Background
Even though I do not have much of a religious inkling, I do enjoy the magic of Christmas and, in particular, the music. When I first heard the theme music to the BBC children’s series The Box of Delights, back in the 1980s, I was mesmorised. I later found out that the music was a section of the First Noel variation part of the Carol Symphony by Victor Hely-Hutchinson. It has stayed with me ever since and inspired my first Christmas trance variation “The First Noel”. The Carol Symphony forms part of my Christmas listening every year and I highly recommend it.
As a lover of jazz, I also discovered the album “Cool Jazz Christmas” by Leif Shires. In this album Leif mixes jazz and classical influences to play Christmas carol and song variations and I find it utterly beautiful. This too is essential listening for Christmas.
In 2023 I had planned on creating a Christmas Trance E.P. for December. Unfortunately, illness and life seemed to conspire to get in the way. However, I am glad to get one tune into a state of “good enough” in time for Christmas. Just.
My Music
I have an odd taste in music, liking classical music, jazz and swing, and electronic music, particularly trance. When making Christmas trance music the influences mentioned above are strong. To me the classical sounds, such as horns, oboes and trumpets, really cement the Christmas feel and tie the music to the history of the carols. Improvising over a harmonic theme, as with jazz and Leif Shires, is also such fun and an important part of creativity.
Like much of my trance music, it is not really created for someone to dance to in a club. Instead I imagine my music will be listened to whilst working, driving, doing chores or perhaps, in this case, putting up Christmas decorations. I would like to think that my music gives people a warmth and a smile in the way that the music of Leif Shires does.
The First Noel (December 2022)
My first attempt at a Christmas trance track was based on The First Noel and released on December 20th 2022. This was a real experiment to see how things would fuse together. It was also my first test into self-releasing a track out into the wild. Exciting stuff. Luckily it was distributed amazingly quickly and was available just before Christmas.
Being something of an experiment, it is quite short, particularly for me. I will revisit it and make an extended version. My production technique improves all the time (I hope) so revisiting the track should allow me to fix a few things to.
Buy, and listen to The First Noel (Christmas Trance Variation) on Amazon
Also available on iTunes, Spotify, etc.
Rest Ye Merry Gentle Folk (December 2023)
This was something of a rush at the last minute. Earlier in the year, I had put down some ideas for 4 tracks with a view to releasing an E.P. at the start of December. This did sadly not happen but I wanted to get a Christmas track out this year and so, for the last couple of evenings, I have put together this variation on God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. I feel that maybe I should have called it “Dance Ye Merry Gentle Folk” but that would lose some of its roots.
I am not sure if this last minute rush in the run up to Christmas will become a festive tradition for me but I feel like it is easier to write Christmas music once the tree(s) and the lights are up.
The original song is in a minor key. I think that this lends itself to trance rather nicely, more so than carols based mainly around minor keys. However, I do like switching the harmony from major to minor feels for songs so expect some of that next year for the 2024 E.P. Probably.
Buy, or listen to, Rest Ye Merry Gentle Folk on Amazon
Stream the track on YouTube music.
In the Pudding (December 2023)
This is something of an honourable mention as it is not strictly a Christmas tune, nor is it based on a traditional carol or song. However, it was released in December on TS Records, has a festive pudding on the artwork, and has received comments about it feeling festive so it is sneaking into the Christmas party.
Buy and listen to In the Pudding on Amazon. Also available on other platforms.