What's going on with trance music?

[funkyrobot]

I'm sat listening to some older sets by the likes of Dash Berlin and Armin Van Buuren. These sets are from 2011, so aren't that old.

I listened to a few more modern sets from the above the other night. The modern stuff sounds quite bashy and base-ridden, but doesn't really have that much of a nice melodic flow to it. Dj's like Aly and Fila and Above and Beyond seem to still spin the melodic stuff, but the likes of AVB and Dash have gone all, well, commercially trashy.

If I were to be a new listener to trance, I'd not take any interest in AVB or Dash. I've been following AVB since some of his first sets way back in the early 2000's. The style of music he is playing has really changed. I don't like it any more.

What on earth is happening to trance? Or is it that trance isn't trance anymore. It's just labelled as being EDM and gets thrown in the same pile as the likes of cheesy commercial rubbish that you find on Ministry of Sound albums.



Bugger. Title should be 'on', not 'in'.

[funkyrobot]

Hoofy said:

You mean it sounds a bit electro? With the hi hat hitting at the same time as the bass drum? And short stabs of some lead synth? I kinda stopped listening to trance about 6 months ago and moved more towards prog. Maybe I'm just getting old, though?

Yes. It sounds like some sort of crash bang techno.

I think this sums it up nicely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCawU6BE8P8

[funkyrobot]

Baskey said:

classic case of getting old mate. The youths will always want something different and take a gern in a different direction.

I don't think it's getting old that is the issue. I've spent over ten years listening to the likes of AVB and it's as if the style is changing all of a sudden. I don't mind, it just means I listen to other people now. Really like Aly & Fila and Above & Beyond at the moment.

[funkyrobot]

big dub said:

I used to like a lot of AvB and Dash stuff, but rarely buy their tracks anymore. I have to say I'm leaning more towards the 'big room' stuff, and Markus Schulz and Coldharbour are putting a lot of good stuff out lately.

I've found quite a few of the old big name DJ's are going more mainstream/EDM, and it's really not my bag.

Indeed.

Haven't listened to Marcus for a while so will catch up.

The whole 'EDM' tag is very commercial and a bit cheesy to be honest. I've been listening to a bit of Deadmau5 lately. He has had stuff out in the charts, but it's interesting to hear his take on EDM.

I'm going go hunt around for more music to listen to as I'm not really into a lot of my old favourite DJ's anymore.

[funkyrobot]

DevestatinDave said:

I saw this a while back and thought it was appropriate :/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f_LyEsNI2s

Interesting.

Joyenergizer is a crazy old track and the original was released in the early 2000's. I loved it from the first time I heard it. Butchered now though.

The Above and Beyond example is probably only one of the few tracks they have made lately that sounds like that. I still like them.

I think Tiesto and Oakenfold lost it a long time ago.

In general, even though technology has come on leaps and bounds, it's as if music has gone backwards. The modern EDM stuff sounds like it was generated on something that couldn't handle a nice melodic track with lots of layers.

[funkyrobot]

Condi said:

I think Steve Aioki's response sums it up better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozB10JuuB1U

Totally misses the point...

What the hell?

[funkyrobot]

Hoofy said:

You'll like this sample CD: http://www.producerloops.com/Download-Shockwave-Pl... Click the "play demo track".

Holy moly!

[funkyrobot]

Armin. What happened?

http://youtu.be/T3rwLtdcXi0

[funkyrobot]

What the hell?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Apu0HUoQxE

I've been a fan of Armin for about 14 years, but this is st.

See ya.

[funkyrobot]

Dear oh dear:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YfWoVnAS_I

I used to like Dash Berlin. However, as of late he has completely lost himself to the commercial sounding, build up and smack down with the bass style of music. It's awful.

I know they are peddling it as it's where the popularity and cash is. But, hearing his stuff from years ago makes me feel a little sad.

[funkyrobot]

I think they have just followed the money.

I have tried to listen to some of it, but I really do struggle. One shining beacon of light is Above and Beyond. They have kept to their old style. Yes, they do a little bit of crash and bang, but it isn't a lot.

I tried to absorb the Dash Berlin set I posted above and it gave me a headache. I sound old when I say this, but each track seemed to be the same. I can normally tell when a song is changing and when the next track is being mixed in. I struggled with that nonsense though.

[funkyrobot]

mcbook said:

I agree totally. David Guetta is the main protagonist in the situation. I almost cringe when I say this but his stuff in the mid 2000s was actually pretty good but then he hooked onto a formula involving RnB vocalists and it was downhill from there. I actually saw him in Pacha in 2007 and it was a great night. He's a joke now.

He was never really a Trance DJ though so I suppose it's more of an issue with dance music in general. At 33 I'm probably too old for that scene now though.

I'm 36 and still like the good stuff.

You won't see me out at a club though.

[funkyrobot]

Just listening to some old CD's I found in my drawer. Have Armin Van Buuren vs Ferry Corsten at Godskitchen from 2003 on now. My goodness, the old stuff was great.

Linky below to the set on Youtube if anyone is interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_I-KmxGcBQ