Chicane’s ‘Saltwater’ turns 27, timeless, transcendent and untouchable

Chicane‘s ‘Saltwater’ has turned 27. The Balearic trance landmark, released in 1999, still feels timeless and transcendent more than two and a half decades on. Plus, the track now hits even deeper following the recent passing of Moya Brennan, whose Celtic vocal helped make it sound otherworldly.

In 1999, trance was either club-brutal or underground-cerebral. ‘Saltwater’ split the difference. It was slower, atmospheric, and built around melody instead of pure energy. Nick Bracegirdle’s inspiration came from Ibiza sunsets and film soundtracks, not kick drums. It created a sound that had no name yet but changed everything.

The original stretches 10 minutes. Ocean textures drift in, then arpeggios, then vocals that feel like they are calling from water. Unlike modern EDM’s instant drop, ‘Saltwater’ earns its climax through delayed gratification. That restraint is why it still hypnotises listeners today.

The album that contained ‘Saltwater’, ‘Behind the Sun’, became one of melodic trance’s defining statements. Tracks like ‘Don’t Give Up’ and ‘No Ordinary Morning’ deepened the sunset-trance identity that Chicane had begun to build. The full album proved that electronic music could be both dancefloor-worthy and deeply emotional.

The Moya Brennan connection sits at the heart of the song. The Clannad founder passed away on April 13, aged 73. Her voice, originally sampled from Clannad’s ‘Theme from Harry’s Game’, gave ‘Saltwater’ its Celtic otherworldliness. The vocal turned a club track into something closer to a spiritual moment.

Now, with Brennan’s voice forever tied to ‘Saltwater’, the anniversary reads as both a celebration and a quiet tribute. The track still soundtracks Ibiza sunsets, podcasts, and end-of-night moments around the world. 27 years on, it remains untouchable. Find more from Chicane via his official site.