As an artist who is quickly becoming a visionary for Trance fans around the world, the legendary musical talents of Airbase have spread far and wide throughout the farthest reaches of the Earth whilst influencing multiple generations of future Trance producers with his cinematic sound and breathtaking production value. Often regarded alongside iconic Trance artists such as Chicane, BT, Solarstone and Armin van Buuren, his amazing productions have long stood in the annals of Trance history with singles such as Emotion, Denial and Escape. Additionally, due to his incredible talents behind the producer’s studio, he has had the pleasure of remixing some of the highest titans in the scene such as DJ Tiesto, John O’Callaghan, Lost Witness, Alex M.O.R.P.H. and Talla 2XLC. He has been sorely missed since he decided to take a break from producing since May of 2013, but has since heralded his return with an unbelievably beautiful Trance track on Ferry Corsten‘s personal label, Flashover Recordings, entitled Panache. It’s no secret that Ferry has long been deeply entrenched in Progressive House over the last several years with constant support of artists such as Bassjackers, Jacob van Hage, Michael Woods and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, so to hear a track of this caliber and strength on this type of label is honestly very surprising to say the least. While he has been hitting hard on Prog House with his best mate, Markus Schulz, with his collaborative project, New World Punx, it is quite exciting, (and even exhilarating), to hear that he has not lost his love for Trance, which is often an unfortunate side effect with many high end artists who make the switch from Trance to Prog House.
However, the main purpose of this article is not to reflect on the musical stylings of Ferry Corsten, but to celebrate the musical masterpiece that is Panache by Airbase. On an objective level, this track easily hits the top ten best Trance releases of 2014 and on a personal level, this might even become my own number one Trance track of this year. Airbase‘s sound reflects on the classic melodies of the golden age of Trance while maintaining a cutting edge bite that focuses on the sheer beauty of music on an orchestral level. Further blurring the lines between cinematic and electronic, this track has all the makings of a tried and tested Chicane track while maintaining an original identity that is all his own. Each phrase rolls out like streaming water through a babbling brook and every single sound that commences through doesn’t seem rushed or forced, but rather, it feels natural like the constant flow of energy that courses through us all. While this track is certainly not as powerful as some of the greatest tracks of 2014, it certainly makes up for that in spades with the sheer musicality imbued within the piece’s inner constructions, and its beautiful arrangement of timbres and colors makes up for any shortcomings that this track may possess. It’s clear that his time off has gifted him with not only a brand new set of musical abilities with which to work with, but also a fresh, new perspective on Trance music as a whole, as this masterpiece is leagues ahead of the competition in terms of atmosphere and tone. In fact, if Airbase continues on this brand new path of musical discovery, we may find ourselves in a new, golden Renaissance of Trance to elevate the genre to even greater heights than ever before.
Airbase‘s tour de force single of Panache is out now on Flashover Recordings via Beatport, so make sure you purchase a copy and support real talent!
Keep the music alive. -Q
Beatport: http://www.beatport.com/track/panache-original-mix/6070378
Picture Credit: http://www.wallpapersfolder.com/western-cowboy-riding-at-sunset-wallpaper.html
