Before his decision, he worked with a friend of his on a project named Gouryella. They experienced success at the time as their title track entered the top 40 in numerous countries in Europe.
However, both were busy on other projects and Tiësto would produce tracks with other DJs. Many of these songs did not make an impact outside his home country.
But in 2001, he finally got lucky with his first hit single “Suburban Train”.
The song was released to critical acclaim, entering the UK singles charts at #22 and kickstarted his solo career. From there, he went on to produce 14 top 40 hits in the country and would work with many singers such as Mabel, Post Malone, Becky Hill, Rita Ora, and many more.
Now, how does the nine minute track hold today? Yes…nine minutes long. Songs like that entering the charts was normal in the 2000s apparently.
First off, the song starts with some synths. I like that because it feels like it’s luring the listener in. Then, the low bass and beats evolve along as if a train is slowly running. Yep, the song is taking its title track seriously here.
Two minutes go by. This is when the beats really start to kick in. I genuinely like the way songs do this as it gives time for the song to breathe in its own way than getting straight to the best part. The suspense!
And then the breakdown starts. Here the track slows down before building back up at a faster pace. Almost like the train has stopped but then builds back up to speed. This leads to the best part, which never fails to stop me from nodding along.
Even though the song has no vocals, Tiësto has managed to make me feel satisfied because he has produced a melody that is emotional enough to feel like a journey on a train. Again, he is really sticking with the song’s title.
The best part ends and repeats itself again confidently and a little faster. This part is amazing, it’s like when a rollercoaster rides along for the second time and you’re excited to go around again.
And then the song slowly quiets down to an end, as a means to mix another song in during a DJ set.
So, does it hold up in modern times? err…not really.
Today, electronic music is very different. There are more vocals, songs are shorter and most tracks are covers of songs that were released before. But there are still some great dance songs out there.
Some people would might think this song is too fast, loud, or maybe even too long. And that’s okay.
Tiësto’s “Suburban Train” is a perfect dance track that could be played near the end of the party when everyone wants something anthemic.
Personally, I really enjoy the song. From the breakdown to the slowing pace before speeding up again, it sounds like a train’s journey through midnight, which is especially impressive considering the absence of vocals. It’s a hidden gem in Tiësto’s discography and one of the best techno tracks for its time.
Except for it’s cover art for it’s UK release. Come on! At least put a cool picture of a train on there or something.
SCORE: 8/10
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