On Anjunabeats Volume 8, Above & Beyond once again proves why its trance flagship has remained so enduring. The trio’s investment in new talent continues to pay off, with the double-disc mix covering a wide spectrum of styles and moods. As inthemix’s resident connoisseur of all things trance angy surmised in his review: “It’s a carefully crafted mix of the traditional and the innovative, and shows Above & Beyond are way too clever to fall into the lazy pattern of just slamming out the anthems.”

To go deeper into the release, the artists have shared with inthemix some of the stories behind the stand-out tracks on Anjunabeats Volume 8. From fast-rising production whiz Oliver Smith to the label bosses themselves, here’s a guided tour by some of the brightest stars in trance.

Alt+F4 – Alt+F4 (Dan Stone remix)

Dan Stone: “Alt+F4’s track has always been one of my favourite classics of all time. I still remember the first time I heard it at The Fridge in London at a night I was playing at and it just blew me away instantly. It started out as a cheeky remake for my gigs and now it’s ended up on the compilation, which is unbelievable. Thanks also to Above & Beyond for playing it at Trance Energy – watching the video highlights is already one of my personal highlights of 2010.”

Nitrous Oxide – Dreamcatcher

Nitrous Oxide: “ Dreamcatcher was a track that I actually made about three years ago. It was lying about on my hard disc until November of last year, when Tony [McGuinness] came to my studio to check out material for my album, I showed him a lot of tracks that I prepared for my album and other stuff including some unfinished projects, some older tracks too. Then right at the end of the visit I decided to show him one more track that needed some work; Dreamcatcher. After the first listen, he was really excited and said it’s a really cool track with big potential. So I’m really happy I got the opportunity to show this tune to Tony here in Poznan, otherwise this track wouldn’t ever be released like dozens of unfinished tracks I have on the disk in my studio.”

Above & Beyond feat. Richard Bedford – Thing Called Love

Tony McGuinness: “The chorus came from the chords on the original demo that Paavo did. The chords had a really strident pattern and the first words that came to mind were [sings] ‘thing called love’. It was a long time before the song really got fleshed out.

“I think the thing that prompted it was when I was in Ibiza and I got a text from this girl that I was nearly seeing but never quite crossed the line of friendship. Anyway she sent me a text saying ‘are you free on x date of September’ and I figured she was getting married. I said ‘I’d love to come if I’m in the country’. Some texts went back and forward, then I jokingly texted, ‘Shall I bring my overnight bag, in case he says no?’ And it went dead for about an hour. Then just as I’m sitting there, worrying a bit if I’ve said they wrong thing, I get a text back saying, ‘I waited 10 years for you’.

“I remember staring at the screen, ‘I just never knew’, and it just reminded me of those times when you are too afraid to make the move and lose something that might have been. Basically, the verses are telling exactly the story of that relationship that never was with her – this chance that you have to take it to a different level or different place but don’t for whatever reasons. Maybe it’s mitigating circumstances, or timing, or who knows…

“So the song is really about a lost love rather than a realised one. ‘You live your life just once’. That’s really the key line for me, it’s not a dress rehearsal. It’s a sad love song, it’s about an opportunity that I didn’t take.”

Oliver Smith – Chordplay

Oliver Smith: “I often start a track with the main chord progression and this one is no exception. As the title suggests, the chords were the result of some experimentation and playing around with different ideas and notes. Once I had found the chords I was looking for I then set about finding the right mood. I settled on a deep and atmospheric feel that I think would be the perfect soundtrack for a late night drive on an empty highway.

“I was also looking to experiment with different sounds and was inspired by a vintage analogue synth called Studio Electronics SE1 that I recently bought. I used this to make some sounds that are hopefully both classic and futuristic at the same time. This timeless quality is something that I’m always striving for in my music. There are also many layers to the track but I was careful to make everything fit together so that there is complexity hidden within simplicity. It was a lot of fun making this one!”

Aruna with Mark Eteson – Let Go

Aruna: “ Let Go was inspired by the recent demise of a very tumultuous two year relationship. It was a time when I was finally coming to terms with how incompatible we were for each other and being willing to see the reality of that, accept it, and consequently walk away. As difficult as that process was, and as sad as a lot of the lyric is, there’s also a sense of serenity that runs through it; something that comes with surrender. So while the reference to ‘letting go’ was written specifically about the relationship, it also applies in a broader sense.

“It’s about giving up trying to control things, seeing them for what they really are, making peace with that and making choices from there. Musically I wanted something a little slower, less clubby and more intimate. Mark had expressed some interest in working together so I told him what I was looking for and he served it up just the way I had asked.”

Super8 & Tab feat. Anton Sonin – Black Is The New Yellow

Super8: “Anton is working to next room of ours and as always he’s playing loud we could here him playing around with these sweet chords. He had troubles to find perfect melody over the chords and we had this dark groove we liked but didn’t know what to do with it. So we decided to put those two together and then added a little bit of Super8 & Tab melody magic on it. It worked out really well and it took us two days to finish this track.

“As for the name, well, any of our track names have been quite short like Elektra and Suru. This time we wanted to create a bigger naming that people can find meaning in – everyone can find their own explanation for it. For us, it is hearing in the colours. The start of the track is black and full on part is yellow, right?”

Bart Claessen – 90 Nights Of Summer

Bart Claessen: “Most people know me for the harder and rougher tunes I’ve produced, but there really is a more laidback and trance-y sound in me as well. I showed that side in the my 2001 Returning Mix of my track Elf, but with that track only being a b-side remix, I thought I should show my more laid-back style off again and give it more attention. That was the inspiration behind 90 Nights Of Summer – enjoy it, because the next one’s probably going to be dirty and banging again!”

Anjunabeats Volume 8 is out now on Anjunabeats through Central Station Records. Read the inthemix album review for the verdict.