Psychedelic trance

Psychedelic trance or psytrance is a form of electronic music characterized by hypnotic arrangements of synthetic rhythms and mesmerizing melodies. It first broke out into the mainstream in 1995 as the UK music press began to report on the exploding trend of Goa trance. Since then the genre has diversified immensely and now offers considerable variety in terms of mood, tempo, and style. Some examples include melodic full on, dark ("darkpsy"), progressive, suomi, psybreaks (generally quite rare), and psybient or psychedelic downtempo.

The original Goa trance (or "old school") was often made with popular Modular synthesizers and hardware samplers, but modern psychedelic trance is typically made with VST and AU software sampler applications. The use of analog synthesizers for sound synthesis has given way to digital "virtual analog" instruments like the Nord Lead, Access Virus, Korg MS-2000, Roland JP-8000 and computer VST and AU plugins like Native Instruments Reaktor. These are usually controlled by MIDI sequencers within Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) applications. Emphasis is placed on purely synthesized timbres for programming and lead melodies. Tempos range across the spectrum depending on the style and approach of the individual producer although speeds between 140 and 150 BPM are common.

Style

Psychedelic trance has a distinctive, speedy sound. High BPMs (generally between 120 and 150 BPM) tend to be faster than other forms of trance or techno music. Psychedelic trance uses strong bass beats that pound constant throughout the song, and overlays the bass with varying rhythms using drums and other synthesized instruments. Psychedelic trance tracks tend to be 8-12 minutes long. This gives the music time to develop slowly, building up to a climax before breaking back down to rebuild again. Layering is used to great effect in Psychedelic trance, with new musical ideas being added on at regular intervals, often every 4 or 8 bars. This buildup will happen till a climax is reached, and then the song will break down and start a new rhythmic pattern over the constant bass line. Psychedelic trance also makes heavy use of the cutoff frequency control on the synthesizer. Reverb is also used heavily, with large, open sounding reverb present on most of the lead synthesizers in the track.

Dark Psytrance

Dark psytrance (also called killer psytrance, darkpsy, horrortrance or simply dark) is a darker, faster and more distorted form of psychedelic trance music, with tempo ranges usually from 145 to 165 BPM. Originating in Russia and Germany, the style has recently expanded to other countries worldwide.

The term "dark psytrance" was first used by audiences to describe harder-sounding psychedelic trance, while the name killer psytrance is a more rarely used term (which it's use depends mostly on the geographical area).

Unlike more mainstream forms of trance, dark psytrance generally does not use vocals, though sampling is common, with speech and other kind of samples usually being taken from different kind of movies (especially horror movies), or occasionally from other tracks. Sometimes sampling elements form other genres of music is done as a mockery of the original tracks.

The atmosphere and theme of the tracks often resemble those from genres such as dark ambient, musique concrete, darkcore, cybergrind, power noise and industrial music. More atmospheric and deep sounds haunting and Gothic at times (examples of this include Parasense, Kemic-Al and Xenomorph). Use of glitch techniques can often be found in dark psytrance music (examples of this would include Kindzadza, Cosmo, Highko and Noosphere).

Progressive Psytrance

Progressive psytrance (also referred to as minimal psytrance, psyprog) is a style of psychedelic electronica developed in the early 2000s, developed as a sub-genre of psychedelic and Goa trance. Progressive psytrance is distinct from progressive trance which is more similar to progressive house.

Progressive psytrance combines the elements of minimal sounding progressive electronic music and complex developments of psychedelic music. Its heritage can be traced back to the developments of minimal techno, tech, and minimal house. The style of progressive psytrance can be described as generally darker and edgier than mainstream trance. It is also slower in tempo and is more progressive than melodic psytrance.

Currently, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany have created the most renowned minimalist labels. In the last couple of years Australia has added its own artists and labels to the minimalist trance scene.

Further Info

GOABASE, global resource of upcomping Psy events

Psychedelic Mind Expander - database of Goa and psychedelic trance artists, labels and releases.

Psynews - online community and review database.

Chaishop - emag and host of a weekly podcast.

Ektoplazm - review database and free music source.