Hypnotised: A Journey Through Trance

For some, trance music may feel like a pretty recent genre, but, at this point, the world of trance, as well as the wider world of EDM, has been around for decades. In that time, it’s been through all kinds of changes and styles, from progressive to euro to psychedelic, and the list keeps growing.

With new generations being introduced to the addictive sound of EDM, we’re beginning to see several attempts to plot the genre’s history. Not so long ago, we had a look at MOMEM–an exciting project in Frankfurt to build an EDM museum–and now it seems Trance music is going to its moment in the spotlight.

So what will this encyclopedia of trance contain?
Arjan Rietveld has painstakingly assembled a 322-page history/discography, delving deep into hundreds of tracks, their influence on the genre, and the artists who made them. The book will feature artists like Paul Van Dyk, DJ Tiësto, Ferry Corsten, and many more. That being said, the book will focus exclusively on music put out between 1990 and 2005.

Why only cover those fifteen years?
Well, the fact is that there’s a lot to cover. In the early ‘90s, trance music was developed by artists wishing to engender a trance-like state in listeners. Though a distinct movement, the genre was born out of various influences, including ambient, house, German techno, and British new wave, to name just a few. The key was to take these styles and create something that would, in essence, hypnotize the listener. In that time, there was a vast variety of exploration and experimentation happening within the medium from countless artists.

In short, the book is a highly detailed archive of everything trance during the most influential period of the genre’s history. To move beyond that scope and look at modern developments in the same level of detail would probably require another book.

Alongside the book, Black Hole Recordings are releasing a 3LP album, bringing together the very best in Dutch trance music. The album will include tracks from Mark Otten, Stray Dog, Kid Vicious, and several extended tracks and remixes.

Even artists included in the book have sung its praises, with Armin van Buuren saying:

”Most don’t know that the power of repetition was already understood by classical musicians. Their works can warp you into a trance-like state. Trance was built on those same principles, and its influence on popular music has been widespread ever since. Although I am lucky enough to be part of trance since the late nineties, I still learned a great deal from this book.”

Ferry Corsten described the book as “a fantastic read that will most definitely raise eyebrows.”

The music industry has changed a lot since 2005, largely thanks to the internet. In the world of streaming platforms, where it’s easier than ever for independent creators to record and put out their music, the pace of change can be a million miles per hour. It’s a fascinating time to be alive, but equally, it’s a time when books like this are needed more than ever before. They give us a chance to look back on where our music came from and how we got where we are today.

If you’d like to pick up a copy of Arjan Rietveld’s Hypnotised: A Journey Through Trance, or its accompanying album, then head on over to Mary Go Wild and learn all about the history of the genre you love.