Acid Trance

Acid trance is a style of trance music that emerged in the late '80s early '90s focusing on utilising the acid sound. The trademark sound of "acid" is produced with a Roland TB-303 by playing a sequenced melody while altering the instrument's filter cutoff frequency, resonance, envelope modulation, and accent controls. This real-time tone adjustment was not part of the instrument's original intended operation. Acid trance is the best known form of trance music in Belgium. The form was first showcased at the popular Antwerp Rave 24 in Belgium, and has created four national number one singles in the country since.

Acid trance may be considered a descendant of acid house, since the genre of trance had not yet been invented during the advent of acid house (or acidhouse).

The first volumes of Trancemaster compilations contains a few tracks in acid trance style, just as classic trance tracks. The difference is, while acid trance tracks focus more on the changing TB-303 lines, classic trance (e.g. Dance 2 Trance, Cosmic Baby, Age of Love and Jam & Spoon) tracks are more atmospheric, they use "softer" synth-lines, often stings and other ambient music elements. The line between these two styles is quite blurred, they also emerged about the same time.

Notable artists: Emmanual Top, Art of Trance, Union Jack, Spicelab, Superspy, Laurent Garnier, Kai Tracid, Solar Quest

V.A. - X-Mix-1 - The MFS Trip Mixed by Paul van Dyk

Label: Le Petit Prince (Germany)
Year Released: 1994
Rating: 5/5


TRACKLISTING

1. Alien Nation - Intro
   
2. Gemini 6 - Skysoaring
   
3. True Love - Breath of Stars
4. Effective Force - Diamond Bullet
5. Cosmic Baby - Oh, Supergirl
6. Microglobe - High on Hope
7. Voov - Strobe Light
8. Futurhythm - Transmatic
9. Cosmic Baby - The Space Track
10. Humate - Love Stimulation (Paul van Dyk's Lovemix)
11. Cosmic Baby - Heaven's Tears
12. The Vision of Shiva - How Much Can You Take
    

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Paul van Dyk's first released compilation.

Emmanuel Top - Turkish Bazar (LP)

Label: Le Petit Prince (Germany)
Year Released: 1994
Rating: 5/5


TRACKLISTING

1. Turkish Bazar (Original) (6:28)
2. Cosmic Event (5:38)
3. Turkish Bazar (Acrid Abeyance Mix) (8:20)
4. Turkish Bazar (Mo-Tune Mix) (7:26)
5. Equilibrism (4:52)
   
   
   

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Emmanuel Top's biggest hit until date. The tune is over 15 years old but is still played in many clubs worldwide and gets remixed. An acid trance classic.

Superspy - Supernatural EP

Label: Superstition (Germany)
Year Released: 1997
Rating: 5/5


TRACKLISTING

1. Supernatural (Single) (3:52)
   
2. Supernatural V1 (7:14)
   
3. Sumo V2 (7:08)
   
4. Supernatural V2 (7:15)
   
5. Sumo V1 (7:37)
   
   
   

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Mind-blowing hard trance tunes by Oliver Lieb

V.A. - Classics of Superstition Year 1 (2CD)

Label: Superstition (Germany)
Year Released: 1996
Rating: 5/5


TRACKLISTING

1. Paragliders - Paraglide (Blue Sky Mix) (12:15)
2. L.S.G. - Fragile (Pascal F.E.O.S Mix) (8:15)
3. Paragliders - Bagdad (6:37)
4. Azid Force - Brainkiller Remix (7:00)
5. Mijk's Magic Marble Box - Spring (The Wildlife) (5:55)
6. Marmion - Shonenberg (6:26)
7. Jens - Loops & Tings (5:55)
8. Jens - Psycho Strings (5:17)
9. Velocity - Lust (Rabbit In The Moon Remix) (10:01)
10. Mijk's Magic Marble Box - Autumn (Personal Generator) (7:50)
11. L.S.G. - L.S.G. (8:30)
12. Azid Force - Break Attack (6:16)
13. Marmion - The Secret Plant (5:09)
14. Paragliders - Paraglide (Mijk Van Dijk Remix) (8:50)
15. Marmion - Marmion's Island (4:02)
16. Velocity - Room (6:33)
17. Jens - Hook (5:44)
18. Synful Dyme - Pin Pac (8:03)
19. L.S.G. - Fragile (Gravity Fools The Magician Remix) (9:34)

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Download Part 2

Keeps you on the edge of your seat from the begining to the end.

L.S.G. - Volume Two

Label: Superstition (Germany)
Year Released: 1996
Rating: 4/5


TRACKLISTING

1. Can U Hear Me? (3:54)
2. Hear My Voice (3:40)
3. Novastorm (7:48)
4. Get Out (5:48)
5. Lectrolyte (8:20)
6. Microfish (2:46)
7. Netherworld (11:00)
8. Freak Me (6:36)
9. Firefly (12:17)
10. Centurion (11:01)
    

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L.S.G. - Rendevous in Outerspace

Label: Superstition (Germany)
Year Released: 1995
Rating: 4,5/5


TRACKLISTING

1. Wrong Time ... Wrong Place (9:50)
2. Lonely Casseopaya (3:56)
3. My Time Is Yours (5:53)
4. Can You See The Yellow Turtles (5:40)
5. Miss Understanding (2:42)
6. Sweet Gravity (4:43)
7. Sweet G (#2) (2:43)
8. The Hidden Sun Of Venus (5:05)
9. Lunar Orbit (2:27)
10. Everything Is ... (2:18)
11. Enter - Paradise (7:02)
12. Fontana (8:17)
13.  Reprise (1:43)

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For an idea of where trance stood before the great 'progressive' boom took over, look no further than this release. This album may be nine years old (as of this writing) but it still sounds amazingly fresh. 

Tracks like 'Lonely Casseopaya', 'Enter - Paradise', 'Can You See The Yellow Turtles', and 'Fontana' fly with the same brilliant, melodic soundscapes Oliver Lieb has been known to utilize throughout many of his productions, none of which fall into tired cliche that would sadly begin to dominate trance in later years. 

The more rhythm orientated tracks such as 'My Time Is Yours' and 'Sweet Gravity' are certain to keep dancefloors filled with their infectious hooks.