Music In Search of Sunrise 3: Panama
Books and Publications Average Rating:

Rating: - His best I've heard.
I've only heard Tiesto's Sunrise 3, 4, and 5 albums (plus a few tracks from various other albums), and this is by far my favorite. I think there's a perfect harmony between the songs in this CD. The slower tracks, like number 2, still sound really good even though I prefer faster tracks, like number 9. I'm going to keep listening to Tiesto and I have to keep purchasing his albums, cuz evidently, I have many more to go.

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Rating: - well crafted
DJ Tiesto's Panama is well done, even almost after five years later. I am not a fan of pure progressive or progressive-led trance, thus I tend to be bias towards the more "melody" or "uplifing" trance...in my opinion there is a greater chance to tell a story in the instrumental if done judiciously. I feel that DJ Tiesto does this very well on the first two tracks. The early vocals are a little weak. The third track falls a little flat but the fourth recovers momentum and rhythm. The next three tracks flow very well together...good work by Tiesto.

Some weakness is the middle of the work. The song selection is flat, I felt the album was taking a direction (expecting it to go right but hung left instead). Nonetheless, the songs do "fit" into the "mix." But I was disappointed with the Oakenfold selection. A good artist to be sure, but I feel this track of Oakenfold is often overplayed, almost as if obligatory. My criticism here is song selection. The final part of the album transitions into a nice crescendo. I feel the "Way Out West" track was greatly misplaced in the context with the rest of the final tracks--definitely breaks into the work.

By large, the album is well crafted. I would not say the BEST - 5 STARS because there are obvious areas I think that could be improved upon. Not a flawless album, but it is surely an enjoyable one to have.

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Rating: - Average
I would rate this album higher if it had been produced by another DJ, but I consider it to be weak compared to the rest of the ISOS series (as of November 2006). Whereas 4 and 5 have shown Tiësto's ability to produce progressive trance albums and 1 and 2 were flawless melodic compilations, this album falls short in both areas.
In Search of Sunrise: Panama is weak for several reasons. First off, it is a single CD, hence shorter than the most recent ISOS compilations. Second, the album starts out very slow and stays there up until the very end which is not the case with the other ISOS, which had and have shown Tiësto's full spectrum.

In all honesty if I would only purchase this album if I was collecting the full series (which I have done already) else I would skip and go for the other four.

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Rating: - The Razor's Edge Of Trance
First, I would like to say that the album design of In Search Of Sunrise 3 - Panama is unimpressive. The purple text of the title is hard to read over the background, and the photos are not alluring... until you pull off the album sleeve and see the beautiful album cover shot!

This mix is justice.

While In Search Of Sunrise 2 was a great addition to the In Search Of Sunrise series, ultimately, it couldn't compare with the original.

Panama can.

Tiësto has defined trance once again. He is the man.

Noa Assembly may be the most epic opening of all the ISOS series. It lets you know Tiësto is not playing any games on this volume. Through the first half of this mix, emotions run deeper than on any ISOS album. Even the first volume cannot compare with the emotional efficacy of the first half of this album. From the first track, you're off to another world. Tiësto takes his time building with this mix, and that's what makes it so effective. It's unbelievable. It's perfection. He spends the first three tracks on a slow and steady climb. The tracks are absolutely consistent. The Grand Chillas Mix of Hear You Now by DJ Hooligan lays the smack down. I love Tiësto for introducing me to songs like this. This song evokes feelings I can't describe. I recall feelings of unrequited love while listening to it. I don't even know what to say. And the mix into Starecase's Faith (Loafer Mix)... MAN!!!!! I shook my head in disbelief the first time I heard it.

The song picks up and... it's ineffable. Nobody can do what Tiësto does... "Waiting for the sun... I need to know if you are there to... carry me home." Hands down to Loafer and Starecase for this song. The bass line, the ambience, the vocals, the phasing, the effects: it's all too good to be true. The mixing style is so amazing that I cannot even elaborate. You simply must hear it. It's perfect. Tiësto's song selection is what makes him such an amazing DJ. I've listened to most of his mixes and I'm not sure if he'll ever top what he does on the first half of this album. This isn't high energy trance... it's SPIRITUAL trance. The mix into Summer's Calling continues Tiësto's demonstration of a DJ at the top of his form. It all sounds as if it was meant to be. And with headphones on, it's bliss. I can usually organize my thoughts well in reviews but this album sets me off. It's so hard to describe how brilliant this mix is. And I'm saying this at track 4.

When Solar Stone's Solar Coaster comes in, it's obvious that the game is over. This is an absolute classic!!! I bow to Solar Stone. They are known for amazing songs, but this song brings me to tears. The synthesized guitar riff kills me. And "you're so cool..." my eyes swell up just thinking about it. I don't care what anybody says. For any of those who can relate to trance, for those who have lost something they can't get back, for those who were fans of Tiësto prior to hearing this mix, when this song comes on, if goosebumps and tears don't hit you, you missed something. This is the beauty and glory of trance! This song completely sweeps me away. Songs like these make life worth living. That's the bottom line.

