Define Psychedelic...

[Guest djnemo]

psy·che·del·ic

adj.

Of, characterized by, or generating hallucinations, distortions of perception, altered states of awareness, and occasionally states resembling psychosis.

 

So this is what Dictionary Dot Com says about the subject.

 

What would be classed as Psychedelic for you?

 

Psychedelic music, then has to be generating pictures, distort your perception and it alters your state of awareness. Now, all trance music does that for me (the trance that I like, not tiesto shite) not just psy trance, when I am dancing.

 

But the question is, do the tiesto etc fans also get this out of dancing? So, if that is the case, then that music is also psychedelic?

 

I hear from my friends that listen to Techno, that they have similar symptoms when they are out partying, dancing (without drugs, most of my friends dont use drugs anymore).

 

I think its worth thinking about, why did our genre become the "psychedelic" one. I can agree that goa trance and early psy trance was sounding somewhat more hypnotic, but the effect of hard pounding trance is the same for me....

 

I know, i know, that there is also psychedelic rock, and that normal rock does not sound psychedelic at all, but WHAT is it in the music that sounds psychedelic? Do people that listen to "normal" rock also go into "trance" when they rock their asses off?

 

Well, a lot of questions, and a lot of answers will follow im sure

 

Oh, on a sidenote, if you listen to the "goa" trance first released on Dragonfly etc, it was more technoish, than the "goa" that we later got used to. I called it psychedelic trance back then (never goatrance), did you as well?!

[Cinos]

It means "sounds like things don't sound in real life". That is, unlogical melodies instead of obvious ones, a lot of stutters and tempo changes for no reason, and general chaos.

[dmtree]

must have something to do with the whole "psychedelic experience" type thang..

 

I think it's different from 'hypnotic' or 'tribal' dance states, 'cause it's more of a head trip than a body high.

[moni]

oh god, i just hope that people who will post in this thread will not start talking about drugs in music.

 

here's my explanation of Psychedelic in music:

 

with commercial music .. the sounds, rythm, melodies are built so that the brain/heart/body perceive them in a certain, common, simple way ... it brings up in people very basic feelings, like romance, anger, joy, and even ordinary, basic dance moves. in my opinnion you don't need much brain activity to read a r&b or pop song. i haven't heard of a person who stayed on the dancefloor for hours, dancing non stop to commercial music.

 

with psychedelic music (and please notice that i didn't say psytrance) .. the sounds, rythm, melodies are built so that the brain/heart/body perceive them in a special, different, inner way ... it brings up in people different, strong feelings, like friendship, energy, good will, meditation, need for more, higher, etc, it activates you brain at a higher level into reading the music, and reacting to it according to the limits your brain sets.

with psychedelic music different brains are stimulated on different levels. a person on drugs will read the music in a certain way, and the body will act accordingly. a person not on drugs may read the music in the same way or different, and the body will act accordingly.

this is why we call it "psychedelic". cause this music lets your brain and body experience, explore, push and expand their limits and the way we perceive things around us.

 

 

conclusion: psychedelic is a state of mind, a way of perception, that we can find in music.

[Daniël]

Psychedelic is a word invented by Dr. Timothy Leary.

He used it for the first time and it wasn't a musical term back then but a scientific term to describe the effect of mushrooms etc.

psychedelic has 2 words psyche & delia

or maybe psyche - delirium.

 

The music industry just used it later on to describe certain genres.

But I think all music is psychedelic. Some genres are just more psychedelic then others.

The special thing about psytrance & goatrance is not the psychedelic sounds & flashes but the trance, the deeper, stronger, longer & more intense the trance, the more psychedelic the music is.

[Guest djnemo]

It means "sounds like things don't sound in real life". That is, unlogical melodies instead of obvious ones, a lot of stutters and tempo changes for no reason, and general chaos.

397748[/snapback]

Then full on is not psychedelic? And also, that would make Shpongle not psychedelic.

 

No no, I dont buy the Ilogical theory

[Guest djnemo]

conclusion: psychedelic is a state of mind, a way of perception, that we can find in music.

397761[/snapback]

Then techno can be psychedelic. Then also pop or electro can be it. People react diffrently on diffrent music hehe. This is why im curious

[Guest djnemo]

yeah thats what the wiki says as well

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychedelic_music

 

I want a deeper discussion here though

[Cinos]

Psychedelic is a word invented by Dr. Timothy Leary.

He used it for the first time and it wasn't a musical term back then but a scientific term to describe the effect of mushrooms etc.

psychedelic has 2 words psyche & delia

or maybe psyche - delirium.

397788[/snapback]

NO. It was invented by psychiatrist Humphrey Osmond.

 

Then full on is not psychedelic? And also, that would make Shpongle not psychedelic.

 

No no, I dont buy the Ilogical theory

397792[/snapback]

Yes, Shpongle is very psychedelic. No obvious melodies, and a lot of manipulation all the time.

