There are a few resources out there that give free downloads of the latest Trance tunes for the week. For those of u with iTunes, u can basically subscribe to the podcasts of Above and Beyond's "Trance Around the World". This is a weekly 2 hr show by one of the hottest DJs in the world right now. They're responsible for the sounds of "Air for Life", "Alone Tonight". Now these guys were in town a couple of months back and I'm happy to say I managed to catch them spinning at Zouk. Kudos to them. They are among the greats!
Youtube has got sooo many videos of their music tt I'm gg to refrain from putting it here.
But there is one that I want to link. Something from their latest podcast #281. It's by Lange & Andy Moor. It's called Stadium 4. And this is exactly what I mean by the ethereal sounds of electronic heaven intertwined beautifully with the beats to make u groove.
Lastly ATB has got a new release but it's not hit the shores of Singapore for some reason. Am waiting for it...
Thursday, August 20, 2009
What is Trance?
Now I suppose this has to do with explaining a little abt what the name of the blog is. A State of Trance? What is trance? Pls, oh pls, do NOT confuse trance with techno. They are a far cry from each other.
Trance has an ethereal quality to its tune. It is uplifting. Euphoric. It brings u to the next plane of existence even. I will not go into further distinguishing techno. Suffice to say it is nothing like trance.
Trance is for the cultured. It is like sipping a cuppa tea over an afternoon high tea with ur pinkie sticking out. It is music for the refined gentleman, infused with a beat like none other. It is melodious to the point it brings tears to those who feel the music move them.
But I am not going into Oxford's dictionary of what trance is... I am going to tell u trance as it is to me. It all began for me waaaay back. Sometime in the early 1990s when this group called Opus III had a lead singer (Kirsty Hawkshaw) lending her vocals to the haunting tune of "It's a Fine Day".
Youtube has a live performance of Opus III and Kirsty's performance of "It's a Fine Day", now if u can just ignore the dancing and the atrocious hairstyle and focus on the beat and tune...
Following that, if u have ever watched the 1st Mortal Kombat movie, the group Orbital produced a song called Halcyon+On+On which samples Opus III's "It's a Fine Day".
Now these are probably my earliest reference points for trance. How old was I? Perhaps primary school when it first started. Trance transcends all ages, languages, races. It is music tt speaks to u without the need for words.
So if u still tell me its a "beng" thing? Pls, get it right. U're prob referring to techno.
Trance has an ethereal quality to its tune. It is uplifting. Euphoric. It brings u to the next plane of existence even. I will not go into further distinguishing techno. Suffice to say it is nothing like trance.
Trance is for the cultured. It is like sipping a cuppa tea over an afternoon high tea with ur pinkie sticking out. It is music for the refined gentleman, infused with a beat like none other. It is melodious to the point it brings tears to those who feel the music move them.
But I am not going into Oxford's dictionary of what trance is... I am going to tell u trance as it is to me. It all began for me waaaay back. Sometime in the early 1990s when this group called Opus III had a lead singer (Kirsty Hawkshaw) lending her vocals to the haunting tune of "It's a Fine Day".
Youtube has a live performance of Opus III and Kirsty's performance of "It's a Fine Day", now if u can just ignore the dancing and the atrocious hairstyle and focus on the beat and tune...
Following that, if u have ever watched the 1st Mortal Kombat movie, the group Orbital produced a song called Halcyon+On+On which samples Opus III's "It's a Fine Day".
Now these are probably my earliest reference points for trance. How old was I? Perhaps primary school when it first started. Trance transcends all ages, languages, races. It is music tt speaks to u without the need for words.
So if u still tell me its a "beng" thing? Pls, get it right. U're prob referring to techno.
Transience Part II
An addition to the entry on Transience...
