Customer Reviews

Back 2 Back 2

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's also the best 2 disc trance mix ever released! I kid you not! Purchase this cd and don't even think twice, as I guarantee if you love your trance loud, fast, with incredible melodies, and a sprinkle of some superb vocal trance, there isn't one aspect of this 2 disc set that you won't like. I haven't really been a Cosmic Gate fan before this (so my review is totally unibiased), but I must admit, after this, it instantly propells them onto my top 5 DJ list. They were primarily hard trance and techno DJ's who came out with quirky releases in the past, but have now firmly planted themselves into the upper echelon of trance DJ's.

I've had this CD since late July, and since then you will find either disc 1 or 2 in my car, home player, or computer. I also have owned just about every other trance release this year, and it blows them all away, with the exception of TechnoClub Next2, which was my number one mix of the year until this was released. That CD is a masterpiece 2 disc set with 1 being mixed by Talla 2XLC and Kyau vs. Albert mixing disc 2, but it's one-upped by Cosmic Gate.

The tracks are one non-stop, slammin', high energy tune after another. They start out disc 1 with their superb vocal track featuring Jan Johnston, I Feel Wonderful. The rest of the disc is filled mostly with top-notch instrumentals, but there are two other vocal tracks on here: the incredible new Lost Witness vocal track featuring Tiff Lacey, Home, and Cosmic Gate's own male vocal track Race Car Driver (which is another quirky effort with strange lyrics and theme, but it works well). These instrumentals on Disc 1 are the best of the best trance out there now, and many of these tracks have since appeared on other big name DJ mixes, mostly all after this release (keep in mind this came out 3 months ago in Germany).

T4L's Perfect Blend is a perfect track, and along with Nic Chagall (one half of Cosmic Gate) featuring Sansibar's track Encee, make Disc 1 an incredible mix from top to bottom. And it doesn't stop ...

Disc 2 starts off with a bang, with E-Craig's Call it Day, my pick for the hottest high energy trance hit of the year. Through these first 5 tracks, the BPM's are way, way up through an incredible line-up of the hardest trance you have ever heard assembled together, including Mark Norman's T-34 and Cor Fijneman's Banger, and also moving into one of the best male vocal tracks this summer, Marco V's More than A Life Away. Cosmic Gate checks in again near the end of this disc, with an updated mix of their techno classic The Drums.

The beats just never stop, and the adrenaline level is higher throughout both discs than any CD set you own! There hasn't been anything like it ever released, even as far back as that late 90's trance explosion. It is simply the best high energy compilation of tracks ever mixed. DO NOT miss picking this up!

I couldn't believe what I was hearing when I first put my new CD in. By just listening to the first song on disc one, I knew that this CD would be in my deck for a while. I own much of the new trance. I guess I am specifically talking about DJ Tiesto- In Search of Sunrise 4, Armin Van Buuren- State of Trance 2005 and Shivers( which was a dissapointment ), and Markus Shulz- Miami '05. I've given the above good ratings, but now that I own COSMIC GATE BACK 2 BACK VOL. 2, I wish I could go lower my other ratings.

This is one of the ONLY albums that I own that starts strong, and continues all the way through. Not like the others that have a couple of good songs in the beginning, then take a nose dive. Disc one and two are both EXCEPTIONAL. I'm so glad I bought this album. For me, It ranks up there with Paul Oakenfold's Another World because I love every song on the two discs, not just a couple here and there.

BUY THIS ALBUM!!!

This album is simply one of the best albums that I own. It blows Back to Back VOL. 1 out of the water. After I heard F. Corsten's "PASSPORT" and PVD'S "Poitics of Dancing 2" I thought I had heard this years best trance albums, but I was sorely mistaken. Buying this album is a no-brainer! GET IT NOW!

It says in the liner notes that Cosmic Gate had complete control over every aspect of making this CD. Well, if that is the case, they are the best at picking out the hottest trance around, because this CD is from start to finish, the best mix I have ever heard. The fast energy is incredible and blows away every other trance release this year, and all time. If you don't get this, you will never have the best trance mix on the planet!

I hate to take issue with the "good doctor" (Doctor Trance, that is), but I don't believe this release is "the best 2 disc trance mix ever released."

I hope I won't be flamed for this, but IMHO this set is "too hard" to be the best trance set ever. The first 7 tracks of CD1 were excellent, with a good mixture of melodic and progressive trance. The following 6 tracks weren't bad, but nothing special. The last 2 tracks brought a smile to my face again. I wish I could speak as favorably of CD2. It started out promising on the first few tracks, but with track 4 the "hard trance" kicked in and it continued relentlessly until the very end. By "hard trance" I mean hard driving bass lines with little or no melody. Some of it reminded me of the "industrial techno" (music with a lot of noise, but with no soul) I used to listen to in the 90s, and I never did develop a liking for it.

