| Artist | Sasha |
|---|---|
| Cover | Xpander.jpg |
| Released | 5 July 1999 |
| Genre | Progressive trance · progressive house · breaks · ambient |
| Length | 49:16 |
| Label | Deconstruction Records |
| Producer | Sasha · Charlie May · Andy Page · Gaëtan Schurrer |
| Prev year | 1998 |
| Next year | 1999 |
Xpander is an extended play (EP) by Welsh DJ Sasha. It was released on 5 July 1999 through Deconstruction Records, and features co-production from Charlie May, Andy Page and Gaëtan Schurrer.[1] The EP charted on release, peaking at number 18 on the UK Albums Chart. In 1999, the EP won an award at the International Dance Music Awards for "Best Techno/Trance 12"".[2]
Background
The title track, "Xpander", was featured on compilations such as Global Underground: Ibiza, Pete Tong's Essential Selection, Hooj Choons' Nu Progressive Era, and many other DJ mix compilations. It is considered a seminal release within the trance music community.[3] It was voted the 9th best dance track of all time, by readers of Mixmag.[4] In 2021, the song was ranked #233 in A State of Trance's Top 1000.[5]
The song "Belfunk" was originally created as a remix of Orbital's song "Belfast", but Orbital "hated it" due to it having little-to-no resemblance to the original.[6] A remix of "Belfast" by Sasha and The Light (as opposed to "Belfunk" by Sasha and Charlie May) was released by Orbital that same year.[7]
The title track and the EP were named after the Oberheim Xpander synthesizer, prominently used in the song. The title track was featured in the 1999 racing video game Wipeout 3, the music of which was chosen by Sasha himself.[8] In 2017, an orchestral version of the recording was released as a single, titled "Xpander: Refracted" and saw several live performances.[9]
Accolades
| Award | Year | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Dance Music Awards | 1999 | Best Techno/Trance 12"[2] |
Charts
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (Official Charts Company)[10] | 18 |
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[11] | 30 |
References
- ^ "Sasha – Xpander EP". discogs.com. Archived 16 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
- ^ "WMC 1999 IDMA Winners". Winter Music Conference. Archived 3 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
- ^ "Sasha - Xpander EP". Discogs. Archived 2021-12-22 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
- ^ "What is the greatest dance track of all time?". Mixmag. Archived 2021-05-14 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
- ^ "Armin Van Buuren's All-Time A State of Trance Top 1000 List!". A State of Trance. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ "Burn Studios - Sasha On Remixing". Burn Studios. Archived 2021-12-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- ^ "Orbital – Belfast / Nothing Left". Discogs. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "Xpander EP". DJSasha.com. Archived 19 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
- ^ "Watch Sasha perform his orchestral version of 'Xpander' live". Mixmag. Archived 5 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "Sasha - Chart History". Official Charts Company. Archived 5 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know (Search Sasha)". www.irishcharts.ie. Archived 2009-06-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-12-22.