Psychedelic Revolution in Argentina

The scene in Argentina started in 1994 with a beach party in Mar de las Pampas, generating a psychedelic revolution which is still spreading throughout the country. Since that day a lot of Psychedelic Trance freaks have appeared, showing how Latin America is becoming a new shelter for this global movement.

Buenos Aires is the center of our scene and the last 12 years have seen several generations of organisers, artists and DJs. Their legacy has lived on and a lot of new Psy freaks are popping up nowadays. At first parties were occasional events and it was common to put on free events in parks downtown, but as the scene grew, many parties moved indoors, although recently outdoor parties have started to become popular again. Currently the scene is in turmoil, as the main organisers tend to hold more commercial events and the smaller ones are struggling to keep the original vibe alive. The main organizers are Psy-X and Rave Parties Corp with Psy-X focused only on Psytrance bringing big names such as Infected Mushroom and local artists whereas Rave Parties Corp usually mix different kinds of Trance. Los Monos del Espacio organise smaller events with a more spiritual and cultural concept, inviting local artists and involving different tribes such as Reggae artists and jugglers. Dancing Buddhas also organise parties hosting a lot of new local DJs and artists as well as international guests.

Regarding artists, Megalopsy and z1P’s side project Frantic Noise is the most well known having toured Europe and Mexico in 2006. They also run Dark Prisma records, on which they released the Frantic Noise’s debut album, ‘The Nordland Orchestra’. We also have Jonas from Transition Records preparing the joint album of Heterogenesis - a collaboration between Pragmatix and Cosmos Vibrations, which will be oriented to the brighter side of Psychedelic Trance. Both labels have several compilations and full albums on schedule, including a new Megalopsy album for 2007. Also on the progressive side, Serpiente de Humo, formed by DJ Neurona and Galo, has surprised the dance floors with very groovy and minimal beats. Regarding DJs, a whole new wave has appeared with artists like Pandemonix and Fethe representing the dark side and Avisman and Serz on the lighter side. However well established DJs such as Pandy, Niko and Moksha are also still spinning.

In terms of larger events, we have the Moonbow Festival in El Bolson, Patagonia. With very good production, all kinds of workshops and held in a beautiful location next to the mountains, this is certainly one to look out for when visiting Argentina. There are also smaller parties in Misiones, usually done near the jungle and involving different music genres such as Hip Hop.

The scene in Argentina has a lot of potential and whilst the scene grows in numbers through commercial parties, a core minority have appeared offering cutting edge music and parties. This proves the variety and the will of our people, showing that with hard work and time we can build a true psychedelic trance culture in Argentina.

Facts

Argentina has beautiful natural spots including jungles, deserts, sea, mountains and forests.
It is cheap and safe to travel within Argentina.
The weather is nice all year round, however it’s hotter in January, wetter in April and colder in August.
English is not widely spoken within Argentina, but Buenos Aires is well prepared for tourism. A good place to stay and hang out is Recoleta, near the Retiro Central Station, you can find hostels, bars and nice parks to walk.
Staying in Argentina is very cheap if you use Euros or Dollars, 1 Euro is 4 Pesos and 1 Dollar is 3 pesos.