Second Identity: Biography, Discography and More | EDM Encyclopedia

5:13 pm

Introduction

Second Identity is a hardstyle electronic music project that debuted in 2010 through the Scantraxx record label. Founded by Dov Elkabas in 2002, Scantraxx operates as a Dutch label specializing in both hardstyle and hardcore music. The imprint has served as a central hub for hardstyle production and distribution across the Netherlands and Europe for over two decades, signing and developing artists within a genre that demands significant label infrastructure for physical and digital distribution. Second Identity’s entire confirmed discography was released exclusively through Scantraxx and its associated sub-labels, indicating a direct artist signing rather than a one-off licensing arrangement.

The project’s activity spans from 2010 to 2011, during which it produced one full-length album and five extended plays. This concentration of releases within a two-year window aligns with the release strategies common among Scantraxx-signed artists during this era, where multiple EPs and samplers frequently preceded or accompanied a larger album project. The 2010 debut placed Second Identity within a competitive period for the label, which was expanding its roster and output volume to meet growing demand for hardstyle across European festival circuits and retail channels.

Details regarding the individual producer or group behind Second Identity are not widely documented. The project’s profile exists primarily through its recorded output rather than through public performances, interviews, or social media presence. This limited visibility contrasts with many hardstyle acts of the same period that built audience connections through festival appearances and personality-driven branding. Despite this lower public profile, the catalog remains available through standard digital and physical retail channels as part of the Scantraxx archives.

Second Identity’s place within the Scantraxx catalog is defined by its systematic approach to releasing material. Rather than issuing standalone singles, the project built its discography around a coordinated album campaign supported by multiple sampler EPs, supplemented by entries in two distinct Scantraxx release series. This structure reflects the label’s approach to artist development during the early 2010s, where extended campaigns around album releases were standard practice for building listener engagement and sustaining retail presence over multiple quarters.

Genre and Style

Second Identity produces hardstyle music within the euphoric spectrum of the genre. The project’s releases through Scantraxx place its sound in context with the label’s broader catalog of the era, which emphasized accessible, melody-driven tracks designed for both festival stages and recorded listening. Euphoric hardstyle prioritizes harmonic content and synthesized lead melodies over the distorted, aggressive character found in raw hardstyle or hardcore variants.

The hardstyle Sound

As a Scantraxx-signed artist operating between 2010 and 2011, Second Identity’s production approach aligns with the label’s established sonic template from that period. Arrangements follow the structural conventions common to Scantraxx releases: DJ-friendly intro sections with minimal melodic content, extended breakdowns that introduce and develop harmonic themes, and climactic sections where full-frequency distorted kick drums re-enter alongside lead synthesizer melodies. This arrangement structure supports both standalone playback and seamless integration into DJ sets.

The rhythmic foundation follows the four-on-the-floor patterns standard to hardstyle production. Kick drums in this style carry significant distortion and sustain, producing a prolonged tonal character that occupies substantial low-frequency space in the mix. Percussive layering typically includes offbeat hi-hats, ride cymbals for textural movement, and snare-driven build-ups during transition sections between breakdowns and climaxes.

Melodic content in Second Identity’s output draws on synthesizer patches and compositional approaches consistent with the euphoric hardstyle sound of the early 2010s. Lead melodies tend toward major and minor key progressions with emotional harmonic movement, supported by pad layers that add depth during breakdown sections. Vocal elements, where present, receive processing treatments that integrate them into the track’s melodic framework rather than presenting them as isolated lyrical content. The resulting sound prioritizes accessibility and melodic clarity while maintaining the rhythmic intensity central to hardstyle as a genre.

Key Releases

Second Identity released one full-length album during its active period. The Album arrived in 2010 as the project’s primary long-form release, representing the complete body of work around which the rest of the catalog was structured. The album format allowed for extended exploration of the project’s melodic hardstyle approach across multiple tracks, providing listeners with a comprehensive representation of Second Identity’s sound.

  • The Album
  • Album Sampler 001
  • Album Sampler 002
  • Album Sampler 003
  • Scantraxx Silver 012

Discography Highlights

Preceding and the album, a series of sampler EPs previewed material from the full-length. Album Sampler 001 and Album Sampler 002 both appeared in 2010, issuing portions of the album’s tracklist as standalone releases. A third installment, Album Sampler 003, followed in 2011, extending the promotional cycle beyond the album’s initial release year. This staggered sampler approach allowed the project to maintain visibility across multiple release dates while building toward and sustaining the album campaign across two calendar years.

