For those unfamiliar, In Search of Sunrise has long served as one of trance music’s most consistent mix compilation series, built around the idea of tracking a night’s arc from dusk through dawn. Schulz took over the franchise’s yearly format as a warm-weather trilogy, with each volume standing on its own while building toward a larger dawn-to-dusk narrative across the year. The 2026 edition has already pulled in names like Above & Beyond, Joris Voorn, VER:WEST, JES, and Paul Oakenfold, alongside returning ISOS alumni Solarstone, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Kyau & Albert, Matt Fax, Jerome Isma-Ae, Kryder, and Daniel Wanrooy.

Where the series’ earlier chapters have leaned into widescreen melodic trance, Nocturnal Voyage pushes into darker, more techno-leaning territory. Schulz describes the mix as a deliberately linear listen — minimal key changes, no big peaks or buildups, with the focus placed squarely on groove and atmosphere rather than euphoric payoff.

“The Nocturnal Voyage is a bold step for the future of In Search of Sunrise, adding another dimension to the melodic progressive and trance sound that has defined the series; one that is predominantly late night and techno-leaning,” Schulz said. “The ethos with this particular journey was a linear approach, specifically to create a hypnotic atmosphere — very few key changes, no big buildups or peaks, but an emphasis on the groove and darker tone, all while harnessing the emotional core that still resonates within an ISOS terrain. It’s for those who love adventure in the night, the weird and wonderful of the afterhours, in the rooms where shadows speak.”

Beyond mixing more than 50 tracks across the full 2026 run, Schulz has been building out a dedicated sonic ecosystem around ISOS itself. The series has become the launchpad for much of his Dakota project’s new output, with three fresh Dakota tracks debuting within the first half of ‘Nocturnal Voyage’ alone. He’s also introduced ISOS-specific aliases, including Aeridan and Shadow Assembly, whose track ‘Eclipse’ sits comfortably alongside the Dakota material.

‘Nocturnal Voyage’ is available as a standalone release starting October 7. On October 23, it will be folded into the complete 3-disc collector’s set alongside the series’ first two chapters, ‘The Awakening’ and ‘Nirvana,’ giving fans the full summer-long journey in one package. A limited-edition vinyl release is also planned.

Nocturnal Voyage tracklist:
01. Markus Schulz presents Dakota – Twilight Ritual
02. Guy J – Piece of Cake
03. Hobin Rude & N-TCHBL – Shared Silence
04. Shadow Assembly – Eclipse
05. Elias Erium – The Longitude
06. Markus Schulz presents Dakota – Exit 302
07. Mike EFEX – Orbiter (Markus Schulz In Search Of Sunrise Rework)
08. Markus Schulz presents Dakota – Caught in the Haze
09. Enlusion – Midnight Mirage (Markus Schulz In Search Of Sunrise Rework)
10. Bart Skils & Weska – Dusk Till Dawn
11. Kryder – Ascension
12. John 00 Fleming & Astral Projection – Transient Symbiosis (Markus Schulz In Search Of Sunrise Rework)
13. Sander van Doorn presents Purple Haze – Abyss (In Search of Sunrise Mix)
14. Rex Mundi vs. Ronski Speed & Sir Adrian – The Perspective Space (Markus Schulz In Search of Sunrise Rmx)
15. Markus Schulz – The West End
16. Carlos – The Silmarillia (Markus Schulz & BLR Remix)
17. BT – If Memory Serves (Lunar Mode)

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The In Search of Sunrise series has been a cornerstone of trance compilation culture since its inception, built around Schulz’s ear for emotionally driven, progressively-leaning electronic music. This latest volume runs the same playbook: a mix that stretches across the melodic and harmonic end of trance, threaded together with the kind of seamless transitions the series has built its reputation on. Once complete, the 2026 arc will span more than 50 tracks across its full run.

‘Nirvana’ leans into expressive harmonics and long-form atmosphere, positioned as a soundtrack for nights that run past sunrise — literally the series’ whole reason for being. Schulz pulls together a mix of established names and newcomers for this one, with Giuseppe Ottaviani, HI-LO, Kryder, Kyau & Albert, and Daniel Wanrooy sitting alongside rising acts like Dream A Lot, Arctic Barbers, Nemke, and Aeridan.

The mix opens its vocal chapter early with ‘A Place Where We Are One’, a collaboration between Schulz and Dream A Lot’s Gus Crawford Collins and Kim Hayden. From there, a run of exclusive, previously unreleased Schulz originals fills out the tracklist, including ‘Love in Every Tense’ with Ciaran McAuley. Schulz’s Coldharbour Recordings roster gets its usual spotlight too — KhoMha contributes the exclusive ‘Ananke’, while ALAT teams up with Schulz on ‘Flashpoint’.

