Photo by Hayley Carloni
You’ve been going to too many music festivals. It’s time for your Sonic Beating…
Keith Mattar’s playing pool-side at Camp Coldbrook this weekend, a fest that will quench everyone’s thirst with a stacked and varied lineup of bands and DJs. You can usually find him with his Sonic Beating crew, the brains behind nine-year-running Psyforia, the first psytrance monthly in Boston, or should we say anywhere they can throw dance parties under the stars. Kind of like a dark Midsummer Night’s Laser-to-the-Face, Sonic Beating’s got some huge international bookings in store for you this summer. Head to Wonder Bar tonight for a taste when Music Ecology hosts the Sonic Beating crew!
Keith Mattar 6-9 closing set by KeithMattar
You’re part of Sonic Beating… your crew is responsible for the first psytrance monthly, Psyforia, and this is not a “clubbing atmosphere.” Can you explain what the vibe is like at these nights?
When a community is based around an underground sound like psytrance, it really drives people to bond over their common obsession. As a result, the people you meet at these type of events become like family. This isn’t to say that the community is super exclusive and doesn’t welcome newcomers—most psytrancers will be really excited to spread the vibe to those who are curious.
Photo by Max Galkin // Psyforia Summer Series 2011
Why did you guys pick Machine to have your indoor parties?
Machine has simply been awesome. In Boston, it can be difficult to find a large club with a spacious dance floor and a sound system suited well toward four-to-the-floor electronic music. Add in a super friendly staff that appreciates what we are doing, and nice bathrooms—Machine was the obvious choice.
Didn’t Sonic Beating used to do parties in the woods?
Indeed. We still do, in fact, when the opportunity presents itself.
Dancing in the woods all night, surrounded by nature in a remote area is where the psytrance experience really shines.
Photo by Max Galkin // Psyforia Summer Series 2011
Forgetting about society and your obligations for a weekend with like-minded people is something our fans really enjoy.
Now the Psyforia Summer Series has begun, and it’s all going to be outside right? Where are these parties?
It’s still too early to disclose the exact location, but I can tell you that it will be within the city, and that it’s the same venue where Psyforia began nine years ago. You won’t have to drive out the boondocks to dance under the stars this summer.
How do you make sure the sound is the best possible in an outdoor setting?
We bring our own sound system for outdoor events, and our talented sound technician Nick Binary is very meticulous about the placement of speakers. When outdoors, it’s very important to take into consideration air temperature, humidity, landscape, and the possibility of pissed off neighbors. Nick is very good about finding the perfect balance between crisp sound for the audience, and not causing earthquakes for nearby residents.
Photo by Max Galkin // Psyforia Summer Series 2011
What music (specific DJs, producers) should we be most looking forward to?
This month we have Weekend Heroes, which is a huge progressive house/techno act from Israel. I am really looking forward to this one, since we rarely get to bring over an international artist of this style.
ZACK ROTH & AD BROWN – BASS CAKE (WEEKEND HEROES REMIX) SAMPLE by WEEKEND HEROES
Also this month we have Brandon Adams from NYC, who is a master of the darker side of psytrance. Next month, we will be doing a special version of Psyforia—it will be combined with Figment Boston, and we will have a huge sound system right in Dewey Square, with free admission! We have a pretty stacked lineup for this show as well, including Killowatts and Supersillyus. For August we have a Psytrance act from California called 1134, whose music is available for free on ektoplazm.com.
Photo by Hayley Carloni // hayleycarloni.com // Psyforia 2011
How would you describe your own sets?
I try not to pigeonhole myself into any specific subgenre of music and I don’t plan out my sets ahead of time at all, but when I first started playing out at events, I was primarily known as psytrance DJ who specialized in full on psytrance without the “cheese”. These days, I have been branching out into groovy techno and house.
Can you explain in a nutshell the difference between “progressive psytrance” and “full-on psytrance?”
Ask 10 different psytrance fans this question and I’m sure you will get 10 different answers, but here’s mine. Full on psytrance is focused on nonstop high energy: in your face laser sounds, huge build ups and drops, high BPMs. This style fits really well in a club where you only have three or four hours rather than all night, since it allows you to get all your energy out in a shorter amount of time.
Progressive psytrance is a bit slower, builds up much more gradually, and can create a sense of “tension” that is eventually released. Some progressive psy has house or techno influences as well. This style is great outdoors just after sunrise, after you have been dancing all night.
So you’re playing Camp Coldbrook this weekend, are you excited?
Oh I am super excited! Very solid and varied lineup that true music lovers will appreciate. I’ll be playing at the “pool party” stage along with several friends of mine.
It will be a great spot for some groovy house beats in the sun.
Do you know anything about Camp Coldbrook?
Well I played last year at the late night Silent Disco tent and I had a great time. This year is going to be bigger and better.
I love events that have both live bands as well as DJs and dance music, since it brings together two different crowds.
Photo by Hayley Carloni // Psyforia ft. FLIP FLOP Sep 2011
Do you like going to music fests? Which ones have been your favorite? Have you ever been to Burning Man?
I love music festivals, nothing beats a weekend of connecting with like minded people in a setting conducive to creativity and just having fun.
Photo by Max Galkin // Psyforia Summer Series 2011
I’ve never been to Burning Man, but my favorite festival that I have been to is Firefly, which is the New England regional burn. Think Burning Man but much smaller and close knit, in the forest of Vermont. Every year Sonic Beating sets up a stage there and provides an outlet for any artists or musicians to share their passions. I love wandering around the woods and just taking in all the absurd art projects and theme camps.
What do you think about the fact that they have creative workshops at this fest, like a drum circle one about the “healing energies of the djembe” drum?
I think that’s great; sounds can have very therapeutic properties. I know the first thing I do when my brain is feeling crunched is dive into my music collection.
Do you like hippies?
[Laughs] well if I didn’t like hippies then I think my life would be pretty stressful, since I am surrounded by them every weekend!
There’s a really diverse lineup at the fest, some local bands/DJs I know are lespecial, Wobblesauce, Auto Orbit, Mike Swells, Mr. McNeill, Blue Boy Productions, Ali Berger and Fens. Are you friends with any of these guys or do you particularly like any of their styles?
I know a lot of these guys, and we have booked Wobblesauce, Mike Swells, and Blue Boy several times before, and we have Ali Berger playing at Psyforia this month.
Wobblesauce 2011
Boston’s electronic music community is great because all the different groups work together for the common goal, rather than compete against each other to see who can have the biggest night, or whatever.
MUSIC ECOLOGY PRESENTS
KEITH MATTAR
WITH LUNECELL + ANYA
TUE 6.19.12
WONDER BAR
186 HARVARD AVE.
ALLSTON
10PM/21+/$5
@MUSIC_ECOLOGY
MUSICECOLOGYBOSTON.COM
SONICBEATING.ORG
