Church of Trance

AS IT NAVIGATES ITS SECOND ALBUM DECADE, SOLARSTONE BRINGS MAJOR CHANGES TO HIS MIXCOMP MARQUE. (MUSICAL PURITY HOWEVER REMAINS STRICTLY INTACT !!).   Having solo-helmed the milestone tenth ‘Pure Trance’ outing, Solarstone reflected at the time that it was: “a transitional moment’ for the series. A natural temporal point, where one ‘chapter’ would close and another open. ” And that new “ chapter ” is where we find ourselves today.  At their core, ‘Pure Trance’ albums has always had an ethos – something seeded in them from the very start. However, that culture Rich felt was: “achievable, but not yet fully achieved”. Specifically, it’s that of creating the albums the ‘Global Underground’ way or by following the ‘Northern Exposure’ trail. A commitment to compiling and mixing so detailed, so thought through and so experience-led, that it enshrines the 20/20 club experience as close to 1:1 as is humanly possible.  So, to finally make that flesh, he returned the...

On a late February Rotterdam night, midway through his standout  ASOT 2024 performance , Solarstone took the wraps off his new single … and it proved to be every bit the  ‘Revelation’ . Having started the year with his Stine Grove -vocalled  ‘The One’ , the Pure Trance titan’s swapped the chromosomes for an equally debut-some vocal number with Evan Henzi . Evan’s will be a fresh name to some, but (through his work with Gareth Emery, Ashley Wallbridge and others), already embedded for others. For Solar watchers however, it’ll be his teaming with Kristina Sky and Danny Stubbs on Pure Trance Recordings’ ‘Rollercoaster’ that’ll bring the quickest finger-snap of recognition. With an artistic synergy that’s impossible to miss, together the pair have conjured something comparably irresistible. Solarstone’s string-strung overture (major ‘4ever’ vibes!) gives way to a bassy, floor-forceful-drive. Further in, Vangelis-like feels affect a mellow drama to its midsection, bef...