I don't get this Trance should be given a chance when Trance Djs dominate the top 100 poll and headline almost every major festival in the world?

Trance music can be seen as being largely responsible for this recent globalization of EDM. House music had a massive influence as well, but trance DJs that took it to the next level, especially via festivals.

Theres no simpler way to put it but: trance is what feelings sound like! and you should definitely give it a chance :)

Yeah I think its more about how trance fans cant handle that a lot of other people just dont respect their music in the slightest. Trance fans are desperate for some sort of global recognition for trance and it being the number 1 genre ever without a shadow of a doubt (in their eyes). Until the world bows down and acknowledges trance as the greatest form of EDM they will not be happy. Being the biggest sub genre of EDM is not enough for them. Trance must be praised by ALLLLL

Really good article, angy. Well researched and thought provoking.

Great article! Not only do I like to look back at some of the most amazing and inspiring moments in trance but I also like to look forward to what is ahead. Every genre has moments of pure cheese but I look at it like trial and error. Every time trance has gone through one of these moments it has come out the other end with a new and refreshed sound. I think we should all stop and enjoy the roller coaster ride that trance music takes you on.

Great read, Mirage and 500 @ Sydney were pretty sweet. Tyas said that ASOT is the only reason trance is still kicking and he maaay be right, but there is still some genius upcoming talent out there who are passionate about trance/psy-trance. I'll give trance a chance just because nothing else (with the exception of some progressive stuff) really compares.

I have been one of the naysayers of trance in the past. Even to the point of aggressively telling fans that trance is dead a few years ago.

While that may have been the case then, I have a grudging respect for some of the dark, edgy and beautiful trance I have been discovering lately... I hope to continue to find more and eventually eat my own words.

tl;dr

Armin's album wasn't trance it was a pop and dance album nothing to do with trance get your facts right.

@adrian morton .... if by top 100 polls you mean dj mag? then thers something wrong witchuu.. and by trance djs headlining major festivals you mean Tiesto and Armin? urgh.. name 1 other trance dj headlining a major festival.. put down the glowsticks, and pick up some good musical taste

I don't agree with stating Anjunabeats these days as being cutting edge. All 3 of those producers suck!

Trance is dead, cremated and buried. The 90s were amazing for the genre. That feeling has been lost though and in a big way.
How many clubs anywhere in Australia regularly play trance with just locals? Not very many. Do they even pack out? I'd say not. People will only go out for the big internationals, and still thats a niche market unless you're armin, above and beyond or ferry.

With the quality and range in house, techno, progressive for outdoes trance tenfold, hence why nobody listens to the genre anymore.

I really liked Sander Van Doorns Supernaturalistic Album, however this album was hardly trance. That was pretty much the last time I have given "trance" a go.

Jeanica - trance isn't responsible for shit.

100% NO

Surely a good track is a good track is a good track?? If it happens to be trance, fantastic, if not, well that's cool too. Why limit yourself to only one or two genres of music? I'm not a fan of most female trance vocals (don't know why they just give me you-know-whats) but I love a lot of trance songs - and prog house and house. Again just love the music... if you don't like it don't listen to it.

Without even realising it I've been a fan of trance for a good 15 years or so. Only recently have I really started to emerse myself in the EDM world. Stuns me how much 'hate' there is in the music world. Listen to what you love! Peace out.

Really enjoyed this article Angy, it explores the journey of trance music, defines the poignant moments, and the commercialization of the genre at certain times (very similar to what has happened with dub step and many other genres!) Trance is favourite style of music, all the forms it undertakes I have embraced whether it be harder trance, prog trance - whatever. It always makes me happy no matter what shape and form. Trance will constantly evolve and reinvent itself like it has consistently since I started listening to it 15 years ago, bring it on I say! Trance is the answer!!!

There is a reason why trance is a dirty word on Resident Advisor

Since when did music ask us to give it a chance? No one's forcing earphones in anyone's ears nor a sub woofer. If you discover new music regardless of genre/style that moves you emotionally and physically then that's awesome. What I don't understand is others bashing the genre when it doesn't harm nor cause them grief. Not particular fond of country nor electro but it doesn't mean I hate it.

