Back in stock: Trance

Review: The latest EP from the Lonely Planets label co-founder Caim plunges you into an innovative soundworld of ancient myth and futuristic techno brilliance. The title cut 'Medusa Hunter' weaves hypnotic rhythms with smouldering, Goa-inspired melodies that are driven by venomous basslines that evoke suspense and intrigue. 'Hypno Gravity' is a weightless cut with balmy neon pads and silky beats that lure you into a trance where time fades and consciousness drifts. 'Adonis From Space' is another supple and stylish sound with ambient pads adding scale to skeletal rhythms. 'Desert Planet06' shuts down with a masterful blend of dubby undercurrents and aquatic sounds.

Review: The Holding Hands label is back to pressing up vinyl after a pause during the COVID years and this EP is perfect to be spun nice and loud. Earth Trax deals in big dance sounds and opens this one with 'Amnesia' (dub mix) which has a thudding kick and big bright chords. 'Stars' then brings more euphoria with lush pads and grinding basslines and 'Someday Soon' locks you into a zoned-out vibe with its rich arps and retro stabs. Last but not least is 'Dislocation Blues' which rides on dubby broken beats with swirling cosmic pads.

Review: Shockingly, 30 years have passed since Energy 52's 'Cafe Del Mar', DJ Kid Paul and Cosmic Baby's now iconic early trance anthem, first started tearing up dancefloors worldwide. To mark the occasion, Superstition has decided to serve up this lovely, boxed 'anniversary edition'. You naturally get the best-loved versions of the 90s - Kid Paul's original mix, the throbbing 'Three 'N' One Remix' and Nalin & Kane's arguably definitive late 1990s version - in remastered form, alongside a slew of revisions made and released at various points since. These include a cheery, piano-powered Deadmau5 rework, a darker and more tech-tinged Tale of Us take, a hands-aloft Paul Van Dyk interpretation, and Orbital's recent rework, which has been heard many times at festivals this year.

Review: Laars taps into the rich nostalgia of the mid-90s with a release that will resonate with anyone who longs for the early days of trance and progressive house. Side-1 kicks off with 'Breath Control,' a track that could easily have been spun by Sasha in his heyday. It starts with progressive house rhythms and a subtle breakbeat before edging towards trance, creating a hypnotic atmosphere. 'What If You Fly?' follows, channeling the early 90s progressive house vibe, reminiscent of the sound championed by labels like Guerilla Records. It's a mid-tempo journey that captures the essence of that era. On Side-2, 'Concur' ups the tempo slightly, with a sound that harks back to 1994-1995 when trance began to blend Goa and analog psy elements. This track brings memories rushing back. Finally, 'Delight' closes things out with a more chilled, spacey vibe, perfect for winding down. A true homage to the golden age of progressive house and trance.

Review: Happy birthday to Rank 1's Symsonic which is now 20 years old. To mark the occasion it gets this comprehensive reissue job on two slabs of nice heavyweight blue vinyl. The 2002 original is a hallmark of classic trance despite being the outfit's only-ever album. Singles such as 'Airwave', 'The Citrus Juicer', 'Awakening' and 'Such Is Life' were all standouts and made Rank 1 aka Piet Bervoets and Benno De Goeij one of Europe's most respected dance acts almost from the moment of their first single in 1999. Extra tunes are included on this special expanded edition of the original.

Review: Future Romance's Collector II release is a futuristic trek into through the realms of melodic trance and techno, featuring four melodic tracks by different distinct artists. Solee's 'Euphoria' takes trance into the future with a smoother, more reserved approach, toning down the over-the-top elements for a refined experience. Paul Angelo & Don Argento's 'Harpe' delves into a deeper style of trance, characterised by snappy percussion and growling basslines, with influences from goa trance. On the flip side, Drumcomplex & Frank Sonic's 'Ultra Hex' offers celestial-sounding techno that builds euphorically. Closing the EP, Off Night's 'Definition' presents the most peak-time trance track, with epic and big-sounding elements. If you are looking for the future of the trance and neo-trance, check this out this EP from the birthplace of the genre.

Review: Lithuanian hardcore techno producer Somniac One returns to her very own Somniverse imprint for a rabid new EP release, 'To All My Soggy Creatures Of The Night'. Chronicling four eldritch horrors on a goopy green vinyl record, this 12" opens on a sense of berserk immediacy with 'Poly Nightmare', its crunching hardstyle kick-tears seizing upon a restless crossrhythm that only then settles back a four-beat bed after giving us a certain fright. The EP continues as rhythmically expected from there on out, although 'Damp Dreams' is similarly prodigal and pliocene, its huge overhead string synths set against hard acid, and implied to sound as though they were the harmonic calls of a leviathan rearing its huge head above water.

Review: ZYX Records' latest double mix CD brings together German legends Talla 2XLC and Westbam, two DJs whose influence on the techno and trance scenes over the past four decades is undeniable. This collection takes listeners on a journey through the vintage sounds that helped shape Germany's electronic music culture. Talla 2XLC and Westbam each curate one disc, infusing it with their unique style and expertise. The result is a blend of nostalgic, high-energy techno and trance tracks that evoke the iconic rave scenes of past eras while showcasing timeless beats and rhythms. This release is a celebration of Germany's rich electronic heritage with the rave culture.