Armin van Buuren is bringing the warmth, unpredictability and hands-on craft of vinyl back to the Ibiza club scene with a special all-analogue series at UNVRS.
Armin van Buuren is turning back the clock at UNVRS Ibiza.
The Dutch trance icon has returned to the vinyl decks for another special performance at the White Isle superclub, continuing a residency chapter that places classic DJ craftsmanship at the centre of the experience. <Cite refs={[“turn0news0″,”turn0news4”]} />
Rather than relying entirely on modern digital tools, van Buuren is revisiting the format that shaped his early career: physical records, manual transitions and the unique atmosphere of a vinyl-only set.
Armin van Buuren Brings Vinyl Back to UNVRS
The special performances form part of van Buuren’s A State of Trance residency at UNVRS, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of his influential ASOT brand.
The residency runs across five consecutive Mondays, from September 7 through October 5, 2026, with each performance including a dedicated one-hour vinyl segment. The final date is scheduled to feature an extended all-night set. <Cite refs={[“turn0news4″,”turn0news6”]} />
For fans accustomed to Armin’s large-scale festival performances and tightly produced digital sets, the vinyl sessions offer a more intimate look at the artist’s roots.
The format also changes the rhythm of the performance itself.
Longer track lengths, physical record handling and manual mixing create a different kind of connection between DJ and audience. There is less emphasis on instant access to thousands of tracks and more focus on selection, timing and instinct.
A Set Built Around Trance History
Van Buuren previously shared a special vinyl-only performance recorded inside the club’s Dome space.
The hour-long set featured influential trance classics from artists including Chicane, Energy 52, Paul van Dyk, James Holden and The Thrillseekers, alongside material from van Buuren’s own early catalogue. <Cite refs={[“turn0news4”]} />
That selection reflects the broader purpose of the project.
Rather than simply presenting vinyl as a novelty, the performances celebrate the music and DJ culture that helped define trance before streaming platforms, USB drives and software-based mixing became standard.
The result is a journey through the genre’s formative years, presented by one of its most important modern ambassadors.
Why Vinyl Still Matters
For many DJs, vinyl remains more than an outdated format.
The physical limitations of records can influence the way a set develops. DJs must prepare their selections carefully, manage longer transitions and work with the practical realities of handling records in real time.
Those limitations can also create freedom.
Without the endless options available through digital libraries, the performance becomes more focused on mood, flow and the relationship between tracks.
Van Buuren’s decision to include vinyl-only segments in every UNVRS performance suggests that the format still holds creative value, even at the highest levels of modern electronic music.
UNVRS Provides the Perfect Setting
The Dome space at UNVRS adds another layer to the experience.
The venue’s immersive design, greenery and large central sculpture create an environment that contrasts with the massive festival stages where van Buuren regularly performs.
That setting allows the music to take a more central role.
The vinyl concept also fits into a wider movement across electronic music, with established artists increasingly returning to analogue formats, extended sets and stripped-back performances as a counterpoint to the speed of contemporary club culture.
Van Buuren’s sessions sit comfortably within that shift while remaining firmly connected to trance history.
A State of Trance Turns 25
The vinyl performances arrive during a major year for A State of Trance.
The brand has reached its 25th anniversary, marking a quarter-century of radio shows, events, releases and global trance community-building.
Van Buuren has remained at the centre of that story since the beginning, helping turn ASOT from a radio programme into one of the most recognisable platforms in electronic music.
The UNVRS residency combines that legacy with a more personal presentation of the sound.
It is not simply a celebration of trance’s past, but a reminder of how the genre’s emotional power can still work without relying on spectacle alone.
The Return of the Hands-On DJ
Armin van Buuren’s latest vinyl performance offers a clear reminder that technology has not erased the importance of traditional DJ skills.
Digital tools have expanded what DJs can do, but vinyl continues to demand patience, preparation and physical engagement.
For an artist with van Buuren’s experience, the format becomes a way to revisit the foundations of his career while introducing a new generation of listeners to the culture that came before them.
At UNVRS Ibiza, the future of trance is making room for its past.
And Armin van Buuren is once again proving that sometimes the best way forward is to return to the records.