Preserving Psytrance

Psychedelic trance is electronic music that emerged in the early 1990s, with roots in late-’80s trance and techno. Also known early on as Goa Trance, it first took shape at outdoor gatherings in Goa, India - a modern winter-season retreat for global travelers and seekers - before radiating out to dancefloors worldwide.

Psytrance is part of the wider body of trance music, where different styles at varying tempos share common traits: tracks typically 6-10 minutes long, built around a steady 4/4 kick, with long builds, evolving percussion, and breakdowns that create euphoric or cinematic moments.

Attendees at psytrance parties often report profound benefits: lifted moods, strengthened bonds with others, the effects of being outdoors, and moments of interconnectedness or deep thought that transcend words and touch something deeper within.

Early psytrance centred on long tracks with hallmarks like twisted sounds, layered arpeggios, and the use of instruments like the TB-303, SH-101, and early digital FX to create the 'psychedelic' element to the sound.
It was and is best experienced at outdoor parties that span whole nights and mornings, where dancers move together through sunrise and well beyond.

The genre’s evolution over time runs in parallel with broader changes in humanity - as our population grows and diversifies, and as we live through the profound evolution of how technology shapes our world.

Today, psytrance is an umbrella term for a variety of sub-genres, ranging from slower to faster tempos (~130 to ~230 BPM) and spanning styles from dark to light, uplifting to brooding, and many moods in between.
Almost all psy is characterised by a driving beat that draws people to dance together, with the many layers and richly detailed sounds in the music prompting both outward connection and inward journeys of reflection from participants.

Much modern psytrance is defined by extremely high production quality as producers harness rapid advances in audio technology to create music that pushes the limits of sound.
Psytrance parties today can treat their listeners to an almost physical sensation felt through the body and ears, such is the depth of power in the music.

The genre’s strength in constantly moving forward and grasping the possibilities of the future is also a small weakness.
With rapid technological change and truly global participation, we see ideas move quickly, niche sub-genres branch like a hydra, and the pace of evolution is only accelerating.
As a result, psytrance can feel fleeting: standout tracks may shine for a few years - or far less - before being eclipsed by the next wave of innovation. Artists dedicate huge portions of their lives to the craft, yet each piece of work may now only represent a brief moment in time before the scene moves forward.

This page seeks to preserve more of their art, but equally to preserve this special story in human history.
It's the story of a musical evolution showing how the music we share mirrors the changing world around us.
It's the story of a cultural practice that truly transcends borders and thrives away from cities.
It's the story of the devoted community that sustains it with great difficulty, at great cost, with great passion.
… Where the deep complexity of these threads is beautifully entwined with the wider evolving story of humanity.

Documentation of psytrance’s history has been sporadic. This archive will exist to respectfully chronicle it out of gratitude for the creators who fuel this movement, and in awe of the positive change it brings to many who experience it.