By MussoliniHeadkick
I know that everyone's experience of psychedelic sounds is a little different, with distinctly different sensations and epic feelings. Most psychedelic sound trips last 8 to 12 hours, and the range varies significantly and can be extended by re-dosing, hopefully we can enjoy a trip in a shorter time in one smooth dose.
So please join me in the vital stages of a psychedelic sound trip
I. EARLY STAGES
1. Pre-Ingestion, Mental Preparation. We often find ourselves anxious or nervous before a trip, if for no other reason, we tend to be busy preparing food and crafting the environment for the best experience. During this time we are careful to not be irritated at or moody with our fellow-sound travellers and remind ourselves about what a fun experience lies ahead. Just for a bit of fun let’s listen to Watchamacallit by Esquivel, which lightens the anticipatory mood.
2. Ingestion. The preference is to all drop at the same time, and enjoy making this a happy communal process. The prep is over, and let the pleasure commence. It's natural for people to have anxiety waiting for the trip to manifest itself, so let’s relax and reassure newer users. Flying Lotus enigmatically replies with an MmmHmm.
3. Onset. Sometimes there is a sense of something significant happening. Some have commented on a feeling of profoundness. Visually, our first clue of onset is finding ourselves staring at small details around us – a blowing leaf, a rock on the ground, a point in the distances or listening to Dope Lemon’s Honey Bones. We then notice our vision becoming clearer, as though we turned on a TV with a higher resolution than we are used to viewing. We notice changes in depth perception, with distances between the foreground and background being exaggerated. Sometimes things in the background seemed to be in soft focus compared to the very crisp images in our immediate focus.
4. First Hallucinations. The first hallucinations are subtle, often the appearance of minor distortions in the distance. Colours begin to become more intense, and subtle colour variations become exaggerated, especially in natural settings, a bit like Crumb-Locket.
A "breathing effect" is common, where the entire environment pulses gradually and rhythmically, as though the world was breathing as Jean-Jacques Perrey ably demonstrates with E.V.A. Rhythmic pulsing begins to sound quite like King Tubby beginning a Chapter of Money.
5. Intensifying Hallucinations. More intense hallucinations will begin to kick in. Nature may become more distorted, with trees swaying rhythmically, colours becoming very intense, and thinking becoming less rational. Music and light may significantly impact emotional state and there may be a cross-over into the psychedelic with the Beatles Flying.
II. THE PEAK
1. Psychedelic Phase. Colours have gone from being intense to stereotypically psychedelic with the Rolling Stones’ She’s a Rainbow. All those 60s posters make perfect sense, as that colour palette is now dominating our vision like the Fantastic Zoo’s Light Show. Emotions may be strong, and things may feel like they are happening quickly and you may ask yourself, Are you Experienced as the Jimi Hendrix Experience did. Mood swings may occur especially when the Grateful Dead kick in by asking What’s become of the Baby, but typically a strong euphoria is present with Leftfield’s Afro Left. Attention spans are short. Things may feel overwhelming, and walking from one room to another may help regulate emotions and intensity like The Moon and I should be Dreaming. Talking intelligently may be difficult. Words may not suffice. Music envelops the senses as do My Bloody Valentine so Soon.
2. Fractal Phase. Sometimes before or after the psychedelic phase, we experience a fractal phase like the 13th Floor Elevators’ Reverberation, where geometric patterns begin to appear and seem very beautiful like Opal’s Soul Giver. A sense of harmony and intensity may seem pervasive like Pink Floyd Pointing at the Sky. Colours and sounds will be distorted and intense, but not flashing in the way that occurs in the psychedelic phase as the Missing Links know with H’toum Tuhs Part 1.
3. Loss of Sense of Self; Spirituality. During intense trips, one may experience a loss of self, where the boundaries between who one is as a person and the rest of the universe dissolves and a sense of profound connection occurs as with Jon Hopkins and Kelly Lee Owens and their Luminous Spaces. Some feel moments of profound personal or spiritual insight during these phases. One may feel a deep sense of acceptance of oneself and others. Or feelings of profound loss like Child Harolde on the Brink of Death.
III. THE COMEDOWN
1. Post-peak. As the peak phases end we might experience heightened perception of the emotional state of others and sometimes a distorted sense of other's emotional state. It's a time to be careful with personal interactions so we rely on Ernest Rangling’s Psychedelic Rock to bring us back together.
2. Almost sober. Any remaining visual effects are subtle, such as minor colour intensity or minor distortions while watching TV. A sense of well-being and emotional peace often follows especially while listening to Tommy James & The Shondells and their Crystal Blue Persuasion, along with a sense of connection with those close to us like the those that produce the Wild Mountain Honey so beloved of the Steve Miller Band.
3. Fully sober. No noticeable impact on any sense. A sense of happiness and emotional stability pervades and we decide to venture out to our neighbourhood for a bite to eat. It’s the place we know and that we’re comfortable in. They know us because Everything’s Got ’Em and this is the town and Harry Nilsson knows it too.
Psychedelic Acid and Beyond A-List Trip:
Esquivel - Watchamacallit (magicman)
Flying Lotus - MmmHmm (Untergunther)
Dope Lemon - Honey Bones (Untergunther)
Crumb - Locket (pejepeine)
Jean-Jacques Perrey - E.V.A (SweetHomeAlabama)
King Tubby - Chapter of Money (pejepeine)
The Beatles - Flying (BluePeter)
The Rolling Stones - She’s a Rainbow (Suzi)
Fantastic Zoo - Light Show (TarquinSpodd)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are you Experienced (ParaMhor)
The Grateful Dead - What’s become of the Baby (Chris7572)
Leftfield - Afro Left (happyclapper)
The Moon - I Should Be Dreaming (Fred Erikson)
My Bloody Valentine - Soon (Nilpferd)
13th Floor Elevators - Reverberation (happyclapper)
Opal - Soul Giver (DiscoMonster)
Pink Floyd - Pointing at the Sky (ParaMhor)
Missing Links - H’toum Tuhs Part 1 (Nicko)
Jon Hopkins and Kelly Lee Owens - Luminous Spaces (barbryn)
Child Harolde - Brink of Death. (SweetHomeAlabama)
Ernest Rangling - Psychedelic Rock (Nicko)
Tommy James & The Shondells - Crystal Blue Persuasion (Severin)
Steve Miller Band - Wild Mountain Honey (SweetHomeAlabama)
Harry Nilsson - Everything’s Got ’Em (Marconius7)
Guru’s Wildcard Trip Picks – Trippity Dippity
Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter - Darkside
Ultra Vivid Scene - Mercy Seat 12”
Spooky - Scmoo/Aqualung (Extended Mix)
Mouse on Mars - Stereomission
The Haunted - 1-2-5
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These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: Mind-bending: songs with psychedelic sounds. The next topic will launch on Thursday at around 1pm UK time.
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