Psy Pioneers in PORTUGAL
Once called as a paradise, Portugal is still in the forefront of the party scene. We’ll show you why.
500 Years of History Between Goa And Portugal…
That’s one fact. Another one is that Portuguese liberal way of colonization in Goa developed a social environment favorable for cultural interchange that psychedelic movement knew how to explore since the 60s. From there emerged trance that went back to Portugal in 1994. From 1996 to 2000 it was the golden age of the scene but from that on the mutation of the general scene also had effect on the country.
Today trance, and its related genres, is in the pole position of Portuguese dance music. Only house, hip hop and techno are stronger than it.
A New Generation Rising
Spectra, Menog, Paranormal Attack, Nexus, Suria are few examples of a generation of Portuguese producers with international feedback.
On the progressive side Pena is maybe one of the most respected DJs in the world with a strong awareness of how music mutates and how it reflects in trance. Dark Psy genre has been acquiring a good reputation in Portugal recently and has DJ Paulo (the blind DJ) as one of its pioneers. Also a pioneer but on the experimental approach is Migas (aka Membrana), and D-Tector on the proggy flavas.
The Party Structures
Boom Festival is the biggest export of Portuguese psy-culture. It’s the zenith of a promotion company in the country, which has hundreds of small structures making parties on a weekly basis.
Crystal Matrix, and its eclectic satellite Digital Oracle, are the most regular ones and have been evolving from a full-on standard to a wider spectrum of trance parties. Quest 4 Goa rules the North of Portugal and share the vision of the extinct Good Mood. Quest prefers the classic trance feature and Trance Karma (a recent company) is supporting the dark and alternative scene. These are the regulars - clubs and the independents play the rest of the game!
The Future
The evolution of trance related happenings would not stop. Whether in the full-on, classical, progressive or fusion, the scene has a huge dynamics maximized by the sunny climate that allows to do open air parties all year long.
Artistically, Portuguese producers should check for its own identity rather than copy foreign models, mostly neo-classical. The country has an enormous community of African musicians, has cultural connections with Brazil and Asia and therefore there’s many sound elements that should be integrated in trance. It’s a matter of vision. In this era of formatted entertainment being different is a challenge. Portuguese had the vision to become different 500 years when they crossed Oceans sailing to Goa. And the rest is History…
Boom Festival Goes Organic
Boom Festival is a gathering held every two years in Portugal since 1997. This year will be its 6th edition being held from August 3-9. On a national level it’s regarded by the public opinion as the most significant alternative event in the country. Internationally is a flag of the country.
Started as a fully psy-trance event, Boom has been evolving towards an alternative and sustainable culture gathering where trance is just a part of it. This year’s Boom emphasis will go for merging cyber-technology and bio-culture.
One of its traditions is occurring during August full moon. The other Boom axis is avoiding repeating line-ups from the previous edition.
The general concept is a bio-dynamic approach by incorporating a variety of sustainable techniques and Earth-based forms throughout its infrastructure.
Check out the website for updates on workshops, acoustic trance, art installations, visuals and psychedelic music, cinema, cultural interchange… And stay tuned for its after party named “Utopia”.
Facts
- 1143: A new country is born: Portugal.
- 1415: Beginning of Portuguese sea findings. They landed on Ceuta, Madeira, Azores, Cape Vert, Guine, Sierra Leoa,
- Tanger, São Tome, Calecut, Angola, Mozambique, Goa... Unfortunately oppression of other cultures due to catholic
- ideals and ethnocentrism were common those days.
- 1500: Landing on Brazil
- 1962: Goa become independent from Portugal after 5 centuries of colonisation.
- 1994: First Psychedelic party in Portugal!
- 200 million: People in the world speaking Portuguese
Links
Text
Artur Silva
This is the dog from Artur Silva,
Journalist and the author of this text
shloopix@yahoo.co.uk
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