To a significant extent, the American trance scene evolved inside its own bubble. Ocean-crossing breakout acts were rare, which gave the scene space to develop a distinct sound and identity – one that was driving yet linear, progressive, more tribal, and less focused on the melodic elements that dominated the European landscape. Over time, certain elements of the sound were adapted to suit the unique demands of the legendary U.S. desert raves in Arizona, Nevada, and California. In its formative years especially, American trance also leaned toward the experimental, which is where “Hypnotised: A Journey Through American Trance Music” begins its story.
On his way to becoming a housemaster, Dennis ‘Aurasphere’ Ferrer’s trippy, near beatless “The Greenhouse Effect” literally came by way of NYC’s EXperimental label. Around that same time, the IST label’s Orb-answering “Dark Black Ominous Clouds” and “Carousel” (from Disintegrator and Koenig Cylinders respectively) sonically carried the comet trail signatures of New York’s early nineties rave sound. Through the works of Rabbit In The Moon, Florida also made a big early impression on the scene. Released through their Tampa-based Hallucination label, “O.B.E (Out-Of-Body Experience)” was a blissfully tripped out, sun-bleached stare-at-the-sky number, which was hammered afterhours by Sasha, in turn bringing R.I.T.M. to international attention.
1997’s “Heart Sequences” by Aquarhythms marked the integration of other key stylistic elements into the American sound. Released on California’s Astralwerks, a label known for favoring ambient and electronica-tinged aspect, it introduced a transitory shift toward more textured productions. Perhaps the most internationally impactful force at the time, however, was the trio of Neil Kolo, Chris Fortier, and the Fade label. Their distinctively harmonic, progressive-trance approach found receptive audiences across Europe. By way of the ethnic chants of Kolo’s “Track One” Steve Porter’s sleek “Adaptor” and Fade’s racing, “The Love,” “Hypnotised: America” showcases three of their finest pieces. From Florida’s Fade, the album moves on to Arizona’s Plastik Records, and the debut of Markus Schulz – with the halcyon, breakbeat-struck desert rave classic “You Won’t See Me Cry.” It features alongside Vertigo Deluxe’s blissed out “In Dark Skies” and Hyper-X’s significantly more stomping “Out There.”
There is some irony that the North American scene rolled deeper than some other countries yet produced (in Delerium’s “Silence”) arguably the entire global scene’s single most recognizable moment. As it reaches its third disc, “Hypnotised: America” celebrates Nettwerk America, who alongside “Silence” (featured here in its original 11+ minute Fade form), also fielded BT & Kirsty Hawkshaw‘s “Dreaming” and Conjure One’s haunting collaboration with Sinéad O’Connor, “Tears From The Moon.” Resettling back on the West Coast, LA’s Fragrant label gifts the compilation not only the acid bubble of Sandra Collins’s “Red,” but also Deepsky’s propellant “Stargazer.” The release wraps up with the Dream Music stable, which hit big out of the gate with the revered “Time” (that so memorably opened Paul Oakenfold’s revered “Tranceport” mix-comp). It’s included along with Sylvane’s harmonically journeying “Voices” and Mike Olson’s Guardians of the Earth debut, “Starchildren.”
Through one album, nine labels and twenty-seven tracks, “Hypnotised: America” combines buried treasures with some of the genre’s most iconic works. A must for collectors, genre adherents and crate diggers alike, it’s released on May 16 through Black Hole Recordings. [blackhole.lnk.to/Hypnotisedusa]
Tracklist: Hypnotised: A Journey Through American Trance Music (1992 – 2002)
CD 01 – EXperimental / Hallucination / IST
01. Aurasphere – The Greenhouse Effect
02. Symphony Of Love – Quantum Leap
03. Bio-Dreams – Dream Sequence 1
04. Rabbit In The Moon – O.B.E (Out-Of-Body Experience)
05. Second Hand Satellites – Orbit 1.3
06. Hazed – Percussion
07. Lenny Dee featuring DJ Micalizzi – I Have No Love
08. Disintegrator – Dark Black Ominous Clouds
09. Koenig Cylinders – Carousel
CD 02 – Astralwerks / Fade / Plastik
01. Lida Husik & Beaumont Hannant – Textured
02. Aquarhythms – Heart Sequences
03. Spacetime Continuum – Freelon
04. Kolo – Track One (Original Transmission Mix)
05. Steve Porter – Adaptor
06. Chris Fortier and Neil Kolo pres. Fade featuring Dauby – The Love (Sanctuary Dub)
07. Hyper-X – Out There
08. Markus Schulz – You Won’t See Me Cry
09. Vertigo Deluxe featuring Margeaux Fernandez – In Dark Skies
CD 03 – Nettwerk America / Fragrant / Dream Music
01. Conjure One featuring Sinéad O’Connor – Tears From The Moon
02. Delerium featuring Sarah McLachlan – Silence (Sanctuary Mix)
03. BT featuring Kirsty Hawkshaw – Dreaming
04. Pure Nova – Pure Elements
05. Sandra Collins – Red
06. Deepsky – Stargazer
07. Sylvane – Voices
08. Dream Traveler – Time
09. Guardians of the Earth – Starchildren
