Description
EDM with evolving, tension-building structures with rapid, minor arpeggios on top of a mechanical four-on-the-floor beat – altogether, evoking a euphoric and hypnotic state of “trance”.
Associated instrumentation includes drums from the TR-909 machine and a fast tempo in the range of 130-160 BPM
Music trying to simulate transcendent experiences.
Prominent include BPM range of 125 – 160, a TR-909 drum machine and mid-song breakdowns after longer buildups. Often heavily layered to produce feelings of drifting/calm euphoria.
History
Trance traces its stylistic origins from Techno, EBM (New Beat especially) and Acid House, whilst Electro-Disco and Progressive Electronic are major inspirations to the scene.
The genre originated in the 1990s from the German techno scene, centred around Detroit Techno popular in Berlin and Frankfurt.
Subsequent developments
The export of Trance to the UK, where Progressive House was popular, led to the evolution of Progressive Trance. Belgium pioneered the Hard Trance sound, while Psytrance developed from India’s Goa Trance.
In the late 1990s, Netherlands became key to further development and popularisation of the genre, led by the trio of Ferry Corsten, Tiësto, and Armin van Buuren, who would become global stars.
Uplifting Trance became the most prominent subgenre spawned by offshoots of the influential Armada Music and Black Hole Recordings. Its use of supersaws and pronounced buildups/breakdowns heavily influenced EDM as a whole.
Trance’s mainstream success continued with Pop-oriented Euro-Trance and Vocal Trance, whilst Tech Trance appealed to clubs that sought a rawer sound.
As Electro House became popular in the 200s, crossover genres like Big Room Trance and Festival Progressive House emerged, and ultimately portended the decline of Trance’s EDM dominance in the 2010s as Big Room House became the leading mainstream EDM subgenre.
Preceding genres
Exemplar
Child genres
Acid Trance Dream Trance Euro-Trance Ibiza Trance Psytrance Tech Trance Uplifting Trance Vocal Trance
Fusion genres
Ambient Trance Big Room Trance Hard Trance NRG Progressive Trance