It probably goes without saying, but choosing the top trance albums of all time is an extremely difficult task. Trance is a genre that has evolved significantly since the 1990’s, and we have seen so many styles and subgenres emerge. Needless to say, your favorite trance albums may be different from mine, depending on the style of trance you prefer. Regardless, below are arguably some of the best trance albums of all time to add to your collection. Whether you’ve been listening to trance since its birth or are just beginning to explore the genre, these albums are great representations of trance music.
Chicane – Far From the Maddening Crowds
Nicholas Bracegirdle, AKA Chicane, is an English composer, songwriter, musician, and producer who is considered one of the most influential artists in trance music. Chicane’s debut album, Far From the Maddening Crowds, was released in 1997 and received rave reviews from the trance community.
| Number | Title | Length |
| 1 | “Early” | 4:17 |
| 2 | “Already There” | 2:55 |
| 3 | “Offshore” (Original) | 6:45 |
| 4 | “Lost You Somewhere” | 8:26 |
| 5 | “From Blue to Green” | 5:51 |
| 6 | “Sunstroke” (Disco Citizens) | 9:06 |
| 7 | “Leaving Town” (featuring Salt Tank) | 5:58 |
| 8 | “Red Skies” | 7:35 |
| 9 | “Sunstroke” (Original) | 6:18 |
| 10 | “Offshore ’97” (with Power Circle) | 9:12 |
| 11 | “The Drive Home” | 6:06 |
OceanLab – Sirens of the Sea
Above & Beyond partnered with singer/songwriter Justine Suissa in this side project to create OceaLab’s Sirens of the Sea album. The album came out in 2008 and is pure bliss. Sirens of the Sea is pretty downtempo and packed full of Justine Suissa’s mesmerizing vocals. It’s a great listen for when you’re trying to unwind and looking for something relaxing.
| Number | Title | Length |
| 1 | “Just Listen” | 3:50 |
| 2 | “Sirens of the Sea” | 5:56 |
| 3 | “If I Could Fly” | 5:09 |
| 4 | “Breaking Ties” | 5:14 |
| 5 | “Miracle” | 6:43 |
| 6 | “Come Home” | 4:33 |
| 7 | “On a Good Day” | 5:57 |
| 8 | “Ashes” | 6:30 |
| 9 | “I Am What I Am” | 4:46 |
| 10 | “Lonely Girl” | 5:32 |
| 11 | “Secret” | 5:20 |
| 12 | “On the Beach” | 4:45 |
| 13 | “Breaking Ties” | 6:11 |
Ferry Corsten – Twice in a Blue Moon
Legendary Dutch trance producer, Ferry Corsten, released his Twice in a Blue Moon album in 2008. Several events in Corsten’s life, notably the birth of his daughter Gabriella, served as inspiration for the album. The name of the album was inspired by a rose called “Twice in a Blue Moon” that Corsten saw in a television show on flowers. Corsten was aware that the phrase “once in a blue moon” refers to rare occurrences. He said that he thought the title was appropriate in light of the birth of his baby daughter and the affection of his wife. Corsten thought the love between these two people was so unique that the title “Twice in a Blue Moon” seemed suitable.
| Number | Title | Length |
| 1 | “Shelter Me” | 5:49 |
| 2 | “Black Velvet” (feat. Julia Messenger) | 5:43 |
| 3 | “We Belong” (feat. Maria Nayler) | 7:58 |
| 4 | “Gabriella’s Sky” | 7:03 |
| 5 | “Made of Love” (feat. Betsie Larkin) | 8:58 |
| 6 | “Radio Crash” | 7:20 |
| 7 | “Twice in a Blue Moon” | 7:32 |
| 8 | “Feel You” (feat. Betsie Larkin) | 5:17 |
| 9 | “Life” (feat. Ben Cullum) | 6:15 |
| 10 | “Brain Box” | 8:10 |
| 11 | “Shanti” | 7:06 |
| 12 | “Visions of Blue” | 2:11 |
Tiësto – Elements of Life
Tiësto, whose real name is Tijs Michiel Verwest, is a Dutch DJ and producer who is widely considered the pioneer behind the EDM movement. He is sometimes even referred to as the “Godfather of EDM.” Tiësto has been DJ’ing since the very young age of 14, and has since been awarded countless accolades and has become what many consider one of the best DJs in the world.
