This review covers the trance track Armin van Buuren Presents Rising Star – Clear Blue Moon.
This track was released in 2001 and was released along with the track Star Theme.
The track starts with a kick and some synths. The synths have some reverb added to them. An occasional reverse cymbal makes an appearance. An additional percussion also appears. After a reverse cymbal, the bassline then joins the track. A sweep then is added briefly before a synth is added.
After an additional synth effect is added, the main melody makes occasional appearances. A stutter effect makes an appearance as the track continues. This stutter effect makes additional appearances. The main synth melody drops out. A few reverse kicks make an appearance before some synth pads are added. An effect makes an appearance before the high hat and lead hat returns.
A snare roll is present as the secondary synth melody joins the track. The first main synth melody along with other elements then return. A third starts to fade in in the background.
When the drop hits, the pad an an effect or two is all that remains. The synth pad has some filtering automation going for it. An additional synth pad makes an appearance. After a bit more, a synth melody then joins the track. A snare roll then appears as the rest of the track makes a return.
After a bit, a phaser effect makes an appearance as most of the track drops out. A synth effect makes an appearance as some filtering briefly takes the track out. As the filtering is taken off, the rest of the track returns. A short snare roll makes an appearance before the track starts to break down. The kick, a percussion, the bassline, and a few synths is all that remains. Another synth effect makes an appearance as an element from one of the main melodies also makes an appearance.
Another synth effect makes an appearance. Some percussions then drop out. After a few effects, the rest of the track drops out with the sweeps leading the track out.
This is one of those tracks that has some interesting ideas, but winds up being just that, a small collection of interesting ideas. It’s impressive hearing three separate synth melodies because most tracks only stick with one or two. With the track clocking in at over 10 minutes long, there is certainly room to fit all three. While they all sound decent and layer together decently, they don’t really deliver any significant punch to me.
The track could have been separated out into two shorter different tracks. As it stands now, it just seems like something that is long and drawn out. You can certainly make use of this as something to fill some empty audio space, but outside of being interesting filler, it’s hard to really see this as anything particularly amazing.
In the end, this track winds up being long and drawn out. It has some interesting synth melodies, but they don’t really come together to form something particularly amazing. This track might be some interesting sound filler, but I’m not too sure it’s particularly memorable either. It’s just, well, OK.
Score
6.5/10
Drew Wilson on Twitter: @icecube85 and Facebook.
