Patrick Hwung, a freshman OMIS major, likes his music upbeat and synthesized.

When he isn’t in class or at the Campus Recreation Center, you can probably find him in his Lincoln residence hall room. All you have to do is follow the loud dance music resonating from his room. Just because Hwung prefers mostly techno and trance beats doesn’t mean he doesn’t enjoy a good chill-out song. Sometimes you just need a good melody to close your eyes and relax to.

“All of these songs will send chills down your spine if you ‘get it,’” Hwung said.

1. “Flaming June (BT vs. PVD Original Mix)” – BT

[There’s a] huge uplifting melody and digital sounding accompaniment on the very last breakdown. [It’s] a 1997 trance classic.

2. “Xpander” – Sasha

I love it because of the many complex layers and how well it all goes together. As a progressive house song it builds and builds and then explodes. I never quite understood this song until a few years ago. [It] reminds me of background music from a [Sonic the Hedgehog] game.

3. “L’esperanza (Armin Van Buuren’s Rising Star Mix)” – Airscape

[This is an] uplifting song; love the short little melody that is only two beats long and the melody that is 32 beats long, a great track to sprint to. It’s a track that keeps you addicted from beat to beat.

4. “Dreamland”  – Nu-Nrg

I don’t listen to this much anymore only because I over-listened to it years ago, but this is yet another classic. People who don’t have any experience with dance music love this song when I recommend they listen to it. It’s a euphoric 2001 trance song with high-pitched synthesizers but with a long and attention-grabbing, hands-in-the-air, hard-driving breakdown. [It’s] produced by an Italian duo.

5. “Stealth (Nubreed Mix)” – Way Out West

This is a track song that I’ve been listening to over and over again for years. The first thing that I love about this song is the syncopated break-beat percussion. I could listen to the percussion alone and be entertained. The atmosphere created by the pads is very spacey. The vocal makes you want to close your eyes and just listen (while dancing). An online review calls it “dance floor mayhem.”

6. “A Stronger Man” – Ben Watt featuring Sananda Maitreya

The bass line is cut, all that remains is the vocal and an intermittent melody repeating. “The cool September blows the seeds away, harvest blows again, but I’ll return a stronger man … but I’ll return a stronger man … but I’ll return a stronger man,” then everything hits: a deep melodic bass line, a sensual saxophone and a two-note phrase that repeats itself, reminding me of the fall.

7. “Fingerpaint” – Digital Witchcraft

[It] could only be described as beautiful. [It] begins with a lull of a three-note melody, hypnotizing by itself. The bass line is soothing, the atmosphere vast. The layering is incredible. Pure melodic bliss.

8. “Invading Privately (29 Palms Mix)” – Mach 747

Very smooth vocal track that flows through time. The quick rhythmic bouncy melody in the middle is great. It’s just a great track that doesn’t have any downtime.

9. “I Feel You (Paul Van Dyk Remix)” – Marco V Ft Lesly Hendriks

This was never released and will never be released because Paul Van Dyk keeps it for himself for personal use. This track has the signature PvD bass line. It’s quick and driving. The vocal compliments it perfectly; it keeps the song exciting. The whole song is pulsating and driving in nature. Yet another great song to get lost to.

10. “Foreplay” – Probspot

This tune isn’t critically acclaimed or anything, I just love the melody. The entire song is just one single uplifting summer chill-like melody with additional elements added and then subtracted. I would recommend listening to this while driving with the sunroof and windows down when it’s sunny and the weather is nice out.