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ASOT: Does it cater for everyone?
OK, I posted this on the AvB forums, thought you might wanna read it too, and discuss.
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Hi.
I can start by stating quite bluntly that I didn't really enjoy more than about 20 minutes of ASOT 190. Before you label me a troll and give me the standard line: "if u dont like it then dont listen to it!!", please take into account that I have been listening to the show since 2001 - I am a faithful listener and will continue to be so.
However, after listening to ASOT 190, it worries me that ASOT is becoming a no-risk, by-the-book selection of fluffy vocal tracks that I regard as "background music". There are far too many vocal tracks that, while not being commercial as such, seem to contain less and less elements of intoxicating trance, and more and more elements of easy-listening and pop.
I mean sure, music moves on - and a couple of years ago, trance was under immense criticism for overusing the supersaw wave and the cliché break-build formula. But after an hour of ASOT 190, I'd have killed for some back-to-basics, tougher-edged trance with a solid hook in it - a set of tracks that keep me energised, tracks I can totally lose myself in. Because that's what trance is about, right?
The oversaturation of vocal fluff and "McProg" in trance now is just as serious as the stereotypical supersaw trance riff problem was, a few years ago. It's nice music to listen to when a set is warming up, but this kind of music now seems to eat about an hour's worth of ASOT every week, and I really think I'm gonna start skipping the first hour if things stay this way. In case my argument doesn't have enough grounds here, I'll outline my main issues with tracks such as "Interstate - I Found U", "Ridgewalkers - Find (Andy Moor Mix)" and "Motorcycle - Around You" (tracks you all seem to love):
1. They are slow, soft, tedious, and boringly easy to listen to. It seems like no-one wants to be thrown about by trance anymore - people just wanna sit in their chairs drinking lemonade and listening to a woman warble on with embarassingly cliché lines like "now I've found you in my arms, and holding you so tight." Don't you remember what it's like to totally lose yourself in trance? When was the last time you felt the THUMP THUMP right in your stomach, and let the crazy mash of synth layers rattle your senses, before the pieces form into one of those totally hypnotic, addictive riffs that you just don't wanna hear the end of? You can insist that change is inevitable, that you wanna be "touched" by the very standard, linear attempt at emotion portrayed by tracks like "I Found U", but I'd bet my house that it was a standard melodic classic that got you into trance in the first place. So why must we leave this stuff behind and lower ourselves into such wussy, no-risk music that anyone's mum could probably enjoy? Christ, people, get some GUTS again, trance is a rollercoaster but some of you are just too scared to ride it.
2. These tracks don't need to be well-produced - if you have a vocalist who can spout out about 3-4 lines, you've got a classic in the making. Sorry to slander "I Found U" so much, but listen to what actually goes on in that track. It's a painfully tedious, boring bassline, and absolutely no drive or energy is created by the percs. But who cares, because you've got yourself a vocalist, so you've got yourself a classic. It's not about sentimental creativity anymore, is it?
3. With so many tracks having vocals these days, it puts amateur producers at a massive disadvantage. In the old days, people could cook up some amazing hooklines and put a lot of effort into their production and get somewhere with it. But now, look at the top 5 in both years 2003 and 2004 - in 2003, EVERY track in the ASOT top 5 had vocals, in 2004 it was 3/5. What does that tell you? It tells you that if you don't have a vocalist at your disposal, you might as well not bother trying. Trance is about self-interpretation, it's about not NEEDING a vocalist to try and force home stereotypical situations that mean nothing to you unless you've been affected in such a way yourself. Trance is about associating with a hookline in your own personal way - in a way that ANY track can mean something to you if it touches you just right. But those days seem to be gone.
I just listen to trance for the feeling it gives me, for the way it takes me over and elevates me somewhat - and I know many of you listen to it for that reason too. And tonight in ASOT 190, I had to wait an hour and a half before the nasty distorted sounds of 'Purple Haze - Adrenalin' powered their way through to me. Here it came, rebelling against all the vocal trash I'd been subjected to in the last 90 minutes. Then what did Armin do? He stepped it up further, with the new Marco V track, and the new "Jellisimo & Tim J" piece. You know what? These tracks were actually INTERESTING. They had something solid behind them, something that made me go "yes, come on! more more more!" They were darker, tougher, they stood out and meant something, they were going for the gold. But it was too late by then, the show was nearly over.
I used to love the hype in the trance scene, where a new artist would bring out a massive new production and you'd hear it on ASOT and just go "YES!!!" You know, stuff like Ligaya and Tiesto's Southern Sun remix and various new Push and Airwave productions. But now, who actually gets EXCITED about a new Andy Moor production? You know what it's gonna be, it's not gonna be anything mindblowing. It's just gonna be some well-produced, cute background music that'll hit you like a sponge at about 132 bpm.
Don't get me wrong, I love all kinds of trance, and a bit of everything is what makes a great set. I'm just a bit worried about the way ASOT is heading, because Armin is a very influential guy. Let's face it, we can't deny that most of the stuff in the ASOT top 20 is stuff he's played TIME AND TIME AGAIN - NOT tracks that people have just discovered and gone "woah, that's really cool."
So Armin, as a top jock and someone who can almost single-handedly affect the state of the trance scene, can you please liven ASOT up a bit? Sure, play some vocal stuff at the start, but please don't make it last 75% of the show. Give us a bit more upbeat stuff, stuff we'd love to hear in a club, a few tracks that make us sit back and be impressed.
Because everyone loves your show, but they just love your show because they love YOU. And your show could be so much more interesting, and it could even obtain a wider audience if you just spice it up a bit with some more techtrance and some more riff-based harder trance, to complement the prog and vocal fluff. Just please, exceed the boundaries man. We listen to the show for TRANCE, so let us know what's out there! Everyone knows about the new Motorcycle productions, and stuff Andy Moor and Adam White have done, and we've already heard tons of stuff from Anjunabeats in the last year or so. Surprise us, take risks, keep the first hour safe then flip the second hour on its head and dazzle us.
Feel free to flame me or defend your musical taste, but I seriously wanna hear some kickdrums again. I wanna be taken to breaking point again. I wanna hear trance the way it's meant to be, where fresh new ideas won't totally detract from what trance actually IS.
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P.S., I'm not denouncing all vocal trance. I just think ASOT is becoming TOO full of it, and that this "style" of music is becoming a problem.
Discuss.
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