I'm finding trance music very boring these days....

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Not just trance.....but most electronic genre's im hearing the same sequences and same-ish sounds. God, we need some new synth technology on the market and some proper musicians....

Just an observation....

DS

[Tomer=Trance]

good morning... :wink:

[Timo]

I don't think you're listening in the right places, DS!

Do you listen to ASOT (A State Of Trance) with AvB on thursday nights?

[AlexHall74]

DS wrote:
Not just trance.....but most electronic genre's im hearing the same sequences and same-ish sounds. God, we need some new synth technology on the market and some proper musicians....

Just an observation....

DS

Agreed DS!

The genre(s) are at an all time staleness.

It seems to me that maybe it should be put to rest for a few years until it gets close to its period of becoming "retro" and hence cool again. Then, maybe newer technology and some new minds will pick up the trail and blaze forward on it.

If you think about it, all music gets novel in 20 year cycles.

In the 80s kids were infatuated with the 60s.

In the 90s the 70s were hip.

Now in the 00s the 80s are experiencing new found coolness.

It seems to me that Electronica is next, but I could be wrong if Heavy Metal or Hip Hop beat it to the punch.

I think HM and HH are dead too BTW...

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

I personally enjoy the electronic synth music of the 80's and early 90's alot more than the stuff of the past 10 years. In about 10 years from now...I'll probably discover alot of pop and dance music which sounds cool that I totally wrote off today. I think music of the time sounds too cliched....but like good wine...matures with age.

If I was back in the 80's I probably would have thought most of Depechemodes stuff to be a bit boring and tiring on the ears. But listening to it now...i just love all those Vince Clarke riffs and DX7 stabs.

* I listen to alot of you guys trance efforts....and whilst I respect your efforts....it just doesn't do much for me.

DS

[Tomer=Trance]

I don't think you're listening in the right places, DS!

Do you listen to ASOT (A State Of Trance) with AvB on thursday nights?

lol timo armin has been playing the same style for years.
ive stoped listening.

the progressive scene has certainly taking a step up.

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

No Timo...ive not heard of them before. So you recommend them then?

What do they represent?

DS

[hardmandez]

I agree with you slightly DS. A lot of trance these days is pretty stale as you say and like you I'm getting totally into a lot of the 80's electronic. But I'm a techno/trance head at heart hell I still listen to the odd bit of hardcore and gabba when I'm in the mood, anyway there is still some good trancey stuff out there. You should check some of the stuff coming from Electric Kingdom, a lot of it is a kind of techno/trance on an 80's synth vibe. I'm a particular fan of Lexy and K-Paul these days.

While we are on the subject, any recommendations on 80's synth bands to check out other than the usual depeche mode, new order stuff.

[Hollowcell]

Geez DS, not like you to start a thread like this! I thought I told you to stop PMing Juho. It'll rott your brain! :D

[Tomer=Trance]

whats next? you will start loving hammonds 8O

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

I agree with you slightly DS. A lot of trance these days is pretty stale as you say and like you I'm getting totally into a lot of the 80's electronic. But I'm a techno/trance head at heart hell I still listen to the odd bit of hardcore and gabba when I'm in the mood, anyway there is still some good trancey stuff out there. You should check some of the stuff coming from Electric Kingdom, a lot of it is a kind of techno/trance on an 80's synth vibe. I'm a particular fan of Lexy and K-Paul these days.

While we are on the subject, any recommendations on 80's synth bands to check out other than the usual depeche mode, new order stuff.

80's bands to check out

808State
Flock of Seagulls
Duran Duran
Visage
SoftCell
Desireless
Madonna
Cyndi Lauper
BreakDance (electric boogaloo)
A-Ha
Tears For Fears
Simple Minds
Yazoo
Kraftwerk (pioneers of electropop)
Bronski Beat
PetShopBoys (particularly B-sides)
John Foxx
Howard Jones
Ultravox
Eurythmics
Gary Numan

There are of course loads of others....but once you start searching these...other names/bands will crop up.

DS

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Check out Adamski

He was one of the pioneers of house music...back in like 1986. Way ahead of his time.

In fact....look into any hiphop, breakdance etc....and its all there.

DS

[XLR8A]

Check out Stakka&Skynet - Clockwork album, it's not exactly trance, but a sort of...

[TommyS]

Theres plenty of good music about. But if your stuck in the 80`s then it wont appeal much to you :D

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

^ What da hell

Muhahahhaah.....

