The mighty Paul van Dyk is a household name around the globe and he brings together his finest production and remix work for a best of compilation with records that have inspired many of todays new producers...

If there is one artist that pops to the head of a dance music fan for being the inspiration to why they got into the scene today then its surely Paul van Dyk. Coming from Berlin in Germany he has shot to fame by producing some of the most memorable Trance records ever released. It all started with his debut album ‘45rpm’, which may sound simplistic compared to today’s sound, but it was the beginning of Paul van Dyk the producer. Having made his name as a Trance DJ it’s a word Paul does not like to tag himself with as he likes to be known as an electronic dance music pioneer these days. He might not want to say he’s one of the best Trance DJ’s around but millions of his fans will argue the fact that he is. It’s just the way the scene is evolving with new DJ technologies with new means of accessing and producing music. He does have a variety of different styles that he produces and plays these days but his core appeal is the thriving banging Trance that he slams out during his very unique DJ sets all over the world. It’s well over 15 years on the scene and this new release from Paul compiles the tracks and remixes that have made his name during that period of time.

Release Date: OUT NOW

DISC ONE

01. For An Angel (PvD Remix 09)
02. Home (PvD Club Mix) ft. Johnny McDaid
03. Let Go (Vandit Club Mix by PvD) ft. Rea Garvey
04. White Lies (Album Mix) ft. Jessica Sutta
05. Nothing But You (Original) ft. Hemstock And Jennings
06. Another Way (PvD Club Mix)
07. Forbidden Fruit (Original)
08. Together We Will Conquer (Short Version)
09. New York City (Album Mix) Paul van Dyk And Starkillers And Austin Leeds ft Ashley Tomberlin
10. A Magical Moment (Original)
11. Words (For Love)
12. Tell Me Why (The Riddle) (PvD Club Mix) ft. Saint Etienne
13 The Other Side (Original) ft. Wayne Jackson
14. We Are Alive (Original) ft. Jennifer Brown
15. Time Of Our Lives (US Radio Edit) ft. Vega 4
16. For An Angel (E-Werk Club Mix)

DISC TWO

01. Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around...Comes Around (Paul van Dyk Club Mix)
02. U2 - Elevation (The Vandit Club Mix)
03. Depeche Mode - Martyr (Paul van Dyk Remix)
04. Timo Maas - Pictures (Paul van Dyk Remix)
05. The Wombats - Moving To New York (Paul van Dyk remix)
06. New Order - Spooky (Out Of Order Mix)
07. Humate - Love Stimulation (Love MIx)
08. Agnelli & Nelson - Holding On To Nothing (Paul van Dyk Remix)
09. Lisa Miskovsky - Still Alive (Paul van Dyk Mix)
10. Ghostland ft. Sinead O'Connor & Natacha Atlas - Guide Me God (Paul van Dyk Remix)
11. Sven Väth - L'Esperanza (Paul Van Dyk Remix)
12. The Visions Of Shiva - Perfect Day

DISC THREE

01. Jam & Spoon ft. Rea - be.angeled (Paul van Dyk Remix)
02. Binary Finary - 1998 (Paul van Dyk Remix)
03. Blank & Jones - Cream (Paul van Dyk Remix)
04. B.T. - Flaming June (BT And PVD Original Mix)
05. Age Of Love - The Age Of Love (Love Ages Remix)
06. The Thrillseekers – Synaesthesia (Paul van Dyk Dub Mix)
07. Members Of Mayday – 10 in 01 (Paul van Dyk Mix)
08. Deep Dish - Say Hello (Paul van Dyk Mix)
09. Secret Knowledge - Sugar Daddy (Tripping On The Moon Remix)
10. Tilt vs Paul van Dyk - Rendezvous (Quadraphonic Mix)
11. Qattara - Come With Me (Paul van Dyk Remix)
12. Britney Spears - Gimme More (Paul van Dyk Club)

I grew up listening to the early Paul van Dyk productions and when looking deeper into the scene to find the good dance music Paul’s old productions were the first things I came across. It’s quite apparent that if you were to ask many of the new breed of dance music producer who were there inspirations to get them into doing what they are now Paul van Dyk would pop up every time. This compilations collects together some of my favourite Paul van Dyk moments and just to add extra spice add’s two new tracks to kicks things off.

