Paperless Ozorian Prophet May 21
Paperless Ozorian Prophet May 21
Paperless Ozorian Prophet May 21
INDEPENDENT ė FREE
PAPERLESS MONTHLY
no. 24 / MAY 2021
R E -YOU -N I O N
AU GU S T 1 -7 , 20 22
2
PICKS
DAKSI & EMIEL LIQUID SOUL & ACE VENTURA LAND SWITCHER
SPACE TRUE NATIVES CHILL NATION WEST HOME
sangoma sofa beats shanti planti
3
Q&A
STERE O S O CI E TY FEATURE
AFTER CAUSING WORLDWIDE
‘ORGANIC PANIC’, ASAF TSEMACH AKA
MODUS
PRESENTS
‘THE FUTURE
BEHIND US’,
HIS DEBUT ALBUM OUT ON HIS HOME
LABEL, STEREO SOCIETY.
WE CAUGHT UP WITH ASAF AND
SELF-NAMED LABEL ‘BABYSITTER’,
ORI BEN DROR FOR A GLIMPSE INTO THE
FUTURE AND THE NOW.
Looking back, when did focused work on making this debut album I didn’t want to limit myself to a “traditional trance” bpm range
really start? Was it the first track you were proud to have ever 140-145 BPM or whatever... This gave me way more room for creativity
produced? Or later, as a result of serious commitment? (We talked like on ‘To Start Press Any Key’ which starts at 100 BPM and goes
about such a turning point in your life, when you felt you needed all the way to 170 BPM. Storytelling gets way more fun this way
to make a decision if it was music or something else:) and I was able to express myself without the limitations of a spe-
cific genre. In the end, IT IS a trance album but with a bit of Modus
I remember having thoughts of making an album during 2019 after diversity into it.
I made ‘Pac-Man Theory’. It felt like everything is getting in the
right place and the stars of my musical journey are starting to ‘The Future Behind Us’ is also the 6th track on the 9-track album.
align, A feeling that makes me want to “say” something bigger, more Besides being a super expressive title, are there any ‘geeky’ rea-
organic that has a richer story to tell. And of course, all of this sons behind it becoming the title-giving track? Did the track or
is an outcome of true commitment and believing in what I’m doing. the title come first?
And what was the process like, once you set your mind to making The title came before the track as I first thought about the con-
the album, how long did it take, did you make any big changes cept for the album and then started writing music according to the
during the creation process? Did you discover or learn anything main idea. This is something I started doing only since the album
while you were putting the album together? and I find it more inspiring and mind-opening to have a theme or
a concept before you get to the music.
When I started writing the album it was like I was high on some-
thing, I finished 3 of the tracks in 2 weeks and I was like if that’s Any special backstories, extra meanings behind the tracks? You
how fast it’s going then ill finish this album in no time... But had the chance to try some of them out before the major lockdown
then comes reality with touring and then come writer’s block and on dancefloors… Which proved to be crowd favorites, which gave
suddenly I’m changing some of the tracks I already finished and you the boost to move on with the creation?
so on...
I’ll quote the vocal from one of the tracks on the album... “Fear of
The whole process took about a year + And since covid took place the Unknown”.
and changed our lives I noticed that I was starting to write music “They are afraid of new ideas. They are loaded with prejudices, not
in a different approach, less thinking of the dancefloor (since based upon anything in reality, but based on… if something is new,
we don’t have dancefloors at the moment) and more thinking about I reject it immediately because it’s frightening to me. What they
feelings and emotions while writing music, so this affected part do instead is just stay with the familiar. You know, to me, the most
of the album as well. For example, ‘After The Storm’ is the best way beautiful things in all the universe are the most mysterious.”
to describe it.
I can relate to this on so many levels, especially in music. I mean...
Which one of the 9 tracks came first and made you feel it’s going music that excites me will probably be weird, unexpected and some-
to be The Future Behind Us:)? thing I haven’t heard before while some people will judge it by
whether it’s following the trend or not.
