Maarten de Jong has long been recognized as a master of "heavyweight" trance. His style frequently bridges the gap between peak-time techno and uplifting trance, a hybrid often referred to as tech-trance. Known for what fans call "jackhammer strikes" and "thumping kick-bass tandems," de Jong’s productions are engineered to "lay dance floors and club spaces to ruin". The Sound of 138: Label Context
: It began as a playful remark by Armin van Buuren during the ASOT 550 tour, reacting to a trend toward slower, progressive trance. Maarten de Jong has long been recognized as
: The name refers to the 138 Beats Per Minute (BPM) tempo, which represents a "faster, louder, and harder" type of trance. reacting to a trend toward slower