Paul van Dyk – New Album, Career Highlights & World Tour

Trance pioneer and iconic DJ Paul van Dyk has built a long-lasting legacy from when he first burst onto the scene in the 90’s. A prolific producer and performer, his eleven-album discography, repertoire of remixes and soundtracks, tireless tour schedules and awards and accolades certify him as one of modern electronic music’s most important figures. And he isn’t showing any sign of slowing down soon, as we celebrate the release of his new album, ‘This World Is Ours’!

From the swelling, atmospheric opener ‘Two Rivers’, to techy bangers like ‘Back 2 The FVTR’ the record has a stirring selection of tracks, full of pushes and pulls, trancey twists and turns. Conceptually, the work delves into themes of AI and the rapid advancements of technology. A press release states that “the album reflects on humanity and society over the past few years, inviting listeners to explore the evolving definition and advancement of technology and how it will shape our future.”

Paul van Dyk himself offered some insight into the thoughtful thematic explorations of his new release: “This isn’t an album about the dystopian, grave future prognoses” he emphasises. “It’s about where we are in 2025, the here and now. Currently “This World Is Ours” is a statement of fact. We might have inherited the world; though we certainly don’t always treat it as we should. However, we’re on the 5–10-year cusp of creating something that’ll significantly disrupt everything as we know it. In respect to an entity that thinks, calculates, achieves a thousand times faster than we do, I feel there needs to be more thought about that … and we’re rapidly speeding towards the last station-stop to do so.”    

We recently caught up with van Dyk to learn more about ‘This World Is Ours’, and his illustrious career, and his upcoming world tour…

Download & Stream PVD’s This World Is Ours Here.

Congratulations on your new album, This World Is Ours. This is your first album in 5 years, since Guiding Light and Escape, in 2020. Those albums were made to provide spiritual upliftment during the pandemic. What is the mission of this album?

It’s to shine a very specific light on Artificial Intelligence. Not necessarily about its past or far future, but more about where we are with it in the 2025 here-and-now. Currently “This World Is Ours” is a statement of fact. We might have inherited the world; we certainly don’t always treat it as we should, but it’s been ours ever since we stepped out of the ocean several hundred millennia ago. However, we’re on the 5-to-10 year cusp of creating something that’ll significantly disrupt that. An entity that thinks, calculates, achieves a thousand times faster than we do. I feel there needs to be more thought about that … and we’re speeding towards the last station-stop to do so.

This album features multiple collabs, including John 00 Fleming, FUENKA, Sue McLaren, The Yellowheads and many more. Did each collaborator bring a different piece to the puzzle in exploring the concept of the album?

In ways, large and small, obvious and more subtle, yes. That all came about through conversations with those guys you mentioned, as well as others like Christian Schottstaedt and Reznor. Through tracks like ‘Take Me Away’, ‘Against The Algorithm’, ‘Let Go And Listen’, ‘Back 2 The FVTR’, ‘Gatekeeper’ and (naturally!), ‘This World Is Ours’, we’ve channelled our feelings and intuitions about the course our planet is on into it.

2024 marked the 30th anniversary of the release of “For An Angel”. This milestone was met with the re-release of this hit along with unique remixes & edits. How did it feel to have the song re-worked by different producers with different takes on it?

Wonderful, but also head-spinning in certain ways, mainly due to the sheer number of interpretations. Hearing a track that has had such a profound effect on my and many other people’s lifes, essentially passed through the musical minds of so many others, has to go down as a tremendous, once-in-a-lifetime’ experience!

Let’s go back in time…Tell us how your career kickstarted. How were you first introduced to electronic music while living in East Germany?

Living in East Berlin, I listened to radio stations like RIAS (Radio in the American Sector) and SFB (Sender Freies Berlin). Like many East Berliners I adjusted my antenna to face west so I could tune in. (This, in itself, later became risky, as it became easy for agents of the state to spot those who were doing so.) We couldn’t buy music in the conventional sense. My grandma also smuggled records for me from West to East… And I recorded shows onto cassette tapes, which allowed me to absorb every aspect of what I was hearing. These stations exposed me to new musical forms like synth-pop, New Wave, Italo Disco and the earliest forms of electronic dance music. OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) and The Smiths were two of my earliest obsessions.

Your career has seen you release 11 albums, tour the world, remix for artists like Faithless, Madonna and U2, earn multiple industry awards and feature in films such as The Dark Knight . Is there any achievement or moment you’re particularly proud of?

That always a tough question to answer, as I prefer to see what I’ve done in my career more as a body of work and less in terms of individual accomplishments. I was very honoured though to be the amongst the first people ever to have been nominated for a Grammy in the Electronic Music Album category (for Reflections in 2005).  

You’re one of the most important names in trance music, period. Are there any newer artists in the genre that you’re particularly a fan of?

I wouldn’t call myself a trance artist perse. I produce advanced electronic music – no genre boundaries attached! That’s what I value about artists like FUENKA, LOUT or John 00 Fleming, who I’ve collaborated with on the new album. And there’s masses of new talent on VANDIT Records and VANDIT Alternative as well – I invite you all to check it out!

Your current world tour is in full swing, with shows all over the world – including Liverpool and London. What could the fans expect from these shows?

These shows aren’t just about playing tracks — they’re about crafting moments. Whether it’s the deep pulse of a 2 a.m. breakdown or the elevating lift when the lights explode as the drop comes. Every second of them is designed to connect, not to trends or charts (or algorithms!), but to the audience. In Liverpool and London, cities with their own heartbeat and musical legacy, I’m bringing something personal. There’ll be nods to the underground, but of course a great deal from ‘This World Is Ours’.

The tour will see you return to Ibiza for your SHINE residency, celebrating its 6TH anniversary. You’ve held one of the longest running residencies in Ibiza – what’s your favourite part about DJing there?

Ibiza has always held a special place in my heart – not just as a party island, but as a place where people from all over the world come together for the music. SHINE is more than just a residency to me – it’s a community, a family, and a celebration of pure dance music energy. What I love most is seeing those familiar faces returning year after year, alongside new ones discovering the magic for the first time. There’s this special connection on the island – a shared passion, a kind of freedom – that makes every night feel unique and unforgettable. It’s not about hype or trends, it’s about the music, the atmosphere, and the people. That’s what keeps me coming back.

With such a prolific, successful career already, are there any goals you’re yearning to achieve in the future?

At this stage my goal is to stay free, to be able to do exactly what I want to do artistically, (DJing, production, remixing or in any other form it might take) whenever I choose to do it. Nothing is more important to me.