Category Archives: Trance

Legendary trance duo Cosmic Gate stopped by to reflect on the past two decades of their career, their remix of Need To Feel Loved, and more!

Since first joining forces two decades ago, Cosmic Gate has become one of the truly beloved duos in the trance scene. While their early breakout hits like Exploration of Space and Fire Wire are seen as some of the genres most iconic tunes and find their way into sets to this day, theyve continued to deliver amazing releases and kept crowds moving at shows around the planet.

Last year was another major one for Cosmic Gate as well. Celebrating their lengthy run with the release of 20 Years Forward Ever Backward Never,the duo reworked some of their own hits while also looking to others in the scene like Andrew Bayer, GRUM, and Estiva. Additionally, they took the stage at festivals including Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, China, and Orlando, Transmission Prague, and ASOT 900 Mexico as well as plenty of club nights all over.

Now, with the new decade kicking into full swing, we caught up with Cosmic Gate to take a look at the past two decades of their career and explore whats to come in the future. Listen to their set from EDC Orlando and read on for the in-depth conversation!

Thank you very much, and thanks for having us here for this interview! About your question, in all honesty, we did not expect anything simply for one reason, we at first did not have a plan to work together, its as easy as that.

It simply just happened, the two of us ending up in a studio together by chance, while actually hanging out on our own without our mutual friends for the very first time. Three or four hours later after some talking music and jamming around, we had this tune ready, forgot about it, it still found the way to an A&R who wanted to release it, and we said Okay, it was a great label and we both individually felt another project so thought, why not, lets do it!

Then, as every baby needs a name, we came up with the name Cosmic Gate for this project. After its release, the single pretty much exploded in Germany and a few other mainly European countries. Still, we did not think much about it, but the next couple of singles were Exploration of Space and Fire Wire. We were requested touring internationally more and more, we slowly started to realize that this whole project eventually might be something bigger and in the end, it changed our lives, but as you see, things were not planned, they simply somehow happened for us

For part two of your question, individually different as we are, we have a very unique understanding and chemistry when it comes to music and even more, for what we want to do as Cosmic Gate. This has lasted for 20 years now and no end to be seen on the horizon, at least from our side.

Thats awesome, glad you liked it so much! Similarly to the answer on your first question, we have to say that we do not live in numbers. Long term goals are very hard to plan and the times we live in are so fast-paced, so we feel it is a good thing to not worry or try to have goals like this that somehow are out of our hands even. We will do the show as long as our fans want it, as long as we feel we want to do it. If its 500 shows, awesome, if its 1000, wow, even better, time will tell and we will be fine no matter what!

Oh we feel he is absolutely right. For us, It was always about the future anyways, looking back was never something that appealed as too interesting to us. Thats why we do not play pure Classic parties, for example. Our sets always have a certain reminiscing part in it with playing some of our earlier works anyways, we feel its more important to give the crowd something new and modern on top.

Art, and especially music, always has to develop. We have a kind of responsibility to introduce new music to the crowd, even more in times of EDM and short-term attention span crowds resulting out of this movement.

We wouldnt call it a creative dilemma, but indeed such an album needs some pre-thinking and using A&R work, which we do in-house all by ourselves, including our management. We select the colleagues that we feel could do a great job on a certain track.

Of course, there were songs we wanted to try our own luck on remixing, which sometimes turns out great, while other times we try, and things lets say do not work out to our satisfaction. This is natural in a creative process though, and then we simply forget the song and leave it unreleased somewhere on our hard drive.

Overall we have been more than happy with the album though, we feel our colleagues have been doing amazing work remixing our originals. Our updated versions and remixed songs were fortunately received very positively as well.

We at first produced our rework of Need To Feel Loved for our DJ sets. When the reactions on it were so good, we did not mind that there were other remixes during the years, as our mix was different from the others, fitting our personal sets so well, and simply reflecting our style.

It was important to us to be respectful to the original, which was a big influential tune for us. Need To Feel Loved is one of the best vocal progressive tunes ever written, it touches us right by the core as only some tunes do, and thats why in the end we decided to release it.