I remember a quote by Paul Bowles. It was in his book The Sheltering Sky and this particular quote was mentioned by Brandon Lee (yes, the same Brandon Lee...son of the Dragon, Bruce Lee). Now, Brandon was being interviewed and this was captured in the extra footages in The Crow (now that's my ALL TIME FAVOURITE MOVIE!!) Brandon quoted Paul Bowles, and ironic though it may be, it seemed as though Brandon was referring to how his life might be snuffed out at any time...
Anyway here goes the quote:
"Death is always on the way, but the fact that you don't know when it will arrive seems to take away from the finiteness of life. It's that terrible precision that we hate so much. But because we don't know, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that's so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more. Perhaps not even. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless."
Macabre as it may sound... it holds a lot of truth and wisdom in the words. The simple act of watching the full moon rise... something each of us takes for granted day by day, night by night.... and yet... how many more will we see.. and enjoy.
Live life to the fullest. Never regret ur actions. Life may throw u a curved ball, and it often does. But it is UR choice how u want to react. We may have no control over what is thrown in our way.. but we have a choice in deciding how we want to react, if at all.. And for those who act, do not regret ur act.
But lest we forget, in the flurry of our actions, to live, let us remember the quote by Paul Bowles.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Transience....
As the title says, there's just too little time for everything. But then again, "what is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare." - Courtesy of Wm. Henry Davies. Here's his full poem, entitled "Leisure".
"LEISURE"
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
By Wm. Henry Davies.
Now this is a poem to reminds us of the transience of everything around us. And while we mull about our daily lives, so caught up in the grind of our daily chores, work, study, etc. we lose sight of the beauty all around us. The beauty of the simplest things in life, yet without which, we lose the fullness of life itself.
Another poem yet examplifies what I've said. It's entitled "Nothing Gold Can Stay" and it's a piece by Robert Frost. Heard of it from one of my Secondary School Literature books. It was called "The Outsiders".
Anyway here goes:
"Nothing Gold Can Stay"
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
This poem tells us that beauty around is as transient as the green color of leaves, which quickly fade to the autumn colors following the seasons. So we shd grasp whatever we have. Carpe Diem! Seize the day!
Such is my advice to anyone who reads this blog. Do what u need to do, but take a moment to appreciate the beauty of life, nature, the simplest things around u. For some day these things may no longer be around for u.
Such is the entry of Transience.
"LEISURE"
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
By Wm. Henry Davies.
Now this is a poem to reminds us of the transience of everything around us. And while we mull about our daily lives, so caught up in the grind of our daily chores, work, study, etc. we lose sight of the beauty all around us. The beauty of the simplest things in life, yet without which, we lose the fullness of life itself.
Another poem yet examplifies what I've said. It's entitled "Nothing Gold Can Stay" and it's a piece by Robert Frost. Heard of it from one of my Secondary School Literature books. It was called "The Outsiders".
Anyway here goes:
"Nothing Gold Can Stay"
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
This poem tells us that beauty around is as transient as the green color of leaves, which quickly fade to the autumn colors following the seasons. So we shd grasp whatever we have. Carpe Diem! Seize the day!
Such is my advice to anyone who reads this blog. Do what u need to do, but take a moment to appreciate the beauty of life, nature, the simplest things around u. For some day these things may no longer be around for u.
Such is the entry of Transience.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Cosmic Gate in Town
Cosmic Gate's in town @ Zouk this Saturday. Woohoo! Prob one of the last few times to go for gigs like these before my baby girl comes out in early Oct. Gotta savour the freedom before daddy duties take precedence! Good thing the wife is cool with it. Guess she understands that we all need our own forms of relaxation. Would be nice if ATB comes by but no such luck.
Good thing Jun Hao told me abt it...
Friday, July 17, 2009
A time to sit and stare...
And once again, I admit, it has been too long. It's the first time I'm sitting down in front of my laptop with some time on my hands to be able to get my affairs in order. True, there are still a number of things outstanding on my plate but a remark from one of the students reminded me that I have not posted anything for some time.
