Top 100 DJ poll of 2011

This years Top 100 DJ poll is back once again. The frenzy is one as fans can now determine who is the best DJ in the world. For four consecutive years now Armin van Buuren has won the DJmag's best DJ, and he is still a strong favorite to win it an unprecedented fifth time. I will not be surprised if he does. But who are the contenders that can dethrone the trance maverick this time around I wonder, well there are few out there that can. In the end it depends on the fans of the various DJ. So If you are a DJ and you want to be on that list, get your fans behind you and let them participate.
For me, this is a poll where we the people appreciate the people behind the beats, melody and the rhythm of every song out there. So go and vote now!
https://apps.facebook.com/topdjvote/djvote

Ill Skillz Bring Nectar & Ambrosia

   

 Album Cover of Nectar & Ambrosia

Nectar & Ambrosia is the first studio album from the drum n' bass group Ill Skillz. I first heard this album when I browsed the net for a new drum n' bass album. I felt I need to find a new drum n bass album since I had not one for a long time. The only place I knew where I could get get the information was Drum n' Bass Arena at www.breakbeat.co.uk , to look at the album charts. When I saw that Nectar & Ambrosia was on the top 10 of drum n bass I knew this was the album for me.

My first impression of Nectar & Ambrosia was satisfactory. I continue to listen to the tracks on the album and found it a little bit slower than other albums like Immersion from Pendulum and No More Idols from Chase & Status (i.e. at least in the beginning of each track). 

Ill Skillz also brought some originality to me that many drum n bass fans will find very entertaining. Some the tracks will just blow you away like "Nectar & Ambrosia" which a very hardcore fast track. Another track I found very cool was "The Deeper We Bleep" which had that space like tune that was awesome.

The album also features collaborations with artists like Thomas Azier, DubFX, DJ Mat, Lil Rhys, Woodnote and UEZ. The collaboration that stood out for me in this album was "Face the Music" with DubFX which brought that Jungle vibe to the track.

Overall I would say that Ill Skillz's Nectar & Ambrosia was a solid album worth listening to.

Track List

1. Intro (Neuphoria)
2. Nectar & Ambrosia
3. The Deeper We Bleep
4. Memorizer
5. Desert Bells
6. Imaginary Numbers
7. Gold Streams Featuring Thomas Azier
8. Illterlude
9. Face the Music Featuring DubFX
10. Modular Featuring DJ Mat
11. Live Forever
12. Being Loud Featuring Lil Rhys and Woodnote
13. Hand Up
14. Skyrunner
15. Fire Everyday Featuring DubFX and UEZ
16. Outro(Awakening)

Drums Between Bells - Brian Eno and The Words of Rick Holland

This is actually the first time I have heard of Brian Eno and Rick Holland, so I was a bit curious of what kind of ambient/chillout album they composed here with "Drums Between Bells". I had not heard or found a cool, calm and relaxing album in a long time, so when I went looking at BBC I found this one and it awaken my interest? Sort of anyway.
It took me a while to grasp the concept of the sounds and the poetry recital that went on when the music was being played. Some tracks where very strange to me, but I enjoyed it anyway because I am a sucker for these type of genre. It was interesting hearing the words of Rick Holland float in the mist of the rhythm and melodies.Sometimes it was cool and I could hardly notice him/her (I heard a female voice at time too), but at times I found it annoying especially if the track was too weird for my liking.
But overall It was a good album for it's genre something that would suit an older generation I presume. So if you like ambient/chillout music then Drums Between Bells is worth your while otherwise it is just garbage for you.

Group Therapy by Above and Beyond.

I had heard a lot about Above and Beyond new album "Above and Beyond" , how god it was how the fans of Above and Beyond would be singing some of the songs like it was a hymn in a church, and I was a little skeptic. I actually did not believe it was as good as what people were making it to be. So one day I decided to purchase the album and listen to see what all the hype was about, and when I started I realize that the album was actually pretty good. It was one of the trance and progressive albums that I have heard this year. The vocal support from artist like Zoe Johnston and Richard Bedford really lifted me up. At some points it reminded me of Oceanlab, with its sweet melody and relaxing rhythm. Very track was good, I loved the album. It is that kind of album that could make you fall in love with.  

Northen Lights, the album Gareth Emery blow our minds with

As an artist in the music industry your first album is your most important one. Fool around with it and you may have hurt your chances of being successful. Thank God that Mr. Emery did not with Northern Lights, an album that propelled him among his peers in trance scene.
His range of tunes and melodies that he used to make each and every track was interesting and sometimes but never dull. It was refreshing to hear the album ( even though I am a year late). I must be honest, I would have never heard of him if it was not for DJMag.com and I am glad that I did. Not only did he impress me it seems he impressed so many trance lovers out there that he jumped all the way to be among top ten DJ in the world (#7). That my friends speaks volumes of his ability as a great DJ/producer of electronic music.

Hopen Up Your Mind We are here!

In various ways all want to be heard and seen but we all want people to be infected to our ideas and views (Inception). Trance is like that, it is an infectious genre that gives the mind at a retrospective, that makes the body do things it would not normally do. And I am saying this on a personal level. You might not feel the same but that's OK the purest trance lovers know what I mean. Music is a passion that every atom in the universe respond to. We can't help it, we are emotionally, spiritually and physically linked to melodies, rhythm and beats which is amazing.Electronic music has always focused more on how to make our mind enjoy the music. Not necessary on the money and commercial aspect of it all. But you wonder then why? Anyway music should do one thing and one thing only, not to make money but to free us from the stress life brings and open up our mind to the impossible.

Ten Years from now how will Trance be like?

Over the past couple of days I have always wonder how trance will be like in the next ten years. Some tell me it will evolve it some amazing underground trance-like music. Some hope the melody will still remain the same. For me I hope it goes in these three ways

Make it more Electronic

Trance should be more electronic to give us that futuristic sound that we love to hear in and see in Sci-Fi movies. I would love to hear those electrifying robotic sound effects blend into sweet or mild melody that will just sweep you off your feet, or throw you of your game as if you are in a Matrix movie. Mechanical sounds should be incorporated into trance music not in a rough manner but in a way that makes us feel like we are drifting in an out of a virtual world.

Make the Melody more Hypnotic

The melodies in trance should emphasis on making the listener feel like he or she is in the song and feeling it take control of your body, mind and spirit. The melody should be so hypnotic that it throws the listener into a dream state or a state of trance. It will be fantastic if trance music could be a new form of mind control to make the listener more happy and calm and reach level that will mark new era in music. But caution should be taken not to use this as a tool to enslave mankind.

Spread it to All Corners of the Globe

Trance music is already popular but it could still be spread to new areas where it is not so popular. This could be done by making collaborations with artist of different genres like hip hop and rnb. In doing so trance could be gaining new fans due to introduction of their beautiful instrumental that will be played and heard on these tracks. An example is when Tiesto featured Busta Rhymes or Benni Benassi and Chris Brown, both trance DJs that became even more popular when by merging their fans with trance. Also trance should be promoted and encouraged by the youth to try out since it could bring out once creativity.

These are many more changes trance will go through. It might not go through these changes but what other way it goes I hope e the fans are in control like we always have been.