Moments

Following in the footsteps of trance pioneers Tiësto and Armin van Buuren, Moldovan DJ/producer Andrew Rayel adds a fresh perspective and wide-ranging musicality to the inspirational genre. His well-sequenced second album masterfully weaves together classical piano playing, angelic and otherwordly synths, and hard-dance textures with a variety of up-and-coming vocalists. The demanding synth jabs of "Forgiven," featuring Jonathan Mendelsohn, harken back to trance's late-'90s glory days, while the cinematic grandeur of album opener "Moments" and closer "Winterburn" could soundtrack a larger-than-life fantasy film.