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

Bristols Super-Frog Saves Tokyo returns with Beams, a bold second album channelling the spirit of the 90s dance scene through the lens of modern production. Set for release via Electronic Architecture, Beams is a 8-track journey of melody, movement, and memory — equally at home on dancefloors as it is an immersive home listen. Influenced by the golden era of electronica, Beams blends punchy rhythms, and club-ready grooves with lush analog synths, melodic hooks, and an emotional undercurrent. Its a record shaped by nostalgia but never trapped by it — fusing old-school inspiration with forward-thinking sound design. Its an album borne of a singular vision, says David Harrison, the artist behind Super-Frog Saves Tokyo. Each track stands proudly on its own, but they also connect - theyre built to work together as a whole piece. Its music that straddles genres from Balearic trance to ear-splitting techno, via ambient soundscapes, but at all times remaining anchored with memorable hooks and melodies. Opening track Drench eases listeners in with Vangelis-like strings and distant, distorted piano washes, building momentum before collapsing into warped percussion and Harrisons most obnoxious bassline to date. A skipping beat and Second Toughest-era Underworld-style arpeggios lift this unpredictable opener to an unexpectedly euphoric climax. Scream follows with a crunchy analog bassline that hums and swells beneath a genre-bending blend of glitchy builds, disco claps, and screeching techno percussion. The gorgeous Mondrago offers a Balearic respite - emotive pads and strings build into melodic Arps and a swirl of harmony that hints at something darker beneath the surface. First single Clarion jolts the tempo back up with nine minutes of pulsing trance, before giving way to Ascend - a sparse ambient interlude where a simple motif dissolves into a drift of reverberating echoes. Minds is a highlight among highlights; all stop-start structure, burbling acid, filtered pads, and a build that summons the spirit of 90s techno euphoria. Insidious dives into abrasive, glitch-heavy territory - all saturated Reese bass and distorted percussion ricocheting across the stereo field, relentless to the end. Closing track Lumière wears its Italo-disco influence proudly, pairing a lovely piano riff with a shimmering Balearic groove — a gorgeous, sun-kissed finale. Whether youre drawn to the sweaty intimacy of the club or the reflective space of solo listening, Beams offers a sound that resonates — warm, sharp-edged, and full of personality. Available on all major digital streaming platforms.

Super-Frog Saves Tokyo