Separate from the album and its associated samplers, Second Identity contributed to two of Scantraxx’s numbered release series. Scantraxx Silver 012 was released in 2010 as part of the Silver series, a sub-label designation used for individual artist releases within the broader Scantraxx infrastructure. In 2011, Scantraxx 055 appeared as part of the main label’s sequential catalog numbering, representing the project’s final confirmed release to date.

These six releases constitute the entirety of Second Identity’s confirmed catalog. The absence of subsequent releases after 2011 leaves the project’s current status ambiguous. Whether dormant, concluded, or continuing under a different name remains undocumented. The 2010 to 2011 period nonetheless produced a complete album campaign supported by consistent EP output through one of hardstyle’s longest-running record labels.

albums:
– The Album (2010)

EPs:
– Scantraxx Silver 012 (2010)
– Album Sampler 001 (2010)
– Album Sampler 002 (2010)
– Album Sampler 003 (2011)
– Scantraxx 055 (2011)

Famous Tracks

Second Identity built their discography through Scantraxx, a Dutch record label founded by Dov Elkabas in 2002 that specializes in both hardstyle and hardcore music. Their relationship with the label produced a focused catalog of releases concentrated between 2010 and 2011.

In 2010, the project delivered The Album, a full-length release that served as the centerpiece of their output. That same year saw the arrival of Scantraxx Silver 012, an EP that added to the label’s longstanding numbered series. Two additional samplers appeared in 2010: Album Sampler 001 and Album Sampler 002, both tied to the album campaign and offering previews of the larger work.

The year, 2011, brought scantraxx 055, another entry in the main Scantraxx catalog series, alongside Album Sampler 003, which rounded out the preview releases connected to the album. These six releases form the confirmed body of work under the Second Identity name, all issued through the Scantraxx infrastructure during a two-year window.

Live Performances

As a Scantraxx-signed artist operating in the Dutch hardstyle scene during 2010 and 2011, Second Identity existed within a network of events and club nights central to that label’s roster. Scantraxx acts regularly appeared at major hardstyle events across the Netherlands and beyond during this era, where label showcases served as a primary vehicle for exposing audiences to new signings.

Notable Shows

The release strategy surrounding The Album, particularly the three samplers spread across 2010 and 2011, suggests a coordinated campaign designed to sustain visibility over an extended period. This approach would have aligned with live appearances, keeping the project in front of audiences at events where hardstyle and hardcore fans gathered. The decision to issue Album Sampler 001, Album Sampler 002, and Album Sampler 003 as separate drops rather than a single package indicates an intent to maintain momentum across multiple performance seasons.

The concentration of releases on a label specializing in both hardstyle and hardcore positioned the project to reach audiences at events spanning both styles, broadening potential booking opportunities beyond a single scene.

Why They Matter

Second Identity represents a specific strand of the Scantraxx catalog during a productive period for the label. Operating under a label founded by Dov Elkabas in 2002, the project contributed to a roster that helped define Dutch hardstyle and hardcore throughout the 2000s and into the decade.

Impact on raw hardstyle

The decision to release a full album, The Album, in 2010 rather than relying solely on singles and EPs distinguished the project from acts who focused exclusively on shorter formats. Albums within hardstyle remained relatively less common than EP-driven release schedules, making a full-length statement a notable commitment. The supporting sampler campaign, spread across three installments, demonstrated a structured approach to rolling out material that kept listeners engaged over months rather than dropping everything at once.

The placement of Scantraxx Silver 012 and Scantraxx 055 within the label’s numbered series also indicates that Second Identity received backing as part of the core catalog, not a peripheral side project. These numbered entries carried weight within the Scantraxx ecosystem, sitting alongside releases from other signed artists who shaped the label’s identity during that era. The two-year window of confirmed output, from 2010 through 2011, captures a discrete chapter in the label’s history worth examining for anyone mapping the evolution of Dutch hardstyle artists.

Explore more HARDSTYLE DROPS Spotify Playlist.

Discover more hardstyle dance and hardstyle artists coverage on 4d4m.com.