That said this is a great article on the current and previous state of trance for someone like myself who has gravitated away from it after being entrenched in the pre 2003/4 era. Have always appreciated the different sub genres whether it is progressive, uplifting or hard trance for that matter. I'm grateful that trance gave myself a chance to enjoy, be moved and experience not just the music but the culture along with it in Sydney and globally.

look, i know what your all going to say.... Tiesto Tiesto Tiesto is shit...sell out...wanker whatever... Truith is that i think that there is a generation change that were are on the cusp of. I have listend to trance/techno/dance since year 8 in highscool which was around 1989... Yeh im grandfather..lol. Tiesto in search of sunrise amongst other compitations and artists have given me memories of my entire adult lifetime, Tiesto's cut off from Trance has been devistating. Elements of Life tour at festival hall was the best night of my life... Its ok to have vocals in trance but it has really turned into utter shit... I would say armin fans are not as old as me and did not connect with the same type of music. Trance Energy at Calder Park was also another fond memory now gone forever.. Finlay i wont bore any one any longer. Just remember that trance/techno/dance only appealed to lets just say 20,000 people world wide back 20 years ago and now its appealing to 20,000000000 people definitely means the sound has changed and it is not the same. Trance/techno/dance shouldn't be enjoyed by millions if its made right, its a special sound/meaning that we relate with and this is the minority of people that it would appeal to which isn't many..hence the comments about it heading back underground are truly just. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by adrian morton

I don't get this Trance should be given a chance when Trance Djs dominate the top 100 poll and headline almost every major festival in the world?

i think it has a lot to do with the fact none trance lovers shit on it at any given chance.... they are extremely vocal about it - however the reason why they dominate the top 100 poll is the true lovers live and breathe it and dont pay attention to the hat0rz perhaps?

@Mindfull-1, you're friend's sound like douche bags if their trying to ram trance down your throat.
HAte to be capt obvious but with any genre of edm I find prolific commercialization does not positively affect the quality of production, trance is no exception - so focusing on Amrin's contribution is as relevant as looking at Guetta's 'so called' mastery of house music. I am a trance supporter, but maybe it needs a crash to clear out the garbage - the underground is where the real fun is anyway.

Fleming's just as much to blame. Did anybody listen to Nine Lives? What the cheese?

Right or wrong, I've always seen Trance as the introductory sound of EDM. It serves a great purpose at raves enhancing the effects of MDMA. But once people are over the festival jumping phase it doesn't seem to have much of a place in the lifetime love of this music.

great article. however, i do have this question. why isn't this new "trouse" sound criticised? or the noise which marcel woods produces which is passed off as "cutting edge"? how many tracks are being released today by both trance and house djs with a one finger synth. it's all sounding the same and i see nothing innovative about it

fantastic article!

@sticman people always criticize trouse! they get hate from both sides of the spectrum!

I think the near 260,000 fans of the fan page I run on facebook called 'Trance & Progressive' will completely agree to 'give Trance a chance' .... all the BS that gets said about Trance usually comes from all the people who don't ever listen to it and claim to 'know what they're talking about' when they've nearly truly bothered to give it a 'real' listen. Its also why I think the bigger names have taken to trying to incorporate external influences such as house/pop vocalists to attempt broaden their market while not losing their roots. Those that have effectively jumped ship into other genres should not be labelled as doing so just because they think Trance is dead, I suspect most have done so simply because there is more money involved. Just because Trance does not attract the huge numbers that pop, house, etc do doesn't mean that its not a viable genre. I don't get that ridiculous comment that Dave Clarke made. What a pompous, arrogant arsehole. And they say that the Trance lovers have no time for other sounds .... actually we are the most broad minded music lovers and most in the Trance scene give all sounds a chance. I've always said that you'll easily get a Trance lover out to a festival as they are keen to see everything that's on offer but get a house lover to be broad minded?? .... yeah right ... FFS Trance riffs have so much classical music influence its insane, I really don't get why there is such a bad stigma against Trance when we are so heavily influenced by the 'music of old' that is taught in school, etc.

@binda2 point me in the direction of it 'cause i hardly hear a wimper about it. all i hear is how "innovative" the sound is. u should see the twitter feeds of first state, marcel woods and marcus schossow ranting about how great it is

Listen to Orkidea - Unity (Solarstone Pure Remix) the tell me Trance is dead.

Although this article is centered around the progression and the timing of the introduction (and the re-introduction) of trance at particular moments in a historical sense, it would be fair to say that trance has had as much influence as any other genre of EDM probably has once had or will have at a certain point of time.

