Eagle I Stallian - Reminiscence

The members of Eagle I Stallian, now a mainstay on the international trance and progressive house EDM circuit, began their music career in rock. With Reminiscence, their third EP in as many months, Eagle I Stallian are looking to cement their place in EDM with as many house and trance anthems as they can cram onto their Soundcloud page.

Reminiscence has two tracks, both of big-room quality trance. Ravers from the early days of trance and progressive house will appreciate Eagle I Stallin’s approach, as the duo have really tapped into that super-PLUR feeling of the early-to-mid 90s with these two tracks. Lots of twinkly pianos, rolling fog sounds and classic Goa and progressive melody progressions are all featured heavily here. For modern EDM fans and older ravers alike, the beauty of these songs can’t be denied.

The first track on this little gem of an EP is called “Origin” and is firmly in the progressive trance wheelhouse, but with a modern twist. It opens with a whooshing wind sample just like any self-respecting Goa or progressive trance track, but the end of said whoosh breaks down to an interesting, modern and almost trap-like tech sample. The beat goes Goa from there, continuing with the whooshes and very little else until about halfway through the track. Here the tribal beats stop and a progressive piano melody comes in along with a recognizable yet somehow unique trance synth. This synth breaks open into, surprisingly, progressive breaks before it explodes to become the main element of the track. The simple chord progression is layered with a number of different synth sounds and breathy distortions and creates a powerful energy before the track changes once again. The beat goes back to the earlier tribal vibe in yet another powerful crescendo before everything suddenly stops. “Origin” is really three tracks in one and will be excellent for prime time trance sets at raves and EDM festivals.

The second track on Reminiscence follows a similar trajectory to “Origin”. “Crossing Over” also opens with a Goa-style tribal trance beat, but this one is a little more grungy than that of “Origin”. Also the tribal part has even less in the way of melodies and samples, with only a few one-off sounds sprinkled in. A second snare-based trance beat is layered over the original and these two work together to build tension and then descend into breakdowns several times before the two-minute mark. Here, like in the previous track, “Crossing Over” switches gears completely and introduces a singular and very familiar piano solo. In this case, however, the piano is so familiar that older ravers will wonder if they are just listening to a remix of a classic trance song. It’s almost too recognizable. As the piano continues, the progressive trance beats rise back up around it until, just like “Origin”, they give way to the tribal beat once again. The track ends abruptly just like the first one, most likely in expectation of a mix-in.

With the two tracks on Reminiscence so tuned in to the progressive and Goa trance of yore, it’s pretty clear why Eagle I Stallian decided to name the EP thus. The duo clearly have a healthy appreciation for the tribal beats and beautiful melodies of these classic rave standards. The work on this EP is clean and well-composed, and one can see the rock roots showing in the way the songs are structured. It’s no wonder the duo have already been recognized internationally for their work and for bringing back trance.
Sep 08 2016