Ibiza Trance
Warm, melodic trance with guitars and sea sounds, linked to Ibiza.
History
Ibiza trance, also called Balearic trance, mixes trance with the relaxed, sunny sound of the island of Ibiza s1. It grew out of the Balearic beat style played by DJ Jose Padilla at the Cafe del Mar club s1. Padilla was the resident there from 1991 s1. The Cafe del Mar mix albums, which began in 1994, spread the sound around the world s1. Balearic trance uses warm pads, Spanish guitars and sounds of the sea s1. The music is usually a little slower than other trance s2. German producer York sold many copies of 'The Awakening' in 1997 s1. Solarstone released 'Seven Cities' in 1999 s1. Three Drives released 'Greece 2000' in 1998 s1. Chicane's 'Offshore' and Nalin & Kane's 'Beachball' were also big records of the time s1. The year 1999 was called 'the year of trance' because the sound was so popular s1. Superclubs on Ibiza hosted large trance nights s1. The style lost some popularity after 2000, but chillout versions are still played at beach bars s1.
Sound
- Spanish guitar melodies
- Sounds of the sea and seagulls
- Warm, wide pads
- A relaxed, sunny mood
- A slightly slower beat than other trance
Key figures
- Jose Padilla — DJ who popularised the Balearic sound at Cafe del Mar
- Solarstone — British producer behind 'Seven Cities'
- Chicane — British act behind 'Offshore'
- York — German act behind 'The Awakening'
Labels
- Cafe del Mar Music — Ibiza , 1999
- Hooj Choons — London , 1991
- Xtravaganza Recordings — London , 1995
Defining tracks
Connections
Sources
- In search of sunrise: a history of Balearic trance — DJ Mag (2021)
- List of trance genres — Wikipedia