Iridium DJ Presents a Tribute to Sensation Black - November 2025

Martin van Zeelandt / TCD
2 minutes ago
4 min read

Oh, the good old days. I remember it extremely well. Most of it, at least. Mostly up until the moment I got wasted, and forgot everything that happened after. But when it comes to Sensation, I remember it all. Sensation 2002 White Edition was superb. I did go to that event, as the people I went with, weren't into the harder styles. I was (and still am), a bit bummed, as I really wanted to go to it. And the mystery surrounding Sensation Black got me even more hyped up after buying the CD. Boy, was Sensation Black not great, and wasn't the music freaking good?

What became this well known and loved event, quickly grew in size. From the first edition in 2002, it held its name and legacy up until 2007, when it was announced it would undergo a small change, and would be called ''Black'' from that year onward. I don't really know why, or what the purpose was, but to me, the name change wasn't needed. I still consider Black to be part of the Sensation experience. It was only a thing until they pulled the plug in 2012. Sensation itself continued for a few more years, but Black was no more.

I did love those CDs, and bought them up until the 2007 edition. After, it wasn't for me anymore. And the white editions, well, they changed too, and it became less of a thing for me. Which is seriously a shame, as I had a blast during those early Millennium years. As great as White was, the Black CDs were just astonishingly good, and had some memorable anthems on them. And you've guessed it: the mix you are about to listen to, contains some of the finest songs from those CDs. Mixed together by Iridium DJ!

Sensation Black Intro
Fierce Ruling Diva - Rubb It In (Raoul Luciano Remix)
Benjamin Bates - Locked Up! (Tin Men Sensational Rework)
X-press 2 - Smoke Machine
Cirez D - Control Freak
Mauro Picotto & Riccardo Ferri - New Time New Place
System F - Dance Valley Theme 2001
Marco V - More Than A Life Away (Original Mix)
Sander van Doorn - A.K.A. (Sander van Doorn Remix)
Remy & Roland Klinkenberg - Till Ya Drop
Mauro Picotto & Riccardo Ferri - Alchemist
Marco V - Atlanta 02022002
Don Diablo - Anarchy (Don Diablo vs Meredith Mix)
Marcel Woods - Static State (Original Mix)
Armani & Ghost - Funk That
Lambda - Hold On Tight (Kaylab & Reeloop Remix)
DJ Frost - Poison (Grey & Frost Club Mix)
E-Craig - The Beat Goes On (Sam Sharp Remix)
Sa.Vee.Oh - Loop Hole (Original Mix)
DJ Luna - Mindspace
Tommy Pulse - Land Of The Lost
Norman DJ - Go Back (DJ Session One 303 Remix)
Essential-DJ-Team - Bad Boyz (Club Mix)
Walt - Bring The Pain
DJ Jorn - This Is Your Brain (Original Mix)
Ultra Tech - Bel-E-Ve
The Beholder & Max Enforcer - Pulse Protraction (Bitcrusher Mix)
U-Turn - Dead End (Original Mix)
Sensation - The Anthem 2002 (Dana Remix)

What a tracklist. This takes me back 2 decades! The kids nowadays don't know what good music is, and how good the music was for us. This is just great, wholesome music. And music that could keep us away from our mobile phones, and raving throughout the night. Granted, drinks were a bit more affordable and so was the entry price, but still. Good and fun times.

Got to catch the bull by the horns, and have to say the following: Iridium DJ, this is a Sensation Black focussed mix, right? What's happening with track number 7? Dance Valley theme? Lol. Not the same event! And to me, one of the worst anthems ever made. So bland, and the breakbeat segment in the middle just doesn't do it for me. Not a Sensation track, and not a great song overall.

But everything else is. I've danced the night away with all these tunes, and have got fond memories with all of them. Those Black CDs ruled my Millennium years, and I have devoured them like never before. I've had multiple copies of them, as I ruined them by playing them over and over, and scratches took over.

Tricky now, to determine my favourite record. ''Smoke Machine'' is such a great record, ''Control Freak'' has certainly got that darkness element I miss, ''Bring The Pain'' doesn't bring me any, ''The Anthem 2002'' one of Dana's best remixes, but ''Hold On Tight'', that has to be the best one in this mix. And an underrated song, to say the least.

Sensation Black, like many other events organised by ID&T back in the day, holds a lot of memories, and I'm gutted those events disappeared. Time moves forward at such a tremendous pace, I cannot keep up anymore. Why is time moving forward? Couldn't we just go back to 2002-2007 and be dancing until the night fades into the early hours of the next day, and we all stumble back to our homes, with that beeping sound in our ears, and headaches for days? Boy, I miss the good old days.