Unity and diversity Psytrance in BELGIUM

As is in the scene worldwide, there is a lot of diversity in the psy-trance genre. More and more the scene is splitting up into four or even five pieces. People tend to only visit parties with their favorite style(s). However, one massive event in 2007 proved, despite all the difficulties, which we are all part of one scene, and nothing can break that apart.

2007 showed us that our scene is rapidly expanding. But the rising costs and the big number of parties in Belgium forced promoters to ask for higher entrance rates, or to set up collaborations, in order to split the investments. Also our problems in the past with the authorities forced us to organize events in a more legal way, what also caused more investments. Nevertheless we are spoiled and every weekend we can choose from three or four parties, all focusing on a particular style. Kairoo Records and B2B, based in Antwerp, focus on full-on. They both hosted rooms/stages on two of the biggest dance events, with up to 20.000 visitors. The veterans have grown to appreciate the progressive style nowadays.

The well-respected crews of Purple Snow (with founder R’Deem) and Smiley Tribe are focusing on minimal/progressive and have brought the biggest names to our country. In Ghent, one of the two trance centers in Belgium, progressive is also emerging in smaller club events. For many years we had Kairoo Records providing us quality releases and EPs. In 2007 they released the well-accepted debut album of Bitkit called Logical. Nowadays Dacru Records and Suntrip Records are taking over. 2007 proved that they have more ambition than just organizing good parties. Dacru Records released the compilation Orientation Vol. 3, a very well accepted release. For 2008 we can expect a lot of this label, with the second release of Digicult and the debut album of Ephedrix.

Also newcomers Aquila and Sufi will release a full album later in 2008. On the darker side of trance we can expect the debut album of Wicked Hayo on Night Oracle Records. Suntrip Records is probably the only melodic Goa-trance label nowadays on this planet. In 2007 this Belgium/France combo resulted in the re-release of the classical Dimension 5-Transdimensional album and the debut of rising star Goasia. For 2008 they announce albums of Dimension-5 member Ra, Filteria and Merr0w. Furthermore I can only hope that we will see the rise of a mind blowing Belgium progressive act, but the future looks promising. The biggest event in 2007 should have been the fifth year of existence celebration of the Kairoo Records label. Kairoo Records invited some of the major promoters in Belgium to host rooms with full-on, progressive, oldschool/nuschool/Goa, dark and chill out. The government, due to safety issues, canceled the event after it had started already.

The authorities ignored even a positive court advice, so the evening ended with hundreds of people invading the streets in Antwerp. But the event proved that there is still unity in our scene, and despite the big loss, we hope that Kairoo Records will emerge from it foundations.