DS :lol:

[saba]

Maybe he is talking about Autechre or something *shrug*.

[Timo]

No Timo...ive not heard of them before. So you recommend them then?

Absolutely!

The ASOT radio show is effectively the window to the world for hearing unreleased and newly-released trance tunes. Here's the details:-

http://www.sunesha.nu/virusforum/viewtopic.php?p=36494#36494

[techno_7]

80's bands to check out

808State
Flock of Seagulls
Duran Duran
Visage
SoftCell
Desireless
Madonna
Cyndi Lauper
BreakDance (electric boogaloo)
A-Ha
Tears For Fears
Simple Minds
Yazoo
Kraftwerk (pioneers of electropop)
Bronski Beat
PetShopBoys (particularly B-sides)
John Foxx
Howard Jones
Ultravox
Eurythmics
Gary Numan

There are of course loads of others....but once you start searching these...other names/bands will crop up.

DS

You forgot Jarre!

[Doc Jones]

they're a bit dated, but I am still digging the Higher Intelligence Agency.

[saba]

they're a bit dated, but I am still digging the Higher Intelligence Agency.

HIA is nice on the head, mmm. I like freefloater.

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Is anyone here bored of the same kinda shitty 909/808 loops?

The same kinda detuned mega leads?

The same kinda 'oh my god my soul is part of the universe' kinda pads?

The same kinda dull songwriting?

The overuse of compression, effects and virtual plugin 'phatning' techniques?

The squeeky clean and sterile digital recordings?

The oh so pathetic vocal stutters?

The even more pathetic and meaningless lyrics?

The fact that trance is not a 'live' genre and never will be in the true sense.

The fact that alot of people make it in smelly bedrooms whilst at university (often under the influence of drugs) and that the euphoric feeling they get whilst writing the tune....just cannot be achieved unless you use the same drugs.

The fact that very few people can make money within this genre now (I was hoping that would mean more talented musicians would dominate....but I was wrong).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, thats enough.....but theres alot more. I'd just like to say that 80's music never had these kinda problems. :lol: :lol: :lol:

DS :twisted:

[Gopal]

The only good trance is psytrance and none of your (ever so neatly organised) bullet points above apply to psytrance.

Go get some Juno Reactor, Cosmosis, X-Dream, Slinky Wizard, Bumbling Loons.

Those are a small selection of artists.

Labels to check out are: Flying Rhino, TIP, Transient, Blue Room, Cosmophilia, Krembo (Israeli trance (my fav).

Until you have checked out these things, I'm afraid all your opinions on trance music are null and void :lol:

8)

[jasedee]

Hey DS!

You forgot some very important 80's bands in your list

* The Police

* Blondie

[blay]

the progressive scene has certainly taking a step up.

tomer is on the mark here....

a couple of mates of mine from melbourne are producing some of the best progressive around (and have been for some years IMH(unbiased)O) :wink:

check out any thing released by
sensient, and
suncontrolspecies.
and more recently the hayes brothers, james and pete, producing under the names 'shadow fx' and 'tetrameth' respectively.
sensient's label - 'zenon records' - has now released three of the best progressive compilations around.

personally i think the full-on psy sound is long dead. this is the style of trance people think is boring, cause 20 layers of cascading synths doing modulated sixteenths has become tedious to say the least...

other notable progressive artists to check out:
freq
haldolium
moses
krumelur
morja
auricular (shiva chandra side project)
kooler (sebastien mullert from son kite)

decent labels:
zenon
plusquam
domo
medium
iboga

cheers

blay

[Gopal]

personally i think the full-on psy sound is long dead. this is the style of trance people think is boring, cause 20 layers of cascading synths doing modulated sixteenths has become tedious to say the least...


That doesn't describe psytrance even remotely. Methinks you should check out some of the names I mentioned, especially the Israeli stuff (Krembo), Juno Reactor and X-Dream.

You are entitled to your opinion though and some of the more recent psy-stuff I have heard is rather bullshit.

[ledge]

That doesn't describe psytrance even remotely. Methinks you should check out some of the names I mentioned, especially the Israeli stuff (Krembo), Juno Reactor and X-Dream.

You are entitled to your opinion though and some of the more recent psy-stuff I have heard is rather bullshit.

I think blay means the full-on psy that mainly comes out of Israel. GMS, Alien Project, Xerox, Seisto Sento, etc. etc. which are very formulaic and quite dull.

