Going back in time!? Old-school techno fans are surging right now! I've collected some cool trance and techno from the 90s!
This year is 2025. People born in 2000, the last year of the 20th century, are turning 25 this year, and time flies—there are less than four months left in this year.
In the past week, the evenings have become noticeably cooler. While the days are still hot enough that air conditioning is indispensable, the coolness at dusk makes it impossible not to feel the end of summer.
At times like this, old music is just the right fit for feeling the atmosphere.
So, for this installment, I've picked out 10 new tracks for a 90s Trance & Techno special, and I hope you enjoy them.
Also, I wanted to write this as a continuation of the article I wrote two posts ago, but to be honest, when I tried to write it chronologically, many parts of my memory became fuzzy, like 'Which did I encounter first, this song or that song?' So, instead of writing it chronologically, I decided to group them as 'things that were good up until then.'
One more thing: looking back at my previous articles, they tended to be quite long, so I would like to keep this one concise and include only the necessary information. I appreciate your understanding.
Headman - Butterfly
This is a trance track that was included on the compilation album 'Eternally Alive, Vol. 3' released by the UK label Yellow Sunshine Explosion in '95, and later included on 'PURE TRANCE Vol. 16' in Japan in '97. Unlike the so-called Avex-style Eurotrance, the musical style is closer to psychedelic trance. Details such as the artist's origin and real name are unknown.
Zodiac Youth - Atomos (Angelfish mix)
Zodiac Youth is a duo from the UK consisting of Martin Glover and Mark Manning, both of whom entered the trance scene from rock. They were also involved in the founding of Dragonfly Records and are industry heavyweights who are still active in production today.
Atomos is, by genre, psychedelic trance. The beat, which you wouldn't think is from the 90s, doesn't feel like old-school at all, and it remains a popular track that is still talked about even now, nearly 30 years later.
Sandman - Coimbra
It is close to what we now call French full-on, and it was a track with beautiful melodies and a breeze-like quality that once had a fair amount of recognition.
The beat in the second half, which is reminiscent of Latin music, feels close to the game music I listened to when I was a child, and it is still music I love today.
The video cuts off in the middle, but if you are interested, please try searching for it on YouTube.
Sandman is the moniker of Patrick Prijn from the Netherlands, who holds the title of house & techno producer and has a background in studying piano and sound engineering at the Amsterdam Conservatory.
Since it is trance produced by a Dutchman, it might be called 'Dutch trance,' but it is a cut above Euro-style trance.
Tripsters - Skitzophrenik
A Goa trance track once released by Dragonfly Records.
The artist's details are unknown, but it is still a famous old-school trance track today. I believe the song title is pronounced 'Skitzophrenik'.
Shimmon & Woolfson - Evil Queen (Full Force Mix)
Information about this artist is also unknown, but it is a popular track that has been talked about ever since its release in '96. It was included on PURE TRANCE Vol. 16.
Taylor & Zamani - Planet of Drums 06
This is pure minimal techno. It is rare for such music to fit within 10 minutes; longer ones would repeat the same phrase endlessly for about 20 minutes, and most were around 15 minutes long.
As an aside, minimal-style psychedelic trance (not Mihimaru) was popular in the early 2000s (Bio-Tonic, THE ANTIDOTE, early Alien Project, etc.), but they didn't just keep the same phrase going like this; they would keep the phrase going while applying various effects.
It doesn't fall into the old-school category, but I have a minimal psychedelic trance track I love, so I'll recommend that too.
THE ANTIDOTE - BLACK JACK
My favorite minimal psychedelic trance track, Black Jack by The Antidote. If my memory serves me correctly, it was released around 2004, so as mentioned earlier, it is not classified as old-school (though it might be in 10 years).
It is a track included on the album CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, and it has almost zero popularity (lol).
However, I think it's a track that really gets into the hearts of minimal fans—at least, that's what I think. It used to be on iMusic, but it's a shame it's been deleted and can no longer be heard.
Actually, The Antidote has also provided music for Gran Turismo.
Unconscious Collective - Fluorostani Trancendance
The name is hard to read, but it can be pronounced as "Unconscious Collective - Fluorostani Trancendance."
It is a track that feels like a cross between Goa trance and psychedelic trance, and it is also classified as old-school trance, which was included in PURE TRANCE.
Equinox - Immure (Original Mix)
This is a genre called hard techno, but I think it is easier to listen to than typical hard techno.
As can be said for techno in general, genres like hard techno and NRG (Energy) are even harder to collect than trance, so it seems that many tracks have been lost to the world or are in the hands of very hardcore listeners.
Listening to them now is extremely difficult, and the well-known tracks uploaded to YouTube are about as much as you can find.
Legend B - Lost in Love
I think this is a fitting song to close with.
Currently, it has over 6 million views, and I think its popularity has grown even further.
It was released around '98, and since Avex-style Eurotrance emerged afterward to overshadow this kind of old-school trance, it is no exaggeration to say that this track took the final bow for 90s old-school trance.
Furthermore, everyone was moved by the deep melody that seems to carry both the sadness of clinging to memories and the dawn of a new era in its music.
Incidentally, PURE TRANCE also concluded with Vol. 20, which included Lost in Love (perhaps Avex played their cards well here, too).
In closing
I aimed for a lineup conscious of old-school music this time; how was it? I think some people might find it lacking since these are all famous tracks, but I think it was a perfect lineup for those encountering old-school music for the first time. I included one track that isn't old-school, The Antidote's Black Jack, but it was a track I wanted to introduce somewhere eventually, so I'm glad I was able to introduce it.
I wrote this in a way that was somewhat hostile toward Avex's Eurotrance, but there are many masterpieces in Eurotrance as well, so I would like to introduce them in the future.
Thank you for reading again this time.
See you later!