A question I come across a lot is “ How do I get so and so to like Trance?”. To be completely honest I don’t think anyone truly knows, however, I do think there is an easy progression into the genre. We will be taking a look at the easy to digest sub-genres and artists of trance in this post.
First off, let’s ask the question of “What is Trance?” Most people would say that it is a genre of music focused on feeling uplifted. I personally dislike that description. It is way too vague and doesn’t capture the true essence of what the genre truly is. My definition of Trance is, rolling basslines and beautiful melodies with a BPM (beats per minute) of 138-144 and in some cases 128-136. To me, that is the proper description without getting too technical.
Now that we somewhat have an idea of what Trance is, let’s take a look at some gateways into the genre. I feel Vocal Trance is the absolute best stepping stone into the genre. It is how I was introduced to it back in 06-07 and it is how countless others have too. Vocal Trance is easy to relate to and digest as a new listener. It has many similarities to pop music and majority of people are used to having some type of vocals in their music.
Some great Vocal Trance producers to look at are Andy Duguid, early Dash Berlin, and Oceanlab. Andy Duguid’s first album “Believe” is one of my all-time favorite albums. Every track is extremely easy on the ears and the vocalist he picked fit perfectly for the theme of his tracks.
If you are coming from the EDM world then you have definitely heard of Dash Berlin. Dash Berlin’s 2009 album The New Daylight has some of the most memorable and played Vocal tracks ever. It is a must listen for any newcomer.
Oceanlab is the pinnacle of Vocal Trance. Justine Suissa has one of the most elegant voices and pair that with the legendary Above & Beyond and you have yourself a masterpiece.
Now comes the hard part… Where to go from here? I would keep to the easier going sounds. For instance, Progressive Trance from the likes of Solid Stone or 07-09 Markus Schulz. Progressive Trance is pretty rare to come across these days but there are still plenty of great classics. Another great source for Progressive is any older episode of “A State of Trance” (pre-episode 400).
Now it is time to bump up the BPM and show you Uplifting Trance. Personally, I like older uplifting tracks from artists such as Daniel Kandi, John O’Callaghan, and Above & Beyond.
A great track by Daniel Kandi is his remix of Solarstone’s “Jewel”. It’s a high paced vocal track with a beautiful melody. If you like one of Daniel Kandi’s tracks you will generally like all of his productions because he tends to follow the same pattern.
If you want a more modern take on Uplifting, John O’Callaghan’s remix of “Two Trees” is absolutely stunning. It is chalked full of feelings and almost guaranteed to give you goosebumps.
I’m not quite sure if Above & Beyond’s “Tri-State” album is considered Uplifting but it is definitely a great gateway into proper Trance. To some, it is the greatest Trance album of all time and for a good reason. It is a must listen!
We come to the point where you have a good understanding of what Trance is and what to expect. Now it is up to you to venture into the multitude of subgenres and decide where you feel most comfortable. You have so many to choose from such as Tech, Psy, and Trouse. Just to name a few. I hope you come to enjoy and love the genre I am so passionate about.