I'm really enjoying the prog psy scene, freq, antix, atmos, etc. And stuff coming out of South Africa (Rinkadink, Protoculture), the new Wrecked Machines album is very enjoyable and the latest compilation from Twisted records, Unusual Suspects 2 is fantastic.

I haven't listened to regular trance for years now, but the psy scene does seem to keep reasonably fresh.

[blay]

I think blay means the full-on psy that mainly comes out of Israel.

hit it on the head ledge.
gopal i do agree - all the old juno reactor stuff is timeless, and xdream came out with some original tracks (at the time they were released).
to add to the golden oldies list you would have to include logic bomb!
i have been buying psy/prog since 1996, and i have seen many changes - mainly in production standards.
like any genre of music you have to sift through multitudes of crap to find the good stuff :roll:
i think im just getting old - cant listen or write anything faster than about 136 these days....

cheers

blay

[Gopal]

Too true Blay.

I'm gettin old now too, hardly go past 150 when I'm DJin these days. :P

I haven't heard of Logic Bomb. What label were they on, or is that the label?

I used to play mainly Flying Rhino stuff when I spun psytrance. Some Krembo, some Cosmophilia, TIP, Cosmosis etc.

I still find psytrance to be one of the most intelligent genres of dance music IMHO and I hope to have the musical mind and ability to crank out that calibre of stuff one day. Once I'm sick of the Hardhouse and Hardtrance buzz I've been on for the last 8 years or so.

[blay]

logic bomb mainly release on TIP - but they have VA tracks all over the shop.

cheers

blay

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Ok, where do all you guys hear about these new trance artists? Is their a website you can goto to keep abreast of all the latest info/artists? I will happily take back some of my comments if I can get to listen to some of these tunes you so passionately advocate :lol:

DS :wink:

[ledge]

Ok, where do all you guys hear about these new trance artists? Is their a website you can goto to keep abreast of all the latest info/artists? I will happily take back some of my comments if I can get to listen to some of these tunes you so passionately advocate :lol:


The Isratrance forums http://forums.isratrance.com are okay, with lots of reviews, though some people's opinions of what is good don't fit with mine.

Another good review site is http://www.psynews.org/

Otherwise I generally look for stuff from labels I like. That and the new releases on psyshop.com and saikosounds.com as they have audio samples etc.

[nvisibl]

If people didn't have the insecure need to feel accepted, as well as the go along with the sheep sheep mindset of the masses then there would be more originality in music, fashion, artwork, ... ....

We live in a Monkey say, Monkey do society.

Banana anyone? :lol:

[nvisibl]

Forget what the rest are doing and make no creative comparisons :wink:

Everyone is unique with their own brand of creativity and that adds the original vibe. But if comparisons are made and attempts to try and fit into a specific music scene or genre too then it all gets samey samey and boring. Mind numbing even.

Mind numbing music by minds that have been numbed by a mind numbing society.

lol, thats quite a lot of numbs for one message post :lol:

[Juho L]

If people didn't have the insecure need to feel accepted, as well as the go along with the sheep sheep mindset of the masses then there would be more originality in music, fashion, artwork, ... ....

We live in a Monkey say, Monkey do society.

Banana anyone?

Yup. Last time I said trance has loads of boring uncreative monkey-hear-monkey-do stuff that cover up all the good stuff, one new forum member got so upset he had to leave the forum forever... Maybe it was, like we Finns say, "the dog yelps that's hit by a billet". ?hih.

But anyways could someone post a list of really creative trance artists/groups. I want to get rid of the supersaw image.

[Juho L]

Is anyone here bored of the same kinda shitty 909/808 loops?

Aye!

[qutoe]The same kinda detuned mega leads?[/quote]

Aye!

The same kinda 'oh my god my soul is part of the universe' kinda pads?

Aye!

The same kinda dull songwriting?

Double aye!

The overuse of compression, effects and virtual plugin 'phatning' techniques?

Aye!

The squeeky clean and sterile digital recordings?

Hospital-like overdigital ProTools sound - Aye.

The oh so pathetic vocal stutters?

Classic. Although this is what made 80's famous. Aye.

The even more pathetic and meaningless lyrics?

Aye, indeed!

The fact that trance is not a 'live' genre and never will be in the true sense.