Mike EFX, a recurring remixer throughout the ISOS series with past reworks of Andain’s ‘Beautiful Things’ and Rex Mundi’s ‘Opera of Northern Ocean’, turns his attention to First State’s 2005 track ‘First State’ — marking First State’s first appearance in the series’ history. The mix closes on ‘A Breath to Hold’, a collaboration between Schulz, Elevation, and Daxson that Stark Profiles PR describes as carrying particular emotional weight given Daxson’s recovery from surgery earlier this year.

As usual, Schulz didn’t just sequence the tracklist — he reworked several of its key cuts specifically for the mix. Daniel Wanrooy’s ‘Burned’, Kryder’s ‘Pulse of Hearts’, and Kyau & Albert’s ‘Halo’ all appear in Markus Schulz In Search Of Sunrise rework form, each pushed toward a more melodic, harmonic-driven direction consistent with the ISOS sound.

Speaking on the release, Schulz said: “For me, the heart of ‘In Search of Sunrise’ has always been the emotion in the music. There are melodies that become connected to a certain place, a person, or a moment in your life, and years later you can hear them again and suddenly those feelings come back. That connection is one of the reasons why ‘In Search of Sunrise’ has and continues to mean so much to people. This mix in particular allowed me to explore that feeling very deeply, with melodies and moments that I hope will create those same kinds of memories for people.“

Tracklist: In Search of Sunrise 22 – Nirvana: For The Next Generation of Dreamers

1. Aeridan – Between Moon and Morning
2. Markus Schulz & Dream A Lot – A Place Where We Are One
3. Giuseppe Ottaviani & Billy Gillies – Doves (In Search Of Sunrise Mix)
4. KhoMha – Ananke
5. Arctic Barbers – New Dawn
6. Markus Schulz – Second Tomorrow
7. Basil O’Glue – Ask What You Can Do
8. HI-LO – REESE
9. Daniel Wanrooy – Burned (Markus Schulz In Search Of Sunrise Rework)
10. Kryder – Pulse of Hearts (Markus Schulz In Search Of Sunrise Rework)
11. Markus Schulz & Ciaran McAuley – Love in Every Tense
12. Kyau & Albert – Halo (Markus Schulz In Search Of Sunrise Rework)
13. First State – First State (Mike EFEX Remix)
14. Nemke – Stampedo
15. Markus Schulz & ALAT – Flashpoint
16. The Quest – Round Trip
17. Stoneface & Terminal – In Your Arms
18. Markus Schulz & Daxson & Elevation – A Breath to Hold

Listen to In Search of Sunrise 22 – Nirvana below.

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In Search Of Sunrise has run for over two decades now, evolving from a straightforward trance mix series into something closer to a seasonal ritual for fans of progressive and melodic electronic music. Schulz has taken over full creative direction of the series in recent years, shaping each edition’s arc rather than simply compiling tracks.

“One of the greatest privileges of guiding ‘In Search Of Sunrise’ is that each year brings another opportunity to tell a fresh musical story — and a complete one,” Schulz said. “The destination is always ‘Sunrise,’ but the road that leads there is never the same. Allowing it to develop naturally is what’s kept the series thriving over its longer course.”

For the second year running, ‘In Search Of Sunrise’ unfolds across three separate releases spread through the summer, giving each chapter room to stand on its own. ‘The Awakening’ arrives first, weaving together eighteen tracks of progressive house, melodic techno, and cinematic electronica across a twilight-to-sunrise arc. Later in the summer comes ‘Nirvana’, followed by the closing chapter, ‘Nocturnal Voyage’ — which will also anchor the full vinyl and CD release of ISOS 22 for collectors.

The tracklist draws from a wide pool of producers, including Jerome Isma-Ae, French 79, Matt Fax, and Ferry Corsten (via a mashup with Solarstone), alongside the previously mentioned names. Schulz also stakes his own claim on the mix with a new Dakota release, ‘Edge of Morning,’ his recent single ‘Dive’ (featuring RYVM), and a new Aeridan cut, ‘Catalina (Interlude)’ — the alias he reserves specifically for ISOS. The mix’s centerpiece is arguably the collaboration between Paul Oakenfold, Markus Schulz, and Grace on ‘Not Over Yet.’