Well, in all honesty, we somehow feel to create our present-day reality individually on our own since we basically started, we have our own way of doing things, our very own sound. What we mean, speaking of the present, we sure do not sound like the big 138 beats or psytrance movement producers, nor like the huge and influential Anjunabeats label style, nor like the harder edge tech-trance guys. We have our very own individual style, sound, and a scene getting smaller or bigger, actually does not change what we will do being in the studio

This is really hard to say. We are sure that trance will stay relevant for what it is, music thats not for everyone but for a special crowd of musically open-minded people. If it will go a bit more mainstream as it did end of the 90s well just have to see. Things often go in circles, maybe this counts for Trance as well.

Its maybe less about individual tracks we want to point out here, but more the passion for good club music that keeps us going. Besides Trance, Techno, and Progressive turned big and always been a big influence for us, and this passion is what drives us, also in the next decade coming.

True that. Our life is totally dominated by the job and the lifestyle it brings, lack of sleep and jet lag are a bitch. So we have known for many years that its important to have a good balance of mental, but also physical health, as the one supports the other and vice versa. This means as much as its possible on the road we try to eat healthy and do some sports. We plan off weekends/vacation a few times a year, which is important.

Besides that, activity total out of the music scene is important. Just doing normal things, ride a bike, hit the sauna, things like that hopefully clear the head. Furthermore, its important to not let things like social media crawl in your head and family and friends are an important balance to have and help hopefully. All of this and more is how we try to handle things for ourselves, its not always easy to do and find the time, but taking care of ourselves is imperative as we are in it for the long run.

Weve been celebrating NYE basically all around the globe in the last 20 years. Los Angeles, Sydney, or a big rave in Zurich to welcome the year 2000, there are so many good memories, hard to just share one. Lets say to having seen fireworks on all continents sure is very unique and a huge perk of the job.

About the new years resolutions, basically what we said in the question before. Some more sports certainly would be a good thing and leaving the phone untouched for a full dinner more often would be a good thing too. Lets see if we make it work

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Cosmic Gate Reflect on 20 Years of Trance [In-Depth Interview] - EDM Identity

Malayalam movie audience is eagerly waiting for the release of Trance starring Mollywood star couple Fahadh Faasil and Nazriya Nazim. The movie will be released on February 14.

Announcing the date, the filmmakers have released a new poster of the movie featuring Fahadh and Nazriya.

The movie directed and produced by Anwar Rasheed made headlines as Fahadh and Nazriya are sharing screen space together after Bangalore Days. Nazriya who took a break from acting after her marriage with Fahadh in 2014 made her comeback in Prithviraj-starrer Koode in 2018.

In Trance, Fahadh plays the role of a motivational trainer.

Soubin Shahir, Kollywood director Gautham Menon, Chemban Vinod, Vinayakan, Dileesh Pothan and Sreenath Bhasi are also part of the movie cast.

Director Amal Neerad has turned cinematographer for the movie. The story is written by Vincent Vadakkan.

Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty is also associated with the movie.

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FahadhNazriya starrer Trance to hit theatres on Feb 14 - Mathrubhumi English

Sweet Dreams A Widely Covered Song

Losing someone that we love would definitely give us a hard time forgetting. It could cost you your sleep as you try not to dwell on past memories. The same could be said about the character in the song Sweet Dreams.

Sweet Dreams was written by American songwriter Don Gibson for Acuff-Rose Publishing. Gibsons own rendition of the song in 1955 gained him his first single on the Billboard Chart. This peaked and settled as the number nine hit. But it was Faron Youngs version that really bloomed and made the song popular. Sweet Dreams reached the number two spot on the country chart in 1956.

Several other artists made covers of Gibsons Sweet Dreams. Patsy Cline recorded her own version of the song as a part of her album Faded Love. Clines album was released in the same year she died from that devastating plane crash. Her version of Sweet Dreams topped and reached the number five spot in the country charts and crossed over the pop charts at number forty-four and number fifteen on the Adult Contemporary Chart.

Reba McEntire also did her own version of Sweet Dreams. She incorporated the song as a single to her album Out of the Dream. McEntires version reached the number nineteen spot of the country chart. The likes of Tammy Wynette, Tommy Mclain, and Brenda Lee also made their own individual cover of Sweet Dreams.

Yet among all the covers made by several famous artists in the country music scene, Emmylou Harris cover made the best chart performance. In 1975, Harris recorded her rendition of Sweet Dreams as a part of her album Elite Hotel. After a year, Harris released Sweet Dreams as a single and it made its way to the top of the country music chart. This was the only version of Sweet Dreams to score number 1 on the charts covering more grounds of popularity than that of Youngs version in 1956.

