The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 23 - THAT WAS 2011 - Part 2

THAT WAS 2011 - PART 2

Twas the night before Christmas and not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse… Well, except you, who is very shortly going to be smashing some trance. Yep, I have another crop of the best tunes of 2011 to warm your cockles this Christmas Eve. Last week’s part 1 was good, no doubt, but this part contains 4 of my 5 top tunes of 2011. You’re in for a treat.

For more info on the format, check out last week’s blog.
Let’s get on with it shall we….

THE BEST OF 2011

Following on from my more general review of the year last week, and in addition to the actual Year Mixes themselves, here are just a few personal awards for 2011. This may seem a little self-indulgent (in fact, both review journals are pretty much that), but it’s nicely in keeping with the review journals I used to post on last.fm.

Best House Tunes Of 2011
3. Tiësto & Hardwell - Zero 76
2. Roger Sanchez feat. Mobin Master & MC Flipside - Worldwide (Adrian Lux & Blende Remix)
1. Dada Life – White Noise / Red Meat

Best Trance Album Of 2011
3. Tritonal – Piercing The Quiet
2. Above & Beyond – Group Therapy
1. Orjan Nilsen – In My Opinion

Best Trance/Progressive Producer of 2011
3. Sander Van Doorn
2. Dennis Sheperd
1. Orjan Nilsen

Best Trance/Progressive Label Of 2011
3. Soundpiercing
2. Anjunabeats
1. Enhanced Recordings

Best Podcast/Radio Show Of 2011
3. International Departures with Myon & Shane 54
2. Identity with Sander Van Doorn
1. Trance Around The World with Above & Beyond

Best Set Of 2011
3. Cosmic Gate @ Eden, Ibiza (August)
2. Armin Van Buuren @ Brixton Academy, London (April)
1. Gareth Emery @ Space, Ibiza (August)

Clubbing Highlights Of 2011
3. tyDi playing Arty’s remix of Cosmic Gate - Back To Earth @ Ministry Of Sound, London (February)
2. Armin Van Buuren playing Chris Schweizer’s bootleg of Zombie Nation – Kernkraft 400 @ Brixton Academy (April)
1. Above & Beyond playing Arty & Mat Zo – Mozart @ Nation, Liverpool (October)

Personal Highlight Of 2011
Meeting Tony McGuiness of Above & Beyond @ The Group Therapy Boat Party, Ibiza

“One To Watch” In 2012
Chris Schweizer

THE BEST & WORST OF THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 2011

Since I’m here reviewing the year, I thought I’d also take a moment to look back on my podcast’s first year. Overall, it’s been a promising start and, as I hoped it would, it’s really helped hone my skills and push my DJing forward. Here are my own personal highs and lows in the 23 episodes I managed in 2011.

The Best Episode:
On the face of it, my third Ibiza Special, Requests Of The Villa Guests, would seem like an obvious choice. Compared to most other episodes it got significantly more plays and downloads and it was, in Marc Griffin’s own words, ‘Fucking EPIC!’ (And Marc’s an accountant and we all know how difficult they are to excite.) I was slightly worried when putting together that mix that getting 6 friends to independently pick 3 favourites each might make it disjointed or anodyne. I was especially worried when one person chose a track that was 127 BPM and another chose one that was 146 BPM. But in the end, it did fit together fantastically well and it was amazing to see everyone on that holiday sharing in the joy of that set’s interactivity. There are some fantastic memories built into that episode for me now and I can’t wait to do it again next summer. But the memories don’t make it technically the best set.

The episode I’m actually choosing as the best of 2011 was the episode before that one. Episode 13 – unlucky for some but not for The Phil-Harmonic Podcast. It was my Poolside Progressive episode, the second of my Ibiza Specials in August. I’ve never before (or since) had such a clear idea in my head of where I wanted a set to go and what effect I wanted it to have on an audience. And as a musical translation of a clear idea in my head into a flowing mix that fully achieves the mood I intended to set, it’s my best work to date. By some distance. It’s a mix completely unhindered or restrained by any desire to satisfy anyone else other than myself, as the tracks I chose were specifically the tracks I thought would best create the sunny, hangover cure I wanted. Listening to it again recently, it struck me how smooth and effortless it sounded. The pace is steady and unchallenging and despite deliberate moments of melancholy, it’s relentlessly melodic. I especially love the way that, from a very deep, melancholic start, it builds very quickly to a peak but then moves very very slowly the other way. For some reason, it works. It’s exactly what I wanted to put together and couldn’t have hoped to execute it better.

The Worst Episode:
Looking back at the year’s episodes, the weakest episode had to be one of the ‘classics’ episodes I did – Episodes 2, 6 and 17. That may seem surprising. Why would a series of sets littered with a DJ’s so-called quintessential trance records be considered weak by that DJ himself? Don’t get me wrong – the tracks in those sets really are amongst my favourites of all-time. There were many euphoric mind-benders in those sets. But all of them started too fast too early and Episode 2 in particular stayed at the same 140 tempo for far too long. As someone rightly pointed out on the comments for Episode 17, those sets were perfect as ‘end of the night’ club music; as 2 hours podcasts for listening at home, the office, the car or even the gym they don’t necessarily work.

And Episode 2 was the weakest of the 3 – simply because the beatmatching was most wayward, it contained the most mistakes and it stayed at 140 BPM for the vast majority of the set. In the end, I decided not to do anymore of those sets as part of the podcast after Episode 17. These are the kinds of sets I will save for the day when a brave club owner trusts me with the closing set at their trance night – because in those circumstances I would smash the place up. I can but dream.

Remember, all of these mixes are still available to download. Either use the rapidshare links at the bottom of each blog entry or click below to subscribe through iTunes.

Now… on with the tuneage!


THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 023 – THAT WAS 2011 – PART 2

1. EDU & Cramp – Silver Sand
[February / Anjunabeats]
Chosen By: Ben Collier [Room 1ne Sessions]

I honestly hope he doesn’t mind me seeing it this way, but I look at Ben Collier’s monthly trance podcast as something of a bigger brother to my own. Ben’s own selection for 2011 is maybe reflective of the slightly different approach our periodic rides through EDM take, but believe me; every DJ needs their own unique slant on things. EDU & Cramp open up part 2 of these Year Mixes with an idyllic, down-tempo feel that TPHP has often lacked in 2011.

2. Sander Van Doorn presents Purple Haze feat. Frederick – Timezone
[July / Doorn Records]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 15 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #2

Pushing Broken Down very very close for ‘vocal of the year’, this outdid Broken Down on the grounds of originality and an immersive overall mood. Like a fusion of the dark ambience of Bliksem from 2009 and the vocal prowess of the album Elev11's other great single, Love Is Darkness, I essentially sat on YouTube for hours with this on repeat.

3. Ticon – Balkan Tourist
[March / Iboga Records]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 8
Position in Top 40: #39

Probably my most left-of-field and most tongue-in-cheek choice of 2011. Going back to Iboga looking for some deeper grooves for Episode 8 of the podcast, I found this gem from Swedish stalwarts, Ticon. Slightly bizarre maybe, but rhythmically addictive.

4. Lee Osborne – Flex
[May / Slinky Digital]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 8
Position in Top 40: #36

One of those big nasty tunes I like to get my teeth into every so often. This has a riff that absolutely knocks you off your feet and, despite the slow pace, is a definite nod to the nasty, demonic hard house that was once so popular in the UK.

5. Chris Schweizer – Error 404
[September / Dub Tech Recordings (Istmo Music)]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 19
Position in Top 40: #38

Chris Schweizer was a name I first encountered last year but little did I know that his productions in 2011 would become staple, big room records for all the top jocks. The riff in this one on its own is enough, but I love the way the bass goes up a notch in intensity after the riff finishes - makes it a joy to mix with.

6. Leibo – Phantomania (Lee Haslam Remix)
[March / Slinky Digital]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 5 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #23

Sometimes a tune just nails it in terms of rhythms and percussion and this one does exactly that. The main hook is a dark, apocalyptic hair raiser, but the rolling, almost seesawing, drums and clicks in this Lee Haslam remix are what made it Tune Of The Episode for TPHP 5.

7. Stacker & RJ Van Xetten - Digital Andromeda (Sergio Maldonado Remix)
[July / Dub Tech Recordings (Istmo Music)]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 15
Position in Top 40: #34

Was a big fan of Sergio Maldonado’s Back To Square One last year and this remix for one of Heatbeat’s aliases took my appreciation for this guy’s productions onto another level. Actually quite soft and delicate in the breakdown, this remix contrasted that with a devastating electro trouse kick back.

8. Above & Beyond feat. Zoe Johnston - You Got To Go (Kyau & Albert Remix)
[October / Anjunabeats]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 19
Position in Top 40: #33

As amazing as A Thing Called Love and Prelude are, You Got To Go is actually my personal favourite from the album, Group Therapy. In many ways similar to their great remix of Armin’s Down To Love, Kyau & Albert added a really euphoric hook to an already blinding ‘sing-along’ tune, something that could not be said for the mind-numbingly dull Club Mix.

9. Signalrunners feat. Julie Thompson – These Shoulders (Andy Moor Remix)
[January / Anjunabeats]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 1
Position in Top 40: #26

Amongst all the recent hullaballoo surrounding the 400th episode of Trance Around The World, it’s easy to forget that Anjunabeats celebrated the even more impressive milestone of 10 years as a label in January 2011. This was my favourite of the commemorative remixes that were released, Andy Moor breathing new life into a vocal track that had, to be quite honest, completely passed me by in 2008.

10. Orjan Nilsen – Down The Line
[October / Armada Digital]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 19 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #14

Between The Rays aside, everyone has their own personal favourites from the album In My Opinion – some it seems may even prefer the fabulous Viking. But, from the super-cool main riff down to the cheeky ‘Audio Bullys’-esque sound effect in the percussion, it was Down The Line that did it for me.

11. Heatbeat – Ask The Cat
[July / Soundpiercing]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 15
Position in Top 40: #11

Another one of those fantastic tunes from Episode 15 that could so easily have taken the Tune Of The Episode crown had it not been featured on the same podcast as Timezone. Heatbeat seem to love doing these very ominous, menacing piano-laden tunes, but, as the name would suggest, there was a distantly playful side to this one – aggressive and malevolent yet funky and fun all at the same time.

12. Matias Faint – Casino Fire (Kent & Gian Remix)
[September / Soundpiercing]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 18 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #28

More electro-tech magic from Soundpiercing in the summer of 2011. A very simple tune in many ways, and a tune that showed that if you do have a simple melody you can still make it work by executing it in the right fashion. A constantly looping punchy bassline, some expert layering of sounds and a huge electro kick back made this a big big hit for me.

