List of trance genres

This is a list of trance music subgenres. Several crossover with other major forms of electronic music.

Subgenre Classifications of Trance
Subgenre Origin Description Notable artists
Acid trance Germany, Belgium and United Kingdom The prevalent early '90s style, sometimes called "first-wave" trance. Characterized by the use of a Roland TB-303 bass machine as the lead synthesizer. Art of Trance, Union Jack, Eternal Basement, Emmanuel Top, Hardfloor, Kai Tracid, Solar Quest, Oliver Lieb, Alex Shelley
Buchiage Trance Japan A subgenre of trance pioneered by Japanese artists that can be identified by heavily melodic, complex, and high-pitched synthlines. Many compositions favor use of one or two line vocal samples as build-ups and fill-ins. Buchiage Trance can be compared to Trance in the same way as Happy Hardcore is to that of the Hardcore genre. It is mainly more uplifting and high energy than original Trance. Overhead Champion, Shohei Mastsumoto, DJ Ten, Delaction
Conscious Trance Germany, United Kingdom Since the early nineties, establishing its mark within the Underground scene, Conscious Trance can include any subgenre of Trance. In addition to positive frequencies, the main elements are informative messages and innovative paradigms, mirroring the present Zeitgeist. Datura, Marco V, The Shamen, taQuion74, U.S.U.R.A.
Dream trance Italy A variety of epic trance popularized by Robert Miles in the mid-'90s which is highly melodic. Very often it features soothing piano riffs and a very progressive slow to fast pace melody. DJ Dado, Robert Miles, The Cynic Project, Zhi-Vago, DJ Contacreast, Moa Zoozin, DJ Splash, DJ Samy, DJ Mystic, DJ Harmonics, Cody Sorenson
Electrotrance United Kingdom Electro-Trance is the hybrid of electro-house and trance music. This is usually based on a 4/4 beat signature at a 128-135 BPM. It includes gentle, soothing pads mixed with high-powered electro-house beats and bass. Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Gareth Emery
Eurotrance Europe; mainly in Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Belgium, UK and Japan Euro Trance is a hybrid of Dream trance, Progressive trance, Hard trance and Eurodance music incorporating hardstyle bass drums and trance elements. It is closely related to uplifting trance. The trance synths at times can sound like techno hoovers with trancey effects and strings backing it up. The vocals are often pitched up for the most part, but sometimes they can be heard as in normal pitch range. This is often confused as vocal trance because of its use of vocals. The lyrical content is usually primitive, containing an introduction to the song with usually no or little drums, and often includes renderings of classic Happy hardcore anthems or melodies. Also some of the middle '90s Happy Hardcore producers started to produce tracks in this style. Jan Wayne, Milk Inc., Special D., Marko Albrecht, Pulsedriver, Cascada, Alice DeeJay, DJ Manian, Insomnia, Tune Up!, Basshunter, Yuzo Koshiro.
Futurepop Norway, Germany, United Kingdom, United States and Canada A fusion of mainly Electronic body music and Anthem Trance. This music has a cold, dark feel to it, while having grandiose synth melodies and general more trancey sound than EBM. Lyrics have a more prominent place in Futurepop than most other types of trance, and tend to be about love, hate, human emotions and global issues. VNV Nation, Icon of Coil, Angels and Agony, Apoptygma Berzerk, Covenant, Assemblage 23
Goa trance Goa, India A complex, melodic form of trance named for Goa, India, and originating in the early '90s. Often uses Raga. The style has been developed by musicians from many countries, and is now generally referred to as Psychedelic trance, which is discussed below. Yahel Sherman, The Infinity Project, Transwave, Man With No Name, Infected Mushroom, Astral Projection, Goa Gil, Juno Reactor, Message From God, Trilithon
Hard trance Germany Aggressive and slower trance sound, originating in Frankfurt, and including influences from hardcore. This style arguably began around 1993 and peaked in popularity in the late '90s. Kai Tracid, Gary D., Yoji Biomehanika, Lisa Lashes, Trance Generators, Flutlicht, Mat Silver & Tony Burt, DuMonde, Jones & Stephenson, Yves Deruyter, Cosmic Gate, Mauro Picotto, Sunburst, DJ Scot Project, Jon The Baptist, System D
