Trance Music’s Tower of Babel

Trance fans all over the world have been tuned into the Anjunabeats label for years. Founded in 2000 by Jonathan Grant and Paavo Siljamaki (and later joined by Tony McGuinness), Above & Beyond is the driving force behind this label. These three Brits are dedicated to bringing listeners the best in trance music by putting out their own releases and promoting dozens of other artists. Anjunabeats Volume 10 is their latest collection, and it’s a big one.

Thirty tracks composed by more than twenty artists come together on this double disc compilation, mixed and mastered by the men of Above & Beyond. The scope and breadth of a collection like this make it impossible to give a play-by-play account, especially when the huge list of artists includes both new and familiar names from all over the world.

Anjunabeats Volume 10 showcases the music of Above & Beyond, offering the listener several exclusive tracks that are each worth a listen. “Walter White,” a track inspired by prime time TV’s favorite meth-peddling chemistry teacher, is one of the strongest cuts on the collection. It rises, falls, drops and punches with an intensity that is tough to match. That intensity runs throughout the album, making this collection more aggressive than the usual trance fare.

On the whole, this is not thinking music. The body feels it more than the mind would ever want to, and it works. When heard from start to finish, Anjunabeats Volume 10 plays like a colossal collaborative DJ set, and the mixing by Above & Beyond makes it flow seamlessly. Distorted vocal samples and pounding bass from Super8 & Tab run into the robotic pulsating buzz and tricky arpeggios of Ilan Bluestone without a single missed step. Pick and choose from your favorite artists, or just hit play and let it run–the album works either way.

Bringing in artists from Israel, Russia, Norway, Britain, the States, and a slew of other countries, Anjunabeats Volume 10 is a real cornucopia of modern trance. Die-hard ravers and new listeners alike can all find something to enjoy here. Above & Beyond offers hours of new music, both from their own catalogs and the releases of countless other artists on their monster label.