Victor Ruiz injects a darker shade of techno into trance classic ‘1998’

Hailing from Brazil and based in Lisbon, Victor Ruiz has continued to deliver top-tier techno productions infused with his distinctive musicality and energy since 2013.

For the 20 Years Armada Music Remixed album, he contributes his take on Binary Finary's major hit, ‘1998’, and reworks it with a darker twist of techno.

'1998' was a major hit in the 90s to early 2000s and is still widely embraced by top trance DJs. Its enduring influence is evident through remixes by Paul van Dyk, Alex M.O.R.P.H, and Dosem (and now Victor Ruiz) with the track resurging as a Beatport chart-topper. It remains a pivotal production in electronic music's evolution.

Ruiz’s remix transforms the classic trance track into a tech-trance cut, marked by rolling percussion and a commanding kick. Though the BPM decreases slightly compared to the original, in no way does it take away the euphoric feel of a peak moment.

Read this next: Take a trip around 'Stars Planets Dust Me' with Ricardo Villalobos

"When I got the chance to put my hands on it, I had to make something special since I had been mentally rehearsing this moment for over a decade. It took me a few months to come up with the arrangement idea, but once I had it clear, I knew what to do. This remix is just a confirmation that dreams do come true,” mentions Ruiz.

Read this next: Previously unheard remix from Frankie Knuckles has been released

In addition, the remix has received support from industry heavyweights like Joseph Capriati, Adam Beyer, Armin van Buuren, Vintage Culture, Enrico Sangiuliano, and ANNA — making it far from blasphemous, even for the most devoted of trance purists.

Binary Finary ‘1998 (Victor Ruiz Remix)’ is out now via Armada Music, listen to it here.

Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.