Trancefix Radio - EP008: Trance Revival - By Redrot



I asked @Redrot for this mix due to his expansive taste and knowledge on the current 'Trance revival' movement that has been growing stradily over the last 5 years in the underground. It's one of the best mixes have heard all year, effortlessly blending trancey breaks, different forms of progressive, trance, dreamy house and hyptnoic techno all together in a seemless journey. A perfect showcase of the most innovative and original music coming out of the scene right now. Enjoy!


From Redrot:
"When I was approached to record a mix for TFR, I was truly honored. Not only do I very rarely get asked to play for people these days, but TranceFix, in particular, has such a high standard for the music they listen to. The idea was for me to record a mix showcasing the side of the "trance revival" that's been going on in the past few years.

There are a number of different styles which are emerging simultaneously in this revivial, in my opinion. There's the circle with labels such as UTE and Blue Hour that are putting out that's reminiscent of classic Goa (and sometimes absurdly fast - see CRUDE's reposts for a good idea). There's the house and breaks-inspired stuff coming from names like Adam Pits, Spray, and Roza Terenzi, which is more akin to early 90s progressive and techno but with a bit of a unique modern twist. Then there's the slightly more mainstream "industrial techno with arps" style that names like I Hate Models and KAS:ST really popularized a few years ago, and producers like Trudge, Julian Muller, and Klangkuenstler are innovating in. Of course, this is all a bit of a generalization, and there are many artists in there that don't fall into any particular one of these categories. Hell, even Armada is even putting out their mainstreamified "revival" sound with Ben Hemsley and his Ibiza-esque anthems.

I initially figured that I'd try to make a mix akin to those in the style of Adam Pits and Spray - a hot mixture of new stuff coming from their camps and actual mid-90s trance. However, after sleeping on it for a while, I realized that it's probably best to leave that to the pros - if you really want to hear a set like that, go check out their Soundcloud pages because they have way deeper old libraries than I could ever hope for! (and please do go peep their those mixes because man, they are *cooking*!) I figured instead that while I'd showcase some of the best that the trance revival has to offer, I'd do it *my way,* taking inspiration from here and there but not really aligning with any one style and sometimes deviating from the strictly "trance" label altogether. But that's one thing I love about this revival (especially the house/breaks-inspired stuff) - it's never really proclaiming itself boldly as "trance," and it's never trying to emulate a bygone era completely; rather, it's taking heavy inspiration and trying to be its own unique thing.

So in a way, what resulted follows that ethos as well - taking heavy inspiration from these new emerging scenes but ultimately still representing my sound more than anything else. It's a snaking journey through multiple frontiers of the trance revival, with sounds that I'd imagine the average modern trance listener is unfamiliar with but not uncomfortable with. My hope is to expand some peoples' horizons and show that the trance sound doesn't have to be as pigeonholed as many think it is.

Most of the stuff in the mix is modern, but there are a small handful of old tunes hidden in there as well. I also threw in a tune from Pure Trance to showcase how these productions may not be too far off from the more friendly modern "trance" sound most are accustomed to. Is all of it strictly trance? Definitely not, but I'd still consider the mix as a whole to be that, especially given the trajectory of the mix. But in the end, does it really matter? Good music is good music!"

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Thanks guys!
 

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Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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30 minutes in and my balls were already empty. Holy shit. This mix speaks to me. It's phenomenal, and the mixing is impeccable. All of these tracks sound fantastic in the mix. Not knowing any track but 94, my favourite one was actually from '98. And I could be a cynic and say it's a bit telling, but honestly, the rest of the tracks don't lag behind much (or at all, just listen to the 2nd-to-last track!). Revival indeed. Thank you for 2 fantastic hours. I will surely be revisiting this.
 
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Redrot

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2022
404 Posts
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Northern California
Not knowing any track but 94, my favourite one was actually from '98. And I could be a cynic and say it's a bit telling, but honestly, the rest of the tracks don't lag behind much (or at all, just listen to the 2nd-to-last track!).
Heh, I love the way that First Floor Deadlock comes in after a bit of techno especially, it hits the spot juuuuuuuust right. I think it's a case where for me the track shines even better in the mix than on its own just given the context. I like the original more in a vacuum but there, the remix is on another level! One of the things I think is especially nice about the revival (and well, pretty much all pre-anthem trance) is that the tunes are a bit more "abstract" than modern tunes, which allows for more flexibility and more effective multi-song buildups like that. Most modern trance (excluding prog, Forescape/JOOF-ey stuff, and some psy) has a much more concrete structure which isn't bad inherently but sometimes gives the track less potential for synergy.

I feel like for this mix I probably could've picked more tracks that were less "light on the melody" and more akin to FFD (woulda been closer to more traditional trance), but eh, so it goes. After I hear one of my mixes enough times all I can hear are the places where I could've played a different track that would've fit IMO a little better, or sandwiched another tune in between to make things smoother or more interesting... so maybe just ignore my own nitpicks of my own work :p
 
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Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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Heh, I love the way that First Floor Deadlock comes in after a bit of techno especially, it hits the spot juuuuuuuust right. I think it's a case where for me the track shines even better in the mix than on its own just given the context. I like the original more in a vacuum but there, the remix is on another level! One of the things I think is especially nice about the revival (and well, pretty much all pre-anthem trance) is that the tunes are a bit more "abstract" than modern tunes, which allows for more flexibility and more effective multi-song buildups like that. Most modern trance (excluding prog, Forescape/JOOF-ey stuff, and some psy) has a much more concrete structure which isn't bad inherently but sometimes gives the track less potential for synergy.

