Lost & Found

by

Ian Van Dahl

Edit

I bought this from amazon.co.uk last year and didn't really listen to it enough after it arrived to really appreciate it. But just before easter I put the whole album on my portable mp3 player and I've been playing it almost daily through the whole easter holiday. And the album definetly grew a lot on me. Now I listen to it when I'm in the mood for vocal trance with an emotional touch and deep, heartfelt lyrics. The whole album is awesome but some standout songs are:

Where Are You Now

Crying

Crazy

Waiting 4 You (LOVE this song! I hope it will be a future single!!)

My Own

Time 2 Go

Inspiration

State Of Mind

Believe

When I listen to Waiting 4 You, it almost brings me to tears every time cos it's so haunting and beautiful. It also reminds me a lot of Frozen and The Power Of Goodbye, both amazing Madonna songs and hearing another amazing song in the same vein coming from my favourite dance group was totally the icing on the cake for me. A song that shows Annemie's talent to its fullest both as a singer and a songwriter. Thumbs up!

I may be the minority here, but am I the only one that is looking for a little more fulfillment in their trance music?

I am a fond lover of trance and follower of the great spinners of trance, progressive trance, and some of the newest electronica. I would say my love for vocal trance probably started around the era of Sarah McLaughlin's SILENCE, remixed by Tiesto who I've seen, and has progressed from there.

Don't get me wrong - Ian Van Dahl's Vocal voice is astounding and is comparable with Jan Johnston, Sarah McLaughlin, and dare I say even Justine Suissa, and the trance music itself is comparable to what the Thrillseekers would play and even AVB and PVD and Tiesto (all of whom I've seen turn a room of tranceheads into a screaming yelling stadium of EUPHORIA) with some of their own productions work and/or remixes. It's the content of the words in this particular album which has me left looking for more.

Of all the trance vocalists and great remixers/producers I have mentioned, one theme resonates thruout - is that nearly EUPHORIC feeling (call it "trance" like) like you are flying upto the clouds or watching the sunrise from a vantage point of floating in the clouds. That's what trance (to me) is supposed to do. It elevates to euphoria. Ian Van Dahls song's on this particular album is all about unrequited love and painful loss. Every song resonates a feeling of having to overcome prior pain and trying to move on...Is this how one reaches a higher level of euphoria?

Recall Chicane's Autumn Tactics, or "Sun is shining" Tiesto Remix, or Synthethesia, or Take me Away, or Clear Blue Skies from Suissa, or the forever monumental Silence..All these somngs, ALL OF THEM, sing of great skies, great love, and passion to be achieved...in short of Trance=like Euphoria.

I felt like I was listiening to a remix of a Nine Inch Nails Song, or Stabbing Westward, or even the Evanesence genre where pain and sadness is understood and goes so well with the music. Here the content of the lyrics just do not go with the type of song...all sadness with trance/happy music...It's almost redundant. It's a waste of a beautiful voice really as well as good trance music to boot. I want to re-emphasize that her voice is beautiful, and that the trance music is good and build-up, drops and sustaining rhythm...this is what great euphoric trance music is made of. What is said tho..keeps it at a very normal level. This is an insult to Ace album and the popular "Castles in the sky"

I would be remiss if I did not give my fellow trance afficianados a rundown of what some songs are about as that is my only gripe with this lackluster album.

1. I can't let you go - "Can't stop thinking about a love from the past"

2. Inspiration - "No need to be alone, I'm here for you"

3. Where are you Now - "I thought our love was strong - where did it go?"

4. Crying - Self Explanatory

5. Crazy - "I'm crazy for you, now that you're gone"

6. My Own - "Wonder where you are.. I need you "

...............

I think you get the point on the general theme of the album

If you're looking for how heartwrenching lost love music sounds with trance and a soprano like voice, then this is the album for you. However, if you're looking to fly to the sun , to feel passionate about the loves of your life and all the experiences this great music has brought to us and to run even faster ih the gym, or bike further, climb higher, or to feel that oceanbreeze...then this is NOT the album for you. This album will make you cry over sadness...not happiness. This album is NOT uplifting trance....and so what then is the point??