Second Side: Biography, Discography and More | EDM Encyclopedia
Introduction
Second Side is a progressive trance and electronic music artist based in Germany. The project emerged in 2015 with its first documented release and has maintained a presence in the electronic music landscape through a series of outputs spanning from that year to 2018. Operating from Germany, a country with a substantial electronic music heritage spanning from early experimental pioneers through the global trance movement of the 1990s and beyond, Second Side contributes to the progressive trance scene with a focused and consistent discography.
The artist’s catalog comprises five EPs and one remix single. This concentration on EP-length releases provides a format for exploring thematic and sonic concepts across multiple tracks without the extended commitment of a full-length album. The project demonstrated notable productivity during its most active period, issuing two EPs in its debut year and two more in 2017, with a single EP release arriving in 2016.
Second Side’s documented activity encompasses a relatively compact timeframe, with the most recent confirmed release dating to 2018. The project’s status remains listed as active through the present day, indicating potential for future output. The decision to operate under a project name rather than a personal identity aligns with electronic music for djs conventions that prioritize the music itself over individual personality or celebrity status.
The progressive trance focus positions Second Side within a genre that values hypnotic repetition, gradual evolution, and immersive soundscapes over conventional pop structures. This stylistic commitment is reflected consistently across the project’s released body of work. The German electronic music scene has historically fostered artists working in trance and progressive styles, providing a cultural context for Second Side’s artistic development and creative output.
Genre and Style
Second Side operates primarily within the progressive trance idiom, a style that emphasizes gradual sonic evolution and extended arrangement structures over immediate hooks or conventional pop formats. The production approach centers on layered synthesizer work, where multiple textural elements interact and develop incrementally across track durations, creating an immersive listening experience suited for both home listening and club environments.
The progressive trance Sound
The progressive trance framework allows Second Side to incorporate influences from adjacent electronic styles. Early releases suggest an artist establishing foundational production techniques while experimenting with different textural densities and rhythmic patterns. Technical naming conventions in some work hint at a process-oriented approach to music creation, possibly referencing digital audio workstation project files or specific production methodologies familiar to electronic music producers working within DAW environments. This attention to the technical craft of production aligns with the broader German electronic music tradition of engineering-focused creativity.
The 2016 output shows an expansion into psychedelic territory, with titles indicating an interest in altered-state aesthetics and mind-bending sonic manipulation. This psychedelic influence likely manifests through swirling synthesizer patterns, evolving filter movements, and spatial processing that creates a sense of sonic disorientation and immersion. The incorporation of psychedelic elements positions the project at an intersection of progressive trance and psytrance sensibilities, drawing on trance music’s capacity for extended, hypnotic listening experiences.
The 2017 releases reveal a shift toward more introspective and conceptually-driven composition. One title references neural anatomy involved in sensory signal processing, suggesting an exploration of how sound interacts with perception and consciousness. Another focuses on intimate atmospheric construction, implying attention to micro-level sonic detail and carefully crafted environmental soundscapes rather than expansive, large-scale productions designed for peak-time club sets.
A 2016 remix demonstrates Second Side’s capacity to reinterpret existing material through the progressive trance lens. Remix work requires balancing the original composition’s identity with the remixer’s signature sonic treatment, applying atmospheric processing and rhythmic restructuring consistent with the broader catalog’s aesthetic.
Throughout the discography, Second Side maintains a commitment to progressive trance conventions: steady rhythmic foundations, evolving melodic elements, and immersive production quality that rewards attentive and repeated listening.
Key Releases
Second Side’s discography consists of five extended play releases and one remix single, issued between 2015 and 2018. The catalog demonstrates focused output during the project’s documented active period, with a consistent emphasis on the EP format as the primary vehicle for artistic expression. This approach allows for cohesive thematic exploration within each release while maintaining flexibility in overall output.
- Different Directions
- Appcrash01-73.cpr
- Homemade Psychedelics
- A Path to Thalamus
- Tiny Soundscapes
Discography Highlights
EPs:
Different Directions (2015): The project’s debut release and first documented output in the discography. This EP established Second Side’s presence in the progressive trance landscape and set the foundation for the sonic exploration that would follow in subsequent releases.
Appcrash01-73.cpr (2015): A second EP issued the same year as the debut. The technically-inspired title references digital production terminology, suggesting an artist deeply engaged with the technical aspects of electronic music creation and digital audio workstation workflows. This release expanded the project’s sonic palette within the same calendar year as the debut.
