Intense – Armin Van Buuren
Audio CD, Universal Music, Rs. 395
There is one word that comes easily to mind every time you think of Armin Van Buuren – Intense. So it is no surprise that the frontrunner of the global trance movement and the world’s number 1 DJ named his most recent studio offering on his own musically intensive lifestyle.
The 37-year-old Dutchman, who has become a household name and has being on the scene long enough to inspire a whole breed of enterprising DJs, is the face of Electronic Dance Music on the global platform. Three years in the making, the 15-track compilation comes in the wake of four albums and many months of genre-bending production work. The EDM legend lives up to his name and puts together an illuminating soundscape of extensive genre-crossing production with a live orchestra and a rock band thrown in for good measure.
The opening title track with Miri Ben-Ari is a far deviant from his customary style and begins with an unusual Celtic string melody that builds up to a soaring rapid of cursory intensity. You may wonder how this works but it’s a perfect start to Intense.
The blissful ‘This Is What It Feels Like’ feat. Trevor Guthrie is a people song. Ethereally captivating lyrics and intensively ambient, this is a powerhouse dance anthem that typically lingers and exudes the dramatic vibe that only Armin creates.
Two more vocal tracks follow. Techy-house ‘Beautiful Life’ with Cindy Alma’s meandering vocals and the lovely melody of ‘Waiting For The Night’ featuring Fiora are breezy and gently inspiring.
‘Pulsar’ storms in with pulsating tonality – a typical Armin uplifter. Nothing will prepare you for ‘Sound Of The Drums’. Beginning contrastingly with a twinkling grand piano and the sultry voice of Laura Jansen, the track borders on a pop love introduction until the booming electronics kick in and the music transports you to a very different dimension. ‘Alone’ with the powerful vocals of Lauren Evans is another tribute to the EDM spirit with melodic chords and an infectious bass line.
‘Turn This Love Around’ with the NERVO twins feat. Laura V. is bound to become a crowd favourite, housey-trance crossover that results in a very mainstream poptronic sound. ‘Wont Let You Go’ featuring the magical voice of Aruna is routine at first, until the heavy transic Armin vibe kicks in and delivers a raging finish to the track.
The 56 second ‘In 10 Years From Now’ is a confusingly magical and fleeting trance interlude. ‘Last Stop Before Heaven’ pours in with no grandeur but soon rages to a mind-blowing cadenza in typical beat ballad fashion making it the grooviest track in the record. Massive synths and plenty of energy pours in for ‘Forever Is Ours’ feat. Emma Hewitt. Continuing his heart melting vibes with another monstrous collaboration in ‘Love Never Came’ featuring the distinct voice of Richard Bedford, Armin creates an emotional track with dark tearful lyrics, a consistent driving beat and a colossal breakdown making it an amazing work of art.
Increasing the tempo with the track that inspired a movement is ‘Who’s Afraid of 138?!’. Fast paced, uplifting, intense and euphoric, Armin saves the best of his beloved trance for the last with this mammoth track. The album closer ‘Reprise’ features Netherlands-based alternative rock band Bagga Bownz play along in this almost instrumental rock track that climaxes with an uplifting melody which leaves you with a sense of fulfilled satisfaction after this Intense journey.
Maintaining Armin's well-established love of big, plucky synths and reverb-y vocals, ‘Intense’ is everything you can think of in popular dance music and more and deserves your complete attention, from the first beat until the very last note of silence.
