Trance to the Sun creates a sound that is both lush and unsettling, occupying the shadowy intersection of 4AD-style ethereal pop and jagged California post-punk. Their music feels like a thick, colorful fog; it is beautiful and immersive, yet it carries a sense of hidden danger or surreal mystery. The guitars are often treated with heavy delay and modulation, creating a liquid landscape for the vocals to float through.
What truly distinguishes them is the 'botanical' quality of their darkness. Unlike the industrial or urban grit of many darkwave peers, Ashkelon Sain's compositions feel organic and overgrown. There is a specific tension between the delicate, breathy vocal delivery and the occasionally dissonant, psychedelic guitar work that prevents the music from becoming merely pretty. It is intelligent, complex, and deeply atmospheric.
Newcomers should begin with 'Bloom Flowers, Bloom!' or 'Atrocious Virgin.' These albums showcase the band's ability to balance haunting melodies with experimental textures. It is the perfect soundtrack for late-night introspection or for anyone who finds beauty in the strange, overgrown corners of the natural world.
Trance to the Sun (1990–present) is a neo-psychedelic post-punk band originally based out of Santa Barbara, California. The band consists of multi-instrumentalist Ashkelon Sain (born Gregory Lloyd Sain) as the primary songwriter, performer and producer, and has featured three full-time vocalists—Ingrid Blue (also known as Ingrid Luna - born Ingrid Justina Holden) (1997–present), Dawn Michelle Wagner (1997), and Zoë Alexandra Wakefield (1993–1996). Trance to the Sun recordings have often included guest contributors, and tour line-ups have usually included one or more additional musicians. Currently, the band consists of Ashkelon Sain, Ingrid Luna, and Daniel Henderson, with additional live musician Terry Luna on bass guitar. Trance to the Sun has had a considerable impact on the dark wave, gothic rock and post-punk music scenes in the U.S. and abroad. Mike Ventarola of the internet radio station Hidden Sanctuary described Trance to the Sun as "one of a few select bands from that part of the world whose previous compilation appearances, CD’s and tour dates read like a who’s who for the goth underground. Despite the multiple band lineup changes over the years, the core group remained tenacious and steadfast. They are applauded and adored by fans worldwide because they haven’t sold out to the corporate mindset looking for the one hit wonder of the week. Instead, they created a legacy of music that is at once entertaining as it is intelligent." Also noteworthy is the band's productivity. Between 1993 and 2002, Trance to the Sun released 7 studio albums, one E.P., and one live concert album, and toured the U.S. five times. As of April 2014, 25 Trance to the Sun songs have been featured on 23 artist compilations. Trance To The Sun halted the making of any new music in 2002. During the band's inactive period, the band released three compilations including previously released and unreleased material, and two remastered albums. The Ingrid Blue version of the band reunited for a one-show reunion performance in 2007. In 2013, Trance to the Sun reformed to tour and release their 8th studio album titled Via Subterranea, which was eventually released in 2016. In January 2014, the band performed live for the first time in 7 years, and for the first time in support of a (forthcoming) studio album in 13 years.
Shares darkwave, dream pop, post-punk (subgenres); reverb heavy, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares darkwave, dream pop, post-punk (subgenres); reverb heavy, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares darkwave, dream pop, post-punk (subgenres); reverb heavy, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares darkwave, dream pop, post-punk (subgenres); reverb heavy, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares darkwave, dream pop, post-punk (subgenres); reverb heavy, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares darkwave, dream pop, post-punk (subgenres); reverb heavy, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares shoegaze, post-punk, darkwave (subgenres); reverb heavy, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares darkwave, dream pop, post-punk (subgenres); reverb heavy, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares darkwave, dream pop, post-punk (subgenres); haunting, dreamy, brooding (moods)
Shares reverb heavy, layered dense, analog warmth (production style); mysterious, haunting, brooding (moods)
Shares darkwave, reverb heavy, shoegaze, post-punk (signature)
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