Actually, it was none of them... As I mentioned before, ‘Pac-Man The-
ory’ (released in 2019) was the track that made me want to get in the Taking all this to when lockdowns started over the world - the
process of writing an album. feeling of uncertainty was all over and writing dancefloor music
After thinking of a concept for the album the first track that was while there is not even a single dancefloor to play at felt like I
written was ‘The Future Is Behind Us’ as it is the root of my album. have to force myself into writing dancefloor material. So, I de-
Or shall I say egg? cided I’ll just go with whatever feels right to my ears instead of
thinking dancefloor material.
Did you have a clear concept from the beginning, and know how
you wanted to showcase Modus-characteristic soundscapes? To I guess you can hear the differences in some of the tracks, more
express yourself in your whole diversity, and achieve trance on like pre-covid and post-covid.
the whole scope of 90 to 170bpm?
4
4
Musically, what kind of evolution does this release express in
Modus history? Where do you go from here? What’s up next? “WHY ARE WE DOING
From this point what I think will be the most natural thing to do
is to expand my musical boundaries a little more to find my next
WHAT WE ARE
musical adventure.
DOING?”
Ori, in what way have you, and Stereo Society, coped with the past
year’s realities? How have you tried to turn the pandemic and re-
strictions to your favor?
Ori: Long and bumpy ride on the uncertainty train.. This year had
its ups and downs as every year does, but with an additional new
challenge of finding a new source of energy. I mean, with Covid19
restrictions, each of us had to answer a very revealing question -
Why are we doing what we are doing?
I think that in a creative society, such as our scene, taking out the
main source of feedback, or eliminating any feedback at all, can,
and eventually will bring many to the realization that they might
be depending on few other elements, rather than just the love of
creation, which makes total sense, as the need for feedback is only
natural.
What are the outlooks right now? Are there any certainties or
light at the end of the tunnel?
5
6
I T’S ALL AB OUT WORD S
M. L. GHISI ‘S
(AKA MARCIANA AKA BACK TO MARS)
DOOM-TOPIAN FLASH FICTION SERIES
SET IN A POSSIBLE FUTURE INVOLVING
ROBOTS, CRYPTO AND MINING –
POST-DIGITAL
DARK AGES
CONTINUE...
PART 3 1
PART as
AC I D R AI N e n tury
n th
m a
e 21s
igi
“19th-c ssible, and . Or “post-d name cer-
ury w
t cent he re-
ed t
life i ny consider tal dark
po e s e
not im the dark ag d to it. Th engulfed
o f l ur e th at
tur n me a l ness es.”
s”, a s so
th e dark
m an coloni
age d st hu
matche the la
tainly
PA
“No RT
ma to m 2
t
nit
pla y i entio
pla yed a f sh n wha
e
a b n. All cruc did t it c
iza i not oul
fea r thi al d
r o re sit ngs c part make mean
ft uat ons in it, fo
he
The ground was changing quickly under Sabrina’s fast rai ion, f idere the r sinc r hu-
n.” or d, t esi e s
she h s h
steps. Her survival mode had kicked in, and she found her- was is wa tance e
run s qu ’s
self taken over by a super-human focus. All that she could nin ite
gi
do was to think of her end destination and keep running. n
7
Closing the door behind her, she turned around puffing, since some of them malfunctioned last time, so they are
letting go of her worries as she rested her forehead against not taking any chances right now.”
the door, trying to normalize her breath. Her lungs expanded
in a fast tempo and her legs shook in pain from the strenuous Sabrina grabbed her coat which was still hanging on her
exercise she just had to endure. This time it was a close call. arms, and wrapped it around her hips, making a knot with
the sleeves to secure it in place. She then looked back at
All of a sudden, someone tried to take off her coat, and John, waiting for his instructions.
Sabrina was startled, turning around abruptly in reaction
to be caught off-guard. Her eyes met those of a man standing He looked at her, feeling proud of how far she’s come, and
in front of her, and she let out a deep sigh, relieved to see finally said: “At least this rain has one positive function
a friendly face. for us. We will be safe until it stops.” He smiled at her and
turned his head, looking invitingly towards the big hall.
