I was looking through my library of compilations and what caught my eye for another listen is John Digweed's 3-disc Renaissance compilation, released right in the mid-90's. It made me have this thought:

What happened to Trance? This kind of music is definitely Trance, it is the pure essence of what everyone means when they talk about loving Trance music. Trance OWNED.

This is when Trance was still new enough to listen to still have house in the back of its mind, when the builds and breakdowns had a hundred times more class than now. When a raw sound was fine, when everything didn't have to be micro-edited. Where the lines originated that are copied so many times now, but lose their emotion in the process. Some of it is close to house, some of it is close to techno, all of it actually has emotions that don't require pills to understand.

At the risk of rambling, I would love to have a time machine and go back and live through that era, now that I'm old enough to be involved with it. I was in NYC at least twice a month for two years during Sasha & Digweed's Twilo residency, but I was 14 and hadn't heard of either one of them. The thought that I knew Manhattan up and down from having performed on all the great stages in it (with the NY Philharmonic and other similarly reputable groups), what that would have been like for me if I were in the scene.

So, at some point, Trance just stopped having the same sound and appeal. Nowadays, I can't stand listening to 90% of new trance, and I'm left wondering: where did all the talent go? I can halfway answer that question: a lot of the formerly good trance producers have become good house or techno producers.

Can someone who still keeps up with trance, and has watched it more closely in the past years, explain to me: What in hell happened? I used to love this music, now I can barely withstand listening to it.

Here's a thought.....

If it drives you that mad, don't listen to it. Although I don't like all of it, I still consider myself a trance head and see that there is still some great music and some up and coming talent. Sure, you have to dig a little more to find it (it seemed that every other track that was produced in the 90's was a hit, I know), but it's out there.

Here's the way I see it. EDM in general is ever increasingly moving towards a sound without boundaries. The labeling of genres seems to be something that is no longer as important as it once was.

I know what you are saying about waxing nostalgic on the grandest days of trance. But, people like O'callaghan, Tyes, Simon Patterson and so forth are pushing out tracks that still have that sound that some people say is lost, IMO.

quote:

I know what you are saying about waxing nostalgic on the grandest days of trance. But, people like O'callaghan, Tyes, Simon Patterson and so forth are pushing out tracks that still have that sound that some people say is lost, IMO.

I concur.

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I guess its what happens in every genre, people see how successful it is and they feel like they have to jump on the bandwagon. The genre gets flooded with mediocre productions and you now have to dig to find quality tracks. I know trance has lost its original sound that defined trance as trance. It has now evolved into something totally different, 5 yrs from now we will hear a totally different sound. Each EDM genre feeds off another thus producing different waves of sounds for a brief period of time. Right now it seems like producers are appealing to a more mainstream audience, like I said you have to literally dig thru a bunch of shit to find quality tracks. Like I said in my thread my taste is evolving and it seems like everyone has their own niche. How many people here can actually say that they listen to 100% trance? My guess would be none, I would say I'm more inclined towards electro house than trance, don't get me wrong I listen to it everyday just not as much as I used too. Thanks to a certain person that introduced me into electro I have discovered another facet in the ever evolving EDM genre.

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"When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." - Henry David Thoreau

I don't listen to it, and the fact that I can't really listen any longer is exactly what I'm complaining about. I'm sure there are gems out there, but the vast majority of trance (and even the vast majority of what people on this board consider to be good trance) is really unlistenable for me. And since there's sooo much good Techno especially, and also House, being made, I find myself not even bothering to listen to hours of trance in search of the 1 song in a hundred I actually like.

I'm gonna write out a lengthy one later on this topic. My twat needs a wash and I need to call my boss for tomorrow's accounts. May have to drive to Austin in the morning damn it.

I agree with Steve on the point that EDM is moving towards a boundary free state.I also agree with Lizandro that genres borrow and rub off on each other.

In my opinion alot of the stuff labeled trance that is very good nowadays is normally labeled Tech Trance or progressive trance.There are a few producers out now that go for an older trancie influenced sound.Some of the ones that are unofficially being reffered to as Nu Trance.But there is still plenty of good trance out there.

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http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...9&forumid=81&s=

quote:

Originally posted by progressiveMOJO I don't listen to it, and the fact that I can't really listen any longer is exactly what I'm complaining about. I'm sure there are gems out there, but the vast majority of trance (and even the vast majority of what people on this board consider to be good trance) is really unlistenable for me. And since there's sooo much good Techno especially, and also House, being made, I find myself not even bothering to listen to hours of trance in search of the 1 song in a hundred I actually like.

If you don't listen to it and have found a certain sound that you appreciate more, I don't understand the purpose of this post. Was it just to say you hate today's trance and that you don't share the same taste with those that like trance (even the vast majority of us that like what you don't consider good trance)?

I think this topic has been discussed once before (or maybe even twice. Can't really remember )

The point of the topic was twofold:

1) I really wish producers would start writing tracks in the older style again, or at least go back to having the class and refinement of those days. I've moved on, yes, but just as much out of necessity as out of desire. Techno and house are great, but I still love the older trance sound and wish it was still going strong.

2) I was stoned, have significant nostalgia and love for a type of music that more or less died and got replaced with something that my ear just doesn't like very much, and wanted to complain about the loss.

I think that, like all other forms of music, there is a definite evolution that occurs as time passes. I think thats where the expectation for artists to remain true to a particular genre that was the product of a certain musical environment and time frame is... well... a bit short sighted, especially where edm is concerned.

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Out Now:
Paul van Dyk feat. Ashley Tomberlin - Complicated
Paul van Dyk feat. Ashley Tomberlin - Get Back
Paul van Dyk feat. Ashley Tomberlin - New York City
Luminary - Dark Eyes (Solaris)
Arksun - Arisen (Armind)
Luminary - Amsterdam (Anjunabeats)
Above & Beyond - Can't Sleep (Anjunabeats)
Luminary - Wasting (Armada)
Luminary - My World (Lost Language)

Except, mid-90's trance and mid-2000's trance have nothing to do with each other, so it's not really evolution. One died, because of various historical reasons, many having to do with the rise of international "super-star" DJ's like Tiesto and AVB and others pushing a certain new sound, and the other was born and took its name.

which is to say: this isn't a question of "what the hell did it become," it's a question of "where the hell did it go/why did it die," because I refuse to acknowledge that modern trance has much to do with 90's trance. Hell, half of what was clearly trance then would be considered house now, that's how radical the shift is.

also, if anyone feels up to the challenge: recommend me some new tracks that still smack of that old trance sound

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Originally posted by Carlos Pereira My twat REALLY needs a wash and a look at by the doc, and I need to call my boss for tomorrow's accounts.

[FIXED].