The 10 best trance compilations from the golden age – Mixmag

Label: BoxedCountry: United Kingdom

By the mid-nineties, when the United Kingdom became the core of the new trance phenomenon, club life visuals provided few clues as to the faces of the artists actually making the whole scene move. It was not uncommon for original artwork to disappear completely, with brand logos taking centre stage instead. This all changed when Global Underground (GU), run by Boxed, began putting the faces of DJs on its CD covers in 1996. For the first time in its relatively young history, electronic music exited the era of the faceless DJ.

Meanwhile, GU would evolve in symbiosis with the growing international market for superstar DJs who would soon top the bill and travel the world with their record bag in tow. The series directed its efforts to so-called progressive sound that was already honed by Sasha & Digweed, and which incorporated elements from genres such as breakbeat, house and techno. It featured some of the most prominent British DJs at the time, including Danny Howells, Paul Oakenfold and Nick Warren.

Warren compiled the second episode in the series (yet is confusingly labelled as 003, while 002 never came out), recorded live at a performance he did in Prague. Featuring deep, hypnotic house, rhythmic progressive builders, tribal grooves and emotive breakdowns, his efforts here showcase the beauty of the British progressive reign during its early inception. Theres much more gold to be found within this series, yet Warrens early contribution put GU on the right track.

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The 10 best trance compilations from the golden age - Mixmag