“Hi, Sabrina, what took you so long?”
She stepped towards her friend and hugged him saying
“John! It’s so good to see you!” At once her fears were replaced
by a sense of tranquility. She took a step back, and John
continued: “Have you seen any patrols moving around here?”
“None,” she said. “The acid rain is making them more careful
8
Q&A
RE LEASE TEASE FEATURE
AURA BOREALIS
(AKA MICROBURST ALERT), HAS JUST
STARTED TESTING HIS SONIC WINGS,
BUT HIS MULTIGENRE-XPERIMENTATIVE
SWEEPS PROMISE TO TAKE HIM FAR.
OVNIMOON RECORDS
HAS JUST RELEASED HIS 15-TRACK
‘BRAINSUGAR’.
IN-DEPTH AND COLORFULLY AURA-LIT,
MEET THE MAN BEHIND THE PROJECT,
NIKHIL SUNDAR
Read audioillustrated by Aura Borealis’ Release Tease mix for radiOzora.
HOW DOES THE STORY BEGIN...? The day I discovered Tool was probably the best day of my
It all really began in the 2000s in the UK, a time during life, as was the day that I discovered Porcupine Tree. It was
which my father - who happened to be a big music enthusiast was also the first time I decided that I wanted to play the
back then, introduced me and my mother to a wide range of guitar. The first riff I ever learnt by myself was the intro
bands, musicians and singers through an array of CDs that he to ‘Blackest Eyes’. I slowly began exploring the more mellow,
was collecting at the time. This collection went on for years progressive side of instrumental music and then ventured
- and if you visit my home now you will still see around 500 into electronic music (mainly trip hop & big beat) - artists
CDs which are over 20 years old, still intact - comprising of like Massive Attack, Bonobo, Four Tet, Cinematic Orchestra,
albums by artists like Lionel Richie, Shania Twain, Robbie Zero 7, Psapp, Fatboy Slim and Chemical Brothers. My first
Williams, The Corrs, Celine Dion, Diana Ross, Carole King, tryst with psychedelic electronic was Shpongle, in all its
Pink Floyd, Beatles, Bread, Air Supply, Kenny G, Cat Stevens; glory - and few tracks by Hilight Tribe, Electric Universe,
Crosby, Stills & Nash and a whole ton more. I think the moment 1200 Mics, and early Infected Mushroom. I had a playlist with
he stopped collecting largely was when we moved to India, this tiny collection, which was was specifically meant for
although I don’t really understand why - as you used to get our little sessions in high school where we used to exper-
CDs for a standard price of Rs 399 in any CD store, irrespective iment with psychedelics. I never explored much psytrance back
of the year in which it came out. I was largely influenced by then, but as I slowly got into it, I began by exploring the more
some of these artists back then, and of course there were chill stuff, the downtempo material - Entheogenic, Aes Dana,
a few that definitely stuck through my teenage years into Shulman, Bluetech, Ott, Carbon Based Lifeforms, and Asura.
early adulthood, and right to this present day - like Pink
Floyd, The Doors, Dire Straits, Led Zeppelin, Beatles, Hendrix All in all, I really knew that I wanted to start making music
and Bob Dylan. Point being - growing up listening to a huge when I went to college for the second time and quit. I told
amount of what can only be described as REAL POP music was myself that that’s what I would eventually do - even though
a true blessing, although I don’t listen to ANY of the artists after quitting college for the second time I went on to enroll
that were part of my dad’s collection today. It was nothing in yet another college, and quit that as well. But yes - my
like the nonsense you hear today on MTV & VH1 - but really second college, Manipal - was where I had some of the deepest
intricate pieces of music - rich and diverse sonically as well personal experiences, positive as well as negative - and all
as meaningful, and it definitely did play a major role in equally life-changing - was where I first knew for sure that
developing a sense of musical maturity and foresight. this what I wanted to do - although it took almost 10 years
after that initial thought to actually get started on any of
I started my personal collection with The Eminem Show it.
cassette, still on of my favourite hip hop albums of all time.
