[underfoot]

My comments from a “Do you like psytrance?” poll on madfam.com (started by PsiloPsyBen)…

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Here's where I list the major gripes people have with psychedelic trance, thereby cock-blocking all the haters.

I would ask anyone giving their honest appraisal of psy MUSIC to first disregard its CULTURE.  I happen to think both are great overall but, like anyone who's followed something long enough, I've found plenty of faults.  Cheesy tracks with horrible production values…bad DJs with no concept of pacing/flow…God-awful, clashing fractal art and various other Crimes Against Photoshop…

But since most people will be unable to criticize one without sticking it to the other, let's just smush it all together.

-psychedelic = hippies
This is true.  The concept of PLUR now seems ridiculously outmoded, but the nice thing about hippies/ageing ravers is that they're, well, nice.  If you can get past the smell.

-occasional bad sample of some Hollywood sci-fi/thriller blockbuster
This is also true.  Most of this music is made by people who don't speak English, so you get all kinds of non-sequitor sound bytes that, I'm sure, sound very cool to whoever implemented them.  See also : industrial. 

-over-the-top screechy acid lines
This is true in some instances.  What many people fail to realize is that psy has many sounds, some full-on, some techy/minimalistic, some smooth and progressive.  There's a big difference bewteen, say, Israeli psy and how the Swedes, Russians or Aussies do it.  Some psy sounds like dub, some has more in common with hardcore…it's a mixed bag, kind of like jungle.

-too many dumb drug references/eastern religious motifs
Again, true.  Personally, I don't buy into the whole “consciousness expansion” bit.  But every scene has its helpless stoners and addicts.  As long as you don't let your music choose your friends/life for you, there's no reason your experience has to be the same as the next person's.  It's okay if you don't go around greeting everyone with a hearty “Bom shankar!” while shaking a smoking stick of Nag Champa in their face.

-tacky clothes
Again, true.  But wait 20 years, and I promise you even the slickest contemporary hip hop threadz will look like something off of Star Trek. 

Fortunately, psy culture isn't about being serious.  Like anything good in the music world, it's what you make it.  It's about having fun…having fellowship…creating your own conventions.  Some dance…some wear silly shirts with glowy symbols on them…some simply “are.”

[statenumber7]

Fortunately, psy culture isn't about being serious. Like anything good in the music world, it's what you make it. It's about having fun…having fellowship…creating your own conventions. Some dance…some wear silly shirts with glowy symbols on them…some simply “are.”

Well said…………………thats the simple solution to all quarries……… ;D ;D ;D

NaveeN

[HARDKORNATE]

I think the biggest obstacle to psy(at least in my town) is that it's called psytrance. People that like normal(Euro and Prog) trance can't stand it and people that don't like normal trance won't give it a chance just because of the negative connotations the word trance has for them.

[djgruv05]

I think the biggest obstacle to psy(at least in my town) is that it's called psytrance. People that like normal(Euro and Prog) trance can't stand it and people that don't like normal trance won't give it a chance just because of the negative connotations the word trance has for them.

Quite True, Nate. ;D

[Psygomin]

its the same here in appleton, though i have helped with the turn arround of all trance in this town

[Robyo]

I think some folks just hate the trance beat. Whatever you call it: 4/4, four on the floor, techno beat… that style of beat turns many people off.

just like some people get turned off by country music or polkas or certain vocals…

[damon]

I think some folks just hate the trance beat. Whatever you call it: 4/4, four on the floor, techno beat… that style of beat turns many people off.

just like some people get turned off by country music or polkas or certain vocals…

What I've found that many Americans do not know the difference between Tiesto and Juno Reactor – trance is trance and it's bad.

[Robyo]

I think some folks just hate the trance beat. Whatever you call it: 4/4, four on the floor, techno beat… that style of beat turns many people off.

just like some people get turned off by country music or polkas or certain vocals…

What I've found that many Americans do not know the difference between Tiesto and Juno Reactor – trance is trance and it's bad.

yeah, the U.S. never had any popular psytrance djs in the 90's…
Does Goa Gil count?

I actually thought trance was crappy, until I heard some stuff on Matsuri label ((drool)) in '98. I remeber a dude on Erowid telling me about Hallucinagin around '97, but I never investigated till later. That's life: recieve information, process, transmit…  🙂

[The March Hari]

Maybe psy sucks.  But trance doesn't.  Hard trance doesn't.  Acid trance doesn't.  Dark trance doesn't.  It's about labels.  If you're going to pick up Juno Reactor, you might as well check out to see if the Chemical Brother's just released another Block Rockin' beats remix.  Change up your label selection.  Do the research.  Ask around.  Pick up some old IST stuff.  Anything by Le Petit Prince.  If the new skool starts to disappoint, start diggin' in the crates, or burying your fingers into some keys for a minute to find out where they still got all the good shit hidden.  Better yet, DIY.  Start pickin' up some P.A. material.  If something sucks, change it, or find a way to, and quit yer' bitchin.  That's when shit really starts to happen.  Maybe that is not all positive or what you want to hear, but you know what, that's life……….

[Psy Bates]

I think Psy stands out compared to other stuff playing around. It's just that some people like it, some have never heard it at the opportune moment and some will never know… That's destiny ! Opinions will always float around until the end of time… Just make your choice watch like minded ravers come together in an ecstatic celebration !!! 🙂

[Author]

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