Paul Van Dyk
In Between
Paul Van Dyke GmbH

In the photographs that accompany In Between, Paul van Dyk portrays himself as a dapper world traveler, trotting the globe in search of… something. Gorgeous, earthy hues capture the artist looking forlorn in the streets of a European city, perched on the side of a motel bed, smoking a contemplative cigar, and flipping through the pages of a leather-bound tome. With his Jude Law looks and international success, van Dyk could easily  rest on his considerable laurels… but In Between portrays this premiere Trance DJ as a desperately questing artist. 

Luckily for fans, van Dyk’s quest is trance salvation. In Between is a musical passport to foreign lands, with intoxicating melodies breezing by in spectacular symphonic arrangements. Songs segue smoothly, creating a cohesive journey from start to finish… but as the accompanying photos suggest, this is no summer holiday; in fact, the dominant tone is haunting, introspective, and – dare we say – lonely. Lyrically, In Between has a recurring theme of lost love: “I try to forget your saddened face,” sings vocalist Lo-Fi Sugar in the opening track, “Haunted.” On “Complicated,” Ashley Tomberlin plaintively wails that she is “still chased by ghosts / of little mistakes.” And on “Another Sunday,” van Dyk continually recites a single, dejected refrain over a euphoric cyclone of beats swirling heavenward: “we throw stones to the sky / trying to smash / the stained glass windows of this world.”

 That van Dyk can so seamlessly juxtapose bittersweet lyrics with the cautious optimism of his trademark trance sound is a testament to his craft. In Between puts the soul in “soul searching,” elevating melancholy to sacred, spiritual experience. It’s a cathartic album, beginning with the rage of its first single “White Lies,” peaking with the frustration of “In Circles,” and closing with the wonderment of “Dolce Vita.”

 At this point, the concept of “artist on introspective journey” has become almost cliche.  But take heed, tortured club kid: you don’t need a road trip and a monogrammed journal to solve that quarter-life-crises. With In Between, van Dyk has already paved you a road.