TrancEnd Releases Debut Album “Lilac” Where Prog Meets Trip-hop, Electronica, Groove & Pop

What happens when Prog meets Trip-hop meets Electronica meets Groove meets Pop? A mind meld of 90s Euro-trance history savored in twenty-first century progressive techno-pop. TrancEnd defies the genre labels with their galvanizing auditory epicure of sultry vocals; ambient head-space environments; and surf-shimmer guitars – glued together with deep beats landing squarely in your chest compelling your body to sway and head to rock side-to-side. 

TrancEnd’s debut album release, “Lilac,” brings the listener into the now moment with an awestruck delivery of soundscape and lyrical imagery. Their live performances are captivating – demanding your attention and immersing your senses in an unforgettable experience of color, shape, and sound.  

TrancEnd brings their love for 90s Euro trip-hop while experimenting with constrained metal rudiments tempered by catchy pop-rhythms. They are a “must see” phenomenon that continues to amaze fans and impress venue managers. 

“Are you experienced?” Have the “TrancEnd experience” and find out what thousands of fans are discovering about this new artist and how they capture the essence of what we all seek in sonic bliss. 

Who is TrancEnd? 
Brittany LeAnn – Vocals (song lyrics and melodies) 
Evan Maurus – Guitar (song writer, arranger, co-producer) 
Ian Maurus – Drums
Zachary Maurus – Guitar (audio engineer, co-producer, mixing and mastering, live show automation) 

Backstory: 
The band formed during the Covid Dark Ages in 2020 – a merciless time for performing musicians, but it did provide a focused space for song writing and collaboration. The Maurus brothers: Ian, Evan, and Zachary, originally from the Detroit area, were involved in death metal projects in Michigan, then moved to North Carolina in 2015, where they recorded a brilliant 10-track death metal album and an EP. They toured locally in North Carolina and surrounding states until 2018 when their vocalist departed. Although metal is still a passion for the Maurus brothers, they knew they may have to change musical direction to survive and appeal to a world-wide audience. Like water, creativity finds a path. They paused, and the great “inner-muse” took over.

Evan Maurus, the band’s lead guitarist and songwriter, having an eclectic taste for not only a plethora of Metal subgenres, but Prog, Trip-hop, Trance Lounge, and Electronica, decided to experiment with writing in the vein of some of his favorite and most influential artist in those genres. Artists like Portishead, Hooverphonic, Mono, Thievery Corporation, Massive Attack, Delirium, and other heavy-hitters of the 90s Trip-hop movement. Says Evan, “Hooverphonic and Portishead were the greatest influence and inspiration for the original instrumental tracks that later became the bedrock for TrancEnd’s debut release, ‘Lilac.’” 

Once Evan had the pre-production of his instrumental works complete, about 20 tracks, the search began for a vocalist and co-writer. In the spring of 2020, Evan found singer Brittany LeAnn. Says Evan, “Brittany is an amazing vocalist and songwriter that seemed to be the jelly in the PB&J. She was writing lyrics and melodies about one song a week, and sometimes two.” 

Everything came together almost effortlessly, and after the pre-production work was complete, the recording of the album began in the Maurus brother’s studio, “Maurus Audio.” This is where the magic happened and the TrancEnd original sound took shape. Zachary Maurus was the audio engineer and co-producer for the album. When he received the pre-production tracks from Evan, he was a little concerned about how to approach this genre of music. He explained, “As an audio engineer and producer for mostly death metal projects, I was a little apprehensive about how to mix Pop/Trip-hop/Trance music. I had to re-train my brain to stop myself from making the drums sound like guns and cannons.” 

The scratchy drum loops and samples used traditionally in the Trip-hop sound were a part of the original pre-production tracks, but, during the recording of the album, Zachary wanted to experiment by putting live drums in the tracks. With the intention to tour and perform with live drums, the band replaced the scratch drums on the album. Ian Maurus then started learning the songs and cutting drum tracks. It transformed the sound of the pre-production intent giving it an edgy pop feel that the band felt set their sound apart from similar artists in the genre. What started as a Trip-hop project morphed into a Prog/Art-rock sound. When Brittany started cutting the vocal tracks, the harmonies and melodic imagery brought the “wow factor” to a new level of brilliance. When asked about how she writes her lyrics and melodies, Brittany said very candidly, “I channeled my soul – it just flows out.” 

It was during the recording of “Lilac” that the band came up with the name “TrancEnd.” It was the perfect name for what seemed to be a transcendent experience for the band: Brittany had just moved across country stepping into a creative role in  the music; the Maurus brothers making the transition from death metal to Prog/Art-rock. The name TrancEnd is a play on the genre, Trip-hop/Trance Lounge. The album title, “Lilac” was chosen because it is the first word of the first song on the album, “Landing.” The lyric, “Lilac in the desert, shaded from the sun…,” inspired the album art (by Joon Lugo) – a desert scene with a lonely lilac tree in the foreground. Says Brittany, “It’s a metaphor for being in the perfect environment for growth yet constrained by living in a shadow.” 
In December 2021, the band shot a self-produced music video to support the first song release, “Do Something.” Then, the moment of truth: three years after forming, TrancEnd released their 13-track debut album, “Lilac.” “Every track on the album is strong and could be considered the sleeper-album of the year,” says TrancEnd’s manager, Chris Maurus. “I had been in and out of the studio while the album was being mixed and thought, ‘OK, yeah – that sounds great,’ but when I got a copy of the master and sat down to listen to all 13 tracks, I was blown away. I knew right there they had something special – it plays like a concept album where every song flows together creating a mosaic of a larger picture – Lilac!” 

TrancEnd has a vision to bring their signature sound to the world, share their joy with fans, and contribute to the collective good. Brittany explains, “We believe our music is a messenger – it creates a space where people can transcend their differences and unite within the sound…” 

“Seldom do I find a band that has it all; that is destined for greatness; that has that magic synergy. TrancEnd are a hypnotic mix of genre-bending Prog with strong signature traits consisting of a distinct vocal style, skilled musicianship; dynamic song structure; and a stellar production. A talented band with authentic chemistry and a sonic and visual identity that transcends the ordinary and pleases the senses.” – JD, Closer to the Edge, Asheville FM

“Lilac” Track List:
1. Landing
2. Meridian
3. Do Something
4. Waves of Rosetta
5. Flicker
6. Breathe
7. Another Day
8. Blurred Lines
9. Ethereal
10. One Thing
11. Twin
12. Mellow-D
13. Green-Yellow Lights
All links:https://Linktr.ee/trancendband

Streaming everywhere:
Spotify: TrancEnd | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/7v5ZMCoiaAqFOHm95yIneG

Purchasing links:Bandcamp: Lilac | TrancEnd (bandcamp.com) https://trancendband.bandcamp.com/album/lilac

For more information:Website: https://trancend.band
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrancEndBand/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trancendband/