Acid House: Contains a combination of lyrics, acid sounds, groovy bass lines and oscillating synewaves. Developed its name from the high-pitched analog noises that sounded better while taking LSD.

Acid: Variant of Acid House that combines harsher frequencies, more complex sequences and faster tempos. Like its predecessor, named after drugs.

Bigbeat: Phat, phunky, jazzy mish-mash reminiscent of Fatboy Slim’s music.

Made up of heavy beats that include, jazzy horns, happy, bouncy vocals and guitar. Fusion of hardcore techno style with attitude, with jazz, blues and funk.

Gabba: Has a minimum 190 beats per minute, a very abusive sound, and guitars sampled from ‘80s metal bands.

Happy Hardcore: U.K.-oriented with happier melodies, fluffier vocals and catchy lines.

Techno: Thrives on layers of complex percussion rather than traditional patterns. Uses raw analog sounds from old synthesizer brands combined with digital synthesizers. Usually has a wide variety of samples, anywhere from bleeps to piano riffs.

Trance: The elements of trance are multi-layered, with repetitive melodies and sweeping sounds, creating an overall soothing, warm or hypnotic feel. Very musically orientated, with more melodies and sounds than other styles.

Trip Hop: A blend of Drum 'n' Bass, Ambient, Lounge, Hip Hop and Dub. It is atmospheric, loungy and chic, with minimal groove.

Click on the genres above for more information.

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Original graphic by TIMOTHY NGO and SEAN WATERS/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Web adaptation by STEPHEN WONG/Daily Bruin Senior Staff   BRIDGET O'BRIEN/Daily Bruin Senior Staff

By Kenny Chang

Daily Bruin Contributor



With his anthem “Don’t stop,” ATB established the resounding fact that trance is here, people love it, and it will not stop.

Within the past few years, trance music has emerged and proliferated throughout the rave scene and on college campuses everywhere.

An international phenomenon, trance has roots in several countries, ranging from the United States to Germany, England, and even India and Israel. Though its exact origin is the subject of constant debate between the U.S. and U.K., trance did emerge from the blending of New Wave, techno and the psychedelic music of the ’70s. This resulted in its current form: a whole new style of music containing multiple layers of sound revolving around a steady bass beat.

Trance music, a subgenre of electronica, is produced with a combination of digital and analog synthesizers. Digital synthesizers came about in the 1980s and were favored over established analog synthesizers for their ease of use and ability to prerecord melodies. The downfall of the digital synthesizer, however, is that it does not give the performer much to do in a concert setting.

The notes in digital synthesizers are not actually played in real time. When using an analog synthesizer, the performer produces the tones as they are playing. However, with complex melodies and several layers of instruments, a digital synthesizer can be much more convenient. The world of trance includes the use of both, allowing for the established background music of the digital synthesizer, and the real-time improvisational tools of the analog.

Apparently, this complex instrumentation is having an astounding effect on the public, contributing to its great popularity.

“Trance is very religious – when I play it, it’s got people on the dance floor, and gets to them emotionally,” said Elyas Peshtaz, a.k.a. DJ Yasz, from Seattle’s “The Loft.” “For me, I’ll come home, put it on, and it just takes me away.”

Unfortunately, it is this state of emotional involvement and relaxation that brings to mind the drug use associated with the rave culture, of which trance is so significant a part.

“(Ecstasy) has set the demise for a lot of people and good parties. I do think trance and Ecstasy go hand in hand. But it should be primarily about the music, not about drugs,” said drum ’n’ bass producer Neb Scott, a.k.a. Spekdrum.

DJ Lithium, a DJ for a Canada-based Internet trance radio station, agreed with Spekdrum: “There will always be drugs in those scenes, but Ecstasy has done more damage than it has done good. It’s completely about the music. If somebody says ‘well, you can’t enjoy the music (without drugs),’ then they’re lying to you.”

Another issue that arises with trance music is the qualms some have about its repetitiveness. As trance is primarily based around a constant bass beat and recurring melody with only slight variations, these claims are not entirely unreasonable.

“It is repetitive, because it is repetitive for a reason. That’s why it’s called trance. The music, period, is based on rhythm. That’s why it doesn’t have to be constantly changing,” said Spekdrum.

“All of this music is on the repetitive side and the reason for that is simple: we are cyclic beings,” said DJ Lithium. “We understand repetition in nature. If it was all random chaos, then there would be no rhythm or flow to anything. If anyone says, ‘Oh it’s repetitive, it’s the same thing over and over again,’ they obviously don’t understand what they’re listening to at home.”

Regardless of the drug correlation or repetitiveness, trance is flourishing as a major part of modern culture. It is already instilled in much of the current college generation, and through constant evolution, it has created further subgenres of its own. And as history has shown with trance, these subgenres will likely someday split into further classifications of music.

As trance is an art form and open to interpretation, opinions will always differ on it. Some people may like it, some people may hate it, and some people may do drugs while listening to it. The only aspect of trance as definite as its constant beat is this: it is a formidable part of modern music and modern society, and it has carved a deep niche in electronica. In other words, it hasn’t stopped.