Hey everyone,

I don't expect much responce to this, but here we go!

It's been a loooong time since I wrote anything here, not that I don't want to, but rather there's basically no one to talk to anymore, anywhere, especially about music.

For me, the PEAK of socializing online was when this community was thriving, together with MySpace and MSN Messenger. You made some friends here for example, connected on MSN etc. Hell, I even met my former GF on a small swedish trance forum back in the day. It lasted 13 years.

I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like the social aspect is so diluted between all forms of social media that a real connection is basically impossible to form or maintain in a real way like back in the day. I guess most of you guys who've been active here in the past is around my age, 38. I miss the old days and the sence of a true community to belong to. Personally I hate facebook. I'm in a few trance/music and production groups there, but like basically all social media it's always about "me me me", and nothing really develops from it.

In the past, I made great connections with other producers/labels online, but as I mentioned, personally I think it's super hard now.

Another example is sending out demos, in the past you could actually send a demo and more often than not actually have someone listen to it and sometimes get it signed. Now it almost feels totally useless to even send anything away. Thankfully I make music for my own well being rather than being popular, but still... I would like to get stuff out there again!

I miss this community so much!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

/Dave

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David Laine / Castra / Semantica
Magic Island / Armada / Perceptive
Website | | Soundcloud

Maybe because you were younger and everything was more novel and exciting? I used to really enjoy electronic music, now I all but no longer listen to it. But I'm not complaining and things don't suck. I've simply discovered more meaningful, purposeful and engaging things in life.

For the record, it was probably only because of Soundcloud - which wasn't around back then - that I was able to release music. And it was a great place to discover new music and connect with others when I was still doing that. But I also don't like social media and agree it can be very egoistic and superficial in nature.

quote:

Originally posted by [Alpha]Dave ... I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like the social aspect is so diluted between all forms of social media ... /Dave

Probably this. TA is still a very niche corner of the internet, but with IG / FB / SoundCloud / etc. there are just so many places to find information.

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Aural Pleasures iTunes Music Store Podcast Link
Facebook Fan Page
Website and Tracklistings
SoundCloud Page

i actually feel the same way, it was way easier to connect with people online I'd say pre covid. Not just meet people, but you were actually able to like bond and create meaningful connections...everything kinda seems blah now.. i guess because everyone is on it now it seems less impactful or something. ..idk ...i'm probably wrong. but I also know what you're talking about. I too have had a few long distant relationships online. lol. then again i was younger too...and so were the people i chatted with. they are busy with their lives now.

I hear and feel you man!

I heavily love the "forums" over Facebook. Just the fact you can come home after a long day at work, log on and can see everything that has been newly posted through the day.

Facebook just has a never ending wall of updates every second so not as easy to catch up to the algorithm haha.

Everyone has just moved on to other platforms as mentioned as that's where the information traffic is at.

It sucks, but it's just the world of today.

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Still here too guys

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Top Atm:
Activa - Perception (Original Mix)
Coast 2 Coast - Cut Me
Icaria - Onwards (Original Mix)
Hiroyuki Oda - Transmigration
Shadowrider - Blue Horizon (Luke Terry Remix)

It sounds like you had a colorful past back then, but you're still in your prime at 38. Sure times have changed in terms of connecting with people, but the best days are still ahead.

It does indeed seem to me also that there's not the same sense of community anywhere on the internet than there was on forums like this in the early to mid 2000s and Usenet newsgroups in the mid to late 90s. I made lots of online friends back in that era, but I haven't actually made any new online friends in god knows how many years. Maybe I just don't know where to look, but I feel there's zero sense of community in Facebook groups.

Not to sound like *that* guy again, because I know I've namedropped it a few times in the past, but...

Having been on Mastodon (and the extended Fediverse) for the past couple years now, it's pretty close at recapturing that old feeling of pre-social media internet. There are so many special-interest servers throughout Mastodon that you can join, as well as a few major hub points, yet still interconnected enough such that you still get a community feeling there. And because it never took off as a 'Twitter-replacement' like Bluesky or whatever, it never got flooded by internet celebrities and its associated 'hustle/grift' culture, maintaining its niche vibe in the process.

It does have its issues (some Masto' users are really militant about maintaining Fediverse purity ...which sounds familiar), but I've found it far more satisfying engaging with folks there than most other spaces.

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Everyone has an opinion. Mine just happens to be a little more informed than most.
Electronic Music Critic: Near-Daily Ruminations Of Music I Own, In Alphabetical Order!

You're all moaning that there's no sense of Internet community anymore, but none of you fuckers still post on TA.

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Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J You're all moaning that there's no sense of Internet community anymore, but none of you fuckers still post on TA.

Booyeah!! This is a solid point. TA has become my only source of social media as I just can't stand the others. I try to continue to post on the West Coast forums and occasionally, a few old school legends make an appearance.

This is still a great place to converse with like minded peers.

Throwing it out there: Depeche Mode is the greatest band ever!!!

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Jaded, old fart is me.

Lock down all your devices so that you can only visit tranceaddict.