TuneLab
KE-YEN
Melbourne | 188 Naarm Takeover
KE-YEN's set for the 188 Naarm Takeover in Melbourne is a trance evangelist's dream, a loving homage to the genre's fist-pumping, heart-swelling peak. We're all here, secretly hoping for 'Sandstorm', and we are not left disappointed. The vibe is that of a dedicated basement rave, lasers cutting through dry ice, a room united in anticipatory sighs for the next breakdown.
Technically, this is trance in its purest form: a tight BPM range of 140-143 averaging 139.7, with the harmonic journey firmly rooted in 12A, providing that classic, uplifting progression. The energy arc is a textbook slow build, with long, layered mixes that allow each synth line and vocal hook to breathe, culminating in euphoric peaks before gently receding. The low-end is steady and propulsive, the mids are rich with melody, and the highs shimmer with atmospheric pads.
Crate highlights are plentiful: the opener 'Devotion' by Bingo Players sets a melodic, driving tone, while Armin van Buuren & Perpetuous Dreamer's 'The Sound of Goodbye (Armin's Tribal Feel Mix)' is a timeless, emotional workout. Cygnus X's 'Superstring (Rank 1 Remix)' and Rank 1's own 'Airwave' are masterclasses in trance construction, and the inevitable, joyous drop of Darude's 'Sandstorm' is handled with just the right amount of reverence and fun. The journey begins with the anticipatory chords of 'Devotion', reaches its zenith with the communal release of 'Sandstorm', and winds down gracefully with Polymarchs' 'High March', leaving us all in a state of blissful exhaustion.