“The Awakening sets the tone for the journey because it’s about — dare I say it — infinite possibilities,” Schulz said. “You’re seeding ideas that will continue to reveal themselves across the rest of the summer’s trip. Some records arrive with huge histories behind them, while others are making their very first impression. Bringing those worlds together is where the magic happens.“

He continued: “Doubtless you’ll see and hear familiar names in new settings, unexpected connections between artists, and some moments that are — frankly — simply too beautiful not to include. Whether it’s Dakota returning, welcoming Above & Beyond back to the series, or introducing another new creative outlet for me through Aeridan, every record’s earned its place because it served the journey, not because of the name attached to it.“

The full tracklist for ‘In Search Of Sunrise 22 – The Awakening‘ runs as follows:

1. Markus Schulz presents Dakota – ‘Edge of Morning’
2. PROFF & M.O.S. – ‘Namtso’
3. Mees Salomé feat. Celine Cairo – ‘Fool’s Paradise’ (Joris Voorn Remix)
4. Biskuwi – ‘Eilu’
5. PARAFRAME – ‘3 Worlds’
6. Jerome Isma-Ae – ‘Encounter’ (Discotheque Mix)
7. Carlo Mandy – ‘Shoreline’ (Interlude)
8. Markus Schulz feat. RYVM – ‘Dive’
9. Rinzen & Emil Toledo – ‘The Sound of Hope’
10. Sonicvibe & Yoni Yarchi – ‘Solara’ (Markus Schulz In Search Of Sunrise Rework)
11. JES, Alex M.O.R.P.H. and MRPHLNDR – ‘Spellbound’
12. Matt Fax x Solarstone – ‘Ascended Cities’ (Ferry Corsten Mashup)
13. French 79 – ‘Diamond Veins’ (VER:WEST Remix)
14. BLANCAh & NeoClassic – ‘Travessia’ (Hicky & Kalo Remix)
15. Aeridan – ‘Catalina (Interlude)’
16. Paul Oakenfold x Markus Schulz x Grace – ‘Not Over Yet’
17. Above & Beyond – ‘Sun In Your Eyes’ (Marsh Remix)

In Search Of Sunrise 22 – The Awakening is out now via Black Hole Recordings. The complete ISOS 22 series, including the upcoming Nirvana and Nocturnal Voyage chapters, can be streamed, purchased, or pre-ordered through Black Hole’s link.

The post Markus Schulz Opens ISOS 22 with ‘The Awakening’ Mix appeared first on EDMTunes.

In Search of Sunrise at EDC Las Vegas

The 80-minute video takes us on a melodic and transcendental journey, pushing the boundaries of time and space. With perfect harmonies and sultry beats, Tiësto rendered a safe space for “headliners” (EDC attendees) to mellow into dawn. The Mainstage lit up with hope and wonder, as the ethereal vocals and heavenly synths enchanted the OGs and the new fans alike.

Tiësto

The veteran tastemaker and GRAMMY Award winner commands the stage just as much as he did in the late 1990s. His mixing skills and devotion to music have earned him multiple awards, including World’s Best DJ from 2002-2004 and The Best DJ In The Last 20 Years in 2014. Recently, he made history during Anyma’s End of Genesys Residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, and he is part of the soundtrack for the upcoming Formula 1 movie.

Let loose and feel the power or Trance with Tiësto’s In Search of Sunrise at EDCLV 2025!

The post [WATCH] Tiesto Shares In Search of Sunrise Set from EDC appeared first on EDMTunes.

In Search Of Sunrise

The DJ and producer has definitely focused more on upcycling his older sounds in the last few months. In January, he made his Sphere Debut in Las Vegas. Then, he made his Club Space return from a 10+ year hiatus. Both times he catered to a more progressive and melodic sound, inspired by the In Search of Sunrise Mix series. Nonetheless, he is still playing tons of new tracks to involve a younger crowd while still targeting his long-time fans.

The artist is keeping busy as he will also play a solo extended set at Coachella’s Quasar Stage on Weekend 1. Quasar is the newest stage at the Goldenvoice festival, which debuted last year. The stage specializes in extended-format sets that target Dance fans. Other DJs that will play the Quasar Stage this year include Gorgon City, Testpilot, Zhu, and Salute.

More of Tiësto

One of EDM greatest DJs, he continuosly sets the tone with his sounds. From Trance, to the Mainstage of various world-known festivals, Tiësto is a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum icon. His experience has allowed him to continuosly raise the bar for artists. Moreover, he influences into mainstream media with collaborations with artists such as Karol G, Ava Max, Kim Petras, and more.

The post Tiesto Will Close EDC Vegas With In Search of Sunrise Set appeared first on EDMTunes.

That brings us then to where ISOS stands in the late summer of 2024, when Black Hole revealed their plans for the 20^th ‘Search’. Solarstone became the first of the six mixers unveiled, with Johan Gielen’s Airscape, Super8 & Tab, York, ZOYA and (naturally!) Markus followed in weekly succession.

