Once Upon a Night
Ferry Corsten
Holland’s got it goin’ on. Between Ferry, Tiesto, van Buuren, and those wooden shoes, I don’t know what’s not to love. Oh, and the legalized drugs, prostitution and gay marriage. Bless the Dutch. And Corsten continues to represent his country in the best way possible with this gorgeous two-disc set highlighting the sound that dominates Europeans and their weekends. What marks this particular release as noteworthy is not how sparing the vocals are, but how much you don’t miss them. This is why we love trance. Unlike House, which positions the beat and percussion as the focal point, trance focuses on the melodies and uses the beat almost like a metronome to give the ambience structure. Vocals exist throughout both discs — but aside from a handful of full vocal tracks, they are used as textures or repeating elements. A hooked exhale, a stuttered hum … it all lends itself to creating this breathtakingly intimate atmosphere where you feel that the music is enveloping you, touching your skin with amorphous melodies and an angel’s voice. It’s magic.
