Activa’s ‘Movement: One’ is a Sign of the Trance Renaissance

Activa delivers a three-hour masterclass on how to mix classic trance sounds with modern stylings in the first installment of his Movement series.

The UK trance scene has dominated conventional spaces for decades through the likes of Solarstone, Simon Patterson, Andy Moor, John 00 Fleming, John Askew, Mark Sherry, Ben Nicky, and more. The prolific Rob Stevenson, better known as Activa, is equally revered in that realm. Over the years, he has cemented himself as a staple of trance through labels such as Vandit, Pure Trance, and Aly & Fila’s Future Sound of Egypt, in addition to self-releasing and running his label Borderline.

Today, Activa’s talent graces the legendary Black Hole Recordings with the first in a new compilation series called Movement, dedicated to the historical and authentic roots of the classic trance sound. Assembling a host of like-minded pioneers in the scene, his new series seeks to capitalize on the cyclical resurgence of trance through a showcase of the finest producers in melodic, progressive, and classic trance.

People needed to feel connected and historically, I don’t think there’s many forms of electronic music that’s done more of that than trance.
Activa

Listen to Movement: One on Spotify or your preferred platform, and read on for a deeper dive into the tracks found on this compilation.

Stream Activa – Movement: One on Spotify:

Trance is about the journey, not the destination.

Movement: One is structured to highlight the iconic “building” found within trance: a mix that slowly and progressively builds over time and transports you throughout the entirety of the compilation. Even the artwork alludes to releases of time gone by: an experience for people who were there during the golden age of trance or simply want a glimpse into that era.

Activa opens the comp with the broody track from LJR, “The Last Satellite.” This progressive number floats so seamlessly into the next track, Luke Terry’s “Muon,” that you get lost in hypnotic trance textures before even noticing the tracks have changed over, something that is accentuated throughout the album. As the first half of the mix unfolds, the subtle textures slowly unravel and re-weave themselves as if building a sonic tapestry: modern sound design with the heart of classic trance mixes.

The tempo picks up near the middle as Activa introduces his first direct contributions to Movement, two reworks of Jaron INC’s “Inspire” and Spectre’s “Evolution” in succession. Activa’s touches to these tracks are subtle, techy and melodic at the same time, marking the last bits of progressive before entering peak-time territory on disc one. “Titration”, Activa’s collaboration with Glynn Alan sets up a flurry of club cuts, before “Øna” closes the first half of the mix in electrifying fashion.

Activa opens the second disc with much more energy than the first.

The nine-minute mini-journey through 303s and uplifting tones called “I Wanted You” opens the ride. This mix puts the emphasis on movement, as euphoric sound design and driving basslines grace this half of the mix throughout. Whether it’s “Pillars” from Sunda and byDesign, “Strobe” by Allan Morrow, or the contributions from modern trance heavyweights such as The Noble Six, Maria Healy, and Lostly, this mix is all about high tempo, “tech-lifting” trance. Disc two will keep you dancing all the way until Activa closes out with a gorgeous outro mix of Factoria’s “Sculptured,” a slice of uplifting that satisfies the palate of any fan of that classic trance sound, closing out Movement: One emphatically and comprehensively.

The first installment of Movement proves that trance hasn’t died. In fact, its adherence to tradition has helped trance on its way back to the forefront due to the cyclical nature of dance music. Activa’s goal was not to make trance popular again but to reacquire the sound and feel of classic trance, from the sound design to the way it’s released, even down to the artwork, designed as an homage to trance releases past.

With the rebirth of his label Borderline, a high demand for the classic trance sound that he specializes in, and a collective of like-minded producers and DJs, it’s clear that this is just the beginning. We’re at the beginning of a trance renaissance, and Activa is one of its champions, so take a listen to Movement: One and get behind the trance “revival” movement.

Activa – Movement: One – Tracklist:

Disc 1

LJR – The Last Satellite

Luke Terry – Muon (Stripped Mix)

Chris Johnson – The Calling

Coredata – GeoMetric

Chris Johnson – These Days

Jaron Inc. – Inspire (Activa Rework)

Spectre – Evolution (Activa Rework)

Sunda – Mirage

Andre Maier – Optimum

Definitions & Char – All We Have

Slipstream – Lagrange Point

DJ Dazzle – From Within (Activa Remix)

Activa & Glynn Alan – Titration

Pulser – The Other Side of Time (Movement Edit)

Activa – Twilight

Øna – Øna

Disc 2

Activa – I Wanted You

Brandt Hoff – Where Is My Soul

Aeon Shift – Breathe You In

Marcos – Odyssey

Sunda & ByDesign – Pillars

Lostly – Way Back Home

Allan Morrow – Strobe

Maria Healy – Midnight Oil

Julian Del Agranda – El Sueño (Movement Edit)

Activa – Formentera

Aerium pres. Avalon 62 – Eneabba (Movement Edit)

Activa & John Dopping – A Future Memory (Activa’s Origins Mix)

The Noble Six – Moon That Never Sets

Enigma State – Waiting For You (Orgasmix)

Factoria – Sculptured (Activa Outro Rework)

Follow Activa:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud | YouTube