The Genre Originally for Pilled Up Hippies is the New Healthy Option at Festivals.
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| Field Trip Festival with DJ Psy Gardener |
It's 2AM when you're already off your noodle, one of your friends suggests to wallow down, knee-deep in mud to a 'Psy Forest.' Since it's the latest-running stage, you hopelessly follow only ending up to have the best night of your fluorescent existence.
In a world where 'Jump Up' is exclusive lad culture, Grime is the new Punk and 'Trap' is some sad excuse for club music, festivals have had to do something to solve this modern-day clubbing crisis.
Since the outbreak of Dubstep in the 00s, it's clear that all forms of electronic music have benefitted from this millennia's ear-shattering revolution. We have at least 12 different types of Drum and Bass whilst 'hardcore' music seems closer these days to 'norm-core'. But in your average field over three days, breakbeat will become your new thinking pattern, even the noise of the train home will have you counting in 140BPM. Exhausted, your brain is locked in the rigidity of drum patterns and you vow to never listen to 'jump-up' again. Yet Psytrance has stood the test of time, it's the glowing sore thumb among its dance music counterparts. The power of melody has been forgotten in much of the dance world. This is where festivals have realised that D'n'B can't create all of the magic.
Evolving from the origins of 'Goa Psy' in the early 90s, the development of 'acid music' combined with Goa style trance to provide the next 'underground' of dance. The sound is now split into three or so sub-genres. This gives festivals the flexibility to gradually build on intensity, involving different atmospheres to appeal to more than just the average raver. For instance, 'Full On' and 'Progressive' will be used perhaps at the start of the day, since it is the more commercial sub-genre of psytrance. Whereas 'Darkspy' or 'Forest' is saved for after-dark when the visuals can be fully indulged.
Boomtown, Glastonbury and Noisily are just a handful of British Festivals who have continued to embrace psytrance and its relevance to a growing crowd. By providing the genre with a platform at the biggest festivals, it's encouraging a new vitality into dance music. A regular festival punter can be on commute to see the Foo Fighters, but lost in a visual experience for hours, concludes that they made the right decision to try something new. Psytrance isn't a movement that will sell out by stealing fans from other dance genres, but provides a rabbit hole to the open minded. Using forests as a venue is inspired from other psytrance sub-genres 'Darkpsy'/'Forest'/'Hi-Tech.' which comes at a faster 140-160 BPM and obscures the ear further to "the final destination of the soul."
With the Glade festival being a big name in psytrance until 2012, its concentrated presence now at Glastonbury has made a huge difference. Within the
complex; a main stage sits in bunch of trees that reflect every special visual effect back onto the crowd. The Spike in the woods has a risen wooden platform and disco ball as if you're stuck inside a real-life pulsating toadstool.
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| The Glade at Glastonbury |
Or just go to the Glade lounge tent which is pure 'Darkpsy' until 4AM. This attention to facilitate Psytrance allows it to reach out and become the new sound of inclusivity. The intensity of the music still triggers the prejudice of heavy drugs use turning many usual punters against it. However sober or slaughtered, Psytrance creates an acceptance not seen in other music, and helps to educate ourselves on self awareness and the free spirit of those around us. There's not an A-Z guide to Psytrance, gun fingers or 'skanking' are not a mandatory move. At the same time it doesn't hold the same pretentious air of techno or an 'intelligent' genre of electronic music. Being in fresh air surrounded by repetitive melody is comparatively better to dark sweaty clubs overburdened with bass. Psytrance is one of few music subcultures that emphasises the environment around us and is as much of a visual experiment as well of a sonic one.
To investigate the vitality of Psytrance further, BackstageOnly recently visited Field Trip Festival in Bruton, Somerset. Whilst the bank holiday weekend delivered acts such as
In comparison to other Psytrance venues and festivals that you've played, how does Field Trip compare?
It's great! it's always a pleasure, there's a great vibe in the crowd. We did ourselves proud against other genres of music that are in here, it's mainly focused on Drum and Bass etc But we've got a little niche in 'The Woods' and it's worked out well. I'm really pleased.
So 'The Woods' in general is a strong visual impact, is this as important to you when performing psytrance sets as much as the music?
Yeah they usually are in the scene, everything is UV immersion. Everyone wears the flora gear, it's like distancing yourself into some wonderland you know, away from society a little bit, finding your own base and just be yourself and let go.
How old were you when you first started thinking you wanted to mix such intense music?
About 15 years ago we started thinking, "what's it going to take to get on that stage at the night?" and we started our own. Here we are 12 years later with a good following.
And how do you think Psytrance is fairing against new genres of electronic music, do you feel it is as solid as it was when it first came to surface?
I think so, it remains a little niche underground. It's an underground scene really, quiet often Psytrance nights are the best kept secret in a town because like you know people wanna come along and be themselves, not get harassed or anything like that or judged because of what they're wearing. We have quite a lot of transgender people, gay people come along because of just that. They can just relax.
As a DJ in your down time, what do you get up to?
I'm the head gardener at a country estate in Gloustershire , it's run by a chap who used to own the Glade Festival.
Glade is now one of the best celebrated stages at Glastonbury Festival, perhaps demonstrating how far Psytrance has come along. Seeing yourself in the future, where would you like to get booked?
You know what, its a long way a way. I have played Glastonbury but it's no where near on the main stage it was on the Rabbit Hole.
You've got to be good to play there! People have to queue up for so long to get in, that's pretty exclusive! Did you have to go through the tunnels to access the booth?
Yeah usually someones at the entrance and they ask you a nursery rhyme to do with Alice In Wonderland because that's usually what it's based on. If you get that right you're allowed into the tunnels; some lead to dead ends and some lead to what they call 'the nightclub'. So once you're in, you're in!
So you came in the right way then?
Yes, thank god.
Would you see yourself playing Glastonbury again or are you more into smaller festivals, what are you feeling at the moment?
You CANNOT beat the smaller crowds who know the vibe, our toadstool DJ residents seem to create it every time because I think it's a passion within themselves, it's not commercial. We're just glad that people come along and follow us.
When you were a teenager who were you listening to, did you start mixing young?
I was quite old when I started mixing, but back in the early days I was a Northern Soul Boy. You know, that' s where it all comes from originally all those early tunes. It's just an off shoot all of it from that!
There's a lot of colours around us at the moment, if you had to use a certain shade or combination of colours as a symbol of what you played tonight what would it be?
Rockin' Red!
You can listen to Psy Gardener's Music HERE
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