Welcome to the very first, complete, up-to-date Psytrance styles guide. It’s a great place to discover new subgenres you might haven’t heard of before and to use it as a reference for organising your DJ collection tags.
Also known as: Uptempo Psy, UK Psy, Classic
BPM range:
145
—
155
BPM range: 145—155
Psychedelic is probably the most iconic subgenre of Psytrance music, with driving basslines and futuristic sounds often created using FM synthesis. Pioneered by London-based labels like Alchemy, Flying Rhino and TIP Records, among others, this subgenre has also become known as the UK Psy and is currently one of the most trending subgenres.
Render — Gforce (Original Mix)
Magik, Tristan — High Grade (Original Mix)
Earthspace, Imaginarium — Glitches Of Perception (Original Mix)
Ajja, Braincell, Burn In Noise, Hypnospores, Inverze, Iridian, Laughing Buddha, Lunatica, Mental Bugs, Mirok, Neo Shaman, Pantomiman, Render, Rugrats, Samadhi, Tristan
Also known as: Psy-Trance, Classy, 140-BPM-Psy
BPM range:
138
—
144
BPM range: 138—144
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 Psytrance subgenre now that sounds on the main festivals all over the world, and in fact, if you hear the word ‘Psytrance’, it’s most likely referred to this particular sound.
Daniel Lesden — Technological Singularity (Original Mix)
Vertical Mode — Time Machine (Original Mix)
Ace Ventura, Astrix, Bellatrix, Kalki, Liquid Soul, Mercuroid, Relativ, Sabretooth, Sonic Entity, Sonic Species, Space Cat
Also known as: Psy-Prog, Progressive
BPM range:
130
—
140
BPM range: 130—140
Emerging in the mid-00s in Europe, Progressive Psy has quickly expanded to become one of the most common Psytrance subgenres. And it’s very diverse too, featuring quite a 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.
Bitkit — Meteorite (Original Mix)
Porat — Undipresia (Original Mix)
Also known as: Hypnotic Psychedelic, Analog, Platipus-esq
BPM range:
140
—
150
BPM range: 140—150
This probably hasn’t formed as an official subgenre yet, but such a hypnotic sound is currently emerging and trending and definitely deserves its recognition. Using traditional recordings with out-of-the-box gear, producers of this sound create futuristic and heavily twisted psychedelic tracks that delve into the roots of the psychedelic scene while looking into the future.
Empirikal — Changa (Original Mix)
Uncharted Territory — Loopshelonigmar (Original Mix)
Alien Art, ATIA, Captain Hook, Coredata, Dekel, Empirikal, Gorovich, Modus, ON3, Out Of Orbit, Oxiv, Skizologic, Uncharted Territory
Also known as: NeoTrance, Ethereal Trance
BPM range:
130
—
160
BPM range: 130—160
With the nostalgic vibe of the ’90s, ’raw’ trance is often produced on physical pieces of studio equipment and utilises a lot of classical sounds like 303 and 909 kits, hence the name. It’s usually not as polished production-wise as typical modern Psy, however, it allows this style to bring a lot of forward-thinking ideas and even transcend the borders of the genre into other music scenes. It is debatable whether even to consider this Raw Trance a part of the Psy ’tribe’, but nevertheless, it has many similarities and shares the same rebellious, underground ethos.
Omformer — Transmedium Travel (Original Mix)
Whirloop — Salvation Slumberland (Original Mix)
Aeryeen, Alan Backdrop, Alpha Tracks, Astral Bandit, Cybernet, Dina, DJ Maria, KI/KI, Kineta, Lucinee, Nordic Echoes, Omformer, Oprofessionell, Sioc, Solar Alliance
Amniote Editions, Anatta Records, Blue Hour, Flux Collective, Gestalt Records, Goddezz, Lost Language, Positivesource, Proxima, Sextosentido, Slash, Space Trax, Unique Sound Records, UTE
Also known as: Psychedelic Techno, Psy-Tech
BPM range:
125
—
137
BPM range: 125—137
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 are pretty much no boundaries to this subgenre too: it can go from deep and minimal to hard and rough.
Even though it started as a sub-genre of Psytrance, today some labels releasing Psychedelic Techno often position themselves closer towards the Techno scene.
Ectima — First Dose Of DMT (Tech Mix)
Hedustma — Existence (MVMB Remix)
Alula Tunes, Arlette Records, Horns And Hoofs Entertainment, IbogaTech, Subios Records, Techgnosis Records
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 triplets bassline patterns along with some ethnic drums and vocal samples. Some producers have overused triplets so much in recent years, so at some point, having a triplet drop is almost considered a cliché.
Juno Reactor — Conga Fury (Ace Ventura Remix)
Vini Vici — The Tribe (Original Mix)
Blue Tunes Records, Bounce Recordings, Mainstage Records, X7M Records
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 originated in Hamburg, Germany, in the late 00’s. Tracks in this subgenre often include sampled speech samples processed with the gate or sidechain effects.
