![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/underground-trance-essentials-vol-9.jpeg\")
\n<\/div>\nI’m also curating a Spotify playlist<\/a> featuring tracks from these charts, making it convenient to enjoy them all in one consolidated place.<\/p>\n",
"date_published": "2024-03-25T03:05:06+05:00",
"date_modified": "2024-03-21T17:47:28+05:00",
"tags": [
"Beatport",
"Curation",
"Underground Trance Essentials"
],
"author": {
"name": "Daniel Sokolovskiy",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/",
"avatar": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1732048793"
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"_date_published_rfc2822": "Mon, 25 Mar 2024 03:05:06 +0500",
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"id": "125237",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/all\/music-genres-arent-binary\/",
"title": "Music genres aren’t binary",
"content_html": " Oftentimes when some people think about music genres, they think binary. It’s either this or that. It’s either House or Trance. It’s either Techno or Psy-Trance.<\/p>\n But I think today’s variety of music genres<\/a> is too vast and too complex for that. Music genres have evolved and diversified so much that categorising them into strict binaries requires a bit of different thinking.<\/p>\n When we think of music genres, we’re considering a multitude of elements that contribute to a track’s identity. Elements like rhythm, sound design, tempo, melody, and even cultural influences all play a role. It’s not just about the primary beat or the dominant instruments; it’s the intricate blend of these components that creates a unique sonic landscape.<\/p>\n This is why I think of genres as a spectrum, like the adjustable sliders in photo editing apps.<\/p>\n For example, a track might have the driving beat of Techno, the atmospheric elements of Trance, and the rhythmic structure of House, all blended together in varying proportions. Which genre should this track belong to, in this case? That’s the tricky part – it’s up to identifying the proportion of those elements on the imaginary spectrum, or sliders.<\/p>\n The practicality of genres as guiding stars in navigating the expansive realm of music remains undeniable. As a DJ, I still rely on genres to discover fresh tracks. Nevertheless, it’s equally crucial to acknowledge the mixture of styles within tracks that extend beyond the confines of the notion of genres that we know today.<\/p>\n I think recognising genres as a fluid spectrum rather than strict binaries helps to embrace the diversity and intricacies that make music a constantly evolving and endlessly fascinating art form. And this mindset certainly helps in my decision-making process behind curation<\/a>.<\/p>\n",
"date_published": "2023-12-29T19:11:18+05:00",
"date_modified": "2024-01-04T02:38:23+05:00",
"tags": [
"Behind the scenes",
"Curation"
],
"author": {
"name": "Daniel Sokolovskiy",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/",
"avatar": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1732048793"
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"_date_published_rfc2822": "Fri, 29 Dec 2023 19:11:18 +0500",
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{
"id": "124623",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/all\/underground-trance-essentials-vol-6\/",
"title": "Underground Trance Essentials Vol.6",
"content_html": " As a Beatport curator, every once in a while, I create DJ charts within the ongoing series titled Underground Trance Essentials to highlight some of the best tracks from the newly added Trance (Raw \/ Deep \/ Hypnotic) genre. Whether they were released yesterday or a decade ago, these tracks unquestionably deserve appreciation.<\/p>\n In this instalment, I featured music from Hedustma, Alan Backdrop, Lucinee, Oprofessionell, Repulsive Force, Ambeam, Incolumis, DECO 5000, Nordic Echoes, Facade, My Flower, and Darse.<\/p>\n Don’t miss out on this selection – take a listen: I’m also curating a Spotify playlist<\/a> featuring tracks from these charts, making it convenient to enjoy them all in one consolidated place.<\/p>\n",
"date_published": "2023-11-28T13:41:00+05:00",
"date_modified": "2024-01-04T02:37:02+05:00",
"tags": [
"Beatport",
"Curation",
"Underground Trance Essentials"
],
"author": {
"name": "Daniel Sokolovskiy",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/",
"avatar": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1732048793"
},
"_date_published_rfc2822": "Tue, 28 Nov 2023 13:41:00 +0500",
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{
"id": "123888",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/all\/beatport-audio-examples\/",
"title": "Beatport Trance and Psy-Trance audio examples",
"content_html": " As you probably know, I now work as a music curator at Beatport<\/a> and am responsible for three trance genres: Psy-Trance, Trance (Main Floor) and the recently added Trance (Raw \/ Deep \/ Hypnotic).<\/p>\n Since arguing about genres can be endless, I’ve created audio example playlists of how I define them. This comes in handy when working with colleagues, distributors, artists and labels, but can also be interesting for general listening and broadening your perspective.<\/p>\n I’ve collected links to such playlists for each sub-genre below. I wonder if there’s anything you think doesn’t fit the classifications? Is there anything you’ve discovered that is new to you? What is your favourite genre or subgenre?<\/p>\n Personally, I’m amazed once again at how diverse trance music is (and it’s just crazy that before I joined the company all these subgenres didn’t exist and everything was mixed in one pile).<\/p>\n Trance (Raw \/ Deep \/ Hypnotic): Raw Trance<\/a>, Deep Trance<\/a>, Hypnotic Trance<\/a><\/p>\n Trance (Main Floor):, Trance<\/a>, Uplifting Trance<\/a>, Tech Trance<\/a>, Vocal Trance<\/a>, Hard Trance<\/a>, Progressive Trance<\/a><\/p>\n Psy-Trance: Psy-Trance<\/a>, Progressive Psy<\/a>, Psychedelic<\/a>, Goa Trance<\/a>, Dark & Forest<\/a>, Full-On<\/a>, Psycore & Hi-Tech<\/a><\/p>\n",