Elite Hotel, Emmylou Harris album, also gained praise as it marked Harris first album to make its way to the top of the Billboards Chart. The album also earned Harris a Grammy Award.

Harris grew up in a family that had a strong military background. Her father was a Marine Corps Officer who spent some time as a prisoner of war. Harris spent her youth in North Carolina and Woodbridge, Virginia. After graduating from the Gar-Field Senior High School, she went on to study at the UNCG School of Music, Theatre and Dance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Shortly afterward, Harris dropped out of college to pursue her dreams in the music industry. She moved to New York City where she worked as a waitress and had performances in Greenwich Village Coffeehouse.

In 1970, Harris recorded her debut album Gliding Bird. After moving back to Washington D.C., Harris was slowly making a name for herself. She had a unique receptivity to country, folk and bluegrass music. Shortly after, Harris was introduced by the Flying Burrito Brothers to their ex-bandleader Gram Parsons. Parsons became Harris mentor in music. Unfortunately, Parsons died from a heart attack in 1973. This eventually leads to the release of Harris solo major label debut entitled Pieces in the Sky. She also signed up with the Warner Bros / Reprise Records.

In the succeeding years, Harris has become a well-known country artist, winning several awards and being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Harris latest accolade was her Grammy award for the Best Americana Album in 2014 for her duet with Rodney Crowell entitled Old Yellow Moon.

Singer/songwriter Don Gibson was one of the biggest and most influential names in the Country Music scene in the 50s and 60s. Gibson was able to produce several hits both as a singer and a songwriter. The music that Gibson produced captured a broad audience as his songs featured the traditional country style of music and the trend of country-pop.

After the release of his first single, Sweet Dreams in 1956, Gibson has become a consistent hitmaker which eventually turned his songs to becoming a Country classic. Several artists have covered Gibsons songs including Patsy Cline, Ray Charles, Kitty Wells Emmylou Harris, Neil Young, and Ronnie Milsap.

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This 1975 "Sweet Dreams" of Emmylou Harris Will Surely Put You in A Trance - Country Thang Daily

Weve all seen it in the movies, a hypnotist dangling a pocket watch in front of an unsuspecting participant, an enchanted crowd looking on and hanging on to every word. Suddenly the participant is in a trance and completely at the mercy of the mysticist. He will cluck like a chicken, laugh deliriously and reveal his darkest secrets.

Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.

It is depictions like these that have kept hypnosis mostly on the fringes and given it a supernatural element. However, hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion has evolved into an important supplemental theory and is used for different purposes, from smoking cessation to pain relief. It is still unclear what exactly goes on during the process, but certain theories and recent physiological studies have explained the changes that take place in the mind of those who are hypnotized.

Hypnosis is a trance-like state in which people are more open to suggestibility, are relaxed and likely to process information differently. It is usually induced by gentle verbal repetition and mental images in a quiet and calm environment. This phase is called induction and the goal of the therapist is to focus the attention of the participant on the modulation and instructions issued by them.

Hypnosis can last anywhere between a few seconds to over half an hour and depends on the hypnotisability of the participant. A fifth of people are likely to get hypnotized, the same proportion completely resistant to it, while the remainder experience it in some form.

The suggestion phase involves the hypnotist giving guiding the participant through the process. This includes invoking memories of or thinking about past events. Acclaimed psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud had suggested that hypnosis works by unlocking access to the subconscious, as it is the seat of reasoning and assimilating information, and performing involuntary body tasks such as breathing - all in the background.

Freuds suggestions have mostly been discredited, and the concept of top-down processing has been employed to explain the effects of hypnosis.

You may hear from your ears, but you really listen from your brain. Any new information the brain receives is processed based on past experiences and the framework developed by an individuals mind. Our perceptions are therefore determined by the inclination and patterns of our mind, rather than the simple process of decoding raw data.

This explains the concept of placebo to a large extent; it is enough for the mind to be fooled into thinking that something is going on for there to be a physiological reaction to it. This may be why hypnosis works as well - in the heightened state of suggestibility, any aides or direction will feel legitimate and seem to be the reality.

Additionally, EEGs of those in hypnotic states have shown a boost in lower frequency waves - usually seen in a person when asleep.

Subsequent studies have shown marked changes in different parts of the brain: activity on the left side of the brain goes down, and activity in the right goes up. The left part of the brain is believed to be critical, helping with deduction and reasoning, and the right part with creativity and imagination. These physiological changes may begin to explain why hypnosis works.

