Psytrance Guide

psytranceguide.com/

Welcome to the very first, complete, up-to-date Psytrance styles

guide. It's a great place to discover new subgenre you haven't heard
before and to use it as a reference for organising your DJ collection
tags.

Please read FAQ.

Psychedelic
Also known as: Uptempo Psy, UK Psy, Classic

BPM range:

145
—
148

BPM range: 145—148

Psychedelic is probably the most iconic subgenre of Psytrance music, with driving basslines
and futuristic sounds often created using FM synthesis. Pioneered by the London-based
labels like Alchemy, Flying Rhino and TIP Records, among the others, this subgenre has also
become known as the UK Psy.

Psytrance
Also known as: Psy-Trance, Classy, 140-BPM-Psy

BPM range:

138
—
142

BPM range: 138—142

This subgenre organically fits between Progressive Psy and the classic Psychedelic in the
BPM range, combining the best elements of these two. It is arguably the most common
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Psytrance subgenre now that sounds on the festivals all over the world, and in fact, if you
hear the word “Psytrance”, it’s most likely referred to this particular subgenre.

Note: read why author prefers to call these tracks Psytrance and not Progressive Psy in the
blog.

Progressive Psy
Also known as: Psy-Prog, Progressive

BPM range:

134
—
138

BPM range: 134—138

Emerging in the mid 00’s in Europe, Progressive Psy has quickly expanded to become one
of the most common Psytrance subgenre. And it’s very diverse too, featuring a quite wide
range of vibes. Progressive Psy doesn’t utilise one particular type of sound, but rather
focuses on the groove, the flow, and how it progresses over time.

Minimal Psy
Also known as: Minimal, Deep Psychedelic, Zenonesque

BPM range:

130
—
135

BPM range: 130—135

Although this subgenre might be formally called Progressive, it’s typically slower, deeper
and less melodic than the Progressive Psy we know today. Tracks of this subgenre builds-up
slowly, allowing artists to focus more on things like reverb tails, delay effects, little
percussion tricks, and other subtle details.

Note: probably, Dark Progressive aka Zenonesque and Psygressive will be separated is the
future version of this guide. Please read more in the blog.

Tribal
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Also known as: Triplets, Ethnic Psy

BPM range:

136
—
140

BPM range: 136—140

Pioneered by Juno Reactor and then recently popularised by Vini Vici, Tribal Psy utilises
triples bassline pattern along with some ethnic drums and vocal samples. Some producers
overused triples so much in the recent years, so at some point, having a triplet drop
is almost considered as a cliché.

Notable labels
Blue Tunes Records, Bounce Recordings, Mainstage Records, X7M Records

Offbeat
Also known as: The Offbeat, Progressive Trance, Hamburg Psy

BPM range:

134
—
140

BPM range: 134—140

The Offbeat Psy uses a specific bassline pattern at which a single bass note hits between
four-on-the-floor kick drums, hence the name. It is originated from Hamburg, Germany,
in the late 00’s. Tracks in this subgenre often include sampled speech samples processed
with the gate or sidechain effects.

Psytechno
Also known as: Psychedelic Techno, Psytek

BPM range:

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128
—
140

BPM range: 128—140

As the title suggests, this subgenre is a blend of Psytrance and Techno that combines
various elements from these two. And since both Psytrance and Techno can vary in tempo
and vibe, there is pretty much no boundaries to this subgenre too: it can go from deep and
minimal to hard and rough.

Psy Tech-Trance
Also known as: Uplifting Psy

BPM range:

138
—
140

BPM range: 138—140

Psy Tech-Trance is a product of a clash between Psytrance and a regular Trance worlds.
Tracks in this subgenre typically have the Psy bassline, longer uplifting breakdowns, and
acidic riffs at the climax. Although some devoted psytrance fans don’t accept this subgenre
as a part of the Psy scene and culture, it grows pretty rapidly, especially in the US.

Psybreaks
Also known as: Psychedelic Breaks, Psy Tech-Funk, Broken Beats

BPM range:

130
—
138

BPM range: 130—138

Psybreak is a relatively new subgenre that emerged in the last 00’s. It combines heavy
Psytrance bassline and squelch sounds with a Breaks rhythm, classic Electro snares, and
sometimes even Industrial scrapes.

Mainstream 4/11
Mainstream
Also known as: Commercial Psy, Pop Psy

BPM range:

130
—
138

BPM range: 130—138

This isn’t quite a subgenre, but rather consequences of when Psytrance artists
go mainstream: it often includes vocals and cheesy melodies to appeal to a broader
audience. Although these tracks typically labelled in stores as a “Psytrance”, let’s be clear
about it: it’s not Psytrance, really.

Goa Trance
Also known as: Goa, 604 Psy

BPM range:

135
—
150

BPM range: 135—150

Goa Trance is the ancestor of all Psytrance music as a whole we know today. Formed in the
80’s in Goa, India, by the modern hippies of that time, Goa Trance got its global recognition
in the mid 90’s. Goa Trance is considered as “organic”, that is to say, it does not have the
typical “metallic” sounds of electronic music and often presents an oriental aesthetics in its
melodies, mostly with Indian consonance, as well as various tribal elements from the Indian
culture such as references to the Buddhist or Hinduist mythology and mysticism. Although
Goa Trance is considered as an oldschool genre now, some artists and labels are still
releasing it, referring to it as a New School or Neogoa.

