Searching for the Roots of Goa Trance in Rock psychedelia

[Guest D N H]

Not long time ago, i had the opinion and the persuasion, that goa trance had a lot to do with classical music, in an electronic form, of course.

Then i got the remark that goa trance as a spirit and style is a descendant of the psychedelic/space rock music. Moreover that a lots of goa trance pioneers listened a lot to the music of psychedelic/space rock masters and got influenced by it.

 

So, how much goa trance/trance is relative with rock and how much with classical music?

[radi6404]

I don't know where the roots are of psychedelic trance but basically psychedelic and goa trance, the first releases are more or less electronical synths added to a sequencer and a softer kickdrum, for example one of the TR 808 sampler. And you can call even other genres of music with analogue synths and filtersweeps goa. For example the music Boris Blenn has produced earlier could be labeled just electronic music with melodies or it could be labelled goa trance. some are pure goa trance, others are rather electronic tracks with goa melodies.

 

But not a lot of goa tracks are really complex and comparable to classical, which is very complex and with very complex melodies. Maybe a few Etnica and Pleiadians tracks have coplex melodies which are not as easy sounding, but a lot of goa trance has simple melodies, so I do not think that a lot of goa trance has it roots fro classical or is inspired by classical.

[CoLoUr DoTZ]

To my ear Psytrance was inspired by psychedelic rock and if one read interviews from the "pioneers" will see that most of them came from playing in bands, some more hardcore punk, some more psychedelic stuff. Think killing joke, Quintessence, etc.... also all those guitars riffs came from that influence.......

 

The relation to classic stuff would be more of a circle that close itself, als the structure of progry rock is more similar to classical structures als to normal verse chorus verse chorus verse pop music stuff. Mixed that with synth sounds that at some points imitate some orchestral instruments and you have some classy electronic stuff.

[Blubber]

 

So, how much goa trance/trance is relative with rock and how much with classical music?

 

composition-wise goa trance works a lot with classic music structures and harmonies, and i think there are many producers who have classical music education. our understanding of harmonies is pretty much shaped by this musical-cultural heritage. take etnica's trip tonite for example, the main lead is nothing more than the repetition of a simple classic musical scale. on the other hand, i'm pretty sure that most of the goa pioneers were "directly" influenced much more by the music evolution of the 80's and early 90's - the newwave, darkwave, postpunk era, not to forget the rising of the technical instruments of that time. listen to anne clark's our darkness from 1984. the spirit of goatrance? well, i think the psychedelic rock era and the hippie culture are undoubtedly the forefathers of our music, the term "goa" speaks for itself.

 

but speaking of roots we shouldn't forget the influence of classic african drum rhythms and the ability of bringing someone into a state of trance by rhythm sections alone. i think this is the root of psychedelic trance which can be traced back in time as the longest/oldest...

[technosomy]

raj's psy rock influence has been huge!