Dreamstate SoCal 2016 | Maria's Top 10 Must Sees

Dreamstate SoCal 2016 aka Trancegiving is gearing up to be the event of the year and I don’t know about you but I am particularly stoked about the experience that’s about to unfold!

Two short weeks of preparation is all we have left trance family! But with the Dreamstate lineup as stacked as it is, boasting 64 trance acts and 4 stages to choose from, trance fans may have a difficult time trying to decide who’s sets they will ultimately catch. My goal for this years homecoming event is to check out some artists that I have not yet seen on the tour circuit as well as some must-see staples that I never miss no matter what the lineup looks like. So, take a journey with me and enjoy my top 10 must sees of Dreamstate SoCal 2016. See you on the dance floor!

Check out the Dreamstate official trailer right here!

For full Dreamstate Socal 2016 lineup and ticket link click here!

10.) M.I.K.E. Push

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If you are a true trance enthusiast then you know that M.I.K.E. Push is truly one of the God Fathers of the electronic dance music scene. His record ‘Universal Nation’ placed him on the map and is recognized as one of the classic dance records of the trance era until this day. There are only a few as seasoned and as talented as this man and Dreamstate would not be a true trance event without him on the line up. His sets are divine and his understanding of the genre shines through as he takes his crowd on a spectacular journey from start to finish. I was fortunate enough to see M.I.K.E. Push at TomorrowWorld 2014 and I can say from experience that I wished his set would go on forever. Truly stunning.

Stream M.I.K.E. Push live at ASOT 750 Utrecht on YouTube:

9.) Photographer

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He is a little bit progressive house, a dash of electro house, and a whole lot of trance! He is the master of #1 hit productions including “Find A Way” with Susana, his remix of Dash Berlin & Roxanne Emery’s “Shelter”, his remix for Armin van Buuren’s “Who’s Afraid Of 138”, and “Atlas”. He is also the host of his weekly radio show called ‘SoundCasting’ and he is the man who brought us the insane remix of Aly & Fila’s “Laily”. In fact, some may argue that he is the true king of the remix. Everything this man touches turns to gold. His style is soaked in energy and wildly out of the box. If there is one man who will turn Dreamstate on its head look no further than Photographer!

Watch Photographer live at Luminosity Beach Festival on YouTube:

8.) Triceradrops

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Who loves their beats dark, twisted, and insanely unique? Triceradrops has got you covered! Julian Noriega aka Triceradrops is well on his way to being the top dog when it comes to progressive psytrance, Full On, and psychedelic techno. Hailing from Los Angeles, California this home-bred superhero has recently gifted the world with his latest EP that includes the tracks “A Lucid Nightmare”, “Ronald Raygun”, “Auditory Hallucinations”, “Wave Rider” featuring Krunch and Juno, and “Malice”. Every single one of these tracks breaks boundaries and he has set the bar high for all other producers in his genre. Triceradrops is the true dark horse of Dreamstate and I have a feeling that this event will be his launch to superstardom!

Stream Triceradrops live on Pharmacy Radio Episode 003 on YouTube:

7.) KhoMha

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The next DJ on my list is a Colombian man who delivers the true definition of fun at every event or show that he plays. Most know him from the time he spent under the Coldharbour brand, dropping dance floor fire in the form of his ‘El Malo’ EP as well as with his singles “Asylum”, “Dusk Riddles” and “The Dark Knight”. These days Khomha has found his home with Armada and continues to KhoMhatize everyone that opens their ears up to his creative expressions. KhoMha has a way of boosting the mood with track selections that are ridiculously catchy and beautifully infectious. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Steve Angello, Pryda, Deadmau5, Arno Cost, and Sean Tyas, KhoMha will be bringing a performance grand enough for the main stage!

Stream KhoMha live at ASOT 750 Utrecht 2016 on SoundCloud:

6.) Gouryella

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Back in 2015, Ferry Corsten announced the return of his Gouryella project with the release of one of the most uplifting trance tracks of all time, “Anahera”. Since then he has set forth on a journey to spread the Gouryella name all over the world, touching down at some of the biggest festivals on the planet. He unveiled his latest single, “Neba” at EDC Las Vegas just this past year as a follow-up to “Anahera” and the trance world lit up with adoration and astonishment as we all came to terms with how historical the Gouryella brand truly was and is. The incredible production that Ferry Corsten brings to his Gouryella sets stand apart from anything I have ever experienced before. Gouryella carries a message and makes you step back and dig deep into the theories of creation and universe. Southern California, I hope you are prepared for the ride of your life.

