Browsing Tag

trance

Rick Holden Wired Y2K Ibiza Energy into Hardstyle Euphoria with Rave Forever

Posted on 1 September 2025

With his latest single, Rave Forever, Rick Holden turned the voltage all the way up; it’s an intravenous shot of pure rave euphoria that pushes harder than a sweat-soaked crowd under strobing lights. Written over a year and fine-tuned until the very last pulse landed exactly where it should, the track is a defiant answer to the myth that you can have too much of a good thing.

The Y2K Ibiza atmosphere collides with the ferocity of hardstyle kicks, stomping through a mix laced with neon phasers and trance-leaning synths. Each drop feels engineered to snap inhibitions clean off. At its climax, the build-up lands with the precision of a producer who knows his way around rave architecture inside out, ensuring the track floods through the synapses like light through a cracked strobelight.

Holden’s reputation as one of the most meticulous beat architects is bolstered by his instinct for the perfect conduit of vocal delivery. The topline soars over the instrumental with a rawness that steers clear of the plasticised, instead running alongside the rhythm like adrenaline-charged veins. For an artist who wanted to capture the unity and intensity of rave culture, Holden has triumphed by stitching together a work that encapsulates the feral joy of being lost in sound.

Rave Forever is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.


Review by Amelia Vandergast

Peach Giraffe Ignites Ibiza Nostalgia in Psychotropic Anthem ‘Don’t Wait for Life’

Posted on 31 May 2025

Peach Giraffe propels listeners straight into the pulsing heart of alt-indie euphoria with ‘Don’t Wait for Life’, seamlessly fusing Ibiza club nostalgia from the early 00s into an irresistible, psychotropic haze. The track acts as an intravenous shot of lust for life, refracting intense emotion, inviting listeners to sprint towards it, seize it, and refuse to let go.

What begins as an atmospheric intersection swiftly evolves into a psychedelic dreamscape. Ethereal, scintillatingly distorted vocals push the listener into semi-lucid territory, triggering fervent flashes of indietronica avant-garde ecstasy. This sonic experience feels as spontaneous as the way Peach Giraffe approaches music creation. Guided by intuition rather than genre, Peach Giraffe shapes tracks as puzzles, capturing melodies that linger in his consciousness without forcing the process. With over a decade of musical experimentation behind him, authenticity shapes his distinctive sonic signature, evident in this seamless synthesis of alt indie warmth and hypnotic dancefloor energy.

‘Don’t Wait for Life’ is an anthem born from raw emotional immediacy, mirroring Peach Giraffe’s commitment to creative integrity and spontaneity. This synthesis delivers a soundtrack for anyone craving liberation from hesitance, feeding directly into the psyche with an intensity that’s impossible to shake off once experienced.

‘Don’t Wait for Life’ is now available to stream on all major platforms, including YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rick Holden Bound Devotion in a Sonic Halo in the Vocal Trance Anthem ‘You Are the One’

Posted on 4 May 2025

When it comes to sonic embodiments of the resolute nature of unconditional love, they don’t come much more rapturous than Rick Holden’s latest single, You Are the One. The oscillations of pure impassion, the transcendent tones visualising the cathartic sanctity of soul-deep affection, the vocals soaring beyond the confines of material reality and the lyrics with no sense of pretence all contribute to an affecting floor-filling anthem while becoming so much more than the sum of its parts. Sweat deserves to drip over this fervent earworm throughout the summer.

With his latest single, the Manchester-based trance producer Rick Holden channelled nostalgia into a visceral manifestation of early 2000s Clubland euphoria. Built from the bones of old-school trance and polished in modern sheen, the independently released track harnesses the exact kind of emotion most producers would struggle to translate through a DAW. Using Vital synths to sculpt the spectral timbres and sealing the soundscape in Audacity, Holden engineered a clean yet explosive hit, laced with ethereal synthwork and pulsing beats that beg for movement.

The roots of his sound stretch back to the ‘90s, cutting his teeth on Commodore 64 and Amiga software before sharpening his melodic instincts with a Roland XP50 and Cubase. Now, he filters decades of underground dancefloor magic through a refined sonic lens that refuses to dilute the emotion at its core.

You Are the One is now available to stream on all major platforms, including YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast.

