Truancy Volume 339: Gabriola

Stepping up for the latest entry in our Truancy Volume series is Gabriola, a much-cherished spiritual resonator of all things euphoria. A true purveyor of trance and progressive bliss, Gabriola possesses an uncanny knack for unearthing the most elevated and transcendent gems. Their long-running Midnight Vapour Trail show on NTS—now an impressive 82 episodes deep, each an epic two-hour voyage—serves as both a testament to their encyclopedic knowledge and an invitation to immerse in the golden age of trance. As co-head of the London-based label Magicwire, Gabriola continues to amplify their vision, releasing a cascade of their own radiant, trance-inflected productions while curating boundary-pushing projects. Notably, they brought the legendary John Beltran’s Placid Angles alias back into the spotlight, releasing a stunning follow-up to his seminal 1997 album with First Blue Sky. Gabriola’s Truancy Volume encapsulates the world and Silver Surfer-styled avatar they’ve so vividly created—a thrilling journey through driving big-room basslines, soaring synths, and jacking kickdrums. As the press release for their Spirit Mirror release beautifully states:

NOW CLOSE YOUR EYES, PAUSE QUIETLY, FOR A FEW MOMENTS, AND BE HERE NOW. ATTUNE YOURSELF WITH YOURSELF AND THE UNIVERSE AND, SO, WITH ALL OF US. IF YOU ARE MOVED BY THE SPIRIT, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE SPIRIT WITH US.