Psychedelic trance (Psy-Trance) — A historical chronicle of psychedelic trance from its origins to the present and changes in equipment
Text: mmr｜Theme: History of Psy-Trance from its origins to the present
Goa trance, which originated from the hippie/rave culture in Goa, spread around the world in the mid-1990s as “psychedelic trance.”Since then, various derivative genres (Full-on, Darkpsy, Progressive, Psybient, etc.) have been created through the refinement of sound images and the digitization of equipment, and it has become global through festival culture and online distribution.
Below, we will summarize the trends by generation, representative masterpieces, changes in equipment, and 10 recommended tracks from each era.
Origin — 1970s-1980s
- Background: Hippie culture and the influx of electronic musical instruments.Used synths and rhythm machines are brought to Goa.
- Equipment: Roland TB-303, TR-808, TR-909, etc.
Masterpiece
- Kraftwerk – Computer World (1981)
- Tangerine Dream – Exit (1981)
- Charanjit Singh – Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat (1982)
10 Recommended Tracks (1970s-80s)
| # | Artist/Song Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kraftwerk – Numbers | 1981 | Foundations of early electro |
| 2 | Tangerine Dream – Exit | 1981 | Cosmic synth sound |
| 3 | Charanjit Singh – Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat | 1982 | TB-303 Pioneering Use |
| 4 | Klaus Schulze – Trance 4 | 1983 | European Electroacoustics |
| 5 | Psychic TV – Tune In | 1982 | Inheritance of Psychic Culture |
| 6 | Jean-Michel Jarre – Ethnicolor | 1984 | Ethno+Electronic Sound |
| 7 | Front 242 – Headhunter | 1988 | EBM’s signature song |
| 8 | The KLF – What Time Is Love? | 1988 | The early days of rave |
| 9 | 808 State – Pacific State | 1989 | Balearic influence |
| 10 | Goa Gil – DAT tape mixes | Late 1980s | Original Goa sound |
Establishment of Goa Trance — 1990-1994
- Background: Full Moon Party in Goa, India.Trance sounds played on DAT tapes spread throughout the world.
- Equipment: DAT, Roland synth, early sampler.
Masterpiece
- Juno Reactor – Transmissions (1993)
- Man With No Name – Moment of Truth (1994)
- The Infinity Project – Feeling Very Weird (1994)
10 Recommended Tracks (1990–94)
| # | Artist/Song Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juno Reactor – Transmissions | 1993 | Ethno + Trance fusion |
| 2 | Man With No Name – Teleport | 1994 | Goa Classic |
| 3 | The Infinity Project – Feeling Very Weird | 1994 | Goa scene icon |
| 4 | Doof – Let’s Turn On | 1994 | Psychedelic Riff |
| 5 | Total Eclipse – Le Lotus Bleu | 1994 | French psychedelic representative |
| 6 | Etnica – Trip Tonite | 1994 | Multi-layered synth |
| 7 | Green Nuns of the Revolution – Conflict | 1994 | Energetic |
| 8 | Prana – Geomantik | 1994 | Japanese participation unit |
| 9 | Transwave – Hypnorhythm | 1994 | Representing France |
| 10 | Shakta – Lepton Head | 1994 | Goa Masterpiece |
Late 1990s: Establishment of Psy-Trance
- Historical background: Gore trance spread to Europe, creating a harder and more high-tech sound.The Israeli scene is making great strides.
- Typical equipment: Access Virus, Clavia Nord Lead, Roland JP-8000
Masterpiece
- Hallucinogen – Twisted (1995)
- Infected Mushroom – The Gathering (1999)
- X-Dream – Radio (1998)
10 Recommended Tracks (1995–99)
| # | Artist/Song Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hallucinogen – LSD | 1995 | Genre icon |
| 2 | Astral Projection – People Can Fly | 1995 | Melodic Goa |
| 3 | Electric Universe – Solar Energy | 1995 | Hard synth use |
| 4 | X-Dream – Freak | 1997 | Psych from Germany |
| 5 | Astral Projection – Dancing Galaxy | 1997 | A masterpiece from the golden age |
| 6 | Cosmosis – Howling at the Moon | 1996 | Hallucinatory Riff |
| 7 | Shpongle – Divine Moments of Truth | 1998 | Birth of Psybient |
| 8 | Infected Mushroom – Release Me | 1999 | Symbolizing the next generation |
| 9 | Etnica – Alien Protein | 1996 | Scene classic |
| 10 | Blue Planet Corporation – Micromega | 1995 | Cosmic Sound |
2000s: Expanding the global scene
- Background: The rise of festival culture (Boom Festival, Ozora).Sub-genres (full-on, dark Psy, progressive Psy) are progressing.
