Why does no one in the US appreciate GOOD electronic music?

[Rotwang]

Welcome.

[AmishHacker]

I've always read the advertisements for psytrance and ambient festivals in Europe and wished that somebody would hold them here in the US. Unfortunately, as the OP said, there's little to no scene here for it. Psytrance fans in American are digital nomads.

 

AmishHacker

[reger]

Welcome, phlange!

 

 

And big @ AmishHacker's nickname !

[long ripps]

you guys are underrepresented for sure, but there are some artists and labels out there.

 

 

http://www.discogs.com/Annunaki-From-Nibiru/release/2698552

http://www.discogs.com/Dragon-Spirals-Of-Time/release/3099133

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Ocelot

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Penta

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Goa+Gil

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Nommos%2C+The

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Kode+IV

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Mubali

http://www.discogs.com/label/Hypnotic

http://www.discogs.com/label/Ceiba+Records

[Imba]

Kagdila records!

[Rotwang]

http://www.discogs.com/Dragon-Spirals-Of-Time/release/3099133

Great album.

[Malachyte]

Wow, I had no idea this topic would get so many replies! I'll read them all now and reply to ones that I feel inclined to reply to... hopefully in a more coherent and respectful way than my original post... and also with less profanity. I think I had had a full bottle of wine all to myself when I started this topic. Right now I'm drinking tea and listening to music... speaking of which, "Tea & Music" is a great little EP from Chronos - it's on the playlist I'm listening to. :-P

 

@exotic:

 

It's not that I'm not into Dark-Psy necessarily, but I'm into variety. At the 3-day event where I saw Bobby (again, 50% of Aerosis), it was literally nothing but Dark-Psy for 3 days straight outside of Bobby's set - I wouldn't want that much of ANY sub-genre of Trance. Dark-Psy also seems to lack emotion for the most part which is something I need to hear in music to really connect with it. I can however definitely appreciate and admire Dark-Psy - most of it is very well produced and quite creative in it's own way, but it's just not my cup of tea beyond an occasional song here and there, like some of Electrypnose's older stuff - "Brain Surgery" is an amazing track for example. But still, I can't really enjoy more than a handful of Dark-Psy songs back to back before I feel like a change of pace.

 

@Oopie:

 

That's an inspiring story for sure, but I really don't know enough people here who'd be interested in organizing a real Psy/Goa party... I basically have one friend who's into the music as much as I am, but he lives 8 hours away from me at this point since I moved from Southern California to Northern California. The other big problem is that I'm not a DJ - it never appealed to me, I'd much rather produce original tracks than mix tracks written by others into a set. So I could help organize a party... but I literally don't know how to DJ, nor to I have the equipment for it. :-(

 

@Panoptes:

 

Your entire post was right on - especially that stuff about religion - I'm also an Atheist in a predominantly Christian nation, and that comes with it's own set of frustrations, especially with how much religion seems tied in to politics in this country. It's so stupid... but I won't get into that here because first of all it's off topic, and secondly I could probably end up offending people...

 

@BraneFreeze:

 

I really don't think that having been to Goa has anything to do with it. That's just where the genre originated - even Simon Posford said in an interview that he finally made a trip to India for the first time just a few years ago, and that he didn't even make it to Goa... and this was long after the classic Hallucinogen albums.

 

Goa is definitely my personal favorite, but I'm not so close-minded that I refuse to go to parties without Goa - I even said in my original post that I'd be happy with Full On, Ambient, Progressive, etc. etc. Just not Dubstep and Techno...

 

I wasn't trying to say that Goa Trance was BETTER than other genres - your Jazz analogy is very accurate - I was just saying that it's disappointing to me to feel like I'm the only one within hundreds of miles who really appreciates it. It's depressing to discover new and amazing music all by myself in my home-studio with no one to share it with who understand it and loves it the way I do, that's all. I do enjoy other kinds of music - just check out my discogs collection in my original post. I can go to Metal concerts and really enjoy myself too - some Metal is really amazing... but it's not where my heart is, and it's not the music I want to write myself - all I want is to feel like there's at least a SMALL community around me who enjoys Goa/Psy as well.

 

@healium:

 

It's nice to know I'm not totally alone!! Unfortunaly I live really far away from the PsyTribe events now since I moved up to Truckee a few years ago (by Lake Tahoe in NorCal - basically east of Sacramento)... there's no way I could make the 10+ hour drive to Irvine just for a PsyTribe event anymore.

