The latest release, “Intoxicated”, serves as a fascinating experiment from R3SPAWN, Stereohats, and Linnea Schossow. It is a track that challenges expectations, blending heavy, aggressive production with the ethereal, melodic sensibilities that have defined Schossow’s career in the trance scene.
• Progressive Trance with a techno bassline
• Linnea’s vocals soften everything up
• Great drop, but the sections don’t talk to each other enough
I’ll be honest, I still can’t figure out what R3SPAWN and Stereohats are fully capable of together, and that’s part of why this one caught my attention. Linnea Schossow, on the other hand, needs no introduction for trance fans. Her voice has been all over the scene for years, from her work with Giuseppe Ottaviani to her own label, Auditory Recordings. So seeing her name next to a much heavier sound was already a sign that this would be something different.
And it is. “Intoxicated” fuses her sweet vocals with a very heavy bassline, and the contrast is fascinating. At first, I didn’t like the breakdown that much. Then it turns into a trance buildup that caught me off guard, and suddenly the vocal choice makes sense. It’s quite a harsh transition since it sets a completely different mood, but it’s still a fun interaction. The kick and especially the drums build tension in a great way, culminating in a very balanced drop that fuses progressive trance with a techno bassline. That’s where the track really clicks for me.
What I still can’t explain is the intro. It’s very techno, very aggressive, and it sets a mood the rest of the song never really follows. Was it meant as a teaser for the bassline? Maybe. But without a callback later on, it feels a bit disconnected. Honestly, no idea.
Overall, “Intoxicated” is a great festival track, and that drop will work wonders on a big stage. My only issue is that the distinction between segments is too harsh. A smoother bridge between the techno side and the trance side, and this would’ve been a really special one.