Highest highs amongst its 100+ track highlights then!? Well, that’s a tough one, so maybe better to pinpoint some of the extraordinary legacy moments its six mixes touch on. York beginning his mix with his ‘Reachers Of Civilisation’ … as Tiësto did 25 years before him!? Unquestionably classy! Or indeed finishing with ‘Farewell to the Moon’ – possibly the most ‘In Search Of Sunrise’ title of all time!? Markus seeing out his disc with his ‘lost’ 2019 ISOS remix of Accadia’s undulating ‘Into the Dawn’ – would be another. And who could resist Solarstone calling back ‘Solarcoaster’, or Super8 & DJ Tab, ‘Helsinki Scorchin’ – prime movers in the ‘003 – Panama’ and ‘004 – Latin America’ editions!? Or Markus and ZOYA’s nods to Chicane, perhaps the most ISOS-embodying producer there is!? We could go on … (and on!) but at its core, ‘In Search Of Sunrise 20’ amounts to 6 DJs, 100+ tracks, 450+ musical minutes and 25 years of electronic music history, all celebrated through one milestone release.

The album is available to order now as a six-disc-boxset, six-mix digital release, triple-vinyl, and through all good streaming channels. 

Tracklist:          

Solarstone
01. Soul Alt Delete – You Need to Let Me Go
02. Solarstone – When I Dream (William Byrne Remix)
03. Foxhill – When the Morning Comes
04. Pablo Gargano – Open Up
05. Sinful Biz & Façade – Captivate
06. Orkidea – Dance of Life
07. Sean Tyas & Enigma State – Lately (Azure Mix)
08. Aerium & Julian Del Agranda – Flawless
09. Luigi Di Mare – Infinity
10. Solarstone – Solarcoaster (Aquarius Remix)
11. Slusnik Luna – Let Me Breathe
12. Mario De Caine – Patagonia
13. Effen – Majesty
14. Tom Bro – Balearic Islands
15. Solarstone – Release

Johan Gielen presents Airscape
01. Johan Gielen presents Airscape – Beach Pearl [Robert’s Theme – Intro Mix]
02. Airwave – Caribbean Sunrise
03. Johan Gielen presents Airscape – Love From Above (Airscape’s In Search Of Sunrise Mix)
04. Daniel Wanrooy – Lost Lake
05. Kyau & Albert x John Grand – Under My Skin 
06. PARAFRAME – Radiance
07. Mark van Rijswijk – Solaris
08. Daniel Wanrooy & Rafael Osmo – High Tide
09. Johan Gielen presents Airscape – Pacific Melody (Kryder’s Balearic Breaks Mix)
10. David Broaders – Interplanetary 
11. Tim Besamusca – Myth
12. Johan Gielen presents Airscape featuring Arkayne – In The Dust Where Love Is Gone 
13. Woody van Eyden & Cheryl Barnes – Salty Skin (Woody van Eyden at Sunbreak Instrumental Remix)
14. Northern Project & Abbey8k – Not Going Back
15. Johan Gielen presents Airscape – Piano Del Sol (Airscape’s In Search Of Sunrise Mix)
16. Johan Gielen & Pierre Pienaar – Benguela
17. DJ T.H., Jam Da Bass & Julie Thompson – Oceans

Super8 & Tab
01. maybe – Intoxicated
02. Scorz & Sirolf featuring Diandra Faye – Missing Piece
03. Modera & Andrew Burrow & Susie Ledge – Dominoes
04. Kryder featuring Sarah de Warren – Lights Out (Dominiq Vanquish Remix
05. John Grand – Ruby
06. Cosmic Gate & Christian Burns – Brave (Sean Tyas Remix)
07. Jesabel – You
08. Super8 & Tab x LÜRUM featuring LYCA – Hold The Fire
09. Kyau & Albert – Cascading Waterfalls 
10. Mofasa – Awakening
11. SØNIN & JS – Brighton BOP
12. DT8 Project – Destination (Super8 & Tab Remix)
13. Super8 & DJ Tab – Helsinki Scorchin’
14. ilan Bluestone – Echoes Of Courage
15. Push vs Beico – Enter Your Soul
16. Tim Clark – Feel You Now
17. Super8 & Tab – Flare

York
01. York – Reachers Of Civilisation (In Search Of Sunrise Mix)
02. Above & Beyond featuring Zoë Johnston – Crazy Love
03. Kyau & Albert – Photographs 
04. Steve Brian x Torsten Stenzel x Nazzereene – Weighed Down
05. Re:Locate & Simon Anthony – Skylight
06. Gabriel & Dresden – Kinetic Cinema
07. Activa pres. Solar Movement – Eclipse
08. The Space Brothers & DT8 Project featuring Andrea Britton – Never Felt This Good
09. Elysian – Now We Are Free
10. Torsten Stenzel featuring Mahe – Never Give Up
11. Talla 2XLC presents Zyrus 7 – 1998
12. Torsten Stenzel – Interstellar [Cornfield Chase] (York’s Back In Time Mix)
13. Wavetraxx vs. Jaron Inc. – Summerbreeze [PT. 1] (Wavetraxx Mix)
14. Torsten Stenzel featuring Grim Reaper – Sleepwalking
15. York – Farewell to the Moon (Torsten Stenzel Sunset Mix)

