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DJ Basilisk - Prototypes 3

Prototypes 3 continues DJ Basilisk’s retrospective exploration of classic progressive house and trance from the early years of the new millennium. Originally recorded live in a club in October 2019, this raw and unscripted set features an enticing blend of well-known hits and hidden gems. Although the focus of this series is documenting the legacy of progressive house, plenty of…

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The Infinity Project - Feeling Weird

Formed by Graham Wood and Raja Ram, The Infinity Project were true pioneers, laying down some of the earliest sounds that are recognizably and unequivocally Goa trance. TIP were frequently joined in the studio by a list of contributors that reads like the Who’s Who of early Goa trance: Nick Barber (Doof), Simon Posford (Hallucinogen), Paul…

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Nataraja 1

The debut compilation from POF Music (an acronym derived from “Product of France”) was a respectable effort but it hasn’t aged as well as some other entries on this list. In terms of style these selections consistently emphasize the more upbeat and melodic side of the emerging Goa trance sound, with soft, pulsating rhythms and synths that seem to…

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Leftfield - Leftism

Leftfield established themselves as one of the leading producers of progressive house before branching out and experimenting with breakbeat rhythms on their widely-acclaimed debut album, Leftism. Despite jumping between genres and embracing an eclectic set of influences there’s nothing overly daring or experimental to be found here, a quality that probably contributed to its mainstream commercial appeal. Smooth and…

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The Chemical Brothers - Exit Planet Dust

Exit Planet Dust might not be the most compelling album from The Chemical Brothers, legendary acid house and breakbeat manipulators from the UK, but it has aged nicely, even accounting for nostalgia. Despite tempos trending toward the low end, this album still packs a punch, as the brothers work it out with brawny beats, clever sampling, and hints of…

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Total Eclipse - Delta Aquarids

The debut album from Total Eclipse, a French triumvirate formed by Stephane Holweck, Serge Souque, and Loïc Van Poucke, is one of the finest products of the golden age of Goa trance. Every song exudes their signature sound but there’s an incredible variety of moods explored across this uniformly excellent album. From dark and menacing to…

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Drome - Dromed

Dromed is a deep dive into downbeat, dub techno, IDM, chill out, and ambient produced by Bernd Friedmann, also known as Nonplace Urban Field. Although diverse in style and approach, the album is united by an emphasis on intricate details and darkly mysterious atmospheres. Some of the strongest tracks sound like forays into softly-whispered trip hop reminiscent of…

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Download - Furnace

Download began as an outgrowth of the infamous Canadian industrial band Skinny Puppy. Furnace, their debut album, was released as the group was being torn apart by creative differences and personal tragedy; band member Dwayne R. Goettel died of an overdose shortly after primary recording was complete. Against the backdrop of this bleak origin story this album spans…

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Union Jack - There Will Be No Armageddon

Union Jack is a UK trance act formed by Simon Berry (Art of Trance) and Claudio Giussani (Terra Ferma). Their debut full-length album gathers up several of their peak-time dream trance hits as well as an assortment of downbeat and chill out tunes. The production style is quite simplistic and not particularly detailed, but there are many moments…

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Etnica - The Juggeling Alchemists Under the Black Light

I’ve never been much of a fan of Etnica’s debut album—most of it sounded too tinny and insubstantial for my liking—but the deluxe re-issue on DAT Records in 2018 made me reconsider my long-held view that this album isn’t very good. Even though it was rapidly eclipsed by Alien Protein (1996) and especially I.F.O. (1997, under their Pleiadians…