Tom Jung decoded festival vibes in his EDM anthem, Everybody Feels the Love

Posted on 18 August 2024

In his latest aural embodiment of transcendence, Everybody Feels the Love, the DJ and producer, Tom Jung harnessed the heat of festival season, allowing the warmth of unity to permeate his peerless EDM production.

The unmatchable feeling of getting your body beat and rushes of serotonin and euphoria surrounded by people sharing in a singular experience reverberates through the trance-y take on progressive house, allowing the release to unravel as a parable of the sanctity of emotion-driven electronica and the paragon of it.

The way Jung manipulates sound with nuance to spark a profound emotional response establishes him as one of the most promising up-and-coming producers in the industry. The anticipation as the ethereally enveloped instrumental layers inch towards climax will leave you entranced until the bass-swathed house beats amplify the euphonic ecstasy resulting in a danceable remedy, capable of exhilarating and moving even the most steadfast listeners.

Don’t be surprised if in a few years keeping your finger on the EDM pulse revolves around revelling within the pulsative utopias orchestrated under Jung’s prodigal volition.

Add Everybody Feels the Love to your Spotify playlists and follow Tom Jung on TikTok to keep up to date with the visionary’s latest releases.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

From Earth to Utopia: Galactica Tranctica Fearlessly Innovated the Trance Anthem with the Cosmic Unconventionality of ‘Cleopatra’

Posted on 11 July 2024

One of the most fearlessly innovative forces in trance, Galactica Tranctica, has made a name for himself with his eclectically styled and unapologetically unconventional singles and EPs. His eagerly anticipated debut LP, Forgotten Forever, which hit all major streaming platforms in June, etched his legacy.

His intuitive exploration of a cosmos of styles, textures, tones, and emotions prises the listener from material reality into interstellar journeys through utopias of ecstasy. The standout single, Cleopatra, is a progressive tour de force which teems with euphoric energy and filters diverse layers of electronica into a cohesive soundscape of bass-swathed beats, transcendent ethereal motifs, and experimental synths, which showcase an artist unafraid to explore new territories to lead his listeners to the brink of nirvana and beyond.

Influenced by Grimes’ ability to obliterate aural boundaries with sound, Jason Poole, the mastermind behind Galactica Tranctica, follows suit with his intrinsically originated, expansive as a solar system, productions which have earned plaudits from BBC Radio Introducing, Amazing Radio, and Wigwam Radio.

Stream Cleopatra and the Forgotten Forever LP on Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Blonde Poulain rocketed through cosmic boundaries in ‘Objectivo la Tierra’

Posted on 26 April 2024

Blonde Poulain’s latest single, “Objectivo la Tierra,” catapults listeners straight into a celestial escapade, melding pop sensibilities with sci-fi synthetics. From the outset, spacey effects set an interstellar backdrop while the pop hooks orbit around hip-hop-adjacent beats.

The rhythmic foundation is robust, complemented by twinkling synths and a nod to 90s trance aesthetics that instil euphoria in the same vein as Faithless. Blonde Poulain embraces full creative freedom in this track, infusing his style, soul, and charisma to craft a universe that promises more than just a musical escape. By giving pop new life through the pulse of electronica, the innovative artist created a sound that’s both futuristic and deeply grounded in rhythmic tradition.

In essence, “Objectivo la Tierra” is an invitation to imagine and inhabit Blonde Poulain’s vibrant and upbeat cosmos—if Earth were to falter, his universe, as painted in this track, would be infinitely more accommodating.

This single marks the first release from his upcoming EP, setting a high bar for what’s to come as it skilfully combines real-world facts with the fantasy of science fiction.

Objectivo la Tierra will reach the airwaves on April 26th; stream the official music video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Yodashe is a spectral siren in her avant-garde electronica track, EASTER

Posted on 3 April 2024

Yodashe, an avant-garde firebrand will leave you eating out of the tones of her spectral vocal presence as she weaves a tapestry of sound that transcends the ordinary in her single EASTER.

She didn’t need any further testaments to her ingenuity at this stage in her rapidly ascending career, but in EASTER, she became an undeniable contender for the accolade of one of the most prodigal names in electronica. While others are content riding on the coattails of Trip-Hop pioneers, Yodashe uses glitchy elements as one facet in her richly layered sonic synthesis.