Then I went on to procure Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory and THE MEANING BEHIND YOUR PROJECT NAME...
Meteora on CD, and wore them out till they stopped working. It’s simply just the name of one of my favourite tracks by
By the age of 13, I had bought Metallica’s Black Album with my Ozric Tentacles, from their 1999 album ‘Waterfall Cities’. The
pocket money + some Limp Bizkit CDs, Linkin Park’s Minutes scientific name of the Northern lights, with ‘Aurora’ tweaked
to Midnight, and some other albums like Testify by P.O.D., to ‘Aura’. Sounded cool so I decided to go with it. Note - I
Green Day’s American Idiot, Puddle of Mudd’s Come Clean and decided the name of my project during the first ever course I
a bunch more. My collection grew and grew - and I began took in music production 2 years ago, when I had to to submit
using Limewire to download and explore music which I either a track for the final ‘end of course’ assignment. The track I
couldn’t buy or wasn’t available here in India - and started submitted was absolutely pitiful, but at least the name I chose
burning CDs to play on my stereo. When I was 15, I finally for myself stuck!
grew out of the punk, nu-metal phase and took a deep dive into
the world of metal. Melodic death metal, thrash, metalcore THE GREATEST INFLUENCES ON YOUR SOUND...
and a bit of doom metal was what I listened to back then - Artists who have majorly influenced me in the last 8-10 years
savouring albums by Arch Enemy, Soilwork, In Flames, Machine would be Steven Wilson, Robert Fripp, Trent Reznor, Brian Eno,
Head, Megadeth, Trivium, Killswitch Engage a bit of Kreator, a Simon Posford, Maynard J Keenan, David Gilmour, Seb Taylor,
bit Children of Bodom, & Insomnium. Merv Pepler, Ed Wynne, John Frusciante, Simon Green, Mikael
Akerfeldt, Steve Hillage, Piers Oak-Rhind, Dave Matthews,
9
Raja Ram, Ajja Leu & Pavel Goatika. As you can see, a range of music, and Microburst Alert - for psytrance. I’m fairly weak
genres - however all of these extraordinary musicians are at writing psytrance, and in the last 2 years I’ve just about
incredible at what they do. They each have brought so much to managed to finish writing the basic structure of 3 tracks.
the table individually, and have inspired me tremendously,
personally as well as musically to try and do my best and not I’d love to make a big beat/space techno EP, much influenced
get caught up in the opinions of others. by System 7’s stuff. I play the guitar - and I feel a project
like this which involves trippy riffs with tons of delay, echo
I think one artist who has really been influential for me and wah-wah played over delicate yet groovy techno would be
in terms of the what I would somewhat at least hope to sound a super cool idea to experiment with technically.
like (technically speaking) would be Kevin Moore. He’s the
ex-keyboardist from Dream Theater, and has two projects
along with Jim Matheos (guitarist of Fate’s Warning) - OSI & MOST CUTTING-EDGE PRODUCERS TODAY OR NEWLY DISCOVERED...
Chroma Key. Of couse, I don’t do vocals - but production wise I highly, highly recommend Grand River, a Dutch/Italian
Kevin’s output is extremely versatile and his work blends in producer who makes some of the most intricate and soulful
deep and meaningful electronic music with elements of heavy ambient music I’ve ever heard. The latest album ‘Blink A Few
metal and intense drumming. You have Mike Portnoy on the Times To Clear Your Eyes’, is absolutely remarkable to say the
first album, and Gavin Harrison as the session drummer on least. It’s music for everyone!
the second two. I recommend everyone to check his work out!