 

@Richpa:

 

I get what you're saying, and I'm definitely very thankful for the Goa community on the internet... I mean, it's the internet that made the release of my Protostar EP possible, and it's gotten pretty good feedback for the most part. Unfortunately though, It's still depressing for me to always listen to the music I love by myself at home, even if I'm sharing my thoughts and opinions with likeminded people on the internet. It's a totally different experience to be at a festival/rave/etc and feel the energy of a crowd dancing to the music - having experienced this only a few times in my life all I'm saying is I want more of it! I felt very inspired and positive for months after seeing Aerosis... I don't feel the same way dancing around in my studio at home by myself listening to a new Suntrip release, etc. The music is amazing, but the experience is just kinda sad since I'm almost always alone...

 

@Procyon:

 

I never said I wanted Goa to be a big scene in the US. I'd be happy with a TINY scene - in fact smaller events with 50-100 people have always felt more enjoyable to me than larger ones like when I saw Infected Mushroom in LA. I would just love to have a small group of people (in real life - not on the internet) to share my passion with.

 

@Dolmot:

 

Another very accurate and well informed post - I definitely agree with you. So much marketing in the US...

 

@Paradox:

 

Again, I really don't think having been to Goa has anything to do with it in this internet-driven age we live in. See my comments above regarding Simon Posford... other than that I agree with your post... but again I never said I wanted Goa to become mainstream at all - I would just love to have a small group of LOCALS to share it with, instead of just people on the internet who live half way around the world from me.

 

@long ripps & Imba:

 

I know there are always a few exceptions... but most of them seem to be DJs and not producers. I used to live very close to Kagdila Records... but even though they are based in California they still release music primarily by European artists, like Liquid Flow... (his album is awesome BTW)

 

PHEW! That was a lot to reply to. Let's keep this discussion going... and by all means, if anyone else from Northern California reads this and wants to try to organize an event with me, let me know!! :-)

[frozen dream]

time to start a scene in the place where you're living then, if you handle it with care it might turn out to be a goldmine! just book me!!

old goa set

[Malachyte]

"Location:floating island in the clouds"

 

Where are you really from? I'd totally book you! :-D

[johnb820]

Well I guess I will finally chime in on this thread seeing as how I am in the United States. People in America are dumb, I mean really dumb. They will not enjoy something unless they've been told to enjoy it. They are very empty people slowly going insane in a society driven by numbers and statistics, quotas and categories. Many lack simple basic humanity because we are a country owned and run by corporations and too many people are too ignorant to realize it. Worse are the people who realize it but are too apathetic or afraid to care.

 

And so Americans are incredibly closed minded despite my belief that we are generally a socially liberal country. It's not just goa trance, it's anything that isn't safe, easy, consumable, and approved of by others. It's as if people are too afraid to take control of their own lives and strive to find a deeper meaning in anything.

 

Sorry, I'm getting off topic. Please don't delete this thread!

[Imba]

"A psychedelic person is not willing to be a good citizen or a good anything that is defined by somebody else. A true shaman has to be an anarchist." - Terence McKenna

[Veracohr]

Jeez john, maybe you should meet some better people!

[johnb820]

Like around here?

 

I don't mean to say every American is like that, just most of them, more than I'd like to believe exist. Of course I doubt it's just an American thing. The world in general is moving into uncharted territory that we humans cannot even begin to comprehend.

[Tom!]

that's because most EDM fans in the US are fanboys of Above & Beyond, Gareth Emery, W&W, Gash Berlin etc. Basically everything that's wrong with the scene.

 

Goa will grow over there in time I'm sure

[lilaaa]

I really like this question. And as a U.S. citizen who has lived in Europe for a while and fully "experienced" psytrance to a level where I feel I "get it" and "understand it". I have some particular observations about my home culture and its difficulty to embrace Psytrance. Why is this so? People have given valid reasons on this thread but there are a few things no one has pointed to...

 

First of all, the U.S. is not full of overweight gun-obsessed, over-sexualized in sexually skewed manner, sleepwalking, shopping, zombies high on jesus and antidepressants. We are only HALF full of these people. Its a sad fact I know. It is difficult place to be and to make change, but to label this as 'America' is almost just as ignorant as the 'people', the diversity of 311 MILLON people, immigrants from all over the world and natives, you so easily to judge. America is a bizzare place I know. IT is a disturbing place. It is a difficult place.

 

But there are people here that are just like you. There are spiritual people, there are peaceful people, there are open people, there are psychedelic people, there are peaceful earth warriors and progressive change agents, there are artists, musicians, and cultural creatives. We listen to great music, we create beautiful festivals, we grow our own food, we cultivate community, we grow DANK weed, we dance, we sing, we throw great parties... we explore the many realms of experience just like you.

