N-Trance

N-Trance
Also known as	Quartech, State Of The Art, Freeloaders
Origin	Oldham, Greater Manchester, England
Genres	Dance music, House, Trance, Techno, Disco, Hip hop
Years active	1990–present
Labels	PWL / 380 Records (1991-92) All Around The World (1992-pres.)
Associated acts	Kelly Llorenna
Website	http://www.N-Trance.co.uk/
Members
Kevin O'Toole (1990-pres.) Dale Longworth (1990-99)(2009-pres.)
Past members
Ian Hu (1990)

N-Trance ( /ˈɛntrɑːns/ en-trahns) are a British electronic music group, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, who were formed by Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth, in 1990. The group has sold over 5 million records worldwide and some of their hit singles include "Set You Free", "Forever", as well as covers of the popular 1970s disco songs "Stayin' Alive", "D.I.S.C.O." and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?".

History

Early years (1990-93)

Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth formed N-Trance, in 1990, after meeting at The Oldham College, where they were both studying sound engineering. Initially, O'Toole and Longworth, along with four or five other students used their college's recording studio for free recording and use of equipment, however they began producing music which they thought was comparable to other rave music in the charts at the time.

Their first demo tape was a dance remix of the theme tune to Roobarb, a children's television show. The next record the group produced was a more credible dance track, consisting mainly of sampled music, called "Back To The Bass". Within days of being recorded, the song had caught the attention of Dead Dead Good Records (owned by the manager of The Charlatans) who had wanted to sign the record, but shortly before signing they were outbid by Pete Waterman's 380 Records (a sub-label of PWL). Following the interest from record labels, the band and their manager decided a new band name was needed. Previously, they had been using a variety of band names such as Quartech, but settled on changing their name and signing their record contract as N-Trance.

However, problems with the sample clearance prevented "Back To The Bass" from ever being released as a single. The band continued to write and record music and it was decided a female vocalist was needed for future records so sixteen year old Kelly Llorenna was drafted in.

Set You Free was recorded at Revolution Studios in Cheadle Hulme in July of 1992, and it was pressed to 500 12" vinyl copies on promotional release. However, due to troubles within their record label, this song was not released as a single. N-Trance then chose to buy themselves out of their recording contract with 380 Records, after only one year with the company, and they signed to a new label, All Around the World.

By now, N-Trance had developed their live shows and were gaining some popularity, and on their new label, "Set You Free" was finally released, in 1993, but it failed to enter the Top 40, reaching #83 in the charts.

Breakthrough (1994-96)

Main article: Electronic Pleasure

In 1994, "Set You Free" was re-released achieving a higher chart position of #39. N-Trance's next single was a eurodance song called "Turn Up The Power" which featured vocals from Rachel McFarlane, of Loveland, and a rap by T-1K. This song was a fairly big hit, getting to #23.

After a few years of performing live over the UK, N-Trance's popularity and the reception towards "Set You Free" had increased significantly. The record was in popular demand, and after a third release of the song in 1995, the single became a huge hit, being played by television and radio stations, reaching #2 in the charts and being certified Platinum in the UK, after selling over 600,000 copies. The single was also released in other European countries and Australia.

The group recorded their first full-length album, Electronic Pleasure, in November 1995, which featured seven of the group's ever-expanding roster of vocalists (including David Grant), and musicians such as Vinny Burns and Snake Davis. Similarly, N-Trance's musical range expanded, embracing rap, disco and other styles in its scope.

The group's next single, a surprising cover of the Bee Gees hit "Stayin' Alive", was not only a massive international hit, but also featured a vocalist who would help define N-Trance's sound in the future, Ricardo da Force, formerly rapper with The KLF.

Upon its release in the UK it debuted at no. 2, and internationally it became one of the biggest UK exports of 1995, reaching no. 1 in Australia and being top 5 in a number of European charts.

Second album (1997-99)

The release of further commercially successful singles, like "Electronic Pleasure", afforded N-Trance the possibility of building their own recording studio, Deep Blue, in 1996. They spent the following year and a half recording their second full-length album, Happy Hour, which was eventually released in 1999.

Hit singles from the album included cover versions of Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" and Ottawan's "D.I.S.C.O.", and the hardcore techno clatter of "The Mind of the Machine", which featured the actor Steven Berkoff.

Later years and Best of album (2000-02)

A best of album entitled The Best of N-Trance 1992–2002 was released in early 2001, backed by a trance remix of "Set You Free" which reached number 4 in October of that year.

Third album (The Mind Of The Machine)

In February 2009, the group released "The Mind Of The Machine" as their third album. Two new tracks (Free Running and The Earth Is Dying) were recorded for the album to go with the recordings previously made in 1997. The album was released as digital download only.

Fourth album (TBC)

In 2009 the group announced they were re-inventing themselves with the new singer Lynsey-Jane Barrow and the return of Dale Longworth. Work on the band's fourth studio album is reported to be near completion with an expected release due summer 2010. A promo of "Is this love" (likely the first single from the Album) was sent to Club DJs in September 2010.

Other projects

See also: Freeloaders (band)

• From 2005 to 2006, the founders of N-Trance, Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth, reached #9 in the UK Singles Charts with their single, "So Much Love to Give", released using the alias of the Freeloaders. They also released an album Freshly Squeezed on digital download.

• In between recording with N-Trance, Kelly Llorenna has had her own solo career and has sung for many different artists including Flip & Fill, Force & Styles and Love To Infinity.

Performers

Full members 1990 Ian Hu 1990–Present Kevin O'Toole 1990-1998 Dale Longworth 1991-1993 Mike Lewis 2007-2009 Mike Lewis 2009–Present Dale Longworth Permanent Vocalists 1992-2003 Kelly Llorenna 1995-1996 Gillian Wisdom 1995-1999 David Grant 1995-1999 Jerome Stokes 1995-1999 Viveen Wray 2004-2007 Gillian Tennant 2007-2008 Kelly Llorenna 2009–Present Jerome Stokes 2009–Present Lynsey Jane Barrow Featured Vocalists 1994 Rachel McFarlane (Features on 'Turn Up The Power') 1995 Martin Ansell (Features on 'Stayin Alive') 1995 Sandy McLelland (Features on 'Stayin Alive') 1998 Gary Crowley (Features on 'Paradise City')

Dancers 1992–2000 Lee Limer 2009–Present Lee Limer Rap Artists 1994-1995 T-1K 1995-1999 Ricardo da Force 2009–Present Lee Wolfe Other musicians 1995 Snake Davis 1995-2006 Vinny Burns 2000 Rob Buckland 2000 David Browning Featured performers 1995 Bee Gees 1997 Rod Stewart 1997 Steven Berkoff

Discography

Main article: N-Trance discography

• 1995: Electronic Pleasure
• 1998: Happy Hour
• 2001: The Best of N-Trance 1992–2002
• 2009: The Mind of the Machine
• TBA: Fourth Studio album

External links

• Official N-Trance homepage
• N-Trance MySpace
• N-Trance Facebook
• AATW.com Record label's website
• N-Trance page on Dance Artist Info
• The cars and people used in the video for "Forever" were supplied by this site