Of course it isn't, but it proves that being on a famous mix doesn't make a track a universal classic.

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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 I wouldn't say MIKE has produced any classic trance tunes. There are trance records that even none trance-heads will remember. Age of Love, Acperience, Stella, Café del Mar, Dark & Long, Flaming June, Xpander etc. There's no one MIKE track that has recognition across the spectrum. He's just produced so damn much that a couple of his tracks hit the right formula. MIKE isn't a genius, he's just competent and prolific.

hahaha... thats just bullshit, just cause u arent a fan doesnt give u the right to make such claims.. MIKE is one of the "true" trance producers, who hasnt turned out commercial, nor changed much of his style.. although he is pretty versatile, but he have kept the same sound since 1998..

i agree not much of his productions lately have been the OMG.. but tunes such as Urban Shakedown, Love Angel, Do You See The Light, Tranceformation, No Return, Choose Freedom, Daydream, Journey Of Life, Ice Cream +++++ (not to mention all remixes) remains as pilestone of trance imo, and has not given the commercial treatment as the tracks uve mentioned..

he makes his own tracks, he doesnt just use his name to gain popularity to his tracks like Tiesto, Marco V etc.

and u may not think of MIKE as a genious, but certainly u dont have the right to say that he ISNT..

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http://soundcloud.com/subtara

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Of course it isn't, but it proves that being on a famous mix doesn't make a track a universal classic.

But the fact that his tunes are featured on a shitload of famous mixes certainly proves that he is and constantly has been one of the biggest trance producers of the past few years. And you don't become one of the biggest by making crap or even mere average tunes.

But anyway, just check discogs, go find out ot on how many compilations Universal Nation and Stange World for example have featured.

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www.dj-vega.net

quote:

Originally posted by Jasperovitsj But as a 17 year old, you can hardly claim that you know all about the "clubland" you talk about, since you're way to young to have participated in it long enough to fully know what it's all about.

No, but I read websites and dance mags all the time. I'm buying compilations, I'm discussing the music with trance listeners who aren't generic TAs. I keep a clear eye on dance music because I always want to learn more, and I know what people think. Just because I haven't stood in every crowd doesn't mean I don't know what the scene thinks.

quote:

Only classic tracks I think...

Popular tracks. You play a popular epic trance record to an epic trance crowd, they'll cheer. You play that track in a set which isn't just celebrating The World's Biggest Snare Rolls Ever, and people will shrug. I'm not a huge techno fan, but I know Strings of Life or Energy Flash. I wouldn't know niche techno tracks, no matter how much the scene reveres them.

MIKE hasn't produced a "staggering number of classics" as was claimed. He's produced a lot of tracks trance fans will like, but he struggles to produce one which is a stone-cold classic.

Oh, and Subtle (not-so-aptly named), what is your point? Classics get "commercial treatment" because they appeal to so damn many people. There's nothing about Xpander which makes it any more commercially viable than Strange World.

People throw around "classic" at anything these days. Little Fluffy Clouds. Not Forgotten. Out of Space. Acid Trax. Those are classics. MIKE won't ever get on that list.

___________________
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/

Since when does a "classic" have to be considered a classic for every listener in every style or genre?
Mike does have produced a number of trance-classics, and the fact that they aren't considered classics by techno listeners doesn't make them any less of a classic for trance listeners, no? Just like Dave Clarke's Red 1 is a true classic for most techno listeners, but probably only a monotonous piece of crap for the average trance listener...

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www.dj-vega.net

Eh, as a guy who's listened to trance since '93, the only M.I.K.E. production that I can readily call to mind is Totally Fascinated. Sure, I'd probably recognize the usual two productions that get trumpted as classics because they've been played so much, but damned if I could recall how they go at this very moment, of which I can surmize is because they've only appeared on releases like Majikal Trance Nation Crashercity 2001 or something, releases that hold very little interest to me when it's damned near all the same songs, IN A DIFFEReNT ORDER! Since I don't have much interest in such releases, I don't have the M.I.K.E. classics in my collection of music, thus haven't ingrained them in my brain like so many others.

