Trance artists with their own unique sound and style

[Jetflag]

“Evury thing used too bee bettur”

 

[Julian Del Agranda]

Every previous generation says so. Every new generation thinks they got it right.

Cant it be though, that the 90s were amazing, in general, the early zeroes slowly halted it and we’re in decline ever since…

Can’t we be right, and not just grumpy old men?? 🥹

 

[Pulser]

Every previous generation says so. Every new generation thinks they got it right.

Cant it be though, that the 90s were amazing, in general, the early zeroes slowly halted it and we’re in decline ever since…

Can’t we be right, and not just grumpy old men?? 🥹

It's the price of getting older. We cling to what was ours but there will always be a new generation and they are also right. They will be where we are in 10-20 years so why not just let them be and enjoy what we had. It is still alive. It doesn't die until we do

 

[Bobby Summa]

In the 90s there was very little software. As far as trance, the dominant gear for the synths was Virtual Analog synths. Hardware units. Yes, cpu based and had much software elements but it was bespoke to every part that unit was made of. Thus, could create a distinctive sound from a different hardware synth. Software came into things more around 2002/3 but there was still a lot less than there is now, and no big discount websites.

Hey. I’m not knocking software, God forbid. I use a damn lot of it (I mostly use software) and a lot is fantastic. But given now days that compressors / limiters/eq are also often software based and in the 90s likely only hardware. If you look at the timeline of when Trance started to change its sound, is it not when software began to dominate much more. I’m guessing late 2000’s on to early 2010’s especially. ( I’m not saying it was better / worse, just different ) Having followed the hardware synth market for years, I can tell you that around 2015 there did start to be a big resurface of cheaper and interesting hardware but I feel it’s only just becoming popular for many more trance producers in the last 4-5 years.

Please don’t think it’s about hardware vs software, it’s an immature argument, they can be used to each of their own advantages. But the use of one or the other or a mix of the two does make a difference. And software is so easy to buy.

 

[Julian Del Agranda]

I disagree Bobby. Software gives loads of options and choices, they just choose for the exact same few sounds. My Time Warp main lead synth, it’s pretty cool right? Almost Airscape vibes (I think).

It is simply from sylenth1 with a lot of reverb…

Just to give an example, you can sound ‘different’, if you choose to.

 

[erickUO]

Agreed with Julian, sonic palette is a choice.

On topic: Incolumis and Art of Trance are what I consider as unique.
Some names mentioned in this thread are just distinct for me, or borderline distinct and unique.

 

[Bobby Summa]

I disagree Bobby. Software gives loads of options and choices, they just choose for the exact same few sounds. My Time Warp main lead synth, it’s pretty cool right? Almost Airscape vibes (I think).

It is simply from sylenth1 with a lot of reverb…

Just to give an example, you can sound ‘different’, if you choose to.

Totally agree. I wasn’t saying you can’t sound different. I kinda left it up to interpretation (probably dangerous lol). But not to put a too finer point on it. The price of software and ease of it meant so many people got into it, the dance music industry (and ambient etc too) got full of lots of people doing it which with a more crowded market can sometimes make it harder to find those who sound different, ie just searching Spotify or whichever platform I found it really hard to find a different sound ( seems a bit easier now tho)

 

[trancefan2020]

Im surprised so many people are mentioning modern producers - thats been the downfall of the scene for me in the last 15 years or so,most producers dont have a unique sound or style. Its either that or so generic you dont have a clue who made the track.

The obvious ones for me,back in their heyday :

Dumonde
Ferry Corsten
Push
Airwave
Matt Darey
Lange
PVD
Signum
Darren Tate
Marco V

I will add Thrillseekers , Cosmic Gate, Transa, Armin, Solarstone, Envio, Ron Van den Beuken and even Darude. Speaking of which the other day , Giuseppe Ottaviani tweeted about his change of style recently and how he was bored and wanted to make something fun. I told him that it's ok to do fun things but if you do fun things then he will lose his identity. I don't think he took it well. I can't recognize his songs now , it could be anybody.

 

[Subspace Jet Witch]

Without being disrespectful to 'the new guy', I think it is indeed a little bit funny to name people like Allen Watts.

What I find difficult in the debate, is that music labels don't seem to hunt for uniqeness, so it stimulates the 'watts' to just come up with another generic template 'are you affraid of 138' trancer with yet another 16th note arpeggio in the same synth that everyone used for a decade. The chance of having a bit of a career in trance is simply a lot bigger when you copy what all the others do... That's quite sad.

When an artist comes up with something that's not made all the time, labels reject it (think of Narel's tune).

Without getting too off-topic, I would personally blame the A&R people specifically. They'll bin diamonds in the rough, while signing the most generic music imaginable, purely on the basis of "sounding professional". Heck, I would argue nothing has been as harmful to artists' creativity quite as much as the obsession with getting a "professional sound", to the point where I wonder if we all have this collective delusion that our music will make us millionaires if it sounds enough like money.

Anyway, getting back on topic, I would personally nominate Orkidea, especially around the Harmonia period. Oh, and Alex di Stefano.

 

[Jetflag]

I would personally blame the A&R people specifically. They'll bin diamonds in the rough, while signing the most generic music imaginable, purely on the basis of "sounding professional"

Agreed. One thing I quite like about recent developments is that nowadays its fairly easy to start your own label as an artist, and so what you end up with is a lot of "little indie shops" so to speak or hobby projects like our own TF:R, who focus on creativity instead of " big bucks"

 

[Progrez]

, Giuseppe Ottaviani tweeted about his change of style recently and how he was bored and wanted to make something fun. I told him that it's ok to do fun things but if you do fun things then he will lose his identity. I don't think he took it well. I can't recognize his songs now , it could be anybody.

