Back catalogue: Uplifting Trance

Review: Hyperdrive's label debut was a biggie that brought together old and new-school techno on one fizzing EP. The follow-up comes soon after and this time makes no bones about being a Rave Revival. Anthrophia's 'The Voice' kicks off with what is a hefty breakbeat cut with edgy rave stabs and slamming bass. Dimension 23 - 'Fascination' (Seb G mix) then takes a more stripped-back approach with turbocharged synths layered up over silky drums. Centuras brings plenty of bright, euphoric prog energy to the urgent drum funk of 'Jizz' and last of all Dimension 23's 'The Eagle' then kicks out more dusty old-school breaks with machine gun synth fire. A potent EP, make no mistake.

Review: Released just days after their Reflections tour, I Jordan and Sherelle link with club institution Fabric and their new label Fabric Originals. Both artists currently working on inspiring stratospheric levels, their energy is captured here across the two unique tracks. I Jordan rinse us up and down the highways and byways of the UK with their high impact 'M1 / M3' while Sherelle goes full-on techno with 'Getoutofmymind'. Intoxicating stuff!

Review: Promising/Youngster and Sound Synthesis take charge of one side each of this new outing from Maltease label Wave Modulation Series. Lush, high-grade electro is the order of the day and 'Eleoky' soon sweeps you off your feet and up amongst astral motifs where the zippy synths provide the movement. 'Theryneas' has an organic piano line to offset the synthetic synths and corrugated rhythms, then 'Wunterbow' cuts loose with spiralling synth arcs and kaleidoscopic colours. On the flip, Sound Synthesis goes more direct with zippy electro rhythms on 'Nature Of The Dreamer' and serene acid on 'Tifkira', before a closer full of lament sends you off wanting more.

Review: Long regarded as one of Italy's most forward-thinking techno producers, Enrico Sangiuliano has spent the past decade carving out a niche between peak-time precision and philosophical intent. From his roots in the country's free party scene to headlining global festivals, he's become known for sculpting tracks that are as emotive as they are explosive. Here, he links up with psytrance icons GMS, whose trailblazing output since the 90s brings a charged, otherworldly energy to the collaboration. 'Transcendence' unfolds like a spacecraft launch, all rising tension and arpeggiated release, with Sangiuliano's signature cinematic monologue anchoring it in the present. 'The Inner World' strips everything back into a meditative synthscape, hinting at future directions while reinforcing his long-standing fascination with the inner journey.

Review: They say that everything goes in 20-year cycles, from music to fashion to film. The reissue of this trance-dance classic just about chimes with that - it was a huge crossover club and radio hit at the dawn of the new millennium and embodied the Ibiza superclub era with its shiny beats and euphoric melodic overtones. It is one of a few that Sash! turned out back then but remains his most iconic. The more youthful end of the dance spectrum is very much into these sounds at the moment, as well as hard dance and trance, so it is likely to be huge all over again this summer, no matter which of the different times you pick from.

Review: Final Fantasy VII is one of the most influential computer games of all time. It came on the Playstation and also left a great mark on the electronic music scene with its legendary soundtrack. "As a DJ I vividly recall the euphoria it sparked on dancefloors with its complex yet catchy trance melodies" says Themas Schumacher who, inspired by the game, has penned this new 12". It is sure to ignite a frenzy of hands-in-the-air moments with a timeless rework of this classic. It comes infused with his signature techno drums and has already been road tested to great effect around Europe.

Review: Technohead were a married couple of Lee Newman and Michael Wells who also famously recorded under the other names Greater than One (GTO), Tricky Disco, Signs of Chaos and Church of Extacy, They were well known in the late 80s and early 90s for their raw techno and rave tunes that explored every genre in the electronic dance kaleidoscope from Gabber to ambient music, even scoring a UK number one single with the warwormy pop gabba of 'I Want To Be A Hippy'. In 1993, their hardcore hit 'Passion' was a huge success. Now, a little more than 30 years later, German veteran Thomas Schumacher updates the track into another anthem worth checking out. Whichever side you choose, expect this slice of techno history to reign over the dancefloor. An unforgettable tune.

Review: In the early 90s, Danny Griffiths, Darius Keeler and Jiten Acharya formed Shikasta before dropping just one release on the now-defunct Swarm Music label. REZ34thirtyfour digs deep into that rare gem and gives it a fresh Rezpektiva polish. The EP features four tracks in all, three of which are from the original record plus a previously unreleased version recovered from DAT tapes. It's a thoughtful, atmospheric journey crafted for the dreamers and the deep thinkers who crave textured, immersive soundscapes. Trance is back and bigger than ever, but you can rarely beat OG get like this.

