Which Country spawned the best Trance Producers?
- Thread starter Magdelayna
- Start date
01 Holland
02 UK
03 Germany
04 Belgium
For sheer 'volume' of great producers,youd probably have to pick the UK....but for me,its Holland.
Ferry/Armin/Tiesto were my biggest influences in the early days.
02 UK
03 Germany
04 Belgium
For sheer 'volume' of great producers,youd probably have to pick the UK....but for me,its Holland.
Ferry/Armin/Tiesto were my biggest influences in the early days.
If we include psychedelic, hard trance and ambient trance, the UK had 5 or 6 different sub-genres and sub-scenes all firing at once at some point, and at a unfathomable level. All the most unique mainstream acts seem to come from there too. Same time they are exporting drum & bass, breaks, trip-hop, psybient, house and techno at a despicable quality as well. That place needs to be studied man, it's a god damn electronic music phenomenon.
I'm bias somewhat because in Canada these shows were bigger, but I'll take peak Global Underground, Global Trance Grooves and Trance Around The World over peak ASOT any day of the week. Even Global DJ Broadcast from Schulz was better. Those were the lifeblood for the Trance scene in East Coast Canada.
I'm bias somewhat because in Canada these shows were bigger, but I'll take peak Global Underground, Global Trance Grooves and Trance Around The World over peak ASOT any day of the week. Even Global DJ Broadcast from Schulz was better. Those were the lifeblood for the Trance scene in East Coast Canada.
UK had the best range of underground sounds, and for the longest period. HOOJ, Platipus, JOOF and Anjuna were the unstoppable force of trance music when I was getting into the genre. I am appreciating the German sounds a lot more now, especially as I look back deeper into the history. Dutch sound was quite narrow and short-lived in comparison to both of these, but obviously Tiesto, Armin and Ferry are the face of the Millennium sound. UK had it all though.
I would be interested to see a list of the top quality/consistent producers from the Dutch, like the one that was done for the UK above. Probably many names I am overlooking.
I would be interested to see a list of the top quality/consistent producers from the Dutch, like the one that was done for the UK above. Probably many names I am overlooking.
I always find it amazing that such a small country like England can produce so much musical talent - but then you look at France for example,where there is hardly any decent producers! What is the reason behind that? A cultural thing?
Julian Del Agranda
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- Jul 3, 2020
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Alright. I don't think the Dutch did much trance before 1997, and most came only when it became popular, after 2000. Some very old ones would be Vincent de Moor - Flowtation and Moonman - Galaxia from 1996. ROOS - Instant Moments 1997 (if you count it as trance), Airscape Pacific Melody 1997.
Armin (Gaia, Perpetuous Dreamer, Alibi)
Tiesto (Gouryella, Allure, Alibi, Steve Forte Rio, etc)
Ferry (Gouryella, System F, Moonman)
Vincent De Moor (Veracocha with Ferry)
Benno de Goeij (Rank 1 / Dutch Force / The Quest / Jonah / R.O.O.S., etc)
Marco V (Southside Spinners)
Three Drives On A Vinyl (Ton T.B.)
Carlo Resoort (4 Strings / Carlos)
Johan Gielen (Airscape / Svenson & Gielen)
Sander Kleinenberg
Sander van Doorn (Purple Haze)
Ralphie B (First State, Midway)
Re:Locate (Octagen)
Eelke Klein (M.I.D.O.R.)
Signum
Ronald van Gelderen (Kid Vicious)
Danjo & Styles (Primer)
Menno de Jong
Ernesto v Bastian
Bart Claessen (Barthezz)
Marcel Woods
Ron van den Beuken (Clokx, The Mystery)
Mark Norman
Leon Bolier
Joop
Phynn
Richard Durand (G-Spott)
Thomas Bronzwaer
And of course Aerium.
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Dyon
Member
I would say Germany has been the most important country for trance by far. The best producers have been German too.
The legendary Eye Q and Harthouse labels remain some of the best ever to this day.
Producers like Jam & Spoon, Ralph Hildenbeutel, Oliver Lieb, Stevie B Zet, Cygnus X, Energy 52, Humate, PvD, Sven Vath, Resistance D, Cosmic Baby... The list is endless. They were all trail blazers and most likely what made trance popular in other European countries.
Solar Stone said once that trance was born in Germany in the early 90s and I would agree with him. Sure, not every early track was German but the scene as a whole originates from there.
Once the ball was firmly rolling by the mid 90s, UK really comes into prominence followed by Belgium and Italy. Then the Dutch boys come along in the late 90s.
I'd say the star of trance burned brightly and for a short period. Can't think of any producers who came along after 04/05 that have made a significant impact.
The legendary Eye Q and Harthouse labels remain some of the best ever to this day.
Producers like Jam & Spoon, Ralph Hildenbeutel, Oliver Lieb, Stevie B Zet, Cygnus X, Energy 52, Humate, PvD, Sven Vath, Resistance D, Cosmic Baby... The list is endless. They were all trail blazers and most likely what made trance popular in other European countries.
Solar Stone said once that trance was born in Germany in the early 90s and I would agree with him. Sure, not every early track was German but the scene as a whole originates from there.
Once the ball was firmly rolling by the mid 90s, UK really comes into prominence followed by Belgium and Italy. Then the Dutch boys come along in the late 90s.
I'd say the star of trance burned brightly and for a short period. Can't think of any producers who came along after 04/05 that have made a significant impact.
