Soundwaves
DJ Chris Cox, DJ Dave Dresden
DJ Chris Cox |
DJ Dave Dresden |
What, precisely, is trance? Or progressive? It’s hard to keep apart the ever-mutating sub-genres of dance music. An avid clubgoer may like trance yet not even know it by name. Even a devoted connoisseur would be hard-pressed to put into words the difference between trance and electronica or house and techno — especially when DJs push boundaries and blur distinctions.
And so we find Daft Punk’s “One More Time” kicking off a compilation album said to feature the “absolute biggest trance hits.” To further confuse us, this compilation, Provocative Trance, comes from Thunderpuss’s DJ Chris Cox, known for neither trance nor electronica, the sections where Daft Punk is most commonly parked at ye olde neighborhood record shoppe. Anyway, what’s Daft Punk’s big hit from early last year doing on a brand-new compilation? It’s one thing to program “old” songs on a disc that have rarely if ever seen the commercial market before. But Daft Punk’s has, of course, as has Gigi D’Agostino’s “I’ll Fly with You” and Delerium’s “Silence,” featuring Sarah Maclachlan. Been there, heard those years ago. Next. Even this summer’s biggest Billboard-pop chart dance hit, “Heaven,” while not old, is very near overexposed.
Perhaps since he’s not clear on it himself, or he aims to be
provocative, Cox sidesteps the difficult task of trying to define trance, the smooth, pretty, emotive, loopy sound most associated with raves, teenagers and illicit drugs. Trance can be a thrilling roller-coaster ride for anyone, of any age and any condition if given a chance. And people are increasingly chancing trance: Tranceheads are worried that the music is losing its uniqueness, its reason for being, as it becomes mainstream, merging with other dance styles. In many respects, this compilation confirms their fears. Maybe trance is effectively dead, reincarnated as progressive. Ah, but what’s that?
A press release issued with both Cox’s CD and a sister compilation, Provocative Progressive, identifies trance and progressive as “European-flavored dance music.” Yeah, that clears it up. Thanks for trying. Based on the Progressive album, mixed by Dave Dresden (of Gabriel & Dresden), progressive seems to be a cutting-edge, contrarian and, yes, Euro-influenced variant of house, all done up in a trance-y, atmospheric sort of way. Got that? Where most house CDs begin and end with bombast, Provocative Progressive opens with leisurely held, heavenly organ notes accompanied by darting space sounds, and closes just as quietly. Most house CDs juggle sounds sweet and sassy in dramatic fits and starts, but this one strikes an even-keel, measured-pleasure tone throughout, not unlike “traditional” trance.
The taut, ’80s post-punk synthesized sounds of New Order are all over this CD, though only directly represented once, with last year’s hit “Someone Like You.” But the omnipresent Felix da Housecat has clearly emulated New Order in creating his, hmm, progressive style. From its marvelous remixes sprinkled throughout here, the remixing duo Gabriel & Dresden is clearly the pacesetter of progressive. The duo is worthy of far wider acclaim than it’s had thus far. If this is the sound of the future, as its spacey effects seem to suggest, we better wear shades.
Provocative Music is a new dance-record label founded by the aforementioned Cox and Jeff Johnson. Because of Cox’s track record, and because of the phenomenal Provocative Progressive album, future offerings from the label are to be eagerly anticipated. Let’s hope they signed Dresden to a multiple-release contract. And they avoid “trance” altogether; it’s just too provocative.
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