DanceMaster | 
11 30th, 2008| 
Exit Trance presents Gakkou Trance 3 Jigenme
Release Date: 12/3/08
Price: 1905 yen
Also known as Exit Trance presents School Trance 3rd Period. Starving Trancer is the best new trance alias since Crap Man.
Nov
30
Nov
28
Mega Trance Speed
Release Date: 12/3/08
Price: 2095 yen
Mega Trance Speed marks the triumphant return of the Mega Trance series after a four-month slumber. The compilation features brand new remixes of classic Mega Trance and Love Para tracks in addition to repeats from FARM’s Anime*Dance series. Unfortunately, it also includes three of the most ubiquitous tracks of 2008: Sousei no Aquarion, Caramelldansen, and Caipirinha. Hopefully the new Jenny Rom remix makes up for them.
Nov
26
Anime*Dance vs. Utatte Mita \(^0^)/ produced by Team. Nekokan “Neko”
Release Date: 12/17/08
Price: 2190 yen
Update: The title has changed to the far simpler Anime*Dance Online.
Yup, it’s another Anime*Dance. That makes 4 Anime*Dance releases this year versus 2 Mega Trance releases. Oh, and it has “Sousei no Aquarion.” I hate you, FARM.
Anime Dance vs. Utatte Mita is a blatant attempt to copy Quake’s Uma Uma Dekiru Trance wo Tsukutte Mita series, which featured trance covers of popular Nico Nico Douga songs. Interestingly, FARM have recruited Team. Nekokan of “Airman ga Taosenai” fame to produce the album.
Nov
24
Hime Trance Tsukasa Mix
Release Date: 11/12/08
Price: 1886 yen
I was fully expecting to hate this based on principle alone. After all, less than half of the album is actually new, and how many times have we heard In My Heart now? It’s as if there are two constants in J-Trance: In My Heart and Sousei no Aquarion.
After giving the album a few listens, however, I have to admit that it’s convenient having all of the Tsukasa tracks collected in a nice little package (emphasis on little). In My Heart, Mermaid, and Prologue have long since been played out, but Kira Kira, Precious My Love and Kimi e no Omoi still have an air of freshness about them so I don’t mind listening to them again.
As for the new tracks, they’re all surprisingly exceptional. Eternal Blaze leads the way with Delaction’s melodic synths combining with Tsukasa’s cute vocals for pure aural perfection. Meanwhile, “Dear…” and “Love & Joy” have been given new remixes that breath new life into these old songs. Merry Christmas finishes the non-stop mix with a sweet, Engrish-filled Christmas song.
The first 6 tracks run at a constant 145 BPM, then it ramps up to 160 BPM for Prologue followed by ~175 BPM for Love & Joy. Merry Christmas finishes things off at 140 BPM. None of the transitions are particularly noteworthy, but since most of the album is 145 BPM, Team Cha-Meshi easily managed to make the non-stop mix seamless.
First-press copies came with (useless) stickers, but all copies come with a lyrics booklet. It’s rather surprising how much English is actually in these songs, though you’d never know it based on Tsukasa’s pronunciations. She’s actually admitted that English is difficult for her, and that she sings it all phonetically.
Sadly, Tsukasa Mix has not been selling well at all. Whereas Hime Trance Speed sold 9,000 units in its first week out, Tsukasa Mix has sold well under 2,000 copies after one week. If you ever want to see a Kei Mix or Misa Mix, then please support the Hime Trance series.
Full track-by-track review after the jump.
Nov
22
Hime Trance Anime*Mix
Release Date: 1/21/09
Price: 2171 yen
It seems like the only dance/trance compilations that come out anymore feature anime song covers. So, instead of finally getting Hime Trance 4, we’ll be getting Anime*Mix instead. Sigh.
The artists listed below aren’t yet confirmed, but we all know that EMI love to use repeats. Also expect new recordings from Hime Trance mainstays Kei and Tsukasa as well as Heavens Wire and Delaction.
Anyone happen to know if the princess featured on the cover is supposed to be from some anime?
Nov
20
Electro.com
Release Date: 12/6/08
Price: 2190 yen
Coming out just a few days after EMI’s Techno Pop Anime is FARM’s own take on techno anime covers. How long before we get Reggae Anime?
Nov
18
Techno Pop*Anime
Release Date: 12/3/08
Price: 2381 yen
Two-disc set from EMI featuring filter house, technopop, and trance covers of popular (not to mention overused) anime themes. I was hoping that it would feature tracks from Dancemania or Trance Paradise, but that doesn’t seem to be the case after all.