13. Andy Moor feat. Sue McLaren – Fight The Fire
[September / AVA Recordings]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 16
Position in Top 40: #5

After initially being pretty underwhelmed by this Andy Moor single, it suddenly grew on me by mammoth proportions. A lot of people may prefer the electro stabs and drops of the Norin & Rad remix – I did love that remix too but the way the original handles that chorus in the breakdown is truly spellbinding and spectacular.

14. Arty & Mat Zo – Rebound
[April / Anjunabeats]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 7
Chosen By: Sam Hind [Underground Selections]

Another one that I wasn’t so sure about at first and I know for a fact that a number of my fellow trance-heads remain unconvinced, despite the heavyweight nature of the artist’s involved. But I think it was after Armin Van Buuren played this in his 4 hour set at Brixton Academy at Easter that I fully appreciated how powerful that drop was.

15. Mat Zo – Back In Time
[January / Anjunabeats]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 3
Position in Top 40: #15

Mat Zo, as budding a producer as he is, doesn’t normally pull out records that are this euphoric. Those chord combinations are something special.

16. Zombie Nation – Kernkraft 400 (Chris Schweizer Bootleg Mix)
[May / CDR]
***PHIL’S TUNE OF 2011***
Featured In TPHP: Episode 8 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #1

Eventually given away as a free download by the man himself, this was Chris Schweizer well and truly raising the bar for all ‘electro tech trouse’ producers around the world. Kernkraft 400 by Zombie Nation was one of the first records I ever bought as a teenager so this one already has strong emotional ties for me. But what Schweizer has done to it is nothing short of remarkable. The build up after the first break is just like being beaten in the face with a sledgehammer of pure rhythmic pleasure. Heard in Armin’s set at Brixton and Gareth Emery’s set at Space Ibiza, these were clubbing highlights of epic magnitudes.

17. Markus Schulz & Jochen Miller – Rotunda
[May / Coldharbour Recordings]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 7
Position in Top 40: #4

Admittedly, in terms of the riff itself, this track does sound suspiciously like both Gareth Emery’s Exposure and Ummet Ozcan’s Indigo, but I’m happy to surmise that this is coincidence more than anything. Rotunda though, for me, executes its riff far more effectively than both Exposure and Indigo, and has a track structure that makes it stand out from the crowd. Hearing this tune made my night on 2 separate occasions in 2011.

18. Running Man presents Fifth Dimension – Somewhere
[March / Alter Ego Pure]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 7
Position in Top 40: #37

A track that will almost certainly have been missed by a lot of people and I guarantee a lot of people will be surprised at how euphoric it is. Very driving, very effective; another one of my more left-of-field picks.

19. Dart Rayne – Sanctum
[October / Trance All-Stars Records]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 18
Position in Top 40: #19

I originally had Dart Rayne’s Arctic Sunrise down to play as one of my tunes of the year, but in the end, when this came out, I had to concede it was even better. An epic, soaring melody, backed by those haunting choir stabs in the breakdown, this is once again uplifting trance at its best.

20. Aly & Fila feat. Katherine Crowe - It Will Be OK (Arctic Moon Remix)
[June / Armada Digital]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 10
Position in Top 40: #31

Our obligatory (and they are obligatory) Arctic Moon remix for 2011. Released as part of the Rising Sun Remixes album, this was simply a great great vocal given a shot of steroids.

21. Aly & Fila feat. Jwaydan - We Control The Sunlight
[July / Future Sound Of Egypt]
Chosen By: Thanasis T & Sam Hind [Underground Selections]

More from the Egyptian duo here; the hugely popular single with vocalist Jwaydan, We Control The Sunlight. Typically powerful, driving stuff and the vocal is very nice indeed. Voted tune of the year by A State Of Trance listeners.

22. Indecent Noise – Battlestar
[February / Discover]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 4 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #22

Every year there’s always an uplifter with a really simply melody that just sends me a bit west, while everyone else wonders what I see in it. Last year it was Tweak by Mike Nichol, this year it was another route one trancer on Discover Records.

23. Philippe El Sisi – Era
[April / Future Sound Of Egypt]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 7
Position in Top 40: #24

Another one of these big, haunting melodic tracks that I was quite big on in 2011. The difference with Era is that it has parts that are savagely aggressive, almost like hard house, a nice contrast to the poignant and stirring, if slightly drawn out, breakdown.

24. Terk Dawn - Sunburst
[August / Ask4 Records]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 15
Position in Top 40: #18

I had not seen nor heard of Terk Dawn since his belting remix of Sean Tyas’s Candida in 2007. A full 4 years later he boshed out this little beauty which is just a fireball of surging melody. At this point in the mix I’m just bombarding you with melodic goodness.

25. Sean Tyas – Banshee
[January / A State Of Trance]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 1
Position in Top 40: #32

And finally, it’s fitting that we end proceedings for 2011 where it began – not just with a tune that only squeezed into 2011 by 3 days, but one that featured in the very first Episode of the Phil-Harmonic Podcast. The only track from the ‘king of uplift’ this year that followed the ‘Lift formula’ to the letter. And dare I say it; Banshee has a better kick back than Lift, Drop or Melbourne. Blasphemy, you say!

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And that’s it. TPHP is done for 2011. Musically, consider it well and truly nailed. Before I go, a big thank you to everyone who has listened to the podcast this year, particularly Ben Collier, Ally Auld, Simon Harris, Banys Giedrius, Menno Meijer, Rene Dale, Chris Newell, Sam Hind, Damilola Oni and all those that took part in choosing tracks for either That Was 2011 or Request Of The Villa Guests in August.

January is going to be a busy month for me, with Uni reunions, birthday celebrations and whatnot. It’s going to be difficult to fit in a podcast. So to save myself the panic, and to give me more time to put together something good, I’m bringing the podcast back on the 11th of February. As you can probably tell, I could do with a little break from it anyway.

So, until then, have a very Merry Christmas and trance-filled New Year. Thank you, goodnight, much love!

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 22 - THAT WAS 2011 - Part 1

THAT WAS 2011 - PART 1

Welcome one and all,

Here we are at last! With the end of the year fast approaching, this week’s TPHP is the first of two significant parts. Over the course of the next two episodes, I will present to you my favourite 40 trance and progressive tracks of 2011, plus 11 other great tunes from this year as chosen by listeners and friends of this podcast.

Simply put, I have 5 hours of trance music coming up for you, divided neatly down the middle into 2 well-rounded, carefully ordered sets. I’m also going to take the opportunity to use this blog to review the year as fully as I can without boring the arse off everyone. Wish me luck!

As always, if ever you get bored of my ramblings fast-forward straight to the end of his entry where a SoundCloud widget is waiting. Also, if there’s too much info going on in the tracklist below for you to handle, go straight to my SoundCloud page for a more condensed, manageable tracklist.

As I’ve mentioned before, reviewing the musical year is something I’ve done for a number of years now through my last.fm journal. It is one of my favourite parts of the festive period. Initially though, those journals were more about reviewing the best electronic albums of the year and less about trance specifically. But, my musical focus has shifted so much from music collection to DJing in the past 2 years that the days when I was totally up-to-date with the full electronic music spectrum are long gone. And now the ‘review of the year’ concept itself has had to make the jump from Addicted2Melody last.fm journal to Phil-Harmonic blog.

In addition to a journal, I did full Year Mixes for each of the last 3 years. They are my ‘That Was’ series. 2008’s was 25 tracks, 2009’s was a bit longer again. In 2010 I did a full 3 hour set, only to follow it up with an ‘Even More Of 2010’ mix not long after. This is the first year that ‘That Was’ becomes part of my podcast and, straight away, two 2 and a half hour sets seemed like the logical format for it.

But doing a podcast for most of the year has made the process of putting together ‘That Was 2011’ that much easier. Because I’ve included every ‘Tune Of The Episode’ from each regular episode I’ve got a much clearer, more balanced cross-section of the year. And asking for people’s suggestions was a good idea too, because I’ve been able to match those suggestions against the personal lists I already had. In some cases, those suggestions have brought something entirely new to be table and made sure these 2 episodes aren’t just a mindless regurgitation of everything you’ve already heard in this podcast.

THAT WAS 2011

So, what has 2011 been like?

Well, if someone asks me in 10 years time what my abiding memory of 2011 is, I’m sure the answer will be, ‘Ibiza!’ Not just Ibiza but, as I talked about in my review of that holiday, clearing up the unfinished business that was the relative disappointment of Ibiza 2009.

Getting ill out in Ibiza in 2009 and the festering disillusionment that gave rise to did have me questioning whether my clubbing days were coming to an end. The idealism that poured out of my last.fm journal turned to pessimism and vitriolic cynicism. I started to feel like it was about time I was the other side of the DJ booth and that, if that wasn’t likely to happen, maybe I should get my pipe and slippers out. Interestingly, 2009 was actually a truly amazing year for trance music – I just wasn’t in a very good place from a personal perspective and the clubbing disappointments, for whatever reason, were numerous.

But clubbing-wise, 2011 was such a spectacular return to form. And not just Ibiza either. My first night at Ministry in February, Armin at Brixton Academy in April, even Cream’s 19th Birthday in October had its moments. Who knows how long that will continue into 2012, but right now I’ve not been this excited by the world of trance clubbing since my Syndicate days in Bristol.

No doubt, that’s a more personal angle on things, but at the same time I can sense that rising and, in some cases, returning enthusiasm for trance music across the world. A State Of Trance 500 earlier this year was a big eye opener for me. It was a big statement of trance’s current popularity, particularly the speed of its growth over in the US. Trance Around The World 400 replicated that buzz later in the year. It was a year for milestones, and the global trancefamily turned out in force to celebrate.

Yet, as far as I can tell, it still refuses to get fully sucked into the mainstream like it did in the late 90s. There are elements of it that run parallel to the mainstream, which make it accessible and flexible, but it still remains fully outside it. Radio One did briefly latch onto Sander Van Doorn and Above & Beyond for their daytime playlist, but the masses appeared unmoved and these singles made only a modest impact on the nation’s consciousness.

It was also interesting that much later in the year (only very recently, in fact), Radio One decided it would drop Judge Jules as part of its weekend entertainment billing. I’m no fan of Judge Jules personally. In fact, I think he’s an arrogant arsehole who has an open disregard for the audiences he DJs in front of. If you like, trance’s ungrateful ‘rock star’. But the removal of the only specific trance show on the biggest radio station in the UK not only showed that Radio One are grossly out of touch with the fact that trance is rising in popularity globally, but also that, conversely, trance is still considered an ‘unmainstream’ type of music, a cultural side road, by the people that spoon-feed the UK masses.

