Paul van Dyk

Born Matthias Paul in 1971 and raised in East Berlin, Paul van Dyk emerged in the early 1990s on a German electronic scene reshaping itself after the fall of the Wall. Initially a DJ at Tresor in 1991 and later associated with the Berlin label MFS, he developed a melodic, progressive trance built on steady pulses, airy synthetic textures and long-form constructions designed for both the club and attentive listening. His stint in the duo Visions of Shiva with Cosmic Baby and his 1993 remix of Humate’s “Love Stimulation” mark his early discographic milestones, before “For an Angel” became one of the tracks most closely linked to him. With 45 RPM (1994), Seven Ways (1996), Out There and Back (2000) and Reflections (2003) Paul van Dyk established a sound between trance, electronica and melodic dance, while producing numerous remixes and collaborating with artists such as BT, Saint Etienne and Johnny McDaid. Founder of the Vandit label, present on stages like Gatecrasher and host of the VONYC Sessions show, he continued this trajectory with In Between (2007), Evolution (2012), The Politics of Dancing 3 (2015), From Then On (2017), Music Rescues Me (2018) and Guiding Light (2020).