There’s something special about a track that doesn’t just play in the background but actually pulls you under and holds you there. That’s exactly what happens with ‘Anchored’, the latest collaboration between Semblance Smile and North Skies. Clocking in at 133 BPM in C# Minor, this one trades pure atmosphere for real depth, delivering rolling low-end, hazy textures, and a groove that feels made for late nights and long drives.
North Skies has been steadily building a name in the melodic and progressive trance world, and this release continues that momentum. He’s known for blending emotion, power, and modern rave energy into tracks that hit both the heart and the dancefloor. His breakout collab with Krevix, ‘Find Me’, earned early support from Armin van Buuren, BJones, and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, landing on A State Of Trance and even getting a moment at Tomorrowland Brasil. Follow-up cuts like ‘Nothing Above’ on High Voltage Recordings kept that ASOT support going, and the catalog has grown with fan favorites such as ‘After Life’, ‘Follow the Light’, ‘Out of Love’, ‘In Another Life’, ‘Existential’, ‘Trance Is a Feeling’, and ‘The Void’. On top of the releases, he runs a weekly radio show called The Future Is Now, which only adds to the sense that this is an artist who is fully locked in and moving fast.
‘Anchored’ is their fourth collaboration this year, and it feels like the most immersive one yet. The production leans into progressive house and trance territory while carrying a dance-pop accessibility that keeps it open and inviting. The low end rolls with purpose, the textures stay hazy without getting muddy, and the groove just sits there, steady and hypnotic. It’s the kind of track that works equally well with the lights down low or the windows open on a night drive. You feel the depth first, then the pull, and by the time the full arrangement settles in, you’re already committed.
What stands out is how well the two producers complement each other here. North Skies’ melodic sensibility and progressive approach sit comfortably alongside Semblance Smile’s contribution, resulting in something that feels cohesive rather than forced. In a scene where progressive house and melodic trance continue to evolve—sometimes getting brighter and more festival-ready, sometimes diving deeper into groove and atmosphere—‘Anchored’ finds a sweet middle ground. It doesn’t chase the biggest drop or the flashiest moment. Instead it trusts the foundation: solid low-end, carefully layered textures, and a tempo that gives everything room to breathe while still moving forward.
If you’re into progressive house that prioritizes feeling over flash, or trance that still remembers how to groove, this one is worth your time. North Skies is clearly in a productive stretch, and the fact that he and Semblance Smile keep finding new angles with each collab suggests there’s more good music coming. The future of this sound isn’t waiting around—it’s already showing up in tracks like this.
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What do you think of the direction North Skies is taking with these deeper progressive cuts? Drop your thoughts in the comments—always curious to hear what lands with people.
