Paul van Dyk has returned to the EDM scene with a heart-pumping, soul-stirring collaborative instant hit, ‘Shed Your Light.’ Featuring a powerful fusion of beats and vocals, this electrifying track is destined to ignite dance floors and festivals around the world. After a five-year album-hiatus, the acclaimed German DJ has finally answered the calls of his eager and ever-growing fanbase with the announcement of his new album, The World Is Ours. However, within moments of spinning the album’s first taster track, ‘Shed Your Light’, the burning question on everyone’s mind – “What took so long?” – is instantly answered: pure rave perfection takes time, and the collaborative ingredients need to be just right.
Paul van Dyk’s return track features none other than longtime friend and musical comrade, English DJ and producer Paul Thomas, as well as the soul-shaking and distinctive vocals of Norwegian singer EKKO. Each artist brings their own respective signature sound to ‘Shed Your Light’, resulting in a delicately crafted and thoughtfully produced track that is equal parts consciously-enchanting, physically-invigorating, and
spiritually-bolstering.
As longtime friends in the music industry, Paul van Dyk’s instinct and deep understanding of Paul Thomas’ creative style likely influenced his decision to collaborate on the initial release from the upcoming album The World Is Ours. Throughout his impressive career, Thomas has gained international acclaim for his
emotionally charged performances at major events such as SHINE Ibiza, SHINE at Tomorrowland, and FSOE shows. Over the years, he has also refined his production skills through his own label, UV.
With a keen ear for true talent and soul amongst the endless sea of vocalists in the double-edged sword that is the music industry’s ‘Internet Age’, Paul van Dyk managed to spot the Lana del Rey/siren-esque spirit in EKKO’s vocals via a promotional track, just as her star was mid-rise and hitting supersonic speeds. The Norwegian vocalist, whose tracks have now gained a staggering 70 million streams on Spotify, adds a
dreamscape-element to ‘Shed Your Light’, grounding the electronic track’s hard driving beat with a natural, and spiritually-human element.
With over three decades in the music scene, Paul van Dyk is no stranger to spotting musical components that fit snugly with his own artistic vision like puzzle pieces, regarded for his ability to respectfully ‘magpie’ the artistic pearl from within an array of musical sources, and subsequently alchemize them into his own masterful bootlegs and remixes. The beloved DJ, originally from East Germany, has found the magic within musical catalogs spanning from Madonna to U2, earning a reputation for his ability to
actualize artistic originality through his reinventions.
In addition to his eleven albums, Paul van Dyk has earned numerous accolades, including DJ Mag’s Number 1 DJ Award twice, Mixmag’s Man of the Year, multiple IDMAs, Mexico’s Lunas del Auditorio award for Best Electronic Music Live Artist, and two Trance Master Awards at the DJ Awards. Beyond his musical achievements, he has been honored for his charitable work, receiving Berlin’s Medal of Honor and MTV’s Chiuku Award, while actively supporting public initiatives such as Rock the Vote.
Paul’s upcoming album, The World Is Ours, set to release in April, reflects on the impact of AI not only in the music world but in everyday life. As fans eagerly await the album’s full release, the impressive collaboration on ‘Shed Your Light’ offers a powerful preview of what’s to come — a fusion of Paul van Dyk, Paul Thomas, and EKKO’s electrifying talents captured like lightning in a bottle.
And that, my friends, is how to reintroduce yourself.
