Since this is one of the most exciting songs for me, I talk in detail about both mixes. First, a little background. The central melody in Escape was an obvious inspiration for the melody of Lucid, a later production by Phynn. If Phynn’s later work Lucid was a song that focused more on anthemic, hard-hitting, cheerful melodies, Escape was an experiment in providing melodic and emotional depth, at the cost of a more somber tone. But as this review shows, that more somber tone paid off, making Escape one of the most memorable creations in trance music history. As for Fictivision, his rendition was somewhat an offshoot of the heavy basslines and enigmatic sounds seen in his earlier works.

I would rate the Phynn Mix 5/5, and the Fictivision Mix 4/5, with the incredible Phynn mix adding enough weight to pull this one to a 5/5 overall rating.

Phynn Mix::
I feel that Escape has the strong upperhand versus Phynn’s later, and similar, release Lucid on several counts. One being the number of melodic and harder elements that are present. The bassline is grinding, making it consistently dark and intense sounding, and it is more than adequate to set the tone. From the word “go”, as the bass just deftly spreads across your stereo, the journey begins. For another instance of this song’s harder nature, a filtered and heavily distorted high-pitched shriek sound bounces along the song beginning at 0:56, further confirming to the listener that the song is about to delve into sinister territory. A series of unique sweeps glide along impressively.

The beauty that is Escape is its ability to produce sounds that one can listen to at home, say, while relaxing, as well as in a club. I say with emphasis throughout that the song is a paradox in uplifting trance, because its emotions give you euphoria by building upon trance’s tendency towards darkness. It is almost as if it achieves a common goal of uplifting trance by being less direct and more open to interpretation. And despite being technically an “uplifting trance” song in its structure, the emotions, I feel, are somewhat more profound than many conventional uplifting tracks that simply gush with obvious attempts at straightfoward euphoria without any “catch” (such as elements that clearly contrast each other) to add complexity. Thus, while Lucid may be the more “catchy” song and may have been more memorable for some, Escape searches for more depth and understanding on an emotional level. Trust me on this, though, it makes this song that much more worthwhile.

Evidently, Escape achieves its prime through melodies, of which Phynn’s version has many. One is obviously the main arpeggiated melody that is placed on lead synths during the breakdowns. It is cacophonous if one studies it intently, and so one will be taken aback by its jarring arrangement; though, it slinks into a more subtle and appealing nature if one is more passive in listening. Another key melody that I think sets Phynn’s version well apart from Fictivision’s is a high-pitched pad that is somber and haunting that adds feelings of yearning and a touch of sad nostalgia. This one begins at 4:38 and serves to establish a climax to the song. Another is a deeper-pitched strings/pad sound that fades in gradually and shifts notes and begins at 1:23. This melody has the feel of a “critical hour” situation, perfectly alluding the track’s name. Though I’ve mentioned less that more “relaxing” touch, like I said, I think part of that comes from the difference between listening to the song intently (producing an intense and energetic vibe) versus listening to it passively (more relaxing.)

The breakdown is class, as one could conjecture, and as the raucous arpeggiated melody plays again and again in your head for nearly four minutes minutes, new elements join the mayhem. All-in-all, the core of the song, which I would say fits between 3:15 and 6:57, is one of the finest I have ever heard. If you can spare the pun, this song escaped any signs of becoming a standard uplifter. Basically, the song rocks!

Fictivision Mix::
Just to also point out that one lone melody does not a track make, Fictivision’s rendition turned up a track that is less expressive than Phynn’s, though it does slightly sound more “uplifting” and clearly his interpretation is not nearly as dark or melodic as Phynn’s. Fictivision approaches Escape with grittier and rougher sounds, so there is less atmosphere and the song is more grounded. Still, a melody that appears in both versions is made more obvious in Fictivision’s version and runs from 1:52 to 3:15, affirms the song’s deep and melancholy nature. Something about Fictivision’s version set it below my expectations, granted it is a fine work on his part. Many of his signature synth sounds were seemingly never used, which would have made his song a stronger competitor when the EP was released. That said, though, Bart’s version managed to leap several rungs up the trance popularity ladder in 2004, so it is fair to say that it attained a strong amount of support. Normally, I’m a huge supporter of Bart’s works, but, at least melodically speaking, this was one of his weakest under the Fictivision alias.

Not everyone could grip the jarring, arpeggiated breakdown melody, though, because of its intensity and rapid fire rhythm. This is understandable, because these are two heavy songs.

This is not your average trance song by any means. This tune is a massive example of uplifting trance that successfully combines edgy riffs with soft pads. The cacophonous melody in the lead will keep you on edge for the remainder of the song. All the sounds merge into one delightful sound in the second half. The melodies of the Phynn Mix are dark and spine-tingling, and elements are continuously added during the chorus. Some critics have remarked that there is too much aggression and the melody is difficult to follow, which I felt was the intent. Escape is a track that relies on its fierce delivery and chords that drown each other out to perform one drawn out electronic soundscape.

Fictivision's version is solid, but the melodies don't sound nearly as dark (instead sounding more "bright") and there also isn't as much atmosphere, so the synths can sound somewhat dull. This is absolutely one of the most brilliant releases of 2004.

Great remix by Finne to a great track of a great collobration by themselves, The A Side is way better for me, has an energetic sound, the breakdown is amazing, this one really rocks, Bart's remake is also good but can't beat Phynn's.

When this vinyl was being released on, ITWT is one of the elit sub-label of all, but nowadays cant see such a great tunes releasing from In Trance We Trust.

And i wish i had that vinyl in my case.

Phynn's remix is the more melodic, with Bart Van Wissen's Fictivision Remix providing a harder, edgier feel. It must also be said that the main melody here provides Phynn the influence for his later track called Lucid. The melodies are almost identical. A solid if not spectacular release from ITWT.

Yet another fantastic release on the In Trance We Trust label. It's definitely the A-side you want to take a look at. Phynn delivers a great remix. The two main melodies sounds so good on top of each other and makes the track sound very intense and uplifting. Well done!