Rules of Proper Trance

Narrative & Festival Context

Festival Program Note

With the deck cleared and the chaos quietly escorted away from anything that blinks, a stern, flag-adjacent avian steps back into the wash light with a clipboard and a mission: restore dignity, restore structure, restore trance. He declares the schedule recovered, lectures the crowd on patience, posture, and precisely timed hand-raises—then, against his own principles, builds a breakdown so effective the room can’t help but “HEY!” on cue. It’s order… delivered so well it accidentally becomes fun.<br>*Cameo Track

Lead Puppet Producer

Dial – After surviving the beautifully traumatic chaos of Trance_Rules.docx (Interrupted Edition), Dial got a second chance with Sam Eagle—and this time he made it very clear there would be no gremlin edits. For Dial, “out of place” isn’t just annoying; it’s something he feels in his whole body, like static under his felt skin, so Rules of Proper Trance became the most satisfying track he’s ever captained: disciplined builds, noble ascensions, hands rising on the correct bar line, and absolutely no unsanctioned freestyling. Working with Sam felt like collaborating with a metronome in a red suit—every rule stated, every frown measured—yet somewhere between the respectable synths and the ridiculous majesty, Dial found himself enjoying it more than he would ever admit. Patch, notably, remained very quiet during this session. And for once, the universe received no formal complaints.

Track Dedication

Dedicated to me. I made this one because I liked the sound of it. That’s the whole reason. No speech required.

Lyrics – “Rules of Proper Trance ()”

Official lyrics are provided below for reference.

Ahem
Listen up
We are back on schedule
This is very serious
Trance is not a joke

Rule number one: you must be patient
We do not rush, we build slowly
Tiny hi-hats, a humble kick
Respectable synths
Nothing too silly yet
And if anyone freestyles again
I will file a complaint with the universe

These are the rules of proper trance
Stand up straight, pretend you do not dance
Fold your arms, try to keep your stance
Then the break hits, you have no chance
These are the rules of proper trance
Look disapproving while you're in a trance
Very important, take this seriously
While you lose control of your dignity

Rule number two: melody matters
It must ascend, heroically, of course
A noble lead line over noble chords
Absolutely majestic, absolutely ridiculous
If it does not lift the soul
It is merely "music"

Rule number three: hands must rise
At exactly the right bar line
If you shout early, I will frown
If you shout late, I will frown harder
And then we all shout "Hey!"

This is regrettable
Do not forget
Trance must be pure
And also fun
I am extremely against
How much I like this
Okay, one more drop