Anderanao
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- Oct 26, 2023
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Competion is between Germany and Britain. I love Dutch sounds, maybe more than anything, but they were not really on the scene when I first got into Trance, and even today I don't really see any producers from the Netherlands making music for the scene. They had a powerful moment in 1999-2004 but its the most short-lived scene and without diverse sounds. Belgium is underrated.
TRANCEBLASTER
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- Jul 21, 2020
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the best German releases were made in the years when 'Trance' scene was really faceless. 'Sven Väth' was the first popular guy from all djs, he appeared in magazines or in TV, later also 'Cosmic Baby' had short lived fame, but he quit very quickly. the faces of guys like 'Lieb' or Humate' I had not seen till internet.
after 'Children' became no.1 (7 weeks on the top), the major labels recognized that a good dance track doesn't need a vocal, mc or dancers in the video, 'Euro Dance' was killed and 'Euro Trance' was the new big thing in Germany: 'Dj Quicksilver', 'Blank & Jones', Dj Sakin and Friends', 'Future Breeze', 'ATB', 'Kai Tracid', 'Taucher'... djs celebrated like popstars with videos shooted in New York, Tokyo, Bali.. some of these guys had some good tracks, but the releases became more commercial from year to year and the old guard don't wanted to have anything to do with the style, so I would say German 'Trance' was already killed in 1998.. or at least the sound I recognize as 'Trance'
the frenchies are more into sound that has no connections to 'Trance' music, 'AIR', Stereolab', 'St Germain', Daft Punk', 'Dimitri From Paris', 'Mr Oizo, 'Pepé Bradock', 'Dj Deep' are respected /electronic/ names worldwide... and ever heard about 'Jean-Michel Jarre'??
Yeah but i mean Trance...when France is sandwiched between UK and Germany...as i said,must be a culture thing.
As a lover of progressive music, goa music and prog-breaks, I have to choose the UK. They were the only ones to provide a serious form of the genre after 1999. Constant uplifting hands in the air lasers got so tiring. Sometimes I think the dutch movement, as fun as it was, actually did more damage in the long run. We've been struggling to shake that identity for a long time now, its become a detriment to the scene as all the serious musicians jumped ship and all the non-serious ones went further into pop. It's not a coincidence all three of the dutch guys went into super cheese mode. Above & Beyond did too, but their brand of cheese is at least authentic and not just bandwagon jumping. There's no John 00 Fleming equivalent in the dutch scene.
TRANCEBLASTER
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- Jul 21, 2020
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sweet tracks, but I think 'Three Drives - Greece 2000' was the first massive international Dutch 'Trance' hit record from 1997 (played by djs from 97 to 99!), ofc back in the days everybody thought that the producers were from the UK
Perpetuous dreamer
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- May 4, 2022
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Anthem - Netherlands
Goa/Psy - UK
Uplifting - Netherlands
Progressive - UK
Rave - German
Early Scene - German
Underground - UK
Ambient - UK
Most original - UK
Tech - ??? (Don't know)
Goa/Psy - UK
Uplifting - Netherlands
Progressive - UK
Rave - German
Early Scene - German
Underground - UK
Ambient - UK
Most original - UK
Tech - ??? (Don't know)
Trance4Ever
Senior Member
- Dec 18, 2021
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Back in 07/08 UK for sure. UK producers dominated the scene during the era of Discover label.
But I'm going with Poland cos I'm a #1 Paul Miller fan also N20 and Nickey were the main rising stars from Poland before the Paul Miller era.
N20 kinda inspired Kandi and the whole anjuna sound since its mainly based off his signature style which is insane.
Anjuna pluck was all Nickey as per Uplifted's thread.
But I'm going with Poland cos I'm a #1 Paul Miller fan also N20 and Nickey were the main rising stars from Poland before the Paul Miller era.
N20 kinda inspired Kandi and the whole anjuna sound since its mainly based off his signature style which is insane.
Anjuna pluck was all Nickey as per Uplifted's thread.
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Remember that Republic of Ireland isnt part of the UK guys....Kearney,JOC etc.
Mosquito
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- May 12, 2024
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It would be very hard to choose 20 or even 10 years ago, but these days I think UK is carrying the torch for trance music. Most of popular Dutch and German producers seem to have moved on from the genre (which is fine, I'm not holding that against them).
That said, there are also lots of great trance producers and even singers from Slavic countries. Poland, Moldova... and, of course, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. People there used to collab a lot (my favorite example is Bobina & Natalie Gioia's track remixed by UCast, representing all 3 countries). Now, however, it's almost impossible to even imagine.
Someone mentioned it being some sort of a "culture thing", and it 100% applies for Slavs. After all, some of the biggest fan communities were (and still are!) in these countries. Armin for sure knows it, Tiesto also knew it (I think). Transmission is still being held in Poland yearly, and there are completely different Trance Mission events still (!) happening twice a year in Russia.
That said, there are also lots of great trance producers and even singers from Slavic countries. Poland, Moldova... and, of course, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. People there used to collab a lot (my favorite example is Bobina & Natalie Gioia's track remixed by UCast, representing all 3 countries). Now, however, it's almost impossible to even imagine.
Someone mentioned it being some sort of a "culture thing", and it 100% applies for Slavs. After all, some of the biggest fan communities were (and still are!) in these countries. Armin for sure knows it, Tiesto also knew it (I think). Transmission is still being held in Poland yearly, and there are completely different Trance Mission events still (!) happening twice a year in Russia.
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