What is the difference between those two genres: Uplifting trance and Balearic trance? They sound about the same to me, but track names often distinct one or another.
1 Answer
"Uplifting trance" has never been a particularly meaningful term for me. When someone says they are making some of the stuff, I shrug. I've tried listening for it but I can't place what exactly they are doing from all the other kinds of trance. I call their bluff and they will insist and I will shrug some more.
What distinguishes Balearic trance from other kinds of trance? Balearic trance is typically a less aggressive form of trance, where the tempos are a bit slower (110 to 135 bpm.) Pads are a prominent feature as opposed to arpeggios and the arpeggios that do get introduced are typically done on native Spanish instruments: guitar sounds, chimes, etc. Beach sounds are commonly introduced via sampling.
The overall tone is much brighter than other sounds. So sounds are not going to be heavily filtered, but instead layered. Delays are a prominent feature within pads and occasionally the arpeggios.
Balearic trance shares a lot of the sound palette with Balearic disco. And that is a bit of fun but another ball of wax.
