Misja Helsloot ~ Back From Your Past

[DIONYSOS]

DJ Misja Helsloot is one of the longest running Trance DJs in the business. Starting back in 1992, where he started to collect his first dance records, he got hooked to the Trance sound. In 1998, Misja Helsloot had his breakthrough with mixing the first edition of In Trance We Trust, one of the longest running and most successful CD concepts. Also #8 of this edition was done by Misja. Next to that, he mixed 2 editions of the legendary Forbidden Paradise series and also managed to make two mix CDs in the serie The Creation. Releases include A Different World, First Second, and the recent single Back From Your Past. So for sure a man with experience. Now this new concept, Back From Your Past, is released in stores. You can expect in the box a double CD, a 24 page booklet, and a coupon to buy merchandise for a low price. Alltogether it looks nice, but it's of course the music that counts...

CD 1:
This is the disc where Misja takes off the Back From Your Past journey. And what a kickass start, with a subtle opening track by Sultan and Tonedepth. Absolutely gorgeous vocals from Stephanie Vezina are backed up with dreamy progressive Trance with slightly tribal influences. The CD develops its way into really nice, slightly melodic progressive Trance, with dreamy atmospheric influences and beautiful sounds making this an excellent progressive trip. Listen to the magnificent sounds of PA Groove's Path Finder. Progressive Trance as it should be, mysterious, deep, groovy and sexy. Mixing is out of this world this far, just listen to the transition to Latigidi ~ Latigidi [Harry Nate Remix]. Due to the well-placed transitions, this feels like a real Trance journey. Then we arrive at Markus Schulz & Alucard's interpretation of George Hales ~ Autumn Falls.
Some funky touches are inserted with Quiz ~ Delicious Company, which can be defined as Progressive Trance with a funky edge. The energy and tempo is slightly increasing and dreamy sounds are catched up by funky, danceable tracks. The Trance sounds take over again with a firm remix by Dutch progmasters Fred Numf & Etienne Overdijk. It's getting more banging now and we find a new melodic track by the name of Myth ~ Millionfold - the work of Menno De Jong.
The latest part of CD1 are the more accessible Trance tracks like that monsterhit Sahara, and Lange's latest track Firewall ~ Kilimanjaro (where the pitching up is clearly audible in the track). Also we find Misja's latest solosingle Back From Your Past cued up at number 12 in a nice Shane 54 Remix. We end up with more Dutch talent, namely Fictivision versus Phynn ~ Escape. A nice melodic trancer, with a catchy melody. Also Sander van Dien's latest track Terms appears in an amazing vocal mix. Deep basslines and good male vocals make this an end of the CD.

CD 2:
This CD is Trance based from the start. The start might be relaxed with the chillout mix by Misja of Havannah ~ Havannah. Deep Orbit ~ Air is mixed in and is the beginning of the Melodic Trance trip awaiting us on the second disc. The new release from Bram Vank is the third track and is an easy-going trancer. The first real highlight is Mirco De Govia ~ Aura Indigo. A really nice and flowing feel-good trancer from one of Germany's biggest producers.
Now we get to the exclusive Misja stuff of this CD. A remix of Tension ~ Lost In You - a deep trancer with a darker edge that reminds you a bit of those underground Magik trancers from the end nineties. Top trance trio Goldenscan made an uplifting remix of Faraway Project ~ Without Fear and it's definetly one of the best tracks on this album. The uplifting sounds take over totally with Sonicvibe's remix of Vascotia ~ Calibro and a stunning remix from Ryan G. Uplifting sounds, emotional strings, and firm basslines are keywords for this part of the mix. Next up is Misja's best production in a while: Miika Kuisma ~ Orion [Misja Helsloot Remix]. Also a great trancy, somewhat oldschool track, with a massive melody floating throughout the mix.
Somewhat Techr Trance with Hemstock & Jennings, but the track sounds kinda standard altogether, just like the follow-up track Odyssee ~ Frontline. Luckily a fantastic surprise came after that, a new remix from Locust! A fine trancer with a nice melody that gets stuck in your head the moment you hear it. Mesh closes off with a decent remix of Midway ~ Amazon.

A very nice CD for the people that want the cross-over between Progressive and Trance. Mixing varies from awesome to OK and the track selection is very good, with almost only good tracks. Especially CD1 is just a gorgeous musical trip, and the whole CD is filled with those lesser known tracks that are actually quite cool when you hear them. Count in the great booklet, the fine artwork and goodies as well. This CD is made with passion and commitment and you can see it in every aspect. Definetly worth checking out![/b]

[Deejiuana]

[Thirix]