Posted by: Derek

Damn, it’s been pretty cold in Tokyo this February. Had a couple of days last week with real snow, even.
Because it’s Tokyo, it doesn’t really pile up, but it sure looks cool in the air.

My reseller’s office that I work out of here is in Aoyama (next to Shibuya), on the 11th floor, so I got a great view of the flowing white crystals all day long. Even though Japanese offices usually work long hours, I made sure to stay sane as the picture above shows ^_^.

Another thing that makes me sane is good progressive trance, and we’ve got some epic progressive cuts this month that straddle the line between house and trance but keep it super atmospheric. Got some fresh Japanese prog in there with a totally weird cut from Akugawa-sensei, and some Bay Area love with local favorite SNR.

And with that, have at you with some fresh cuts —

Derek Ryan - Sake Flight 10 - Aoyama (right-click and save-as to download)

Tracklist after the break!

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Posted by: Derek

Right along the 246 highway that connects half of western Tokyo together, there’s a little area called Mishuku. It’s a super cute residential neighborhood that’s at once quiet and easily liveable, and also retains some spunk with some killer restaurants and bars.

Though in Mishuku, almost none of the bars are ground level - you either go upstairs, even for music venues, or down into the depths under the street — which feels more natural for vampires like us.

So in tribute to the place I’ve been living for most of my recent sojourns to Japan - here’s some prog flow that’s both comfortably rockin, but got some tech bite and edginess around the sides.

Derek Ryan - Sake Flight 7 - Mishuku (right click and save-as to download)

Tracklist after the break!

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Posted by: Derek

I just came back from Okinawa, a striking island in south of Japan with an amalgam of Japanese and Polynesian culture. It’s totally like the Hawai’i of Japan, complete with it’s own local language (though Japanese works too), customs, lush tropical environment, and miles and miles of brilliant crystalline oceanfront.

Not only that, but I got to experience it with just a touch of typhoon on the horizon - alot of rain while we were there, which to some might ruin the island experience, but to me it ended up being all the more mysterious and magical.

But for sure, howling winds and torrential rain don’t call for the calm side of the spectrum alone, so this month the fresh tunes I have to present here range from sunny to stormy, but all with solid drive behind them. Strangely for me, my latest single release starts us off on the sunny side - I’m usually more moody, but Azure is definitely uplifting…

So break out both your umbrella AND your swimsuit, and come take a swim…

Derek Ryan - Sake Flight 6 - Ginoza (right-click and save as to download)

tracklist after the jump!
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Posted by: Derek

Sometimes, a tune is just magical - simple, yet entirely enveloping.

This cut here is one I’ve been caning in my progressive sets because, well, it’s got THAT THING. The indescribable je ne sai quoi that takes you away to another world. The construction and elements are super simple, but they’re also just THAT amazing.

Enjoy, and happy Monday!

Posted by: Derek

Yeehaw…how y’all doin…er ahem. Actually people in Austin don’t all, or even mostly talk like that. I just got back from a week there, and it’s truly an oasis in the middle of a state that might otherwise meet those expectations.

Which is probably why Austin has such a killer (and widely known) music scene.
This place has got a lot to offer, whether it be Rock, Indy, Alt, or even EDM, all of which can be perused in a casual walk down Sixth Street downtown.

So this month, I present to you the latest in fresh squeezed progressive and trance cuts, which will take you from the sweltering daytime heat to the sultry swingin of a nighttime rooftop bar, all with your trusty margarita in hand.

Heeere we go!

Derek Ryan - Sake Flight 5 - Austin (Right-click and save as to download)

tracklist after the jump!
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