I remember when I was a young under-aged raver and back then I was listening to breaks and drum and bass tracks - Thinking back now I didn't notice how much that actually influenced my own personal musical tastes and in which persuaded me to explore artists more like the plump DJs, LTJ Bukem and other artists such as Goldie.

My own musical tastes then progressed further when Happy Hard became popular as well and then I was introduced into artists such as Dyewitness, Paul Elstak and even through to the Raver Baby Crew. I think part of this influence was also the commercialization of such events that were now considered main-stream raves. As these kind of events became even more popular and more mainstream we also saw the rose of other genres like hard-house, trance and hard-trance - even to the point where now Hardcore and Hardstyle is slowly gaining mainstream status in some geographical markets. Even to the point where we are now seeing EDM artists like David Guetta and Tiesto producing and developing sounds that cater to people's tastes rather than what they originally felt they wanted to produce in terms of their own musical tastes, ....We wont even start to mention DJ Idol...

But lets get back to the Trance. Last year I had the privilege to be able to go on holidays to Miami and be able to attend some of the greatest Trance music events I've ever been too. The first was a club night in downtown Miami Beach with Gareth Emery and his Northern Lights Re-lit tour. The atmosphere was amazing. A full club with one of the most exciting trance influenced DJ's on earth. Still one of the best club nights I've ever been able to attend. A couple of days later and after being able to experience the amazing experience of being able to be part of Above and Beyond's TV series for the day, we all attended Above and Beyond's Anjunabeats Night at the Ice Palace. With over a thousand people easily there we saw what Trance music was able to create in terms of a atmosphere, in terms of an event which was magical. The next day, we again had the privilege of seeing Above and Beyond do a free show right in the middle of the actual Armani Exchange store in downtown Miami Beach. Seeing the fan-ism, the smiles, the photos and hearing the voices of a couple of hundred people singing along to 'Sun and Moon' was an experience in itself (most of them had been at the Ice Palace the night before). Sunday that week though in Miami was remarkable. At Ultra music Festival ASOT 500 (Miami style) again the Trance was amazing and even though we had to leave that day earlier than expected to catch a connecting flight to L.A, my own thoughts of what I was experiencing had me trying to convince myself to stay and miss the flight... that's some influential power alone.

But I'm not Trance biased as well, I'm a huge fan of multiple of musical genres, heck I even listen to classical when I study at times... There's a time and place and a mood for all types of music to be enjoyed I think! There's some amazing artists out there across a multitude of various genres of music. Think Carl Cox, think Mark Farina - the DJ MAG top 100 could actually be the DJ Top1000 poll and still have amazing talent right down the list. Even Mr Snoop Doggy Dogg has a special place in my heart.

Not just EDM either, have you ever listened to James Morrison and his Swing band? Simply amazing! But again, there will always be a time and place in life to really enjoy it.

Even if particular individualized music tastes are seen to be transitional to people throughout life, it's probably still fair to say that in terms of EDM, Trance and the 'trance music sub-culture' will always have some influence and some part of following in one form or another and while there is still a crowd and a community that wants to support the trance genre, it will always be well welcomed. How it remains relevant to the current climate of music tastes and what's popular is something that will ultimately be decided by the media, the artists, the promoters and the people most of all.

As a person in the crowd, I'd like to say that Trance will always have a place in a major festival lineup, or at a weekend club event. Because it's a pretty ultimate picture when a couple of thousand people all have their hands in the air...Regardless if it's Armin Van Buuren's 'Shivers', Paul Van Dyk's 'For An Angel' or any other trance track that encourages people to simply enjoy the music for whatever it exists to be and whilst people enjoy listening to it, Trance's history and influences should be well-respected even if you don't personally like those amazing breakdowns and large kick-bass drum sounds of a big-room trance track!

Right place right time IMO,

Psy-trance can be cool in the right setting !

Those who enjoy the underground sounds of techno are not going to give trance a chance based on tracks like Armin's remix of "Use Somebody". Simple as that. The reason being is it, like so many other vocal "floorfillers" ain't really "trance".

The rest of the genre, which imo is going through a transitional phase at the moment, is being tarred with the same brush.

Some techno fans will overlook John Fleming's work because he falls under teh "trance" umbrella. Those who have been adventurous and dived in were of course rewarded (case in point: his EM from two years ago).

