DJ Tiesto offers us his latest compilation album in the form of a double CD album, featuring 2 sides of trance which some might expect, and others might not.

DJ Tiesto aka Tijs Verwest puts together his latest compilation album, titled Nyana, a double CD featuring his top tracks of the moment, including his latest production of the same name.

Tracklist:
CD 1

01. Love Is Stronger Than Pride -- M. Mayer
02. Chutney (size 9 reinterpretation) -- Tom Mangan
03. Acapulco -- The Ambush
04. Obsession (Frank Biazzi remix) -- Tiesto vs. Junkie XL
05. Totem -- Planisphere
06. Let The Light Shine In -- Darren Tate vs. Jono Grant
07. Inca -- Midway
08. Nyana
09. Venus (Tiesto remix) -- DJ Cor Fijneman
10. Tears From The Moon (Tiesto remix) -- Conjure One feat. Sinead O'Connor
11. Electronic Malfunction -- DJ Ton T.B.
12. Love Angel -- The Gift
13. Urban Shakedown (Original mix) -- Solar Factor
14. Mistral -- GTR

CD 2

01. Destiny Sunrise -- Catcher
02. In Your Eyes (Blue mix) -- Filterheadz Present Orange 3
03. Beautiful Things (Gabriel & Dresden remix) -- Andain
04. Destination -- Solarstone vs. Sirocco
05. U Write the Rules (Solarstone remix) -- Young Parisians
06. Nothing (93 Returning mix) -- Holden & Thompson
07. Forever Waiting -- Mr. Sam vs. Fred Baker Present As One
08. As The Rush Comes (Exclusive Demo mix) -- Motorcycle
09. Never (Tiesto remix vs. Filterheadz remix) -- The Roc Project
10. Morgentau (Spring remix) -- Smart System
11. Requiem For A Dream (Dream mix) -- Leama
12. Remember (Summer Sun) -- P.O.S.
13. North Pole -- Solid Globe

When you think of DJ Tiesto's compilations, most people immediately think of his Magik series which was arguably the series which put him where he is today. His latest offering is a somewhat different mix to his previous ones and there are a few mixed views about this.

Splitting the album into Outdoor (Disc 1) and Indoor (Disc 2), we have 2 quite different CDs here.

Opening up on the Outdoor CD is M.Mayer's Love Is Stronger Than Pride, a track which was quite unexpected of him from my point of view with this sublime minimal techno track, which beams Sven Vath or Oliver Liebling. This minimalism does not stop with M Mayer's track as we have more from Bedrock's Tom Mangan and his Chutney production. Very spaced out beats and dubby atmosphere highlight the showcase so far and Tiesto's mixing has lived up to my expectations from the World's voted number 1 DJ.

Next up is Oliver Lieb's production under his Ambush guise, titled Apapulco, with the expected O. Lieb bassline and technoatmospherical beats building up to an almost funky house and techno cross-over.

Frank Biazzi's remix of Tiesto & Junkie XL's Obsession resembles little of the original track, but it keeps to the sound being offered at the moment in the CD and although it is somewhat repetitive and dull for me, I think many will find it a good set builder and the selection of it is perfectly suited. Before you feel that you're listening to a techno compilation, we have Bonzai's Planisphere with his Totem, released not too long ago and the first sign that the Tiesto trance is beginning here.

Tijs makes use of the track, and enlists the majority of the track to put forth a good 8 minutes of it before moulding it into big UK producers Darren Tate & Jono Grant, in this huge production released on Mondo Recordings. Let the Light Shine In, is what I found to be the first real appeal of the mix so far, but perhaps it would have more suited if it was further in the album.

Ralph Barendse Midway guise, puts in the beautiful Inca, a release which on its own right is huge, and an excellent choice for this compilation and stems perfectly into the much anticipated Tiesto production Nyana, a melodic, floating trance production which defines the sound of trance today, with a subtle building breakdown which breaks open into a gleaming track through its seven and a half minutes of glory.

Following on is Cor Fijneman & Jan Johnston's collaboration for Venus, a fine production combined with a remix from the DJ, Tiesto himself in a fumbling peak time for disc 1 track. After a brief spell of Venus, Tijs puts in more of his own influence with his remix of Conjure One's Tears From the Moon, featuring the vocal talents of retiring singer Sinead O'Connor. This LP was a top pick of mine when it was initially released, and although I think that Hybrid did a better remix of the track, Tiesto's continuation of his fiasco is a reasonable thing right?