In any case, these weeks have been action filled. It started off with having to make sure that the Singapore International Water Festival (Rock Climbing section) went smoothly. Since SB has been tasked to be in charge of the station, yours truly, being the (then) newest kid on the block, was nominated to take up the task. Granted, I had lots of help from everyone and it was definitely a team effort to ensure that Rockmaster 14 pulled off without a hitch, there was significant planning and coordination to be done. Immediately after that, I was called in for 2 weeks of reservist... as in the words of days gone by.... "For King and Country".
*Stopped my post since the last edit in Jul*
Guess I shd just wrap up what I wanted to say, suffice to say, its been crazy but thankfully, I've gotten back in the groove of things. Anyway gg to close this posting and talk abt more current happenings.
Ciao.
In any case, these weeks have been action filled. It started off with having to make sure that the Singapore International Water Festival (Rock Climbing section) went smoothly. Since SB has been tasked to be in charge of the station, yours truly, being the (then) newest kid on the block, was nominated to take up the task. Granted, I had lots of help from everyone and it was definitely a team effort to ensure that Rockmaster 14 pulled off without a hitch, there was significant planning and coordination to be done. Immediately after that, I was called in for 2 weeks of reservist... as in the words of days gone by.... "For King and Country".
*Stopped my post since the last edit in Jul*
Guess I shd just wrap up what I wanted to say, suffice to say, its been crazy but thankfully, I've gotten back in the groove of things. Anyway gg to close this posting and talk abt more current happenings.
Ciao.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
It's been a while....
It's been... how long? Too long...
First up, wife's doing fine. Puking's gone. She's got the cravings for Prawn noodles. Only from one place. The one next to the Kallang MRT and none other. Not the cheapest but the soup, I gotta admit, is the best I've tried. Anyway if you're really interested to know where, simple. Just google Kallang Prawn Noodles. You shd be able to find it.
Mondays and Tuesdays. Gosh. These are 2 of the most tiring days. Have 2 separate sessions of Multimedia Web Design course over these 2 days. Meaning have to prep for 2 different classes back to back. So its preparation on Sundays and Monday nights. Doesn't make it easier that Mondays and Tuesdays are my full-packed 6 hr days as well. So usually by the time Tuesdays are over, I'm totally drained and will just be brain dead by the end of Tuesday. Wednesdays to Fridays are better. Just rehashing the Statistics tutorial, of which I would have gone through 2 runs by then.
Blasting trance into the brain. Direct. Solid. Hard hitting. Euphoric. Fuel for the mind and body. To keep me going through Mondays and Tuesdays. Excellent that they haven't blocked the traffic for Live365.com. Absolute bliss to have plain euphoria blasting into u. It's caffeine for the weary mind.
Time to head back to classes soon.
Ciao.
First up, wife's doing fine. Puking's gone. She's got the cravings for Prawn noodles. Only from one place. The one next to the Kallang MRT and none other. Not the cheapest but the soup, I gotta admit, is the best I've tried. Anyway if you're really interested to know where, simple. Just google Kallang Prawn Noodles. You shd be able to find it.
Mondays and Tuesdays. Gosh. These are 2 of the most tiring days. Have 2 separate sessions of Multimedia Web Design course over these 2 days. Meaning have to prep for 2 different classes back to back. So its preparation on Sundays and Monday nights. Doesn't make it easier that Mondays and Tuesdays are my full-packed 6 hr days as well. So usually by the time Tuesdays are over, I'm totally drained and will just be brain dead by the end of Tuesday. Wednesdays to Fridays are better. Just rehashing the Statistics tutorial, of which I would have gone through 2 runs by then.
Blasting trance into the brain. Direct. Solid. Hard hitting. Euphoric. Fuel for the mind and body. To keep me going through Mondays and Tuesdays. Excellent that they haven't blocked the traffic for Live365.com. Absolute bliss to have plain euphoria blasting into u. It's caffeine for the weary mind.
Time to head back to classes soon.
Ciao.
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