Search - Paul Oakenfold :: Voyage Into Trance

Hello? What planet are you from?

jason brookes | San Francisco | 05/05/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, it seems opinion widely varies on this CD and it pretty much comes down to this:If you're late to the party and think that trance means scantily-clad chicks in fluffy bras dancing on podiums to soppy, angelic vocals and ten-minute cheesy breakdowns, then you'll hate this CD. You'll probably call it techno like most .... If however, you've got a clue, you'll know that this is an early template of a sound that's known as psychedelic - or more traditionally, Goa - trance. Most of the music on this CD is from '93 & '94 when psy-trance (a darker, more tripped-out development of acid house and techno) was emerging and making its way from Europe to the infamous beach and forest parties of Goa, India. It was powerful, deep, transcendent music (acid the preferred stimulant), written in Europe, exported to India and then re-exported back to European clubland via pioneering club DJs such as Paul Oakenfold.Psy-trance was a brief flirtation for 'making-it-big' Oakey though. He mainly played this sound at more underground parties and particularly on the festival circuit. When it came to 'breaking America' - as this man has clearly done in commericial terms - it was the cheesier side of trance, as most people know it today, that was championed. Big screaming synths, club divas spouting rubbish about climbing mountains, and every possible hook used to bring in people that wouldn't normally listen to dance music.Don't get me wrong, there are clearly some great defining, euphoric moments on CDs like Tranceport. But this kind of ultra-melodic stuff is dating very, very badly (they're even using it on car commercials now) - unlike the tracks this CD which are more than twice as old and still sound powerful and dynamic.Since this CD was released the psy-trance scene has been growing, and spreading to party hot spots round the world such as Tokyo, South America, South Africa, Greece, Spain, USA (San Francisco, Burning Man) - anywhere where you'll find spiritually-inclined travellers gathering and celebrating under the stars. Psychedlic trance is probably the most cohesive, global, non-commerical form of electronic dance music there is, and this CD is a great example of the roots of the sound. It's inevitable, but it really shouldn't be confused with 'trance' as it's known these days. Best heard on a 30k sound system outdoors with the sun coming up over the ocean and a great crowd connecting, communing... 'in a trance'. Not slumped in the corner of a club in baggy pants, with a pacifier hanging from your mouth..."

A deserved re-release

Ash1138 | Centennial, CO United States | 09/06/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is old despite what you see as the release date. This is a re-release. But it's re-released for a reason. This album is legendary. I first heard about this album from a friend who could barely remember parts of the name: "It's called Voyage of something I think." But I could never find a copy of it. It was obviously out of print at the time.I finally obtained a one-track full-cut mp3 of the album. My sound system on my PC thumps but I suppose I didn't let myself really get into the album. It wasn't until I came across a copy in the store. My jaw hit the floor. Here was a copy of the album I had heard about in fairy tales. I couldn't remember what it sounded like from the mp3. I bought it.This is the seminal trance CD by one of the greatest trance DJs ever. It's old, and the synthetic sounds may sound dated to some, but as I listen to it now and recall people saying trance isn't what it used to be, I realize this is what they are talking about. I'm a huge fan of Paul's newer work, but this album is great new or old."

This CD is 5 YEARS OLD!!!!!

leighton76 | San Marcos, Tx USA | 04/18/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is NOT new, kids!!! It is 5 years old, and like the others said, it is almost an illegal bootleg. This is NOT new trance, this is OLD trance. When you heard "Oakenfold was coming out with a new album", you actually heard wrong!! Someone put a new label on one of his old ones- one of his first albums. It is still good- But this does not reflect Oakenfold's current taste and style."