Sitting at work at 6AM on a Sunday morning can lead to many ponderings, and since the TA forums are always ready for yet another post of random incoherent rambling, I share with you my thoughts

I was thinking this morning about what got me into this whole EDM scene and inevitably I came back to Armin's "Blue Fear," the track that is really responsible for me diving head on into the world of "Trance" music.

5, 6, even 7 years ago it was that simple, I was into "Trance" and that was it, period. No house, not really into breaks, just unabashed, get stoned and maybe find time to eat a pill occasionally trance.

Fast forward to today, and after a few years on the decks I'm pretty happy with how my skills are progressing as a DJ, no where near perfect, but confident enough to at least attempt rock a party any night of the week. But what I really see as a major change is what's in my record crate, for example, around 2000 you may have seen the following in my crate or sets:

Armin Van Buuren - Blue Fear
ATB - 9PM (Til I come)
Mansun - Wide Open Space
Tilt w/ Robert Miles - Children (Tilts Courtyard Mix)

and Now:

Ficta - Eli (James Zaniela's Rave Lizard Mix)
Plump DJ's - Bullet Train
Guy Gerber - Stoppage Time
Depeche Mode - Only When I Lose Myself (Lexicon Avenue Mix)

I guess what strikes me is how often I now find myself looking through every "genre" of EDM to find the tracks I like, not restricted by a genre, and while a lot of those come from the sections with titles like "Progressive Trance/House/Breaks etc." I do find the one underlying theme for anything I buy/spin is that it still has to have that trance sound, regardless of genre.

So now my question is as follows: Do any of you think that the genre of "Trance" is dead, or would you rather say that the genre "Trance" has simply evolved into something that cannot be so much defined by the tracks within it, but how it makes the individual feel? Are these sets we're hearing that seem to be a combination of every possible genre out there really defineable as anything more than EDM? And if that's the case, would you say that a genre of EDM is dictated more by the DJ than the producer (I.E. each DJ has his/her own unique sound, and while it may be created from tracks produced by others, the overall feel and sound of the set is determined by the individual DJ performing the set.)?

Just thoughts, I'm probably too bored for my own good, but maybe some of you have had the same ideas running through your heads... if not, sorry for the longwinded post, thanks for making it through it .

Peace, Cheers,

RJT

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last minute disco dot net

"or would you rather say that the genre "Trance" has simply evolved into something that cannot be so much defined by the tracks within it, but how it makes the individual feel?"

nice way to put it, i think that's the most important sentence of your post

I never was a trance dj...

Yeh I would say my collection has evolved much the same.

In 2000, my collection was made up mostly of Trance from Additive, Neo, Bonzai, record labels and artists such as Transa, Taucher, etc..

But even then my collection was slowly evolving I would find more and more breakbeat that I enjoyed.

The last bundle of vinyl that I bought says it all, I still buy a lot of trance but my collection is covering much more genres. In the last lot there was breaks, prog, ambient from 70's and 80's, and some trance too.

And also whatever genre people wish to class Petter & Nathan Fake too.

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quote:

Originally posted by Clovis86 OMG I am teh ghey.

ID 1998 Track

Well currently, since I got into DJing and Trance only a few years ago, after the 98-00 craze, I started buying records that were releases from when I started. In the past 2 weeks I have been searching out (with success) a shitload of some of the best tracks from back in the day. At the same time I still look out for breaks, borderline psy, SOME hardstyle. Genres with a different sound than most of todays cookie cutter tracks (not that all of them are bad). As long as I feel as a DJ tht I will be able to incorporate it into my set affectively.

When I think of the world "Progressive" I am not thinking Markus Schulz style tunes, more rather how to progress my sets from start to end. With an ever increasing energy. I can't sit and enjoy Markus style mixing, it bore's me to no avail (personally).

Just my look on it. I do agree with the original post almost completely. At the end of the day, TRANCE will be what I spin.

In a word, YES!

