Scottish magazine The List collated local producers’ predictions for 2009 recently, discovering ‘classic house’ (Silicon Soul), ‘deep house’ (G-Mac) and ‘house and techno’ (Soma) were popular choices amongst Scottish DJs. Twitch from upcoming Australian visitors Optimo disagreed, however. “I think the next breakthrough genre will be anarcho-synth,” he remarked. “Because it’s time to forget the past, move on from the mediocrity of recent years, spit on the grave of electro, defy conformity and kick out the jams.”

Definitive dance icon Tiesto failed to single out anarcho-synth in a fresh interview with music portal MusicOMH.com, although he did opt for eclecticism as the way forwards in 2009. “In 1998, I was really a trance DJ, but now I’ve travelled round the world so much, different influences have seeped in and I play a bit of everything,” he explained. “I think the only way forward for DJs now is to play a diverse mix of sounds.”

His comments echoed the long held views of rival superstar Paul Van Dyk, who began distancing himself from trance almost as soon as he attracted the label in the 90s. US portal southcoast247.com appeared unconvinced, however, judging by a searingly harsh review of his new album ‘Hands On In Between’ recently.

“Van Dyk hit his stride at the turn of the last century with Castles in the Sky, when slinging glowsticks and ecstasy was cool. Unfortunately, this double disk comes off like the guy who refuses to leave the party way after it is over,” site editor Raleigh Dugal complained. “The self-serious tone of the tracks like New York City Night and Talk in Grey is par for the course, but you’d expect an act so intrinsically tied to technology to evolve over the last ten years,” Dugal surmised.