The music, which was recorded on June 1–3, 1994 at the house of the Caid Khoubane in the Medina of Essaouira, District Chbanat, Morocco, also features tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, along with a group largely consisting of members of Mahmoud's family.

[1] The title of the album refers to the fact that in Gnawa trance ceremonies, which can last eight or more hours (usually an entire night), the Maleem, or master musician, guides the group through a cycle of invocation of seven mluk (singular melk; "an abstract entity that gathers a number of similar jnun (genie spirits)"[2]), each of which is characterized by a different color, rhythm, melody, behavior, and type of incense.

[2] According to ethnomusicologist Timothy D. Fuson, "because the mluk must be invoked in a certain order, the lila follows a path through the night whose road is marked in the sensory realms of sound (music, song), sight (colors), smell (incense), and movement (dance).

The CD sleeve photos show the informal nature of the proceedings, revealing that the recording took place in someone's home with a large cast of musicians, many of whom are Guinia's family members.

"[5] An article at JazzIz titled "Year By Year: Five Essential Albums of 1994" by Matt Micucci states: "The Trance of Seven Colors documents the mindblowing meeting of the percussive Gnawa healing ceremonial music of southern Morocco and the free jazz improvisational genius of Pharaoh Sanders... [Bill] Laswell brought with him only some simple digital recording equipment and the blowing date took place in the courtyard of a private house with a large ensemble mostly made up of Guinia's family members.