[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW3KNaao8To&w=680&h=376]

This weeks classic track comes from Signum, a duo that has been around for quite some time. They have released some serious gems over the years so it was pretty hard to choose which track to feature but I finally landed om Signum featuring Anita Kelsey – Come Around Again (Extended Vocal Mix) from 2004. (Buy on Itunes)

Lyrics:

Never planned it this way
Never thought I’d see the end of this
fantastic dream.

The feeling’s just the same
when love is ending,
there is nothing like this pain
and it’s come around again.

Goosebump points:
0:55 after the music faded up
1.23 when the main melody kicks in
2:19 when everything starts to fade out
2:47 when the main vocals kick in
3:42 when the chorus starts
4:08 ”and its come around again” and the major breakdown with the guitar
5:06 when the whole track starts up again

Dutch duo Ronald Hagen & Pascal Minnaard started their career as Signum back in 1997 with the EP Adaptor, released on Jinx Records-label (formed in 1993 by Randy Katana and a sub-label to BPM Dance.)

Their big success came with the second single, What Ya Got 4 Me. The club-anthem was first released in 1998 but became an even bigger hit with the UK re-release in 2001.
1998 also saw the classic Signum-remixes of ATB – 9PM (Till I Come) & Alice Deejay – Better Off Alone.

1999 saw two new tracks, both collaborations with Scott Mac. The first, Just Do It was pretty good but the second, Coming On Strong became another huge club hit especially after being featured on the legendary club-movie Kevin & Perry Go Large-soundtrack. Check out that movie and don’t forget to listen to the soundtrack, some really cool gems on it. The same year, Signum remixed the classics like Blank & Jones – After Love & Scooter – Faster, Harder, Scooter.

The EP Solar Level was released in 2000, the same year as the signum-remixes of Crispy – In & Out and The Space Brothers – Shine.

The EP Five Yards / Afterglow and the single First Strike came out in 2001, the latter was a huge club success. I especially recommend the Mark Norman remix released in 2003.

2001 was also the year that Signums dj-career started. Their first ever gig was at the legendary Gatecrasher-club in Sheffield and after this, they have played quite alot of dj-gigs worldwide.

The single Cura me, released in 2002 contains a vocal sample from the celtic singer Ailein Duinn. The angelic vocals fits perfectly with the track and give it another dimension. The same year also saw the collaboration with Randy Katana under the name Signum feat Katana – Third Dimension.

In 2003, Signum signed a contract with Armin Van Buuren´s label, Armada Music and their first release was the EP Push Though / Sunny Changes. Push Through became another floor filler.

The year later, Signim teamed up with vocalist Anita Kelsey for the track Come Around Again. Signum themselves has called it ”the track they’ve always wanted to make”. The stunning vocals made it another big smash hit. The same year also saw the release of The Timelord, another epic trancetrack.

The EP Back @ Ya / In Your Face came out in 2005 and the EP What Ya Got 4 Me 2006 / Supersonic came out the year later. The latter feels more like a mini-album as it contains What Ya Got For Me 2006, Supersonic, Second Wave (Signum Signal 2004 Remake), Come Around Again (DJ Danjo & Rob Styles Remix) and Second Wave (Original Mix)

In 2007, Signum released Harmonic / Cloud City and Syndicate / Hit That Note.

In 2008, Pascal Minnaard decided to move to Norway with his fiance. Both Hagen and Minnaard still work together with the help of internet to make new tracks and put togheter sets for their DJ-performances. The same year they also started their monthly radioshow Xposed on Afterhours.FM. They also had the time to release Distant Signature and Royal Flash / Any Given Moment.

The 2009 releases Addicted and Riddles In The Sand (As Ron Hagen & Pascal M) made a huge impact on the clubbers, especially Riddles In The Sand which captures that warmish summery feeling with the stunning guitar-riff and the slower progressive tempo. The Omnia Remix of Riddles In The Sand was IMHO 2009’s best track.

The track made such a huge impact on the whole trance-scene, especially after being featured on Armin Van Buurens compilation A State of Trance 2009 which got them to later perform at A State of Trance 400. This sudden rise to fame again resulted in the collaboration between Roger Shah & Signum called Healesville Sanctuary, another soon-to-be classic.

2010 saw the release of their first album, For You, and the second collaboration with Roger Shah, called Ancient World. It also saw the release of another vocal track, featuring Kate Louise Smith, called Liberate.

They were followed in 2011 with Shamisan and the stunning vocal track Never Be The Same featuring Julie Thompson. I especially love the Myon & Shane Monster Remix of Never Be The Same. It gives me the chills just thinking about it.

The future looks really bright for Signum. They still sound really fresh, even if they’ve been around for 15 years. Hope to see them on tour near me soon, and hope to hear some of their major classics, for they really do have them!

Related tracks:

Signum feat. Julie Thompson – Never Be The Same (Myon & Shane 54 Monster Mix)
Roger Shah & Signum – Healesville Sanctuary (Roger Shah Mix)
Ron Hagen and Pascal M -Riddles In The Sand (Omnia Remix)
Signum – Supersonic
Signum feat. Katana – Third Dimension
Signum – First Strike (Mark Norman Remix)
Signum – Coming On Strong
Signum – What Ya Got 4 Me
Scooter – Faster harder Scooter (Signum Remix)
Alice Deejay – Better Off Alone (Signum Remix)
ATB – 9 pm (Till I Come) (Signum Remix)
Blank & Jones – After Love (Signum Remix)