We're only through a third of the mix.

The Steve Gibbs Mix of Meia Lua is the signal that a new phase of the mix is beginning. The energy level is rising. The trance effects here are excellent. The synth sounds from the previous songs, some trippy vocals, and some other melodies that I don't have the capacity to describe make this awesome song take the mix forward with grace. And then the Gabriel & Dresden Mix of In My Memory creeps in. Anyone truly familiar with Tiësto knows that In My Memory is one of the best original compositions he will ever make. Gabriel & Dresden respect Tiësto's classic by producing an astounding remix. It's so frustrating to describe great songs like these. The lyrics, the effects of the remix, the tribal sound, and the build... it's nuts. During the break, an unbelievably intoxicating melody surfaces that takes you right into the breakdown. It's euphoric. THIS IS TRANCE!!! SERIOUSLY!!! BUY THIS FREAKING CD!!! AHHHHH!!!!! It's madness!!! Seven Tracks have gone by and I don't have one complaint.

But, if there is one song that comes close to making me complain, it has to be the next track: Your Body Is A Temple. Mix wise, the song is necessary. I've noticed that Tiësto uses at least one track on every mix that is relatively out of place in comparison to the rest of the mix. This is that track. But in all honesty, the track is awesome. There are stereo pans and field rotate effects that make the song a delight, especially with headphones on. It takes the energy of the mix even higher with trance elements that are harder and darker than those of any of the previous songs. And it mixes perfectly into World Clique's Don't Do It. Don't Do It makes you want to do it! This song has serious house elements. The robotic sound effects rule. The break with the tribal pipe sounds trips me out. The song's break is ambient joy, and the build is all business. The vocal that repeats over the breakdown is hypnotic. There are actually two builds, and the second one is more serious than the first. After the second build Tiësto sweeps you right into the Shelly Mix of Stringz Ultd. The melodies here are ridiculously consistent with the mix. It all makes sense. This mix is so consistent! The build on this song is deafening. The breakdown is fantastic. Energy wise, it is one of the highest points of the mix. And as a result, Tiësto takes the next logical step: slow it down.

Southern Sun is one of the greatest trance songs ever made. Without being over the top and without being filled with sirens and excessively dense builds, this song sends you into a state of bliss. "I still feel you beneath my skin... I am tempted to throw my senses in... `cause its easier to fly than to face another night in southern sun." The melodies, the chorus of voices in the background, the bass line... all of it make this song is among the greatest. "Pieces of the wind..." THIS IS EPIC TRANCE! Tiësto lifts Paul Oakenfold's song into the heavens with his remix. This is one of the best driving songs around. This song is a classic. At this point, Tiësto is challenging the original In Search Of Sunrise's seat at the throne.

But it's hard to outdo a song like Southern Sun. Tiësto takes the mix into deep trance with Accessive Rhythm's Activate. This isn't a strong point in the mix... but it's a track that necessarily separates one great track from another. The Gabriel & Dresden remix of Way Out West's Mindcircus is a definite highlight. Of The album's second half, this is the strongest reminder that you are listening to an In Search Of Sunrise mix. It expresses how great Gabriel & Dresden are. I mean, Tiësto features them twice on one mix. They are some of the best remix producers around. The driving beat here is mind numbing. The effects on the vocals are euphoric. This is the perfect cross between trance and house. "Almost ready to drift now... and I feel myself slipping inside you." Tiësto knows what the crowd wants. Love and Lust are what define the In Search Of Sunrise series. I have the utmost respect for Gabriel & Dresden for this song. I cannot imagine the damage a song like this would do to a dance floor. I can only hope that one day I will find out.

Nalin & Kane... anybody remember beachball? That is an all-time trance classic, so I expect great things from them. Open Your Eyes is no slouch. At this point I am reminded again that Tiësto knows better than anyone how to use individual songs to suit his purpose for a mix. Tracks 10 through 15 follow a sort of up and down pattern with each track, and I sense that was his idea. Anyway, the keyboard melodies on this song are good. They are too repetitive to make the song great, but the hyper trance melodies that accompany them at 3 minutes into the song (and earlier in the song, only briefly) make the song suit the mix well. It doesn't really matter, because this song exists only to prepare the listener for the last hurrah: Jericho's Personal Reflexion.

Just like In Search Of Sunrise 2, Tiësto's last desire is to send you away in a trance, and the final track fulfills this goal remarkably well. It takes you higher and higher, to a point so high with such screaming symphonic melodies that you want to jump out of your body and soar into space. The final track is extremely dramatic. It ends the mix with magnificent power. Tiësto sends you away baffled.

This is essential trance. You must buy this album. It's much better than the second In Search Of Sunrise. Unfortunately, I have to admit that ultimately, it does not surpass the original In Search Of Sunrise.

But at times, it makes you wonder...