Paul van Dyk on ‘The Essence of Acid,’ Trance Culture and the Evolution of EDM

This Post Was Written and Conducted By Guest Contributor Candese Charles

Paul van Dyk is gearing up to bring his newest live performance concept, The Essence of Acid, to Dreamstate SoCal for its worldwide debut. This isn’t simply another DJ set. The performance centers on a hardware-driven live experience built around the Roland TB-303 and other analog synthesizers, drum machines, and sequencers. The concept explores acid’s influence on electronic music and brings those sounds to the forefront. 

Global dance music experience curator Insomniac is bringing the two-night electronic music festival to the Queen Mary Waterfront in Long Beach, CA, for its eleventh edition on Friday, November 20, and Saturday, November 21, 2026. Dreamstate SoCal will feature over 70 artists across four stages, including the new Long Beach Amphitheater and Beatbox’s Art Car stage, which will feature local trance artists. 

(Dreamstate 2026 full lineup. Credit: Insomniac)

Highlights of the 2026 lineup include performances from Ferry Corsten + Marsh, Aaron Hibell, Alpha 9 + Ilan Bluestone, JOA, Infected Mushroom, Neelix, Astrix, Vini Vici, BT + Matt FAX, Giorgia Angiuli, Mauro Picotto, Warp Brothers, and many more. The festival also features an Anjunabeats Classics set from iconic electronic trio Above & Beyond, plus debut performances from Ukrainian melodic techno duo ARTBAT, Italian techno producer Enrico Sangiuliano, and Belgian electronic producer Pegassi. 

(Dreamstate returns to Queen Mary Waterfront on Saturday, November 21, photo from 2025. Credit: Jake West)

Known for its focus on the history, evolution, and future of trance and electronic music, Dreamstate will provide the perfect setting for The Essence of Acid’s worldwide debut. The idea actually originated backstage at EDC during a conversation with the Dreamstate team. Paul van Dyk described his studio setup, surrounded by analog machines, as the starting point for the concept. Four synchronized TB-303s, a JUNO-6, 808s, 909s, and other hardware will help shape the performance. The exciting part: not even PVD knows what direction the performance will go!

This is a long-awaited return to the iconic trance festival for the Grammy Award-nominated DJ, record producer, and musician who appeared at the inaugural Dreamstate SoCal in 2015. Following the release of The World is Ours last year, the German producer has continued to push his creative direction forward. His forthcoming project, The State of Things, builds on that creative progression, incorporating a more prominent lyrical approach while staying true to his core sound. We sat down with Paul van Dyk to discuss the evolution of acid, the importance of human connection in electronic music, and what fans can expect from this next chapter. 

(Paul Van Dyk discusses the evolution of acid, the importance of human connection in electronic music, and what fans can expect from this next chapter ahead of his performance at DreamState SoCal on Sat. Nov. 21)

CC: You’re bringing “The Essence Of Acid” to DreamState for its worldwide debut. Now, this is a new live performance concept that incorporates hardware like the Roland TB-303, and it’s inspired us all. We’re hearing that it’s going to be very exciting! Can you tell us a little bit more about what you hope to bring with this experience? 

PVD: Well, the initial idea actually came backstage at EDC. I believe I was just talking to the guys from DreamState about what I’m up to, and I just set up everything in my studio, and it looks a little bit like a spider because of all the 303s and all these analog machines are set up and just triggering things, and I was just playing around with the 303 sounds and this pure sequencing and the drive that it brings, and they said, “Oh, this is awesome, and we should develop a concept,” and that’s how we sort of developed the idea together. And then obviously I went in all technical and all creative.

It’s going to be very interesting because I have four 303s with me that are all going to be kind of synced and doing all the things. I have a JUNO-6, which is an old machine, and that also does warm, wobbly bass like the 909, the 808, and JP-8, and a lot of different sort of like machines, a lot of knobs for me to twist and turn and to create something that I have an idea how I want it to be.

But since this is a kind of all live sequence, I don’t know where we’re all going to go with it. And this is the exciting bit! So I’m really happy that this is going to be possible. And I’m really happy to bring this across, and it’s going to be me completely infiltrated by the 303 sounds.

CC: That is super exciting. You’re going to be able to experience it live for the first time as well. So we’ll be getting that experience with you. Now ACID has played an important role, as I’m sure you know, in the evolution of electronic music, influencing everything from house to techno and trance. Having seen it all, after more than three decades of making music, what about that sound still inspires you creatively, and do you think younger generations are discovering acid music differently than previous generations?

PVD: The thing is, to some extent, I think if you look at the evolution of the sound of the 303. Of course, the purest sort of, like, elements— you know, we call it like acid house, DJ Pierre, acid tracks obviously; I collaborated with him on a remake two years ago or so. It’s always very dear to me.

But if you listen to all sorts of genres within electronic music, from the mainstage EDM to the underground techno stuff. So you basically could say, from Martin Garrix to Richie Hawtin, from Carl Cox to Paul van Dyke, we all have the 303 sound in our music to a different extent. And what I want to bring across is kind of an understanding of how important that machine and those sounds are to everything.

It’s like maybe those beautiful hooks and everything are in the forefront. This time, I’m going to bring those crazy-ass sequences to the forefront, and it’s going to kind of drill in your head, and it’s going to give you the energy of a lifetime. So I’m really excited about it. But honestly, I think the tweaky sound is that kind of sort of little synth peaks and bits and bobs that the 303 makes in combination with everything else.

