Partying to The Sound Of Trance (Trance in general)

Member Name: Craigy2040

Product:	Trance in general
Date:	12/01/02 (608 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fast Beats, Different Types

Disadvantages: Not a lot

Trance is such a wide subject to talk about. Trance has so many different levels, that it is going to take quite a while to talk about. There are two main levels, but within those levels there is a never-ending type of Trance. This is going to be difficult writing about a whole genre of music, but hey someone has to do it. So sit back and grab a cup of tea.

Trance (along with drum and bass), is one of the newer additions to the global dance tree. It developed out of early 90’s techno dance, and has since split into two distinct strains - psychedelic (or Goa) trance and progressive house. Under both of these there is a lot more sub categories e.g. Euphoria.

Psychedelic Trance is up-tempo and heavily electronic. The swirling sounds of psychedelic trance are amazing and some are truly uplifting. One place that plays a lot of Trance is in Goa (hence “Goa” Trance) and Thailand. Progressive house (a lighter derivative) is the music of choice in the both the burgeoning U.K. indoor club scene and the sun-drenched beaches and clubs of Ibiza. You will find many clubs playing this type of music and it is becoming very popular all around the world. (This is the Trance that I’m going to focus on, as I don’t know much about Psychedelic Trance – Sorry, but I am going to research it though!) You can’t discuss progressive house without mentioning the legends and the founders Sasha, Paul Oakenfold, and Nick Warren, all of whom have attained pop-star status in their native England for all their work.

Trance is a style of club music lying somewhere in-between Ambient, Techno and House. It is an emotive synthesized melody that is now the clubs favourite. Germany is the birthplace and founder of Trance music. It all started in the early 1990's. Eventually, Trance spread from Germany to Goa and then Thailand (which is considered to be the greatest Trance country on earth) before reaching clubs in Europe. In parti
cular Britain, (where it was emerged in Techno and House music), Holland, and Italy.

Most of the time Trance relies on its harmonic structure, often limiting itself to a few chords and sounds and only containing a beat when non-intrusive to the meditative state induced by the seemingly endless repetition of those chords. The repetition of these chords is amazing and most of the time this is what makes Trance what it really is. Moby is a fine example of this repetitive chord. An example of this is Moby’s ‘Hymn’ which has the same structure the whole way through, sometimes going higher or sometimes lower, but still keeping that same sound the whole way through out. Moby is one of the first artists to pioneer Trance music. Dance music is probably one of the most listened to types of music. It is on the radio, and it never gets stopped playing in clubs (der!). I think that if Trance music didn’t have this structure then it would never have been so popular. The thing about the continuous beat is that people can dance and move their bodies to it. You can move your body in such way that it feels like you are lost within the song. Your inner being comes alive and it takes control of your thoughts and movements. As I have said before it is almost like meditating. This is what makes Trance music so special.

Another thing that gives Trance music that ‘thing’ (I can’t describe it, it is something that is felt inside of that person and normally by one or two songs) is the female vocals sung on them. I know that all the vocals are not sung; some of the vocals are ‘hummed’ in lower and higher levels over the beat. By doing this it sets of a feeling inside your body that provokes a feeling of ‘love’ and ‘energy’ that just wants to rip out of you and be released. A good example of this is Ian Van Dahl’s ‘Castle’s In The Sky’. On this song you have a woman sing
ing over a good repetitive beat. The thing about Trance music is that you have this amazing feeling going through you while you are listening to it. I find it hard not to move my body to the music when I listen to my Trance music and it’s even harder when you are trying to write a review on it as well!

Trance music as you of already have learnt has different types. But if we focus on Progressive house then you will find that it has only been around for a very short period and it has not boundaries or limits to where it is going. We can see that from the inflation it is having at the moment. Nobody really knows everything about Progressive trance, its still a genre that is really unknown to anyone. It is unknown to itself really; I don’t think anybody or anything could stop this music from going anywhere. Its possibilities are endless. I like to think that I know a lot about Progressive House, but to be honest I don’t know a lot at all. It’s a shame really because as it is a big style of music, that is so popular all around the world and like I said nobody knows a lot about it. One style of Trance is …

Euphoria. This is a big one! With over 17 albums they are really hitting it hard on our dance flours. This to me is the best part of Trance music. The way that Euphoria is mixed and produced is excellent. I have liked it ever since I bought my first album. I just love the way that they mix the music to make it touch you deep inside. When I play it touches something inside of me. There are a few different examples of Euphoria:

Hard House: This is fast pumping, hard beating Euphoria. They mix it and play it fast. This gives me a rush when I play it. This music is so energetic and I just love it.
Chilled: This is slow, relaxing Euphoria, you have slow beats, slow words sung and it is all very (in one word) ‘sleepy’. When I say sleepy I don’t mean boring, I mean just relaxing and you could drif
t to sleep in it.

There are other categories but they are all really the same, they are just a mix of other types of Euphoria. I personally like all the types, but I can only play them when in different moods. That is the thing about Trance; it is mixed and picked by you. It is like Pic N’ Mix in Woolies. You can pick any type and mix it all together the way YOU want. Euphoria is every bodies (people who like it) music. Every one of those people who listen to Euphoria has their own personal favourite. Some of my favourite (you can’t really call it favourite, its more like preferences) songs are “Push – Strange World [2000 Remake]”. This song, is being played all the time with me now, I just love it. It’s melody, tempo, rhythm, beat, sound, just everything about it makes this song what it is. I adore this song; the sound of it makes my insides burn with energy that I need to release. This is what Trance music is all about and as I have said before its personal opinion. Another song that I just have to play is “Delirium feat. Sarah Mclachlan”. This song has had so many remixes, and everyone excellent.

Trance music – why? Why such a type of music? Why so many varieties and types to choose from? These questions can be answered – but you have to understand the importance of Trance music. You need to have listen to the music, you can’t make a judgement from hearing it once. You need to have had years experience, something that not a lot of people do.

So why do we have trance music? It’s because of the early 90’s techno dance. It has since developed form this. The way that it is has developed is by DJ’s mixing their tunes into slower, faster and more better beats. They have done this excellently and it is a real joy to listen to a new artists work, as they will have something different to push into Trance.

Why is trance what it is? You think it is what
it is because of what we have made it. It is becoming so popular that producers have the demand for more Trance mixes and tunes. At one time it seemed like the Euphoria team were just trying to make money, but they are trying to keep up with the demand.

Why do we have so many types of Trance levels? Because the DJ’s can touch us all on a different level, everyone who is into Trance is touched in a different way. Personally I like fast, good beat songs that give you that feeling of wanting to dance, but others may prefer only chilled music. It is completely personal. That is the good thing about Trance music; you can have what ever you want. Trance music rules this world and if anyone disagrees you have to listen to some of the top tunes. I have a little list below that is my top 5, ever-great hits.

5. Chicane – Saltwater
4. Moby – hymn
3. Maurice – Feline
2. Tenth Planet – Ghosts
1. Push – Strange World [2000 Remake]

So there you have it, Trance. There is still so much to be answered, so much to be discovered and so much more PARTYING to be done! If you have any questions then please don’t hesitate to email me! Trance – the music that has shaped our dance floors!

Copyright Craig Davies 2002-01-1

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