5 Records to Introduce Trance Music
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Trance is one of the core genres of Dance music that developed in the 1990s. In terms of subgenres and the amount of records released it truly stands alongside House and Techno as an equal. Trance is characterized by the gradual building up and breaking down of melody and rhythm to induce euphoria in clubbers (a trance state if you will). During its prime Trance was both accessible enough to be played on the radio and powerful enough to be played in clubs. It’s often the first genre of Dance music people hear and is borrowed from so mercilessly by modern Pop records you’d think it was 1997 today (just a really bland, awful version). The constant re-releasing of the following material by the likes of Ministry of Sound has led to Trance’s general derision in the world of modern Dance. This is further compounded by the fact that Trance is now one of the weakest and least impressive forms of music released. In the world. However, real Trance has a sound that typifies 90’s attitudes and styles while being progressive. It’s one of the few genres of music that can truly absorb classical melodies without a trace of parody or poor taste; you wouldn’t think Baroque composer Henry Purcell’s funeral march would sound so good with a Roland TR-909 blaring behind it (see “The Orange Theme”). Below are five songs that were either revolutionary for their time or important in defining the genre. All are connected by a rich analogue sound and the pursuit of letting reality go. To me Trance is the most powerful form of electronic music and is capable of describing all human emotions in a series of subtle chord changes.
Faithless – Insomnia
The seminal British dance act Faithless have been behind some of the most famous trance songs to date. “Insomnia” serves to remind us how watered-down and bland Trance has become in recent years. Released on Cheeky Records in 1995 the song came three years before Trance music had gained mainstream status in England. As such it features many of the darker elements that typified the genre in the early years. English rapper Maxi Jazz brings intensely soulful lyrics to Rollo’s world-class production to create a record that deals with the thoughts of an insomnia sufferer in deep turmoil. Indeed the serious subject matter, finely crafted rhythm section and the use of sounds that have gone on to become the archetypal battle cries for successive generations of ravers firmly places this song as one of the most important British dance records of all time.
Cygnus X - The Orange Theme (Moonman's Orange Juice Extended)
The funeral music for Queen Mary II was a piece composed in the 17th century by the Englishman Henry Purcell. It went on to become the theme music for Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange” in 1971. In 1994 German Trance producers Cygnus X spawned hundreds of successive versions by releasing “The Orange Theme”, a turning point in the history of dance where classical music received the appreciation it so sorely needed. The melody is one that transcends song titles and producers. Ferry Corsten (the Dutch Trance titan) released a version under the alias of ‘Moonman’ which even features an organ breakdown as homage to Purcell. A true testament of strength for a 300 year old tune.
Binary Finary - 1998 (Matt Darey Remix)
1998 will go down in history as the year of Trance. Tracks that would’ve otherwise been seriously underground achieved mainstream success thanks to democratizing of the sound; by now Trance had broken free of Europe and was thrilling clubbers around the world. 1998-2000 can be seen as the High Renaissance of European Trance music. The mature style was characterized by a purer sound and more layered tracks. “1998” was a feat of British sound design. A memorable chord progression enhanced by a euphoric arpeggio really helps bring forth the raw essence of the genre. It’s an important record in the way it picks and chooses various sounds from earlier tracks to create a euphoric anthem. Binary Finary stand on the shoulders of electronic giants.
Solar Stone - Seven Cities (Solar Stone Atlantis Mix)
Trance is as diverse as any other music genre. From a style that was intended to induce a trance stemmed a whole world of subgenres and cultures. Balearic House is one of them. Although the term was first used in the late 80s to describe DJs of Ibiza who played an eclectic mix of styles it was later used to describe the tranquil sounds of the Spanish party island (Ibiza was a member of the ‘Balearic’ Islands). Quite often such records feature reverberating strings and tribal rhythm sections. This is just such a record. “Seven Cities” will immediately take a generation of clubbers back to Ibiza. It features some of the aspects of dance music that I love: a sense of introspection, the fleeting nature of moments, the feeling that we’re not alone or unwatched. If one had to make a list of tearjerker dance records this would rank highly indeed. Bliss.
Energy 52 - Café Del Mar (Three n One remix)
Simply put: the best dance record ever. Originally a track was made by the German Trance duo Energy 52 named after café Del Mar- a famous bar with a spectacular Spanish view. Its melody was based on “Struggle for pleasure”; a piano and violin piece composed in 1982 by the Belgian music master Wim Mertens. Admittedly the first versions released were markedly unimpressive compared with the final product. It wasn’t until another German climbed aboard that magic happened. Three n One was one of the pioneers of a style called Pizzicato Trance that was characterized by the synthesized sound of string plucking. As a producer he was already considered one of Germany’s most talented. By applying his mastery of synthesized plucks to the basic melody, the flurried piano work of Wim Mertens was reborn in Trance. Three n One’s remix bought together the best dance record production ever heard and one of the most powerful melodies of all time. As a Dance fan it does something to me that no other record is able to do, but I don’t know quite what that is. It also- in my opinion- awards Germany the title of greatest Dance record producers ever. Kraftwerk started electronic music in Düsseldorf in 1970 and Three n One pushed it to its absolute limits 27 years later. Nice.
