If anyone is interested, Tek-Fox has a new drum 'n' bass set coming on di.fm in a few minutes that will run from 12PM to 2PM (CST). http://www.di.fm/mp3/drumandbass.pls This guy really knows how to throw out the energy in his sets!!!
I used to work with a guy that listened to this stuff constantly. I almost had to kill him. That relentless, synthesized high-hat drove me to the edge of murder.
Me? I'm a 37 year old Honkey Texan. The guy I worked with is Hispanic but wishes he was Euro. He runs this site: http://radio.infusedradio.net/playing.php
I don't consider the dance/trance genre crap. Sure there's a LOT of cheesey stuff (i.e. DJ Sammy and Cascada) but there's good quality stuff like some of the artists already mentioned. I think guys like Oakenfold, Gabriel and Dresden, and Chicane do stuff that ARE dance/trance but they tend to experiment more and produce some unique and good stuff. Check out these albums: Gabriel and Dresden "Legends" Paul Oakenfold "Bunkka" (especially the song "Southern Sun") and "A Lively Mind" Chicane "Easy to Assemble" Also if you have the patience and time, check out Radio 1's Essential Mixes done by Paul Van Dyk, Tiesto, and BT. I honestly rather listen to repetitive dance music than 98% of the crap Rap is billing as "good" right now.
Talking about 'dance' music is like talking about 'rock' music. It's such a large umbrella term for many subgenres which actually don't have much overlap in fans. I listen to drum & bass but I have no clue about techno. I also like deep house but couldn't care less about the other flavors of house. There really is a large difference between many of them. It's like saying I like rock music. Some people think Creed, others Metallica, someone else thinks Gwar, even Radiohead. It's just too broad to generalize. And like any other styles of music, there's plenty of crap that goes along w/ it.
I think trance, at least that is what I consider him. But I don't think he is considered true trance by many who are hardcore about it. Probably because he had some commercial success with "Children" and most trance music is still underground and is not out for commercial success.
Ha, I love me some discussions about Dance/Trance/Techno/Electronic/Whatever. THE MOST SUBJECTIVE niche music ever. (Does "techno" count as the umbrella term? I say techno cuz its so "technical" to people. Don't want to piss the purists off..) Can't always quantify musical sound to others. And a lot techno is pure instrumental lacking any vocal which makes it even harder to convey and convince. Its semi-easy to sense cheesy vocals in a song and knock rating points off it for that. But its too complex to get people to understand the nuances & the crescendos and diminuendos of instrumental trance. And a lot of it is based off "feel" anyways...(err, here I got getting too deep about dance music. Must make me non-masculine.) Anyways... Sorry I couldnt name an actual compilation disk cuz I'm in here wondering the same thing you asked This might be most in line with things I'd suggest. Not too interpretive, not too experimental. Nice well rounded conservative to right-on picks for starters. These are dance/trance SONGS and artists which might get occasional radio play or you'll hear get played in random dance clubs (which I prefer and I'm assuming a starter would prefer in the beginning). Can always add-on and seach for other stuff later. Ya know, (as are a lot of the suggestions in the thread) these selections imo are darn good too. Not too fast, not too girly (though I don't mind "vocal trance" now and then, like the Motorcycle song.) This seems like the same run-on and continuum of the previous list, and I dont know why the HECK those guys were arguing. Dont mind all that stuff, just concentrate on the actual choices. I havent listened to dance/trance in a long long time. It lost its luster on me and I dont go out as much (aka: aging). I heard Gabriel and Dresden a little while back and it about brought me right back in. I think they're very good: G & D - Dangerous Power http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUlMVWPN1BY
Sorry for the continued long-winded response. Another suggestion for songs or artists: http://www.kroq-data.com/afterhours/index.asp He plays weekly every Saturday night on the L.A. rock station and thats his playlist. Generally has very absorbable taste I think. There's blending in of alternative rock mixes and minimalist pop (and the occasional Lily Allen...) More house/electro'd/loungey and not always dancey but it can vary...But its good on the ears (which is his aim) and there can be the quality trance song mixed in
An oldie but goody with Jim Cramer(?!?) mixed in. Funny stuff.... http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comme...ght_here_right_now_bill_poole_no_idea_mix.mp3
