After 1 year of neglecting it, Northern Exposure has exposed itself to me

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-- After 1 year of neglecting it, Northern Exposure has exposed itself to me

Posted by Dj Pluviose on Nov-23-2011 05:30:

After 1 year of neglecting it, Northern Exposure has exposed itself to me

Hey guys

I am years behind in this trend and journey of realizing Trance. As I dig more further into Trance itself I start to find that Trance really is more for listening. Though Tiesto and all the other dudes did well for clubs, I am starting to appreciate the whole "listening experience."

Hence why I'm getting more into In Search of Sunrise 1 & 2, and just started to really enjoy Northern Exposure for the first time of my life. You know how long it took? I've been having it lying around for years and yet I always wondered how was it in the world that you guys saw this as artistic or anything worth listening. I admit, I was ignorant. I always wondered: How could they like this shit? There's not even a real dance beat to it. People on TA must be crazy.

However I didn't give up and continued listening to cheese. I challenged myself to listen to it more and it grew onto me. It's literally mind blowing and it's really an awesome listening experience of extreme concentrated focus and beautiful visualizations. And not unicorn visualizations, but real nature itself!

Really, just wanted to open this thread to say that I've cleansed myself to a new realm and understanding of this awesome genre.

Anyways, do you guys recommend Northern Exposure Volume 2?

Posted by SYSTEM-J on Nov-23-2011 05:34:

Northern Exposure 2 is even better than the first one. And are you listening to the double disc version? The first disc of Northern Exposure (the only one Americans got access to) is not trance at all. The second disc is much clubbier and contains some very deep trance. It was really about five years ahead of its time, where disc one is very much a historical document.

I could easily write an entire essay on Northern Exposure. So many people don't know the full context and history of it all.

Posted by Dj Pluviose on Nov-23-2011 05:43:

quote:
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
And are you listening to the double disc version?

To be totally and completely honest, I am a cheating stealing bastard and I got the Northern Exposure Volume 1 off of a torrent. Now that that has been established, I have two CDs. I am very much familiar with the first disc, and the second disc is my next mix to feed on. (My god what a blessing, I thought I was running out of good music to listen to)

quote:
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
The first disc of Northern Exposure (the only one Americans got access to) is not trance at all.

I'm really surprised to hear that actually. It isn't Trance? If I may ask, I would like to know what exactly it is! Very remarkable mix whatever the hell it is. It's awesome. I had assumed that it was Trance since it was very hypnotic, mind capturing, nature spontaneous sounds that deliver a very meditative vibe and essence to it. Wow, what a total dick slap to my face hahaha. The more I think I know, the more I actually don't know.

Posted by SYSTEM-J on Nov-23-2011 06:06:

Meh, Northern Exposure has been out of print for as long as I've known about it, so for the past ten years you couldn't have bought it legally even if you'd tried. Torrenting it is no worse than buying it second hand. I just like owning my physical copy with the nice cardboard box.

Disc one of NE is ambient house. There are a couple of tracks that veer into other, closely-related styles (progressive house, chiefly) but everything on disc one is basically the stuff you would hear in a chill-out room or at an afterparty in the early '90s. The Orb, FSOL, Banco De Gaia and William Orbit are all ambient house staples from that period. Those were all old tracks when they appeared on the compilation - some of them were already six years old at the time.

If you want a good laugh, read the Amazon.com reviews. You will not find a more wretched hive of ignorance and stupidity: http://www.amazon.com/Northern-Expo..._pr_product_top

Posted by Mattsanity. on Nov-23-2011 06:18:

when i think trance i think club music not this strange collection of electronic music. Gaia, Goa, Underground or whatever it stinks on ice. you would be better off going with gatecrasher cd's or ministry of sound if you want something to move to.

Posted by Halcyon+On+On on Nov-23-2011 06:41:

quote:
Originally posted by Mattinsanity
when i think trance i think club music not this strange collection of electronic music. Gaia, Goa, Underground or whatever it stinks on ice. you would be better off going with gatecrasher cd's or ministry of sound if you want something to move to.