In EASTER, Yodashe’s production skills shine through the complex blend of massive beats, trance-esque phasers and indietronica trappings, creating a hauntingly panoramic soundscape. Her introspective vocals weave through the music, creating a sense of intimacy that contrasts with the grandeur of the electronic backdrop. This juxtaposition is the heart of the track, a dance between the colossal and the vulnerable.

As the less-than-archetypal rhythmic progressions storm through you, playing havoc with your rhythmic pulses, until you are left wantonly desperate for the next hook to ensnare you into the ebb and flow this production that is as disorientating as it is exhilarating.

For those seeking a track that defies convention and delivers a profound sonic experience, EASTER by the London-based artist, producer, and Redbull Music Academy alumni is an essential listen.

Stream the EASTER EP on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Darth Athena took us into the depths of techno’s shadow with ‘Black Mojo’

Posted on 25 January 2024

Dark Athena’s tempestuous latest release, Black Mojo, plunges into the depths of techno’s shadow. With its monochromatic palette, this piece from the Atlanta-based producer is a bold foray into the heart of darkwave electronica, where precision and chaos dance in a delicate balance.

Darth Athena, the architect behind this auditory odyssey, weaves a tapestry of sound that reflects his eclectic musical upbringing. From the pulsating beats of EDM to the haunting echoes of darkwave and the rhythmic complexity of jazz and R&B, Black Mojo is the culmination of a lifetime spent in the company of diverse genres.

The track’s progression is a masterclass in tension and release. Each beat is meticulously crafted, ebbing and flowing with a rhythm that seems to sync with your heartbeat. For seven minutes, you are lost in a world where time bends to the will of the music. The laser-like strobes and sci-fi motifs add a layer of dynamism, yet it’s the relentless, hypnotic beats that anchor you in Darth Athena’s universe.

Black Mojo will do more than just fill dancefloors; it will command them. It’s a siren song for the night, calling out to those who find solace in the pulsating heart of techno. As the final beat fades, you’re left with an insatiable hunger for more – a testament to the enduring power of Darth Athena’s musical alchemy.

Black Mojo was officially released on January 19; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lajze brings the world something so steamy it might burn fingers with Secret life of a Subflower

Posted on 1 July 2023

Fresh from previously intertwining our moods on Glue, Lajze has dropped something rather desirable and spine-healing to consume all fascinated minds with on her latest release, Secret life of a Subflower.

Lajze is an experimental London-based British/Polish singer-songwriter and composer who loves fusing in electropop to pulse our joints and give that spark back to the lost generation.

”I want my music to tease and suck you in, put you in a trance. But also with my lyrics, I want to express female sexuality, boldly and delicately at the same time. I hope it empowers others, especially females to dig deep, get to know themselves, find their kinks, and explore them.” ~ taken from Lajze’s IG post here

Stunning all quiet hearts with a piercing sound, Lajze sizzles the snakes into their corner with an X-rated track to scare many and excite more to have fun again.

Secret life of a Subflower from the multi-creative Polish/British wonder Lajze is a seduction-packed experience to move even the most conservative souls amongst us. The lyrics are ear-tingling and the beat is rather intoxicating to the fullest possible realm, to stimulate emotions which were thought extinct before.

If you like it sexy unique and reloaded with desire, this might be the door you wish to open.

Turn this up on Spotify.

Listen up further on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

CONT4MIN4TED – This is the Way: An Alt-Electronica Journey for the Mind, Body, Soul, and Rhythmic Pulses

Posted on 16 May 2023

After aurally relinquishing their emotional baggage via their debut LP, the Gainesville, GA alt-electronica producer, CONT4MIN4TED, went even further leftfield with their sophomore album, This is the Way, which will take you on a journey of the mind, body, soul and rhythmic pulses.

I could dissect each of the 16 singles that were intuitively curated to orchestrate the ultimate sonic experience, but perceptibly, the greatest achievement of this LP is the cinematic journey it will take you on straight from track one, Stuck, before the stagnation lifts in the fervidly exhilarating soundtrack, Drifting.

Even with the chillier tones and ethereal vocal lines in the cinematic slices of synthesised soul, you won’t fail to find the impassioned warmth in the emotion and experience-driven soundtracks to vignettes that are universally shared. The album is enough to make you forgo your usual vibe-out electronica playlists; it is a smorgasbord of constantly in-flux electronica ingenuity. For your sanity’s sake, sink your teeth into the catharsis.

Stream This is the Way from April 28 on SoundCloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast