Trance Nation 2001

First of all, whatever the cheese-meisters beneath may tell you, CD2 vastly outweighs CD1 on this album.

The first CD focuses on the more commercial side of 2001 trance, like 'Schiller - Das Glockenspiel', 'Tenth Planet - Ghosts' and 'The Thrillseekers - Synaesthesia'. It flows quite nicely, and even has quite a hard edge in the middle, with Cosmic Gate and Norman Bass tracks. It's the stretch from 'Velvet Moods' to 'Wasteland' that makes this CD brilliant. Overall, some decent anthems, and also a lot of vocal-based tracks.

The second CD is a much more progressive, interesting, and less typical voyage into the trance of 2001. Simply put, it is a brilliant selection of tracks, and flawlessly mixed. While opening with the classic 'Touch Me', it migrates in an atmospheric progressive direction, before Ferry moves back into the more solid trance numbers, with some of his own work - 'Needlejuice' and a 'Field of Joy' remix. From here on in, the disc is just fantastic. The last 6 tracks have everything - following the hypnotic, bouncy feel of Oliver Lieb's 'Lightspeed' are two trance classics of the year, before Ferry drops probably the highlight of this entire album: 'BT - Never Gonna Come Back Down (Hybrid Echoplex Mix)'. This track is typical Hybrid, and an amazing way to bring the album to a close. And there's still time for Flight 643!

As usual with Ministry CDs, there are a few cheese numbers knocking around, but there's nothing embarrassing, like in some of the other TN albums. Good work Ferry!


Better than I expected actually!   December 15, 2001
ce8jf@boltblue.com (Bath, England)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

This is almost as good as TN3! I must admit I felt the trance nation series was starting to get too commericalised, and found TN4 a bit of a disappointment. I waited a while to get this one as it seemed to have all the same stuff as it's contemporaries [I'd just bought CreamLive]. But eventually I decided to give it a go and I was quite pleased with it.
CD1 is pretty good, mixing and tune selection up to Corsten's usual standard.
CD2 also not bad, admittedly a few unexpected choices [I would skip the first track, I've heard better mixes of it] but the rest is great. Probably best described as progressive trance, it's sound is more akin to Gatecrasher [well, he has done several sets there, so it's not surprising really]. Origin definitely GC affiliates and the Luzon track was bouncing around Ibiza this year.
Overall I would say do not write this one off straightaway, it is definitely better overall than TN4 was!


what happened to the 2nd CD?!   July 27, 2001
1 out of 3 found this review helpful

The first CD...UNREAL. Its got some real thumpin tunes here. i dont need to name em...just look at the first 10 on the CD!My only critism on the first CD is that he couldve put in a better mix of tenth planet-ghosts. But other than that, the mixing is wIcKeD!(a bit strange in places tho!) and its pretty much flawless!

.........

ok.....the err 2nd CD!! What the hell is going on?!there are about 2 good ones in here. (sputnik and reform) and even then they aint that good!

I reckon he couldve waited about a month for the likes of barthezz and DJ jean to come out...THEN release it! Overall i say get the CD and use the 2nd CD as a coaster!


WHY BOTHER WITH SECOND CD   July 16, 2001
Mr. M. Salam (Inside a Giant Enemy Crab)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

The first CD is mind-blowing. The cover version of the Japan classic is great. Strange World by Push well that's on every Dance CD now. Cosmic Gates Fire Wire remix is brilliant it shows you doesn't need 3 guitars for gothic style music keyboards do it the best. As for CD2 poor track selection and rubbish mixes for example the 12" for Touch Me is rubbish the radio mix is better but not trance. BT track is rubbish the only highlight of this CD is the system 7 song and guess that that's by. Ferry Corsten of course he mixes this to delight the mix between Strange World and The Vision was unusual but brilliant. Overall 3 stars for CD1 1 star for CD2


OK, but not brain shattering   June 23, 2001
Latest in the series, same old formula. There's no doubt in my mind that Ferry Corsten is the best in the field, but maybe the field's beginning to run out of steam. TN1 blew my mind, TN2001's OK, but it ain't gonna break any records.