Well, this is a "problem" with all kinds of electronic music. I don't think there is some kind of obligation for musicians to perform live. The fact is that performing electronic music would be silly. Maybe using different arrangements and do some "acoustic" parts live, like vocals, could work.

The fact that alot of people make it in smelly bedrooms whilst at university (often under the influence of drugs) and that the euphoric feeling they get whilst writing the tune....just cannot be achieved unless you use the same drugs.

Triple aye! Last time I queried the reason for banal 4-on-the-floor and minimalistic "dance" tracks, almost immediately someone pointed out that it works if youre doped up... It's like car manufacturers would make a 30,000 euro vehicle that would have only the case of a car. "What I'm going to do with this car?! It doesn't even have an engine!", "Well, you see, you take one of these pills and off you go!".

The fact that very few people can make money within this genre now (I was hoping that would mean more talented musicians would dominate....but I was wrong).

The trance is really overpopulated by releases of below average artists. As I said in my last "rant" thread, seems like the companies are aiming at quantity instead of quality.

Ok, thats enough.....but theres alot more. I'd just like to say that 80's music never had these kinda problems.

Except the stuttering vocals and meaningless lyrics. ?hih.

[TommyS]

There is some good trance around. Most of it is underground progessive and not massively available to the public which isn't like it`s counterpart, commercial trance. This is where people get their stereo typical association with trance.

Anyway there is plenty of different genres to keep everybody happy. Theres more to electronic music than trance.


The only good trance is psytrance and none of your (ever so neatly organised) bullet points above apply to psytrance.


I find current psy trance boring and predictable. Theres is a selection of groups/artists who cut it from the rest but majority has no distinctive flavour.

:D

[Juho L]

There is some good trance around. Most of it is underground progessive and not massively available to the public which isn't like it`s counterpart, commercial trance. This is where people get their stereo typical association with trance.

Throw in some good trance names.

I find current psy trance boring and predictable. Theres is a selection of groups/artists who cut it from the rest but majority has no distinctive flavour.

You mean like this (http://www.juho-lepisto.com/Psy.mp3)? ?hih.

[TommyS]

xibalba
yves deruyter
sander van doorn
asino
Igal M
James benitez
sonkite

These groups/artist are more at the tech-house/prog-psy side of trance. The trance I think DS means is more towards the vocal/hard, which is mostly the commercial releases that flood the market.

[pseudonym]

Ah, some people who share my concern for the genre which died 5 years ago!


I have been pointed in the direction of many 'Great Trance' Producers of late, and they all leave a lot to be desired. After popping in a mix CD yesterday by Paul Van Dyk (on the cover of Mixmag), hoping that they'd found the cream of the crop... I felt like crying.

I listen to EDR Club Tech (www.energyradio.fm > Club) - which is especially good on a sunday afternoon GMT.

It's progressive house, but there are producers making this who are on the same vibe as Trance was before it became washed out with wannabe DJ/Producers hungry for the bleach-blonde spotlight.

All that needs to happen is for ONE producer to create a stunning trance track, and for it to be featured on a compilation of fresh sounds, and suddenly we will have great Trance again...

I am interested in helping to get it back to where it should be... A track I am working on at the moment is a homage to decent Trance of a decade ago... when it's done I will post a link to it here for some serious critique...

[Timo]

Ah, some people who share my concern for the genre which died 5 years ago!


I have been pointed in the direction of many 'Great Trance' Producers of late, and they all leave a lot to be desired. After popping in a mix CD yesterday by Paul Van Dyk (on the cover of Mixmag), hoping that they'd found the cream of the crop... I felt like crying.

I listen to EDR Club Tech (www.energyradio.fm > Club) - which is especially good on a sunday afternoon GMT.

It's progressive house, but there are producers making this who are on the same vibe as Trance was before it became washed out with wannabe DJ/Producers hungry for the bleach-blonde spotlight.

All that needs to happen is for ONE producer to create a stunning trance track, and for it to be featured on a compilation of fresh sounds, and suddenly we will have great Trance again...

I am interested in helping to get it back to where it should be... A track I am working on at the moment is a homage to decent Trance of a decade ago... when it's done I will post a link to it here for some serious critique...

Did you listen to ASOT last thursday?

PS > Check out Serenity (Sensation White anthem 2005) by AvB, and Love Theme Dusk by Mike Foyle vs. Signalrunners.

Both hit the spot (with a sledge-hammer) for me. Awesome.