Check out our interview with him HERE!

Stream Gouryella – “Neba” on YouTube:

5.) Niko Zografos

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Next up is a man who has been at the forefront of the resurgence of trance in San Francisco through establishing his brainchild known as Phoria Events hosting huge names like Markus Schulz, Cosmic Gate, Simon Patterson, and Paul Oakenfold. Niko has received a huge amount of support from Armin van Buuren, Aly & Fila, and Ferry Tayle (just to name a few), produces his very own radio show called ‘Phoria Radio’, and consistently delivers incredible originals like “Acropolis”, “Mykonos” and “Revelation”. You are going to want to raise your hands to the sky when Niko takes the stage because this west coast trance master is going to chauffeur you straight to heaven!

Stream Niko Zografos live from The Paper Box Brooklyn, NY 2016 on SoundCloud:

4.) MarLo

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My next pick gets me very excited because he is someone who has been on my list of must-see artists for years! MaRLo, is a Dutch-born Austalian-based DJ and producer who in most people’s opinion is the #1 trance artist in Australia. With releases on labels such as Armada, Spinnin Records, Blackhole Recordings and Flashover Recordings, MarLo comes with experience and a style that is tantalizingly unique and edgy. Want proof? Check out his set from ASOT 750 in Miami ! A set that brought down the house! ‘The MaRLo Sound’ as his loyal followers have dubbed it is a sound bred by inspiration from Mauro Picotto, Aphex Twin, Armin Van Buuren, and The Prodigy and today MarLo has become one of the standout artists on the Armada label garnering him an almost cult like following.

Stream MarLo at ASOT 750 Ultra Miami 2016 on SoundCloud:

3.) Jorn Van Deynhoven

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Earning bragging rights as the man who produced “New Horizons”, the track selected to become the anthem for A State of Trance 650 is just one small piece of the puzzle when it comes to Jorn Van Deynhoven. Move over Photographer because Jorn Van Deynhoven is gunning for your remix king status! In fact, Jorn has achieved legendary status with his remixes and reworks of Armin van Buuren feat. Richard Bedford’s “Love Never Came”, Dash Berlin’s “Never Cry Again”, Cosmic Gate & Emma Hewitt’s “Going Home”, RAM’s “RAMsterdam”, Svenson & Gielen’s “Twisted” and Craig Connelly feat. Christina Novelli’s “Black Hole”. When Jorn Van Deynhoven takes the Dreamstate stage it will be with the promise of driving beats, classic flair, and a ton of anthem mania!

Watch Jorn Van Deynhoven at Luminosity Beach Festival 2016 on YouTube:

2.) Neptune Project

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UK’s own Dan Willis & Jules Moyce are the two brilliant men behind Neptune Project. Their epic extended sets that have been dubbed ‘the ultimate journey’ in trance have helped to secure them as a household name in the trance scene. And when it comes to studio production, the love that is shown for Neptune Project’s work trumps all others. Through the years these boys have developed a stunning brand. Neptune Project boasts multiple releases on major labels like Anjunabeats, Armada, Vandit, Subculture and Future Sound of Egypt. They have even changed the game, remixing tracks from some of the best producers to ever walk this earth including Above & Beyond, Paul Van Dyk, Aly & Fila, and Pink Floyd. To describe what you are in for when Neptune Project hits the stage would sound a little like a euphoric story tale that takes you through peaks and valleys. Do yourself a favor and do not miss these guys!

Stream Neptune Project live at Gatecrasher Re-Union 2016 on SoundCloud:

1.) John O’Callaghan

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My final pick is a producer/DJ that I have followed for quite a few years. His set at last year’s inaugural Dreamstate event was one of the most uplifting and emotional sets that I have ever experienced. The moment he dropped his original track “Stay With Me” it was like the stars had aligned and everything just melted away. He is the ‘Subculture’ pioneer and the deliverer of game changing tracks like “Big Sky”, “Find Yourself”, “One Special Particle”, and “Space & Time”. Another JOC specialty is his knack for taking vocal records and transforming them into extraordinary trance classics. Take his remix of Gareth Emery’s ‘Concrete Angel’ for example. After its release a few years ago it hit number one in the download charts and is still in constant rotation on the track lists of the biggest names in the industry to date. John O’Callaghan is the king of kings and in my opinion, the king of Dreamstate! I hope you come find me during his set so we can experience the magic together!