with Always Alive Recordings:
Spotify: http://enhan.co/AlwaysAliveSpotify
Beatport: http://enhan.co/AlwayaAliveBeatport
Facebook: http://enhan.co/AlwaysAliveFacebook
Twitter: http://enhan.co/AlwaysAliveTwitter
SoundCloud: http://enhan.co/AlwaysAliveSoundCloud
Mark W - Lancha [Digital Society Recordings]
Over at Digital Society Recordings there has been some more top-quality releases on the more energetic, chunky tip and this one from Mark W hits all the right buttons for people who are fans of high-octane, powerful uplifting. His kick is large and punchy which sits next to a death defying offbeat sub bass and underneath some pretty sweet stereo pluck sounds. The acids add extra drive and grit to the production and the moody, sliding bass pad in the break is a nice touch. The main theme is memorable and very uplifting with a very full sound and plenty of width, and when all the ingredients are added together the effect is spectacular.
Additional info:
▼ Connect with Mark Walker :
▼ Connect with Digital Society Recordings:
Spotify: http://enhan.co/DSR-SP
Beatport: http://enhan.co/DSR-Beatport
Facebook: http://enhan.co/DigitalSocietyFacebook
Twitter: http://enhan.co/DSR-Twitter
SoundCloud: http://enhan.co/DSR-SC
Don't miss Alex's Wright Trance Encounters on 1mix radio every 1st Friday of the month from 20.00-21.00 for the very best in trance and progressive. If you wish Alex to feature your track in his show and reviews or to book him for your next trance event please email him: alex_dj[at]live[dot]co[dot]uk
Latest Alex Wright releases:
PVR - Lost In A Fairy Tale (Alex Wright Remix) [Ennovate]
Additional info:
Nicola Maddaloni feat. Claire Willis - Leave The Past Behind (Alex Wright Remix) [TFB]
Additional info:
▼ Connect with Alex Wright: