• Close to AvB’s roots
• Space race themed
• Unconventional kickdrum
There’s a massive appeal for the underground sound more than ever: look no further from Calvin Harris, who scored two potential 2023 summer hits by devoting to the late 90s sound. There are many other similar instances, and as of latest, Armin van Buuren seems to have been inspired by the revival movement with his release “Space Case.”
The Armada label-head’s discography is varied: a few months back, the Dutch icon gave a gritty Acid House take on “Live Without Love,” while his recent endeavors range from stadium shaking big room sound or even trying his hands out with a smoother pop variant of deep house (akin to his recent EP “Motive”). This is the very attribute that turns the Armind creator a near and dear artist to so many, as he is dedicated to exploring different styles.
A seemingly double entendre on titles, “Space Case” (space race, get it?) is a thumping 150 BPM tune. It can bring back memories with the brisk settings: a snappy kick and rhythmic bassline, as long 909-snare risers bring upon transitions. Sound familiar? The old-school trance mood is spruced up even more with the vocal snippets, which is most probably related to rocket take-offs and space navigation. The central breakdown suddenly dips in pacing, slowly gaining back momentum as this “take-off” themed vocals do the counting. The drop storms with gated backdrop synths, off-beat synth arp riffs, and other requisite inclusions to resemble a proper peak-time trance record.
Apart from the use of a thinner kick drum (in our opinion, a 909-kick drum would have completed the soundset), this track has admirable similarities to the rave sound that many will instantly prefer. Even if not entirely, “Space Case” is perhaps an enticing teaser to a possible scenario of the dance music veteran going fully back to square one, like the “76” or “Shivers” era. Until then, fingers crossed!
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