 

 

 

So, Why does our electronic music suck?

-this is just an opinion, I do not state to grasp this whole phenomenon, but from what I observe as a lover of music, dance and the psychedlic experience, within the american 'scene', I have to say, I venture to say, that our psychedelic culture comes from a different musical history than Europe's. So our psychedlic music, and culture surrounding that music comes from a different genre than europe.

 

TWO words : GRATEFUL DEAD

 

Our psychedelic culture originates with the 1960's band GRATEFUL DEAD, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters (west coast), Timothy Leary (east coast). I am not going to go into the wide and deep influence this band and this early Acid/spiritual movement had on our country, especially my home- the West coast. One can easily google this and find lots of interesting information, or read "the electric Kool-aid acid test". Therefore, our psychedelic culture has been majorly influenced by ROCK music, and the LIVE music experience, rather than the early hippies experimenting in GOA. Simply- I think so much of it has to do with history. This live music, with multiple skilled musicians, often high on psychedelics would take themselves, and the audience on psychedelic unplanned, present moment musical journeys which we often call "space jams". This is the hall mark of the concept of JAM BANDS which America has by the boat loads. The Grateful DEad charted this course but over the years the culture has expanded to include such well- known psychedelic-inclined jam bands such as Phish (funk inspired), String Cheese Incident (Bluegrass inspired),

MOE. (rock) etc etc etc!, where fans drop everything and follow their band around the country to festivals- similar festivals to the psytrance festivals- This subculture is a family- a tribe just like psytrance. The experience to be experienced is similar to the psytrance experience- the band and the audience co-create the experience. The jams-the interplay between musicians take everyone (awareness necessary for participation) on musical journeys where one, and many, fall into a trance like state of higher awareness. please do not judge the us and our musical depth before you attend a good Phish show. One element I like about this experience is it is co-creative, and relies upon a shared attention. The audience knows the songs, everyone is singing like a big family and that shared awareness is really powerful. These shows are a place for people to let go, freak out dance, explore... just like psytrance. The psytrance however, I've found is more of a personal journey inside- into your dance, into your self. ITs just different music, similar experience---HERE I do not imply this is the same in any way, but there are important similarities. And I think this is why the electronic scene is less psychedelic here- because there is so much alternative and fantastic psychedelic music in the US- Jam, Jazz, funk, bluegrass etc. Our psychedelic genre is many not singular so it is less concentrated within a sole "electronic music scene'.

 

Why is our electronic music more sexy, pop-esque, slow etc rather than psychedlic trance?Why do americans prefer this?

1. It comes from our musical history- once music turned electro in the last 20 years- what was here before morphed into its electronic twin. So what morphed into electronic music? Hiphop- reggae both of a slower bpm demeanor. ITs not necessarily worse then psytrance, there are some great artists- psychedelic in their essence from the US. its not all crap. But most of it is. So the electronic 'dance' is different as a result. Personally, psytrance transformed my dance experience. This is something that I think the U.S. electronic scene could really benefit from. The music is way too damn slow. I came back here and just could not hang with the slow dj's.

2. The electronic music scene here comes from more of drug culture of ecstasy rather than psychedelics I know this is a large statement to make, and I know I do not have the whole picture. But this is what I witness. The parties I've been to in california are full of coke and Mdma. This is not psychedelic! This is ego! This comes from someone who did not grow up as a raver, but rather grew up as a jam band tripper so I am biased. But it seems this way when I talk with my raver friends about this. Psychedelics are a huge part of the Jam band experience (but not necessary!) and I dont see the same with the rave scene here. BUt I do understand the role they play in the Psytrance scene in Europe and abroad. Comments?

 

Finally, I say this not in anyway to stress that America does not need psytrance- it does, utterly, deeply, truly!!!! but only I wanted to give my observations on WHY it is not yet a big presence here.

 

So my global psytrance friends, we need you!!!! Come here and blow our minds, our egos, our hearts! Free us! free our dance! Spiritualize our parties to a whole new level. Truly the simplest thing I can say about psytrance is that is a whole new level of experience for me. a beautiful experience. The U.S. needs this. Burning man should be full of psytrance not dubstep. Come to us!!!! SAVE US! S.O.S.! We need some psytrance missionaries!

[Padmapani]

 

First of all, the U.S. is not full of overweight gun-obsessed, over-sexualized in sexually skewed manner, sleepwalking, shopping, zombies high on jesus and antidepressants. We are only HALF full of these people.

sorry, but this made me literally laugh out loud. i know it's actually sad, but then again most funny things are in a way. but it's good to know that you don't share the defensive arrogance of half your countrymen about that topic.