Children below the age of 12 are much more likely to respond to hypnosis as they are more impressionable and havent developed mature processing pathways. Adults also differ in degrees of hypnotisability; for hypnosis to work, one must want it to work and be trusting of the therapist.

Hypnotic therapy is known to have been successful in cases of behaviour change such as tobacco cessation and weight loss. A 2007 randomised control trial showed that 20% of those who received hypnotic treatment gave up on tobacco as opposed to 14% who received standard behavioural therapy. Another study dealing with weight loss interventions showed that those who received hypnotic therapy along with behavioural therapy lost double the amount of weight than those who just received behavioural therapy.

Hypnotherapy even has applications for pain relief and mental health issues such as stress and anxiety.

While the evidence is encouraging, researchers and medical professionals alike emphasize that hypnosis is a supplementary treatment and must be used alongside cognitive behavioural therapy. It also must be recommended by a medical professional.

Hypnotherapy runs the risk of being exploited by frauds and can have harmful effects, and is not expected to work right away. Swift, non-specific programs that attract a large audience are likely to be ineffectual and based on questionable science, bordering on cults.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.

Updated Date: Jan 18, 2020 12:11:50 IST

Tags : Does Hypnosis Work, How Hypnosis Works, Hypnosis, Hypnosis For Quitting Smoking, Hypnotherapy, Hypnotic Suggestion, Mental Health, NewsTracker

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The science of hypnosis: What is it and how does it work? - Firstpost

This tune is sickbut not in the good way.

KAS:ST - Hold Me To The Light (Tale Of Us Remix)Before trance was cool again, Tale Of Us were filling dance floors with dramatic melodies and breakdowns so long you could nip to the bar and back before the drop. The Italian duo's latest track, a stadium-ready remix of "Hold Me To The Light" by the Parisian duo KAS:ST, takes their theatrical sound to a whole new level. It's hard to get through it with a straight face. This is mostly down to the original vocal, which Tale Of Us give pride of place. Sung by the London newcomer Be No Rain, it's tonally and lyrically mawkish to the point of nausea, especially during the breakdown, where its cheesiness is amplified by soaring strings. It's a shame because there are some strong moments. Take the tense, stripped-back intro. Or the zippy synth line driving the track, as exciting as any '90s trance equivalent. On another day, this over-egged epic might've been a banger.

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Review: KAS:ST - Hold Me To The Light (Tale Of Us Remix) - Resident Advisor

Do your thangDo your thang with me nowDo your thangDo your thang with me nowWhats my thangWhats my thang tell me nowTell me now Yeah yeah yeah yeah...

AyyThe heart no longer racesWhen hearing the music playTryna pull up Seems like time has stoppedOh that would be my first deathI been always afraid of...

If this can no longer resonateNo longer make my heart vibrateThen like this may be how I die my first deathBut what if that moments right nowRight now

Heartbeat pulsing slow in my ears bump bump bumpTry to flee but back into the maw jump jump jumpNo song affects me anymoreCrying out a silent cry

Ocean with all light silenced shut yeah yeah yeahMy wandering feet held in a rut yeah yeah yeahEvery noise and sounds been cut yeah yeah yeahKillin me nowDo you hear me yeah

Sinking slowly like in a trance nah nah nahStruggle but its all ocean floor nah nahEvery moment becomes eternity yeah yeah yeahFilm it nowDo you hear me yeah

Do your thangDo your thang with me nowDo your thangDo your thang with me nowWhats my thangWhats my thang tell me nowTell me now Yeah yeah yeah yeah

DeeperYeah I think Im goin deeperI keep losing focusNo, just let go of meLet my own feet carry meIll go in myselfIn the deepest depthsI saw myself...

Slowly, I open my eyesIm in my workroom, its my studioThe waves go darkly by in a throeBut Ill never get dragged away againInsideI saw myself, myself...

