How to describe Full-on psytrance.

[xruntime]

Originally Posted by Dee Jake

Psy trance is a commercial version of goa trance, in the commercialisation of goa it met with hard trance and hard dance styles. Goa is much more layered synthy sounds, where as psy is much more predictable euphoria, kinda less psychedelic if you know what I mean! Goa has kinda a deeper, meaningful sense and psy is much more tribal......

Meh, I won't really say that psy is commercial, although the psy scene has been heavily commercialized.

I read an article on psynews that puts it in a more accurate light: psytrance is more hypnotic, goa more psychedelic.

The deep feel from Goa is just

[Bubble Wrap]

Originally Posted by Dee Jake

Psy trance is a commercial version of goa trance, in the commercialisation of goa it met with hard trance and hard dance styles. Goa is much more layered synthy sounds, where as psy is much more predictable euphoria, kinda less psychedelic if you know what I mean! Goa has kinda a deeper, meaningful sense and psy is much more tribal......

commercial, to who?
If you really listen there are very distinct differences between the two sounds. I think goa has more sounds at once, while psy is more minimilistic but a greater vareity in the sounds being used

[Dee Jake]

Originally Posted by Bubble Wrap

commercial, to who?
If you really listen there are very distinct differences between the two sounds. I think goa has more sounds at once, while psy is more minimilistic but a greater vareity in the sounds being used

You didn't see goa trance parties where 50,000+ people turned up in the 90's you certainty see this with psy trance....
Plus what your starting to get now is psy trance soundz workin their way into more popular music like house or even DnB.
All I was trying to say is that psy trance sorta feels like hard psychedelic tribal techno where as goa is just psychodelic and much more busy heavy layered synthy sounds....
I have been mixing psychedelic music since the early 90's. I have hundreds of goa tunes on Dragonfly, Flying Rino, Tip, Matsuri and Blue Room Plus I mix the more upto date psy trance too People like Infected Mushroom, Talamasca, Skazi, and G.M.S to mention a few.
I'm workin on a new mix at the mo and when it's done I'll post a copy and start a new mix of old school goa and post that too....

[Bubble Wrap]

Originally Posted by Dee Jake

You didn't see goa trance parties where 50,000+ people turned up in the 90's you certainty see this with psy trance....
Plus what your starting to get now is psy trance soundz workin their way into more popular music like house or even DnB.
All I was trying to say is that psy trance sorta feels like hard psychedelic tribal techno where as goa is just psychodelic and much more busy heavy layered synthy sounds....
I have been mixing psychedelic music since the early 90's. I have hundreds of goa tunes on Dragonfly, Flying Rino, Tip, Matsuri and Blue Room Plus I mix the more upto date psy trance too People like Infected Mushroom, Talamasca, Skazi, and G.M.S to mention a few.
I'm workin on a new mix at the mo and when it's done I'll post a copy and start a new mix of old school goa and post that too....

we'll just because its becoming more popular doesnt mean its being commerical. I don't like to use the word commercial becuase it implies the artist is only it it for the money, but that doesnt make much since right now its not a genre were theres loads of money to be had. The way I would phrase it is its becoming more mainstream. I don't say this because I'm a fanboy for the newer psy acts, I say it because when somone says a psy artist is becoming commercial it doesnt make logical sense when you think about it economically.

Beleive me, I would have gotten into goa trance like ten years ago, the only problem was no one ever bothered to ****ing tell me about, damn this american radio and its shitty music. Its like MTV and the goverment didn't want me to find out about this music. When I go somewhere and I'm forced to listen to the local radio and they play rap/altrock/emo, whether it be when I'm with my sisters or friends in the car who have horrible taste in music or the people who play the radio at my workplace, I actually feel dumber and depressed even if the song is upbeat. However when I first came here three years ago and discovered goapsy I felt like a mole who just discovered the surface while the majority of civilization was still underground. I found my home, my nirvana, my elsyium fields, I found a music that was right for me. For the first time in years I felt happy and mentally stimulated.

If you want to know what commerical is, MTV is commerical, a greedy corporation who tries to dumb down the masses and convince people to like something that is grade A bullshit. Everyone else like this shitty pop music but I felt like an outcast because even from when I was a little kid I knew it sucked, but I had nothing to call my own. Commericial music to me is like an evil cult that turns people into mindless followers.

I'm not directing this comment twords you even though it appears so. When somone uses the word commerical in terms of music it brings out a lot of angry feelings in me because it reminds me how corporations are stealing the identies and personalitys of people in my genreation. Most goa psy artists are independently run or are on small record labels, there music is actually good and should not be associated with gigantic record labels who try to convince us that top 40 pop bullshit is the only music that exists.

Thank you though Jake, the wolrd needs more psy DJ's like you to open our minds and break the spell of mind control

[Deadly Groove]

Originally Posted by Dee Jake

Dragonfly, Flying Rino, Tip, Matsuri and Blue Room

Classic labels!!!

[xruntime]

I hate most psy, but still I won't say the music itself is commercially-minded, because its not. The scene has ended up that way - but that's a good thing so long commercially-minded psy like the newest Infected Mushroom album stays out.

Beleive me, I would have gotten into goa trance like ten years ago, the only problem was no one ever bothered to ****ing tell me about, damn this american radio and its shitty music. Its like MTV and the goverment didn't want me to find out about this music. When I go somewhere and I'm forced to listen to the local radio and they play rap/altrock/emo, whether it be when I'm with my sisters or friends in the car who have horrible taste in music or the people who play the radio at my workplace, I actually feel dumber and depressed even if the song is upbeat. However when I first came here three years ago and discovered goapsy I felt like a mole who just discovered the surface while the majority of civilization was still underground. I found my home, my nirvana, my elsyium fields, I found a music that was right for me. For the first time in years I felt happy and mentally stimulated.

