Armin van Buuren has brought an old-school twist to his new A State of Trance residency at [UNVRS] Ibiza.

The five-date residency began on September 7 and continues every Monday through October 5, with van Buuren performing an extended five-hour set each night.

One of the most distinctive elements of the residency is a dedicated vinyl-only section within each performance, taking the Dutch trance pioneer back to the physical format that shaped the early years of his career.

The idea is particularly fitting for a residency celebrating 25 years of A State of Trance, connecting the brand's modern Ibiza chapter with the era in which trance and DJ culture were developing around vinyl records.

The residency is now underway

The opening party took place on September 7, marking the beginning of van Buuren's new Monday residency at [UNVRS].

There are now four dates remaining: September 14, September 21, September 28 and the closing party on October 5.

Each night features a five-hour extended performance from van Buuren, giving him considerably more time to explore trance, progressive house and different periods of his musical catalogue than a conventional headline set.

[UNVRS] describes the residency as a celebration of 25 years of A State of Trance, with different collaborators joining van Buuren throughout the series.

One hour goes back to the roots

The vinyl section is perhaps the most nostalgic part of the residency.

Rather than simply recreating the sound of classic trance with modern digital equipment, van Buuren is returning to the physical medium itself.

The concept reflects the period when DJs travelled with boxes of records, manually cued tracks and built their sets around the limitations and possibilities of vinyl.

For an artist whose career has evolved alongside major advances in DJ technology, dedicating part of each five-hour performance to records creates a deliberate connection with that earlier era.

The Dome already gave fans a preview

The vinyl concept was previewed earlier this summer with a special set recorded inside the Dome at [UNVRS].

The venue describes the performance as a vinyl-only journey through classic electronic sounds, combining nostalgia with the modern environment of the club. [UNVRS] also confirmed that the five-hour A State of Trance residency would include vinyl-only sections alongside other surprises.

The recording offered fans an early glimpse of how van Buuren's old-school approach could work inside one of Ibiza's newest club environments.

25 years of A State of Trance

The vinyl sessions are part of a much bigger anniversary celebration.

A State of Trance was launched in 2001 and has since developed into one of the most influential brands in global trance music.

In 2026, its 25th anniversary is being celebrated with the new [UNVRS] residency, alongside new music and other projects connected to the Ibiza season.

Van Buuren also released A State of Trance Ibiza 2026 (Mixed by Armin van Buuren) on August 28, featuring three mixes spanning melodic house, progressive, trance and peak-time sounds.

Five hours instead of a conventional headline set

The extended format is another important part of the Ibiza residency.

Rather than appearing for a short peak-time performance, van Buuren has five hours to develop a musical journey.

That leaves room for different tempos, deeper selections, classic records, newer material and the vinyl section without having to compress the experience into a conventional festival-style set.

It also gives fans a different opportunity to hear an artist who has spent more than two decades at the centre of the trance scene.

Each Monday brings a different collaboration

The remaining dates also have their own lineups.

On September 14, van Buuren is joined by Eli Brown for a Face to Face set, with Laura Van Dam also appearing.

September 21 sees Argy join him for a Face to Face set alongside YOUNA.

On September 28, Funk Tribu takes the Face to Face slot, with Ginchy also on the lineup.

The October 5 closing party will feature van Buuren's five-hour set, with Sarrah De Warren and Dan Harrison performing in The Bunker.

Old-school trance meets a new Ibiza venue

There is an obvious contrast at the heart of the residency.

Vinyl is one of the most traditional formats in electronic music, while [UNVRS] represents the latest generation of large-scale club production, with advanced sound, visuals and immersive technology.

Putting the two together creates an interesting meeting point between the history of club culture and its present-day evolution.

For one hour of each performance, the focus shifts back to records.

A different side of Armin van Buuren

The vinyl sessions also offer a more personal side of van Buuren's musical history.

A State of Trance has evolved considerably since its beginnings in 2001, but the vinyl format connects directly with the period in which van Buuren was developing his identity as a DJ and producer.

The five-hour format gives him the space to explore that history rather than simply reference it.

Classic trance can sit alongside contemporary productions, with the vinyl hour creating a clear bridge between the two.

Four dates remain in Ibiza

The A State of Trance residency continues at [UNVRS] on September 14, September 21, September 28 and October 5.

Each date features a five-hour set from Armin van Buuren, with the residency built around the 25th anniversary of A State of Trance and a different selection of collaborators throughout the series.

The September 28 date will feature Funk Tribu in the Face to Face format, while October 5 will close the residency with van Buuren's five-hour performance.

A vinyl hour inside the hyperclub

The most unexpected part of the residency may be its simplest idea.

Inside one of Ibiza's newest and most technologically advanced clubs, Armin van Buuren is setting aside part of every five-hour performance for vinyl.

It is a small return to the past within a very modern Ibiza setting, and a fitting way to celebrate 25 years of A State of Trance.

For trance fans, the remaining Mondays offer the chance to experience both sides of that story: the classic sounds and physical format that helped shape the genre, alongside the scale and technology of Ibiza in 2026.