I realize some of you (especially previous reviewers) must love hard trance, but I don't believe that particular style appeals to the majority of trance lovers. If you want a good 2 disc set that does have a broader appeal, and one that could probably be in the running for the best 2 disc trance mix ever released, try the new release by Thrillseekers, "Nightmusic: Vol. 1." It does have a couple of hard trance tracks, but for the most part it is melodic and progressive trance at its best. I would go so far as to say that CD2 of that mix is the absolute best trance has to offer at the present.

I will keep this short. This CD is awsome. On the first CD, as i listened through every song kept getting better and better. Just as you think that one would be the best the next one is even better. The CD's dont have too much vocals, which is not my style. You get a lot of music for the money with both CDs having 31 tracks, and most songs are over 5 minutes. The CD is mixed so well it is sometimes hard to tell when the one song really ends and the other begins. This is one of my favorites.

Being fairly new to cosmic gate, I had high hopes after hearing some of their stuff on the internet. This CD failed to capture me as much as what I had previously heard.

The first CD had a lot of great dance on it and some good hard trance. The first track alone is almost worth the price of the set! The second CD however got very digital, psy and goa trance like, and simply was not what I expected at all.

If you're a trance and hard trance lover (with some dance roots), the first CD is up your alley, but that second CD will simply wear out the skip button on your cd player.

Although I dont agree with Doctor Trance on everything (especially PVD's "Politics of Dancing 2" which is still one of my favorite cds, and also "Kingdom: Passport to the Netherlands" by Ferry Corsten- another favorite), I'm glad i looked at his review before buying this. I have about most every other mainstream trance mix from the top dj's over the last few years, and this one tops them all, mainly because every song is quality and it gives a good "German feel". The WHOLE cd is energetic and uplifting. I haven't heard much Cosmic Gate before this cd, and also they have been catapulted to the top of my list. If you're into good European trance/dance music, this definetly is for you; this mix is from two of Germany's best.

Disc 1: Melodic Trance: If you're into this, you'll like this cd. Most tracks are on other mixes i have and they've been around for awhile ("Zonderland", "Adrenaline", "Behind Silence"), but they're still SO good. The 8 Wonders remix of "Zonderland" sounds even better than the original (which is still one of my favorite songs, giving some of this disc a "spacey/tech feel"), and the vocal tracks on this cd are great (Home with Tiff Lacey- the best). Cosmic Gate's own tracks ("I Feel Wonderful", and "Race Car Driver") are catchy and well done. "Language" is another good melodic track. Near the end it starts to pick up especially with Re:Locate (another good producer), getting you ready for the next disc. Really this cd is a warm up for disc two, which is faster, harder trance. 5/5

Disc 2: If you like hard European trance, this cd will definetly make you happy. "Call it a Day" sets a fast pace at the start, showing how intense the rest of the cd gets (it only gets faster). "More than a life away" is amazing, I dont know what other dj's did to this song. "Another World" and "The Movie" are other great tracks. All the other songs are good, and there is still melody, it's just fast and brutal. This cd flows extremely well, and each song sounds like it comes after the next naturally. Keep in mind there is only one vocal track on this disc ("More than a Life Away"), but it's still damn good. 5/5

Overall, this cd gives you a good "European" experience to what trance really is straight from the club (thats much better than the US). If you enjoy dj's like George Acosta, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, or Christopher Lawrence, you'll enjoy this mix. I would compare this to "The Politics of Dancing 2" by PVD, "Night Music" by The Thrillseekers, any of the "State of Trance's" by Armin Van Buuren, or "Destinations" by Solarstone (Still this one is better, even to ones this year). If you've been looking for that good mix of hard/catchy trance from the best, look no further. I know its hard to find, but if you have the chance to buy it, it's more than worth it.

Imagine if you will, the best trace you've ever heard. Now put the Cosmic Gate CD you just bought into your stereo and watch that memory fade out within a minute of hearing this new and BEST trance CD you now own. This 2CD set has no competition as far as I'm concerned and if your somewhat hesitant about buying it....don't be. This will be in your stereo and become your favorite mix cd for months and months to come. I gurantee it.

Many albums go under the Trance banner but few come up with the real goods, many are watered down with commercial or dance tracks. I found this to be a great Trance album and a must for the real Trance lover. With peaks and troffs and a sprinkling of vocal tracks it has been a favourite to listen too. If you are in to the likes of Tiesto and Armin Van Burren then you will really get off on this album.