[pseudonym]

Hey Timo,

No I forgot to tune in on Thursday. I will try and remember this week...

[pseudonym]

thanks to the people who recommended Juno Reactor so many weeks ago...

They are ace!

[Gopal]

thanks to the people who recommended Juno Reactor so many weeks ago...

They are ace!

You're welcome :wink:

[Tomer=Trance]

its one dude i belive,but recently he joined a group of few musicians to form a live show.

[Vodka]

Anyone listen to markus shulz?

Top tracks, really melodic and clever. His sets are really cleverly put together! they rise and fall and keep you hooked.

P.S Iaint his agent lol :lol:

[mantik]

But anyways could someone post a list of really creative trance artists/groups. I want to get rid of the supersaw image.


1. midimiliz - nonstandarts (album/gplus-records)
2. think sync (va/compact records)
3. chronica chapter 2 (va/boshke beats records)
3. son kite - colors (album/mqdx labelgroup)
4. antix - twin coast discovery (album/iboga records)

enjoy!

[ledge]

But anyways could someone post a list of really creative trance artists/groups. I want to get rid of the supersaw image.


1. midimiliz - nonstandarts (album/gplus-records)
2. think sync (va/compact records)
3. chronica chapter 2 (va/boshke beats records)
3. son kite - colors (album/mqdx labelgroup)
4. antix - twin coast discovery (album/iboga records)

enjoy!

Adding to this I have enjoyed these recently...

Jaia - Fiction
Magnetrixx - Wired

[vvanrij]

I kinda discovered Dream Trance, very lovable sound, for when your at work, or going to sleep. It just sounds so good in my ears.

Try the double-cd Angels Chill Trance Essentials 2

-VR

[Acidman]

I can't get enough of the older acid/acidtrance stuff, like:

Genecom
Cores
Woody McBride
Prototype 909
Microwave Prince
bla bla bla

8)

[techno_7]

You mean like this (http://www.juho-lepisto.com/Psy.mp3)? ?hih.

So...crispy...i...must...hear...more! :D

Not usually into psytrance and stuff, but this, is good.

[Smag]

Check out the Renaissance double CD by a guy called Hernan Cattaneo, I'm a picky sod and hard to please but I absolutely love these mixes. The first CD is deep house and the second is more trancey and Underworld make an appearance at the end, it really is worth a listen. Quality production, interesting sounds and amazing mixing throughout.

Paul Van Dyk should be called Paul Van Cheese (or something!)

[Wandering Kid]

PLEASE READ THIS REPLY DS! i know its long but its worth it i promise! not like the other essay length crap posts i normally write. honest.

Is anyone here bored of the same kinda shitty 909/808 loops?

The same kinda detuned mega leads?

The same kinda 'oh my god my soul is part of the universe' kinda pads?

The same kinda dull songwriting?

The overuse of compression, effects and virtual plugin 'phatning' techniques?

The squeeky clean and sterile digital recordings?

The oh so pathetic vocal stutters?

The even more pathetic and meaningless lyrics?

The fact that trance is not a 'live' genre and never will be in the true sense.

The fact that alot of people make it in smelly bedrooms whilst at university (often under the influence of drugs) and that the euphoric feeling they get whilst writing the tune....just cannot be achieved unless you use the same drugs.

The fact that very few people can make money within this genre now (I was hoping that would mean more talented musicians would dominate....but I was wrong).

heh, you are listening to the wrong trash DS ;)

most of the good stuff doesnt even have lyrics. trance is mostly an instrumental style. most of the trance works that do have vocal performances tend to have wordless vocals where the voice is used in an instrumental capacity. i distinguish 'trance' from 'cheesy banging supersaw pop.'

i think you have been listening to too much of the latter - too much lazard and delerium. not enough hallucinogen and humate. you will find plenty of trance that has none of the 'qualities' you listed above in quote.

trance is more a state of mind and a set of principles. although when it became commercial in the late 90s it kind of drifted into many different sub styles and the volume of work produced exploded.

these days, your average psytrance tune is more trance than trance is. but. the good stuff is still around - you just have to go underground to find it.

i suggest checking out the following (some of these are psytrance but broadly, the same basics apply to all of them - ill explain afterwards):

tiesto - suburban train [you'll like it for the analogue instruments (in fact, if you could tell me what instruments you can identify in this track id be grateful). think of a long day, train ride back home when the sun is coming down and the click click! noise of the tracks. you'll 'get it'.]