Speaking of Tiësto’s success, his “Elements of Life” album was released in 2007 and is regarded as one of the most iconic albums in trance music. When “Elements of Life” was released, it received tons of praise from both critics and listeners, solidifying Tiesto’s position as one of the best DJ’s and producers in the electronic music industry. The album is still regarded as a revered trance music classic and a showcase for his talent and originality.
| Number | Title | Length |
| 1 | “Ten Seconds Before Sunrise” | 7:31 |
| 2 | “Everything” (featuring JES) | 7:01 |
| 3 | “Do You Feel Me” (featuring Julie Thompson) | 6:03 |
| 4 | “Carpe Noctum” | 7:03 |
| 5 | “Driving to Heaven” | 4:42 |
| 6 | “Sweet Things” (featuring Charlotte Martin) | 5:42 |
| 7 | “Bright Morningstar” | 8:19 |
| 8 | “Break My Fall” (featuring BT) | 7:14 |
| 9 | “In the Dark” (featuring Christian Burns) | 4:36 |
| 10 | “dance4life” (featuring Maxi Jazz) | 5:22 |
| 11 | “Elements of Life” | 8:25 |
| 12 | “He’s a Pirate” (Tiësto Remix) (bonus track) | 7:01 |
Above & Beyond – Tri-State
Now let’s turn our attention to an album that I’ve listened to countless times but never get sick of: Tri-State by Above & Beyond. Above & Beyone released “Tri-State” in 2006, and it nothing short of a masterpiece. The album features vocals from Richard Bedford, Zoe Johnston, Hannah Thomas, and a collaboration with Andy Moor. Tri-State is a great listen for new and long-time trance fans and will take you on a beautiful, emotional journey.
| Number | Title | Length |
| 1 | “Tri-State” | 4:11 |
| 2 | “Stealing Time” | 7:11 |
| 3 | “World on Fire” | 4:43 |
| 4 | “Air For Life” (with Andy Moor) | 7:27 |
| 5 | “Can’t Sleep” | 7:23 |
| 6 | “Hope” | 4:28 |
| 7 | “Liquid Love” | 6:42 |
| 8 | “In the Past” | 2:30 |
| 9 | “Alone Tonight” | 6:22 |
| 10 | “Good For Me” | 5:40 |
| 11 | “For All I Care” | 5:50 |
| 12 | “Indonesia” | 5:01 |
| 13 | “Home” | 7:11 |
Paul van Dyk – Reflections
Matthias Paul, professionally known as Paul van Dyk (or PvD), is a globally acclaimed producer and DJ from Eisenhuettenstadt, East Germany. His album, “Reflections,” was released in October 2003 and received a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Dance/Electronica Album category. If you’re looking for some variety, this album is for you. “Reflections” features progressive trance, uplifting trance, and both female and male vocals.
|
Number |
Title |
Length |
|
1 |
“Crush” (featuring Second Sun) |
7:46 |
|
2 |
“Time of Our Lives” (featuring Vega4) |
4:23 |
|
3 |
“Like a Friend” (featuring Jan Johnston) |
3:54 |
|
4 |
“Reflections” |
7:27 |
|
5 |
“Nothing But You” (featuring Hemstock & Jennings) |
6:57 |
|
6 |
“Buenaventura” |
8:28 |
|
7 |
“Homage” (featuring Jan Johnston) |
3:44 |
|
8 |
“Never Forget” (featuring Stinka) |
5:26 |
|
9 |
“Knowledge” (featuring Atomek Dogg and Trooper da Don) |
4:03 |
|
10 |
“That’s Life” |
4:05 |
|
11 |
“Connected“ |
6:35 |
|
12 |
“Spellbound” (featuring Jan Johnston) |
4:42 |
|
13 |
“Kaleidoscope” (featuring Jan Johnston) |
4:53 |
Lange – Better Late Than Never
Stuart James Langelaan, more commonly known as Lange, is a British trance DJ and Producer. Lange’s album, “Better Late Than Never,” was released in 2007. The opening track, “Nearly Home,” reminds me of the older days of trance music and is an excellent introduction to the album. “Songless” features a euphoric backdrop and epitomizes vocal trance. “Frozen Beach” has a slightly mysterious tone to it and takes the listener on a journey. Next up is a simple, vocal trance track titled, “Maybe Tomorrow.” The next track, “Wind Farm,” begins with a fairly long intro, then progresses into a fairly deeper, progressive sound. “Out of the Sky,” has a happy tone and beautifully blends together vocals and strings. “Remember You” incorporates male vocals and a lighter mood.
