Solar Stone* – Seven Cities (Disc One)

What is there to say about the Solar Stone’s Atlantis Mix of ‘Seven Cities’ that has not already been said? A sublimely atmospheric breakdown, beautiful use of vocals, hugely uplifting choruses, and of course that wonderful guitar riff. Quite simply one of trance’s finest moments, if not the very finest of them all.

Nevertheless, the listener should also check out the Solaris Heights Mix present on this CD; whilst not retaining many of the original elements that made the first two tracks present on the CD so good, its superb reworked guitar part and chilled-out atmospheres make it a refreshing and laid-back alternative.

This is by far one of the more enduring releases on the Hooj imprint, with a brilliant selection of remixes to boot. Even though I've moved away from the commercial trance sound recently (as did Hooj), I can still listen to Solar Stone's Atlantis mix and appreciate its beauty and merrit, and instantly understand why so many have fallen in love with it.

Similarly, the Streetlife Originals' Solaris Heights mix is beautiful and beguilling in it's own way, taking the piece somewhere totally different, yet keeping its essence.

I must agree that the Armin Van Buuren remix was arguably an insult to the original piece; tired and predictable; taking only the essential elements, yet leaving out what made it work so well in the first place. There are a plethora of remixes floating around at the moment, many released by Hooj in a last ditch effort to raise some revenue, but everything that was ever needed is right here on this CD.

An all time classic.

The Atlantis Mix is the finest Trance track I know. Unfortunately the Armin Van Buuren remix seems to me to "dumb down" Seven Cities. I come back again and again to The Atlantis Mix because it's the most uplifting sound, particularly the second break.