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: Given his profile and the fact that much of his music is released via the Diynamic Music imprint he co-founded way back in 2006, it's something of a surprise to see Solomun pop up on Running Back - a testament, perhaps, to his friendship with RB chief Gerd Janson. 'Can't Stop' is undoubtedly a peak-tine classic in the making - a breathless, non-stop sprint in which waves or raw electronic lead lines, TB-303 driven bass and tech-house flourishes ride a jacking house beat. It comes backed with more percussive, beefed-up 'Dub Mix' and bonus cut 'Follow The Disco Ball', a sparkling blend of stomping house, Eurodance style lead lines and pulsating Italo-disco bass.

Review: Originally pressed in 1997 on Manchester's Pleasure Records, this reissue of James Zeiter's 'Spacer IV' EP marks a detour from his dub-techno calling card into richer house-rooted terrain. A pivotal figure with deep ties to trance, ambient and the deeper ends of techno, Zeiter's work here sheds the fog of his more monolithic material, turning instead to emotional clarity and rhythmic warmth. 'Sirocco' is the opener and the standoutia halcyon blend of dubbed-out breaks and airy pads that drift and glimmer above a slow-motion acid line. 'Mono' edges further into house, with its loopy Detroit swing and sunset-kissed bassline nodding gently to Italian dream house. On the flip, 'Jetson' steps back into more familiar, trance-inflected territory: spacious, hypnotic and driven by crisp, propulsive drums. 'Dust' closes the set with writhing acid lines and spaced-out FX, balancing tension and lift with Zeiter's signature restraint. All four cuts, originally sequenced with just an Akai S950, ESQ-1 and a Novation Bass Station, still sound uniquely vitalimelodic but unshowy, club-focused but never rigid. Slush's remaster preserves the nuance while the full-fat 2x12" format gives these deep cuts the dynamic range they deserve. A stunning archival rescue from a true underground operator.

Review: Alex Stein's Delusion EP is a sonic rollercoaster of techno innovation. 'Delusion' thrusts listeners into a mesmerizing fusion of heavy techno and trance, dominating the main floor with its colossal sound. The bone-crushing bassline anchors the track, while its futuristic undertones flirt with psy trance, creating a vortex of heavy beats and hypnotic rhythms. On 'The Leap', Stein delves deeper into the realms of acid techno, crafting an intense journey tailor-made for massive rave mainstages. The track's monumental build-up crescendos to euphoric heights, setting dancefloors ablaze with relentless energy. Stein's mastery in constructing immersive soundscapes is evident, ensuring 'The Leap' will leave an indelible mark on the techno scene with its head-turning beats and futuristic allure, sheer intensity and sonic complexities.

Review: Reissued through Dance On The Beat, Storm's debut self-titled EP from 1998 gets a fresh reissue, doing best justice to the incarnation of the release put out via Positiva Records, which heard the original club mix sit side-by-side with remixes from Man With No Name (real name Martin Freeland) and Rollercoaster (Koen Groeneveld, Addy van der Zwan & Jan Voermans). Storm, in turn, were Markus Loffel & Rolf Ellmer, whom together laid down this debut dirge as a new exploration in trance music. The titular 'Storm' is an authentically tense, cyclonic trance whirl; the track proves that the genre need not just be thought of in gushingly emotive or ecstatic terms, that it can also be unnervin, sublime. Freeland and Rollercoaster's versions harness increasingly more barometer-shattering beats, like Raiden gods in command of supercells.

Review: Ubsism is back with more sonic adventures that explore hybrid and aquatic sounds and blend shifting atmospheres, spiraling variations and adventurous rhythms. Inspired by the ocean's deepest zones, this dawn dance album invites listeners into a world of sonic immersion with its pulsating dub basslines, ethereal pads and high-energy grooves. Hadale creates an otherworldly experience here as he oscillates between tranquility and intensity. The EP's unique approach offers a journey through deep, immersive soundscapes that mean it is perfect for both reflective listening and the dance floor alike. It's a bold and fluid work.

Review: The mighty Drumcode is back with another one of its beefy techno 12"s, this time with Sudo bringing the noise. The whole of the a-side is given over to 'Real World', a taught, twanging techno cut with scintillating snare rolls and pulsating pads driving it forward beneath raw vocals. On the flip, that knack for industrial sound design also reappears with more metal clangs but also some trance-inducing chords which will zone out dancers on 'Construction'. Last but not least is 'Mercury', a bright, upbeat trance-techno cut with euphoric feels washing over the jacked up beats.