Explore the mystic, communal side of the rave scene with Electronic Awakening
Published: October 18, 2013
By: Anand Harsh
For decades now, the electronic music community has been inextricably intertwined with the spiritual searchers of the left-field world. Filmmaker AJ Johner, along with executive producer and music director Julian Reyes (Keyframe Entertainment) has finally captured what it means to be a part of the Electronic Awakening. Exploring the psychedelic and shamanic invocations of the rave scene, especially as it pertains to exploratory events like Burning Man, Moontribe Gatherings, and Boom in Portugal, the documentary catalogs the symbiotic relationship between primal dance, mind-expanding substances, and our understanding of the beyond.
Visionary artist Alex Grey is interviewed in the film, as well as groundbreaking author Daniel Pinchbeck, who wrote the seminal guide to the psychedelic world, Breaking Open the Head. I must admit personal bias, as that book totally changed my life. Lectures and snippets from famed philosopher Terrance McKenna and author Ken Kesey are worked into this ethnographic study of the underground rave scene.
Music featured in the documentary includes Untz favorites Shpongle, Phutureprimitive, Desert Dwellers, Bird of Prey, and The Crystal Method. These acts have formed the foundation of not only today's vast and rapidly growing scene, but also help shape the relationship between our deepening understandings of the psycho-spiritual world and the role of music and dance in our culture. Psytrance fans will get a kick out of the important role the genre played worldwide.
The feature length presentation has been available now for streaming and download, as well as on DVD. Visit electronicawakening.com to find out more information, purchase a copy, or schedule a screening of the doc in your town.
For decades now, the electronic music community has been inextricably intertwined with the spiritual searchers of the left-field world. Filmmaker AJ Johner, along with executive producer and music director Julian Reyes (Keyframe Entertainment) has finally captured what it means to be a part of the Electronic Awakening. Exploring the psychedelic and shamanic invocations of the rave scene, especially as it pertains to exploratory events like Burning Man, Moontribe Gatherings, and Boom in Portugal, the documentary catalogs the symbiotic relationship between primal dance, mind-expanding substances, and our understanding of the beyond.Visionary artist Alex Grey is interviewed in the film, as well as groundbreaking author Daniel Pinchbeck, who wrote the seminal guide to the psychedelic world, Breaking Open the Head. I must admit personal bias, as that book totally changed my life. Lectures and snippets from famed philosopher Terrance McKenna and author Ken Kesey are worked into this ethnographic study of the underground rave scene.
Music featured in the documentary includes Untz favorites Shpongle, Phutureprimitive, Desert Dwellers, Bird of Prey, and The Crystal Method. These acts have formed the foundation of not only today's vast and rapidly growing scene, but also help shape the relationship between our deepening understandings of the psycho-spiritual world and the role of music and dance in our culture. Psytrance fans will get a kick out of the important role the genre played worldwide.
The feature length presentation has been available now for streaming and download, as well as on DVD. Visit electronicawakening.com to find out more information, purchase a copy, or schedule a screening of the doc in your town.
Tags: DowntempoPsytranceBreaksDrum and BassDubstepLivetronicaElectroHouseTechno