It’s just like the ultimate tool. I think electronic music would be very, very different if they hadn’t come up with that machine. 

CC: Absolutely. I mean, it’s embedded in every little piece of the industry, every little different sound. Now let’s go back a little bit. You were part of the very first Dream State SoCal in 2015, and now you’re returning to the festival for the first time since the festival’s inception. That is quite a full-circle moment. I’m sure you’re very excited about it. When you think back to that inaugural edition, what do you remember about the experience, and how does it feel to return 11 years later with an entirely new live concept? 

PVD: It’s like I remember before Dreamstate when the first thought sort of came along, you know, because there were all these big festivals, and I remember that some people actually kind of had the comment that we have to pay like all these hefty ticket prices for the festival and all we want to see is that particular sound of music and it’s not really featured on the festival. So that’s when the idea within Insomniac grew to kind of create something like Dreamstate. 

So, and it was really exciting to see because obviously I’m not just a musician. I also, you know, come from the promoter side of things here in Germany and in Europe. We do our own events, and we feature that music very prominently with our own event series, SHINE. And so it was really exciting when it sort of like came about, and obviously having been able to be part of it, not just the pure Dreamstate, but also being featured on the Dreamstate stages at the numerous festivals you guys are doing — it’s always great, and it’s like it’s such a passionate audience, like every single one of them. 

I think in a way, once you digested this trancey sound of electronic music, once you really made it yours, you never let go of it. The people that come to my shows, from very young age to old age, because these are people that heard me playing that kind of music 20, 25 years ago even, and they come in and are around, and it’s pretty, pretty exciting.

CC: I mean, it’s very interesting the way that you say this because it is true in America, you know, we’re slowly ramping up to all different genres, right? When it comes to this, the EDM scene in general. And I know that trance has kind of been one that’s been ramping up quite a bit. From your perspective, how has the global trance community evolved over the past decade, and what do you think keeps this culture so special?

PVD: I think it’s very inviting. I don’t want to use the word inclusive because it’s, like, such a widely used term. The thing is, all that matters is that if you come to a trance show, you’re respectful, tolerant, and ideally you love the music and you just let go. It’s not about holding up your phone and filming the moment, because it’s not there to consume afterward.

It’s actually there to be there now. It’s not just for TikTok. Second, it’s actually for the hours and hours you spend with your friends and like-minded people on the dance floor, in the club, at the festival, wherever you are, and this is what makes it so special. And this is why people are so passionate about this music, and they always have been.

I mean, I believe I’ve seen, in media terms, trance wasn’t a cool thing anymore at some point. People didn’t actually report so much about it, but the music never went away. The scene never went away. It was always as passionate and as driving, and it’s amazing that there’s a festival dedicated to that sound and that’s doing it like Dreamstate.

CC: Absolutely. And that’s why we’re excited!  It’s going to be definitely a great time. Now, you have been quite busy. Your studio album, The World Is Ours, arrived last year, making your first full-length studio album in five years. The project explores the relationship between technology, artificial intelligence, and humanity.  More than a year after its release, how has your relationship with the album evolved, and have audiences connected with this message in ways that surprised you, or is it right on the nose? 

PVD: People receive the music very well. If they connect to the underlying message, I never know. I mean, we all have to deal with what I have to offer and the positive as much as the negative stuff that might come. I believe what’s really important is that we never forget what makes us human, and the machine is the machine. We have empathy, we feel for each other, and we should never let that slip away. I think that’s the essence of The World is Ours. 

CC: Absolutely. And I’m excited about more work you have ahead. You’ve already mentioned The State of Things. Can you share anything about the direction you’re exploring and how it might be different from the album, The World is Ours? 

PVD: Well, it has definitely kind of like a sound progression in it for me. For The State of Things, I wrote a lot more lyrics than I usually do. It’s not like a whole singing album or something, but there are tracks on it that really prominently featured vocalist and I wrote the lyrics because they really mean something.

So it comes down to not just listening to it and falling into the feel and the vibe of the album; there’s also something to take away in regards to the lyrics from my perspective. So I’m very interested to see how people will receive that angle of my work.

CC: Well, that’s super exciting! We always love to hear about the lyrics. Lastly, when people leave Dreamstate this November. What do you hope they take away from your performance and looking ahead? What should fans be most excited about from Paul van Dyk as we move into 2027? 

PVD: I think, in the times that we live in, where so many things are going on and also going wrong. I think the best that people can take away is a positive energy, is a smile on their face and bring that to the everyday life in the following weeks until they go to the next event, picking up that positive energy and that vibe and spending the most amazing time with their loved ones and their friends. That’s what I hope they take away from the festival, regardless of who they were in front of or whose stage they actually celebrated.

It’s that togetherness that’s actually really, really important and essential. And well, for me, there’s a lot of, well, despite the fact that obviously, The Essence of Acid is something that we’re going to, after the premiere at Dreamstate, present at many other shows — I’m obviously not allowed yet where- but, it’s definitely something that’s sort of a work in progress because everything is lively sequences.

Every little knob is going to be twisted at a different time at a different show, of course. And so it’s going to be very interesting. And so that’s taking a lot of energy. And of course, then when the album is ready to be released, that’s also going to be in the next few months.