Journalism of Courage
Members of Infected Mushroom,who were in the city on Thursday,feel that psychedelic trance is still a taboo as compared to mainstream electronica
Their albums have names like Converting Vegetarians ,Vicious Delicious and Legend of the Black Shawarma and psychedelic trance fans have feasted on the music long enough for Infected Mushroom to make it to number nine in a Top 100 poll by international music monthly DJmag in 2008. As part of its four-city tour of India Pune,Mumbai,Delhi and Bangalore members of Infected Mushroom were in the city for a performance at One Lounge,Koregaon Park on Thursday.
Infected Mushrooms sound is a series of electronic rhythms,that range from swingy,danceable numbers to smooth,swaying scores to dark progressive trance with heavy,complex layers of hypnotic music. Psychedelic trance is not as popular as hip hop,house or rock. It is probably more taboo,even more taboo than mainstream electronica. But this is what makes it popular among its own demographic. Not to forget,it makes the girls go bananas, says Duvdevani.
As their seven albums became instant hits in the 2000s,the band was criticised for commercialising what was,until then,a dark,underground genre that was rarely played in clubs and was restricted to private raves. Unlike most psychedelic trance bands,Infected Mushroom dont just DJ. They have live acts with a drummer and guitarist and this sets them apart, says Jehan Johar,programming head of Blue Frog in Mumbai who has organised the tour. In India,we can expect some of the bands hit numbers like Deeply Disturbed,Psycho and Becoming Insane.
This is their second trip to India,after a single gig in Mumbai a few years ago. We are looking for another long party, he says.
