There's only one obvious thing in the sound of Neelix: Relentless forward boost. Exactly how this boost is generated is not obvious at all – which makes it catchy in the most subliminal way possible. The German artist playfully incorporates elements of Progressive Trance, Progressive House and Electro. However, the actual magic of Neelix happens somewhere inbetween those genres. For 10 years already this unique formula made him a crowd-pleaser at a great variety of dance events on all 5 continents, including monumental festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival, Tomorrowland or Boom.

It's 2005 when Neelix stirs a revolution. His album 'No Way To Leave' fulfills all the expectations of the dance floor – but it does so in the most unexpected way. Within no time, party goers refer to his highly dynamic hybrid style simply as 'Neelix sound'. It's the beginning of a stellar career that keeps building and building – just like a typical Neelix track itself. During the last decade, the music of Neelix has inspired a whole generation of producers, it can be found in the collections of countless DJ, in film productions, and in the catalogues of prestigious labels like for instance SpinTwist Records or Paul Oakenfold’s legendary Perfecto imprint.

Iboga Records - Ace Ventura, Captain Hook, Liquid Soul, Atmos, Astral Projection, Emok, Ticon, Gaudium, Groundbass, Sphera, Perfect Stranger, Antinomy, Oxiv, Silent Sphere. MVMB, Martin Vice, Banel, Vini Vici, Phaxe

Sachal Jazz Orchestra
Drawing on influences from Lahore to New York, the Ensemble presents innovative jazz and bossa nova standards from their recent album that has captured musical imaginations with a flood of internet hits. Their fresh re-working of Dave Brubeck’s iconic Take Five prompted the jazz legend to exclaim that “this is the most interesting and different recording of Take Five that I have ever heard.”
Other innovative interpretations include Antonio Carlos Jobim’s ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ and Dave Grusin’s ‘Mountain Dance’, the latter highlighting some incredible sitar playing. In the reworked ‘Misty’, composed by Erroll Garner, the sitar and tabla supply the melody lines layered on a lush rhythmic foundation provided by the traditional clay pot, ghungroos (ankle-bells), triangle, and tambourine. Blended with these south Asian instruments are sweeping classical violins and bursts of western drum, guitar and bass to create a scintillating hybrid, a reminder that the boundaries of jazz remain hard to define.
The inspiration behind the Sachal Jazz Ensemble and a wider Sachal project is London- based businessman-turned-studio boss Izzat Majeed. Working with consultants from London’s Abbey Road studios, he set up state-of-the-art studios in Lahore, rescued Pakistani musicians from poverty and brought them together to make music. The revival has prompted comparisons with the Buena Vista Social Club’s rediscovery of a lost generation of Cuban musicians.
Majeed’s wider goal is to rub fresh magic into Lahore’s musical traditions, once a sub- continental cultural hub. Majeed says Pakistan’s classical music scene was decimated in the 1980s when the dictator General Zia-ul-Haq, following an austere Islamic line, crushed the local film industry. Hundreds of musicians, employed to record film scores, lost their jobs and went on to ply less lyrical trades: a cellist ran a tea stall; a violinist sold vegetables from his bicycle; others sold clothes or electrical parts. Under a cloud of growing conservatism, some Sachal musicians said they dared not practise at home, fearing they could offend pious neighbours. “There was a cultural impasse in Pakistan,” says Majeed. “After the coup of Zia-ul Haq, our society and culture was transformed into something dark. The film industry died, television was taken over by primitive authoritarian entities, and our great musicians were left without patronage. Zia’s version of culture raped us of the rich musical history that we had.” Majeed, who grew up listening to jazz greats like Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong in Lahore, says there are similarities between the improvisational aspects of classical music from the sub-continent and Jazz. “Take Five’s rhythmic structure and time scale is pretty close to our kind of music,” Majeed says. “The concept of free period — remaining within the melody structure and time scale — is something our musicians love. Take Five has done so well because it was something new and well-played.”

Discography

Single: Take Five - sm005
Single: Desafinado - sm012
Album: Sachal Jazz - Interpretations of Jazz Standards and Bossa Nova - sm019

Listen to 'ASOT Year Mix 2025 (Mixed by Armin van Buuren)' here: https://ASOT.lnk.to/YearMix2025SO

Discover the latest A State Of Trance Episode on your favorite video- or streaming platform! ASOTRadio.lnk.to/PLSO

A State of Trance is so much more than Armin van Buuren's record label, the weekly radio show or a tour that touches down all across the globe. A State of Trance is a movement, a following, a shared feeling. Built around Armin van Buuren's beloved radio show, listened to by more than 20 million music lovers each week, the A State of Trance record label continues to share its love for trance and all related genres. Discover new talents and enjoy the very best, by being part of A State of Trance!

Nivin rAj is following