nexus 6 - silicon sound (protoculture remix) [no supersaws here. no 'megaleads' no 909 percs. no cheesy vocals. this is a bit of a psytrance classic. an amazing clean electric guitar sound and a wandering melody are really the icing on the cake of this little gem of a song. the original nexus 6 version you would hate. protoculture is a bit of genius though and this is the result.]

hallucinogen - LSD [classic of the genre, especially when you consider this was made in the early 90s. it has a teebee arp in it but dont let that put you off. think of a trip thats going slightly sour. no supersaws]

beathackers - transpose [in my opinion a psytrance classic. nearly every instrument is a 303. yes i know. theres 909 percs too. dont let that put you off! alot of the 303 parts are very complex, consisting of several teebees, panned in different direction through different filters. some are even slightly out of tune for an electronic scream effect. think of 10 angry teebees being tortured on a wrack and this song as the artful arrangement of their tortured screams.]

humate - love stimulation [if you like 80s stuff then this is trance...but it sounds really...80s]

M.I.K.E - sunrise at palamos [bit of a classic. alot of choral stuff which you might have fun with trying to emulate on virus.]

paul van dyk - for an angel [production wise its really showing its age (is that?! no! compression noise on the bass drum!? nooooo!) but its still one of the great melodic trance tunes. it does have a teebee acid line but it slips in and out of this dark slumber. its lovely. listen when stoned enough that your brain feels like it has pins and needles and you are dosing.]

castle trancealot - indoctrinate [one from the old skool. funky bassline that you wont ever see in trance today]

voice of cod - just a ride [brilliant use of bill hicks samples. you just have to hear it. yes it has a 'heart at the centre of the universe' pad and a VB-1 bassline. but the important thing is that it works. this IS 'trance.' the type of tune that you can listen to for 8 minutes and it feels like 4.]

humate - bedrock [another humate classic]

protoculture - silicon sunrise [crazy LFO white noise effects. a kick drum and bassline that ducks out for like 30 seconds in the whole of 8 minutes. production wise showing its age but another psytrance tune that feels half its actual length. no supersaws. no cheesy crap.]

fatali - city of god [melodic psytrance classic with crunchy 303s. squelchy 303s. really high ones. and really low ones. its another 303 bonanza but dont let it put you off - just check out how many different sounds you can get out of a single oscillator, single filter synth. teebee fury!]

-----------------------------------------

theres a mix of genres in there but broadly the same essense. trance is music based on repetition and drone instrumentation. you may hear alot of supersaw ministry of sound crap that gets dumped into the trance section at your local record store. many would argue thats not trance at all but a brand of pop. even psytrance which is mostly underground has a few commercial acts that have distanced themselves enough from the idea of trance that some of us refer to it as 'isracheese'. im thinking of astrix and infected mushroom in particular. and yes this brand of psychedellic cheese seems to emanate from israel in the same way that unsubtle, banging hardcore just 'seems' to emanate from amsterdam. strange phenomena i know.

the basic idea with trance is that it is based around percussion, in particular the kick drum which is constant. trance doesnt really break or drop that often because it is this constant, hypnotic beat that drives many songs.

typically the bassline consists of 16ths and weaves around the kick drum for a seamless and constant stream of sound. pads typically assume the role of drone instrument. in a similar way that sitarists are accompanied by a sitar drone and tablas.

the fundaments are rhythym and melody. increasingly in trance there is harmony although originally it was kept much simpler. the basic idea is that, if you let yourself; in the right frame of mind, you can lose yourself in the hypnotic rhythym. its very hard to explain except to say you have to listen to the right songs, at the right time for you to find it profoundly affecting. when i mean 'right' i mean you have to leave all of your predjudices of the style of music at the door.

there is in many cases a necessarily progressive element to trance. melody rises and falls in crescendo and diminuendo. non musical, noise based sounds fade and flip between left and right of the stereo field. but there is an overall arc to this repetition and often its a kind of long, bolero type crescendo where the track increases in intensity to a climactic point before tailing off. its this movement that i find captivating and very difficult to explain when its done 'right.'

its like classic greek tragedy. you know someone is going to die - many times its wholley predicatable - its a formula, endemically linked to renaissance as well as modern theatre and story telling but its a formula that for some reason consistantly works. theres something about the rise of the protagonist. the waking period. the fall and the tragic resolution. and similarly in good trance there is this parallel kind of resolution. and likewise i cant explain why the formula works - but i assure you it does - if you let it. if it catches you at the right moment.