ZOYA
01. ZOYA – Crystal Cove
02. Nils Hoffmann & Kasbo featuring Vancouver Sleep Clinic – Running In A Dream
03. Paradoks – Flourish
04. ZOYA – Bright Star
05. Lumïsade – Orange Theme
06. Chicane featuring Moya Brennan – Saltwater (Kryder Remix)
07. Armin van Buuren & AVIRA vs Chicane – Offshore
08. Volaris – Tygar
09. Above & Beyond – Sun In Your Eyes
10. The Thrillseekers – In These Arms (Gundamea Remix)
11. ZOYA – Eternity
12. ZOYA – Gravity
13. ZOYA – Riverside
14. Cosmic Gate & Diana Miro – Nothing to Hide
15. TMPST & Dee Ocean – How You Feel

Markus Schulz
01. Chicane – Sunstroke (DC Symphonic Rehearsal Mix)
02. Late Night Alumni – Empty Streets (Markus Schulz In Search of Sunrise 20 Remix)
03. Giuseppe Ottaviani & Ferry Corsten – Magenta (Milkwish Remix)
04. Markus Schulz presents Dakota – Stereo 11AM
05. Eelke Kleijn – Lately
06. Siskin – Fly Away (Hel:sløwed Remix – In Search of Sunrise 20 Revision)
07. Airwave – When The Sun Comes Back (Markus Schulz In Search of Sunrise Reconstruction)
08. Stereo Underground – The Last Dance
09. Estiva – Via Infinita (Marsh Remix)
10. Tim Besamusca – Prometheus
11. First State featuring Anita Kelsey – Falling (Dave Neven presents OCATA Remix)
12. Mees Salomé – Apart
13. Bart Claessen & Raz Nitzan pres. Who.Is – We.Are (Markus Schulz In Search of Sunrise Remix)
14. Rex Mundi – Opera Of Northern Ocean (Mike EFEX presents Sun Theory Remix)
15. BLR – My Precious
16. The Quest – C Sharp (ALAT Remix)
17. Daxson – While We Wait (In Search of Sunrise 20 Revision)
18. The Thrillseekers presents Hydra – Affinity (Markus Schulz In Search of Sunrise Reconstruction) 
19. Markus Schulz & Emma Hewitt – Safe From Harm (William Schneider Remix)
20. Accadia – Into the Dawn (Markus Schulz In Search of Sunrise Remix)

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Kicking off, Markus, what was the first ‘In Search of Sunrise’ album you either heard or bought?
“It actually would have been the first one. I had just moved to London at the time and had gone to an HMV store to browse their latest vinyl, and they had In Search of Sunrise marked as an import CD in the dance section. I was drawn to it because I was already familiar with special tracks like BT’s ‘Mercury and Solace’ and Ferry Corsten’s remix of ‘Anomaly (Calling Your Name)’, so decided to buy it for listening to in my flat.”
 
Looking back across their tracklists, what is your personal favourite piece of music that’s been compiled onto an ‘In Search Of Sunrise’ album?
“It would have to be the original Cass & Slide version of ‘Perception’, featured on ‘In Search of Sunrise 2’. I always say it’s the one track I wish I could have originally created, and obviously I had the privilege of making a cover version with Justine Suissa many years afterwards.But there have been so many, and I think it demonstrates the strength of the series and how dearly people care about it across the past 25 years. Even certain transitions have had that wow factor. I go back to ‘In Search of Sunrise 5’ where Pink Elephant’s ‘LAX’ blended into Alex Stealthy’s ‘Something is Wrong’. Wonderful theatre of the mind, that.”

The music of In Search Of Sunrise’ is perhaps renowned for having both a ‘sound’ and a ‘feel’. How would Markus Schulz encapsulate that in three words or phrases?
“Emotion, journey and art. I think the most important thing is how your mind and soul interprets the phrase “In Search of Sunrise”. What does it mean? What do you see around you? What feelings do you have of going through the darkness of night into the hazy glow of morning? The beauty of music is that melodies can emotionally move you, even if you don’t expect it. And on the DJ side, there is an artform to it. Each transition and each progression to create the journey has to matter.”

Never a truer word spoken! Do you feel there’s a track on your mix that summarises that best?
“It’s very difficult to choose one, and the reason why is because you need all these individual pieces to be greater than the sum of their parts. If you take one out, the journey doesn’t become the same.”

Releases in the series have regularly been associated with places on the planet. Which country, city or place particularly comes to mind when you’re thinking ‘In Search Of Sunrise’?
“I’ve been very fortunate to have travelled the world and been to so many countries worldwide, and the beauty is that if you are lucky to see a sunrise, it feels unique to every setting. I guess many people would associate sunrise with Ibiza, especially because it reflects so well on a bed of water.” 