This would be the first ‘Best Of’, if you want to call this that, Paul has released is it not? It is in one respect as the first disc is a collection of his arguably best production to date although it would be difficult to fit them all onto one disc. Those of you familer with Paul’s past discography will remember a three disc compilation know as ‘Vosprung Dyk Technik’ which was a three disc mixed collection of his best remixes up to 1998. The original three disc pressing, which got released again as a two disc edition later on was one of the best albums ever released in my opinion. This collection has a similar aroma attached to it but it brings up Paul’s remix and production work right up to this year. The UK edition featured three discs, which might be a bit overkill in some eyes but in others it’s not nearly enough.

One disc full of productions and two brimmed with remixes all in one flowing mix. I’m never a fan of artist albums being mixed together but in the case of compilations of classic tracks the mixed approach is a better way to do things. The production side brings in his brand new update of one of his all time classics ‘For An Angel’. His 2009 remake is at first a little hard to get your head around as it’s slightly housey and not the full throttle action of his classic mix we all know and love. It’s one that has to grow on you I think as if I’m honest I was not keen on it the first time I heard it as it just lacked that bit of energy. His second new track on the disc is full of it though with help from vocalist Johnny McDaid from Vega 4.He’s no stranger to Paul as he did the vocals on ‘Time of Our Lives’. I quite like ‘Home’ and is a track for those big stadium hands in the air moments with its guitar breakdown. It’s a welcome surprise to start off a reminder of just why you fell I love with Trance and Paul van Dyk. Some of his all time old classic are here like ‘Forbidden Fruit’, ‘Words’, ‘Another Way’, ‘Nothing But You’ and to top it all off his legendary E-Werk Club Mix of ‘For An Angel’

The remixes collect together 24 of his hand picked favourites from over the past 15 years and do feature some of the all time classic Trance records to ever get released. It does also feature a few shockers with Paul remixing a Justin Timberlake record, who lets face it is the pop equivalent of a sugar puff and the mad pop drama queen Britney Spears. Not even the talents of Paul can make their records come across with any credibility for me and why he would want to remix their stuff is a little bit of a head scratcher. He did after all change the vocalist on ‘Nothing But You’ to Jan Johnston maintain credibility as the original record from Hemstock & Jennings used former Hearsay and now Corrie star Kym Marsh. Maybe Justin got him drunk and Britney spears dressed up as Eric Morilo to fool him to do the remixes. That’s my view on those two particular offerings and I’m sure there are some who would say I’m wrong but others who would definitely agree.

You can forgive Paul for the odd hiccup like that when in here is 22 superb remixes you can never get tired of hearing. The classic Piano breaks of ‘Flaming June’ and his thunderous remix of ‘Love Stimulation’ are examples when Paul van Dyk is at his best. The latter goes down as an all time classic for me and is a piece of music that carries so much emotional feeling it gives you inspiration. The banging nature of his remixes is also evident in here with his edit, as it was not really a full remix, of Agnelli & Nelson’s ‘Holding Onto Nothing’ which I’m sure has been the drive behind a few of the more recent popular Trance artist’s big hits in record years.

The third disc for me is the better remix collection as the first six tracks are just one euphoric joyride after the next. He has cut down his remix of Binary Finary to slip in here nicely as those with the original remix disc will remember how long it was. Was it the best remix of that record, which did have a lot of them? Maybe but it’s certainly another van Dyk masterpiece. The only thing that spoils the two remix discs is the opening track of one and the finished track of the second but thanks to the skip and stop button on CD players that discomfort can be easily avoided!

Conclusion:
This is a compilation that any Paul van Dyk fan will cherish to remind them just why they like the music they buy, listen and mix together today. An excellent retrospective with two new records, the second not released as yet. Volume one of many more to come I'm sure.