Overall, this is a great, mystical, non-mainstream album for trance fans to add to their collection.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1 | Nearly Home | Lange | 5:31 |
| 2 | Songless | Lange | 6:25 |
| 3 | Angel Falls | Lange | 6:16 |
| 4 | Frozen Beach | Lange | 6:06 |
| 5 | Maybe Tomorrow | Lange | 4:31 |
| 6 | Wind Farm | Lange | 7:44 |
| 7 | Red October | Lange | 5:06 |
| 8 | Out Of The Sky | Lange Feat. Sarah Howells | 4:37 |
| 9 | Late Night Self Indulgence | Lange | 3:02 |
| 10 | Dial Me Up | Lange | 6:36 |
| 11 | Remember You | Lange Feat. Andy Perring | 4:15 |
| 12 | Home | Lange | 2:53 |
| 13 | Symmetry C (Lange Breakbeat Remix) | Brainchild | 6:26 |
| 14 | Intercity (Lange Original Mix) | LNG | 10:14 |
| 15 | Drifting Away (Lange’s Sunset Mix) | Lange Feat. Skye (2) | 7:14 |
| 16 | Another You, Another Me | Lange Vs. Gareth Emery | 7:50 |
| 17 | Protect Your Mind (Lange Remix) | DJ Sakin & Friends | 9:30 |
| 18 | Sincere For You | Lange | 7:25 |
| 19 | You Take My Breath Away (Lange Remix) | SuReal | 6:33 |
Above & Beyond – Group Therapy
Can you tell I’m a fan of Above & Beyond? This is the third Above & Beyond album I’ve mentioned in this post, but I’m simply giving credit where credit’s due. Group Therapy was Above & Beyond’s second studio album and was released in June 2011 by Anjunabeats. The album features beautiful vocals by Zoë Johnston and Richard Bedford. It’s pretty rare to enjoy every track on a single album, however, every song on this album is a masterpiece. Because I know this album so well, I’ll dive a little deeper into some of the tracks on this album.
The first track, “Filmic,” is a perfect, melodic introduction to the album. The second track, “Alchemy,” features vocals from Zoë Johnston. Her voice and the lyrics of this track evoke a lot of emotion. The third track, “Sun & Moon” is energetic, emotional, and features an amazing breakdown. The fourth track on this album, “You Got To Go,” is one of my favorite Above & Beyond tracks. The lyrics encourage its listeners to fight fears, follow dreams, and “keep your ideals high.” Another very emotional and inspiring track. This is a great track to listen to when you’re feeling stuck in a rut.
The seventh track, “On My Way To Heaven,” is also one of my favorite songs on this album and features excellent vocals from Richard Bedford. The eighth track, “Prelude,” has an optimistic tone to it and features tribalesque vocals and an incredible rhythm and instrumentals. The ninth track, “Sun In Your Eyes,” is beautiful and simply soul-touching. The tenth track, “Love Is Not Enough,” features the emotional vocals of Zoë Johnston. The thirteenth track, “Thing Called Love,” is a song about telling someone how you feel and how scary it can be to do so.
Overall, Group Therapy is packed full of uplifting, emotional trance, and I believe this album is one of Above & Beyond’s best productions.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “Filmic” | Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness, Paavo Siljamäki | 3:49 |
| 2. | “Alchemy” (featuring Zoë Johnston) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki, Zoë Johnston | 5:17 |
| 3. | “Sun & Moon” (featuring Richard Bedford) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki, Justine Suissa, Sorcha Shepherd | 5:25 |
| 4. | “You Got to Go” (featuring Zoë Johnston) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki, Johnston | 5:34 |
| 5. | “Black Room Boy” (vocals by Tony McGuinness and Richard Bedford) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki, Andrew Bayer, Richard Bedford | 6:10 |
| 6. | “Giving It Out” (featuring Zoë Johnston) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki, Johnston | 3:53 |
| 7. | “On My Way to Heaven” (featuring Richard Bedford) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki | 5:58 |
| 8. | “Prelude” | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki | 5:44 |
| 9. | “Sun in Your Eyes” | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki | 4:50 |
| 10. | “Love Is Not Enough” (featuring Zoë Johnston) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki, Bayer | 6:33 |
| 11. | “Every Little Beat” (featuring Richard Bedford) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki, Bedford | 6:00 |
| 12. | “Sweetest Heart” (featuring Zoë Johnston) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki, Johnston | 3:36 |
| 13. | “Thing Called Love” (featuring Richard Bedford) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki | 5:29 |
| 14. | “Only a Few Things” (featuring Zoë Johnston) | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki, Johnston | 5:02 |
| 15. | “Eternal” | Grant, McGuinness, Siljamäki | 2:53 |
Though it’s extremely difficult to pick the best trance albums of all time, especially now that there are so many subgenres, these are some that I think deserve to be at the top of the list. Whether you are new to trance or a longtime fan, these albums would make great additions to your collection.