I started out a trance DJ as well, the song that got me hooked was Lost Tribe - Gamemaster, and Robert Miles - Children was one of them too. I went out and bought all the trance of '99, Ferry Corsten, Armin, Tiesto, Oakenfold, etc.

But then, my taste's started to change. I think this was precipitated by the fact that a lot of trance that comes out these days is just crap, let's face it.

I've now ventured out into house, prog house, breakbeat, techno, hard house, and psy trance in my sets. about the only genre i don't incorporate, is d&b/jungle, i just don't really like the stuff and it's way too fast.

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I don't even spin trance. I have some trance records but not enough to spin a set with. Juust a few of my favorite tracks I saw and had to buy for the sake of owning the vinyl.

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I've never been able to eat a whole baby.
Kill the women. Eat the children.
It's just one of those days where you want to bend over everyone you know and kiss their ass goodbye with a big sideways boot.

Latest Mix

I started my record collection well before (traditional) "trance"...mostly electro-pop...you know good 'ol Pet Shop Boys and the sort. When I started to DJ I'd say about 80% of it was goa and the rest was trance. Now, I'd probably say a majority is trance, with the other 40% being psy/goa, prog, techno with the occassional disco-threat or dnb tune thrown in. And I've never turned down an opportunity to pick up an 80's-90's classic on vinyl either when they come available.

So, no, I never was exclusively a "Trance DJ"...even if I categorize myself as one. Better than calling myself a Mut..which when it comes to tunes that's what most of us play anyway

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"I'd like to buy a techno song."

i think good "trance" died after 1999.

since then it's hard to find anything innovative in the genre.
i own quite a few trance alblums, but only throw 3-4 trance tracks into the end of a set. I still bleed trance, but not that many club go-ers do around here anymore. As much as I'd like to start a set with Magik Journey, I think I'd clear the dancefloor if I dropped that nowadays.

Personally, I've just heard so many fucking synths and female vocals in my life that I can't stand any new trance. I'm now into prog and dirty, deep house. It's an evolution and I think it's for the bettter. I still own many trance classics, but they're more for listening/personal mixing than playing out. In my sets I try to play a little of everything, just to keep changing it up and to disprove the "all techno music sounds the same" comment I get all the time.

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|||CHRISTOPHER THOMAS|||

quote:

Originally posted by Tegu i think good "trance" died after 1999. since then it's hard to find anything innovative in the genre. i own quite a few trance alblums, but only throw 3-4 trance tracks into the end of a set. I still bleed trance, but not that many club go-ers do around here anymore. As much as I'd like to start a set with Magik Journey, I think I'd clear the dancefloor if I dropped that nowadays. Personally, I've just heard so many fucking synths and female vocals in my life that I can't stand any new trance. I'm now into prog and dirty, deep house. It's an evolution and I think it's for the bettter. I still own many trance classics, but they're more for listening/personal mixing than playing out. In my sets I try to play a little of everything, just to keep changing it up and to disprove the "all techno music sounds the same" comment I get all the time.

CLASS response man!!!

Its a shame music discussions threads don't go this smooth. We DJ's are one of a kind.

quote:

Originally posted by J:\Digital CLASS response man!!! Its a shame music discussions threads don't go this smooth. We DJ's are one of a kind.

SShhhh, teh DJ Booth is the secret music discussion forum.

quote:

Originally posted by rturn214 So now my question is as follows: Do any of you think that the genre of "Trance" is dead, or would you rather say that the genre "Trance" has simply evolved into something that cannot be so much defined by the tracks within it, but how it makes the individual feel? Are these sets we're hearing that seem to be a combination of every possible genre out there really defineable as anything more than EDM? And if that's the case, would you say that a genre of EDM is dictated more by the DJ than the producer (I.E. each DJ has his/her own unique sound, and while it may be created from tracks produced by others, the overall feel and sound of the set is determined by the individual DJ performing the set.)?

Genres are pretty much set in stone AFAIK, it's more of individual tastes evolving...

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