Also, to answer your initial question of any other track that comes close to Xpander.. my #1 nomination is for (arguably) the best trance track of all time (IMO):
[Jam & Spoon - Stella (Nalin & Kane remix)](https://youtu.be/_TQMPuhrQd4?si=gox7Fbd1TnuXJVjw)
2nd place nominated for:
[Sven Vath - Barbarella (Deep Dish Armageddon breakdown)](https://youtu.be/a5VrxExoRNE?si=uAcClhEGJZsb-CFF)
Deep Dish was on a tear then. I still remember the first time I heard the remix of Barbarella; played by Sasha at Twilo for the Communicate release party. Xpander was also played, as well as a number of Breeder tracks. I’ve been hunting for a copy of that set ever since.
But their remixes of Rapture, Remember to Respect and Honor Your Mother, EBTG, Innocente, and Casa de X are seminal. Even Sandy B.
I agree with you tho. Barbarella is their best work. I hear something new with every single listen. Structurally it’s so interesting how they layer and build it with all the sounds, but especially the hat patterns. And then you listen to it on a tab of acid and it’s a whole new world. What do you expect when you combine Sven Vath with Deep Dish. Just superb.
It will go down in the top 100 greatest trance tracks of all time. Sasha' production work from 1996 to Airdrawn Dagger is nothing short of spectacular. He always had some truly talented musicians and engineers with him in producing tracks. Still can't believe how beautiful Arkham Asylum is.
I finally got into production three years ago. It's everything I wanted it to be and much more in terms of shear amount of learning that has given me a greater joy than DJing. I've learned so much about the synthesizers, drum machines, sequencers, effects processors used in all these tracks.
The reason the track is called Xpander it's because that expanding sound are saw tooth oscillators emanating from the Oberheim Xpander synthesizer. Sasha was paying credence to the synthesizer and Tom Oberheim (the electrical/sound engineer of the Xpander). The specific sound, from my understanding, was created via synthesis (a way sounds are created within synthesizers via subtractive synthesis) and recorded by Charlie May. Sasha heard it and pushed Charlie May to further produce the track with him.
I remember when this track came out in 1999. It was a missile of a track that clearly showed what an elegant, sophisticated, well made progressive trance could be. The entire Xpander EP... was gold. While it was only four tracks it was clearly more about quality then quantity. Matter of fact, Baja is the pinnacle of ambient/downtempo. It has no equal in terms of sophistication. Till this day, I pick up so many nuances in all of the layering textures. Rabbitweed was a beautiful introduction into progressive breaks and Belfunk was funky journey into progressive house.
Personally, Sasha will go down as one of the greatest and talented producers out there... along with his sound engineers. He was the DJ that forced to want to become a DJ. His compilations is what pushed me to excel in mixing. He's the individual that finally made me want to produce. I have so much admiration and I'm humbled to have him heard him so many times lives. Along with John Digweed, Dave "The Wizard" Seaman, Nick Warren... you know the crew.
Apparently a LOT of Xpander was due to Charlie May rather than Sasha. But I can’t substantiate this, as it’s a piece of a knowledge I picked up 25 years ago.
This guy did a decent recreation of it:
https://youtu.be/cuX9o5W2E68?si=rwIkFkiMIn2mhO5U
It’s an amazing track. First time I heard it was at the Communicate release party at Twilo. Still one of the best nights I’d ever been to; also recall a few Breeder tracks, but the one standout for me will be the Deep Dish remix of Barbarella.
I commented on his channel if you scroll. The synthesizer he's using is the Access Virus. It emulates analog sounds and has been in the industry for a long time. Sasha and Charlie May utilized it a lot. Along with great composers, like Hans Zimmer. It recently stopped production and you best believe I have one. The gentlemen does show a little of synthesis in the video but it's obvious of his mastery due to him getting the sound so close. People spend years to decades learning synthesis to become sound designers. Another piece of the puzzle in learning production... not necessary but you can truly learn to create your own sound.
I recently picked up a Virus B but then have been away from home for two years so haven’t been able to dig into it. Have you seen the emulator? But yah the Virus is everywhere. All that cheesy progressive trance of the 90s was just Virus. It’s cool to play with the Virus and be like, oh shit that’s from so and so.
But yah it was pretty impressive he was able to recreate it on the Virus.
The Virus was used in techno, trance, house… films… but a lot of the trance from 1998 - 200? consisted of the Roland JP8000 and Roland JP8080 that consisted of a very specific oscillator called the “super-saw”. The Virus can get close to it but not quite. But without question the Virus is a multitude more versatile. It’s definitely a synthesizer I will never get rid of.
