Updated 2 years ago
meets
Deeper in Zen
March 2004
by Machinelf
Hey James. Where are you right now and what’s going on around you?
Living just north of San Francisco in Tiburon by the bay.
How was the transition from New York to San Francisco?
Well, it was interesting in respect to the trance community and having to make friends with a whole new group of people. I think we kinda took for granted the connections we had with the trance community in New York. All of a sudden we are standing at a party and we don’t know anybody. But it has been good overall. Met a lot of great people and there are plenty of trance producers out there as well to collaborate with.
How do you see the past/future development of the trance scene in this country from your point of view?
Like most people, I dream of trance becoming a more predominant force in America, but I can’t say I would hold my breath for it. I am still blown away that it is not a larger community here in the States. Places like Mexico, where people have a much lower standard of living on average, will have 2000 to 4000 people show up for an outdoor party. Here, we are overjoyed if 600 to 700 show up at an outdoor. Are we apathetic? Too mesmerized by MTV and their latest ‘trend”. I am not sure. Maybe there are too many “cowboys” in America, and like any good cowboys say, ‘that real men don’t dance”. Or maybe the typical attitude of Americans is that ‘if it ain’t from around here, it ain’t no good”. But the promising sign is that are more and more people in the U.S. making trance music, so maybe that will help to boost the scene. People invite their friends to come to hear them play, etc. But a lingering thought is still in my mind, if there are scores of ‘hippies” that follow bands like Phish, String Cheese Theory, etc. that are on that ‘psychedelic” vibe, why don’t they more interest in electronic dance music?
How was Japan?
Japan was amazing, I was really surprised at how westernized it has become. Maybe in my mind, I had pictured it with more traditional architecture, but that is only in places like Kyoto. The party was up in the mountains about 3 hours from Tok yo. It was halfway up on the side of this mountain next to a river. Really beautiful spot. The Japanese love trance and went at it hardcore, they never stopped dancing or smiling.
To those who haven’t heard your music yet, how do you describe your sound?
I would have to say it is a bit towards the dark feel. It is funny I don’t think I intentionally make it dark, but sometimes it is perceived that way. Since the majority of the samples in the tracks are pretty positive and are about expanding consciousness/awareness I guess it is that yin/yang thing. Although I love to dance to be happy, at time s I also like to confront the intensity and fear that resides in us all that we sometimes suppress. Or if and when we do let it out, it often comes out in negative and destructive ways. So finding a constructive and positive outlet for this powerful source of energy that resides in us all, is what I try to do in creating music. Although I have written some more morning trance” lately since I seemed to get frequently scheduled to play just as the sun comes at outdoor parties.
About the music y ou produce, how would you describe your creative process in writing the tracks?
I take in the largest lungful of d smoke I can handle. wait 7 minutes and then let Elves start working through me. Just kidding. Actually now, I am mostly inspired by other psytrance tracks that I hear. I’ll hear a bass line that catches my ear in one track percussion in another, leads from another and that will get the creative juices flowing. Then with that in mind, I sit down and go at it. I usually like long stretches so I generally will go at it about 8 to 10 hours at a time. It is too hard for me to come into work on music for just an hour or two and really get into the flow. How has your second album, E280 9CInsight” been received worldwide? INSIGHT has been doing well, I had a friend who just went to a party in GOA on the beach just two week s ago and heard it played. So that is pretty inspiring. Imagine you r ultimate dream performanceA6 where and what kind of party would it be? Oh, a dream Hmmm, probably someplace exotic, like a small tropical Island, with waterfalls to play in when it gets hot, beaches with white sand to dance in, smiling faces, a great sou nd system and magical food of the gods for all!
What’s the must-hear track/album of the moment for you right now?
I have been digging on Vibra lately, and then other various Full-On tracks catch my attention her e and there. I haven’t really listened to much psy-tech or progressive lately, but listen to a lot of chillout and downtempo at home.
Finally, anything to say to the heads you’re about to rock in NYC?
Good Space, Great Energy, Creative people. Its gonna be INTENSE!!
