Push is a production alias of Dutch trance producer and DJ Mike Dierickx.  Releasing since 1995 with a brief hiatus in the late noughties, Push is responsible for some of trance’s most enduring anthems, most notably the landmark production ‘Universal Nation’.  

Early Years: 1994 to 2007

Push was one of the first production aliases that Mike Dierickx started releasing under, with his first release ‘Acid Hysteria’ (USA Import Music 1994).  His breakthrough came four years later during the peak years of trance with ‘Universal Nation’ (Bonzai Records 1998).  ‘Universal Nation’ was a track that truly stood out from the pack.  At a time when mainstream trance was dominated by often predictable, uplifting melodies, epic breakdowns and long snare rolls, ‘Universal Nation’ brought a dark, even sinister feel.  Its minor key haunting lead line, distinctive vocal shout and thumping kick drum that bursts in midway through the breakdown without warning were so fresh and powerful that they guaranteed ‘Universal Nation’ anthem status.

Push didn’t have to wait long for further success.  In 1999 Push released another, but very different trance anthem: ‘Strange World’ (Bonzai Records 1999).  ‘Strange World’ uses the same trick as ‘Universal Nation’ of keeping the melody repeating throughout nearly the entire track, but the similarities stop there. Unlike the dark ‘Universal Nation’, ‘Strange World’ sits firmly at the melodic, dreamy end of the trance spectrum. Just as ‘Universal Nation’ stands out as one of the key tracks of the trance genre, so ‘Strange World’ remains one of the most enduring trance melodies written.
The following year 2000 Dierickx released the first Push studio album ‘From Beyond’ (Lightning Records 2000) which featured yet another Push anthem, the driving peak-time trance track ‘The Legacy’ (Bonzai Records 2001).

Dierickx continued to release Push productions steadily up to 2005.  Though he had always released simultaneously under many different aliases alongside Push, in 2005 he stopped releasing as Push and focused primarily on the M.I.K.E. alias.

Later Years: 2008 to present

In 2008 Dierickx reprised the Push alias with a number of releases including ‘Dream Designer’ (Club Elite 2008). 

The following year Dierickx released the fifth Push studio album ‘Global Age’ (Armada Music 2009).  Dierickx hasn’t released any Push productions since 2009.

Push is probably the production alias under which Mike Dierickx has had most impact and will be most remembered for.  As Push he penned three of trance’s most enduring anthems and was part of wave of Dutch trance producers such as Ferry Corsten, Armin van Buuren and Tiesto that helped shift the epicentre of the trance scene from the UK to the Netherlands in the early noughties..

Dierickx officially changed his name from Dirk Dierickx to Mike Dierickx in 2000.