Pioneering hardstyle trailblazers D-Block & S-te-Fan return to the release radar with ‘Enter Your Mind’, a 16-track sonic journey featuring previously-released tracks from throughout the year, in addition to 8 remixes of some of the pair’s greatest hits. The endeavor directly follows up previous original 2021 productions like ‘Good Times’ and ‘Inside My Head’. Out now via Scantraxx Recordz, ‘Enter Your Mind’ is available to listen to across all streaming platforms.
Already a hit via highly impressive YouTube and Spotify streams, the 16-track album serves as quintessential hardstyle listening. Kicking things off, ‘Believe’ starts on a high note, featuring a soaring vocal paired alongside stabbing synths. A buildup quickly ensues, and is followed by a hefty slew of relentlessly uncompromising bass. In all, the tune is anthemic and larger-than-life throughout its entirety.
‘Diamond Hearts’ takes the reins next and boasts a heartfelt, emotionally-charged opening that is characterized by textured singing, and an eventual drop unlike anything heard before it. Rife with a propelling ambiance from start-to-finish, the unyielding track is a prime follow-up to ‘Believe’, setting the energetic tone for the rest of the album with ease.
The main track ‘Enter Your Mind’ ups the ante tenfold, and is replete with high octane sensibilities and powerfully profound production elements that incite nothing but sheer awe in the listener. The vocal execution is flawless, and overall does a terrific job of amping up the listening audience with each passing second, and a plethora of bass follows each time.
‘Gates of Paradise’ continues this barrage of bass, a perfect transition from the lively titular track. The melodious singing acts as a prime juxtaposition to the enticingly ruthless hardstyle sounds, a perfect blend of both intense and calm. This track showcases the versatile duo’s ability to traverse the seemingly rigid boundaries of hardstyle, infusing it with both beautiful sounds and the signature thumping flair their body of work typically possesses.
‘Harder Generation’ is a sonic gem, and highlights D-Block & S-te-Fan’s ability to significantly turn up the energy with their unique signature brand of hardstyle. Propulsively driving, the track is full of sharp, serrated soundscapes and masterful synth manipulation, a great addition to the ‘Enter Your Mind’ album.
‘Fearless’ harkens back to the emotional, heartfelt vibe of ‘Gates of Paradise’, instilling an allure courtesy of the harmonious vocal present near its beginning half. The bass drop takes over the sonic space eventually, thrusting one into a full-on hardstyle rollercoaster of sound that will leave a want for even more.
‘Losing Control’, the penultimate track’, is a hard-hitting offering that leaves the touching emotion of its predecessor the wayside. Instead, it opts for ceaseless hardstyle elements such as warbly bass buildups and nonstop energy, an amazing testament to D-Block & S-te-Fan’s solid artistry.
‘The Future’ caps things off, and features an atmospherically heady introduction, with progressive style production building up to the duo’s signature hardstyle drops. A cinematic single, it narrates a story of cosmic proportions by inviting the listener to the future, one in which hardstyle reigns supreme.
In addition to these, those who purchase physical copies will be able to enjoy an exclusive bonus track — a reggae version of the titular track ‘Enter Your Mind’. Pre-orders will also feature autographs from the two, as they’ve signed each copy for avid fans and eager listeners.
Remixes are aplenty on the album as well, with it boasting reworks from some of the biggest names in the industry. KELTEK transforms the duo’s 2017 hit ‘Angels & Demons’, while Wildstylez does the same for ‘Fired Up’, released in the same year. PhutureNoize takes on remix duties for ‘PromisedLand’, and DJ Isaac re-imagines their 2013 single ‘Takin’ Off’. JDX remixes their 2018 track ‘Ghost Stories’, and Warface does the same with their masterpiece ‘We Don’t Stop (Lights Out)’ from the same year. Lastly, Sefa reworks the pair’s original 2008 opus ‘Kingdom’. A never-before-released Headhunterz remix of their 2018 ‘Twilight Zone’ tune is also featured on the album, and features a completely re-imagined version courtesy of the prolific Haarlem-based talent.