March 13 Saturday, 2004
Soular Records/Himalayan Voices Benefit NYC
Soular DMT: full on psychedelic trance benefit for Himalayan Voices with Spectra sound
at the beautiful luxurious skylit Heaven & Earth Center in midtown Manhattan March 13th, 10pm-8am
Deeper in Zen (Soular Records, San Francisco)
Recently releasing their second full-length CD, “Insight”, Deeper in Zen is whipping up a thundering storm of psychedelia for the dancefloor. Twisting minds and vibrating bodies of trancers looking for a real dose of full-on madness. Deeper in Zen started in New York in 2000 and although he has relocated to the west coast of late, there is still an unmistakable edge ground from years of nurturing in the New York Trance scene.
Jay Indigom (Soular Records LIVE CT/FL)
Jay has been producing slamming tracks for several years now, and in 2003 he began performing live with Atmos in January and at Omnifestival in June. Come hear Jay play LIVE his newly crafted minimal progressive opus!
Onnomon (Soular Records, Philadelphia)
Slated for his first full-length CD to be released in late April on Soular Records, Onnomon has been writing trance for over 3 years. After playing numerous outdoor festivals last summer on the east coast and New Years in the UK, Onnomon is quickly gaining international recognition. His unique blend of hypnotic psychedelic groove and sublime sound design will make you search high and low for the nearest Pez dispenser.
Alien Blue (NYC)
Marisa straight outta Westchester will start the evening off with achey breaky choons in her inimitable way! Sexy downtempo beats to start the night off…….
Primate (NYC) You’ve seen dreadhead Jason suspended from hooks native American Indian style…… and tonight he is blasting the decks! Suspension pictures are here at web bmezine/ritual/risc001 This suspension will be featured in National Geographic, most likely toward the midsummer.
Dragonlotus (Dragontribe/Gemini, NJ)
Born In South Africa raised in Jersey, Kamal has been promoting psychedelic electronic music and culture since its roots in New York from the Acid Phizx Trance gatherings to all the shit going down now including his own family of psytrance in America. You will find this guy setting up sound systems and teaching the new order to the new breed, and always banging out the best of psytrance in all its styles. krsnalotus at aol web geminidj,
Machinelf (Devotional Ministry of Trance, New York/Texas)
Machinelf has been with the NYC trance scene since before Day 1. He’s continued to mimic the trance carrier wave’s ups and downs, co-founding the Devotional Ministry of Trance and numerous email discussion groups. To call him a quack for trying to be the obstetrician for the trance baby’s birth would be misguided. His preferred style is Parasense type full-on and mushroomy Paps-style morning shamanics; tonight he’s dropping the soundtracks for flights into hyperspace with a soular DMT edge. wrought with sexual appeal, tapestries that ooze spirituality, and dark stand-alone string art are all gateways into this artist’s soul. Joann is a guiding light in the Philadelphia psychedelic art world. As Equus she has been involved in planning and decorating full-on parties in the Philadelphia area. New to the New York scene, but totally entranced, Equus will morph a lovely art loft into a fantasy world of psychedelic adornments.
Eli Morgan‘s art is currently on display in the space, completely DMT inspired vortices… he does Soular Records’ album covers and Eli Morgan’s artworks “weave the primal elements of chaos with the light-grids of higher consciousness, creating spectacular visionary medicine for the mind.” Alex Grey
The Chaos Elemental is a series based on what lies beyond our knowing . . . the glimpse behind the veil . . . the beauty of the chaos that started it all and the progression of consciousness that followed. The series uses symbolic metaphor, metaphysic geometry, and the chaos patterns of fire and sky to create mandalic imagery that evokes a clear state of awareness in the viewer and leaves them with a grounded sense of intuitive symmetry. I hope you enjoy them. Tonight will be a beautiful evening with visionary art, music, and good people so please come. peace & unity. Please refrain from smoking tobacco and leave your shoes in the hallway outside.
10pm-Midnight Breakin’ out with Alien Blue
Midnight – 6am Full On with Deeper in Zen, Onnomon, Jay LIVE, Primate. Dragonlotus
6am – 8am morning music
All night live drumming by Machinelf Gong performances throughout the evening Free juice and fruit Gemini DJ Goody Bags CD Giveaways Lysergic Surprises Brain Machines Sound: Two Mackie SRM450’s on stands with two subwoofers Suggested Donation: $20, $10 for out of towners (3 hour drive) Half of all proceeds go towards the Himalayan Voices at the Heaven & Earth Center, a center for resonant healing and meditation through vibratory instruments such as tubular bells and gongs . The Heaven & Earth Center is at 1032 Sixth Ave (between 36th & 37th) Studio 402 in midtown Manhattan Take all Subways to 42nd street and walk down
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