Amsterdam 08 follows in the footsteps of Miami 05 and Ibiza 06, and Markus Schulz couldn’t be happier about its origins – Amsterdam is his spiritual home thanks to the overwhelming passion of the people resident there. “I always choose cities that are dear to me for my annual mix compilation” says Markus. “I just love Amsterdam, I feel a real connection there – my friends there are like my family. The people of Holland were one of the first to embrace and accept me and my sound, so it was the natural choice to do the 08 mix there.”

Markus’ brand of dark, melodic trance is in demand the world over; his weekly Global DJ Broadcast radio show is now syndicated to over 30 stations worldwide, his shows have taken in everywhere from Australia to Russia, China to Trinidad, and many other destinations along the way, and 2008 is set to bring more dates in Australia, as well as Asia and South America. Amsterdam 08 is a must-have album for dance fans everywhere, and comprises Markus’ top tracks from 2007 and hot tips for 2008. “I really enjoy putting the compilation CDs together,” says Markus, “they’re always a total labour of love and are in my mind all the time.

All year I’ll hold back tracks that are just gems for the mix; I’ll play them out here and there over the summer but I’ll save them for the CD. Amsterdam 08 opens a little differently – CD1 starts quite slow by trance standards: 124 bpm, so it sets the mood, similar to when I’m playing extended sets. The atmosphere builds up so that when you get to CD2 it’s full on, middle-of-a-set tempo trance.”

Stand out tracks include 2 Glenn Morrison cuts, (I” love what he’s doing,” says Markus, “he’s on fire right now!”), the Moonbeam remix of new Lens track, Beyond The Shadows, (“an amazing discovery for me”), and Avalon by Enmass, as well as the Coldharbour remix of Markus Schulz feat Andy Moor’s Daydream – a stunning slice of melodic trance with truly divine vocals.