VISIONS OF TRANCE

     TOP LABELS: Additive A sublabel of EMI, primarily releasing progressive trance and Euro-trance music. Used by EMI to test the reception of contracts before a full commercial release on Positiva. Parent Label: EMI As a label exclusively releasing 12-inch records, Additive provided a useful testing ground for parent label EMI, which could assess the commercial potential of (usually) foreign trance productions. The most successful transition was to sister label Positiva, where full CDs and 12-inch albums were released. This included tracks like Brainbug's "Nightmare," Marc Et Claude's "La," Ayla's "Ayla," DJ Sakin & Friends' "Protect Your Mind," Fragma's "Toca Me," and Aurora's "Hear You Calling," which (after being re-released on Positiva) reached the UK Top 30 singles chart. While this system was certainly very effective, some tracks that enjoyed strong DJ support didn't make it onto Positiv...

TOP LABELS is a section of Visions Of Trance, which includes the best labels in the history of Trance music. Let me know what label I should feature next that isn't on this list. Of course, I still remember many labels, but maybe you will surprise me with some of your choices? The photo is for illustration purposes only. The order of the labels is completely random. Currently, I mentioned the following labels: 1. Eye Q Records 2. Pure Trance 3. Harthouse 4. Lost Language 5. Platipus Records 6. Black Hole Recordings 7. Enhanced Music 8. Bonzai Music 9. Xtravaganza Recordings 10. JOOF Recordings  11. Vandit Records 12. Armada Music 13. Mondo Records 14. Eve Records 15. Monster Tunes 16. Combined Forces 17. Somatic Sense  18. Perfecto Records 19. Fog Area Productions 20. Deal Records  21. Hooj Choons 22. Afterglow Records 23. BXR - Media Records 24. ZYX Music 25. Recoverworld Label Group 26. Drizzly Music 27. Intuition Recordings 28. Positiva Records 29. Tracid Traxxx 30. Pl...

TOP LABELS: Waterworld A German Trance and Hard Trance label, home to Alphazone, DJ Kim, Cosmosonic, Master & Servant, White Flag, Stormcatchers, DJ Headhunter and more. Initially an independent label, it later became part of the Skywarp label group, founded and run by Alphazone. Distributed by Discomania. Their mission: to be the freshest and most innovative record label in Germany, producing intelligent but dancefloor-acceptable Trance and Hard Trance music. Parent label: Skywarp Records

TOP LABELS: Xtra Nova Xtra Nova was a Belgian Trance label that was part of the N.E.W.S. label. Artists like Marc Et Claude, The Thrillseekers aka En-Motion, Darren Tate aka Orion, DJ Sakin & Friends, Signum, BT, Aquaplex Meets Junk Project, Hybrid, Ferry Corsten & Robert Smit aka Starparty, Bedrock, Plastic Angel, Mellow Trax, Transa, Hypetraxx, Fred Baker aka Y-Traxx, Kay Cee and other lesser known artists released their tracks on this label. Trance vinyl releases were released between 1995 - 2002. Parent Label: N.E.W.S.

 TOP LABELS: Cyber Records  Dutch trance & progressive house label founded in 1994 by Johan Cyber. Almost simultaneous with the opening of the Cyber Records store in 1994, the first Cyber Records 12" was released. 'Cyber', as it's called by the incrowd, has been a launching partner for new Dutch talent as well. Continuous Cool, Armin, Barbarus and World Tour are some of the breakthrough artists you might know. The record label was a solid base for artists like Armin van Buuren, Vincent De Moor, Yahel, DJ Nukem, DJ Cyber, Infected Mushroom and other lesser known producers. Some with a funky attitude added to their Trance productions. Later on the label started again, with the same attitude but in a deeper sound. Unfortunately the changing music market caused the label to close down. Parent Label: Armada Music Sublabels: Comx  Cyber Tunes  E=MC2  Einhorn  Musical Journeys https://youtube.com/@cyberrecords?si=9lDjl024op9d96O9

TOP LABELS: Adjusted Music Founded in 2004, Adjusted Music is one of the UK’s most respected independent record labels. Owned by legendary producer Steve Helstrip aka The Thrillseekers, Adjusted is a label renowned for releasing only the highest quality of trance music. Parent Label: Adjusted Music Ltd. Sublabels: Reconnected https://www.facebook.com/AdjustedMusic  

TOP LABELS: A Trance Communication Release (ATCR) The Trance Communication label was originally set up in the middle of 1998 to release tracks from a small group of musicians living and working in and around the Oxford area. It focuses on all aspects of Trance/Trance progressive music through the beauty of Insigma and Free Radical to the tough, harder edged nature of the Geoff Lawz Project and Rapid Eye. The Trance Communications debut [HEIGHTS] by Rapid Eye Steve 'THRILLSEEKERS' Helstrip & label boss Tim Stark was released in May at the start of the European trance boom. It wasn't until the folow up [ALDERAAN] in August that the press, radio and big name DJ support started to gather from the likes of Ferry Corsten, Tiesto and Paul Van Dyk. The Thrillseekers provided the remix for the third release, Free Radical's [UNITY THEME] (Steve's younger brother Richard) which was signed to Gatecrasher's 'Discotech' compilation alongside many other worldwide c...