Heartbeat racing in my ears bump bump bumpEyes wide open into my forest jump jump jumpNothing can devour meI shout out with ferocity

Ocean with all light silenced shut yeah yeah yeahMy wandering feet held in a rut yeah yeah yeahEvery noise and sounds been cut yeah yeah yeahKillin me now Do you hear me yeah

Sinking slowly like in a trance nah nah nahStruggle but its all ocean floor nah nahEvery moment becomes eternity yeah yeah yeahFilm it now Do you hear me yeah

Do your thangDo your thang with me nowDo your thangDo your thang with me nowWhats my thangWhats my thang tell me nowTell me now Yeah yeah yeah yeah

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Song Lyrics of 'Black Swan' by BTS - Glamsham

International not-for-profit organisation A Greener Festival (AGF) has announced the 37 recipients of the A Greener Festival Award in 2019.

Festivals and events from 15 countries received the award for their commitment to sustainability at an awards ceremony at Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS), the Netherlands, earlier this evening (17 January).

AGF directors Claire ONeill, Teresa Moore and GO Groups Holger Jan Schmidt presented the awards made entirely of reused materials, including salvaged festival tents to recipients including ya Festival, Norway; Sziget Festival, Hungary; Glastonbury Festival, UK; and Slovenias Metal Days.

Winners, who underwent assessment, site visit and post-event analysis, were deemed to have demonstrated beneficial sustainability practices across areas including transport, waste, power, water, ecosystems and local area impacts.

The need for us all to take significant positive action for the good of the environment requires no introduction

The need for us all to take significant positive action for the good of the environment requires no introduction, comments AGF co-founder ONeill. Congratulations to our winners who are doing their part, and power to all events and individuals who want to do more. Together we can make things better.

All winners will be entered as nominees for the International Greener Festival Awards, which will be announced at the annual Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI), on 3 March in London, alongside the International Live Music Conference (ILMC).

Applications are now open for the Greener Festival Awards 2020. Events should contact hello@agreenerfestival.com to apply.

A full list of winners can be found below:

OustandingCambridge Folk Festival (UK)DGTL Festival (NL)Green Gathering (UK)ya Festival (NO)Paradise City (BE)We Love Green (FR)

Highly commendedDockyard Festival (NL)Dubcamp Festival (FR)Glastonbury Festival (UK)Greenbelt Festival (UK)Hadra Trance Festival (FR)Pete the Monkey (FR)Primavera Sound (ES)Rainbow Serpent (AU)Roskilde Festival (DK)

CommendedBoomtown Fair (UK)BST Hyde Park (UK)Das Fest (DE)Envision Festival (CR)Hout Festival (NL)Les 3 Elephants (FR)Metal Days (SI)Mystic Garden (NL)Own Spirit Festival (ES)Sonidos Liquidos (ES)SWR3 New Pop Festival (DE)Sziget Festival (HU)Walthamstow Garden Party (UK)

ImproversBuenas Noches Producciones (AR)Elrow Town Amsterdam (NL)Lambeth Country Show (UK)Lost Village Festival (UK)Manchester Pride Live (UK)Straf_Werk (NL)Terraforma Festival (IT)Utrechtse Introductie Tijd (UIT) (NL)Wonderfruit Festival (TH)

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The number of events listed on India's largest ticket sellers, BookMyShow and Paytm, rose significantly in a bumper year for live entertainment

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AGF crowns top green events of 2019 - IQ Magazine

The year 2019 witnessed Malayalam cinema go pan-India thanks to rising popularity of OTT platforms hosting films like Kumbalangi Nights, Lucifer, Virus, Ishq, among others. This year too, there will be a tidy balance of films celebrating super-stardom and slice-of-life narratives. There are superstar big-budget films like Bilal and Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham, films with unusual themes, rom-coms, a superhero story, a biopic, a political thriller and a gangster story.

We have tried to keep this list to 10, with a set of films that have either already created enough hype on the social media or going by the makers'/writers' portfolio of quality cinema.

Trance

Fahadh Faasil in a poster for Trance. Image from Twitter

The biggest news around Trance has to be director Anwar Rasheed making a film after a gap of 6 years (his last was Aami in5 Sundarikal). Produced by Rasheed, written by Vincent Vadakkan, framed by Amal Neerad, starring Fahadh Faasil, Nazriya Fahad, Vinayakan and Soubin Shahir, the film, made on a budget of Rs 35 crores, is reportedly based on the Pentecostal community.Rasheed has also produced two of the most successful films in the last decadePremam and Bangalore Days.

Release month: February

Bilal

When Amal Neerad first announced the project in 2017, this development was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from social media. Whats more, nearly all young Malayalam actors shared the news on their social accounts, about the second coming of Bilal.