- Equipment: Cubase VST, Logic Audio, Access Virus TI, Waldorf Q
Masterpiece
- Infected Mushroom – Classical Mushroom (2000)
- GMS – No Rules (2002)
- Atmos – Headcleaner (2000)
10 Recommended Tracks (2000s)
| # | Artist/Song Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Infected Mushroom – Bust a Move | 2000 | The beginning of pop |
| 2 | GMS – Juice | 2000 | Full-on representative |
| 3 | Talamasca – Aries | 2001 | French Fullon |
| 4 | Skazi – Revolution | 2002 | Guitar introduction |
| 5 | Sesto Sento – Come Together | 2003 | Melodic-oriented |
| 6 | 1200 Micrograms – Ayahuasca | 2002 | Psychedelic theme |
| 7 | Psysex – New Wave Hooker | 2001 | Satirical title |
| 8 | Dark Soho – Depth of Emotion | 2000 | Darkpsy |
| 9 | Ott – Smoked Glass and Chrome | 2003 | Downtempo |
| 10 | Shpongle – Nothing Lasts… But Nothing is Lost | 2005 | Psybient masterpiece |
2010s: Digital age and crossover
- Background: Production using DAW and plug-ins has become mainstream.Interaction with EDM and bass music.It has become established worldwide, led by festivals.
- Equipment: Ableton Live, Serum, Massive, UAD Plugins
Masterpiece
- Vini Vici & Astrix – Adhana (2020)
- Liquid Soul – Dreamcatcher (2021)
- Outsiders – Cosmic Awakenings (2022)
10 Recommended Tracks (2010s)
| # | Artist/Song Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vini Vici – Free Tibet (Remix) | 2016 | Festival Anthem |
| 2 | Ace Ventura – Stomping Ground | 2014 | Prog Psy Representative |
| 3 | Avalon – Rhythms of the Future | 2012 | Future Oriented |
| 4 | Ajja – Juicy Shrooms | 2011 | Full of psychedelic elements |
| 5 | Outsiders – We Are Not Alone | 2015 | Full-on Evolution |
| 6 | Symbolic & Vertical Mode – Trance Logic | 2015 | Sophisticated sound image |
| 7 | Astrix – Deep Jungle Walk | 2012 | Israeli heavyweight |
| 8 | Tristan – Way of Life | 2017 | UK Psy Representative |
| 9 | Liquid Soul – Nirvana | 2014 | Progressive-oriented |
| 10 | Infected Mushroom – Head of NASA | 2018 | Evolution of a veteran |
2020s: New generation fusion and expansion
- Background: The fusion of Psy-Trance, techno, bass music, and psychedelic ambient continues.Due to its spread on YouTube and distribution platforms, the number of young listeners is rapidly increasing.
- Equipment: Ableton Live 11, Arturia V Collection, Moog Subsequent 37, Eurorack module
Masterpiece
- Vini Vici & Astrix – Adhana (2020)
- Liquid Soul – Dreamcatcher (2021)
- Outsiders – Cosmic Awakenings (2022)
10 recommended tracks (2020s)
| # | Artist | Track | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vini Vici & Astrix | Adhana | 2020 |
| 2 | Ajja & Outsiders | Sacred Patterns | 2020 |
| 3 | Liquid Soul | Dreamcatcher | 2021 |
| 4 | Ace Ventura & Vertical Mode | Dimension 5 | 2021 |
| 5 | Burn in Noise | Trance Mutation | 2021 |
| 6 | Ajja | Starfall | 2022 |
| 7 | Astrix | Sapana | 2022 |
| 8 | Avalon & Laughing Buddha | The Journey | 2022 |
| 9 | Outsiders | Cosmic Awakenings | 2022 |
| 10 | Vini Vici | In The Middle of Nowhere | 2023 |
Towards the future of psychedelics
Psy-Trance was born from the intersection of hippie culture and technology, branched out into many different forms after its golden age in the 90s, and continues to dominate festivals around the world.Tracking the evolution of sound design and changes in equipment reveals the dynamism of its sound and the depth of its culture.
We started with analog equipment, went through digitalization, and are now in the stage of fusion that transcends genres.1990s gore spirituality, 2000s high-tech full-on explosiveness, 2010s digital crossover, and 2020s cross-genre evolution.Each era created its own aesthetic.
What is common in this flow is “expansion of consciousness” and “joint experience.”Although the stage has changed from beach parties to huge festivals to online streaming, the desire for psychedelic experiences remains the same.
In the future, we can expect further developments that will transcend dimensions, such as sound design using AI, psychedelic experiences linked to VR and AR, and live performances that combine Eurorack modular and digital.
Psy-Trance will continue to be a “cultural and spiritual movement,” not just a musical genre. Tracing this history is not just a record of sound, but a shared part of humanity’s ``journey of consciousness expansion’’.
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