I am not fond of the house/electro influences that have infiltrated the genre lately. This is not to say that I am against progression - far from it - it's just that the feeling that was once there is dissipating. Having said that, I am all for the slower pace.

On the subject of JF, the man is nothing short of a mastermind, however I can only really listen to GTG and his other output in smaller doses because it is too trancey and not emotive enough for my liking. Darker sounds that I enjoy have arrived by way of the likes of Shackleton, Pinch, Consequence etc.

For those willing to "give trance a chance", be sure to ignore the big names (it'd be like having Korn or Disturbed being the poster-child for metal) and go straight for the likes of the aforementioned John 00 Fleming as well as the blunt instrument that is John Askew. You won't find either of these two pushing Kraft singles (complete with forumulaic breakdowns and overly produced vocals from vocalists who really cannot sing).

from someone that has seen the "fall from grace" that trance has gone through over the past decade, all i have to say is remove the vocals! for me the best trance music is instrumental. Best "trance" album for me of recent times was 20 by Orkidea, its well worth a listen to begin to understand where all the nay-sayers are coming from. I have always liked AVB, even i am beginning to detraqct from his style, with the perfect example being his set at stereosonic, full of utter crap! I agree that the po[pularity and commercialism of the genre needs to be destroyed before any respect can be payed to the music, because the continued fame and popularity is only going to further distort and dilute the perfection that is a greact trance record.

Trance will always be there as are all genres of music, they have there highs and they have there lows, but they all survive to a degree of popularity comming and going with each new generation of dance fans.Listen to what you love don't hate on other genres live life and enjoy the ride.

Q: Should we give trance a chance?
A: No.

trance is fucking boring

techno is god

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ_Ange

I think the near 260,000 fans of the fan page I run on facebook called 'Trance & Progressive' will completely agree to 'give Trance a chance' .... all the BS that gets said about Trance usually comes from all the people who don't ever listen to it and claim to 'know what they're talking about' when they've nearly truly bothered to give it a 'real' listen. Its also why I think the bigger names have taken to trying to incorporate external influences such as house/pop vocalists to attempt broaden their market while not losing their roots. Those that have effectively jumped ship into other genres should not be labelled as doing so just because they think Trance is dead, I suspect most have done so simply because there is more money involved. Just because Trance does not attract the huge numbers that pop, house, etc do doesn't mean that its not a viable genre. I don't get that ridiculous comment that Dave Clarke made. What a pompous, arrogant arsehole. And they say that the Trance lovers have no time for other sounds .... actually we are the most broad minded music lovers and most in the Trance scene give all sounds a chance. I've always said that you'll easily get a Trance lover out to a festival as they are keen to see everything that's on offer but get a house lover to be broad minded??.... yeah right ... FFS Trance riffs have so much classical music influence its insane, I really don't get why there is such a bad stigma against Trance when we are so heavily influenced by the 'music of old' that is taught in school, etc.

stopped reading here

When I go out to clubs my friends always tell me i'm so closed minding for not liking the tracks out there. Reading the ITM forums makes me realise how open minded I am. "Trance" as it was in the past is harrdly produced anymore, I admit I LOVE the trance of old but the genre's changed. From reading forums (mostly ITM) it seems people seem to have this idea that if you don't listen to askew or j00f then you don't listen to trance. The way I see it either I have a different view of what trance is or (and wait for it) a lot of these guys WAY to strict a view on what trance should be. BUT that's the point isnt it? Even in a genre people are allowed to have their own opinion. I consider myself a fan of trance but I guess according to all the people that hate on Armin etc. I should just call myself an EDM fan and I'm ok with that. I LOVE the the old sound but also love the new stuff on ASOT. Despite all this (and I can't vouch for other genre's) I love that trance listeners are so passionate about the music. I write this as I listen to asot 544 and armchair rave to mike sonar's remix of coldplays paradise. I realise it seems I'm just sitting on the fence but the way I see it I enjoy the best of both worlds this way, I'm seldom disappointed by what I'm listening to. GENRE IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT!

Great article Angy. Good read. For me personally, I find it frustrating that a lot of the trance released these days isn't all that haunting or subtle. Listen to tunes like Maximum Overdrive by MORPH from back in 2002 where you don't even get a hint of subtle melody until 3:15 in. I think a lot of trance has forsaken simple but effective elements, for complex uber production techniques (aka Arty, Mat Zo etc).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okbSV_8A2qQ

I just spent the better part of a week catching up on releases on Beatport, and come to the conclusion that there should be new sub genres on Beatport for trance. One called 'Arty-trance' for sure. Oh and maybe another for 'unmastered' trance.

