OPEN MINDED MUSICALLY (OMM !)

"Shama... The DJ seems to think that the feel he wanted to create needed to be done with differing types of music, which of course is not correct - when I go to a party I go there expecting a certain type of music (ie techno) and am understandably miffed when I pay my money to listen to techno music as advertised on the flyer and then get house garage and chillout all in the same set !!!
To me this sounds like an excuse for the gay pianos he was playing (and by the way the word you were looking for earlier was RIFFS not rifts). Surely it makes more sense to create the feel you want within the context of the TYPE of music that you profess to play. It doesnt take any imagination to drop anything but it does take imagination to drop the right tunes at the right times so all I can say is GO BACK TO DJ MANTRA SCHOOL !!!!"

This is a quote from a review of an unsuccessful trance event in March 97.

The essential problem with psy-trance is that what trance fans call "techno" is just one particular type of techno that represents what is effectively only a subsection of a subdivision within the broad spectrum of dance music as a whole.

While every subdivision of the dance spectrum from hip hop and garage through drum n'bass to trance has its purist devotees, we in System 7 gain inspiration from several different styles and we hope that this is reflected in our music.

We have many links with the trance scene - the Goa scene and the harder trance scene represented by Escape from Samsara and Pendragon. We like a lot of the music and a lot of the attitudes, but we can't help remarking on one particular flaw.

If one is talking about psychedelia one is talking about expanded awareness and a widening of perspective and this sits uncomfortably within the narrow parameters of the psy-trance subdivision.

We have discussed the technical basis of what we call "psychedelic freestyle" here. In a nutshell, there is no reason why one can't create a psychedelic feeling with a wide variety of tempos and grooves rather than conservatively clinging to our old friend the 4-4 kick drum at around 145 BPM.

Obviously the problem at the party reviewed above was that the unfortunate DJ concerned was not at all psychedelic with his "gay pianos" etc, but the reaction of the reviewer of the "I paid my money for techno and that's what I expect to get" variety seems to imply an underlying conservatism that is out of sorts with the radical philosophies connected with the global trance movement.

Everyone who is into trance and many others besides respect the OM sign and the concept of OM - the underlying sound that lies behind all sounds.

As far as dance beats are concerned OM is the underlying pulse that unites all beats and rhythms.

A true expression of OM in rhythmic dance music must be able to flow through the spectrum of rhythms, not just one narrow bandwidth.

We love the rainbow sprectrum in light and colour and so we should be able to generate the psychedelic feeling within the rainbow spectrum of beats and grooves that make up the multichannel ever shifting dance music movement.

We must add again that at the Brighton Essential Music Festival the most psychedelic mind blowing performance was Grooverider in one of the jungle tents.

Open your minds and appreciate the gifts that are coming through in this special time we live in.

Food for thought.

If you want to reply please do so at s777@a-wave.com

Here is a good definition of PLUR - the rave motto, taken from a newsgroup. (Unfortunately for the French PLUR sounds like "pleurer" - "to weep").

 

PLUR

- THE ESSENSE OF RAVING -

Peace

Is the core of energy found within ourselves when we let go of all our fears. We have a loss of interest in judging ourselves and those around us. We tend to think and act spontaneously, enjoying each moment as we appreciate eveything and smile through the eyes - from the heart

Love

We all long for love, understanding and acceptance. We can only truely give and receive love once we have gained acceptance and peace within ourselves. Our actions of love towards others all stem from the love we have for ourselves.

Unity

Is what happens when a group of people, who have peace, experience their love for themselves and each other, creating a oneness within the group.

Respect

The attitude you reach because of Peace, Love and Unity. This allows an environment of freedom of choice. You allow yourself the freedom to be yourself as you allow others the freedom and space to be themselves.

 

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To communicate with us: :-) s777@a-wave.com.