[Tox]

To me psychedelic means "out of the ordinary"

Most of the times for me it's music with hypnotic rhytms or subtle nuances that only reveal their beauty after several listening-session.

Cheap music sounds great the first time you hear it & then gets pretty boring pretty fast, truly psychedelic music might not have an instant appeal but gets better every time you hear it

[moni]

Then techno can be psychedelic. Then also pop or electro can be it. People react diffrently on diffrent music hehe. This is why im curious

397794[/snapback]

i suppose so, i don't know.

but i can only conclude that trance is the genre that triggered people to use the term "psychedelic", and explore, create, combine, diversify trance into the subgenres that exist today.

because of the geometry, rythm, sounds, atmospheres, that gave people's brain a new way of perception on music and surroundings.

this is why "psychedelic" is used today in trance-related music genres. and less in other music genres.

 

i just want to say that psychedelic is not certain bassline or twisted crazy samples and other digital effects ... but it's a form of perception of music.

 

if hip hop had this effect on people's perception of music, then i guess we'd be tripping on psychedelic hip-hop

[Ov3rdos3]

Psychedelic:

 

4 hits of high powered blotter acid + Las Vegas.

[Guest djnemo]

if hip hop had this effect on people's perception of music, then i guess we'd be tripping on psychedelic hip-hop

397802[/snapback]

LOL :lol:

[ritual om]

it has 2 aspects:

1)any color or sound (as an isolated entity) that is profound and vivid,that has a different appeal to your senses in comparison to what you sense in your everyday life.

2)an entirety (a song for example) that even if it has no psychedelic sounds in it , the whole orchestration,interchanges and flow makes it so different in approach and conception that really opens a new way of thinking and dreaming.

 

these are the stereotyped definitions of the word psychedelic (you won't find them anywhere cause i am the author of them )

 

if you are lost and confused in thesejust listen to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHPONGLE-ARE YOU SHPONGLED?

 

 

and you will get it instantly

[Anoebis]

Mind Expanding music (that gives you the feeling as you are in a different galaxy) = psychedelic music... it's simple as that for me

 

(and hmm, music with sounds that make your head go crazy )

[Guest djnemo]

Mind Expanding music (that gives you the feeling as you are in a different galaxy) = psychedelic music... it's simple as that for me

 

(and hmm, music with sounds that make your head go crazy )

397813[/snapback]

Crazy in a good way or bad way?!

[Daniël]

NO. It was invented by psychiatrist Humphrey Osmond.

 

397797[/snapback]

yes, correct, my mistake. mixed those 2 up for a sec.

[Insejn]

It means "sounds like things don't sound in real life".

397748[/snapback]

I can buy that.

[Anoebis]

Crazy in a good way or bad way?!

397819[/snapback]

it depends on which moment

[auryn]

The shortest definition of psychedelic music I can come up with is:

 

"music that triggers your imagination"

 

i.e. music that suggests an entire world, but leaves you to fill in the details with your own imagination.

 

that's why I would say the first shpongle album is more psychedelic than the second or third, because they don't just suggest a world of shpongolia, they really spell it out for ya, and that leaves me little room to imagine things in.

 

Disclaimer: just an example, no sphongle bashing intended, love the 1st lp, the 2nd and third are nice but not quite as magical IMHO.

[chokuro]

not necesarily mind expanding, mind altering seems more correct from my point of view.

 

music doesn't really help me to get there, but it works like a sign that tells me how far i'm drifting off.

 

it are all stages of comprehension.

[kathmandu]

for me

 

psyche: relating with mind/brain

 

deli: a place which sells food

 

 

so psychedlic is food for brain.

[Time_Trap]

well, by definition, psychedelic = something that brings the psyche[=soul] into surface,makes the soul apparent...

 

Generally, in art, I think that psychedelia could also be related to vivid colours, weird sounds,repeating patterns bringing chaos to order, surrealistic images etc etc....

[Time_Trap]

Psychedelic is a word invented by Dr. Timothy Leary.

He used it for the first time and it wasn't a musical term back then but a scientific term to describe the effect of mushrooms etc.

psychedelic has 2 words psyche & delia

 

397788[/snapback]

true, psyche=soul + deloyn= make apparent,show...

 

oh god, i just hope that people who will post in this thread will not start talking about drugs in music.

 

 

397761[/snapback]

 

almost impossible since this term has been originally used to desribe certain substances

[abasio]

Psychedelia stirs emotion from the soul! All music should be able to do this but unfortunately there is a whole load of crap out there. The best psy trance really moves you as does quality laid back stuff. Leave the genre and you still get really psychedelic stuff. Listen to Enigma's 3rd album, very Trippy! or some of Enya's early work could produce hallucinations without drugs.

Its just a shame most people listen to STEPS or Take That, music? Im not sure. It definately doesnt stir any emotion in me. Come to Japan where the pop is so bad it sounds like a rusty hinge but the psychedelic stuff is classy futuristic stuff. Check of JP Noir.