"date_published": "2023-10-26T00:54:41+05:00",
"date_modified": "2024-06-16T17:58:33+05:00",
"tags": [
"Beatport",
"Curation"
],
"author": {
"name": "Daniel Sokolovskiy",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/",
"avatar": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1732048793"
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"_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 26 Oct 2023 00:54:41 +0500",
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{
"id": "120406",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/all\/beatport-trance-article\/",
"title": "Beatportal Trance Feature",
"content_html": " Following the launch of the new Trance genre on Beatport, I have written up a behind-the-scenes look into the definition of these Raw, Deep, and Hypnotic trance sub-genres. A massive thanks to the team and artists for their contribution and for making this article happen.<\/p>\n Read the full article at beatportal.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n One of the things I do now as a music curator at Beatport<\/a> is to feature releases on the store. Every week I listen to thousands of tracks (literally) and decide whether to feature each or not. And since featuring placements are very limited, I have to decide thoroughly.<\/p>\n If you think about it, that’s thousands of micro-decisions to make every week. I started to analyse some common patterns in my decision-making process, and I thought I would share my observations with you.<\/p>\n Here are some of the things that I pay attention to:<\/p>\n Production.<\/b> I use production as a broad term to describe the overall quality of sound design, arrangement, mixdown and all other nuances that form how<\/i> a track sounds. Sometimes a track has some decent musical ideas, but how does it sound? Would it be played well in a DJ mix? Would it hold up on a big sound system in a club? Since the electronic dance music genres I deal with are predominantly made for the dancefloors and play a big role in the DJ culture, these questions are essential. In 2016 I published a post where I gave my insights into what I think is the criteria of professional productions<\/a>, and it’s still relevant.<\/p>\n Novelty.<\/b> To me, novelty is something that makes a track stand out. Let’s say there are a hundred amazing-sounding tracks in terms of production, how would you choose just one among them? It doesn’t have to be something entirely new per se, but there must be something to it, some idea, a musical or any other cleverly-made part.<\/p>\n Trends.<\/b> Genres always blend, evolve and emerge. I love noticing such changes, and I believe it’s a part of my job to reflect those changes as an answer to the community’s needs. But oftentimes, finding future trends means actually going against the current trend. As a curator, I’m trying to be proactive, and sometimes I highlight tracks that are odd. Tracks that are different from what is called music standards<\/a> of a particular genre. I’m trying to be open-minded and willing to embrace experiments, and who knows, maybe a track that sounds weird today will become the next big thing.<\/p>\n Diversity.<\/b> I think diversity in a broad sense makes the global phenomenon of electronic music so interesting, so I’m trying to reflect the communities we serve, including people and music from all different genders and backgrounds. This is how the music culture evolves, and I’m doing my best to nurture it.<\/p>\n Release type.<\/b> As an artist, I know what it takes to make an album. Sometimes artists work on their albums for years. So while a sheer quantity of tracks is never a factor for a feature, I might prioritise an album over a single, if everything I’ve talked about above is also true. It’s just more proportionate to the efforts and it feels right.<\/p>\n This list is not definitive by any means, but I hope it helps to provide at least some insights!<\/p>\n",
"date_published": "2023-03-06T13:25:34+05:00",
"date_modified": "2024-06-20T14:37:47+05:00",
"tags": [
"Beatport",
"Behind the scenes",
"Curation"
],
"author": {
"name": "Daniel Sokolovskiy",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/",
"avatar": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1732048793"
},
"_date_published_rfc2822": "Mon, 06 Mar 2023 13:25:34 +0500",
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\nbeatport.com\/chart\/underground-trance-essentials-vol6\/796457<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/underground-trance-essentials-vol-6.jpeg\")
\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/Beatportal-trance-article.jpeg\")
\n<\/div>\n",
"date_published": "2023-06-14T23:49:27+05:00",
"date_modified": "2024-01-04T02:34:21+05:00",
"tags": [
"Beatport",
"Curation",
"Press mentions"
],
"author": {
"name": "Daniel Sokolovskiy",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/",
"avatar": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1732048793"
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"_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 14 Jun 2023 23:49:27 +0500",
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"id": "120532",
"url": "https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/all\/my-decision-making-process-behind-curation\/",
"title": "My decision-making process behind curation at Beatport",
"content_html": "![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dsokolovskiy.com\/blog\/pictures\/beatport-trance-page-featured.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>