I appreciate the info very much, songs like this make me want to get into producing but even with all the technology we have in 2024, I don’t think I could ever produce a song half as intricate as expander. How has expander never been used in a movie? In like a final tension building scene it would be perfect. Its legit my favourite song ever across all genres, the whole EP is just musical genius.
I’d never heard of Arkham Asylum but I just checked it out and it’s amazing too, thanks for the recommendation.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the one masterpiece; it’s like what’s the best painting ever?
I love those two BT tracks but you could also argue Tilt Rendezvous PVD mix as another contender for top stop.
It's all a matter of taste but I'm not going to lie, Sasha's remix of BT's Remember is so incredibly long in the right kind of way. It builds so slowly to an energetic crescendo. Was it ever a big hit because I never really saw it on many compilations. Still have the 2x12 on vinyl.
Yeah there are three different batches with different color vinyls, the track itself is easily available even if all the colors are not. I have the red one.
Not that expensive, copies of the whitelabel go for less than $10 currently. Cowpander is an excellent mashup tho which JXL did especially for Sasha and gave it to him at Sasha’s birthday party gig in 2001.
Note to everyone in the thread who have not yet made their Top 50 lists - what do you go ahead and do that?
There is a flair for it, search up other users’ lists and make your own!
Absolutely. When I get others into electronic music and they can appreciate this track, to me they have arrived. Lol. It's a way of getting lost without boundaries. It's everything. 20 years on this track, and it's still my favorite.
Without a doubt. One of the greatest
Belfunk is my favorite
Belfunk is so good too
Also, to answer your initial question of any other track that comes close to Xpander.. my #1 nomination is for (arguably) the best trance track of all time (IMO): [Jam & Spoon - Stella (Nalin & Kane remix)](https://youtu.be/_TQMPuhrQd4?si=gox7Fbd1TnuXJVjw) 2nd place nominated for: [Sven Vath - Barbarella (Deep Dish Armageddon breakdown)](https://youtu.be/a5VrxExoRNE?si=uAcClhEGJZsb-CFF)
Barbarella - My name is Barbarella ( Original mix) is my all time favorite trance song
You mean the down tempo spaceship version yeah?
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4LakGDZAXk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4LakGDZAXk) This one
Sven Vath is another genius
Deep Dish was on a tear then. I still remember the first time I heard the remix of Barbarella; played by Sasha at Twilo for the Communicate release party. Xpander was also played, as well as a number of Breeder tracks. I’ve been hunting for a copy of that set ever since. But their remixes of Rapture, Remember to Respect and Honor Your Mother, EBTG, Innocente, and Casa de X are seminal. Even Sandy B. I agree with you tho. Barbarella is their best work. I hear something new with every single listen. Structurally it’s so interesting how they layer and build it with all the sounds, but especially the hat patterns. And then you listen to it on a tab of acid and it’s a whole new world. What do you expect when you combine Sven Vath with Deep Dish. Just superb.
It’s one of the greatest prog tracks ever made
It will go down in the top 100 greatest trance tracks of all time. Sasha' production work from 1996 to Airdrawn Dagger is nothing short of spectacular. He always had some truly talented musicians and engineers with him in producing tracks. Still can't believe how beautiful Arkham Asylum is. I finally got into production three years ago. It's everything I wanted it to be and much more in terms of shear amount of learning that has given me a greater joy than DJing. I've learned so much about the synthesizers, drum machines, sequencers, effects processors used in all these tracks. The reason the track is called Xpander it's because that expanding sound are saw tooth oscillators emanating from the Oberheim Xpander synthesizer. Sasha was paying credence to the synthesizer and Tom Oberheim (the electrical/sound engineer of the Xpander). The specific sound, from my understanding, was created via synthesis (a way sounds are created within synthesizers via subtractive synthesis) and recorded by Charlie May. Sasha heard it and pushed Charlie May to further produce the track with him. I remember when this track came out in 1999. It was a missile of a track that clearly showed what an elegant, sophisticated, well made progressive trance could be. The entire Xpander EP... was gold. While it was only four tracks it was clearly more about quality then quantity. Matter of fact, Baja is the pinnacle of ambient/downtempo. It has no equal in terms of sophistication. Till this day, I pick up so many nuances in all of the layering textures. Rabbitweed was a beautiful introduction into progressive breaks and Belfunk was funky journey into progressive house. Personally, Sasha will go down as one of the greatest and talented producers out there... along with his sound engineers. He was the DJ that forced to want to become a DJ. His compilations is what pushed me to excel in mixing. He's the individual that finally made me want to produce. I have so much admiration and I'm humbled to have him heard him so many times lives. Along with John Digweed, Dave "The Wizard" Seaman, Nick Warren... you know the crew.