Vaishiyas — Axon & John (Original Mix)
Interactive Noise — Temptation (Original Mix)
Audiomatic, Fabio & Moon, Interactive Noise, Neelix, Unseen Dimensions, Vaishiyas
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 ’80s in Goa, India, by the modern hippies of that time, Goa Trance got its global recognition in the mid-90s. It has 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 an old-school genre now, some artists and labels are still releasing it, referring to it as a New School or Neogoa.
Asia 2001, Astral Projection, Artifact303, Filteria, Hallucinogen, Man With No Name, Toi Doi, Transwave
Avatar Records, Global Sect, Suntrip Records, Timewarp, Twisted Records
Also known as: Nitzhogoa
BPM range:
145
—
160
BPM range: 145—160
Nitzhonot is a subgenre that formed from the classic Goa Trance in the mid-90s 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 is considered an underground subgenre among Psytrance as a whole, which is an underground style itself.
Goalien — Psychedelic Dilemma (Original Mix)
Nova Fractal — Perception (Original Mix)
Eutuchia Music, Krembo Records, Phototropic Records, Sita Records
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 a typical straight Psytrance bassline pattern, the Full-on bassline plays on various notes across a few octaves, creating a special rhythm and melody that way. The period of 2004–2009 is considered the ‘golden age’ of Full-on before Progressive Psy took over the global Psy scene.
DigiCult — Cosmic Company (Original Mix)
Electro Sun & System Nipel — We Can Dance (Original Mix)
Astrix, Bizzare Contact, Electro Sun, Ephedrix, DigiCult, System Nipel, Sesto Sento, Wizzy Noise
Agitato Records, Dacru Records, Mainstage Records, Rave Tool, United Beats Records, Utopia Records
Also known as: Twilight, South African Full-on
BPM range:
145
—
150
BPM range: 145—150
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 in the future version of this guide. Please read more in the blog.
CPU — Processing Unit (Original Mix)
Azax Syndrom — Flawless Victory (Original Mix)
Absolum, Brainwash, CPU, Ex-Gen, Scorb, Pitch Hikers, Stereopanic
3D Vision, Hypergate Records, Lysergic Records, Nexus Media, Mechanik Records
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 spooky 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 to as the Russian style.
Asylom, Kaza - No Time to Die (Original Mix)
Sychotria & Fungoloyds - Alien Fashion (Original Mix)
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 creepy sounds you would hear in a dark psychedelic forest. Filled with swarming and teeming effects, it is also slightly faster than Dark Psy and arranged in a straightforward manner, almost with no breakdowns and beat interruptions.
Helan & Halvan - Gnomen (Original Mix)
Skydda Skogen - Oneiro (Original Mix)
Atriohm, Egon's Embrace, Elowinz, Deep Brian From Bosis, Distorted Goblin, Taigan Sunsen
Forestdelic Records, Digital Shiva Power, Parvati Records, Sonic Chakras Records
Also known as: Hitek
BPM range:
170
—
200
BPM range: 170—200
Hi-Tech is somewhat influenced by Full-on but takes it to the next energy level. Unlike Psycore, Hi-Tech can be upbeat and even a bit silly, in a positive way.
Yuxibu — New Civilization (Original Mix)
Acajou — Deez Nuts (Original Mix)
Crazy Astronaut, Mentalecho, Popek, OxiDaksi, Sonic System, Yatzee
Also known as: Hardcore Psychedelic
BPM range:
190
—
250
BPM range: 170—250
Psycore is brutal, intense, and has the most aggressive soundscapes with glitchy special effects. It’s often so fast that you hardly can hear any groove. Basically, it’s the hardcore of psytrance!
Mother Of Datura — Baptized In Witchblood (Original Mix)
Xianzai — Rito Ri-Anima (Original Mix)
Alice-D Records, Horrordelic Records, Popol Vuh Records, Voodoo Hoodoo Recordings
Also known as: Suomisaundi, Finnish Psy
BPM range:
135
—
145
BPM range: 135—145
Originating 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 the 80’s.
Puoskari — Far From Home (Original Mix)
Aavepyörä — Unessaelämä (Original Mix)
Aavepyörä, James Reipas, Puoskari, Salakavala, Texas Faggott, Troll Scientists
Exogenic Records, Random Records, Sonic Dragon, Ultiva Records
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.
Astronaut Ape — High Above The Clouds (Original Mix)
Flucturion 2.0 — Pro Temporo (Original Mix)
Alwoods, Asura, Astronaut Ape, Carbon Based Lifeforms, Cloower Wooma, E-Mantra, Lemonchill, Tarac, Twin Shape
Altar Records, Cosmicleaf Records, Microcosmos Records, Mindspring Music, Ultimae Records