Well, most likely it's not fun because he has taken an objective decision to go full blown EDM now that's not fun or hobby it's a business decision pure and simple. He is living in a unicorn world if he thinks that going full blown EDM is not a business decision just trying to get more fans.

 

[Subspace Jet Witch]

Totally agree. I wasn’t saying you can’t sound different. I kinda left it up to interpretation (probably dangerous lol). But not to put a too finer point on it. The price of software and ease of it meant so many people got into it, the dance music industry (and ambient etc too) got full of lots of people doing it which with a more crowded market can sometimes make it harder to find those who sound different, ie just searching Spotify or whichever platform I found it really hard to find a different sound ( seems a bit easier now tho)

I honestly think where one can best see how technology affects people's taste in music, is in where & how people listen to music. In the 80s and 90s, MTV made a lot of musicians go "Okay, but will this song make for a good music video?" In the 00s, ringtones were a lucrative albeit short-lived cash cow. And now, since the early 2010s, social media platforms have been dictating the rules of the game, so to speak. That, I think has mattered more than how the music itself got made.

Though I will say this about hardware vs software: bragging about "analog quality" or "analog warmth" is red flag for me. Even with the actual analog gear at hand, there is absolutely no guarantee you will recapture that same magic as your old heroes, simply because their prior experiences with the world at large back then, were so radically different from what yours have been. Moreover, the obsession with nostalgia I think sadly has contributed to wavetable synthesis and additive synthesis - both existing purely in the digital realm - to remain neglected artforms and largely unexplored territory.

 

[Bobby Summa]

I honestly think where one can best see how technology affects people's taste in music, is in where & how people listen to music. In the 80s and 90s, MTV made a lot of musicians go "Okay, but will this song make for a good music video?" In the 00s, ringtones were a lucrative albeit short-lived cash cow. And now, since the early 2010s, social media platforms have been dictating the rules of the game, so to speak. That, I think has mattered more than how the music itself got made.

Though I will say this about hardware vs software: bragging about "analog quality" or "analog warmth" is red flag for me. Even with the actual analog gear at hand, there is absolutely no guarantee you will recapture that same magic as your old heroes, simply because their prior experiences with the world at large back then, were so radically different from what yours have been. Moreover, the obsession with nostalgia I think sadly has contributed to wavetable synthesis and additive synthesis - both existing purely in the digital realm - to remain neglected artforms and largely unexplored territory.

I know less about the video and mtv side of things but am sure it played a big part as have read such.

Yes. I used to get grumpy reading the old GearSlutz ( it changed its name now) and all the troller types saying … hardware or nothing. It’s stupid and immature. Do what works for you but me personally although I mostly use software I do love hardware too. But often it’s pretty hard if not impossible to tell in a track what’s which. But sometimes im listening to an old track I did and there’s an incredibly distinctive sound and I’m like in my head thinking, what vst was that? I didn’t think I had my hardware back then much. I load it up and its hardware. So my conclusion is it’s just at times different. Or I found making a sound on it ‘very comfortable’ or ‘pleasing‘ and got it good that time. It’s not better , just sometimes works well. Certain software I’ve done that same head scratch with too. So they can ‘both’ be amazing.

 

[Narel]

Some interesting views in here, not least that some artists listed are making (great) tunes but to sound exactly like classic producers. Now…. I’m not criticising that at all, but ….. isn’t that the antithesis of unique?
My thoughts:
db defo deserves this accolade, I don’t always vibe with it but you can spot it instantly and no one else sounds like that.
Classic Push/M.I.K.E/Plastic Boy too.
Lange, very distinctive percs, bass, plucks.
Leama & Moor
James Holden
Classic Airwave
Gabriel & Dresden / Josh Gabriel
Marco V.
Outside of trance, prog etc these are artists I’ve always thought no one else sounds like:
Underworld
Leftfield
The Grid
Ulrich Scnauss
Orbital
The Orb
Plaid
Aphex Twin (except maybe Squarepusher and muZiq (can’t do the ‘mu’ symbol on phone) at times, but they all worked together on Warp and cross pollinated and shared gear.

 

[tranceissomewhatalive]

from the more mainstream stuff I'd say Gareth Emery, especially when he does well, is very recognizable with those shiny playful melodies

Jerome Isma-Ae groove and percussion work is easy to spot and the whole lush cinematic vibe too

 

[afterhourpower]

I think this song is quite unique.

 

[Pokkryshkin]

Yesterday, I was feeling nostalgic for Özgür Can’s work. His unique progressive style is something no one can replicate nowadays.

 

[Archon]

I think this song is quite unique.

A pretty standard (DJ) Eco track to be honest. But his style was quite unique, all throughout his career. One of my favourite producers of all time, for sure.

 

[afterhourpower]

A pretty standard (DJ) Eco track to be honest. But his style was quite unique, all throughout his career. One of my favourite producers of all time, for sure.

Ah ok. I heard quite some tracks of him, this one really stood out for me. Indeed a great producer

 

[Magdelayna]

Some interesting views in here, not least that some artists listed are making (great) tunes but to sound exactly like classic producers. Now…. I’m not criticising that at all, but ….. isn’t that the antithesis of unique?
My thoughts:
db defo deserves this accolade, I don’t always vibe with it but you can spot it instantly and no one else sounds like that.
Classic Push/M.I.K.E/Plastic Boy too.
Lange, very distinctive percs, bass, plucks.
Leama & Moor
James Holden
Classic Airwave
Gabriel & Dresden / Josh Gabriel
Marco V.

Bang on with them. Also Dumonde and Matt Darey.

Did someone just say Gareth Emery..