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Trance Reviews: Paul van Dyk & Ciaran McAuley - When I Found You out on Black Hole Recordings

 


Through the Shelby Merry sung ‘The Party’ back in January of last year, Ciaran McAuley began teasing tracks from his second longform. A dozen months later and that process reaches its natural conclusion … and in just about the finest way imaginable.

‘When I Found You’ sees him back sharing studio time and artistic space with Paul van Dyk, and after their first team-up (‘Someone Like You’, for Paul’s 2025 ‘This World Is Ours’ album), fair to say expectations are at an apex.

Popping January’s floors, and plenty of goosebumps along with them, here comes ‘When I Found You’.

Through the instrumental axis of McAuley’s melodic sensibilities and van Dyk’s propellant architecture, ‘Found You’ brilliantly reestablishes their creative rapport.

Clarifying around a recurring, nagging, floor-snagging riff, through the thrust of its floor-kinetic bottom end ‘When I Found You’s production presses its advantage. That single-minded drive is framed by steadily evolving melodic and harmonic layers, which widen its club space without ever tipping into excess. Dialing in sailing riffs and carefree atmospherics, between them Paul and Ciaran conjure another instrumental masterstroke.

Whether you be north, south, east or west of our big blue ‘n’ green spinning thing, your January needs this! Find it wherever the finest electronic music is streamed or sold (or spun!). HERE

Tracklist:
01: Paul van Dyk & Ciaran McAuley – When I Found You (Original Mix)
02: Paul van Dyk & Ciaran McAuley - When I Found You (Extended Mix)




Dimitris Kechagias Review:
[review top="1"]
[item value="10"]Paul van Dyk & Ciaran McAuley - When I Found You[/item]
[content title="Summary" label="Overall Score"] Paul van Dyk and Ciaran McAuley’s “When I Found You” is a masterclass in modern tech trance production, seamlessly blending melodic sensitivity with driving techno energy. Building on the synergy they established with their previous collaboration, “Someone Like You,” this track demonstrates both artists’ technical proficiency and unyielding creative energy, elevating the genre’s sonic landscape. The production of “When I Found You” is rooted in a 140 BPM framework, offering the perfect tempo for high-energy club and festival environments. The track opens with dark, moody techno basslines and intricately layered percussion, creating a dense yet controlled soundscape. Kick drums are tightly compressed, providing a punchy low-end that propels the track forward without muddying the mix. The use of high-pass filtering on the percussion elements adds a crisp sheen, allowing the rhythm to cut through powerfully on large sound systems. The melodic architecture is a standout feature. McAuley’s soaring themes are introduced with subtlety, teased through filtered synth plucks that build anticipation during the opening sections. As the track progresses, the long, atmospheric breakdown offers a release, where reverberant pads and harmonically rich arpeggios take center stage. This section is a showcase of audio spatialization, with panoramic panning and stereo widening techniques creating an immersive experience. The climax is a perfect fusion: the main melody bursts through atop rough, driving techno beats, delivering a euphoric tech trance experience that is both hypnotic and emotionally charged. Transitions and build-ups are handled with precision, demonstrating mastery of tension and release. Automation of filters, reverb tails, and delay feedback is used to increase momentum before drops, while carefully placed white noise sweeps enhance the impact of transitions. The mix maintains a balanced dynamic range, allowing the track to remain loud and club-ready without succumbing to over-compression. Research has consistently shown that rhythmic, high-BPM music can have significant positive effects on both physical performance and mental well-being. Studies from the Journal of Sports Sciences (Karageorghis & Priest, 2012) note that electronic dance music with a steady beat can improve exercise efficiency, increase endurance, and enhance workout enjoyment. The 140 BPM tempo of “When I Found You” aligns closely with optimal heart rate synchronization for high-intensity interval training and cardio sessions, making it highly suitable for fitness and wellness classes. Additionally, the track’s melodic and harmonic elements support emotional uplift. Research published in Frontiers in Psychology (Salimpoor et al., 2011) highlights that emotionally resonant music can trigger dopamine release, which promotes feelings of joy, motivation, and psychological resilience. The euphoric breakdowns and soaring melodies in “When I Found You” stimulate this neurochemical response, which can help reduce stress and anxiety while enhancing mood in both live and personal listening contexts. In wellness environments such as yoga-flow or mindfulness-based movement classes, the atmospheric sections and gradual layering of elements in “When I Found You” can foster a deep sense of immersion. The combination of percussive drive and melodic storytelling enhances focus and flow states, which neuroscientists (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990) describe as essential for mental restoration and peak performance. Designed with dance floors in mind, the track’s intro and outro structures offer DJs flexible cue points and looping potential. Its BPM consistency ensures seamless synchronization with other trance and techno tracks, while the intense energy flow guarantees a strong crowd reaction. The careful balance between dark, driving sections and uplifting melodic peaks ensures that “When I Found You” not only engages listeners but creates a memorable journey in any set. #PureGold Love it[/content]
[item value="10"]Rhythm, Groove & Drive[/item]
[item value="10"]Melodic Hooks & Harmonic Layers[/item]
[item value="10"]Transitions, Drops & Build-Ups [/item]
[item value="10"]Energy Flow & Momentum [/item]
[item value="10"]Sound Design & Production Quality[/item]
[item value="10"]Originality of Arrangement & Structure[/item]
[item value="10"]Use of Effects & Spatial Design[/item]
[item value="10"]Dynamic Range & Loudness Balance[/item]
[item value="10"]Atmosphere & Immersion[/item]
[item value="10"]Emotional Resonance[/item]
[item value="10"]Creativity & Artistic Identity[/item]
[item value="10"]Cohesion & Storytelling[/item]
[item value="10"]Vocal Performance & Lyrical Impact[/item]
[item value="10"]Catchiness & Replay Value[/item]
[item value="10"]Club / Festival Suitability[/item]
[item value="10"]Track Intro/Outro Structure[/item]
[item value="10"]BPM Consistency & Sync Ease[/item]
[item value="10"]Cue Points & Loop Potential[/item]
[item value="10"]Dynamic Energy for Set Flow[/item]
[item value="10"]Crowd Reaction Potential[/item]
[/review]

Suggested Bibliography
Karageorghis, C. I., & Priest, D. L. (2012). Music in the exercise domain: A review and synthesis (Part I). Journal of Sports Sciences, 30(9), 841–861.
Salimpoor, V. N., Benovoy, M., Larcher, K., Dagher, A., & Zatorre, R. J. (2011). Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 1–14.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.
Thaut, M. H. (2005). Rhythm, Music, and the Brain: Scientific Foundations and Clinical Applications. Routledge.


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