Armin van Buuren revisits ‘Sonic Samba’ with Rising Star remix: Listen

Armin van Buuren reworks his emotive piece ‘Sonic Samba’ into a full-bodied trance anthem with a new Rising Star remix, bringing the track from its acoustic origins back to the dancefloor. The remix dropped via Armada Music and arrives as an exhilarating reinterpretation that bridges Armin’s recent explorations with his classic trance roots.

Originally featured on Armin’s introspective piano project ‘Piano’, ‘Sonic Samba’ first appeared as a minimalist composition that showcased his melodic depth and artistic range. However, the Rising Star remix takes those reflective elements and amplifies them into a soaring trance reinterpretation.

Under his revered Rising Star alias, long associated with pure, uplifting trance, Armin introduces a driving four-on-the-floor kick, a pulsating bassline, and lush supersaw layers that build tension and release throughout the arrangement. Importantly, the remix preserves the haunting piano motif from the original, but now elevates it with euphoric synths and expansive breakdowns designed for peak-time mainstage moments.

Fans and trance purists have lauded the remix as a highlight of Armin’s 2025 output, with early reactions praising its seamless balance of emotion and energy. Moreover, the track has already featured prominently on A State of Trance (ASOT), where Rising Star selections often signal a record’s deep embrace of trance heritage.

The ‘Sonic Samba (Rising Star Remix)’ demonstrates how Armin can artfully blend introspective artistry with high-octane electronic energy — a testament to his enduring influence on the genre and a reminder that his signature trance heartbeat still thrives at around 138 BPM.