Dancemania EX × Trance Paradise

Hime Trance Anime*Mix
Release Date: 1/21/09
Price: 2171 yen

One new song from Tsukasa!
Two new songs from Kei!!
Two new songs from ari/Aya!!!
Two new songs from Chika!!!!
Two new songs from mint!!!!!
Gavin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As Kylie would put it, wa-wa-wa-WOW! The only Hime Trance queen missing is Misa!

There are, of course, some repeats. Six tracks are from previous releases in the Hime Trance series. EMI also chose to license one song from Quake’s Speed Anime Trance Best series. Thankfully, it turns out to be one of the best: Florence’s “Komm, susser Tod.” Still, 7 old tracks out of 21 means that 2/3 of the album is brand new. That’s the largest percentage of new tracks on a Dancemania/Trance Paradise album in quite some time.

I’ve also been informed by DJ Tomoe that the princess on the cover is modeled after Rei Ayanami from the Neon Genesis Evangelion series. Hooray for copyright infringement!

Read the rest of this entry »

Host Para 2nd ~Host Paradise~
Release Date: 12/24/08
Price: 2838 yen

Host Para 2nd is yet another strange mixture of trance, house, reggae, euro, psychedelic, and hostalk. Did I enter some sort of time warp back to 2006? ‘Cause that’s the only possible explanation for this latest travesty in the Host Trance/Para series. It’s particularly sad that some of the tracks predate the ones that appeared on the first Hostrance.

The bonus DVD will include a “How to Champagne Call” video as well as introductions to all 26 hosts.

Read the rest of this entry »

Super Best Trance 10 ~The Best~
Release Date: 1/7/09
Price: 2427 yen

Well, it’s not as bad as it could have been. At least Avex resisted the urge to license “Caramelldansen.” 😛

Obviously there are a ton of repeats, but it is surprising that they left off some of the more popular songs like “Heavenly Star” and “Are U Wake Up?” Instead, they’ve licensed quite a few tracks from EMI, FARM, and Quake.

There are at least 4 new J-trance tracks/remixes, the most exciting of which is a new Delaction remix of John Robinson’s “Can U Feel It?” Also noteworthy is a new collaboration between DJ Joker and Heaven’s Wire called “G-Kill.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Exit Trance presents Dramatic Trance #01 ~Memorial~
Release Date: 2/4/08
Price: 1905 yen

Another themed release, though at least this time it isn’t anime related. Dramatic Trance features, unsurprisingly, trance covers of J-Drama themes.

Thanks to Drama Wiki for some of the romanizations.

Read the rest of this entry »

Exit Trance presents R25 Speed Anime Trance Best 3
Release Date: 2/4/08
Price: 1905 yen

SATB presents Ghibli*Speed! Quake appear to have been “inspired” by FARM’s Ghibli*Speed and have decided to do their own Studio-Ghibli-themed release. I’m not sure why they didn’t just make a new series instead of including it as part of the R25 series.

Read the rest of this entry »

Exit Trance presents Vocarhythm
Release Date: 2/4/08
Price: 1905 yen

Near as I can tell, this release will focus primarily on popular Vocaloid-produced songs.

Read the rest of this entry »

Exit Trance presents Speed Anime Trance Best Ecstasy
Release Date: 1/21/08
Price: 1905 yen

Yet another new Speed Anime Trance Best sub-series. If you’re wondering what the “Ecstasy” in the title is referring to, well, let’s just say this easily could’ve been called “Perv Trance.” It seems that the focus will be on themes from bish?jo games. Umm, okay…

Read the rest of this entry »

Host Para 2nd ~Host Paradise~
Release Date: 12/24/08
Price: 2838 yen

What better Christmas present than a CD+DVD set full of repeats and hostalk? In addition to Tsukasa’s woefully underexposed “In My Heart,” you also get a bunch of other trance, psychedelic, house and anime repeats. Oh, joy!

Read the rest of this entry »

Exit Trance × Ita G presents Itasha Trance
Release Date: 12/17/08
Price: 1905 yen

For more info on what “itasha” is, check out my previous post. Anyway, this looks like yet another excuse to reuse Speed Anime Trance Best tracks. Oh, and “Caramelldansen.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Exit Trance presents Speed Anime Trance Complete Best
Release Date: 12/17/08
Price: 2667 yen (Regular Edition) or 2857 yen (Limited Edition)

Looks like I was a tad wrong about this one. I thought it would be purely repeats. However, according to CD Japan, SATCB will feature re-recorded vocals, remixes, remastered versions and new songs. This final track list seems to confirm that. It’s difficult to tell whether certain tracks are actually new. Unless they were mentioned in the booklets, I don’t know if the remixers/DJs had been disclosed before SATB 5.

It’s really strange how uneven the track length distribution is. Many of the tracks get only a minute and change, yet others get a whopping 4 minutes.

Speed Anime Trance Complete Best comes in two flavors: limited and regular. Once again, both versions have the same track list, but the limited edition comes with a figure made by Duel Maid. The cover on the left is for the regular edition, while the cover on the right (with the French maid outfits) is for the limited edition.

Read the rest of this entry »

Trance Rave Best XVII
Release Date: 12/24/08
Price: 1900 yen

Well, I called it. “Caramelldansen” infects yet another trance compilation. It was kinda funny at first, but now it’s just getting ridiculous. At least they refrained from using “Sousei no Aquarion,” though that’s probably because it already appeared on Trance Rave Best XVI.

Anyway, TRB 17 comprises mostly Quake Trance Best tracks of the last year, though in some cases they reached as far back as 2005. Also included are some tracks from Quake’s various Exit Trance series.

Read the rest of this entry »

Koakuma Magic
Release Date: 12/24/08 (CD+DVD) 1/21/09 (CD Only)
Price: 2848 yen (CD+DVD) or 1900 yen (CD Only)

Koakuma Magic is essentially Euro Panic! Best. There are tons of repeats from Victor’s old Euro Panic! series, though there are also a handful of new J-Euro tracks. Oh, and “Sousei no Aquarion” makes it 57th appearance on a dance compilation this year.

The CD+DVD version includes a DVD of Para Para routines.

Read the rest of this entry »

Trance Rave Best XVII
Release Date: 12/24/08
Price: 1900 yen

Victor Japan’s semiannual trance compilation series continues with this unprecedented 17th release. Details are sparse at the moment, but expect the most popular tracks of 2008 to appear. If you haven’t been paying attention, that most likely means “Caramelldansen” will be included.

Pre-order at CDJapan

Exit Trance presents Gakkou Trance 3 Jigenme
Release Date: 12/3/08
Price: 1905 yen

Also known as Exit Trance presents School Trance 3rd Period. Starving Trancer is the best new trance alias since Crap Man.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mega Trance Speed
Release Date: 12/3/08
Price: 2095 yen

Mega Trance Speed marks the triumphant return of the Mega Trance series after a four-month slumber. The compilation features brand new remixes of classic Mega Trance and Love Para tracks in addition to repeats from FARM’s Anime*Dance series. Unfortunately, it also includes three of the most ubiquitous tracks of 2008: Sousei no Aquarion, Caramelldansen, and Caipirinha. Hopefully the new Jenny Rom remix makes up for them.

Read the rest of this entry »