Nitzhonot
Also known as: Uplifting Goa, Morning Goa Trance

BPM range:

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145
—
160

BPM range: 145—160

Nitzhonot is a subgenre that formed from the classic Goa Trance in the mid 90’s in Israel,
and it literally means “victories” in Hebrew. It is typically faster than Goa Trance, with high-
pitched kick drums and fast-paced oriental melodies. And just like Goa Trance, Nitzhonot
considered an underground subgenre among Psytrance as a whole, which
is an underground style itself.

Full-on
Also known as: Morning Fullon, Israeli Full-on

BPM range:

140
—
148

BPM range: 140—148

Full-on is a dynamic, playful, and musical subgenre of Psytrance that appeals to a broader
audience because of its positive vibe. Unlike of a typical straight Psytrance bassline pattern,
the Full-on basssline plays on various notes across few octaves, creating a special rhythm
and melody that way. The period of 2004–2009 is considered as the “golden age” of Full-on,
before Progressive Psy took over the global Psy scene.

Night Full-on
Also known as: Twilight, South African Full-on

BPM range:

145
—
150

BPM range: 145—150

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Night Full-on is the evil twin of Full-on: it has the same fast-paced bass and leads but with
a darker vibe and twisted, synthetic sounds. On the festivals, Twilight Psy typically sound
during the night-time, hence the name.

Note: probably, Night Full-on and Twilight will be separated is the future version of this
guide. Please read more in the blog.

Dark Psy
Also known as: Cyberdelic, Alien Psy

BPM range:

140
—
155

BPM range: 140—155

Dark Psy name speaks for itself. This subgenre is dark, cold, and themed with a horror
special effects. Sometimes it’s called Cyberdelic, which stands for “cybernetic + psychedelic”,
due to a massive amount of artificial sounds, lasers, and other alien sounds. Many Dark Psy
producers are hailing from Russia, so you might see this genre referred as a Russian style.

Notable artists
Fungus Funk, Goa Gil, Kindzadza, Ocelot, Penta, Savage Scream, Zik Matutero

Forest Psy
Also known as: Forest Psychedelic, Scandinavian Dark Psy

BPM range:

150
—
160

BPM range: 150—160

Forest Psy is very similar to Dark Psy in many ways, but it’s less robotic-themed and focuses
more on the ambient noises, nature atmosphere, and the spooky sounds you would hear
in a dark psychedelic forest. Filled with swarming and teeming effects, it is also slightly

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faster than Dark Psy and arranged in a straightforward manner, almost with no breakdowns
and beat interruptions.

Hi-Tech
Also known as: Hitek Psy, Psycore

BPM range:

170
—
230

BPM range: 170—230

Hi-Tech is a Psytrance style strongly influenced by Dark Psytrance, Psycore, and Full-On.
It is characterized by a synthetic aesthetic pushed to the extreme. In terms of tempo, Hi-
Tech vary from 150 BPM to over 200 BPM, making it and Psycore the fastest Psychedelic
Trance styles. Unlike Psycore, Hi-Tech can present an absence of atmosphere in favor
of a non-regular melodic structure. In addition, Hi-Tech is generally the least predictable
and constant of all Psychedelic Trance styles.

Note: is the future version of this guide, Hi-Tech and Psycore will be separated. Please read
more in the blog.

Suomi
Also known as: Suomisaundi, Finnish Psy

BPM range:

135
—
145

BPM range: 135—145

Originated from Finland, Suomi is probably the most free-form subgenre of Psychedelic
music allowing artists to go wild and experiment both musically and production-wise.
Suomisaundi tracks are usually very melodic, including heavy influences from early Goa,
tribal beats and Acid Trance tracks, as well as funky guitar and keyboard loops and sounds
from or reminiscent of 80’s.

Psychill
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Also known as: Psybient, Psychedelic Chillout, Downtempo Psy

BPM range:

90
—
120

BPM range: 90—120

Psychill is a downtempo genre that often seeks to reach a state of deep relaxation, close to
meditation and lucid dreaming. It utilises various elements of Goa Trance and Psychedelic
music in general, and typically has a classic Goa kick drum, 303’s sounds, and lush
atmospheric pads.

Chillout
Also known as: Chill, Ambient, Downtempo

BPM range:

80
—
110

BPM range: 80—110

Chillout music is very similar to Psychill but less psychedelic influenced. Formally speaking,
Chillout is a subgenre of electronic music in general, not Psytrance in particular. However,
historically it has a deep connection to the Psy scene and today you can hear many Chillout
artists playing at the Psytrance festivals.

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About the author
Daniel Lesden is a Psytrance music producer at Digital Om Productions, A&R manager
at JOOF Recordings, touring DJ, and radio host.

Get in touch
If you found a bug, would like to contribute, or just want to say hello, please send it over
to mail@daniellesden.com.

Copyright
Psytrance Guide v.1.0.6. Made with peace, love, unity, and respect to the Psy scene.
© 2017 Daniel Sokolovskiy

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