Review: Digitally Enhanced Vol. 5 Mixed By Will Holland

Trance’s finest has turned attention to their annual compilation series Digitally Enhanced Volume Five mixed by Will Holland. From the label head himself, a master of progressive trance vibes and uplifting sound-scapes provides a double disc, two mix display of one of the world’s leading trance labels. The compilation is a centerpiece of what’s to come and what’s to love about Enhanced Music.

Disc 1 starts off with the Beat Service intro mix of “Every Heartbeat” featuring Jeza, the track provides pulsating bass lines and a chunky percussion to the blissful newcomer’s wondrous voice. The energy and pace to Will Holland’s original makes it a sick opener to what will become a descent on dance floors for the summertime. After a slew of progressive trancers, Holland tunes into the rising star Juventa’s funky and melodic “Nothing But Less Than Three.” A genre smasher to say the least, the track provides elements derived from a multitude of different sounds and to provide a slight groovy feel to a galloping bass-line.

The superstars of tomorrow and the duo of today, Los Angeles based Norin & Rad provides another club banger with “Retrograde.” A piano driven melody infuses with their signature percussive style that so many have come to adapt to. The up and comer progressive and trance connoisseur, Falcon, delivers with “Parallax.” The eerie lead and haunting atmosphere provides an old school feel that’s marinated with a melting arrangement of progression.

The veteran of piano-driven melodies and chord structure signatures – Estiva – alongside Tania Zygar with “Death Of Me” is a stunning tribute to the genre. Solid kick drums are illuminating in crisp hats and sexy vocals. Melodic textures lay subtlety inside of this epic clubber. To close off the first disc, Rafael Frost’s remix of Boom Jinx and Daniel Kandi’s “Azzura” is mind blowing with swirling and sweeping echoes. An addition drive to the track makes it a great fix on the original. The breakdown maintains the greatness of the original while providing a bulldozing bassline that will clear the sidelines and fill the dancefloor. The progressive mix paves the way for a more uplifting and melodic touch to that of purity of disc two.

Karanda’s intro remix of Fast Distance’s “Alpine” brings on an elegant melody and a warm vibrant bassline. Sexy chords are mixed in with a swift and graceful break. As it heads to what seems endlessly upward, the track drops into a thickly layered breakdown full of a variety of elemental beauties. Soon after you’ve closed your eyes and sunken yourself into a haven of melodica Alan Morris & Sequentina make you “Blind” for magnificence. The break is full of passion that builds slowly with charm and an immensely striking string sequence. More melodic infusions ensue, as the track becomes a truly mystical trancer. The driving, savvy bass adds depth to the track and paves the way for the harder vibes in the mix.

Juventa’s remix on his collabration with Answer42, “Like These Eyes,” proves exactly how he delivers the goods. Deep infusions, massive effects with twists and turns make it ready for the crowd. Ost & Meyer’s “Argentum” bring a well-rounded track that is something eagerly to be awaited. A thick layer of kick drums and a sprinkle of piano notes contribute to a quickly building yet loose drop that literally screams with subtle emotional pull.

Temple One makes his appearance on the mix with a remix on “Lacuna” by Deepwide. A twinkling melody brings a superlative signature lead in combination with a futuristic atmosphere. Evocative effects add to an ethereal background vocal sample and are stripped-down from the provocative tenderness the percussion provides.

The compilation ends on the highest note and reach one could possibly imagine with Suncatcher remix’s Tritonal’s (alongside Cristina Soto) “Still With Me.” The track is the very definition of uplifting and is quite possibly the best trance remix of the year thus far. A hypnotic driving affair, the track proves that music can be emotional and joyful. In result, is a truly masterful combination of compositions. By staying true to the highlights of the original, Suncatcher shifts the blissed out breakdown with a dramatic melody of patterns. The breakdown soars high thanks to the lead chord that initially sticks in the background and then bursts out into the main progression as a piano-touched, string-gasm of an epic peak to an ecstatic euphoria.

Enhanced Music taps into the deep poignancy of trance and highlight’s that notion with Digitally Enhanced Volume 5. A variety of sounds, effects and talents proves that this annual compilation is just as consistent as the last. Massive releases will surely follow as the samples from these two mixes surely emphasize. If you enjoy trance or even know of the word, this is a collection of music that cannot be missed.

Disc One

1. Will Holland feat. Jeza – Every Heartbeat (Beat Service Intro Mix)
2. Beat Service – Mars (Original Mix)
3. Audien – The Reach (Original Mix)
4. Ignas feat. Julie Thompson – Hold On (Maor Levi Club Mix)
5. Juventa – Nothing But Less Than Three (Original Mix)
6. Exostate – Easily I Fell (Norin & Rad Remix)
7. Ost & Meyer – Safari (Maor Levi Remix)
8. Norin & Rad – Retrograde (Original Mix)
9. The Madison – When You (Original Mix)
10. Falcon – Parallax (Original Mix)
11. Tritonal feat. Cristina Soto – Everafter (Mike Shiver Remix)
12. C-Systems & Jo Micali feat. Hanna Finsen- Love Is Strong (Estiva Remix)
13. Estiva & Tania Zygar – Death Of Me (Original mix)
14. Boom Jinx & Daniel Kandi – Azzura (Rafaël Frost Remix)

Disc Two

1. Fast Distance – Alpine (Karanda Intro Remix)
2. Audien – Keep This Memory (Johan Malmgren Remix)
3. Alan Morris & Sequentia – Blind (Original Mix)
4. Store N Forward – Oregano (Original Mix)
5. Vast Vision feat. Fisher – Hurricane (Ost & Meyer Remix)
6. Daniel Kandi – Insert Generic Title (Daniel Kandi vs Dennis Pedersen Remix)
7. C-Systems feat. Bushi – Ari (Original Mix)
8. Sequentia & Jaco – Crossfire (Original Mix)
9. Juventa & Answer42 – Like These Eyes (Juventa Mix)
10. Willem de Roo – Datamoon (Original Mix)
11. Ost & Meyer – Argentum (Original Mix)
12. Suncatcher – Welcome Home (Original Mix)
13. Stonevalley feat. Shannon Hurley – Something To Say (Original Mix)
14. Deepwide – Lacuna (Temple One Remix)
15. Tritonal feat. Cristina Soto – Still With Me (Suncatcher’s Digitally Enhanced Outro Remix)