Paul Van Dyk

The '00s have been a busy almost-decade for Paul Van Dyk. He won a Grammy in 2005 and he was the only electronica artist to play U.S.A.'s Rock the Vote in 2004 (with George Clinton and P. Diddy). In 2006, he received Berlin's Medal of Honour for Ruckenwind, the active children's charity organization he founded in the city close to his childhood home. On hearing Hands On In Between, the recent original tracks by Paul Van Dyk, the music reflects the clear notes and tempos that have made Paul successful. Unfortunately, the album can be a bit predictable, with disc one being down-tempo and disc two upbeat. Through everything, Hands On In Between comes through as chill music for a stressed-out world. Sparse track "White Lies" on the second CD, with Jessica Sutta on intermittent vocals, should find its way onto many a progressive trance dance floor. It's clear Van Dyk is among the originators of the trance genre. This isn't over-the-top innovation but is a solid release.