Neerad called it a prequel to his cult action thriller Big B, starring Mammootty, which also marked his directorial debut. Big B wasnt a box office success, like most films ahead of their times,it proved to be a slow burner. Besides becoming a cult favourite, it isnow considered one of the most technically superior films of our times. While Big B centred around Mary Teachers murder and how her four adopted sons come together to unravel the mystery and find the culprits, its prequel, written by Unni R will apparently dwell on Bilals past.

With the success of Neerads last release, Varathan, Bilal will be a pressure test for the director as he has the task of bettering Big B. There are rumours about Fahadh Faasil and Sreenath Bhasi being part of the project.Other members of the cast have not been announced.

Release month: Tentatively end of the year

Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham

A poster of Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham. Image from Twitter

Priyadarshans historical period drama co-written withAni Sasi is about the exploits of Kunjali Marakkar IV a16th century naval chieftain of the Zamorin of Calicut. There were three Marakkars before him who played a key role in their naval wars with the Portuguese from 1507 to 1600. They are said to have organised the first naval defence of the Indian coast.

Reportedly made on a budget of Rs 100 crores,Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simhamis said to be the most expensive Malayalam film yet. With quite an ensemble of actors led by Mohanlal, the cast also includes Arjun, Manju Warrier, Sudeep, Suniel Shetty and Keerthy Suresh.Pranav Mohanlal and Kalyani Priyadarshan willmake a cameo appearance.

Originally planned in 1996 by Priyadarshan, based on T Damodarans script, the project never took off owing to budget constraints. With a well-made period feature, Kaalapani behind him, and a sneak peak of the teaser released during its audio launch creating much buzz on social media, its a film to look forward to. Principle cinematography is by Thirru, while Sabu Cyril has handled the production design and Rahul Raj hascomposed the music

Release month: The film is scheduled to release over 5000 screens worldwide on 26 March

Halal Love Story

After the critically and commercially successful Sudani from Nigeria, Zakariya is once again teaming up with writer Muhsin Parari for a cute little story set in Malappuram. The story is said to revolve around the home video culture, in that part of the world. Cast includes Indrajith Sukumaran and Grace Antony, along with Joju George and Vinay Fort. Aashiq Abu and Zakariya are producing the film.

Release month:TBA

Kurup

Dulquer Salmaan in and as Kurup. Image from Twitter

Sreenath Rajendran whose debut was Second Show starring the then-newcomer Dulquer Salmaan, is yet again teaming up with the actor in Kurup, based on one of Kerala's notorious fugitives Sukumara Kurup. Kurup is said to have burnt a man inside a car to fake his own death to get an insurance amount. Though his co-accused have been serving life imprisonment, the criminal is still untraceable and the case remains one of the long-standing open cases in the history of the state.

Salmaanplays the titular role, supported by Indrajith Sukumaran and Shine Tom Chacko. The film is scripted by Daniell Sayooj Nair and KS Aravind while Jithin K Jose has penned the story.

Release month: Mid2020

One

Mammootty in a poster for One. Image from Twitter

Mammootty plays apolitician in this thrillerscripted by Bobby-Sanjay (their first association with the actor) and directed by Santosh Vishwanath (of Chirakodinja Kinavukal-fame). Nimisha Sajayan, Vishnu Unnikrishnan, Renji Panicker, Murali Gopy and Joju George are part of the ensemble.

One has generated a significant interest ever since the makers released first look posters of the actor. In the images, Mammootty, clad in a white shirt and mundu, looks stern and composed.

Release month: March end

Thuramukham

A poster of Thuramukham. Image from Twitter

After the critically appreciated Kammatipaadam in 2016, Rajeev Ravi will yet again bring lesser known history of Kochi into focus. Based on a 1968 play of the same title by KM Chidambaram, a teacher and a renowned playwright; it revolved around a Muslim family in Mattancherry, where the working class lived in impoverished conditions due to unemployment and exploitation by shipping companies. It revolves around the events leading to Chappa system practised in the Cochin harbour during the 1950s.

The screenplay is Gopan Chithambaram (who also co-wrote Iyobinte Pusthakam). Nivin Pauly stars inThuramukhamalongside Indrajith Sukumaran, Nimisha Sajayan and Poornima Indrajith.

Release month:TBA

Malik

Editor-director Mahesh Narayanan, who made his debut with Take Off in 2017, is back with his second film starring Fahadh Faasil and Nimisha Sajayan. It is said to be a gangster film, set in the backdrop of Beemapally riots. The film is bankrolled by Anto Joseph.