Yes, but you're not real.

Posted by SYSTEM-J on Nov-23-2011 06:59:

Oh man, I just had a flashback to the first time I ever heard about this compilation. I can remember I was still in school, in an IT lesson, and as usual was surfing the 'net reading about music instead of learning how to mail merge. This must have been 2003 or 2004 some time, I guess. I remember finding the Discogs entry for the vinyl pack, and I thought that tracklist was the proper running order:

0�/North

Underworld � Dark And Long (Dark Train) 10:28
Banco De Gaia � Last Train To Lhasa 12:02
Fuzzy Logic Featuring Eirie* � Obsession (The Quantum Loop Mix) 6:04
Drum Club � Sound System (Underworld Remix) 11:33
God Within � Raincry (Spiritual Thirst) 5:49
Banco De Gaia � Heliopolis (Eedupolis Dog Mix) 8:43

0�/South

Humate / Rabbit In The Moon � East (The Opium Den Mix) 9:40
William Orbit � Water From A Vine Leaf (Xylem Flow Mix) 6:29
Morgan King � I'm Free (The Full-Length La Serenna Mix) 8:00
Castle Trancelott � The Gloom 6:49
Dope On Plastic � Wave Dub 7:20
Future Sound Of London, The � Cascade (Part 1) 7:16
Apollo 440 � Liquid Cool (Deep Forest's Ice Cold @ The Equator Mix) 7:27
Ultraviolet � Kites (Original Mix) 7:09

It gave me the impression this was some super-deep experimental dancefloor mix on both discs, with some mysterious clubbed up version of Cascade near the end. I can still almost hear how I imagined this mix sounded from that impression. As much as I love the real thing, I wish the version in my head existed.

Posted by djdk on Nov-23-2011 09:18:

quote:
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
Northern Exposure 2 is even better than the first one.

This, East Coast Edition is probably my favourite thing to put on after a BIG night out

Posted by Mattsanity. on Nov-23-2011 11:24:

quote:
Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On
Yes, but you're not real.

you want someone to hurt like yooooouuu

Posted by Vector A on Nov-23-2011 11:40:

quote:
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
Oh man, I just had a flashback to the first time I ever heard about this compilation. I can remember I was still in school, in an IT lesson, and as usual was surfing the 'net reading about music instead of learning how to mail merge. This must have been 2003 or 2004 some time, I guess. I remember finding the Discogs entry for the vinyl pack, and I thought that tracklist was the proper running order:

0�/North

Underworld � Dark And Long (Dark Train) 10:28
Banco De Gaia � Last Train To Lhasa 12:02
Fuzzy Logic Featuring Eirie* � Obsession (The Quantum Loop Mix) 6:04
Drum Club � Sound System (Underworld Remix) 11:33
God Within � Raincry (Spiritual Thirst) 5:49
Banco De Gaia � Heliopolis (Eedupolis Dog Mix) 8:43

0�/South

Humate / Rabbit In The Moon � East (The Opium Den Mix) 9:40
William Orbit � Water From A Vine Leaf (Xylem Flow Mix) 6:29
Morgan King � I'm Free (The Full-Length La Serenna Mix) 8:00
Castle Trancelott � The Gloom 6:49
Dope On Plastic � Wave Dub 7:20
Future Sound Of London, The � Cascade (Part 1) 7:16
Apollo 440 � Liquid Cool (Deep Forest's Ice Cold @ The Equator Mix) 7:27
Ultraviolet � Kites (Original Mix) 7:09

It gave me the impression this was some super-deep experimental dancefloor mix on both discs, with some mysterious clubbed up version of Cascade near the end. I can still almost hear how I imagined this mix sounded from that impression. As much as I love the real thing, I wish the version in my head existed.

Posted by stealthman on Nov-23-2011 12:34:

Welcome to the dark side, minion.

Posted by keithos27 on Nov-23-2011 13:50:

quote:
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J

I could easily write an entire essay on Northern Exposure. So many people don't know the full context and history of it all.