Homemade Psychedelics (2016): The sole EP release of 2016 explores psychedelic textures within the progressive trance framework. The title implies a do-it-yourself approach to psychedelic sound design, moving beyond standard genre conventions into more experimental territory and reflecting broader explorations of altered sonic states and mind-expanding audio manipulation.
A Path to Thalamus (2017): A conceptually-driven release referencing the thalamus, a brain structure responsible for relaying sensory information and regulating consciousness and sleep states. This EP suggests an exploration of perception and sensory processing through electronic music composition, indicating a deeper conceptual engagement with the relationship between sound and neural experience.
Tiny Soundscapes (2017): Arriving in the same year as the previous release, this EP focuses on detailed atmospheric work and intimate sonic environments. The title indicates a focus on smaller-scale, carefully constructed sound design rather than large-scale anthemic approaches common in broader trance production.
Singles:
Northern Lights (Second Side Remix) (2016): The sole single in the discography, this remix applies Second Side’s progressive trance production style to an existing composition. Released between the 2016 EP and the 2017 output, the remix demonstrates the artist’s ability to reinterpret external material through an established aesthetic lens while maintaining the project’s characteristic sound.
Famous Tracks
Second Side, hailing from Germany, built a focused discography between 2015 and 2017 that exemplifies the progressive trance ethos of patience and motion. The project’s early output established a clear interest in mechanical precision fused with organic progression, a balance that defined their short but productive run.
In 2015, Second Side released two EPs that set the foundation. Different Directions introduced a sound built on rolling basslines and spacious arpeggios, leaning into hypnotic structures rather than peak-time euphoria. Later that year, Appcrash01-73.cpr took a more technical turn. The title itself hints at digital malfunction, and the music reflected that concept through glitchy textures interwoven with standard progressive trance frameworks.
The year saw the release of the Homemade Psychedelics EP in 2016, pushing further into psychedelic territory with swirling pads and intricate layered percussion. That same year, Second Side contributed the Northern Lights (Second Side EDM remix), a single release that demonstrated an ability to reframe existing material into a deeper, more hypnotic context.
2017 marked the most productive year. A Path to Thalamus explored cerebral soundscapes, prioritizing atmosphere over direct dancefloor utility. Tiny Soundscapes closed out the year with a collection that favored micro-rhythms and subtle detailing, proving Second Side’s commitment to intricate production over obvious anthems.
Live Performances
As a German progressive trance act, Second Side operates within a scene that values extended sets and seamless mixing over theatrical spectacle. Live performances in this sphere rely on reading the room, building sets that unfold gradually over hours rather than delivering immediate gratification.
Notable Shows
German electronic music culture has long prioritized sound quality and sonic immersion. Artists performing in this environment typically favor Funktion-One or similar high-fidelity systems that allow the subtleties of progressive trance to translate properly. The genre demands attention to low-end frequencies and atmospheric layering, elements that require capable rigs to appreciate fully.
Progressive trance DJs often perform extended sets, sometimes stretching three to four hours or more. This format allows a performer to guide an audience through various energy levels without the pressure of condensing a narrative into a standard sixty-minute festival slot. Second Side’s recorded output suggests an artist suited to this approach. The gradual build and textural focus present in their studio work aligns with the pacing required for longer performances.
The preference for hypnotic, rolling structures over peak-time drops indicates an artist comfortable commanding attention through restraint. This quality translates well to intimate club environments where audiences actively listen rather than passively consume.
Why They Matter
Second Side represents a specific strain of German electronic music that prioritizes craft over personality. In an era where social media presence often overshadows musical output, this project focused exclusively on the work itself, releasing five EPs and one single across a focused three-year period.
Impact on progressive trance
The progression from Different Directions to Tiny soundscapes reveals an artist unwilling to repeat formulas. Each release explored distinct territory: mechanical glitch integration, psychedelic layering, and microscopic sound design. This willingness to experiment within a defined genre framework demonstrates a commitment to forward motion.
The project’s existence within German progressive trance connects to a broader tradition of electronic music that values structural integrity and emotional depth equally. German artists have historically contributed significantly to trance and progressive music, pushing tempos and arrangements into cerebral territory. Second Side continues this lineage by treating dance music as a vehicle for exploration rather than mere utility.
The decision to release primarily EPs rather than full-length albums aligns with how modern electronic audiences consume EDM music. Shorter formats allow for focused listening while maintaining artistic flexibility. Second Side used this format effectively, delivering concise statements that communicated distinct ideas without filler.
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