TOP LABELS: Lightning Records Umbrella label of an independent Belgian record-company, bankrupt as of March 2003 but partially resurrected under the name Banshee Worx. Some sublabels of the old Lighting Records have been continued by Banshee Worx: Bonzai Classics, Bonzai Club Grooves, Bonzai Limited, Bonzai Trance Progressive, Camouflage, Green Martian, Progrez, Tripomatic Records, XTC. The old Lightning sublabel Scanner has split off to become an independent label. Parent Label: Lightning Records NV Sublabels: !Danger, 4 DJ's Only, Axma, Basic Tunes, Bonzai Jumps, Bonzai Records, Buddja, Cash Records, Diablo, For DJ's Only, Future Shock, Looney Tune Records, Onesider, Rebelgrooves, Say Some More Records, Sputnik, Tetsuo Belgium, Unique Vinyl Movement, Yaf Records, Zounds  

TOP LABELS: Fairlight Records A German Trance & Hard Trance label founded in 1999 by Sasha Graune, Thomas von Gregorsitz and Matthias Wagner. The label was then formed by Thomas Schatz, also known as Mario Lopez and Daniel Körber, also known as D.Mand. The releases were sold exclusively by A45 Music. The label has released tracks by Mario Lopez, Marc van Linden, Lightforce, R.E.D. S.E.C.T.O.R., Shaun Baker and William Hawk. Label codes: LC 2692 / LC 02692 (first releases with FR catalog numbers) LC 10728 (cooperation with A45 Music) Sublabels: Fairlight Studios 

TOP LABELS: 2 Play Records  Defunct Dutch Trance & Tech Trance record label. Formerly part of BPM Dance under the name 2-Play. Their songs have been released by such famous artists as Leon Bolier, Daniel Wanrooy, Simon Patterson, Fred Baker, Genix, Tom Colontonio, Ron van den Beuken, Re:Locate, Sied van Riel, DJ FEEL, Rene Ablaze and many others. Parent Label: Spinnin' Records https://www.beatport.com/label/2-play-records-spinnin/2127?srsltid=AfmBOoqa1g5SnLYc0zPPb-OrWgyceu56q3lirxuB8dFOaQ_MjLnTy74M

TOP LABELS: Le Petit Prince "Le Petit Prince" was founded in July 1993 by Klaus Derichs and Marc Romboy. It was distributed via MMS Euro and N.E.W.S.. The first 11 records are made in Belgium by Disco-Press. The label has released artists such as Future Breeze, RMB, Marc Et Claude, Emmanuel Top, Microwave Prince, Nikolai, Zero Gravity and many other lesser known artists. Their releases can be found on CDs and vinyl. Parent Label: Alphabet City Sublabels: Friends, Limité 

 TOP LABELS: Deviant Records  Founded by Rob Deacon who had previously headed up Sweatbox and the famous book-with-a-CD compilation series Volume. The final release in Volume's Trance Europe Express series, "Trance Pacific Express", appeared via Deviant. Deacon was convinced by friend Mark Reeder to launch Paul van Dyk onto the UK market via Deviant. Several years of success for Deviant followed, but when the Out There And Back album floundered, van Dyk jumped ship. Fed up with the industry, Rob chose to dissolve Deviant in late 2006/ early 2007 to pursue his other passions - photography, visual arts, Chelsea football club and scuba diving. Rob Deacon died on September 8 2007 in a canoeing accident. Owned by Phoenix Music International Ltd since 2007. Parent Label: Phoenix Music International Ltd. Sublabels: Breakbeat Science

TOP LABELS: Massive Drive Recordings  A Dutch trance label focused on uplifting trance music, as part of parent label Midtown Records. Founded in May 1997 by Mark Van Dale, later managed by Erik de Koning (aka Three Drives). Parent Label: Midtown Records Sublabels: Massive Drive Gold, Massive Moment https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067650878873 https://www.instagram.com/midtownrec?igsh=MTdwaGJ2cXBhNmppNA== https://youtube.com/@backcatalogue900?si=7sMpubIRLGiIpxXG

TOP LABELS: Urban Former German House & Trance label, which turned to almost exclusively Rap, Hip-Hop and R&B artists in 2005. Urban Records was founded by Sascha Basler in 1993 as a sub-label of Polydor Germany. In 1994 Urban became a sub-label of Motor Music. In 1995 it became the most succesful dance-label in Germany. In 1999 Urban became part of Universal Records, due to the Polygram-Universal merger into Universal Music GmbH. In a later stage, things changed a little bit and Universal decided to merge Urban/Universal Records with the rap-label Def Jam Germany into the Urban Def Jam label-group. In 2007 was launched a new dance imprint called Sound Of Urban. Urban also marketed & distributed various music releases by labels like Kontor Records, Superstar Recordings, Vandit Records, Strictly Rhythm, Tracid Traxxx and Low Spirit Recordings. Urban Records had a lot of great artists in the past like Talla 2XLC, WestBam, Nalin & Kane, Robert Miles and Energy 52 and more ...