Ibiza Trance a.k.a. Balearic beat, Balearic trance Spain This style has been influenced by various relaxed music genres, especially linked to Ibiza's chill-out style of life paralleled with the huge rave scene that is present in the islands. Very melodic and mellow, sometimes with ethnic features, and it often samples seaside elements like seagulls and ocean waves. It relies more heavily on guitar than other trance genres. It also include danceable uptempo songs featuring syncopated or Latin rhythms. Café del Mar, Chicane, Energy 52, Imagination, Miromusic, Roger Shah, Salt Tank, York, Moa Zoozin
Neo-trance Germany and Denmark Neo-trance is new genre that arrived in the vernacular to describe the recent developments towards more minimalist trance. Kyau & Albert, Gui Boratto, Trentemøller, James Holden, Nathan Fake, Dominik Eulberg
Psychedelic trance Goa, India A kind of trance that was developed in the late '90s and grew from Goa trance culture of India. While it retains strong cultural ties to India, the term has come to refer generally to the music and style of culture associated with it, which is now found in many countries. One defining feature of this genre is the use of a lot of spontaneous sounds and samples. However the range of styles is quite broad, and it has several subgenres of its own, listed below. 1200 Micrograms, Infected Mushroom, Astral Projection, GMS, Son Kite, Skazi, Hallucinogen, Astrix, Sharigrama.
Full on Israel Full on or "Melodic psytrance" draws its main influences from more radio-friendly genres such as uplifting trance (Nitzhonot and vocal trance) and electro house, futuristic melodies, occasional electric guitar performances and usage of vocals. Astrix, Vibe Tribe, Kali, Sesto Sento, Puzzle, Talamasca, Frozen Ghost, Slug
Suomisaundi Finland A style of freeform psychedelic trance Eraser vs Yöjalka, Luomuhappo, Salakavala, Shiwa 2000
Tech trance Germany A merge of Techno and Trance, Tech Trance appeared in the mid-'90s. Usually Tech Trance tunes consist of non-changeable bassline, loud drums and percussion and mostly ambient pads. Oliver Lieb, Humate, Sander van Doorn, Jesselyn, Megamind, Ernesto vs Bastian
Uplifting Trance a.k.a. Anthem trance, Epic Trance Germany Popular style of commercialized trance that emerged in the wake of progressive and acid trance in the late '90s and is sometimes called "second-wave trance". Andy Blueman, Nitrous Oxide, Super8 & Tab, Ferry Tayle, Dan Stone, System F, Gouryella, Carlo Resoort, Ayla, Paul van Dyk, Armin van Buuren, Above & Beyond, ATB, DJ Tandu, Neo & Farina, Blank & Jones, Marco V, Matt Darey, Filo & Peri, Daniel Kandi, Digital United, Sean Tyas, Airscape,Moa Zoozin, EX-PLOSION, Darude, Tiesto, Vincent de Moor, Airbase, Aly & Fila, Cascade, Sash!, The Thrillseekers, Fanatic Emotions, Blue Tente, Talla 2XLC, Jorn van Deynhoven, Arctic Moon, Sunny Lax
Vocal trance also Uplifting Trance involved Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, and United Kingdom Broad term referring to trance with a full set of lyrics, which may or may not be any of the above genres (Uplifting, and epic trance often have vocals). Often an artist will borrow a singer's talents as opposed to the singer himself or herself, or sample from/remix more traditional pop music. Note that there is some debate as to where the divide lies between vocal trance and Eurohouse. Gareth Emery, Astroline, Nadia Ali, Dash Berlin, Dance Nation, 4 Strings, Lange, Ian Van Dahl, Above & Beyond, Fragma, Lost Witness, Armin van Buuren, OceanLab, Chicane, Lasgo, Faithless, Ayumi Hamasaki (remix albums), Sylver, ATB, DJ Encore, DJ Sammy, Santamaria, Do, Delerium, Angel City, Jessy De Smet and Paul van Dyk.
Trance-Fusion United States A subgenre of the jam band movement that blends such musical styles as rock, jazz, funk, and electronica. It consists primarily of instrumental music. The terms Jamtronica and Livetronica are also used to refer to this style of music. Disco Biscuits, The New Deal, Lake Trout, Brothers Past, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Lotus, Particle, Holy Fuck, Future Rock, EOTO, Pnuma Trio

References