With that said, I have been finding some truly incredible 'trance' but honestly most of it has been in melodic techno, psy trance, progressive psy etc, with a few coming from the vanilla trance genre. I don't think it's that there's not so much of the serious, pure stuff around any more, it's just that the genre 'trance' now contains a much wider gamut of musical styles and 'feels'. Makes for a challenging yet rewarding mission to find the tunes you like :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pendulum

Makes for a challenging yet rewarding mission to find the tunes you like

Thats the beauty of it, finding a gem in the rough and being mindblown. Wicked feeling.

http://dyn.quickmeme.com/meme/35r9qa/

Why do people keep on concentrating on trance being 'formulaic breakdowns and generic build-ups'!? FOR GOD SAKES IT IS! THAT IS WHAT TRANCE IS and IT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT! Similar to those alien radio signals that gives you headaches are to dubstep.

If you dont like trance, don't, and don't give it a chance cause no one cares as the majority still loves it. If you do, I suggest you stop following tiesto's recent tweets and go back in time and listen to NYANA.

Tiesto LIVE at Club Space, Miami, 18.08.2002:

http://www.scottrichardson.com.au/st...addict_com.mp3

Tiesto at some of his finest

Trance = Cristianity ... Conservative, myopic and always just a little bit behind-the-times

nope we shouldnt.

The new wave of "trance" music isn't trance any more, it's just trouse (please keep in mind that my definition of trouse probably encompasses what most people would call "trance"), and all the dj's play all the same music.

As a big trance fan, I went to stereosonics recently and saw myon and shane 54, jochen miller, arty and ferry corsten. All of them played trouse, and there none of them (except ferry with his generic out of date set) was indistinguishable from most other trance sets being played by other really famous trance djs. Also, most of the music was just trouse. This is just one recent example. Need to bring back the old school stuff when trance was its own genre. I can't stand the cheesey crap any more.

wow man. trance has so many haters... you clearly haven't looked deep enough to find something you like. I got into it because it was never ending. You find one dj, another, a track, a remix, another dj an so on. Its arguably one of the most chock-full genres. Like, I don't like dubstep anymore, but I know there is stuff in such a diverse genre I like (jakwob is tops). This is how me and my friends have gotten into most music, so to have this absolute trance-is-inferior attitude is just embarrassing. I've just been travelling in Europe and let me tell you, the scene in Australia just needs more money, because we suffer by being so far away. Trance is not dead, just like your worst enemy isn't dead. Learn to live with it or you can keep fighting an uphill battle til ur red in the face

@tranzzmaniac, I agree to a large extent. It is embarrassing how much people cringe at the experience of listening to a song without words. Since when did music become so fucking superficial that you needed words to be told what to think? Beethoven didnt use words, art doesn't use words. The music is like the words in a book. You don't then add an external layer of explanation to explain the words, otherwise you aren't really reading the book and taking away from it what is intended.
all you haters, do something most australians dont, and consider for a moment that you might be wrong.
Listen to Mat Zo's Bipolar, It's Yours, Subaquatic Dream, his remix of Sting's Desert Rose... this is just ONE dj of thousands that is doing something entirely knew and interesting. This is trance like we've never seen before and this is where your most Australian traits come out! You never accept evolution. 'Why can't it be more of the same? What happened to the music that was good 15 years ago?' Dude wtf times have changed, scenes have changed, country's governments have changed, we've had a huge economic crisis, tsunamis, earthquakes, terrorism, guetta... it is completely ignorant to expect something to stay the same. That is why Europe peaked, post war it was designed to harness evolution and change. Our economy is so stable because we don't, we just keep plugging along and criticizing anything that, for some reason, isn't doing things how America does it.

Give the music a chance yeah but reading some of the comments its clear the problem is the whiny trance fans. All those incarnations of trance has left all these fans wishing that their favourite incarnation stayed around forever.

If it sounds good and gets your booty moving, who really cares what style it is. just like the clothes fashion industry, styles come and go and then come back again!

Dave Clarke: %u201CI think all trance DJs deep down are embarrassed by what they play. They take it on the chin! They know deep down that they%u2019re playing watered-down techno.

this dave guy is the biggest flog in the world, what a friggen tool.