#66 Feat. Staff Picks in Trance (Raw / Deep / Hypnotic)

Ukrainian deep trance hero OTTO K returns with his third EP on EL-EL, delivering two slabs of underground, forest-tinged prog, both packed with psychedelic tension and widescreen detail. Portugal 99 leads the charge with eerie top-line melodies and sharp percussion, carving out a cinematic space between progressive trance and forest psychedelia, receiving early support from Standard Form and Mr Wright on their acclaimed Sunset Sessions 2024 mix. On the flip, Isolated Island ups the energy with a driving, percussive groove, mixing brooding atmospheres with melodic restraint- a heads down tool built for long, late hours. First up on remix duties is Jake Grace, whos Meteor Shower was a much loved cut on 2024s Plymouth Brethren EP (LOST191) - and hes back here with a peak-time take on Portugal 99, stretching out the central riff into an expansive, big-room moment. Lawn Jarre, an exciting young talent from China, completes the package with 2 versions of Isolated Island. The first is a deep, hypnotic interpretation soaked in mid-90s post Goa / pre World Tour 99 era Oakey textures (think Ecano, Dream Traveller, Pink Bomb…) while a sharper, club focused mix rounds things off, dialling up the intensity whilst maintaining the hypnosis.

Otto K