Love it! Now, compiling an ISOS disc is a notoriously rigorous business and one you’ve prepared for a good few times now. Do you have a specific approach for this, or do you just take each one as it comes?
“I think when you’ve been involved with In Search of Sunrise as long as I have, one project tends to blend into another. You are always on the lookout for those goosebump-inducing tracks, and you sometimes only discover them a week or two after wrapping up the In Search of Sunrise project for a particular year. The process for ‘In Search of Sunrise 20’ was slightly different, knowing that it was a milestone edition and it would also mark the 25th anniversary of the first one, so the first piece of work was studying the entire history of the series and creating a wishlist of tracks to highlight and possibly remix.”

Fantastic! Now how long did this particular process take, start through finish?
“The research with the history of the series began just after ADE last year. I spent a lot of time around Christmas and some downtime in January listening to every mix again to be sure of the tracks I wanted to include for the 20th. 

It was an exhaustive process, to be honest, because you can run into difficulties of ownership on publishing rights. You might have your heart set on including a particular track, or remixing a track, but you have to have the flexibility of high quality alternatives if they are needed.

I feel nowadays the standard for mix compilations has to be higher than ever before. It goes far beyond just a mix compilation now. It’s A&Ring demos, providing feedback on demos and remixes, and getting your own worktools out to mould tracks to fit how you want them. All in all, if I was to put a timeframe on it, I’d say the process lasted 10 months.”

Yourself aside perhaps, was there one classic ISOS-associated artist that you were particularly keen to have on your ‘20’ disc?
“One of the beauties I have found in being involved with In Search of Sunrise is that you have the opportunity to revisit songs that for whatever reason didn’t feature on previous editions. This was again part of my mindset with the 20th edition. 

Regular followers of me will know that one of the most cherished tracks in my playlist history and on Global DJ Broadcast was ‘Opera of Northern Ocean’ by the incredible Rex Mundi. It was one of those tracks that didn’t filter into every DJ box but was one that has a deep resonance to my fanbase. So, to have that revived in a real classy way by Mike EFEX was great.

In terms of people who were previously featured, I think there’s a special fondness for anything Anita Kelsey sang on; and her big ISOS connection was the original version of ‘Falling’ with First State. That was one that immediately jumped out when researching that I wanted in the 20th edition as a priority; and thankful that Dave Neven did a wonderful job on the remix.”

There’s some new/recent Dakota material on your mix. After ‘Odyssey To The Netherworld’, does that signal a new album in the offing?
“Not at the moment. ‘Stereo 11 AM’ was made as a one-off and began life as a dedicated exclusive to my solo sets at that historic venue in Montreal. The uniqueness of it is that ‘11 AM at Stereo’ is the beginning of the final hour of a 12 hour set there, because I usually go from midnight to noon. 

When people first heard it there, it felt like an appropriate sound that connected with them; and that elevated when they found out it was dedicated to the club and the city. Those feelings carry with me anywhere else in the world I play it, and it was something I felt was important to be enshrined into the ISOS platform this year.”

Your ‘In Search of Sunrise Remix of Who.Is – ‘We.Are’ is one of the many standouts. What prompted you to call back to that beauty in particular?
“I remember how momentous the transition of stewardship for In Search of Sunrise was from Tiesto to Richard Durand. He must have been under so much pressure and expectation because of the legacy Tiesto had created with the series. I remember at the time that We.Are was a big exclusive for his mix, and also marked the beginning of this exciting alias between Raz Nitzan and Bart Claessen.

Raz and I go back a very long way, and even though they only made three tracks under the alias, I still play all of them in my livesets today. Not only that, not one of them had ever been remixed. So, I wanted something from ISOS 8 to signify Richard’s contribution, but also to bring a truly outstanding track into a new generation. 

I’m very grateful to have had Raz’s blessing to give the remix the go-ahead, and wanted to do something that maintained the soul of the original.”

That’s a fantastic story. Nothing but love for that. Now, Hydra’s ‘Affinity’ is one of the rarest-of-rare occasions where you’ve used a track for a second time on an ‘In Search of Sunrise’. Does it hold a special place for you or is it just more ‘ISOS’ than the rest !?
“It’s such a special track and melody, and I think it has emotionally resonated for me more and more, through playing it during the various In Search of Sunrise themed sets I’ve done at the likes of Dreamstate and the Luminosity Beach Festival. 

I guess you can say it’s a little callback to the first In Search of Sunrise I was privileged to mix – the 14th edition. The version on ISOS 20 is actually a reconstruction I did, with an extra bassline and pads to give it that little more drive.”

Your ISOS mix of Accadia’s ‘Into the Dawn’ is the final track on your In Search of Sunrise mix – a great fit in both tune and title! Is this a remix of your original 2019 rework, or is there another story behind that?
“It is. The first version was only meant to be an exclusive for my livesets. I think it was possibly made spontaneously for one of the New Year’s Eve shows at Avalon in Los Angeles. But it was reflective of the sound at the time, with aggressive bassline and percussion.

