Back catalogue: Uplifting Trance

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: 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: This compilation celebrates the label's influential role in shaping uplifting trance, gathering four of its most iconic tracks. On Side-1, LSG's 'Hidden Sun of Venus' stands out as one of Oliver Lieb's seminal pieces, drawn from his highly regarded album and filled with atmospheric depth and emotional resonance. Following that, Moogwai's 'The Labyrinth (Part One)' takes center stageia 2001 classic that seamlessly blends progressive house and trance, maintaining a perfect balance that dominated dancefloors that year. Side-2 kicks off with Terra Firma's 'Lunar Sunrise (Real Oboe Film Mix)', a track known for its sublime orchestral elements mixed with a driving trance backbone, providing a moment of expansive beauty. For all we know though, this remix is a new version. The compilation concludes with Adam Dived's 'Headfirst', a highly underrated 2002 gem that builds tension with incredible precision, culminating in an epic release. There aren't many labels who can rival Platipus for the amount of classic material coming from their label.

Review: Anacalypto Records' second release revives a gem from the Dutch electronic scene. Originally released in 1998 by Luc Wacherlin, aka Luca, on Orlando Voorn's Slamdunk Records, this four-track EP represents one of the label's final releases. Described in its press release as "beautiful, elongated, shimmering, Detroit-style trancers for the morning after the night before," it delivers on that promise. The tracks blend Detroit's vibrant techno with Sheffield's deeper sounds. From the liquid synths of the title track to the hypnotic grooves of 'Indian Summer,' the EP's immersive warmth and intricate compositions capture the essence of '90s techno, restored for a modern audience.