Out Thee And Back

It's been a decade since trance-meister supreme Paul Van Dyk first appeared on vinyl with the seminal Visions Of Shiva single 'Perfect Day', and four years since the release of 45rpm, the majestic opus that brought the Berliner to the attention of the world.

Since then, Paul's career has taken a deserving upward curve. Now rightfully one of the most in-demand DJs on the planet, he edged ever closer to the top ten with anthemic singles like 'Forbidden Fruit' and 'For An Angel', and finally made it with the recent 'Tell Me Why (The Riddle)', a collaboration with St. Etienne that marked a mature progression from his earlier work.

The lush arrangements, more subtle production and tougher rhythms of 'Tell Me Why' are also in evidence here on tracks like 'Travelling' and the superb 'Pikes'. In a year when trance has become such a dirty word (again), Paul shows the genre's critics what can be done with a little thought and imagination.

On 'Vega' and 'Together We Will Conquer', he experiments further, adding funky breakbeat loops, swirling strings and ethereal vocals. The album closes on a high-octane high: 'Columbia' and the title track pumping it up with his trademark offbeat basslines and contagious melodies you'll be humming for days.

While Out There And Back is unlikely to convert the non-clubbing fraternity, without doubt it will be the soundtrack to the summer for his adoring dance nation. The future of trance is safe in his hands.