 

i've never been to the u.s. and don't know the scene there, but i don't think can i fully agree with your (interesting) post. there definitely was a strong psychedelic rock scene in europe back then (lots of friends of my parents were part of it) and very few have ever been to goa (and again most of those who went there, went in the 60s and came back long before goa trance even existed). you're right that there's no real jam band scene in europe, but i guess there was enough psychedelic rock (and later progressive rock) or smaller get-togethers with drumming/singing/tripping to fill the gap.

1. you can make hiphop and reggea responsible for that. we had some reggea too over here (of course not artists, but listeners ) and instead of hiphop, punk was hugely popular here (and punk is more or less the antithesis of psytrance imho). and after all, while the u.k. was dancing to acid house at the time, techno did come from detroit

2. replace coke with amphetamine and you got the situation over here in any edm scene except psytrance (and maybe freetekno if you're generous).

 

well, there are my thoughts on this, tell me if i'm wrong somewhere.

 

and btw: the dead are great

[djShoom]

Well, theres good psytrance here, just in small collectives you gotta find. Sounds like you are from California? I would definitely check out the shows put on by Dr. Spook, Wichdoka, and Kahn. Not trying to spam any events, but just for information purpose and assuming you are on facebook:

Nebula: The Second Voyage

March to Nature

Both of those are 3 day festies in Cali, put on by Pulsar and Psytribe. This scene is usually full on oriented.

Theres some events in the Midwest, although they are very darkpsy oriented. I would check out the Spacecamp Psyfari party thats late august/labor day weekend. I'll be spinning goa trance at that one: https://www.facebook.com/events/509790712368002/

Colorado also has a scene, they love the neo-goa stuff like Via Axis and Trinodia, and good 147 layered full on like Peak and Blue Hour Sounds kinda stuff. You'll want to check out http://nativecircuit.com/ Great DJs there include Kalisama, Avery Runner, and Solomoon

 

In my neck of the woods, North Carolina we have one of the best festivals in the US, Equinox. Its put on by veteran psycrew T.O.U.C.H. Samadhi. Their festivals are hidden away deep in the appalachian mountains of western north carolina outside of Asheville. Names you'll want to remember from them are Kri, Annunaki, and Goadream. The style here is definitely neo-goa and full on, and if im playing goa Also, I maintain the Goa-Psy, Progressive Psy, and PsyChill studio of Digitally Imported Radio out of Raleigh, NC. A little to our south is the Pangea Productions / Pure Perception Records which hold the Welcome to Pangea festival. That is also in the mountains of NC, they also do other events in SC and sometimes FL if im not mistaken.

To the Northeast there is SYNC who did Noctilucent last year with Grouch and Bombox. Another group in NYC is Sybotik with Electrik. I'm not too familiar with the other groups up there, I know of a few of the bigger djs/promoters including Kabayun, Lunecell, Fractal Phono.

I hope this helps as a starting point in finding psytrance in america!

[Sideffect...]

http://youtu.be/nsdj9NRzqC4

[Panoptes]

While the title stands true for pop culture here, there is a lot of good semi popular electronica out there, you just need to go out and find it yourself (just like everyone else has too.) Americans are so used to having shit jammed down their throats that they have trouble coming to their own conclusions and finding stuff. etc...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDDBxT9uqBk

[Imba]

I found perfect psy for commercial world out there:

https://soundcloud.com/indra-official/lasgo-something-indra-rmx

 

 

Searching for goa trance on soundcloud this shown as goa... just play at 2.10

[Padmapani]

I found perfect psy for commercial world out there:

https://soundcloud.com/indra-official/lasgo-something-indra-rmx

 

 

Searching for goa trance on soundcloud this shown as goa... just play at 2.10

you're cruel!

 

a warning to others: DON'T play at 2:10 if you don't want your ears to fall off

[Panoptes]

that song is absolute shit, that auto tune :*(

[Richpa]

Strange, no body mentioned one of the most important styles of electronica - detroit techno, that emerged in late 80's by detroit producers such as Kevin Saunderson Derrick May, Juan Atkins, etc.

[Rotwang]

Strange, no body mentioned one of the most important styles of electronica - detroit techno, that emerged in late 80's by detroit producers such as Kevin Saunderson Derrick May, Juan Atkins, etc.

 

Nobody mentioned Chicago house either. But I don't think anybody is claiming that the US hasn't had a massive influence on the development of dance music (obviously it has); rather the thread is about what kind of EDM is popular in the States right now, which Detroit techno isn't AFAIK.

[Imba]

Before goa i used to love this track and still do:

 

 

And fockin' old Umek!