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Ep 21: 90's Hard Trance According to Aaron Olson
In the neon-drenched underground of the 1990s, hard trance exploded like a warehouse rave on steroids, faster, louder, and unapologetically euphoric. Born from the fusion of German techno precision and acid-fueled intensity, it pushed BPMs to nosebleed levels and flooded dance floors with relentless energy. Think thunderous kick drums, snarling synth stabs, hypnotic buildups, and breakdowns so dramatic they made the ceiling feel like it was about to lift off.
Hard trance didn't just soundtrack the party, it was the party. From Frankfurt to London, Ibiza to Toronto, its adrenaline-pumping sound became a staple of late-night sets and all-night festivals. It gave ravers a second wind at 4 a.m. and inspired DJs to push the limits of sound system punishment. Its influence still echoes in today’s techno, hardstyle, and psytrance scenes, but nothing quite hits like the raw, unfiltered chaos of ‘90s hard trance. It wasn’t subtle, it was a full-body assault. And I loved it for that.
I was particularly partial to the more plucky-pad ran records over the euro-sounding riffs so I've spent some time cultivating as many of those cuts as I could for all you 90's rave fiends!
Let's go!
Tracklisting:
01. Jon the Dentist & Ollie Jaye - Music Takes You High
02. Mexican vs Harry Diamond - Spectrum (Heavy Duty Hard Mix)
03. Nick Sentience - Discotech
04. Prime Mover - Black Dogs (Extended Mix)
05. PH1 - Sizzling Love
06. John ’00’ Fleming - Alpha 5 (Olmec Heads Remix)
07. Olmec Heads - Spiritualized
08. Members of Mayday - 10 in 01 (Paul Van Dyk Club Mix)
09. DJ Arabesque - The Vision (BK & Nick Sentience Remix)
10. Agnelli & Nelson - El Nino
11. Dariush - IRA
12. New Order - Blue Monday (Starwash Mix)
13. DJ Ufuk - R2-D2 (DJ Ufuk Remix)
14. The OT Quartet - Hold That Sucker Down (Aquagen Remix)
15. Saccoman - Metamorph (Part Two Mix)
16. Armin Van Buuren - Blue Fear
17. BT - Flaming June (BT vs PVD Mix / Paul Van Dyk Remix)
18. BK & Dave Randall - Trace
19. The Generator - Where Are You Now (Moonman Remix)
20. Signum feat. Scott Mac. - Coming on Strong (Hyperlogic Remix)
21. Taiko - Silence (Club Mix)
22. Fire & Ice - Forever Young
23. Age of Love - The Age of Love (Jam & Spoon ‘Watch Out for Stella’ Mix)
24. Blank & Jones - Cream (Paul Van Dyk Remix)
25. Binary Binary - 1999 (Paul Van Dyk Remix)
26. Prototype - Soundpiercing
27. DJ Taucher - Child of the Universe (Extended Club Mix)
28. Olmec Heads - Lift Off
29. BK - Revolution (Alphazone Remix)
30. Alphazone - Stay (Original Mix / James Lawson Remix)
31. Delirium feat. Sarah McLachlan - Silence (John Summit Remix)
32. Mauro Picotto - Lizard (Megavoices Mix)
33. Snap! - Rhythm Is A Dancer (CJ Stone Club Mix)
34. Culture Beat - Mr. Vain (A1 Mix)
35. DJ Scot Project - O (Overdrive)
36. Kai Tracid - Trance & Acid (Extended Mix)
37. CJ Bolland - The Prophet (Shockwave’s ‘New Arch’ Mix / Original Mix)
38. Signum - What Ya Got 4 Me (Kumara Remix)
39. Praga Khan - Injected With A Poison (Space Frog’s ‘No Way Out’ Mix)
40. Alphazone - Flashback (Dave Joy Remix)
41. Warp Brothers vs Aquagen - Phatt Bass (Warp Brothers ‘Phatt’ Mix)
NEXT EPISODE: 90's Uplifting House According to Ollie Jaye
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By The Record DropIn the neon-drenched underground of the 1990s, hard trance exploded like a warehouse rave on steroids, faster, louder, and unapologetically euphoric. Born from the fusion of German techno precision and acid-fueled intensity, it pushed BPMs to nosebleed levels and flooded dance floors with relentless energy. Think thunderous kick drums, snarling synth stabs, hypnotic buildups, and breakdowns so dramatic they made the ceiling feel like it was about to lift off.
