An album-format DJ mix where the DJ sequences and beatmatches existing tracks into one continuous program.
Definition
A mix compilation is an album-format release in which a DJ sequences and beatmatches a curated selection of existing tracks into a single continuous program — typically 60 to 80 minutes long, sometimes spread across multiple discs or files (e.g. "Disc 1: warm-up, Disc 2: peak time"). Iconic trance compilation series include In Search of Sunrise (founded by Tiësto, later co-curated with Richard Durand and Solarstone), Trance Nation (Ministry of Sound), Cream Trance Anthems, and label-specific series like Armada's A State of Trance Yearmix and Anjunabeats Volumes. Compilations serve multiple roles: they document the state of a genre at a given moment, expose listeners to new artists, and showcase the curating DJ's selection style. The format declined commercially in the streaming era but remains a respected art form, with new compilations still released by major DJs.