One of electronic music’s most enduring mix-compilation series is entering its next chapter. In Search Of Sunrise 22 will begin on August 5th, 2026, with Mix 01: The Awakening—an 18-track journey curated and mixed by Markus Schulz.
Rather than arriving as one complete collection, the new edition will unfold through three separate chapters. According to Markus Schulz’s official announcement, each mix will explore a different emotional landscape, emphasizing the innovative structure that makes this edition special. The Awakening sets that journey in motion, with Markus Schulz and RYVM’s “Dive” positioned as its central opening statement.
A Legendary Search Continues
Few compilation series have shaped the emotional vocabulary of trance as profoundly as In Search Of Sunrise. Launched by Tiësto in 1999, subsequently guided by Richard Durand and eventually placed in the hands of Markus Schulz, the series has always stood for more than a collection of individual tracks.
Its identity is rooted in atmosphere, patient development and the ability to transform a sequence of records into one continuous journey. While the sound has evolved through progressive house, trance, melodic techno and deeper electronic territory, that focus on musical storytelling has remained intact.
Markus Schulz first joined the series as a curator with In Search Of Sunrise 14 in 2018. Since then, he has become the central figure of its modern era, connecting the nostalgia surrounding the early editions with contemporary artists, new productions and reimagined classics.
Three Chapters, One Complete Experience
ISOS 22 will again be presented as a trilogy rather than a single simultaneous release. This gives every individual mix room to establish its own identity before the complete story is revealed.
Only the opening chapter has currently been detailed. The titles, musical directions and release dates of the following two mixes have not yet been announced, but Markus describes the three as distinct emotional landscapes that ultimately form one complete experience.
This format suits the fundamental idea behind In Search Of Sunrise. A great mix compilation is not defined only by the quality of its individual tracks. Its deeper value emerges through pacing, transitions, contrasts and the gradual movement between different states of energy and emotion.
“The Awakening” Opens the Story
Released digitally on August 5th, The Awakening will contain 18 tracks and is officially credited as being mixed by Markus Schulz. The advance Spotify listing already reveals a selection that appears to bridge progressive storytelling, established trance names and carefully chosen references to the genre’s history.
Among the tracks currently visible are music from Rinzen, Sonicvibe, JES, Matt Fax, Solarstone, French 79, BLANCAh, Aeridan, Paul Oakenfold and Above & Beyond.
Several inclusions immediately stand out. Solarstone’s “Seven Cities” returns in the atmospheric Atlantis Mix, while French 79’s “Diamond Veins” appears in a remix by Tiësto’s VER project. Above & Beyond’s “Sun In Your Eyes” receives the Marsh treatment, and Paul Oakenfold, Markus Schulz and Grace revisit “Not Over Yet”—another production connecting the compilation’s current sound with trance history.
These choices suggest that The Awakening will not rely exclusively on nostalgia. Instead, the opening chapter appears to place familiar emotional landmarks alongside contemporary progressive and trance productions.
Early Tracks to Watch
- Markus Schulz feat. RYVM – Dive
- Solarstone – Seven Cities (Solarstone’s Atlantis Mix)
- Paul Oakenfold, Markus Schulz & Grace – Not Over Yet
- Above & Beyond – Sun In Your Eyes (Marsh Remix)
“Dive” – The Gateway to ISOS 22
Markus Schulz introduced “Dive”, his collaboration with RYVM, during his 2026 Luminosity Beach Festival set. The official Global DJ Broadcast archive described it as the first glimpse of this year’s compilation and later as the gateway to In Search Of Sunrise 22.
Now available through Black Hole Recordings, “Dive” is more than a conventional advance single. Markus has placed the track at the heart of The Awakening, giving it a defined role within the wider narrative before the complete mix has even arrived.
Its early introduction also allows the new edition to develop gradually. Instead of revealing the entire collection at once, ISOS 22 is beginning with one musical entry point before expanding into its three-part journey.
Why In Search Of Sunrise 22 Matters
The continued existence of In Search Of Sunrise is significant at a time when playlists and individual tracks increasingly dominate electronic-music consumption.
A carefully constructed mix asks for something different: time, attention and trust in the curator. Individual productions must serve a larger emotional progression, while transitions and sequencing become as important as the tracks themselves.
ISOS 22 also appears determined to maintain a connection across several generations of trance and progressive music. Its opening selection brings together artists associated with the series’ history, modern progressive specialists, and new productions created specifically for the current journey.
That balance will ultimately determine the strength of The Awakening. The track names provide an intriguing foundation, but the decisive factor will be how Markus Schulz transforms those individual pieces into a coherent continuous mix.
A full TranceAttack verdict and rating will follow once the complete chapter can be assessed in its intended form.
Key Facts “In Search Of Sunrise 22”:
- Artist: Markus Schulz
- Title: In Search Of Sunrise 22
- Release Date: Mix 1 – August 5th, 2026
- Format: 3x DJ Mix Compilation
- Label: Black Hole Recordings
- Listen / buy the album here: https://blackhole.lnk.to/isos22
Tracklist:
Disc 1 – The Awakening
- Markus Schulz x Dakota – Edge of Morning
- PROFF x M.O.S. – Namtso
- Mees Salomé x Celine x Joris Voorn – Fool’s Paradise (Joris Voorn Remix)
- biskuwi – Eilu
- PARAFRAME – 3 Worlds
- Jerome Isma-Ae – Encounter (Discotheque Mix)
- Carlo Mandy – Shoreline (Interlude)
- Markus Schulz x RYVM – Dive
- Rinzen x Emil Toledo – The Sound of Hope
- Sonicvibe x Yoni Yarchi – Solara (Markus Schulz In Search Of Sunrise Rework)
- JES x Alex M.O.R.P.H. x MRPHLNDR – Spellbound
- Matt Fax – Ascend
- Solarstone – Seven Cities (Solarstone’s Atlantis Mix)
- French 79 x VER:WEST – Diamond Veins (VER:WEST Remix)
- BLANCAh x NeoClassic x Hicky & Kalo – Travessia (Hicky & Kalo Remix)
- Aeridan – Catalina (Interlude)
- Paul Oakenfold x Markus Schulz x Grace – Not Over Yet
- Above & Beyond x Marsh – Sun In Your Eyes (Marsh Remix)
Disc 2
To be added
Disc 3
To be added
