February: 9 trance releases you need to hear this month

The Thrillseekers 'Escape' (Future Sound of Egypt)

Steve Helstrip, aka The Thrillseekers, has been making music since 1998. It’s surprising, then, that he’s only got round to releasing his debut artist album now. He’s been working on the record for the past 10 years, keeping aside some of his favourite productions to create a meaningful album which, he says, is all about evoking feelings and being able to escape from everyday life. Unlike a typical Future Sound Of Egypt release, it’s an LP made up of chilled, emotional and mostly vocal tracks such as ‘Where Are You Now’ and ‘Without You’. We would’ve thought he’d have included his 1999 breakthrough record ‘Synaesthesia’, as well as his 2008 Fisher collaboration ‘The Last Time’ – but by featuring more recent singles such as ‘Amber’ and his remix of Chicane’s ‘Halcyon’, he’s shown everyone just how much else he has to offer.

8/10