TuneLab
Talismann - Awakenings Easter Festival 2022
Talismann at an Awakenings Easter Festival suggests one thing: trance, but not as your aunt remembers it from 1999. This is the proggy, driving, modern iteration, where the euphoria is earned through intricate layering and marathon-length builds, and we're here for the collective shoulder-to-shoulder sway during the breakdown. The vibe is open-air and anticipatory, a sea of people facing a monolithic stage as the sun sets, waiting for the first major chord. Talismann builds his set in the 140-146 BPM range, masterfully oscillating between the anthemic, major lift of 12A and the darker, more driving tension of 3B. The energy is powerful and melodic, with a strong, propulsive low-end (0.57 avg), soaring mid-range leads and pads (0.24 avg) carrying the emotion, and crisp, energetic highs (0.15 avg) adding definition and punch.
His mixing is epic and narrative-driven, using long blends and harmonic mixing to create sweeping arcs of tension and release. The tracklist is a treasure trove for the progressive trance enthusiast. Opening with the dub-techno monument that is Vainqueur's 'Lyot' (Maurizio Mix) is a statement of depth and sophistication. The re-contextualization of Alice Deejay's 'Better Off Alone' is a cheeky, crowd-pleasing moment that works surprisingly well. La Luna's 'When the Morning Comes' offers a dose of classic, vocal-led trance beauty.
Phil Berg's 'Elytra' provides a more tech-inflected, driving peak, and Paul Oakenfold's 'Cafe Del Mar' (Activa Remix) is a sublime update of a timeless anthem. The closing track, Marcal's 'Manta Ray', is a perfect, rolling prog-trance workout. The journey is vast: from the immersive depths of 'Lyot', riding the nostalgic wave of 'Better Off Alone', and sailing home on the driving, melodic current of 'Manta Ray'.