That said, Techno Pop*Anime still has a Dancemania connection. Kei and Yu=>Ka, both previously featured on the Hime Trance series, will be doing the vocals for a few of the songs. Ventura and Quiqman will also return with Kayoco, Ryo Utasato and Yoko Kobayashi (from Anime Speed 1 and 2) doing vocals.
Disc 1 will be a nonstop mix while the second, bonus disc features instrumental and a cappella versions . Not bad for 2381 yen. It’s just a shame they didn’t make this Dancemania presents Techno Pop*Anime. 🙁
Nov
16
Dance Xmas Best ~Swedish Xmas Style~
Release Date: 11/5/08
Price: 2381 yen
A Christmas dance compilation from the same Japanese label behind Super Anime Remix and Carlito. I only mention this because it features a brand new Carlito cover of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
Final list after the jump.
Nov
14
Dance X’mas
Release Date: 11/19/08
Price: 2427 yen
No separate X’mas Trance or Super Euro X’mas releases this year. Instead Avex will be releasing Dance X’mas, which features the best of trance, euro, and house Christmas songs.
Final list after the jump.
Nov
12
Revolution X still hasn’t been released on iTunes or Amazon MP3, but there’s some exciting news from S&K!
Joint Ventures in Music!! SMiLE.dk, the famous and successful DDR producer has joined forces with S&K. In the near future there will be a new release of Get up n move, remixed by United Forces. In addition, there will be at least one new track produced by both teams, the projekt and song names are still secret, but will be revealed shortly. Stay tuned of more news shortly!
Wow, DJ Slash is really getting around, isn’t he? At this rate I wouldn’t be surprised if he resurrected Franky G. 😛
Edit: Revolution X is now available on Rhapsody. “Don’t Stop” is definitely the spiritual successor to “Get Up ‘n Move.”
Nov
12
Mega Trance Speed
Release Date: 12/3/08
Price: 2095 yen
A slightly updated track list has been released. Despite the title, it appears FARM will also be drawing heavily from their Love Para series.
Jenny Rom’s “Happy Toyboys” will also be showing up after its out-of-place appearance on Mega Trance 05. EMI own the rights to the existing speed remix, so I wonder if FARM will license it or just commission a new mix?
Nov
12
Super Best Trance 10 ~The Best~
Release Date: 1/7/09
Price: 2427 yen
To recap, SBT -The Best- came out after the first four releases (SBT I-IV). SBT Request Countdown came out after another three releases (SBT V-VII). And now SBT 10 ~The Best~ will be coming out after only two releases (SBT 08 and 09). At this rate SBT 11 will be another best-of release!
Nov
10
Super Anime Remix presents Touge
Release Date: 12/24/08
Price: 2381 yen
Wow, I didn’t expect a sequel to Super Anime Remix so soon. You know the drill: eurobeat covers of anime themes from Akiba Koubou. This time there’ll only be a single mixed CD.
Oh, and there’s yet another cover of “Sousei no Aquarion.”
Nov
8
Exit Trance presents Tokusatsu Trance
Release Date: 1/7/09
Price: 1905 yen
Now we’re talkin’! Tokusatsu is the Japanese term for “special effects” and is generally used to refer to movies or films that make use of SFX. For example, Godzilla, Power Rangers, Ultraman, and Masked Rider are considered tokusatsu. Non-Japanese shows such as Knight Rider and even Thunderbirds can also be classified as tokusatu.
Basically, this is SFX Trance.
Nov
6
The new album was supposed to come out on October 16, but has since been delayed to November 21: http://www.amazon.de/Captain-Jack-Back/dp/B001IBQCP2/
Beatdisaster have released a press release with the album art and final track list.
01. Mission Complete (Intro)
02. Turkish Bazar
03. We Will Rock You
04. Push It Up
05. Rainbow in the Sky
06. Free
07. Dreams
08. Hit the Road Jack
09. Base Jam
10. Take Me Away
11. Say Captain Say Wot
12. I Was a Fool
Bonus Tracks
13. Captain Jack
14. Drill Instructor
15. Soldier Soldier
16. Only You
17. Turkish Bazar (DJ Falk House Mix)
Track 6 is supposed to be a eurodance song written by a Culture Beat songwriter. It looks like they won’t completely abandon eurodance, though the press release claimed that the style was “R ‘n’ B / Hip Hop / Pop.”
Tracks 13-16 are not new covers, but are instead the original versions.
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