Yeah, unless by chance you come across this music, most people would have never known such music existed. But I wouldn't restrict this feeling for just goa - try classic trance, acid trance, and progressive/techno, its just as mindblowing too. Hell, I even listen to movie soundtracks as well! I listen to any music that makes you feel like you're in another mysterious world - and for this to happen, it must sound organic, natural - not computerized and mechanical - and this is why I think goa beats most psy.

[Bubble Wrap]

Originally Posted by xruntime

I hate most psy, but still I won't say the music itself is commercially-minded, because its not. The scene has ended up that way - but that's a good thing so long commercially-minded psy like the newest Infected Mushroom album stays out.



Yeah, unless by chance you come across this music, most people would have never known such music existed. But I wouldn't restrict this feeling for just goa - try classic trance, acid trance, and progressive/techno, its just as mindblowing too. Hell, I even listen to movie soundtracks as well! I listen to any music that makes you feel like you're in another mysterious world - and for this to happen, it must sound organic, natural - not computerized and mechanical - and this is why I think goa beats most psy.

yeah I kind of meant that in terms of most underground music not just psy
I'm also a big ambient junkie and into avante gaurde jazz stuff

[Deadly Groove]

I love Goa and if anyone feels the same, you can check out here and here.

[xruntime]

To many respects, the Psy scene of today is less psychedelic than it used to be. Except maybe in the countries new to the phenomenon, like South America or Eastern Europe, the mystic flavour of the Goa parties seems gone : there are just another rave party, where Hardcore or Jungle have been replaced by Trance. A good part of the Trancers attending those parties would feel offended if they were called "babas". And most of all, because of the introduction of loads of Techno elements, among other reasons, the music has become more hypnotic than psychedelic. Some call this phenomenon a natural evolution, stating that the music is more innovative than ever. This is true, but the problem is that most of the time, these innovations don't take place in the psychedelia department.

A parallel could be drawn between the fate of Psy Trance and the fate of Psy Rock, illustrated by the Pink Floyd story. The former, pionneers of the English psychedelic rock scene thanks to the contribution of Syd Barrett (Piper at the Gates of Dawn), changed their musical direction after Syd was left behind. Inspired by experimental symphonic rock music (Atom Heart Mother), they progressively (Meddle) took the path of mainstream rock sound, still innovative (Dark Side of the Moon), but not so much psychedelic...

^^^^^^^^^

[DigitalAssassin]

So what single song would you say best represents Psy? What song best represents Goa? You don't have to like the song, it just has to be representative...

For instance, I'd say Shpongle - Behind Closed Eyelids as it approaches 2:40 is an epic representation of Goa, as might be Hallucinogen - The Herb Garden.
I'm not as good on the Psy side, but almost anything by Hallucinogen fits the bill. (Eg. the track LSD).

One artist which waffles between the two (and does an amazing job of it) is Astral Projection. Astral Projection - Ambient Galaxy (Disco Valley Mix) leans towards Goa, while Astral Projection - Mahadeva '99 leans towards psy.

What do you guys think?

[Dee Jake]

Originally Posted by Deadly Groove

Classic labels!!!

Give it a couple of weeks to get over this comp and I'll mix and send ya a copy of those old school goa tunes, just feel a little over laoded at the mo.
Thanx again for a great set the other night it took me strait back to the days of free parties. the free pary scene was killed hear by our govenment by a bill called the Criminal Justice Bill......Grrrr..... It's never been the same since!

[xruntime]

I think Astral Projection - Mahadeva best represents Goa. It's my favorite goa track, after all - its emotions and feelings just make you float away and get lost in the music, its entrancing, deep, and has a surreal vibe.

[DigitalAssassin]

Originally Posted by xruntime

I think Astral Projection - Mahadeva best represents Goa. It's my favorite goa track, after all - its emotions and feelings just make you float away and get lost in the music, its entrancing, deep, and has a surreal vibe.

After listening to it again, I think you're right... "Infinite Justice" is a little more psy, but of the Astral Projection I've actually purchased, most is more Goa than psy. Infinite Justice still has that long, drawn out, morphing synth, but it's more geometric/electric sounding than the organic sound I attribute to Goa.

Goa > Psy though, no doubt about it.

[xruntime]

Another track that I've been infatuated with for a long time is Li Kwan - Point Zero. It has a more classic trance feel to it, rather than Goa, but as Oakenfold (when he was good) showed, it fits perfectly in a goa set. Many, if not most, of good classic trance tracks, could be put into a goa set without clashing with the sound/mood/atmosphere...like Union Jack - Red Herring, Vernon - Vernon's Wonderland, Secret Knowledge - Sugar Daddy.

Anyways, Point Zero shows you that vocals really do make songs better - no, not because they have cheesey lyrics and pop-like melodies, but because they can add an entrancing mysterious element to the track.

However when I first came here three years ago and discovered goapsy I felt like a mole who just discovered the surface while the majority of civilization was still underground. I found my home, my nirvana, my elsyium fields, I found a music that was right for me. For the first time in years I felt happy and mentally stimulated.

When I began to get off the high of uplifting/commercial trance, listening to the music became more of a chore than entertainment. And it was extremely boring listening to the outros and intros - tracks should have no room for filler - and i often skipped to the main anthem melody. I like music that keeps you interested all the way through, and the effect doesn't wear off - darker music achieves this. And I agree totally about how I feel worse listening to upbeat music (especially if there's no deeper thought into the music) because it sounds so pretentious to me. Of course, there are exceptions, like ambient/downtempo (like Chicane's Offshore) or even good house (like Daft Punk - Harder...Stronger).