I'll read it. Write away!

Posted by stev� on Nov-23-2011 14:42:

So the 2nd disc of the first northern exposure that the USA never got was "0 deg south"? As listed here?:

http://soundcloud.com/das-boy/sets/...thern-exposure/

Posted by Dj Pluviose on Nov-23-2011 19:26:

I was in the car earlier waiting for my Mom to take care of her errands (she dragged me along) and in the meantime I had my iPhone out listening to music.

I remembered that last night I had just finished adding a bunch of mixes to the Music section. Then the NE1 CD 2 popped into my mind and I was listening to it.

I was in a very very abrupt and angry mood because my Mom was pissing me off all day with her insane stupidity. Anyways, this post is not about my Mom.

Was listening to at least 20 minutes into the CD and wow, what a listening pleasure. It really took my mind off things and it was really just an awesome moment. I wanted to close my eyes and just wander off into another world with the imaginary visualizations but I had to watch the car in case someone tries to smash our windows or something haha.

I don't know which song it was but somewhere around 20 minutes into the mix there's a sickass song with a nice baseline.

Posted by Lews on Nov-23-2011 20:37:

Posted by Dj Pluviose on Nov-23-2011 22:41:

Forgive me.

It took a lot of time and a lot of patience to finally leave behind all that cheesy shit in the past. It's not easy too, when you were only 14 years old and listening to Trance :P

Posted by Lunar Phase 7 on Nov-23-2011 23:32:

quote:
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
Northern Exposure 2 is even better than the first one. And are you listening to the double disc version? The first disc of Northern Exposure (the only one Americans got access to) is not trance at all. The second disc is much clubbier and contains some very deep trance. It was really about five years ahead of its time, where disc one is very much a historical document.

I could easily write an entire essay on Northern Exposure. So many people don't know the full context and history of it all.

System, I aint taking the piss, but I'd like to read that.

Posted by netroM on Nov-23-2011 23:51:

quote:
Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On
Yes, but you're not real.

That was one of the 1 star reviews on amazon

and seconded, Lunar

Posted by Sykonee on Nov-24-2011 00:59:

quote:
Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7
System, I aint taking the piss, but I'd like to read that.

But it's his TranceCritic vapourware legacy!

Posted by SYSTEM-J on Nov-24-2011 02:39:

quote:
Originally posted by stev�
So the 2nd disc of the first northern exposure that the USA never got was "0 deg south"? As listed here?:

http://soundcloud.com/das-boy/sets/...thern-exposure/

Yeah. Mostly a great set, but the section with The Gloom and then the dub of Wavespeech is just so fucking boring, completely kills the momentum of the mix for about twenty minutes.

Posted by sljiva on Nov-24-2011 11:52:

Though this type of music doesn't get my serotonin going the way it used to, I still hold the first disc in very high regard. Whenever I'm in need of optimistic, laid-back and care-free, yet at the same time mysterious and even eerie vibe of the early 90s, this compilation is the way to go. Unique tunes, beautiful design and spicy prices these days - this compilation is a stone cold classic.

Posted by BritishLizard on Nov-25-2011 01:58:

I don't think I saw any reference to Northern Exposure Expeditions in here anywhere. You can't over look that one.

Posted by evo8 on Nov-28-2011 13:13:

Shame on me for not listening to the 2nd disc of NE until last night - unbelievably good

Posted by SYSTEM-J on Nov-29-2011 04:12:

quote:
Originally posted by BritishLizard
I don't think I saw any reference to Northern Exposure Expeditions in here anywhere. You can't over look that one.

It's pretty good, but it's definitely my least favourite of the trilogy. For me it just sounds like a standard S&D proggy-trancey compilation without much variety between the two discs. No bad thing, but not on par with the first two.

Posted by BritishLizard on Nov-30-2011 02:21:

quote:
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
It's pretty good, but it's definitely my least favourite of the trilogy. For me it just sounds like a standard S&D proggy-trancey compilation without much variety between the two discs. No bad thing, but not on par with the first two.

I can agree...