THE Q80 MIX

A Kuwaiti Blog For News, Tips and Reviews (and other interesting stuff!)

You’ll soon find out that I love all types of music. I just can’t stick to one type because the music I listen to depends on the mood I’m in. I do like Trance and House music but only particular types - not the monotonous, commercial or 120 miles/hour stuff. Actually this DJ is one of the few who is likely to appeal to those who have always thought that trance music is rubbish.

DJ Shah (pictured above) is a German DJ/Producer who has made some of the best trance songs (yes with real singing!) and music in the last couple of years. Armin van Buuren, considered by many to be the best DJ in the World, has used a lot of DJ Shah’s music in his mix albums. They have also worked together on van Buuren’s excellent album ‘Imagine’. But there is something that sets DJ Shah, who is more producer than DJ, apart from the others.

I keep talking about Trance but what makes DJ Shah unique is that all his albums come in 2 CDs with different versions of the songs. The first CD contains great chill out songs and is perfect to listen to when you’re relaxing - preferably by the pool :) The second CD contains fantastic dance mixes of all the songs on CD 1. The mix of Spanish guitar with modern beats is part of his unique sound.

The three albums that I would highly recommend are:

1.Another Day on the Terrace

2.Sunny Tales

3.Songbook

I’ve put the Amazon.com links in each title above as samples of all the songs are available to listen using the  music sampler.

The first two albums were released under his Sunlounger name with his latest one, Songbook, under the DJ Shah name which he seems to be using now.   With each of his albums I can never decide which of the two CDs is better; chill or dance.  They are both excellent in their own way.

If I had to choose I would say Sunny Tales and Songbook just have the edge over his first album, but there’s not much between them.