Neo-trance is a sub-genre of trance music

Trance music

Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...

. It is defined by the use of various musical aspects which do not conform or adhere to previous incarnations of trance. Neo-trance music employs deeper and sometimes more meaningful lyrics. Artists involved in the creation of Neo-trance often work with vocalists who’ve previously only recorded outside of the trance vein. The music itself has its roots in minimal and techno music, while generally adding in melodic elements and breakdowns to bring the tracks into the Neo-trance quarter. Minimal techno producers started making melodies (albeit not typical trance strings) and this new branch of minimal techno caught on, and trance, being full of melodies became related to this branch of music. Quite often Neo-Trance has a darker feel to it.

The term ‘Neo-trance’ was first used in the UK’s DJ Magazine by music critic and journalist Tim Stark to describe the work of German producers and DJs Kyau & Albert

Kyau & Albert

Kyau & Albert is the working name for two trance music producers and DJs from Germany named Ralph Kyau and Steven Moebius Albert. They were formerly known as Kyau vs...

. It was subsequently adopted by and the group has begun to proliferate throughout the trance scene, however Kyau & Albert are not an example of neo-trance as they mainly produce Progressive Trance.

It is also considered by some that Croatian producers called Damir Pushkar & Fabian Jakopetz were the first who used the "Neo-trance" by describing their tunes (Damir Pushkar & Fabian Jakopetz - New Names (original mix)).

Artists associated with the sub-genre include German artists Stephan Bodzin

Stephan Bodzin

Stephan Bodzin is a German DJ, techno-producer and label owner. Stephan Bodzin also performs as a live artist. A classically educated musician, he is a producer of mainly electronic music projects...

, Dominik Eulberg

Dominik Eulberg

Dominik Eulberg, born in 1978 in Westerwald, Germany is an electronic music artist and DJ who has released numerous singles as well as full-length albums on labels such as Cocoon Recordings and Traum Schallplatten...

, Ellen Allien

Ellen Allien

Ellen Allien, born Ellen Fraatz , is a German electronic musician, music producer and founder of BPitch Control music label. She lives in Berlin, Germany. She sings in both German and English. She has said that one of the main inspirations for her music is the culture of reunified Berlin; her...

, Paul Kalkbrenner

Paul Kalkbrenner

Paul Kalkbrenner is a German electronic musician and actor from Berlin.-History:As of 2010, Paul Kalkbrenner has tallied up more than 15 years of experience as a producer and live act...

, Extrawelt, and Pantha Du Prince

Pantha du Prince

Hendrik Weber, better known as Pantha du Prince, Panthel and Glühen 4 is a German electronic music producer and DJ affiliated with Hamburg's Dial music label and British label Rough Trade.-Career:...

, as well as international artists such as Boards Of Canada

Boards of Canada

Boards of Canada are a Scottish electronic music duo consisting of brothers Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin...

, James Holden

James Holden (producer)

James Holden is a British electronic music artist and DJ. Holden started his career in 1999, at age 19, when he released the trance single, "Horizons". After this he released numerous singles and remixes on different labels such as Lost Language, Perfecto Recordings, and Positiva Recordings...

, Nathan Fake

Nathan Fake

Nathan Fake is an English electronic music artist from Norfolk, who has released numerous singles as well as two album releases on the label Border Community Recordings. His music has been used in soundtracks for TV shows and an advertisement....

, Oxia

Oxia

Oxia may refer to:*the acute accent in polytonic Greek*Oxeia, a Greek island...

, Gui Boratto

Gui Boratto

Gui Boratto is a Brazilian electronic music producer. In the 1990s he was a member of Sect.His album Chromophobia was awarded the title of Mixmag Album of the Month. Regarding why he chose the name Chromophobia, Boratto said: "The same meaning as monochromatism in architecture, which means...

, Miss Kittin & The Hacker, Aril Brikha

Aril Brikha

Aril Brikha is one of the world leading Assyrian Techno musicians, he is nominated for the Best Dance album in the Swedish National radio Gold Gala award in his adopted country of Sweden.-History:...

, Ryan Davis

Ryan Davis

Ryan Davis may refer to:*Ryan J. Davis , American theater director, writer, political consultant and progressive activist*Ryan Davis , English rugby union player...

, Max Cooper

Max Cooper

Max Cooper may refer to* Max Cooper, a protagonists in the television series Power Rangers Wild Force.* Max Cooper, a European electronica and techno musician.* Maximillion Cooper, Founder of the Gumball 3000 brand....

 and Trentemøller

Trentemøller

Anders Trentemøller is a Danish electronic music producer and multi-instrumentalist based in Copenhagen, Denmark.-History:...

.