Back catalogue: Trance

Review: The brand new Hyperdrive label kicks off with a mix of the old and the new - some tracks made recently, some that date back to the 90s, all of them top quality. Liquid Earth opens up with the spaced-out synths and electronic house sounds of '1_HP_D' then Art Of The State gets a little more tranced out and cosmic on '2_HP_D'. Dan Piu's '3_HP_D' is a tech house exploration with wispy sci-fi leads and a playful rhythm then Luis Malon & Seb G combine for the turbo-charged tech of '4_HP_D.' The legendary Freddy Fresh closes down with a high-speed sound on '5_HP_D.' Says the label, "Hyperdrive is dedicated to preserving the rich history of electronic music," and on this evidence, it will do so expertly.

Review: Spanish label Blanco Y Negro has got some irresistibly uplifting trance on its hands here from Italian Levy 9 in collaboration with Patty Dart. We can't quite work out whether this is a new tune from a mid-90s outfit or a reissue of their work from back then, but either way it is going to get your hands in the air and tears in your eyes such is the emotional overload of the synths in both tunes. The tunes come as remixes by Street 9 remix, a D-Floorfiller mix and an extended mix with big chords and catchy Euro-dance vocals.

Review: Slip on your Speedos and prepare for a dip in the warm waters of Swimtrax, which debuts here with an EP from Mark Lando that immediately suggests this label is going to be one to watch. First up are the gorging acid lines and rubbery bass rumbles of 'Formation', a mutant techno sound heavy on the low end. 'Scope' picks up the pace with speedy but no less slick kicks and icy hi hats while a mysterious and gloopy synth lingers in the foreground. The flipside offers the psychedelic lines of minimalist masterpiece 'The Salk Zone' and comic tech of 'In This Light.'

Review: The La Bush Team, as its name implies, is inexorably tied to the legendary club La Bush Temple Of House, Belgium, and consists of its three core members: Marino Stephano (CM, Dream Universe), Mauro Crisci (Hand's Burn, Good Shot) and Frederic Dourlens. This quadruple vinyl release, originally launched in 1999 alongside a CD version (equally rare to find), has indelibly etched its place in the history of Belgian Trance. Its collection of hits and a distinctive, instantly-recognizable sound has left just as enduring an impact. The records were an instant sell-out upon release, and in 25 years, they've never been re-released, remaining objects of speculation. Now, then, it's time to bring this series back into the spotlight. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Serious Beats present is with a collection of the best tracks from the four vinyls of that era, along with exclusive bonus tracks from the CD which have never before heard a release on vinyl. You'll rediscover the famous 'Flanger', 'Renaissance', 'Backspace', 'First Day', and many others.

Review: The second of a two-part series of reissued trance classics celebrating the contributions of Belgian specialist-trance nightclub La Bush to the international scene. The La Bush Team Sampler hears the trialectic of producers at the heart of La Bush deliver a full-blown vinyl reissue of the hot selection of tracks they first issued on vinyl in 1998, to rip-roaring commercial success. Occupying this newly reissued PVC disc come additional pepperings from the contemporaneous CD edition also released at the time, which have never before heard a vinyl release. Rediscover such ex-stases as 'Renaissance' and 'Magic Hall', which nail trance's emotional synthetic formula and keep them going for the next-gens.