10 reasons Paul van Dyk is a trance master

Legendary status gets thrown around much too often, but Paul van Dyk is more than deserving of the title. He’s been a crucial pioneer in electronic music for decades and continues to push the boundaries, helping to establish the foundation of trance in the early '90s and supplying the scene with dancefloor anthems through his Vandit label. He's played an integral role in developing the booming dance music industry, guiding the scene with each passing year.

There are many accomplishments that help to define who Paul van Dyk is as an artist. He was the first DJ to receive a Grammy nomination in the Best Dance/Electronic album and has sold millions of albums, a major feat for a dance music producer. Plus, his melodic and high energy performances have captivated crowds with his unique approach. Now on the eve of his latest album, titled ‘From Then On’, and the debut of a new live show concept dubbed AEON, Mixmag is looking back on van Dyk’s fabled legacy.

Check out the most iconic moments from Paul van Dyk's career, which prove he is a true trance master.

Paul van Dyk established himself as an electronic innovator early on in his career. His debut album, ‘45 RPM’, released in 1994, set the foundation for his approach to dance music, focusing on captivating melodies and driving rhythms while also contrasting delicate and rugged textures. Standout tracks include ‘Pump This Party’, ‘Emergency’, ‘Spannung’ and, of course, iconic ballad ‘A Magical Moment’. Not to mention ‘For An Angel’, a euphoric production that helped set the stage for the trance genre. Now, over two decades since the release of his debut album, the material still sounds fresh.

In 2001 van Dyk released his first mix CD titled ‘The Politics of Dancing’, which featured exclusive edits of tracks that could not be found anywhere else. Following the first edition, he continued to push the boundaries with the mix CD, but in 2015 his ‘Politics Of Dancing 3’ release served as an album, rather than a compilation, as it consisted of all original material.

Van Dyk later revealed why he called the mix ‘The Politics of Dancing’ and is so fascinated with how dance music can bring people together in a unique way, especially at his shows. "Palestinians dancing with Israelis, Lebanese people dancing with Israelis - without war, without anything in their minds other than treating each other respectfully. To me, only dance music has this power to reconcile the historic divisions of the planet like this."

In 2005, two years after Van Dyk released his fourth studio album ‘Reflections’, the renowned creator won Mixmag’s first ever Number One DJ poll, inspiring a brand new industry milestone for artists around the world to strive for.

The same year of coveting Mixmag’s first Number One DJ milestone, Paul procured his first Grammy nomination with his 2003 album ‘Reflections’ for Best Dance/Electronic Album Of The Year (the category was not available when the album was released).

Van Dyk went head-to-head with The Prodigy, Paul Oakenfold and The Crystal Method, the final victory going to Basement Jaxx for ‘Kish Kash’.

Most artists tend to use the industry-standard gear for their DJ sets, but for PvD his creativity knows no bounds and, as such, he needs a unique setup. This includes a custom-made Xone:4D mixer by Allen&Heath. It’s safe to say that if you’re using gear that no one else has, you’re doing something special. In 2010 he described why he uses the Xone:4D.

“The 4D is the centerpiece of my setup and is based on the way I DJ. I have two computers on stage that are synced to each other: one has the synths, keyboards and controllers hooked up to it and the other is full of the audio material. One of the great things about the 4D is the great sound and the fact that everything on the mixer can be fully programmed so I can set it up to give me control to do some crazy shit!”

Three years after Paul Van Dyk’s first Grammy nomination, the artist was slated to produce a remix for Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard’s original composition ‘Poor Choice Of Words’ off the score for The Dark Knight.

The entire musical work for the second Nolan-franchise Batman film won Best Soundtrack in A Motion Picture, making Van Dyk an official Grammy winner in 2008.

As an established dance music icon with global recognition as one of the trance movement’s pioneers, Paul decided to release his first retrospective in 2009.

‘The Best Of: Volume’ was a three-part collection honoring the previous 15 years of his illustrious career, including discs of his original productions and remixes for a total of 40 tracks.

The compilation showcased Van Dyk’s true legacy as one of the original superstar DJs, with artist credits from Brian Eno, U2, Depeche Mode, Justin Timberlake and New Order.

Having grown up in East Berlin before the fall of the Berlin Wall, van Dyk’s road to success is like a fairy tale. In 2009, he experienced a full-circle moment when he performed at the Berlin Wall 20th Anniversary Memorial, featuring a special track he produced in collaboration with vocalist Johnny McDaid titled ‘We Are One’.

Van Dyk discussed his background, overcoming obstacles such as the Berlin Wall: “It was a communistic dictatorship so I wasn’t able to leave the country. I never thought of anyplace. People always ask me, ‘What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you?’ Well, I just say look at my life. There’s this kid coming from this really poor background with a single mom in East Germany and I’m traveling around the world now, living my dream — making music and playing for all of these people all over the world, it’s the best thing. Nothing, not even Hollywood could come up with in terms of having thoughts or a scenario like this.”

Between the countless awards, dance music domination, star collaborators and record sales, Paul Van Dyk’s greatest triumph could quite possibly be his return to the stage in 2016.

In February of that year, the global DJ sustained a treacherous fall from an elevated stage at A State Of Trance Festival in Utrecht, suffering from a severe brain injury and broken spine. In the earliest stages following the accident, medical experts questioned whether he would remember his identity or even be able to keep his vital organs functioning.

After regaining consciousness,Van Dyk spent months in critical care and intense rehabilitation, forced to learn how to walk, speak and eat again.

Amazingly, June of the same year the trance icon announced that after an incredibly demanding journey, he would be making his return as EDC Vegas’ 2016 headliner.

Paul accredited his miraculous recovery to the love of his family and the power behind his purest passion, dance music, and his fans. His story inspired artists around the world and stood as a testament to motivation, willpower and devotion.

Founded by Paul van Dyk in 1999, Vandit Records is a strong supplier of trance and progressive house. With over 500 releases since its inception, an unprecedented catalogue, the label has released material from the likes of Armin van Buuren, Nu-NRG, Hardwell, Maarten de Jong, MOTi and the list goes on. It's influence on the industry is well documented.

Now, after making a comeback following the near-death experience, van Dyk said in an interview that his passion for his label is still strong. “So many things have changed, it’s probably easier to talk about what has stayed the same. We at Vandit Records still search and support up-and-coming artists, we do what we do because we love the music. For me the accident and its impact has undoubtedly affected me heavily, but I am still as passionate as I have always been about the music I love.”

Van Dyk's forthcoming album, 'From Then On', which has been described as his "most personal work to date", will be released on Vandit Records on October 20th.

Listen to the album's lead single via the music video above.