Which again, for me, is only a good thing. There’s a reinvention going on here that was as evident in 2011 as it ever has been. A reinvention of trance music, and in some cases certain branches of house music, as a benevolent counter-cultural force with inclusive and not exclusive values. Its values are separate from the mainstream, but the scene itself is not a closed shop and not tearing itself apart from the inside. It’s fluid, it’s flexible, and it’s open-minded. This is an idealistic view, but one that has been reinforced in me during 2011.

And the idea that these values are inclusive, as opposed to looking to pigeonhole people for being or looking a certain way, is backed up by the way in which trance and house have moved closer and closer to each other in 2011. There is a recurring theme in dance music (and it occurs in all music scenes) that one style is meant to hate another and that one genre or sub-genre is aimed specifically at a certain type of person.

Yet, the way in which trance has generally slowed in pace and become more ‘bassline-driven, while house music slowly becomes more and more melodic in the breakdown, shows that there is a conscious desire to make both styles of music more interchangeable and versatile, to not be pigeonholed and tied to a sub-genre. Marco V, Sander Van Doorn and, to an extent, Gareth Emery are all playing (and even producing) house music and it isn’t harming their stature within trance music like it might have done in the past.

Many DJs in their DJ Mag Poll interviews, including Above & Beyond, lorded the continued demise of sub-genre boundaries and that in itself is testament to the growing sense of inclusivity and family spirit in dance music across the board.

David Guetta summed it up himself this year when receiving his No. 1 DJ crown:

“I think it’s a very positive moment for music. Everything is kind of getting mixed. Trance sounds into house music, house music into trance….Our music, doesn’t matter if its techno, trance, electro or house, we’ve never been as strong, EVER in history.”

Now, I wasn’t particularly impressed with Guetta being voted number No. 1 DJ and I gave my two cents about it in this very blog. Guetta, being a bit of a whore to the mainstream himself, got that award for reasons other than his DJing ability. But, that said, he’s absolutely right about the state of dance music in 2011.

The secret, David, is opening it up as much as possible without letting the masses take it over and ruin it - to make the music accessible without diluting it or pandering to sections of the public’s laziness and lack of individualism. As I mentioned in my ‘Stocking Filler’ blog, house music did make one of its cyclical moves towards the mainstream in 2011; time with tell whether trance’s borrowing from house music will drag it fully into the spotlight.

There is another way to look at this blending of genres though. It did cross my mind that rather than smashing down those genre boundaries we have just created a new sub-genre - Electro Trouse. Although trance can boast a very wide spectrum these days, it’s this very specific fusion of trance, house and electro that is ruling the roost. When it’s done well it certainly is amazing and it’s really enhanced trance as a type of clubbing music in my opinion. Big rhythmic drops are what we need on a dancefloor.

But I’m also wary that a good number of these tunes are relying too heavily on the electro elements and not enough on the melodic trance ones. I’ve just heard too many tracks this year that at the initial bassline drop have you thinking ‘this is gonna be amazing!’, only to fade into complete mediocrity by the breakdown. Simple melodic structures can of course work, but sometimes they just haven’t been executed as well as the basslines or percussion elements. Some of these tunes are just too forgettable and they don’t help the already short shelf-life of releases.

I really hope that I’ve managed to steer clear of these ‘hero-to-zero’ type tunes when putting together my own podcast in 2011. Obviously, only you can be the judge. And I hope the two Year Mixes that follow here (first now and next on Xmas Eve), do justice to the incredible year that was 2011.

And with that, I give you the first part of my Year Mixes…. Ladies and gentlemen, this was 2011!


THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 022 – THAT WAS 2011 – PART 1

1. Jochen Miller – One Day
[June / High Contrast Recordings]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 11 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #29

2011 was a very mixed year for one of my absolute favourite producers, but this went back to Jochen Miller basics, delivering a riff and an usual vocal cut that really hit the spot.

2. Kenneth Thomas feat. Roberta Harrison & Steven Taetz - Drive (Save The Robot Remix)
[March / Perfecto]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 10
Position in Top 40: #35

A superb, if slightly cheesy duet vocal, makes this track. The Ryan Mendoza remix was also fantastic, but the chunky tribal rhythms of the Save The Robot remix were better designed for dancefloor destruction.

3. Stoneface & Terminal – Here To Stay
[February / Euphonic]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 3
Position in Top 40: #7

Already being a big fan of Moment and Don’t Give A F*ck, it didn’t take long for this huge electrified monster to make an impression on me. The breakdown is the perfect serene contrast to the massive kick back that follows.

4. Shogun feat. Melissa Loretta – Skyfire
[August / Armind]
Chosen By: Banys Giedrius

A track hugely typical of the kind of sound that is popular at the moment – a cracking riff and kick back accompanied by a big electro bassline either side of that. A big club tune!

5. Tritonal feat. Meredith Call - Broken Down (Shogun Remix)
[April / Air Up There Recordings]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 7
Position in Top 40: #8

In my humble opinion, the best individual vocal of 2011, one that lyrically I think anybody can relate to. Shogun’s remix, like his reworking of Another World, proved that a tune can be hugely euphoric without going for the proverbial jugular.

6. Sander Van Doorn - Koko
[April / Doorn Records]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 7
Chosen By: Will Hoad & Simone B

Less ‘chosen by’ and more ‘chosen for’ this one, as nothing gets a party started for Will and Simone like this tune. Every clubbing holiday has a soundtrack and, thanks to them, our constant whistling, humming and singing of this tune made this our Ibiza anthem of 2011, hands down!

7. Creep feat. Romy – The Days (Super8 & Tab Remix)
[August / Young Turks]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 16
Position in Top 40: #40
Chosen By: Ally Auld

Trust Super8 & Tab to take just about any vocal and make it into an absolute bomb. Not a vocal you would normally expect to hear in a trance song, but here it really works.

8. Protoculture feat. Shannon Hurley – Sun Gone Down
[July / Re*Brand]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 15
Position in Top 40: #17

Had this vocal stuck in my head for days and days when I first started hearing it on other podcasts. And the psychedelic bassline in this one makes a very refreshing change from the generic stuff we are used to.

9. Orjan Nilsen – Between The Rays
[July / Armind]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 15
Position in Top 40: #9
Chosen By: Banys Giedrius & Thanasis T

Orjan was a man on fire in 2011 and this was undisputedly his best work from the album, In My Opinion. Putting a very fresh, more modestly paced twist on his euphoric material of yester year, this was one that got everybody going.

10. Gareth Emery – Citadel (Super8 & Tab Remix)
[March / Garuda]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 7
Position in Top 40: #27

Super8 & Tab worked their remix magic once again and turned what was already a pretty solid Gareth Emery track into something not far off a softer, euphoric Elektra reworking. The Finish duo absolutely made this track their own.

11. Andy Moor vs. M.I.K.E. - Spirit's Pulse
[April / AVA Recordings]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 7
Position in Top 40: #10

When we say a track is ‘bassline driven’, this is what we mean. A stunning, if slightly unexpected, collaboration between two of trance’s hottest properties, threw out this prog-electro masterpiece.
12. Andrew Bayer – From The Earth (Breakfast Remix)
[October / Anjunabeats]
Chosen By: Chris Newell [The Chris Newell Podcast] & & Ally Auld

Featuring on Anjunabeats Vol. 8 in 2010, this seemed to take forever to come out yet finally made its mark in 2011. Fellow podcaster, Chris Newell, said this contained many memories for him, well, since Above & Beyond played it at Cream’s birthday celebrations in tribute to Steve Jobs, it holds a few for me too.

13. Dennis Sheperd - Cocoon
[May / Enhanced Progressive]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 9
Position in Top 40: #30

Dennis Sheperd was another man making big waves in 2011, releasing an artist album and countless great remixes. Despite not featuring on A Tribute To Life, this was my favourite Sheperd production of the year and it’s everything a great prog-trance record should be.

14. Bobina & Betsie Larkin – You Belong To Me
[February / Maelstrom Records]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 3 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #3

Being fully captivated by this Betsie Larkin vocal from the very start of the year, I played just about every version there was to play of this on The Phil-Harmonic Podcast. The original though has chords in the breakdown that are nothing short of a mind-fuck.

15. DJ Governor - Pale Memories
[January / Armind]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 1 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #6

Sneaking into 2011 on the 3rd of Jan, this was a criminally underrated and quickly forgotten return for Orjan Nilsen’s DJ Governor moniker. Very reminiscent of personal all-time favourite, Arctic Globe, and a definite precursor to Between The Rays later in the year.

16. Paul Oakenfold – Full Moon Party
[August / Perfecto Fluoro]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 16 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #25
Chosen By: Sam Hind [Underground Selections]

A real full-blooded tune that gave more than a nod to the Oakenfold of old. The powerful psychedelic bassline and uplifting riff was a great smelting of old trance ideas and the more up-to-date, crisp and rounded production styles.

17. John Waver - Athene (Newton Remix)
[April / Trance All-Stars Records]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 8
Position in Top 40: #13

One of those rare beasts that makes every single hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Haunting, melancholic yet do damn uplifting; a perfect example of how trance is supposed to work its magic.

18. Michael Dow – Desert Storm
[July / Slinky Digital]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 16
Chosen By: Asko Huuki [Quethas]

Very similar in style and sound to Oakenfold’s Full Moon Party, this brought an added Arabian feel to the table. This has a hugely effective breakdown where the riff first bubbles and then bursts.

19. Above & Beyond feat. Richard Bedford – A Thing Called Love (Club Mix)
[June / Anjunabeats]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 8
Position in Top 40: #21

Having already spent the second half of last year listening to Anjunabeats Vol. 8 and absolutely rinsing this record on the iPod, I was hoping to put this in my That Was 2010 mix. It FINALLY came out in the summer of 2011 and hearing it in countless sets in Ibiza reignited this track for me.

20. Running Man – Eastern Sun (Sean Truby Remix)
[May / Infrasonic Future]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 10 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #16

Running Man was an emerging star of the uplifting branch in 2011 and Sean Truby gave this excellent riff the once over to produce this euphoria-fest. Very big!

21. Sunny Lax – Always (Matt Skyer Remix)
[May / Monster Digital]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 9 (Tune Of The Episode)
Position in Top 40: #20

A typically gorgeous piano line from Sunny Lax turns into a driving, powerful melody in this excellent Matt Skyer rework.

22. Daniel Kandi & Phillip Alpha - If It Ain't Broke
[March / Enhanced Recordings]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 7
Position in Top 40: #12

'If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is the adage and this track proved without doubt that the Daniel Kandi formula needs no fixing. A bittersweet melody that just rolls along blissfully, accompanied by angelic pianos – close to perfect uplifting trance music.