It’s a track I always felt befitting of an In Search of Sunrise berth somewhere, so when the guys at Lost Language were so kind to give their blessing to allow a remix to be included, I went in with the task of carving it to be a big emotional finale for the journey.”

And one you succeeded in to the nth degree! Now million-dollar final question:  what’s the best Sunrise Markus Schulz ever found !? 
“One that sticks in my mind was when I was booked to play in Buenos Aires, as part of Argentina’s Bicentennial celebrations. But getting there was one of the scariest experiences in my life. I was on a flight from Madrid and it was the worst turbulence I’ve ever experienced on a plane, and I started doubting whether we would even see dry land. I felt like kissing the ground after landing. 

But going from there to the venue, it was one of those nights where I was scheduled to play for a couple of hours but wound up playing for around six. I remember leaving the venue and going to the hotel which was up on the side of a hill. It was winter so daybreak was a little later, but that morning had the most breathtaking sunrise and scenery. It’s one that has always remained with me to this day.”

Wonderful story! Thanks so much Markus and all the best with ‘ISOS 20’ and for the series’ future!

‘In Search Of Sunrise 20’ is available to order now as a six-disc-boxset, six-mix digital release, triple-vinyl, and through all good streaming channels. 

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The post As ‘In Search Of Sunrise 20’ Releases, Markus Schulz Talks About His History With The Iconic Series appeared first on EDMTunes.

What was the first ‘In Search Of Sunrise’ album you heard or bought, Rich? “That was Vol.3 – the one with Solarstone ‘Solarcoaster’ on it. I remember buying the CD! It’s funny how music can be autobiographical in that way.”

It truly is! Now, looking back across their tracklists, what would you say is your all-time favourite track that’s been compiled onto an ‘In Search Of Sunrise’ album?“Without a doubt that would Andain ‘Summer Calling’ (Josh Gabriel Mix) – it precedes ‘Solarcoaster’ on Vol. 3. I love that track so much. I’ve toyed with the idea of remixing it, but I know that whatever I did could not touch the perfection of Josh’s version, so the exercise would be kind of pointless!”

The music of ‘In Search Of Sunrise’ is perhaps renowned for having less of a ‘sound’ and more a ‘feel’. How would you encapsulate that feel in three words? “I think it is both a ‘feel’ an also a ‘sound’. So for me that’d be: ‘Balearic progressive trance’.”

Fair enough! Is there a track on your mix that summarises that best? “It’s the whole thing. That’s the whole point of it, at least that’s how I feel. Setting a mood and letting it flow. Having said that, the Foxhill track captures the sunrise beautifully. Even the title ‘When the Morning Comes’ is perfect. I think Sam Foxhill is a really gifted producer.”

‘In Search Of Sunrise’ mixes are all about flow. How did you approach yours? “I knew how I wanted this to sound from day one. Keeping the Balearic vibe throughout, progressive sounds, a gentle & natural slow build. I told the artists what the tracks were for, and they produced tracks perfectly for it. Anyone who knows the early ISOS albums understands my intention with this mix. But the flow takes some crafting, you need to step back from the mechanics of the mix from time to time – listen to the whole thing in the car, for example. When I listened to the first bounce of the mix, there was one track that had been signed & edited specifically for this album but then really stood out as not fitting. It was too ‘uplifting’ and knocked the flow off-course. This is something that usually happens with a compilation, and it can be very frustrating for the artist who made the track! I was dreading telling them that I had to remove it. The Solarcoaster remix by Aquarius then materialised in a very serendipitous way on the day I realised that I needed one more track. Polish 18-year-old producer Aquarius (who has released several times on my labels) sent me a demo of his Solarcoaster remix out of the blue – and it fitted perfectly in the space left by the other track, even in terms of BPM and key. That sounds like a huge coincidence, but it has actually happened several times before! By the way, there was a happy ending with the cut track – I offered it to a DJ mixing one of the other discs, and they loved it and included it. I was very relieved!”

Are there any exclusives, premieres, or purpose-built tracks on the Solarstone mix? “Yes – all of them! I love my compilations to consist of brand-new music. Primarily this album needed to be new music from interesting artists designed for an ISOS album. I don’t think a mix like this should be an exercise in self-promotion, but people do expect a few of my own tracks to be on there, either new tracks or remixes from my back catalogue. They have to fit naturally though, not be shoe-horned in. On this one they are the Solarcoaster remix, the William Byrne remix of ‘When I Dream’ (William made the remix about a year earlier and I was saving it for a special occasion) &  ‘Release’ which closes my mix. It’s one from 2003 that I always felt would have worked perfectly on an ISOS compilation, so I dug out the original stems and made a slightly different version for this project. Sean Tyas & Enigma state kindly made an alternative version of their brilliant track ‘Lately’ for this album – the fabulous ‘Azure Mix’. The very first track written specifically for the album was the wonderful ‘Majesty’ by Singapore’s Effen, the feel of that track was always going to be the ‘peak’ of the mix – just before the ramp down towards the end.”