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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!

quote:

Originally posted by Jasperovitsj Just like Dave Clarke's Red 1 is a true classic for most techno listeners, but probably only a monotonous piece of crap for the average trance listener...

ela kalm é, zo'n goddelijke plaat

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quote:

Originally posted by FastFashion Is this possible? can it be that Blackhole cancelled Mikes gig for the 18th because they felt too much competition between the dj's, now that he's ranked no.2 in the world? This weekend i was invited to play for a big event called Transmission in the beautiful city of Prague. However, this gig was cancelled due to the extreme demands of Tiesto's Blackhole management. Although this was not my decision, compensation for myself as well as for my fans is well in order. Me and my management regret and dismiss this kind of attitude in the music scene, as trance is known for unity. Mike

The part where you said because "they felt too much competition between the dj's" is completely your opinion. Tiesto's status has nothing to do with the Transmission fiasco. Nowhere in the forum does M.I.K.E. state that the overwhelming competition between him and Tiesto caused the cancellation of his gig by Blackhole. The exact reason you have stated in RED and that is "due to the extreme demands of Tiesto's Blackhole management". What I understand from this statement is that Blackhole was making some demands for the M.I.K.E. gig and the people at Transmission did not deliver so they cancelled. If anything I think Blackhole was looking out for M.I.K.E. and his best interests.

The proof is in the pudding, regardless of what compilations whose tracks have been on. Infamy does not equal talenta as I think Tiesto has proved that over the past few years in any case. MIKE's tracks are standout amongst a sea of clones. The guy wrote the book on deep uplifting trance imho and besides all that, the guy is a fucking kick arse DJ. Saw him last year and it some of the most solid trance mixing I've ever seen.

Who knows why he was cancelled though. Surely Tiesto cant just shit himself now at the thought of actually playing with other good DJs? He must have played with MIKE a hundred times already??

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quote:

Originally posted by Axolotyl Who knows why he was cancelled though. Surely Tiesto cant just shit himself now at the thought of actually playing with other good DJs? He must have played with MIKE a hundred times already??

not only that, but tiesto has been caning mike's tracks for the last 7 years and has praised him in interviews. if it's something sinister at all, it's likely that tiesto's management has been independently overstepping its bounds, rather than simply following a directive from tijs (who has always been cool with mike).

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agenda:


[Dark Disco|Frozen Balearic|Gay Biker-House| Boogie-Trance|Heavy Electronica|Soft-Goth]

quote:

Originally posted by Subtle hahaha... thats just bullshit, just cause u arent a fan doesnt give u the right to make such claims.. MIKE is one of the "true" trance producers, who hasnt turned out commercial, nor changed much of his style.. although he is pretty versatile, but he have kept the same sound since 1998.. i agree not much of his productions lately have been the OMG.. but tunes such as Urban Shakedown, Love Angel, Do You See The Light, Tranceformation, No Return, Choose Freedom, Daydream, Journey Of Life, Ice Cream +++++ (not to mention all remixes) remains as pilestone of trance imo, and has not given the commercial treatment as the tracks uve mentioned.. he makes his own tracks, he doesnt just use his name to gain popularity to his tracks like Tiesto, Marco V etc. and u may not think of MIKE as a genious, but certainly u dont have the right to say that he ISNT..

excellent.

and just to complete (by Konijn):

quote:

not only that, but tiesto has been caning mike's tracks for the last 7 years and has praised him in interviews. if it's something sinister at all, it's likely that tiesto's management has been independently overstepping its bounds, rather than simply following a directive from tijs (who has always been cool with mike).

and this thread turned more into a who is more popular or who is better producer than the original topic says...

now on topic:
Blackhole uses Tiesto like a pet, what could happen if Tiesto had said to his managers
"I want play with M.I.K.E. , and enjoy moments of good trance with crowd." ??
Nothing. Managers laughing in Tiesto's face cus Blackhole owns him and give him money, and well.. much, much money, and more fame, that's it not good to share, in the marketing path.

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