TuneLab
Cherry Moon Trax
Tomorrowland Belgium 2018
Let's be honest, we're all suckers for a bit of festival nostalgia, especially when it involves trance anthems played at a volume that probably violated several Belgian noise ordinances. Cherry Moon Trax's 2018 Tomorrowland set is a glorious, unapologetic throwback to the harder, faster, and cheesier end of the spectrum—a hard trance and classic rave time capsule. The vibe is pure mainstage euphoria: giant stages, laser cannons, and a sea of people who absolutely know every note of 'Sandstorm'. Technically, this is high-octane fuel, averaging a frenetic 145.8 BPM and using the powerful, driving key of 12A as its north star.
The energy is concentrated in the low and mid ranges, creating a pounding, physical rhythm section over which those iconic, sawtooth synth leads can soar without ever feeling thin. The mixing is direct and energetic, tailored for huge spaces, with quick cuts and builds designed to keep the crowd in a state of perpetual motion. As a crate dig, it's a riot of late-90s and early-00s references. Kicking off with his own timeless 'The House Of House' is a power move, while dropping southstar's 'Miss You' shows a keen ear for a modern vocal hook that fits the classic mold.
The inclusion of Yves Deruyter's 'Back To Earth (Rave Mix)' is a deep-cut gift for the old-school heads, and of course, unleashing Darude's 'Sandstorm' is the peak moment of shared, ridiculous joy we all secretly crave. The journey starts with the iconic stabs of 'The House Of House', reaches its absurd, glorious peak with 'Sandstorm', and winds down with the loop-driven frenzy of Jens' 'Loops & Tings Relooped'.