What makes Trance music so addictive? I would describe Trance music as pure and untainted emotion; it brings out the desirability of music – it can affect your emotions through the most unexplainable of sensations. From feelings of euphoria, desire, sorrow, and strength – songs that may contain no lyrics can touch your heart in the most captivating ways. Stuart Langelaan, better known as Lange, has made an impact on the trance music scene for the last 16 years. On November 1st, 2013 trance fans in Torontowere lucky to be the first stop on Lange’s new album tour “We Are Lucky People”. Lange spun at Toika Lounge, which I consider to be one of the city’s hidden gems. Despite being a smaller venue, Toika has become a household name within the Toronto Trance community. The venue is known for having one of the friendliest crowds in the city which only adds to its charm. The event was hosted by Ozmozis Productions – the group that books the majority of Trance events in the city. Oz and Vince Nguyen (the owners of Ozmozis) have worked together to create a welcoming environment and outstanding reputation for their events.
Opening for Lange was Ozmozis Productions’ resident DJ Shelley. The beautiful DJ is known for her flawless transitions and lively sets filled with progressive and electro. During her opening set, Shelley had all of Toika enchanted and dancing as she dropped track after track. Just before 1am, Lange appeared behind the DJ booth. Looking around, you could see everyone’s face light up in anticipation. Lange began his set with a track from his new album called Imagineer. It’s an upbeat song infused with elements of electro and house. The track begins quieter, gradually getting louder and intensifying in depth. The perfect opening track as you could envision being taken on a journey in to the world of trance. He captivated the crowd with his new vocal track called Fireflies . The alluring vocals sung by Cate Kanell of the track are mesmerizing. When Lange dropped Markus Schulz & Ferry Corsten’s Loops & Tings a sudden surge of energy emerged from the crowd and everyone began to dance harder. A powerful track at 132bpm, it is a favourite amongst many trance fans.
I was pleased with the amount of vocal trance played during Lange’s set. Lange’s placement of each track was perfect; the venue was filled with smiling faces and constant excitement. Some of the vocal tracks played were: John O’Callaghan ft. Audrey Gallagher Big Sky, Protoculture’s remix of Armin Van Buuren ft. Cindy Alma Beautiful Life, and Alex M.O.R.P.H ft. Sylvia Tosun An Angel’s Love. The years of experience under Lange’s belt was very apparent as he spun. With a seamless transition from one track to the next – his set flowed so naturally from beginning to end. A maestro behind the decks, Lange created depth through his flawless placement of each song. When he played Violin’s Revenge (Dark Club Mix) Toika resonated with the beautiful sound of the melody. The song is a balanced combination of electronic and instrumental music. The presence of the violin throughout the track emits both a sweet and haunting melody. Looking around, it was clear that the crowd was loving the new song.
The combination of Lange’s dynamic set and the effervescent crowd at Toika created an euphoric experience. The entire venue from open to close was filled with positive vibes and love for trance music. The fusion of a more classic trance sound with modern harder hitting tracks resulted in a melodic and enriched set. I found Lange’s performance on the decks was well executed; my experience of the whole night would become an unforgettable one. For those who could not make it for the event, I highly suggest checking out his new album We Are Lucky People. The album brings a refreshing change of pace with a lower bpm and is filled with captivating tracks.
To see our full album of pictures from the event, go here.