Hard trance didn't just soundtrack the party, it was the party. From Frankfurt to London, Ibiza to Toronto, its adrenaline-pumping sound became a staple of late-night sets and all-night festivals. It gave ravers a second wind at 4 a.m. and inspired DJs to push the limits of sound system punishment. Its influence still echoes in today’s techno, hardstyle, and psytrance scenes, but nothing quite hits like the raw, unfiltered chaos of ‘90s hard trance. It wasn’t subtle, it was a full-body assault. And I loved it for that.
I was particularly partial to the more plucky-pad ran records over the euro-sounding riffs so I've spent some time cultivating as many of those cuts as I could for all you 90's rave fiends!
Let's go!
Tracklisting:
01. Jon the Dentist & Ollie Jaye - Music Takes You High
02. Mexican vs Harry Diamond - Spectrum (Heavy Duty Hard Mix)
03. Nick Sentience - Discotech
04. Prime Mover - Black Dogs (Extended Mix)
05. PH1 - Sizzling Love
06. John ’00’ Fleming - Alpha 5 (Olmec Heads Remix)
07. Olmec Heads - Spiritualized
08. Members of Mayday - 10 in 01 (Paul Van Dyk Club Mix)
09. DJ Arabesque - The Vision (BK & Nick Sentience Remix)
10. Agnelli & Nelson - El Nino
11. Dariush - IRA
12. New Order - Blue Monday (Starwash Mix)
13. DJ Ufuk - R2-D2 (DJ Ufuk Remix)
14. The OT Quartet - Hold That Sucker Down (Aquagen Remix)
15. Saccoman - Metamorph (Part Two Mix)
16. Armin Van Buuren - Blue Fear
17. BT - Flaming June (BT vs PVD Mix / Paul Van Dyk Remix)
18. BK & Dave Randall - Trace
19. The Generator - Where Are You Now (Moonman Remix)
20. Signum feat. Scott Mac. - Coming on Strong (Hyperlogic Remix)
21. Taiko - Silence (Club Mix)
22. Fire & Ice - Forever Young
23. Age of Love - The Age of Love (Jam & Spoon ‘Watch Out for Stella’ Mix)
24. Blank & Jones - Cream (Paul Van Dyk Remix)
25. Binary Binary - 1999 (Paul Van Dyk Remix)
26. Prototype - Soundpiercing
27. DJ Taucher - Child of the Universe (Extended Club Mix)
28. Olmec Heads - Lift Off
29. BK - Revolution (Alphazone Remix)
30. Alphazone - Stay (Original Mix / James Lawson Remix)
31. Delirium feat. Sarah McLachlan - Silence (John Summit Remix)
32. Mauro Picotto - Lizard (Megavoices Mix)
33. Snap! - Rhythm Is A Dancer (CJ Stone Club Mix)
34. Culture Beat - Mr. Vain (A1 Mix)
35. DJ Scot Project - O (Overdrive)
36. Kai Tracid - Trance & Acid (Extended Mix)
37. CJ Bolland - The Prophet (Shockwave’s ‘New Arch’ Mix / Original Mix)
38. Signum - What Ya Got 4 Me (Kumara Remix)
39. Praga Khan - Injected With A Poison (Space Frog’s ‘No Way Out’ Mix)
40. Alphazone - Flashback (Dave Joy Remix)
41. Warp Brothers vs Aquagen - Phatt Bass (Warp Brothers ‘Phatt’ Mix)
NEXT EPISODE: 90's Uplifting House According to Ollie Jaye