Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
This IS better than 2008..., 6 Jul 2009
...but still not brilliant, which is why I can't give it more stars than before.
I feel that the quality of the songs are generally better than they were in 2008, but there is still that lack of cutting edge. I don't know, maybe it is that trance in 2009 just isn't as good, or probably more likely, maybe it just isn't to my taste as much as it was in 2005, or even more so, say 1996. I can only imagine that an ASoT in 1996 would have been awesome...
The first CD is quite vocal orientated, which may suit some people, but if you prefer the non-vocal (and occasionally deemed 'non-cheesy') trance then it may not be for you. It's not as bad as 2007 though, where track after track (especially on CD01) contained overbearing vocals.
There were vocals in tracks even in the best ASoT, 2005, but they didn't overpower songs like they seem to now. Track 10 (Tydi ft. AG) is one good example - a fantastic progressive song until the vocals kick in, then it seems to dip. However, like I say if you like this sort of thing, then I recommend the first CD.
CD2 is less vocal focussed - my main criticism here is simply the lack of tracks that make me shiver down the spine when I first hear it.
Something that has improved since 2008 is the quality of the mixing - to me, ASoT 2008 seemed oddly disjointed in places, whereas this is generally better, and the album flows better. There are signs of the journey you were on from the sunkissed beach to the scorching dark club, like you were in 2004-6, just without such high quality music.
I think a combination of the recent Anjunabeats compilations and more importantly the previous ASoT albums of 2004-6 have just set such a high standard - maybe if this was the first trance album I picked up I'd fall in love with it. It's still a good album, and I would recommend this ahead of 2008, and despite my review, maybe 2007 as well.
Tracks by Mat Zo, Alex M.O.R.P.H and Neptune Project are my personal favourites.
One final point - how much better would the song by Robert Nickson/Andy Blueman be on CD02 without Eller Van Buuren's guitar??
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A state of trance 2009, 1 Jul 2009
I have read a few peoples opinions on this album and some people are of the opinion that this is the best 'state of trance' album so far, and whilst this is a very, very good album i think this assertion is a bit unfounded.
Firstly it is my option that if you love trance complilations then the 'state of trance' series is generally untouchable. I would suggest that, only in the Thrillseekers brilliant 'Nightmusic' series is Armin challenged regularly on quality, ingenuity and up front, cutting edge dance music. So if you are going to compare an Armin album against something, you compare it against another Armin album!
On that basis i think 'A state of trance 09' comes a bit short of it's predessesor 08, which i do personally believe is the best album in the series. Whilst there are some great moments on this album, notably 'Mat zo's'-A fractal universe, and 'Thomas Bronzwaer's'-Look ahead, there arn't quite any tunes that reach the heights of 'DJ Shah and Adrina Thorpe's'-Back to you from the 08 collaboration. I was also really looking forward to track 10, on noticing that it had the 'Live guitar solo from Eller Van buuren', again similar to the 08 album, but was massively dissapointed with this, although it must be said that the benchmark was set so high from the previous albums breathtaking track, that it almost makes comparison very hard and unfair.
Those who have seen Armin live over the last year, and or listened to his radio broadcasts on a regular basis will recognise tunes like the brilliant, 'Dash Berlin'-Man on the run, and of course the mixing/formation of the album is faultless, as you would expect from any quality DJ compilation, not counting anything mixed by Judge Jules! But having listened to the album now a couple of times my felling is one of slight dissapointment,.....but still one of the best trance albums that you'll buy this year!!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Its good but not his best, 4 Aug 2009
I've listened and followed Armin for years now and have really loved some of his ASOT mixes. CD1 follows his recent trend for the first cd. Its both chilled at the start (although less chilled than 2008), it has lots of euphoric vocal numbers inc the awesome faces by andy moor and a variety of electro, progressive and typically trance breakdowns. The CD shows the variety that trance has to offer and is a great showcase for the genre. CD2 starts well with some interesting techno breakdowns and armins own "gaia" track but after track 6 it really does become generic. You could have listened to the last 8 tracks a thousand times over the last 10 years. No darker or harder stuff, no variety in the breakdowns, no nothing after track 6! Weird really as i saw him at global gathering recently and he was amazing. Armin, finish your albums properly!!!
Btw..2008 CD1 and 2005 CD2 are his best.
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