23. Agulo feat. David Berkeley - Fire Sign (Suncatcher Remix)
[March / Enhanced Recordings]
Chosen By: Ben Collier [Room 1ne Sessions] & Ally Auld

A very distinctive vocal and the usual solid remixing skills of Romanian producer, Suncatcher, this was a very big favourite of both Ben and Ally. It seemed only right to include it.

24. Ben Nicky feat. Cassandra Fox – The One (Daniel Kandi Remix)
[September / Monster Tunes]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 18
Chosen By: Ally Auld

Another very popular record from 2011, a Cassandra Fox vocal that made a big impact. This could quite easily have made my own Top 40 – so, into the Year Mix it went.

25. Ben Gold – Pandemic
[May / Garuda]
Chosen By: Dušan Polek

A very full sounding bassline (a la his remix of Brace Yourself) and one of those catchy, looping riffs. Another solid big room tune from the London-based prodigy.

26. Gareth Emery Feat. Mark Frisch – Into The Light (Alex M.O.R.P.H. Remix)
[November / Garuda]
Featured In TPHP: Episode 20

This mix appeared to be running slightly short of the 2 and half hour mark so, for good measure, I threw on this version of Into The Light and, in retrospect, it’s a much better way to end the Year Mix. M.O.R.P.H. just seems to have a habit of making decent tunes into goddamn epic ones and this is no exception.

-----------------------

Well, that’s it for now. Part 2 swings your way in less than a week – on Xmas Eve. Catch your breath and I’ll see you then!

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 21 - The Xmas Stocking Filler 2011

Season’s greetings one and all.

Season’s greetings, Phil? Already? On the 4th of December? You know, I more than most hate the way in which Christmas is forced upon us earlier and earlier every year. But our work Christmas party was on Friday and I am already starting to panic slightly about Christmas shopping, so attention is beginning to turn to all things festive. And this week’s podcast is my extended Christmas gift to everyone I know that isn’t a rampant trance-head like myself – something for those of you who find my usual offerings a little too full on or intense to rock around your Christmas tree to. This week’s mix comes from the more accessible echelons of house music.

And ‘accessibility’ is the key word here. Drafting and redrafting, compiling this tracklist seemed to take forever and I laboured hard to make sure there was plenty going on that even the most casual of music fans should recognise. Vocally, The Jam, Faithless, Eurythmics, Simply Red, Bob Marley and The Doobie Brothers all make an appearance in some form or another. While that is supplemented by all the usual house heavy-weights – like Wolfgang Gartner, Afrojack, Avicii, Klaas, Swedish House Mafia, Fedde Le Grand, Sidney Samson and Benny Benassi.

House music seems to have made one of its cyclical moves towards mainstream popularity in 2011 and, while a good deal of the house music that gets picked up on for daytime radio playlists ranges from average to goddamn awful, I’ve handpicked as much material that genuinely falls under those ‘big’ and ‘popular’ brackets as I possibly can. In the end, I’ve tried to get a balance between house music that I’ve loved in 2011 – following up from my Ibiza Loves House Music episode in the summer – and records that I know people will recognise. And hopefully there’s also a good balance between tracks that will have you up and rocking and tracks that will just paint a cheesy festive smile on your face. Nothing too serious. Just good ‘feel good’ house music.

This 2 and half hour marathon opens with an incredibly daft song that I heard 3 or 4 months ago on the We Love Ibiza podcast. After pissing myself laughing listening to it in the car on the way to work, I listened to it on repeat till lunchtime. A perfect tongue-in-cheek start to proceedings I thought. After that we have a nice blend of deep, funky and filter house – perfect for the early stages of those Christmas house parties. That includes the rolling disco grooves of Nora En Pure’s Spicy and the vocal driven masterpiece that is Something Good’s Ride.

After about 40 mins we start to pick up the pace. There are more tongue-in-cheek vibes courtesy of Rodeo by Mattias & G80s and the inescapable We No Speak Americano. To be honest, the latter is a huge tune that I did start to get sick of hearing on Radio One as it was massively overplayed. But in the context of what this mix is all about, I had to include it. There’s also the very distinctive I Like by Klaas & Bodybangers, a tune that isn’t only a bit of a guilty pleasure for me personally but a tune I thought more mainstream music fans would enjoy for its sassy vocal and infectious bassline.

After an hour and 20 of warming up good and proper, the mix explodes into some higher octane club music, starting with Adrian Lux & Blende’s remix of Worldwide. That was a tune I heard in Adrian Lux’s guest mix on Sander Van Doorn’s Identity show and had me grinning from ear to ear. Truth be told, I was very close to including that one in my overall Year Mixes. Of the tunes remaining, the most recognisable are the Zedd remix of Swedish House Mafia’s 2011 single, Save The World – the original a big tune at this year’s Creamfields I hear – and Laidback Luke’s rework of Benny Benassi’s Cinema – my favourite record from my most played Xbox game of 2011, Need For Speed Hot Pursuit. Not that I’ve had the time to play much Xbox these days.

Tune of the episode was a very difficult pick this time around. I was very close to giving it to Worldwide but after listening back to this set a few times in the office, I decided it was actually Marcus Schossow’s new version of Red Carpet – Alright that was the record that had THE lot - the vocal, the beats, the bassline, the chords, the euphoria, the filthiness. And that’s why it gets my vote. Maybe a bit of my trance bias coming out there but it is a special record.

When I posted my Ibiza Loves House Music episode back in July I did stress how much out of my trance comfort zone I feel when mixing house music. And once again, with that in mind, I’m delighted with how this episode has turned out, especially given that it is so long. I suppose that is testament to the fact that I am improving, as well as beginning to fully appreciate just how much careful planning and harmonic track choice can help you along. There is a musical journey to be had here; a journey I just wouldn’t have been able to pull off 12 months ago. The first time I listened to this set back in the office, it was the shortest 2 and half hours of my life. That, more than anything, has to be a good sign.

Oh, and apologies for this week’s horrifically red festive artwork against the usual blue and purple of the blog. If I don’t pleasure your ears, I’ll at least ruin your eyes!!


THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 021 - THE XMAS STOCKING FILLER 2011

1. The 2 Bears - Bear Hug [Southern Fried Records]
2. Sons Of Maria - More Jazz [Enormous Tunes]
3. Nora En Pure - Spicy [Enormous Tunes]
4. TJR - One Love [Peak Hour Music]
5. Crazibiza - Eastchester [Hugh Recordings]
6. Ministry Of Funk - Money [Muzik X Press]
7. Something Good – Ride [Nocturnal Groove]
8. Mattias & G80s - Rodeo (Dub Mix) [Molto Recordings]
9. Manuel De La Mare, Lissat & Voltaxx – Club Around The World (David Amo & Julio Navas Remix) [HotFingers]
10. Klaas & Bodybangers - I Like (Klaas Mix) [Kontor Records]
11. John Dahlbäck – Are You Nervous [Spinnin' Records]
12. Truelove - Rock The Casbah [Chic Flowerz Digitalic]
13. Matt Caseli & Danny Freakazoid – Long Legs Running 2011 (Graham Sahara & Central Avenue Mix) [Spinnin' Records]
14. Yolanda Be Cool & DCup – We No Speak Americano! [Sweat It Out]
15. Joey Negro & Z Factor - Keep On Jumpin' (Luigi Rocca Remix) [Z Records]
16. Fedde Le Grand - Metrum (Manuel De La Mare Remix) [Toolroom Records]
17. Roger Sanchez feat. Mobin Master & MC Flipside - Worldwide (Adrian Lux & Blende Remix) [Stealth Records]
18. Nadia Ali, Starkillers & Alex Kenji – Pressure (Alesso Remix) [Spinnin' Records]
19. Afrojack & R3hab vs. Shakedown - Prutataaa At Night (Hardwell Mashup) [CDR]
20. Steve Angello vs. Faithless - KNAS Insomnia (East & Young Mashup) [CDR]
21. Swedish House Mafia - Save The World (Zedd Remix) [EMI UK]
22. Red Carpet - Alright 2011 (Marcus Schössow Remix) [Spinnin' Records] <<<(Phil’s Tune Of The Episode)>>>
23. Sidney Samson feat. Tara McDonald - Dynamite (Nicky Romero Remix) [RockTheHouze]
24. Wolfgang Gartner – Illmerica [Ultra Records]
25. Lissat & Voltaxx – Young And Beautiful (Klaas & Micha Moor Remix) [Scream & Shout Recordings]
26. Wynter Gordon – Til Death (R3hab Remix) [Atlantic]
27. Benny Benassi feat. Gary Go – Cinema (Laidback Luke Remix) [D:vision Records]
28. Avicii – Sweet Dreams (Gregori Klosman Remix) [Joia Records]
29. Wolfgang Gartner – Wolfgang's 5th Symphony [We Play]
30. Tiësto – Maximal Crazy [Musical Freedom]
31. David Guetta - Little Bad Girl (Instrumental Club Mix) [F**k Me I'm Famous Records]
32. ENCORE: Nero - Guilt [More Than Alot Records]

So, what next for the podcast? We’re not done yet in 2011. All of my followers out there who were disappointed to see a tracklist of house music this week - don’t fear. My year mixes are next and by the time the second one lands, you will have had 5 hours of the year’s best trance and progressive tunes in just less than 1 week. Sit tight, keep sober and I’ll see you in 2 weeks.

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 20

Hello all,

Very close to the end of the year now and, since my blogs throughout December may end up being a bit lengthy, I will spare you all the excessive word play for once. This week’s entry is intentionally brief.

As promised at the end of the last blog, this week I deliver the most deliberate of curve balls. And as deliberate as that was, this curve ball curves even more than even I expected it to. To give you a break from the usual format going into the New Year, Episode 20 is a cunning blend of records from 2011 that I couldn’t find a place for in the podcast when they were released, new material that has (probably) just about missed the boat in terms of my year mixes AND some pretty left-of-field old tracks. And because the mix doesn’t quite reach into those faster tempos as quickly as we normally do, I’ve even been able to include 22 tracks in there. A real bumper episode.

The opening 40 mins of this set are as dark, as moody and as aggressive an opening I have ever put together for an episode - the energetic stabs of Essence, the epic 303 synth of The Monster, the ominous (and instantly recognisable) orchestral breakdown of Scarface. The opening 40 mins comes with a certified health warning. Our house was well and truly shaking as I was mixing this.

Later, watch out for a killer transition from Maarten De Jong’s A50 into Super8 & Tab’s remix of Velvet Morning. Definitely one of the best I’ve ever done, that. And 'Tune Of The Episode' is Ruby & Tony’s fantastic remix of Menno De Jong – Place In The Sun. Huge tune that is too.

And that’s all there is to say really.

THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 020

1. Gareth Emery feat. Mark Frisch - Into The Light (Benjamin Bates Remix) [Garuda]
2. Exit - The Incident [High Contrast Nu Breed]
3. Sander Van Doorn - Daddyrock (Arty Remix) [Doorn Records]
4. Marco V & Damian William - Essence [In Charge]
5. Marcel Woods - 3Stortion 2011 (Marcel Woods Treatment) [High Contrast Recordings]
6. Erick Strong - The Monster [Reset Records]
7. Mike S – Scarface [Reset Records]
8. Malfankson – Intro & Ending [Hahmo Recordings]
9. Nhato - Dreamer's Symphony [Black Hole Recordings]
10. Federation – Synchronized (Protoculture Remix) [Perfecto Fluoro]
11. Maarten De Jong – A50 [Reset Records]
12. Kyau & Albert - Velvet Morning (Super8 & Tab Remix) [Euphonic]
13. Jon O'Bir & Sonic Element - Let Go (Sequentia Remix) [Liquid Recordings]
14. Estigma feat. Irena Love – Cinnamon Sunday (ReOrder Sunrise Mix) [Silent Shore Records]
15. Ben Gold – Sapphire (Main Mix) [Garuda]
16. Sean Tyas – Seven Weeks [Doorn Records]
17. 4 Strings - Twilight Mode [Liquid Recordings]
18. Dennis Sheperd & Alan Morris feat. Sue McLaren – I Die (Alan Morris Club Mix) [High Contrast Recordings]
19. Menno De Jong feat. Ellie Lawson – Place In The Sun (Ruby & Tony Remix) [Intuition Recordings] <<<(Phil’s Tune Of The Episode)>>>
20. C-Systems feat. Hanna Finsen – Pieces [Unearthed Red]
21. Gareth Emery feat. Mark Frisch - Into The Light (Alex M.O.R.P.H. Remix) [Garuda]
22. Chris R vs. Carl B – Take Off [In Trance We Trust]

Coming up in December, I have 7 and half hours of music for you. Something for everyone to raise their glasses and get their groove on to over the seasonal period. Make sure you come back here in 2 weeks for the first of those seasonal instalments. House music anyone?

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 19

Hello world! How’s life treating you? Well, if it’s half as well as it’s treating me at the moment you’re doing OK. Content enough for a fresh dose of the Phil-Harmonic Podcast certainly. But let’s face it, when are you not OK enough for that?

Winter closes in, as does my favourite time in any musical year – that time of year where we all get to look at back at our favourite records of the year just gone. If all goes to plan, I’ll have a December crammed with 7 and a half hours of trance and house for you and I’m already primed for it. Really excited! I’m almost more interested in that than Christmas itself.

And since our second episode in November will be throwing you a slight curve ball, this really is our very last straight up episode of 2011. And it’s turned out as a nice blend of melodic electro-prog and moody, rolling tech – with the usual striking euphoria in the final half hour.

I actually had a few issues with this episode. On finishing the set and, I must say, feeling pretty pleased with myself, I made the almost fatal error of attempting playback in Audacity before saving the recording. The program crashed... After much messing around, I recovered the file but for some reason the recording sounded unbalanced and slightly tinny. For that reason, this episode was almost attempted for a second time.

Thankfully, it didn’t come to that, because a second attempt at salvaging the original file seemed to work. But I’d like to apologise well in advance if anyone notices any below-par sound quality here. It should be OK – there shouldn’t be too much of a difference, if at all.

As for the music itself – this week I’ve served up Above & Beyond’s most recent single releases, You Got To Go with Zoe Johnston and Miguel Bosé’s Spanish reworking of Every Little Beat, renamed Sea Lo Que Sea Será – in their Kyau & Albert and Myon & Shane 54 guises respectively. Including both of those in there maybe (subconsciously) had something to do with the fact that I saw Above & Beyond at Nation in Liverpool earlier last month and, only a few months after the Group Therapy boat party in Ibiza, bumped into Tony McGuiness and some of the Anjunabeats team for the second time this year. By sheer fluke you understand...

I’ve been listening to quite a lot of International Departures of late, which might explain the presence of so much Myon & Shane 54 this week. Alongside their single Futuristic on Armind and their remix of Above & Beyond, we have their huge remix of Within Temptation’s Sinéad. I must admit, out of curiosity, I even checked out the original pop-metal version of this track and was pleasantly surprised. Just an all-round well-written song. The Hungarian duo, Myon & Shane 54, have just reached 100 episodes of International Departures, and although it’s not quite my favourite show (sorry, guys), they’re still doing sterling work. Hats off to them!

And our main man, our toppled DJ Mag champion, Armin Van Buuren makes two appearances. Many would say he’s saving his best work for his Gaia alias these days and he’s brought that back again this year with the incredible Stellar. Oh, and not forgetting a long overdue collaboration with fellow pioneer Ferry Corsten on Brute. With its unusual shifting of time signatures, definitely one of the most imposing records of 2011.

Orjan Nilsen also plays a big role in this week’s episode. Not only does his remix of Cosmic Gate’s Be Your Sound mesh perfectly into Brute, but the extended version of Down The Line, one of my absolute favourites from the album In My Opinion, reaches out ahead of all that tough competition to clinch my Tune Of The Episode gong.

And we end on two oldies this week. Firstly, Nitrous Oxide’s big reworking of OceanLab – Beautiful Together. People forget that there were 3 OceanLab singles that came before the seminal Satellite, this being the best of those 3. I’d actually forgotten that the Nitrous Oxide remix was a 2008 remix as part of the Anjunabeats 100 releases. But our final track is a real oldie in comparison, sweeping us back to 2003 – the hypnotic circling synths of Fictivision vs. C-Quence – Symbols. In Trance We Trust – one of those few elite trance labels old enough to have brought us the likes of Midway, Cor Fijneman, Yahel, Mesh and Mark Norman, yet still going strong with the likes of Virtual Vault, Tom Cloud and Alex Kunnari all these years later.

THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 019

1. Sander Van Doorn feat. Sia - Drink To Get Drunk [Doorn Records]
2. Myon & Shane 54 - Futuristic [Armind]
3. Within Temptation - Sinéad (Myon & Shane 54 Triplet Monster Mix) [Zouk Recordings]
4. Mike Sonar – Reborn [AVA Blue]
5. A.M.R. - Sand Dunes (Estiva Remix) [Enhanced Recordings]
6. Chris Schweizer - Error 404 [Dub Tech Recordings]
7. Armin Van Buuren presents Gaia - Stellar [Armind]
8. Sonic Element - Amenity [Enhanced Recordings]
9. Above & Beyond feat. Zoe Johnston - You Got To Go (Kyau & Albert Remix) [Anjunabeats]
10. Protoculture - Liquid Logic (Nhato Remix) [Re*Brand]
11. Lange feat. Sarah Howells - Let It All Out (Andy Moor Remix) [Lange Recordings]
12. Above & Beyond feat. Miguel Bosé - Sea Lo Que Sea Será (Myon & Shane 54 Summer Of Love Mix) [Anjunabeats]
13. Orjan Nilsen - Down The Line [Armada Music] <<<(Phil's Tune Of The Episode)>>>
14. Cosmic Gate feat. Emma Hewitt - Be Your Sound (Orjan Nilsen Remix) [Black Hole Recordings]
15. Ferry Corsten vs. Armin Van Buuren - Brute [Flashover]
16. Aerian - Mahé [Aerian Records]
17. Sean Tyas & Bjorn Akesson - Zahi [Tytanium Recordings]
18. Running Man - Legend [Insight Recordings]
19. OceanLab - Beautiful Together (Nitrous Oxide Remix) [Anjunabeats]
20. Fictivision vs. C-Quence – Symbols [In Trance We Trust]

All for now, ladies and gents. Next on the horizon for me is Orjan Nilsen and W&W at Ministry Of Sound, London – including a much needed catch up with old friends. And, following that, Episode 20 of TPHP, which will be an eclectic mix of material that I haven’t already found a place for in the podcast this year and some handpicked forgotten monsters from the last few years.

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 18

Fuck a duck! Can’t believe it but I’m back already. It’s amazing how those long days in work just melt into weeks that just disappear in a flash. As the old Rank 1 classic goes, such is life!

Well, the big news this week is the release of the results for the DJ Mag Top 100 poll. The DJ Mag poll is one of those things that I think we all accept is a bit flawed from the outset. At the end of the day, it is only DJ Mag’s poll. Not exactly a general election. But, nevertheless, year-on-year more people have participated and it’s one of those things that we all like to have an opinion on.

But after seeing David Guetta take Armin’s crown at the top, I can’t help but feel that the whole thing has lost its meaning. The poll was already starting to become a bit of a popularity contest but now any remaining sense that this list is a celebration of technical ability in DJing has seeped away.

Let’s face it - DJing and producing are very different worlds. The best DJs don’t always make the best producers and vice-versa. But marketing strategies, image and public exposure are a different kettle of fish altogether as well.

You look at Armin Van Buuren holding the crown for 4 years previously. Armin has developed himself a fantastic ‘clean-cut’, ‘man of the people’ image in trance music. Whether by fluke or by design, he’s packaged himself in a way that makes him a hugely appealing figure within dance music. Armin’s building of a likeable image is no different to Guetta. Although, why Guetta’s ‘bloke-living-out-of-a-Parisian-dumpster-whilst-printing-money-like-a-dance-music-Hugh-Hefner’ image is popular I don’t know.

The difference is, Armin has a staggering amount of technical ability as a DJ to back himself up. I’ve seen that at first hand about 7 times now. Not everyone agrees with his tune selection, not everyone likes his productions anymore, not everyone listens to A State Of Trance every week – but we all agree the man can fucking mix. Incidentally, it’s a level of technical ability and creative ear for detail that Tiësto was absolutely nowhere near when he first claimed the DJ Mag best DJ crown in 2002.

Guetta’s rise to the number 1 spot however is based on nothing more than the fact that his career as a producer consists in propping up the talentless efforts of various pop music no-marks. As someone mentioned on twitter, opening up the voting to facebook was a big mistake. Not only was the facebook app prone to crashing, but giving facebook the centre stage of democracy was like putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop.

When it comes to voting in the poll, I’ve always urged people, not only to disregard their preferences in terms of producers, but also to only vote for people they’ve actually seen DJ in the last 12 months. You look at that list in 2011 and you do not get the sense that this is a list compiled by people who have racked up a lot of clubbing visits recently. It’s more the list of the casual dance fan with a casual eye on the charts. (See Afrojack, Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, Skrillex, Deadmau5....)