Release month: End of this year

Thangam

After the terrific success of Kumbalangi Nights, Syam Pushkaran is collaborating with yetnewcomer director, Shaheed Arafath. Pushkaran is co-producing the project, reportedly a heist thriller, withDileesh Pothan, Fahadh Faasil and Rajan Thomas.

Faasil, Joju George and Pothan have been roped in as actors.Faasil and Pothan's associations,Maheshinte Prathikaram and Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, have been magical and thats enough reason to put your money on the upcoming film.

Release month:TBA

Minnal Murali

A poster of Minnal Murali. Image from IMDb

Malayalam cinemas first film based on a fictitious local superhero, has Tovino Thomas in the lead role. Directed by Basil Joseph, this film also stars Tamil actor Guru Somasundaram. Tovino also has interesting films like Kilometers and Kilometers, and Forensic lined up this year.

Release month:TBA

Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.

Updated Date: Jan 13, 2020 08:12:18 IST

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Most awaited Malayalam films of 2020, from One and Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham to Thuramukham and Kurup - Firstpost

When people lament the passing of the weird, old San Francisco, Trance Mission isn't necessarily what they have in mind, but the singular ensemble represents everything that made the city's pre-Internet music scene such a creative hotbed. The first half of the 1990s was a wide-open era when artists of all stripes could find a $300 room in a rambling Mission District house, while Oakland and even Berkeley offered similarly bohemian-friendly digs. It's not a coincidence that the profusion of clubs and venues brimmed with a disparate roster of wildly inventive bands like Mr. Bungle, Broun Fellinis, Deerhoof, New Klezmer Trio, Idiot Flesh, and Alphabet Soup.

Amongst this heady and hybrid menagerie, Trance Mission stood out as the most unlikely of combos, with a sound built on the starkly contrasting cadences of Beth Custer's sinuous clarinet and Stephen Kent's buzzing didjeridu. Performing with several different lineups, the group released four albums in the 1990s, took a multi-year hiatus, and then returned as an instrumental trio in the mid-Aughts with Los Angeles drummer Peter Valsamis. The relentlessly grooving combo completes its reboot at Yoshi's on Monday, celebrating the release of Le Pendu, its first new album in two decades.

Over the years, the band's mission has evolved and the trance-inducing sound has grown more potent, with an earthy new palette of rhythms and textures. The music still feels like it emanates from Kent's guttural grooves, but where past Trance Mission albums captured the band's roiling excursions, Le Pendu distills the tunes. "It has similarities, with sweeping, epic melodies over driving grooves," Custer said. "I don't really 'write' the music; we jam, and I come up with melodies. Weshape pieces by improvising and experimenting."

While Kent is best known for his pioneering work on didjeridu, the long, droning cylindrical horn created by the aboriginal people of Northern Australia, he's also skilled on percussionist and cello-sintir. Custer contributes on percussion and an array of reeds, particularly B flat, alto, bass clarinets.

Valsamis also doubles on percussion and provides subtle sonic elements on electronics. The results are often giddily intoxicating, as Custer's clarinet lines dart and weave over the subterranean churn. The title track sets the agenda with a blast of ominous whimsy as Custer joyously soars around a disquieting thrum punctuated by the barking rasp of Kent's didjeridu. On other tracks the addition of Anastasi Mavrides's guitar work "launches Le Pendu into more of a jazz/funk realm," Custer said.

The seeds for Trance Mission were planted in 1991, when Custer was on the road with Connie Champagne and her Tiny Bubbles. The tour manager Ron Gompertz, who went on to display his knack for combining the seemingly irreconcilable by codifying the portmanteau holiday Chrismukkah, kept playing a cassette of Lights in aFat City because Kent's pioneering fourth world ambient band was on an upcoming double bill with Champagne at a SOMA nightspot. Fat City's unusual sound caught Custer's ear.

"I took my demo tape to the gig andintroduced myself to Stephen, gave him my cassette," she recalls. "He called me thenext day and we jammed in the Headlands Center for the Arts where I wasartist in residence."

