Hardwell and Space 92 dig into techno on The Abyss

Sinister low end, a vocal sample daring you further in, drops that keep piling on weight. It’s the shape of “The Abyss,” the single Hardwell teamed up with Space 92 to make, out since August 4 on Hilomatik. One track, both names carried equally on the credit.

Hardwell went quiet in 2018, announcing an indefinite break from touring. The record follows his return to the stage, which came at Ultra Music Festival in Miami in 2022.

Before any of that, there was a record deal at fourteen and a 2002 debut, Bubbling Beats 1, cut in his home city of Breda. A 2007 pairing with Greatski, “Never Knew Love,” gave him his first taste of commercial success. He launched his own label, Revealed Recordings, in 2010.

Space 92 called the pairing an honor. “Hardwell is such an industry titan, so this collaboration was definitely something I was extremely honored and excited to work on,” the producer said. Hardwell has upcoming dates at Mysteryland in the Netherlands and Ultra Japan in Tokyo. Space 92 has a run of European festival dates too, with a return to the U.S. still on the calendar.

The record is out via Hilomatik, the imprint Oliver Heldens runs — also home this year to releases from Modeā, Spartaque and T78. It leans into techno’s weight, with progressive house threaded through and a trance-style lift by the close — Hardwell and Space 92 working three lanes without picking one.