Nice! Now was there one ISOS-oriented artist that you were particularly keen to have on your disc? “Absolutely – that would be Orkidea! He has mixed a previous edition of ISOS & his music often has a Balearic vibe. ‘Dance Of Life’ is vintage Orkidea, a really brilliant track.”

You yourself are the owner of a compilation series that has reached ten outings. What’s the secret to longevity when creating a series? “I suppose it is having faith in a concept and being consistent – releasing at the same time each year. Annoyingly we missed a year with the Pure Trance series, due to the pandemic. This year, when Arny from Black Hole asked me to compile a disc for this special edition, I knew that because of the amount of work involved (& other ongoing projects) it would be impossible for me to also mix a new Pure Trance compilation, so I chose to do In Search of Sunrise. Pure Trance Vol. 11 will happen in 2025 instead.”

A noble sacrifice! So, tackling the elephant in the room, musically, Solarstone would seem like the most natural of fits for ‘In Search Of Sunrise’. Is ‘Pure Trance’ what’s kept you away from ‘In Search Of Sunrise’ for so long !? “It is!! I’ve discussed it several times with Arny, but for the last few years it was because I couldn’t commit to doing an ISOS alongside a Pure Trance album as well. I’m really pleased that it has finally happened.”

What’s the best Sunrise you’ve ever found !? “Paula, my wife and I were in Costa Rica recently and we saw some good ones there from a little cabin high up in the jungle. Not that we stayed up all night to see them – we were woken each morning by the sun streaming through the window. Generally, having two kids, I prefer not to be woken up in the morning, thanks very much.”

You can pre-order In Search Of Sunrise 20 here:
https://blackhole.lnk.to/ISOS-20

The post Solarstone Unveiled As The First Of The Six DJs Mixing The Landmark 20th Edition Of ‘In Search Of Sunrise’ appeared first on EDMTunes.

January saw one of the icons of the EDM world step inside the booth of AME Club, in Valinhos, an hour-long drive from São Paulo, Brazil. Tiësto took his very own AFTR:HRS show to the south American country for a 9-hour gig, which he headlined with a 2-hour set at sundown. Other acts invited were Rigooni, Nox Vahn, Silver Panda, and a B2B set from Silvio Soul and Scorz.

In true VER:WEST fashion, Tijs’ played a set packed with Deep House, Progressive and Melodic Techno wreckers, including tracks from &ME, CamelPhat, and Vintage Culture, among many others. He also gave his very own ‘5 Seconds Before Sunrise‘ a spin. Fans were pleasantly surprised to know that he too played ‘Lonely’ by Reeves featuring Alanah, and a new version of BT feat. Jan Johnston‘s ‘Mercury & Solace’, both tracks taken from Tiësto’s groundbreaking Trance compilations In Search Of Sunrise (ISOS) from back in the day.

The name VER:WEST was born in 2020, when Tiësto released the single ‘5 Seconds Before Sunrise’. Since then, he’s released two more songs under said alias, ‘Elements Of A New Life‘ and a remix for French 79 and Sarah Rebecca’s ‘Diamond Veins‘. To this date, he has played several shows so far, including 2020’s Tomorrowland Around The World, Factory 93 in Los Angeles, California, and The Trip in Cancún, Mexico.

VER:WEST’s set in Valinhos’ AME Club is up on YouTube. Take a look by clicking below.

The post [WATCH] Tiësto Rocks Brazil’s AME Club As VER:WEST appeared first on EDMTunes.

Unlike last year, when In Search Of Sunrise 15 arrived in November 2019. In 2020 they regained their balance and decided to look for the sunrise in early August. Perfect, considering that it is summer, we look for sunlight at this season, at the beach, or at least in the window of our houses.

Markus Schulz returns for the third time, leading the group of DJs in charge of making this compilation. Also in the line-up of this album is the best-selling trance artist of 2019, Giuseppe Ottaviani. Rounding out the In Search of Sunrise 16 trio, we have the always Chilled-Out Roger Shah in his alias Sunlounger.

In every compilation of this series, they show us that the most important thing here is the chemistry between DJ and concept. In search of Sunrise 16 has three DJs doing the best job of providing an epic listening experience, befitting their nature.

Putting their hearts into this art of selecting and mixing songs, sunrise seekers bring a wide variety of contemporary trance. Every disc contains songs from both established and emerging artists.

This summer needs a soundtrack more than most, and that one came today. In Search Of Sunrise 16 Mixed by Markus Schulz, Giuseppe Ottaviani & Sunlounger is available and you can listen to it below.

The post A Light Across the Darkness: In Search Of Sunrise 16 appeared first on EDMTunes.