Old School/Classic Trance Producers in 2020 (and beyond)?

Daysleeper

Lost in Trancelation
Jul 13, 2020
2,495 Posts
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Sweden
Produced originally approx 20 years ago. Completely reworked in 2019 and Solarstone picked it up and released on Pure Trance.

So. Some selfpromotion, don't shoot, give feedback instead.

This one is really hard to critique, tbch. Its like I listen to it, and it sounds fine, well-produced even. I hear the nod to the first and second half of the 2000´s.
I think theres a couple things which turns this into something that is quite solid but unfortunly still leans towards being more "generic" or "basic" or just purely "unintersting" musically.

The first thing that I would critique is this one thing that gets me a little bit annoyed - Why try to sound oldschool but at the same time sound modern? Its quite a oxymoron imo. Especially with that snare/clap that does sound quite like an oldschool noisey/lofi clap but its the polished up alot, and the other elements are all very clean and polished. Well, that bothers me and I really dont think sounding modern but still sounding oldscool works. I honestly think most modern trance that use similar samples that replicate oldschool equipment sounds wrong/contradictory in nature.

The secocd thing that bothers me is the rhythm patterns of the percusssions especially the really sub-bassy kick which reminding me of more recent say Enhanced/Anjuna mid 2010 productions, especially how the hats (which are superclean) works with the kick and how they are almost on beat with it. That feels like another thing that goes against it sounding "oldschool", but maybe that wasnt even your intent, who knows?

Third thing is that it all comes out a bit too........ robotic to me, the rhythms+melodies have a really robotic feel, doesnt it? The whole arrangemnt and structure of the track really. I mean its hard to explain with the right terminology. You have to just listen to it. And I guess that leads to my final critique of the melody that feels kinda just unintersting and has a really robotic kind of static rhythm to it. Theres really nothing in the mix that stands out for me, its all a bit too "textbook" modern production tutorial written over it.

I dont think theres anything to critique with the production itself. It sounds as good as it gets really I guess. Im just pointing out what I feel are the musical Inconsistencies here. Focus more on the musical ideas raher than the production.
 
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Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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Focus more on the musical ideas raher than the production.
And this can be pinned for not only most trance producers who make tracks in the old styles, but for producers overall.

And I concur regarding your feedback. Musically, just feels like a lot is lacking, nothing exciting is happening. 3-4 minutes in and you've already heard everything there is to hear in this track. I just don't feel the energy here, and by that I don't mean I want high energy, BPM etc. It's a bit static. The sounds are (sort of) there, but the ideas do not move me at all. And it does feel slightly disjointed as well, maybe that has to do with the cleanliness. Maybe a part of the charm of old tracks was that sometimes elements overlapped and that made the tracks sound more cohesive overall.
 
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Dhagor

New Member
May 2, 2022
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And this can be pinned for not only most trance producers who make tracks in the old styles, but for producers overall.

And I concur regarding your feedback. Musically, just feels like a lot is lacking, nothing exciting is happening. 3-4 minutes in and you've already heard everything there is to hear in this track. I just don't feel the energy here, and by that I don't mean I want high energy, BPM etc. It's a bit static. The sounds are (sort of) there, but the ideas do not move me at all. And it does feel slightly disjointed as well, maybe that has to do with the cleanliness. Maybe a part of the charm of old tracks was that sometimes elements overlapped and that made the tracks sound more cohesive overall.
Thank You for feedback
 
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Dhagor

New Member
May 2, 2022
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This one is really hard to critique, tbch. Its like I listen to it, and it sounds fine, well-produced even. I hear the nod to the first and second half of the 2000´s.
I think theres a couple things which turns this into something that is quite solid but unfortunly still leans towards being more "generic" or "basic" or just purely "unintersting" musically...
Thank You for feedback!
 

Recharge

Elite Member
Sep 26, 2020
1,004 Posts
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Age
38
This a 2017 release, but still sounds way more oldschool


And this 2 just came out last few weeks


 

brandonl

Senior Member
Jul 17, 2020
320 Posts
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Guelph, Ont, Canada
Does anyone own all the tracks or a majority of the tracks in this thread and can create a mix out of them? There are so many great classic sounding trance songs here, i would love to hear a mix of them.
 

Recharge

Elite Member
Sep 26, 2020
1,004 Posts
544 Thanked
Age
38
I have a playlist with a bunch of 2022 oldschool tracks and will make a mix soon.

There is a ton of songs that got my attention I will soon do a 2022 new oldschool mix

Here is a little preview:

 

TRANCEBLASTER

Elite Member
Jul 21, 2020
1,207 Posts
1,463 Thanked
Ok, this is not really Trance, but it reminds me so much on the early work of Cosmic Baby or Mijk van Dijk!

DJ Wedding - The Fantasist [Estetika] May 13, 2022