Old-school chill and trance

The second track on Monolove’s only release. 3:30AM is a dreamy ambient electro piece sung by human robots. It is same same as Don’t You Know, but very different still. Published on Elektrolux in 1998 (and if discogs is to be believed only as a promo!), the EP features these two tracks plus a “more of the same” remix for each track. All in all this is a rock-solid release, one of my personal favourite on the impressive catalogue of Elektrolux.

Don’t You Know is one of those tracks I play when everything else fails. Suits every occasion. Every single time. Uplifting, but yet mellow. Dreamy and energetic. It is electro, it is ambient, it is trance and it is chill. And not to forget robot vocals and lasers. It has everything and it is all beautiful. 

Union Jack - Simon Paul Berry and Paul Brogden. Trance wizards of the world of Platipus: Art Of Trance, POB, Clanger to name a few. They are responsible for a great many outstanding trance classics, indeed. Morning Glory must be my most favourite one. Over 15 years old, but it does not show signs of its age. Unlike the flip side to Morning Glory, Cactus, which is a good tune on its own, but little over the best before mark.

Morning trance at its best. 

Ready For Dead is an early release on Limbo Records, a label that has been credited with creation of progressive house. This is a good example of early British trance that later turned into progressive house and here is an ambientish take on it.

Epic. Bliss.

Eye-Q, one of the first and arguably the most excellent trance label ever. They released a number of trance bombs, before turning to weird mundane downtempo in late 90s and then disappearing off the radar. Cafe Del Mar, No Fate, Vernon’s Wonderland - it all was released on Eye-Q. Sven Väth was one of the men behind Eye Q. Now how cool is that? The sound of the label might sound a bit dated now, but still it all is a good fun. Here is one my favourite released on Eye-Q, The V.S. by Virtual Symmetry. Piano, dope beats and trance pads. Yes.

Old-school techno that could be classified as proto-trance. The first release on New York-based Atmosphere Records in 1990. The trance scene is not quite there yet, but slowly emerging. This sound became prominent a couple of years later, so First Power is by a year or two ahead of its time. All in all, an amazing dancefloor bomb, which sounds relevant still to this day.

An excellent ambient piece with a techno touch by Carl Craig. From the most excellent Landcruising album. The track is from 1995. Futuristic ambient soundscapes at its best.

Carl Craig - A Wonderful Life

There is something about Norwegians and their ability to produce chill-out music. Here is Neural Network, an obscure project from Norway. They released two albums in total, beautifully aged album “Brain-State-In-A-Box” in 1994 and another one “Modernite” in 1996. Fuzzy Logic is a track from the first album. Magic of dubby trancey chill-out at its finest.

 Neural Network - Fuzzy Logic

Pete Namlook and Mr. Biosphere, two heavy-weights of the 90s ambient scene. Their collaboration resulted in two magnificent albums, Fires Of Ork I and II, both released on FAX. Here is Talk To The Stars, sinister bubbly ambient piece from the first installment. It is no thrills minimal piece, which works surprisingly good. Love it.

“… make love to the wind and talk to the stars … here is the music that angels meditate “

Pete Namlook & Geir Jenssen - Talk To The Stars

Another excellent remix by Oliver Lieb. The remix first appeared on Illuminatus’s  6.149.520.000 Beats Per Lifetime album in 1994 and it shows no sign of inflation. The album itself is rather average, but Hope comes as close as possible to a perfect trance piece. It still send shivers down my spine everytime I hear it.

Illuminatus - Hope (Oliver Lieb Remix)