December: 10 trance releases you need to hear this month

Armin van Buuren 'Club Embrace' (Armada)

Fans have been eagerly anticipating the release of this two-hour long continuous mix ever since it was announced back in August. Mirroring the warm-up sets of his Armin Only world tour, it’s made up of 28 exclusive remixes of some of the producer’s best-known tunes and is the perfect soundtrack for a pre-party. There are a number of tracks taken from from his latest album ‘Embrace’, as well as a selection of classic cuts such as ‘Communication’, ‘Blue Fear’ and ‘In And Out Of Love’ mixed by the likes of Rodg, Gai Barone, Martin Roth and Solid Stone. From Ruben de Ronde’s particularly deep remix of ‘Last Stop Before Heaven’ to Matt Lange’s experimental take on ‘This is What It Feels Like’, it’s a captivating listen that reminds you just how many great tracks Armin’s made in his 20-year career.

9/10

Bobina & JES 'iBelieve' (Lange remix) (Black Hole Recordings)

Taken from the ‘Speed Breaker’ album released earlier this year, Bobina and JES’ latest collaboration really made a big impression on the trance scene when it was released as an official single a couple of months ago. Now it’s getting another outing courtesy of Lange. Although his remix is both harder and deeper than the original, it’s still led by the American singer’s catchy vocals – but thanks to some cooler chords and an acoustic guitar lament, they’re recast in a moodier and more intense light.

8/10

Max Freegrant & Miss Monique 'Why' (Freegrant Music)

With more than 10 releases under its belt in just over a month, Max Freegrant’s record label is on fire at the moment. The latest comes from the label boss himself, as he teams up with fellow producer Miss Monique for another collaboration. Sampling the legendary song ‘Smalltown Boy’ by Bronski Beat, it’s a huge progressive number that’s guaranteed to get dancefloors moving – but it’s still not quite as powerful as the Supermode release Steve Angello and Axwell put out back in 2006.

7/10

Markus Schulz feat Mia Koo 'Summer Dream' (Remixes) (Black Hole Recordings)

The original release of Markus Schulz’ ‘Summer Dream’ single marked the start of the summer, and even though those long hot days now seem like a distant memory, he’s decided to release three new remixes of the track. As well as his own extended rework of the original, Ukrainian producer Anske puts his spin on it by taking it in an even trancier direction. And if you want something a bit different, there’s also an electro house mix from US producer Jayceeoh, too.

7/10

James Kitcher 'Everything Changed' (Titan Audio)

Since its launch back in 2013, Titan Audio has focused on emotive and energetic music, releasing records by the likes of ReOrder and Michael Dow. Its latest offering comes from UK-based producer James Kitcher who, after previously dabbling in a number of different styles, has now finally settled on trance as his genre of choice. Featuring interesting melodies, a lush breakdown and an energetic main hook line, it’s an uplifting track which is the result of the many years he spent crafting his sound.

7/10

Sebastian Montano 'Behind Your Eyes' (Delaforce Recordings)

You may have first heard of Colombian producer Sebastian Montano back in 2011, when Aly & Fila supported his debut release ‘Beyond The Stars’. Since then he’s had several releases across a variety of labels, the latest of which is out on Australian imprint Delaforce. A beautiful and atmospheric trance track, it’s got all the right ingredients, from a powerful bassline to a gentle melody and lush breakdown. Remixes come from R3dub, Ula and Physical Phase, with the latter’s softer, more progressive remix definitely the best of the bunch.

8/10

Sunlight Project feat Angel Falls 'I See You' (Sunlight Tunes)

The past year has seen an abundance of releases from relatively new label Sunlight Tunes, and its latest offering is just as beautiful and euphoric as all of the others. Featuring some dreamy female vocals, it’s fluid, warm and tranquil, and sounds like it could have been influenced by Chicane. Released by Italian label owner Andrew Cash, it’s exactly what we’ve come to expect from the imprint that specialises in Balearic progressive house and trance.

7/10

GTR 'Mistral' (Tom Forde remix) (Defcon Recordings)

It’s brave of any artist to rework a classic, but it’s especially courageous if, like newcomer Tom Forde, you only released your first single (‘I’m Free’) back in October. Thankfully, though, he’s done a good job of remixing Gareth Emery’s 2002 track. While the original is hypnotic and dreamy, the remix is harder and faster. Both versions, though, have the same looping quality that make them sound like they could go on forever – which would be fine by us.

7/10

ARDI 'Invictus' (AVA White)

Last month, Andy Moor’s AVA Recordings announced the launch of a brand new sub-label dedicated to the faster, more uplifting side of trance music – and the first single to be released on the imprint certainly checks all of those boxes. Relentless throughout (apart from a brief breakdown formed of melancholic strings), it comes from Polish producer ARDI who, with previous releases on ASOT, Subculture and Always Alive, is known for his style of high-energy trance, making him the ideal choice for the label’s debut.

7/10

Dimension 'Dopamina' (Flashover)

Other than Ferry Corsten himself, Dimension is the only outside artist to contribute to Ferry’s Gouryella live shows, which is what his latest Flashover release was originally written for. Building on the typical uplifting sound he’s become known for, it features an addictive riff, rolling bassline and a beautiful melody which, according to Ferry, “always gets every floor moving”. We wouldn’t be surprised if he scores another Beatport Number One with this.

8/10