Times Music, Audio CD: Rs. 435
A compilation album by Dutch trance producer Richard Durand, In Search of Sunrise 9 - India is the ninth instalment in the In Search of Sunrise compilation series which was originally produced by world famous DJ Tiesto. This is Durand’s second and more promising production under this series.
The album is off to a terrific start with Indian duo Prayag and Rishab’s ‘Lost Stories’, which brings the listener to the heart of this album – India. Very native in its soundscape, this brief tune draws the audience in.
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‘Tonight’ by Ad Brown, Mango, and Kerry Leva is a beautifully mellifluous track, so much so you hardly realise you’re in trance territory till you get to the end of the song. ‘Craters Of The Moon’ with Alex O’Rion picks up right where the previous song left off and takes it to uncharted musical terrain. The beats are infectious and despite the repetitive bridge of music, there’s something alluring about this track.
‘Hold Me Tight’ by Zoo Brazil, featuring Rasmus Kellerman, is among the phenomenal tracks on disc one. Rasmus’ soaring vocals and the progressive texture provided by Zoo deserve adulation.
The non-vocal tracks ‘Avatar’ by Vennacio, and ‘Ice Coffee’ by Moonpax give this album a symphonic feel. And the stunning vocal track by Saint X feat. Sandel in ‘Summerlives’ makes for a good listen too, with all its musical intricacies.
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What does take the cake on this CD is ‘Inflection’ by Craving. Emotional, melodious, soft beats, this song redefines trance music.
Disc two is as grandiose in its presentation as its predecessor. Comprising another set of 15 tracks, the listener is introduced to the likes of Tom Cloud, Silence Groove, George Acosta and other extraordinary trance artistes. Kudos to Richard Durand for his personal contribution to this album. His one of-a-kind ISOS remix on Jonas Steurs’ ‘Still I Wait’ with Jennifer Rene on vocals is a winner.
This tune infuses that serene, relaxing sound that is very typical of Durand’s tracks. A dreamy composition, this.
Other tracks that stand out on this CD include opener ‘Golden Langur’ by Supermind, ‘Seven’ by Silence Groove, Craving’s ‘Summer Memories’ and Durand’s ‘Diamonds in the Sky’ featuring Julie Thompson.
Lyrically and sonically, this is a brilliant album. Production-wise, Richard Durand makes no mistakes. Bringing together the who’s who of the trance world, what is most incredible about the album, is its arrangement – songs segue effortlessly from one to the next. For someone who isn’t a fan of this genre of music, I’m still surprised I liked it. Chances are, you would too!