Psychedelic music is music which replicates or enhances the altered state of consciousness brought on by the use of psychedelic drugs. It is identified by being whimsical or surreal, featuring "trippy" sounds often achieved through electronic distortion such as phasing, fuzz, or tape echo. Occasionally, it is related to the exotic, drawing musically or lyrically from non-Western sources. Over the last few decades, psychedelia has mutated into various established genres, largely due to the influence of popular trends and the advancement of recording techniques.
The first wave of psychedelia-infused music occurred in the mid 1960s as Psychedelic Rock, Psychedelic Pop, Psychedelic Folk, and Psychedelic Soul. Together, they include a wide range of artists such as The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Beach Boys, The Incredible String Band, and Sly & The Family Stone. Soon after the early 1970s, psychedelic music faded in popularity.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, a revival of psychedelic music took place. The first product was Neo-Psychedelia, which amalgamated the earlier forms of psychedelic music with modern styles, rising to prominence in the 1990s with bands like The Flaming Lips and Spiritualized. In the mid 1980s and early 1990s, psychedelia influenced EDM, starting with Acid House, a subgenre partially credited to Phuture's "Acid Tracks / Phuture Jacks / Your Only Friend" in addition to Genesis P-Orridge's aspiration to create a psychedelic brand of House. The continued influence of psychedelic culture in electronic music subsequently gave rise to Acid Trance, Goa Trance, Psytrance, and Psybient. Due to their sonic disparities, it is arguable whether these genres are truly derived from the original sound of '60s psychedelia.
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