DJ Solitare @ Apsara 2023

DJ Solitare @ Apsara 2023

Author: DJ Solitare October 15, 2025 Duration: 2:01:01
A recording of the set that I played at the Apsara Festival in Hungary on Saturday August 12, 2023, from 630pm to 830pm. I was given a truly wonderful time slot leading into the final full night at the event, from full daylight at 630pm through to full darkness by the time my set ended at a bit after 830pm, enabling me to do a journey through various moods as the light shifted - one of my favourite things to do, as these transitions were among the most memorable parts of my experiences on the dance floor in the 90s. Things had been super high-energy throughout each day, and I thought it important to provide a bit of breathing space, so I took the risk of starting things a bit more slowly for a gear change in the lead-up to the evening; this led to about half of the dancers leaving for a while, but those who stuck around went through a meandering journey through a range of vibes as well as different speeds - from 130 bpm up to 148 at times, ending at a full-power 140. I had hoped to play Etnica's Screaming Butterfly just before things got dark, so I observed the shift in light in the previous evenings and fortunately was able to time it just right during the set ... and because the artist after me was a bit delayed setting up, I got to put on the Pleiadians epic classic Maia, which ended up blowing the lid off the party and making for an incredibly ecstatic climax to the set. I delayed uploading this recording as there are a few unreleased numbers on here and now that one major one has been issued it was easier to consider sharing the set; I additionally opted to make an edit in one of the most exceptional rarities - unfortunately it's become a norm for folks to rip rare tracks off of online mixes and play them out - so for the purposes of home listening, the extended 'desk mix' of Slinky Wizard's Lunar Juice is about half of its full length and has a couple of fades. The rest of the journey is exactly as it was played ... including one challenging transition where the track's 'drift' made precise mixing impossible - very retro DAT-style! I had a terrific time playing the set and I'm very pleased with the full journey, and I hope you will enjoy it.

For those who feel the original pulse of psychedelic trance, Goa Trance Formation offers a deep and authentic journey. Hosted by DJ Solitare, whose real name is Mark Ainley, this podcast is built on a foundation that spans decades. Mark isn't just a selector; he's a classically-trained musician who maintains a parallel career in the classical industry, bringing a unique ear for composition and structure to the electronic realm. His history is part of the scene's fabric, with active involvement since 1994. Each episode represents his dual allegiance to pioneering labels: the Italian retro-focused DAT Universe and Tsuyoshi Suzuki's seminal Matsuri Digital. What you'll hear is a deliberate fusion, a mixing style that respectfully bridges the genre's formative, organic sounds with the clarity and drive of contemporary productions. This isn't a random playlist, but a curated narrative-a "formation" in both a musical and almost geological sense, layering the old with the new to create something timeless. Listening to this podcast feels like accessing a living archive, where the spirit of Goa is not a relic but a continuously evolving conversation. Expect seamless mixes where classic melodies meet modern basslines, all guided by an insider's perspective on where the sound has been and where it's intuitively heading next. The result is a cohesive, hour-long experience that honors the roots while firmly facing the future, perfect for long drives, focused work, or late-night headphone sessions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 24

Goa Trance Formation
Podcast Episodes
DJ Solitare @ ZNA Gathering 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:31:41
My July 20 nighttime set from the 2024 edition of ZNA Gathering, in which I opened the Futuristic Reality after party of the festival by playing new music. When considering my participation in the 2024 festival, the cura…
DJ Solitare at Ver in Goa in 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:59:08
A reworking of the set that I played at the VER: Exploring the Roots event in Goa, India on February 3, 2024. I was given a sunset time slot on the Saturday of the 3-day event and my initial time of 90 minutes expanded t…
DJ Solitare’s Reboot Unity Mix [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:00
A mix I created at the invitation of Marios Makar of Total Eclipse for his Dice Radio program. It was requested in late September and the due date ended up being days after the attack on a party in our community that has…
DJ Solitare @ Celebro Amicis Nox [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:52:32
A nearly 3-hour set that I played on Saturday April 8, 2023 at a private event in Ottawa, Canada at the invitation of Clone604. I was due to play for two hours and then with one DJ being indisposed that was bumped up to…
DJ Solitare @ Back To The Trance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:27
My closing set at the November 19, 2022 'Return to the Trance' gig in Ottawa, Canada, recorded directly from the mixing desk. Organized by Gordon Clone604 (and his crew), who had heard me twice at ZNA Gathering in Portug…
DJ Solitare @ ZNA Gathering 2022 remixed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:33:10
My reworking of the set that I played at the ZNA Gathering on August 19, 2022, from 11 am to 130 pm. In the weeks and months leading up to event, I was ruminating over various tracks and ended up with about 8 hours in a…
DJ Solitare Vitamin D Birthday Mix [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:17
I was invited to contribute a mix for Psylicious Radio and we timed the date to coincide with my birthday. Domino provided a mix too (shortly before her own birthday), as well as. the great artist Rigel also delivers a s…
DJ Solitare Solaluna - Samothraki 20-Year Reunion Mix [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:00
My mix for the online streaming event Sola Luna-Samothraki 20 Year Reunion, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the legendary Greek party. This online event was dedicated to the memory of Olli Wisdom of Space Tribe, wh…
DJ Solitare - Old Dogs New Tricks Mix [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:12:34
A bit about the inspiration for this mix - the full text and the tracklist are at https://djsolitare.com/old-dogs-new-tricks I recall an amazing Equinox event in the Autumn of 1995 where Kuni played the whole night and t…
DJ Solitare Global Goa Party 1995: Up, Up, and Away [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:17
A mix produced for GoatRanch.com's fourth annual Global Goa Party, which took place in 2014. The event was themed at 1995 and therefore featuring tracks only made up to and including that year. For this set, I wanted to…