DJ Ton TB recently mixed his own ITWT compilation album and here, Tiesto chooses his dubbed up, funked up, progressive trance Electronic Malfunction, a cross back into the more sublime territory that Tiesto took us in the earlier parts of the album. Love Angel is one of those tracks which are going to get us in a frenzy, with it's huge breakdowns and atmospherics, and suprisingly enough, we have some influence from producer M.I.K.E. in this track, along with new producer Mark Dedross in a chilling track which shows the near-end of the disc. We have more Bonzai after that, with Solar Factor's Urban Shakedown, yet another track with some M.I.K.E. influence.

Although short-lived, we quickly find ourselves in the final track of Outdoor from UK based Gareth Emery, and his Mistral track. Tiesto does an interesting job of this disc, but perhaps he made a bit too much effort to short his diversity and some may argue that he would be better off sticking to his roots.

Moving forward to Indoor, we see a slightly different view of Tiesto's mixing talents and abilities, with a number of more fluid tracks, mixed in with some of the classics from the past 6 months.

Destiny Sunrise, at first, reminded me of Robert Miles' Children, complete with the beautiful buildup from the start. From an artist who I am unfamiliar with, this track is spot on and in my opinion, definitive of Tiesto's more "progressive" yet melodic moments. Arguably a rip off of Children? Well, that's another matter...

A big favourite with Tiesto in the past has been Filterheadz, with their numerous teched up productions, and this one is no exception, coming through with Bryan Adams-esque vocals, (think Chicane). This dubbed out track comes through as quite a summery track, whilst keeping it nice and clubby, and we have some more progressive action following up from Andain, with their latest track Beautiful Things, with a somewhat housy and summery remix from Gabriel & Dresden, complete with guitars and chilled female vox.

Over the past 3 tracks, we already a significant notice from the first disc, and so far we catch a glimpse of the Ibizan summer already, which brings me to question whether or not the titles for each CD should be switched.

A sudden change in tempo follows Andain, with the big boys at the moment Solarstone. Destination is a truly sensational piece of work and by all means, a perfect complement to the 3 tracks we've encountered so far; but we aren't finished yet with more beautiful melodic action in the form of a Solar Stone remix of Young Parisians' U Write the Rules, a big Tiesto favourite of recent, and we get into the mood for more balaeric action and fine track selection from the big man.

Yet another favourite of mine is the next one up, in the form of James Holden's Nothing, the superb Sasha-esque atmospherics come as a surprise as it seems to be a somewhat odd choice to the previously melodic, summer trance in the earlier parts of the disc, but this is quickly reverted back to some more progressive trance in the form of Belgian producers Mr. Sam & Fred Backer with their Forever Waiting, a sublime trancer which oozes ambience and atmosphere.

Motorcycle's As The Rush Comes, is an offering from Gabriel & Dresden, and the track, combined with the Roc Project's Never, featuring some diva vocals from Tina Arena match perfectly in the next 2 tracks, bringing the CD to it's peak.

Morgentau is a bit more of what we endured in the first disc, with the exception of lighter bass and more melodics, but the idea is the same; minimal and dubby, seems to be where Tiesto's tended towards lately.

But not before we have another dose of some more melodic trance with Leama's, Requiem for a Dream, which has been a big favourite with the top jocks lately, especially with Leama's own beautiful mix.

The last 2 tracks are nice, and come through as a complete finish for Tiesto, but the tracks seem somewhat predictable to some, offering not much different to that of normal trance sets.

Conclusion:
I believe the album highlight's Tiesto's aim to portray himself as someone who has a diverse attitude to dance music, but perhaps he has tried a tad too hard to expand his repertoire of genres and tracks. I personally would have liked to see Tiesto fish out some of those tracks which most of us overlook and put together an album which really signifies Him. I am sure that some will agree with me that with DJ Tiesto being the number 1 DJ in the world, you shouldn't be listening to a mix which could be heard anywhere else on the radio.

Having said that, I will say that the mixing was spot on throughout the double compilation, and track selection in terms of fluidity somewhat odd at times, but otherwise, solid. My pick is for disc 2 as I did not find the minimal techno which Tiesto has tried to slow into his mix as an opener appealing as he might have hoped. I will give credit to Tiesto for his willingness to experiment and the fact he didn't try to slot as many tracks as he could onto 1 CD, and if you are a fan of Tiesto, there is a good chance you will enjoy this mix, but otherwise, it will stand out as Just another CD mix