They quickly forged a friendship and started performing at Radio Valencia as a duo. Trance Mission coalesced with the addition of Fat City percussionist Kenneth Newby and multi-instrumentalist John Loose, who added an international array of percussion and string instruments, including tar, bodhrn, tabla, kalimba, kanjira, and riq. The eponymous 1992 debut album introduced the band's giddy grooves and puckish sense of humor (the opening track is "Bo Didgeley"). By the time Trance Mission released its fourth album, 1999's live recording of its farewell concert at St. John's in Berkeley A Day Out of Time (Schott Music), the lineup featured Eda Maxym on vocals and keyboards and Valsamis on drums, electronic percussion, dumbek, gongs, and djembe.

When Custer and Kent started performing as Trance Mission again they mostly worked as a duo, adding Valsamis into the mix whenever he could make it up from L.A. Annual gigs at the beloved Garden of Memory event at Chapel of the Chimes Oakland and InterMusic's SF Music Day has kept the group in the Bay Area mix, but they intend the release of Le Pendu to put the band back on the road. One reason the group hasn't worked more is that Kent and Custer aren't lacking in other commitments.

A revolving roster of assignments has made Custer a major force in Bay Area arts. Drawing on a vivid palette of influences from jazz, folk, blues, Afro-Caribbean, and contemporary classical, she's honed a style that has enhanced a tremendous array of creative endeavors, from the dance theater of the Joe Goode Performance Group to various productions by Intersection For the Arts' Campo Santo to the classic 1929 Soviet silent film My Grandmother. She's also founded and led numerous bands, like the all-star quartet Clarinet Thing. If Trance Mission sounds like the unrestrained id of the scene, Clarinet Thing is the cosmopolitan super ego, uniting Custer with fellow reed maestros Ben Goldberg, Harvey Wainapel, and Sheldon Brown. The group performs Jan. 19, kicking off St. Alban's Episcopal Church's Third Sunday Series.

Like Trance Mission, Clarinet Thing came together in the early 1990s, inspired by the ROVA Saxophone Quartet. But instead of extended improvisations, Clarinet Thing traffics in exquisite chamber jazz, captured on the acclaimed albums Cry, Want, and Agony Pipes and Misery Sticks. The repertoire reflects the musicians' far-flung passions, from Brazilian choro and klezmer tunes to South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, Duke Ellington, Herbie Nichols, Thelonious Monk, Carla Bley, and clarinet greats John Carter and Benny Goodman. Oakland reed specialist Sheldon Brown, who can be found most Sundays playing in the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, said he was drawn to Clarinet Thing by the "openness and willingness to experiment and take chances, and high level of musicianship all around."

Trance Mission, Jan. 13, 8 p.m., $21-49, Yoshi's, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland, 510-238-9200, Yoshis.com

Clarinet Thing, Jan. 19, 4 p.m., $20-25 (children under 12 free), St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington Ave., Albany, 510-525-1716, StAlbansAlbany.org.

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Out In the Reeds With Beth Custer - East Bay Express

Buckle up everyone because Whethan is ready to leave a magical impression on the music scene in 2020 with his forthcoming albumFantasy!

Whethan, who has been rising to the top with performances at major festivals and tracks like Be Like You featuring Broods is starting off the year with a new single, new album, and a new tour. New everything. The 20-year-old talent just released his collaboration track Stay Forever featuring STRFKR off his debut album Fantasy. The single is dynamic and brings a sense of ease to the ears. The first drop will make your shoulders groove and youll slowly start to fall into a tranceand a beautiful trance at that.

The vocals complement the chord progression beautifully, especially before the second drop. The track steadily builds up and the explosion of euphoria hits. No joke, get ready to dance by this point. Words cant describe the feelings that Stay Forever ignites, but I can only imagine the fantasy Whethan is going to create on his album. Following that epic drop, the track begins to fade out and ends on a smooth, relaxing note. It leaves you wanting more. Seriously I wish the song was longer.

Check out the Stay Forever music video below or listen to the track on your favorite platform. For fans of Tron or vaporwave, youll appreciate the aesthetics. The end is brilliant, it perfectly sums up how we all feel when a music festival ends and were forced back into reality. Tragic.

For fans in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and surrounding areasWhethan is kicking off the Fantasy tour with support from Chrome Sparks and Ramzoid starting March 26. Each show will feel like a pop-up show, so you can expect special surprises, new music, and an opportunity to create new memories.

Tickets for the Fantasy tour are on sale now via Whethans website.

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Whethan Returns with New Single "Stay Forever" and Fantasy Tour - EDM Identity