and its a valid reason for the necessary obscurity in art - if i could explain the inner workings of this type of music, i wouldnt deem it necessary to spend hours every day trying to create/recreate/study this type of music - and yet thats what i do. why does every other trance song have a teebee arp in it? why is the 909 bassdrum such a decisive part of modern dance music? why are detuned string like leads and spaced out evolving pads such a staple? i dont know. but it just 'works.' my explanation is nowhere near an adequate decription of what trance is and how it works, just a few dusultory comments to encourage people like you to get underneath the surface and really work to find something good underneath all that gatecrasher/ministry of sound filth.

the effort will be rewarded. but you wont find the good stuff from your average tower records. you will have to listen your way through hundreds of trance recordings, many of which are in my humble opinion generic, retrograde and boring before you finally uncover that one gem that makes the whole experience worthwhile.

its in the nature of the volume of art produced that most will be mediocre. i appreciate that your post contains alot of heavy irony and that your predjudice is meant in an amusing and non offensive way but really! give it go. you never know what you may find yourself liking.

also, with regards to drugs - its true that certain drugs can make trance sound 10 times better and when you trip whilst listening to some of those psytrance tunes your brain will be flipping over in your skull at how the sound seems to echo from every direction at once. but this is unfair because all music sounds better when you are tripping. that said, this style of music does work when you are slightly out of it. drink till you are merry or smoke till you are feeling your brain start to slacken up and you may (or may not) find the experience of listening to trance more enjoyable.

with regards to finding out about trance music. typically i found most of the records ive got through parties and so forth. from then on you learn about places and people to go to where this music is thriving.

if you want to hear some psytrance tunes and buy some records i recommend checking out www.chaos-unlimited.co.uk. for information about news and events in the scene try www.psyforum.co.uk

current news on trance i would recommend www.tranceaddict.com although i admit to disliking most of the music that is popular at this site. i tend to like more of the older tunes and the odd track that pops in now and then underground. i would also check out www.juno.co.uk if you want to buy some classic and current trance as well as many other different styles of dance music.

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Kid....that one hell of a post! Thx for that...im reading it...and let you know how I get on 8)

Cheers bud

DS

[Wandering Kid]

no problemo digital bigot ;)

we'll make a trancehead out of you yet. theres still time.

har!

[TeenGirlLust]

80's song to checkout: Noel - Silent Morning. ..........freestyle ruled

[jonbon]

The squeeky clean and sterile digital recordings?


Hospital-like overdigital ProTools sound - Aye.

To damn true. Popped in Crystalmethod - Vegas again yesterday (from the forever golden year of 1997:D), the difference from todays productions are astounding..

Just pure anlaogue synths through real outboardgear with loads on loads of those small analogue imperfections. It just sound phat like nothing to day.

Problem now is that everything goes through the same digital signal chain..and nobody cares about putting something like ten little boxes in a row for that effing lead sound..

[TeenGirlLust]

Well I've read from several different source's that the Nord Lead played a major role on the 'Vega's' album............I did always want to know how they got the synth to modulate the way they did on the beginning of 'Trip like I do'.

[aisling]

The only good trance is psytrance and none of your (ever so neatly organised) bullet points above apply to psytrance.

Go get some Juno Reactor, Cosmosis, X-Dream, Slinky Wizard, Bumbling Loons.

Those are a small selection of artists.

Labels to check out are: Flying Rhino, TIP, Transient, Blue Room, Cosmophilia, Krembo (Israeli trance (my fav).

Until you have checked out these things, I'm afraid all your opinions on trance music are null and void :lol:

8)

:D 8) :D
well said......... the artist S.U.N project (german) will school anybody who did not know trance can be a live genre.......

[aisling]

I just had an impulse buy session on amazon and loaded up on my Israeli trance that I only had on compilations.....

Space Cat....
Astral Projection....
Yahel.....
MFG......
Infected Mushroom.......

Also Infinity project, shpongle, Atmos, Juno Reactor, Etnica, hallucinogen, Logic bomb, parasense and hux flux, cosmosis, x dream all make the cut......in my humble ignorant opinion.......

[juno_nuno]

my vote for original writing goes to D-nox&beckers,these fellows are making quite amazing stuff in the last year!!!

Check out www.psyshop.com for preview!!!