New releases last four weeks: Uplifting Trance

Review: A timeless German trance anthem receives a fresh twist with two new extended remixes. Amirali's remix brings a deep, melodic reinterpretation. It slows the tempo slightly, trading the euphoric urgency of the original for a more introspective atmosphere. Subtle synth layers ripple through the mix, while a haunting arpeggio dances delicately over a driving yet restrained beat. REZarin's version keeps closer to the uplifting trance roots. The iconic melody is front and center, with shimmering pads and a pulsating bassline that builds towards soaring peaks. The breakdown retains the nostalgic essence of the original, swelling with warmth before bursting into an energetic drop that's tailor-made for festivals. Both remixes nod to the chilled legacy of Ibiza sunset mecca Cafe Del Mar while adding modern textures i Amirali offers reflection, REZarin delivers exhilaration.

Review: Italian producer J.P Energy resurfaces with a reissue of two rare late-90s works-deep, percussive hybrids from a fertile moment in underground Italian club culture. Originally released in 1997, 'Prima Dell'Alba' and 'Forbidden Planet' blur the lines between early trance and stripped-back techno, brimming with cinematic tension and pulsing groove. 'Prima Dell'Alba' is the more mysterious of the pair: tribal rhythms, eerie pads and a gradual rise in intensity evoke a kind of sunrise ritual for the dancefloor. The original mix of 'Forbidden Planet' delivers a leaner, more mechanical energy-icy and forceful but with a meditative undertow. A 2025 revisited mix by J.P Energy himself kicks things off on the A-side, reimagining the track with updated production and added spatial depth, without losing the spirit of the original. As part of the Sound Migration series, this reissue pays tribute to a singular voice in Italian electronic music-subtle, rhythmic, and visionary.

Review: "Tonight's the night... tonight we make it right!" Trance, tok and hardstyle elements combine with allusive pedigree on the latest release for Terminal M, productively secured by Ukrainian producer Skober - a consistent presence on the Euro-techno circuit. Known for his tight, no-frills approach to peak-time, big-biz techno, Skober has here crafted an anthem for restitution and justice, capturing the mood of victorious catharses promised and by the just act. 'I Will Show You', meanwhile, sounds to celebrate the dirtier work gone into upholding just causes, with the A-side's gumption-packed tenor assuring us of our survival in the face of moral grey areas and means-to-ends: "don't be afraid, you're safe with me..." .

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: Electric Ballroom proudly introduces Tommahawk, a rising force from Germany's next generation of peak-progressive house producers. 'Unfolding' lends a heart-in-mouth pre-drop choir motif to an antecedent stab centrepiece, whose vestiges linger long after the refrain tapers off. Label head Thomas Schumacher remixes the track in airier and floatier tones, meanwhile, creating an abiding minimal progressive ballast to contrast the A-side's intense eschatology.