Some people will look at the list and say, ‘ah, well. It’s not that bad.’ If you’re a trance fan there’s Above & Beyond, Paul Van Dyk, Gareth Emery and Markus Schulz all up there. Schulz in particular deserves to be up there. But then you look at Eddie Halliwell at #64, Sasha at #63, Hernán Cattaneo at #82 and most amazingly, James Zabiela at #94. I’m sorry, any list of 100 DJs with David Guetta at the top and James Zabiela 6 places off the bottom must be considered absolutely null and void. I don’t care how strong your principles of democracy are. Get your raving shoes on, kids, and go and see some more DJs!

Interestingly, I thought what David Guetta said on receiving his award, about the current strength of dance music, was absolutely spot on and pretty inspiring. (I’ll say more about that when I review the year in December.) It’s just a shame that this year’s poll got well and truly hijacked by people who have no real interest in DJing as a creative, technical art form.

Well, amongst all that rambling, there is actually a new episode of TPHP here for you all. Hopefully, it’s a mix that shows enough quality to justify my own pretentious talk of DJing as a technical art form.

A lot of big tuneage this week, kicking off with some deeper, housier grooves. 8th Note’s U Got 2 Be There makes use of a very familiar vocal sample, made known to me by the hard dance outfit Adrenaline Dept.’s track of the same name.

There’s a huge new remix of Ernesto vs. Bastian’s classic anthem, Dark Side Of The Moon, Arty’s Remode of The Wall and the deliciously cheesey, yet ‘oh-so’ massive Maze by First State.

But this mix really shines in the 2nd hour. One of the best 2nd hours I've ever done I think, thanks to a handful of hugely euphoric tunes that went together like hand and glove. Our closing oldie this week is Andy Blueman’s remix of Robert Nickson - Circles, a track that I thought was older than it actually is. I only realised after playing it that it was on Armin’s A State Of Trance 2009. Yet, it feels so much older than that. A fantastic record, nonetheless. And one of those records that shows how closely linked pure blissful chill out and driving 138+ trance are as styles of music.

THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 018

1. The 8th Note vs. Yona - U Got 2 Be There (Q.U.A.K.E Remix) [Enormous Tunes]
2. Weekend Heroes - Black Ops! (Daniel Portman Remix) [Unreleased Digital]
3. Headstrong feat. Shelley Harland - Helpless (Aurosonic Progressive Mix) [Sola Records]
4. Heatbeat - Roses Never Cry [Soundpiercing]
5. Ernesto vs. Bastian feat. Susana - Dark Side Of The Moon (Marc Simz Remix) [High Contrast Recordings]
6. Arty feat. Tania Zygar - The Wall (Arty's Remode Mix) [Enhanced Progressive]
7. Matias Faint - Casino Fire (Kent & Gian Remix) [Soundpiercing] <<<(Phil’s Tune Of The Episode)>>>
8. Aerian - Mahé (Temple One Remix) [Aerian Records]
9. David Forbes - Touchscreen [AVA Recordings]
10. Andy Moor feat. Sue McLaren - Fight The Fire (Norin & Rad Remix) [AVA Recordings]
11. First State feat. Tyler Sherrit - Maze [Magik Muzik]
12. Temple One feat. Neev Kennedy – Love The Fear [Enhanced Recordings]
13. Dan Stone - Baltic [Enhanced Recordings]
14. Dart Rayne - Sanctum [Trance All-Stars Records]
15. James Poulton - Anodyne [Monster Digital]
16. Paul Miller - Regza [Unearthed Red]
17. Illitheas presents Mavi - Azen (Trance Arts Remix) [Blue Soho Recordings]
18. Vol Deeman - Calling Me Back Home [Discover Digital]
19. Ben Nicky feat. Cassandra Fox - The One (Daniel Kandi Remix) [Monster Tunes]
20. Robert Nickson - Circles (Andy Blueman Remix) [A State Of Trance]

That’s all for now – again, see you in 2 weeks.

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 17

Here we are again. Back with more electronic dance goodness from the depths of my CD cases.

Episode 17 drops on a Friday this time around. I’m making a welcome return to Nation in Liverpool on Saturday for Cream’s 19th Birthday celebrations. And since it’s a 6am finish, I envisage being buried six feet under my bed covers on Sunday. So, here it is a few days early.

This week we repeat for the last time a concept I have done twice before already. Episodes 2 and 6 of this podcast were both rip roaring rides through the more pulsating end of trance’s spectrum. Both were wall-to-wall euphoric oldies. And here we do it all again –as I say, for the last time. Why for the last time? Well, quite frankly, as great as it is to have these ambles down memory lane, any more of them and I’ll run out of truly big oldies to play at the end of normal episodes. I don’t want to overdo it.

What’s been great about these episodes though is that it’s given me chance to play out some of my all-time favourite trance records. And by ‘all-time favourite’ I don’t necessarily mean all the well-known classics like Silence or Airwave or Gouryella. Those records are obviously amazing – defined a genre. They’re everybody’s favourites. But I think all trance fans have a set of very personal records that aren’t quite so obvious but hold an equally special place in their clubbing ‘soul’.

Take Big Sky, Arctic Globe, Beautiful Sunshine, A Life Elsewhere and Memories from Episode 2, take Killa, Guanxi, Bulldozer and Candida from Episode 6 and Castamara, Typhoon, Feel 4 You and Child from this Episode, and you have a fairly rounded rundown of my quintessential trance records – records that will never fail to raise the hairs on my neck.

The only difference with this week’s instalment is that it actually gets harder and faster than its older siblings. It ends on 4 absolutely huge hard dance records. Those include Lee Haslam’s Liberate, a record that I played every single time I practiced when I was first learning to DJ, Jason Cortez’s Tranzition, one of Cortez’s best from a period when he was just churning out ridiculous tunes with Nick Rowland as his engineer, and Colin Barratt’s Rinsed remix of I’m In Control, with its killer, funky, broken beat breakdown.

And that’s all there is to it really. Take the ride and judge for yourself.

THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 017

1. The Thrillseekers feat. Gina Dootson - By Your Side (Martin Roth Remix) [Adjusted Music]
2. Bissen – String Theory [Flux Delux Digital]
3. Lennox – Servant Of Justice (Alex M.O.R.P.H. Remix) [Mondo Records]
4. Giuseppe Ottaviani feat. Stephen Pickup – No More Alone (John O`Callaghan Remix) [Vandit]
5. Daniel Kandi – Child [Anjunabeats]
6. Rollerball – Albinoni (Super8 Remix) [Anjunabeats]
7. Super8 & Tab – Irufushi (Sean Tyas Remix) [Anjunabeats]
8. Thomas Bronzwaer - Look Ahead [A State Of Trance]
9. Re:Locate – Typhoon [Galactive]
10. Ian Van Dahl – Castles In The Sky (Wippenberg Club Mix) [NuLife Recordings]
11. The Mystery - Feel 4 You (Dub Mix) [RR Records] <<<(Phil's Tune Of The Episode)>>>
12. Giuseppe Ottaviani – Through Your Eyes [Vandit]
13. Jonas Steur – Castamara [Intuition Recordings]
14. Temple One - Forever Searching (Orjan Nilsen's Synthetic Remix) [Enhanced Recordings]
15. Marc Dawn - Expander (Flutlicht Remix) [Logport Recordings]
16. Vincent De Moor – Fly Away (Sean Tyas Remix) [Combined Forces]
17. Lee Haslam - Liberate [TidyTwo]
18. Jason Cortez - Tranzition [Nuklearpuppy Records]
19. Ingo & Lee Pasch present Turbulance System - Osaris [Riot! Recordings]
20. Jon Bishop - I'm In Control (Colin Barratt Remix) [Tidy Traxx]

Back to normal episodes in 2 weeks. Got some belters (plus an unorthodox beginning) lined up for our next outing. Until then, keep safe!

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 16

Hello all,

TPHP is really back in full swing now and we’re not letting up now that autumn’s here. Episode 16 lands with an almighty bang, or should I say thud.

When I first set up this podcast I did have quite a clear idea in my head of what I wanted the format to be. An hour of progressive and tech, hitting the 138s by that hour mark; mainly new material but with 3 choice old numbers to keep it different and interesting – always ending on the biggest of those oldies. It’s not always worked like that. Some have been much more progressive, some have been very short of old material. More often than not, the material being released that month or my mood dictates. This episode however fits my intended format absolutely perfectly. This is The Phil-Harmonic Podcast as I always envisaged it.

Crammed into hour 1, we have new singles from Andy Moor, tyDi and German producer, Dennis Sheperd, a man who is absolutely on fire at the moment. There’s another fantastic Super8 & Tab remix, a big electro monster from young Juventa and Gareth Emery’s collaboration with Ben Gold for the latest Sound Of Garuda compilation. I have a feeling this week’s more progressive hour is one that even non-trance fans might find good ‘getting-ready-to-go-out’ material. Some absolutely cracking vocals in there!

Hour 2 is not for the faint hearted though. It is a full frontal euphoric, tech-tribal-goa tinged assault on your aural faculties. No messing about! Watch out for Paul Oakenfold rolling back the years with a fiendishly psychedelic bassline in Full Moon Party, the Simon Patterson-esque drop of Ian Buff’s Odyssey remix (complete with my own cheeky use of the vinyl mode function in the break) and not forgetting Michael Dow’s Desert Storm. Michael Dow is a name I know from my old hard trance days and despite his relatively low profile he remains one of the most gifted young producers in the UK.

Our oldies this week start with a Stoneface & Terminal remix of Oceania from 2009 – a remix that captures perfectly the careful transition the duo have made from fast-paced trancers to slower electro-tech monsters. We have Sean Tyas’ old reworking of Selu Vibra – Divine from 2006. All he did was stick a fat kick on the original but it seemed to work. And we end on S.H.O.K.K.’s remix of Altitude – Altitude. This was an old record I bought the CD single of many moons ago – I think when I was about 15 or 16. The original was an epic, original and beautiful progressive journey of the older school variety. As expected, S.H.O.K.K.’s remix brings it into slightly rougher, more pumping territory. A good way to end the mix I think.

THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 016

1. Creep feat. Romy - The Days (Super8 & Tab Remix) [Young Turks]
2. Dennis Sheperd feat. Jonathan Mendelsohn – Bring Me Back (Club Dub) [High Contrast Recordings]
3. Omnia presents Ain Mo - Plug & Play [Soundpiercing]
4. Beat Service – Charged [Coldharbour Recordings]
5. Allure feat. Christian Burns – On The Wire (Dennis Sheperd Remix) [Magik Muzik]
6. tyDi feat. Sarah Howells – Acting Crazy (Wezz Devall Remix) [S107 Recordings]
7. Derek Ryan – Catharsis (SNR Remix) [We Stand Alone]
8. Andy Moor feat. Sue McLaren – Fight The Fire [AVA Recordings]
9. Gareth Emery & Ben Gold – Flash [Garuda]
10. Lang & Yep feat. Manon Polare - Nevertheless (Juventa Remix) [Enhanced Progressive]
11. Cramp feat. Natalie Peris – More To This (Solis Remix) [Infrasonic Recordings]
12. Giuseppe Ottaviani - Go On Air [Vandit]
13. Oceania – Always (Stoneface & Terminal Remix) [Vandit Digital]
14. Michael Dow - Desert Storm [Slinky Digital]
15. DoubleV – Pangeea (N&R Project Remix) [Silent Shore Records]
16. Paul Oakenfold – Full Moon Party [Perfecto Fluoro] <<<(Phil's Tune Of The Episode)>>>
17. Ralph Novell - Odyssey (Ian Buff Remix) [Connective Sounds]
18. Selu Vibra – Divine (Sean Tyas Rework) [Somatic Sense Recordings]
19. Blue Tente feat. Aelyn - You're Not Mine (Uplifting Mix) [Silent Shore Records]
20. Marcos feat. Helen Sylk – Take Cover [Borderline]
21. Altitude – Altitude (S.H.O.K.K. Remix) [UK Bonzai]

And we’re done. In 2 weeks I’m going to bring you another mix of nostalgic oldies, a la episodes 2 and 6. Probably the last time I will ever do that actually, so I’ll definitely make it one to savour. See you then!

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 15

And we’re back once again.

With my Ibiza Specials filling the void for the last 3 episodes, it’s been 9 long weeks since Episode 11 of this podcast. We are well overdue a regular episode – and here it is. Since the Ibiza review blog was pretty lengthy, I’ll keep this one as short and sweet as I possibly can... not easy, let me tell ya.

First of all, just a quick thanks for the response to Episode 14. I was well and truly blown away by the number of plays and downloads – and, if I’m honest, just the extra interest people showed. It took a lot of putting together but clearly it was well worth it. Thanks again! If Ibiza happens for me again next year, the 3 Ibiza Specials will, in almost exactly the same format.

What’s in store this week?

With the long wait for a ‘normal’ episode, this is essentially a look back on what has been big for me in the world of trance music from the end of July through until the end of August. Compiling this tracklist was an exercise in crowbarring in as many favourites from the last 2 months as possible. And, understandably, there are also a few nods to the tunes we heard while out in Ibiza. There’s a lot going on here.

As I said in last week’s blog, I was absolutely primed to get on with the podcast post-Ibiza. I was itching to mix this. But at the same time, having not touched my decks since the end of July, I was wary that there might be some rustiness, maybe some cobwebs to blow away. DJing is all about the control you have over what’s playing, when you’ve been away a while you can feel like some of that control has ebbed away.

Luckily, any rustiness hasn’t come through a huge amount on this mix and I think this set proves that I’m at a level now where I can rescue situations that would have in the past ended a mix prematurely. The harmonic mixing really comes to the fore in this episode. It’s made for 3 or 4 absolutely rocking transitions and on a couple of occasions it has really saved my bacon. It’s by no means the perfect mix – there’s still plenty to brush up on and improve - but tracks 11 through to 15 (in particular) are me at my current best, I’d say.

But it’s the tunes that make this episode one to check out. We have 3 tunes in this one – Ask The Cat, Timezone and Between The Rays - that are definitely in my top 10 of the year so far. These are tracks that I’ve been loving since well before Ibiza. On top of that, we have Sergio Maldonado’s killer electro-driven remix of Digital Andromeda, Betsie Larkin’s collab with Super8 & Tab, All We Have Is Now, and Stoneface & Terminal’s last release on Euphonic. Big remixes from Richard Durand, Maor Levi, Lee Haslam, Ummet Ozcan and Ben Gold – it’s all going off.

“Take me softly from your thoughts,
Run away and don’t ever stop,
Oh, you might have known me once before,
He is not me anymore.

Here,
I made the same mistake,
I made before,
But now, I want change.

But there ain’t no train going home,
There is no soul to seek down that road,
No, there ain’t no way I can go,
So alone, so alone,
Bittersweet timezone.”

– Sander Van Doorn - Timezone

And as for nods to Ibiza? At the start of the holiday we spent the entire time singing the riff of Koko and we were loving it when First State’s Koko-Prutataaa Bashup was dished out at Judgement Sundays. Great memories. Here I’ve gone for the just as rocking R3hab remix. As well as playing Orjan Nilsen’s Between The Rays, Cosmic Gate played a version of DJ Shog’s ComeBack. I’ve gone for the epic Dennis Sheperd remix here. Another storming release from the last few months. And Armin and Ferry Corsten both played mash ups involving The Scientist by Coldplay – ignoring the fact that mash ups are always a pain to mix, I had to stick in Mark Sherry’s version that he’s done with Simon Patterson - Missing. I’ve seen this bootleg played out 3 or 4 times whilst out clubbing now and it always gets a great reaction.

And I’ve also stuck in a version of Super8 & Tab’s Mercy – the track that had me welling up on the train coming back from London. It’s pretty fitting that it was Super8 & Tab tracks that had me in pieces actually, because Empire Remixed was released on Anjunabeats the week we arrived home. The whole Ibiza 2011 experience has been loaded with pieces of musical irony.... and you can’t beat a touch of irony.

THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 015

1. Sander Van Doorn presents Purple Haze feat. Frederick - Timezone [Doorn Records] <<<(Phil's Tune Of The Episode)>>>
2. Sander Van Doorn - Koko (R3hab Remix) [Doorn Records]
3. Alex O'Rion – Craters Of The Moon (Richard Durand Remix) [Black Hole Recordings]
4. Super8 & Tab feat. Jan Burton - Slow To Learn (Maor Levi Club Mix) [Anjunabeats]
5. Sunground - Every Midnight [Trance All-Stars Records]
6. Betsie Larkin with Super8 & Tab - All We Have Is Now [Premier]
7. Heatbeat - Ask The Cat [Soundpiercing]
8. Stoneface & Terminal – Rush [Euphonic]
9. Lisa Lashes - Numero Uno (Ummet Ozcan Remix) [Discover Dark]
10. Peetu S - Scorpion (Lee Haslam Remix) [Discover]
11. Tritonal & Sibicky - Suzu (Ben Gold Remix) [Garuda]
12. DJ Shog - ComeBack (Dennis Sheperd Remix) [High Contrast Recordings]
13. Super8 & Tab feat. Jan Burton - Mercy (7 Skies Remix) [Anjunabeats]
14. Protoculture feat. Shannon Hurley – Sun Gone Down [Re*brand]
15. Orjan Nilsen - Between The Rays [Armind]
16. Stacker & RJ Van Xetten - Digital Andromeda (Sergio Maldonado Remix) [Dub Tech Recordings]
17. MEM – In To U [Reset Records]
18. Terk Dawn - Sunburst [Ask4 Records]
19. Simon Patterson vs. Coldplay - Missing Scientist (Mark Sherry's Mashup) [CDR]
20. John O'Callaghan & Giuseppe Ottaviani – Ride The Wave [Subculture]
21. Chakra – Home (Above & Beyond Remix) [WEA]

And that’s your lot! No talk of Ibiza in the next blog... I promise. We’re getting proper overkill here! See you in 2 weeks!

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 14

THE IBIZA SPECIALS PART 3 - REQUESTS OF THE VILLA GUESTS

Back to reality with a thud, Ibiza 2011 has been and gone. 7 days in the clubbing capital of the world burning the candle at every available end; 3 in the idyllic Mallorcan town of Sóller dining like a king.

This Friday just gone was my first day back in work and, to be honest, I was running out of superlatives. In fact, I think my colleagues found my tanned skin, slightly dazed demeanour and almost frivolous use of the word ‘very’ quite amusing. Needless to say, my mind was still not on work.

This week’s blog, ladies and gentlemen, is my look back on the best holiday I’ve had to date. As always, there’s a fresh mix from my CDJs for the public to enjoy - the third and final part of my Ibiza Specials series. If my slightly self-indulgent Ibiza ramblings are not your thing and you’re just here for some tunes, fast forward straight to the last 4 paragraphs and/or the usual SoundCloud link at the bottom of the page. You know the drill by now.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Although I’d already been to Ibiza twice before, there was certainly some unfinished business for me as far as this island was concerned. In 2005 I was 18 – young and naive, with very little experience of any clubbing, let alone ‘proper clubbing’. In 2009 I was already getting ill on arrival and barely survived 3 days before my body went into shut down. Don’t get me wrong. I fell in love with Ibiza 6 years ago. I’ve enjoyed every second I’ve been well enough to savour out there. Anyone that knows me knows that dance music is at my absolute core, it’s an energy that vibrates from me like no other. The same can be said of Ibiza and that’s why we get along so well.

But the older I get the more I realise that it’s not where you go or what you do that counts in life, it’s who you share it with. Some of the people I’ve been to Ibiza with previously are amongst my oldest and dearest friends, people I will share a pint with (maybe even in Ibiza) many times to come in the future. But the group I managed to pull together for this trip was bigger, more mature, more cosmopolitan, more diverse and more ‘trance driven’ than any group I’ve taken with me to the island. There were a few very notable faces missing, but, more so than ever before, these were my ‘clubbing people’ in Ibiza.

Despite having visited Ibiza twice before, I had never stepped foot in the capital, Eivissa, had been to none of the clubs on that side of the island and, other than the Sunset Strip, had seen very little of the island’s obvious, mystical beauty. I sit here now having wandered the towering walls of Eivissa Town, seen Armin Van Buuren smash up the iconic club, Space, swam off the picturesque coast of Formentera and, as if that wasn’t enough, chatted trance music with Above & Beyond’s Tony McGuinness.

This was also my first time in a villa as well and what a villa we had unearthed! The pictures on the website didn’t do it justice. The pictures we brought home with us didn’t either. It was a pretty much perfectly arranged and furnished living space. And nothing beats the feeling of getting up in the scorching morning sunshine and landing head first in your own pool - without having to fight your way past reception and all the fat, tattooed dickheads playing their playing their daft, cheesey dance music. We were at arm’s length from San Antonio’s beer boys.

CLUBBING EXPLOITS

We opened with Cosmic Gate and Claudia Cazacu at Eden on the Sunday. It was our first night; we hit San Antonio hard – very hard. I vaguely remember Between The Rays, Koko and Cosmic Gate’s new remix of The Theme. I also remember scaling someone’s shoulders to video the club in full swing and to exchange pleasantries with Cosmic Gate’s Nic Chagall. The vast majority of the pictorial evidence is a whole new world of shocking.

With Swedish House Mafia at Pacha sold out and charging 75 Euroes on the door, we graced Privilege for Tiësto and Nero on the Monday. I lagged a little towards the end, maybe with half an eye on bigger nights to come, but still had time to enjoy Zero 76 and, later on that night, White Noise / Red Meat - both tunes I handpicked for Episode 12 of this podcast so I was chuffed to hear them rattling around the world’s biggest club. Privilege is a cathedral of dance music – is never a wasted journey.

Tuesday was a chilled one. I shared a civilised sangria with a couple of friends at Cafe Savannah, before the others joined us to watch that magical sunset down on the rocks. As always, my favourite part of Ibiza. Despite the crowds, it’s a perfect enclave of urbane sophistication and soulful relaxation.

We were right to save ourselves for Wednesday. Be at Space was the night of the holiday for me. You could tell from the line up – Markus Schulz, Armin Van Buuren and Gareth Emery – that it was going to be big. I’ve been quite critical of Gareth Emery over the last 12 months or so. I’ve listened to his podcast less and less over the last 6 months. But he stole the show at Space. Chris Schweizer’s remix of Zombie Nation, that bootleg of KNAS, Insomnia and Coming Home, Sanctuary and Thing Called Love were all memorable tunes. When Rotunda was dropped for the second time that night, I was in my element.

Thursday, as always, is Cream Amnesia – a night I managed to miss in 2009 when my body finally caved in to suspected swine flu. This year I made it through the doors for Cream and got a taste of what is still my favourite club. Jaytech played Milano, Above & Beyond played Sun & Moon, You Got To Go and Around The World, Ferry smashed Arty’s mix of Punk.

THE GROUP THERAPY BOAT PARTY

But the holiday had always been building up to the Above & Beyond Group Therapy Boat Party. We knew when the 80 tickets on sale were sold out in 8 minutes that this was going to be a bit special. I know there were a lot of Anjuna fans around the world who would have paid double, maybe triple, the price that we paid for that experience. And I wouldn’t have blamed them.

Although, it wasn’t all sweetness and light. We did have a morning of panic as we tried desperately to find out where the boat was sailing from. Once onboard, the style and shape of the boat meant a lot of people were quite seasick (myself only for about an hour after an ill-advised San Miguel). For the first two hours, the boat was a strange sight – people hanging over the edge, some completely spark out in the afternoon sun. And after fully overcoming my own seasickness and getting in the deep blue Formentera waters for a swim, I did manage to slip and fall on my wet arse getting back into the boat. I was less concerned about my bruises and more concerned that as fewer people as possible had seen me go arse over tit. Probably about as painful as it was amusing.

But there was no stopping me though. Once the sun sank a bit more in the sky, a few vodka & oranges had been consumed and Jono and Tony of Above & Beyond got behind the decks, things were looking a lot more like it. It was pretty much the perfect setting. And even before the incessant swaying and rocking of the boat calmed, paying for a drink literally a few yards from where the DJs were playing and then grabbing frantically onto the bar to stay upright was both surreal and hilarious. Never before had I danced whilst carefully reaching out for nearby rails and ropes. You don’t forget shit like that.

But the whole experience was made by getting to meet and chat to Tony McGuinness. They say you shouldn’t meet your heroes. You know what? On this evidence, I disagree. There were so many things I wanted to chat to him about but when he came around to speak to us it was Tony that led the conversation, bursting with all the knowledge and enthusiasm you’d expect from someone living the dream. I loved that! I also loved that he was happy to take the piss a little bit over something I said. You could tell this wasn’t an exercise in buttering up the fans and saving face.

He spotted straight away that I was from near Liverpool. He jumped straight into telling me about Liverpool duo, Richard Simmonds & Stephen Jones who are known through about 10 aliases in trance music, including Ascension and Chakra. And it was really weird that he did because either Armin or Markus Schulz had definitely played a version of Chakra – Home at Space only a few nights before. I’m not sure exactly what version was played at Space, but the vocal blew me away that night. Being so old, it’s not a tune you hear out clubbing on a regular basis. And since Above & Beyond’s remix of Home is a real old favourite of mine, it was at that point that the whole holiday seemed to add up. Looks like we already have a candidate for the ‘oldie’ at the end of Episode 15.

I’VE COME TO TAKE YOU HOME

But then, after 3 exceptionally chilled, food-filled days in Sóller, it was all over. It’s really strange. Normally after a holiday or a festival I find myself not really listening to trance for a while. You can have too much of absolutely anything and I normally find myself taking a natural break after long stints clubbing.

This time though, it has been different. Listening to my iPod alone on the train back from London to Liverpool, certain tracks emotionally cut me in two. A couple of Super8 & Tab tracks – Mercy and Black Is The New Yellow – came up on random and shook me like I’ve never been shaken by music before.

“We can love and live forever
We can taste these feelings come alive
And my interest is in love
And I cannot take this pressure
And I wonder who of us survives
There’s no conflict from above”

Super8 & Tab feat. Jan Burton – Mercy

The fact that I was moved like that was as good an indicator as any that the days that had just passed had been special ones. It was a sense of sadness – reality fading to memory, friends left behind to be missed until next time. But also elation – that something I had organised had clearly been as meaningful and memorable for others as it had been for me. Those emotions coupled with the music itself was a potent cocktail.

And even now, in terms of music - my mixing, my podcast, keeping up-to-date with what’s going on in trance - I feel primed and energised. Surprisingly, Ibiza hasn’t done that to me before this year.

The talk amongst the group is already about how we are going to do it all again next year. Without another DJ meet-and- greet boat party, 2011 will be difficult to top. But with more people to add to our already fantastic group and the fact that there is still even more to uncover, it’s hard not to look forward with excitement.


THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST 014 – REQUESTS OF THE VILLA GUESTS

And after all that indulgent reminiscing, you thought I’d forgotten about why you are really here. The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 14 – appearing like an afterthought or an addendum. Believe me, this is anything but. Simply put, this is a 3 hour tracklist – 18 of the tracks were chosen by 6 friends; 12 of them were chosen by me to bridge the gaps and tie the set together.

Sadly, one of the people doing the selecting, Nish, never made it out to Ibiza due to issues with his visa. We were all absolutely gutted about that and he was missed. As was Jack who was quite seriously ill just before we went away. There was something distinctly bittersweet about listening to this mix before we went out to Cream Amnesia. All of Nish’s picks are in the first half of the mix and, as we sat there eating our evening meal, we raised a glass to him. The irony of the song choice ‘Better Days’ is absolutely colossal. But, if you’re reading this Nish, don’t worry – there will be better days.

But on a more positive note, the tracklist for this mix is probably the best I’ve ever attempted to mix. That in itself is testament to the tastes of the people I went away with. It goes from smooth prog at one end, right through to the pumping hard trance that me and Casso grew up on in the early 2000s. Old tunes, new tunes; ever-present tunes, forgotten tunes. It’s all there. There are tunes that remind me of clubbing in Liverpool, tunes that remind me of Uni days at Syndicate in Bristol, tunes that remind me of exchanging compilations in the school yard.

However, the purpose of this mix was to serve as some kind of monument to the time we spent in Ibiza this year. Hopefully some new memories have been forged through the tracks in this mix. I think most trance fans will find something to savour here, whatever the journey, whatever the experiences. And with the voice of philosopher and revolutionary thinker, Terence McKenna, appearing in the intro and with the selection of Lost Tribe’s Gamemaster, there has been a conscious attempt here to link my growing podcast with my last.fm journal of old. Without sounding too sentimental about it all, I hope that link provides some closure to my old articles whilst still keeping those ideas alive. Because those ideas still mean a lot to me.

1. Seventh Son & Ethan North - Adagio For Strings (Phil's 'Ode To McKenna' Intro Mix) [CDR] [PHIL]
2. Andain - Promises (Soundprank Remix) [Black Hole Recordings] [NISH]
3. Orjan Nilsen - La Guitarra [Armind] [PHIL]
4. Andy Moor & Ashley Wallbridge feat. Meighan Nealon – Faces [AVA Recordings] [WILL]
5. Armin Van Buuren feat. Ana Criado - Down To Love (Kyau & Albert Remix) [Armada] [NISH]
6. Stoneface & Terminal – Moment [Euphonic] [PHIL]
7. MEM – Forza [Reset Records] [G.]
8. Andy Moor & DJ Orkidea – YearZero [AVA Recordings] [PHIL] <<<(Phil's Tune Of The Episode)>>>
9. Gareth Emery feat. Lucy Saunders – Sanctuary [Garuda] [MARC]
10. Reflekt & Delline Bass - Need To Feel Loved (12 Inch Club Mix) [Positiva] [WILL]
11. Orjan Nilsen feat. Neev Kennedy – Anywhere But Here [Armind] [PHIL]
12. Estiva feat. Josie - Better Days [Enhanced Recordings] [NISH]
13. Paul Van Dyk, Starkillers & Austin Leeds feat. Ashley Tomberlin - New York City [Vandit] [WILL]
15. Lost Tribe - Gamemaster (Matt Darey 2003 Club Mix) [Liquid Asset] [PHIL]
16. Super8 & Tab – Helektra [Anjunabeats] [PHIL]
17. OceanLab - Sirens Of The Sea (Above & Beyond Club Mix) [Anjunabeats] [MARC]
18. Flutlicht – The Fall [Drizzly] [CASSO]
19. Rank 1 - Breathing (Airwave) [ID&T] [MARC]
20. Laura Jansen - Use Somebody (Armin Van Buuren Rework) [CDR] [JANA]
21. Delerium feat. Sarah McLachlan - Silence (Airscape Remix) [Nettwerk] [JANA]
22. Dave 202 – Departure [Phoenix Recordings] [G.]
23. Above & Beyond & Gareth Emery presents OceanLab – On A Good Day (Metropolis) [Anjunabeats] [JANA]
24. Armin Van Buuren feat. BT – These Silent Hearts (Ralphie B Remix) [Armada] [PHIL]
25. Jochen Miller - Brace Yourself (Be:Gold Remix) [High Contrast Recordings] [PHIL]
26. Josh Gabriel presents Winter Kills - Deep Down (Alex M.O.R.P.H. Remix) [Different Pieces] [PHIL]
27. Gary Maguire – Sunyata [Discover] [G.]
28. Azure – Sunset [Tidy Trax] [CASSO]
29. Hyperlogic - U Got The Love (Lee Haslam Remix) [Tidy Digital] [PHIL]
30. The Freak – The Bells (Lee Pasch Remix) [TidyTwo] [CASSO]

Well, I think that might be it for now. Back to the normal 2 hour episodes in 2 weeks time. There is a lot to catch up on!! Until then.