[vinyl] V.A. - Anjunabeats 100

Specs:

Artist(s): Above & Beyond, Tranquility Base, Super8 & Tab, Luminary; remixes by Bart Claessen, Super8 & Tab, Oliver Smith, Michael Cassette 
Name: Anjunabeats 100
Genre: trance, uplifting trance
Label: Anjunabeats
Catalog: ANJ-100
No. of vinyls: 2
Type: gatefold

Tracklist:

A: Above & Beyond Pres. Tranquility Base - Razorfish (Bart Claessen 2007 Rework)
B: Luminary - Amsterdam (Super8 & Tab Remix)
C: Above & Beyond - Far From In Love (Oliver Smith Late Night Remix)
D: Super8 & Tab - Helsinki Scorchin' (Michael Cassette Remix)


Opinion:

 I guess every trance fan knows what Anjunabeats is. This label (which for me is no.1) is considered by many to be the best, offering quality trance from names like: Above & Beyond, OceanLab, Tranquility Base, Kyau vs. Albert, Super8 & Tab, Aalto, Smith & Pledger, Mike Koglin, Jono Grant, Andy Moor, Signalrunners, Boom Jinx, Nitrous Oxide, Oliver Smith, Daniel Kandy and many others. At the time I`m writing this, the label approaches it`s 200 releases anniversary and I`ll surely grab the forthcoming vinyl.

As the sound is concerned the things are like this: the Anjunabeats 100 contains 13 tracks (hits from the first 99 releases) remixed by the artists that previously released EPs on the label. The only thing I can criticize about this album is that the tradition of the label is still present. That is to put only one track on each side. Why on Earth no one thought of making this an 8-track vinyl release I still cannot figure out. If it did, I had no problem naming this the best compilation ever. The remixes are superb and make you remember about the time you first heard those songs. Above & Beyond tracks represent half of the release, that`s because they own the label and released almost all their work here.

Visually we have to remark this is a gatefold album (thank God no "genius" thought that a normal cover is sufficient). On the front we got the Anjunabeats symbol drawn upon different colored squares and on the back the playlist, with credits under each song and the BMP rate (that I particularly like). Inside they got a great ideea to stick in all the covers of all the releases, making them smaller so they could fit on the 2 pages of the interior gatefold. Nice one !!!

Bottom line: an excellent release (but next time stick in 8 tracks)