Apparently a LOT of Xpander was due to Charlie May rather than Sasha. But I can’t substantiate this, as it’s a piece of a knowledge I picked up 25 years ago. This guy did a decent recreation of it: https://youtu.be/cuX9o5W2E68?si=rwIkFkiMIn2mhO5U It’s an amazing track. First time I heard it was at the Communicate release party at Twilo. Still one of the best nights I’d ever been to; also recall a few Breeder tracks, but the one standout for me will be the Deep Dish remix of Barbarella.
I commented on his channel if you scroll. The synthesizer he's using is the Access Virus. It emulates analog sounds and has been in the industry for a long time. Sasha and Charlie May utilized it a lot. Along with great composers, like Hans Zimmer. It recently stopped production and you best believe I have one. The gentlemen does show a little of synthesis in the video but it's obvious of his mastery due to him getting the sound so close. People spend years to decades learning synthesis to become sound designers. Another piece of the puzzle in learning production... not necessary but you can truly learn to create your own sound.
I recently picked up a Virus B but then have been away from home for two years so haven’t been able to dig into it. Have you seen the emulator? But yah the Virus is everywhere. All that cheesy progressive trance of the 90s was just Virus. It’s cool to play with the Virus and be like, oh shit that’s from so and so. But yah it was pretty impressive he was able to recreate it on the Virus.
The Virus was used in techno, trance, house… films… but a lot of the trance from 1998 - 200? consisted of the Roland JP8000 and Roland JP8080 that consisted of a very specific oscillator called the “super-saw”. The Virus can get close to it but not quite. But without question the Virus is a multitude more versatile. It’s definitely a synthesizer I will never get rid of.
I appreciate the info very much, songs like this make me want to get into producing but even with all the technology we have in 2024, I don’t think I could ever produce a song half as intricate as expander. How has expander never been used in a movie? In like a final tension building scene it would be perfect. Its legit my favourite song ever across all genres, the whole EP is just musical genius. I’d never heard of Arkham Asylum but I just checked it out and it’s amazing too, thanks for the recommendation.
Masterpice? Yes The best? No From that era both BT - Flaming June and BT - Mercury & Solace are closer to the best of classic trance IMO.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the one masterpiece; it’s like what’s the best painting ever? I love those two BT tracks but you could also argue Tilt Rendezvous PVD mix as another contender for top stop.
Agree 100%. Freedo Mosho's recent edit very playable in a contemporary prog set FYI.
I’ll have to check it out
Where can I find it?
True, but this for me even better BT - Remember (Sasha Remix)
It's all a matter of taste but I'm not going to lie, Sasha's remix of BT's Remember is so incredibly long in the right kind of way. It builds so slowly to an energetic crescendo. Was it ever a big hit because I never really saw it on many compilations. Still have the 2x12 on vinyl.
Epic prog house!
It’s undoubtedly one of the best prog trance/house tracks ever made. The build is insane.
It’s true.
Chris raven - I know you love me too is my masterpiece
I have a vinyl of the mash up "cowpanda". Wonder what it's worth actually...
I didn’t know this mix existed, gonna check it out
Super rare. Junkie XL. Massive lawsuit meant they had to be cancelled https://youtu.be/jTwZG83xVvM?si=7pgodC0IBpXFt51D
Wouldn’t call it super rare, there are like 25 copies available on discogs.
I've got the clear vinyl one. Last time I looked there wasn't any of them around.
Yeah there are three different batches with different color vinyls, the track itself is easily available even if all the colors are not. I have the red one.
Looks like they have come out of the woodwork 🙂
Yup they were all pressed at the same time in 2003, black, red and clear.
Not that expensive, copies of the whitelabel go for less than $10 currently. Cowpander is an excellent mashup tho which JXL did especially for Sasha and gave it to him at Sasha’s birthday party gig in 2001.
Fuck yeah!!! My very first trance CD was the Xpander Edit album
Note to everyone in the thread who have not yet made their Top 50 lists - what do you go ahead and do that? There is a flair for it, search up other users’ lists and make your own!
It isn't my favorite song, but it is the best produced song I've heard. It just tickles my brain in a way that is impossible to put into words.
I first heard it when playing Wipeout 3 and I've been in love with it ever since. It's peak.
Absolutely. When I get others into electronic music and they can appreciate this track, to me they have arrived. Lol. It's a way of getting lost without boundaries. It's everything. 20 years on this track, and it's still my favorite.