Darren Tate reconnects with one of the most important chapters of his career on “Return Of The Vries”, a 134 BPM Progressive and Main-Floor Trance release that looks back towards his legendary Jurgen Vries project without simply recreating the past. Released via Anjunabeats on August 21, 2026, the result is classic trance spirit translated into a polished, contemporary club record.
Darren Tate brings the Vries story full circle
The title leaves little room for coincidence.
More than two decades before “Return Of The Vries”, Darren Tate created Jurgen Vries, the alias behind 2002 trance classic “The Theme”. The instrumental became one of Tate’s defining records and reached No. 13 on the UK singles chart, establishing the Vries name as an important part of early-2000s British trance.
With “Return Of The Vries”, Tate does not simply revive that project or remake “The Theme”. Instead, he brings its musical philosophy into his current sound.
That distinction matters. The record carries the melodic ambition, scale and unmistakable trance identity associated with that earlier period, while its production belongs firmly to the modern Anjunabeats landscape.
Classic trance DNA in a modern 134 BPM framework
Running at 134 BPM, “Return Of The Vries” occupies an increasingly interesting space between Progressive Trance and more traditional Main-Floor Trance. It has enough drive to lift the energy of a set, but retains the breathing room and gradual development that can disappear from faster, more immediately euphoric productions.
The 7:50 Extended Mix is particularly important to the experience. Instead of reducing the idea to a quick nostalgia hit, Tate gives the record space to unfold as a proper trance journey.
That makes the connection with his earlier work feel natural rather than forced. “Return Of The Vries” does not attempt to reproduce the production techniques of 2002. It recalls what made that period exciting in the first place: strong melodic identity, patient development and the feeling that a trance record can build towards something rather than revealing everything immediately.
A standout chapter in Darren Tate’s Anjunabeats return
“Return Of The Vries” is Darren Tate’s third Anjunabeats release of 2026, following “Taking Us Higher” with Genix and June’s “A Child Of The Times”. All three tracks also formed part of Anjunabeats Volume 17, where “Return Of The Vries” first appeared in mixed form ahead of its standalone release.
Its reception inside the Anjuna ecosystem has been equally notable. Above & Beyond featured the track on Group Therapy before making it Push The Button on ABGT691 on the day of release, while Markus Schulz also supported it on Global DJ Broadcast.
Those appearances underline something important about the record: this is not nostalgia aimed only at listeners who remember 2002.
“Return Of The Vries” works as a current trance release in its own right.
TranceAttack verdict
There would have been an obvious temptation to make “Return Of The Vries” an overt throwback—to recreate “The Theme”, exaggerate the early-2000s references and let nostalgia do most of the work.
Darren Tate takes the more interesting route.
The Vries connection gives the record history and personality, but its strength lies in how naturally that history is translated into contemporary trance. At 134 BPM, it combines progressive pacing with enough melodic scale and main-floor momentum to feel unmistakably rooted in the genre.
More importantly, it sounds like an artist acknowledging where he came from without pretending that the last 24 years never happened.
That makes “Return Of The Vries” both a tribute and a continuation—and one of Darren Tate’s strongest Anjunabeats statements of his current run.
⭐️ Rating: 9 / 10
🎧 Perfect for:
- Late-night Anjunabeats sets
- Progressive-to-main-floor transitions
- Long-form trance journeys
- Classic-trance listeners looking for heritage without a simple retro remake
Release details:
Artist: Darren Tate
Track: Return Of The Vries
Style: Progressive Trance
BPM: 134
Label: Anjunabeats
Release Date: August 21st, 2026
Get your copy here: https://anjunabeats.co/roftv.oyd
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