I feel like for this mix I probably could've picked more tracks that were less "light on the melody" and more akin to FFD (woulda been closer to more traditional trance), but eh, so it goes. After I hear one of my mixes enough times all I can hear are the places where I could've played a different track that would've fit IMO a little better, or sandwiched another tune in between to make things smoother or more interesting... so maybe just ignore my own nitpicks of my own work :p
Leaves more space for your next mix, which is always a good thing! :D
 
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Hoplite

Senior Member
Jun 1, 2021
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Finally got a chance to listen in full on the morning commute/ early office hours. Excellent, smooth journey through and through, on point selections and mixing. Lots of unseen labels/artists in the tracklist for me to dig through as well. Great job man! 💪
 

Dreamless

Member
Dec 7, 2022
64 Posts
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I found this on youtube but thought I would comment here to show my appreciation. This is my kind of music. It's good to see that there are people who support it and share it, especially when you focusing more on the Trance side. The Mikkel Rev remix is really good. The track titled Mu Thai also had me in the zone.
 

Archon

Gagi
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
3,913 Posts
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I found this on youtube but thought I would comment here to show my appreciation. This is my kind of music. It's good to see that there are people who support it and share it, especially when you focusing more on the Trance side. The Mikkel Rev remix is really good. The track titled Mu Thai also had me in the zone.
Thanks for that and welcome!
 

Hoahoa

Member
Apr 23, 2021
240 Posts
163 Thanked
Will be tuning into this now. Looking at the track list it probably is a bit techno based for my taste but I’m intrigued. Would love to see a mix like this but with some Borderline or more standard trance tracks here too
 

Recharge

Elite Member
Sep 26, 2020
1,004 Posts
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38
Absolute gem. Listened at work, almost melted in front of the computer.

One of my end of 2022 will be just new old school releases I think I managed to bring a at least 100+ songs this year in my show. Apart from that one, there will be one just with breaks.
 
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sszecret

Senior Member
Jul 19, 2020
264 Posts
212 Thanked
Got a chance to finally listen in full. What a mix, damn.

Liked the second track so much I decided to grab it on vinyl too. Plenty of stuff I hadn't heard of, so a bit of homework needed on my part. Cheers.
 

Hensmon

Admin
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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UK
Not knowing any track but 94, my favourite one was actually from '98. And I could be a cynic and say it's a bit telling, but honestly, the rest of the tracks don't lag behind much

This is exactly how I feel. Listened to a lot of these kinds of mixes this past year and when I return to my notes to find the IDs all of the my top tracks are from pre 2005. There's still something about the old stuff that sits just out of reach from the new ones. It's so close, but sadly so far. Just a certain magic.
 
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Redrot

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2022
404 Posts
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Northern California
I'd agree to an extent, at least for the stuff that's going purely for the trance sound and isn't more hybrid. My most wanted IDs (other than one that I know is a Spray ID) are all tunes that I'm 95% sure are pre-98 vinyl-only releases that have been entirely forgotten by time. But there are some mixes where the strongest tunes to me are a mix of new and old, and some of the newer ones outdo other older ones. Though these are generally in the more eclectic mixes.

As far as tunes that are going for the more melodic journey aspect, there's no doubt that the oldest stuff reigns supreme for me, though its more often than not tunes that back then would've been considered techno. Say for example, Telesto - Shamanarchy.
 
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Hensmon

Admin
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Yeah don't get me wrong, I think the new hybrid stuff that were seeing infuse the breaks/house/trance/techno is still fantastic and unique in its own right, but just not comparing fully to what we know Trance could be. That journey aspect you mentioned is spot on. Wish we had a better name for it all tbh. Was listening to the Jon Jones last EP in the car today and really cant put a word on it sometimes.

That Telesto track is a really good share, it sounds very similar to the modern stuff. It has that baseline that all the ozzy producers are using. Bit more stripped back maybe. 10% more organic feeling with the sounds.
 

Hoahoa

Member
Apr 23, 2021
240 Posts
163 Thanked
Forgot to comment on this with my approval. Only felt that 50% of it was Trance (based on my subjective definition) but I really liked what you did and would listen again. Galaxy - Dreamland was my pick of all the tracks. More like this please.
 
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Quethas

Member
Jul 15, 2020
170 Posts
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Finland
I feel like there's a lot of similarities to the old "Global Underground sound" I am extremely fond of. There's many tracks which could have fitted into old sets from Sasha for an example (I wouldn't be all that surprised if First Floor Deadlock has been part of those, nice hidden gem from the old times!).

Not all of this is a spot on for me, but I found couple of new tracks to be added into my own personal playlists.
 

Daysleeper

Lost in Trancelation
Jul 13, 2020
2,495 Posts
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Sweden
Pretty competent mix. Its no tiesto,sasha or oakenfold in terms of taking you through different musical landscapes. :p

I thought the two first break tracks were pretty bland, but the mix got going with the fourth track and continued to build a decent momentum throughout. Some tracks stood out more than others, namely mostly the old ones haha. Theres alot of "meaty" beatdriven or subheavy kinda stripped back tracks, for better or worse. The mixing feels technically good, competent, but I miss some less "perfect" more loose creative transitions between the tracks.

Still, thanks for sharing.
 
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Redrot

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2022
404 Posts
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Northern California
Pretty competent mix. Its no tiesto,sasha or oakenfold in terms of taking you through different musical landscapes. :p
Adding that I received a "pretty competent" from Daysleeper to the top of my resume ❤️

Agreed about the mixing, honestly. The more I listen to this, the more I feel like it sounds like an Ableton mix, which always takes something off for me (it was mixed in Traktor though like everything I record). Some of the mixes from either, say Adam Pits, or ofc the true old prog mixes from that era, aren't always so spotless which makes it really feel like a DJ mix and not just a glued together bunch of trakcs. But it's hard to unlearn the "perfection" mixing that I kind of taught myself a while back.