TOP LABELS: Superfly Records Progressive and Trance label from Germany, founded in late 1995 by Nalin & kane. Artists like Nalin & Kane, Jam & Spoon m, Oliver Moldan, Sven Palzer, Freefall, Jan Johnston, Hooligan, Dial M For Moguai, Van Bellen and others have released their tracks on this label. It wasn't much, but a few classics have stood the test of time and are still mentioned at the top of the list. Sublabels: Superfly, Supercow, Superfly Studios

TOP LABELS: Kontor Records Independent label from Germany. Specialised in Electronic Dance Music. For copyrights use Kontor Records GmbH when the legal suffix is printed. Labelcode: LC 2182 / LC 02182 Name variations as found on this profile: - Kontor Records - Kontor The label has released songs by such famous trance artists as ATB, CJ Stone, Sunbeam, Blank & Jones, Special D, Trance Allstars, Gouryella and many others. Parent Label: Kontor Records GmbH Sublabels: Do It Yourself Entertainment (Germany), KNM Special Marketing, Kontor - House Of House, Kontor - Top Of The Clubs, Kontor Christmas Chill, Kontor Festival Sounds, Kontor Maximum Trance, Kontor Summer Jam, Kontor Sunset Chill, Kontor Trapical, Kontor.tv, Musicismusic, Starshit Recordings https://www.facebook.com/kontorrecords https://www.instagram.com/kontorrecords?igsh=aXN0OHY4ZTZvNDY5 https://kontorrecords.de/ https://youtube.com/@kontorrecords?si=WIe6nfjEupb3gbv4 https://on.soundcloud.com/6g3Ba  

TOP LABELS: Unsubmissive Records German label founded in 1994. She had to change her name due to the fact that there was already another label with the same name. The label continued under the name Incendiary Records. It ceased its operations at the end of 2003. Although its activity did not last long, it built a solid brand for itself. Artists such as Mythos 'N DJ Cosmo, Tandu & Ayla, DJ Pascal Dollé, Hiver & Hammer, Essential DJ-Team, Axel Konrad, Derb, Ferry Corsten aka Pulp Victim and other less known artists released their songs there. Label code: LC 2220 / LC 02220 Name variations: - Unsubmissive Records - Unsubmissive Rec. - Unsubmissive Parent label: Edel Records GmbH Sub-labels: Popmissive Records 

TOP LABELS: Zeitgeist  Zeitgeist was the exclusive Label of Polydor Zeitgeist, a department of Polydor. It later became part of Universal Music Domestic Division (Universal Music GmbH). Zeitgeist is a German expression meaning "spirit of the times" or "spirit of the age". This expression refers to the intellectual and cultural climate of the era. In German, this word has more meaning than the translation would suggest. Famous artists such as Schiller, YORK, Mauro Picotto, Paul Van Dyk, Resistance D, 4 Strings, Vincent De Moor, Pulsedriver, DJ Quicksilver, Trance Allstars and many others released their songs on this label. Label code: LC 10432 Parent Label: Universal Music GmbH

TOP LABELS: Tsunami A Dutch label founded in 1997 by Ferry Corsten and Robert Smit. The most releases are works by Ferry Corsten under the System F and Gouryella projects. His projects with other artists should also be added, such as Discodroids, Elektrika and Soundcheck. Solo projects Eon and Sidewinder. Other artists who released their songs on this label include Ronald van Gelderen aka Kid Vicious aka Smiter, Matt Darey, Matti Laamanen, Stargate, Angelic, Tony Walker, Pirate, Luis Paris, Scintilator, Nick K., 2HG, Left & Right, Galen Behr & Mathijs Van Wijk aka Syndique, Roger Goode and Robert Smit. Parent Label: Purple Eye Entertainment BV Sublabel: Tsunami Special Blend http://www.purple-eye.com/#about

TOP LABELS: High Contrast Recordings  Netherlands based electronic dance music label founded in 2005. High quality. High energy. High Contrast. Over the past ten year’s Be Yourself’s sibling ship of musical exploration has served the high end of electronic music with many unforgettable moments. With a seal of approval spanning industry tastemakers, iconic DJs and dance floors across the continents, their last decade has immortalised High Contrast as a place where incredible people go to make permanent memories in electronic music. If the story so far is anything to go by, the next ten years are unlikely to differ. Tailored to the changing tides of trance music and embodying its exciting progressions at every turn, High Contrast remains adamant that just as talent should be fostered, evolution should be embraced. Having harnessed the likes of Ernesto V Bastian’s “Dark Side of the Moon” and Marcel Wood’s “Advanced,” its focus on the next generation has set an equally exciting precede...