Avex Reissued Ayumi Hamasaki’s Trance Masterpieces

By Music Press Asia Staff

18 November, 2021 3:29pm GMT+8 / MYT

Available for download and streaming for the first time is Ayumi Hamasaki’s trance remixes by prominent DJs including Moogwai, Ferry Corsten, Armin van Buuren, and Above & Beyond.

Shout out to all trance fans out there. The classic Cyber TRANCE series featuring Japanese popular artists Ayumi Hamasaki is back. In September, Cyber TRANCE released the complete edition of ayu trance. And two months after followed up with ‘ayu trance 2’ which is also the complete edition of the tracks from the 2002 release. It even included additional versions, which are available for the very first time.

The thirty tracks on ayu trance 2, the complete edition, included extended remixes, which were produced by Ferry Corsten as an original Ayumi Hamasaki song. The song ‘Connected’ hit the club charts in countries across Europe when it was released in 2002 and was featured in countless DJ sets and DJ-Mix compilations.

Since ‘Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2’ was originally released on CD as a non-stop mix, the various tracks have never been made available individually for download or streaming.

Following the reissue of the first ‘Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance -COMPLETE EDITION-’ album, the official Twitter account of Japanese dance music brand Cyber TRANCE posted a photo taken way back in 2001. At the time when British trance group Above & Beyond were performing at an ‘ayu trance’ release party at renowned Tokyo mega-club Velfarre, Avex-owned disco club. The photo captures the moment the three young artists were joined on stage by Hamasaki herself, making a surprise guest appearance. This rare memento of a special moment in Japanese and British trance music history reignited the excitement of fans around the world.

Ayumi Hamasaki is signed to label Avex in 1998 and debuted her first single Poker Face with the same label. On the twentieth anniversary of her music career in 2019, she released Loveppears. Her national tour in 2020 was halted in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and saw thirty-six concert dates cancelled.

Today, Hamasaki is one of Japan and Avex’s legendary artists.

‘Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 -COMPLETE EDITION-’
Download and streaming links here.

‘Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance -COMPLETE EDITION-’
Download and streaming links here.

Disc 1

1. Depend on you (Svenson & Gielen remix)
2. Depend on you (Svenson & Gielen Club mix)
3. Depend on you (Svenson & Gielen Club mix Instrumental)
4. Depend on you (Svenson & Gielen Dub mix)
5. M (Above & Beyond remix)
6. M (Above & Beyond Vocal mix)
7. M (Above & Beyond Vocal Dub)
8. M (Above & Beyond Typhoon Dub mix)
9. Trauma (JamX & De Leon’s DuMonde remix)
10. Trauma (JamX & De Leon’s DuMonde Vocal mix)
11. Trauma (JamX & De Leon’s DuMonde Dub mix)
12. UNITE! (Airwave remix)
13. UNITE! (Airwave Vocal mix)
14. UNITE! (Airwave Instrumental mix)
15. UNITE! (Airwave Dub)
16. SURREAL (Marc et Claude remix)
17. SURREAL (Marc et Claude Club mix)
18. SURREAL (Marc et Claude Club mix Instrumental)
19. SURREAL (Marc et Claude Dub mix)
20. AUDIENCE (Darren Tate remix)
21. AUDIENCE (Darren Tate Extended)
22. AUDIENCE (Darren Tate Instrumental)
23. Fly high (Voodoo & Serano remix)
24. Fly high (Voodoo & Serano Club mix)
25. Fly high (Voodoo & Serano Club mix Instrumental)
26. Fly high (Voodoo & Serano Sound of Ibiza mix)

Disc 2

1. immature (Koglin & Heath remix)
2. immature (Koglin & Heath Vocal mix)
3. immature (Koglin & Heath Instrumental)
4. immature (Koglin & Heath Dub mix)
5. evolution (Goldenscan remix)
6. evolution (Goldenscan 12″ Vocal mix)
7. evolution (Goldenscan Club mix)
8. kanariya (system F remix)
9. kanariya (system F Extended mix)
10. appears (Armin van Buuren’s Rising Star remix)
11. appears (Armin van Buuren’s Rising Star 12″ Vocal mix)
12. appears (Armin van Buuren’s Rising Star 12″ Instrumental mix)
13. appears (Armin van Buuren’s Sunset Dub)
14. Boys & Girls (Push remix)
15. Boys & Girls (Push Extended mix)
16. Boys & Girls (Push Instrumental Dub)
17. UNITE! (Moogwai remix)
18. UNITE! (Moogwai Vocal mix)
19. UNITE! (Moogwai Instrumental mix)
20. UNITE! (Moogwai Dub)
21. A Song for ×× (Ferry Corsten Chilled mix)
22. A Song for ×× (Ferry Corsten Chilled Extended mix)

Related reportage: Ayumi Hamasaki to tour Asia for the first time in 14 years.

Two months ago (September), Avex announced Hamasaki’s vert first Asian tour in 14 years. Titled ‘Asia Tour 2021-2022 ~ 23rd Monster ~’, it kicked off in October beginning in Makuhari Messe, Japan before hitting the road across Asia. So far, thirty-two performances have been scheduled for Asia with ticket priorities to fans at her fan club Team Ayu. According to Hamasaki’s website, guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19 are strictly in place based on the rules set by the government.

Hamasaki’s last Asian tour was in 2008. The year she toured Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taipei.

Alongside her scheduled performance for FNS Kayousai – the summer edition of Fuji TV’s annual show, there are eight other shows dated below.

2 & 3 October, Sat, Sun- Makuhari Messe (Chiba)

6 & 7 November, Sat, Sun – Nippon Gaishi Hall (Aichi)

30 & 31 December, Thur, Fri – Yoyogi National Stadium Daiichi Gymnasium (Tokyo)

29 & 30 January, 2022 – Kobe World Memorial Hall (Hyogo)

More dates to be announced. For more ticketing information, click here.