Another producer who released something fairly recently
HOW HAS YOUR SOUND, TASTE DEVELOPED THROUGH THE YEARS? whom I can’t stop listening to and honestly wish that there
It’s definitely been a journey - I think I’ve explored literally was more of her music officially out, is JakoJako - a producer
every genre of respectable music to the best of my ability. The from Berlin. She has one EP out, as far as my knowledge goes -
only genre which I haven’t much of an attempt to explore is called ‘Aequilibriation’, 4 tracks of mindbending explorative
hip hop, mainly because it doesn’t flow much with me, though electronic music.
I owned a lot of hip hop in my very early days. But I’d say my
tastes in music took a major shift mainly during the time I also highly recommend Valance Paul - from my home
when I got the freedom to explore music myself and not be city, who goes by the artist name ‘Gabaa’. He was my first
limited to my dad’s collection. When that shift took place, official teacher. He is mainly known for his killer forest
I immediately sunk into 2 broad categories of music - the psytrance productions, but I’m not here to talk about that
first being stuff that pierced me internally and made me - rather I want to shed some light on his expertise in the
feel emotionally and mentally stronger, and the second being studio, and his extremely fast-paced workflow. Watch out for
stuff that made me feel trippy and out of worldly. Having said his downtempo productions under his project ‘Grounded’, it
that, I’ve explored electronic music in all its forms; the stuff is extremely unique, mellow, and groovy. Most of his written
that combines electronica with instrumental stuff like trip material hasn’t been released, but he hopefully will soon
hop, lounge and fusion; and also world music, jazz, progressive put out some amazing music. He is also working with one of
bluegrass, progressive rock, art-rock, metal; and also loads India’s most revered singer-songwriters, Lucky Ali, and they
and loads of psychedelic music - from the downtempo chilled are (to my best knowledge) are working on something very
out stuff, to more trancy stuff, as well as psychedelic rock. special. He also has about 7 new psytrance releases coming up,
all individual tracks and all potential bangers - on various
What really interests me about the evolution of music is different labels.
how it has essentially acted as a medium to bridge the gap
between different forms of the art - and nowadays you find I also want to highlight 2 projects I recently stumbled upon:
electronica with live instruments, and then you have full on Silas & Saski - consisting of Silas Neptune (Ed Wynne’s son/
live instrumental bands with loads of electronic sounds. I Ozric Tentacles), and Saskia Maxwell. Their music is truly
love the way in which music (in the true sense) has no bound- incredible, its almost like nothing you’ve ever heard - Silas
aries with regards to what you can really do with sound, be it on the synth with some unimaginably diverse and ethereal
using instruments from around the world or using electronic soundscapes, and Saski on vocals and flute - Silas is an
equipment. The whole point behind the experience of making amazing guitarist as well and there’s loads of it in their
music, for a begginer or a professional, is NOT to be limited by music. The result of this collaboration is psychedelic folk,
any kind of genre specification. Although it is important - at truly mindblowing to witness. They have a 3 track EP out,
least to me, that it sounds like music and not noise! Although released in 2020 called ‘Power of Three’.
the latter can definitely be subjective, and the scientific The next is a band called Lucid Planet from the land of
definition of noise is very different from the manner in Oz (Australia) - psychedelic prog-rock, with tribal chants,
which it is used colloquially. So yes.. I hope you see my point! aboriginal hymns and deep sound layering. Great stuff.
11
12
Q&A
DIGI TAL DIAM OND S FEATURE
PIECE OF ACID
GERMAN ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCER
AND DJ, CO-FOUNDER OF THE
DIGITAL DIAMONDS NETLABEL,
THE VOLKER HALF OF , ALIC
IS DROPPING SOME ACID
INTO PSYCHEDELIC TECHNO AND
EXPLORING A BEAUTIFUL NEW
FRIENDSHIP WITH ROLANDS TB-303 IN
HIS NEW SOLO PROJECT
How did the idea to get a solo project rolling come? How was your first tool to realize my ideas. Today my label, Digital
alter ego born? Diamonds does not only have influence on its fans, it also
influences me, my taste and my ways of producing electronic
Besides my main project ‘Alic’’together with Adamson I have music.
had the idea for a solo project for a long time. Finally the
Corona-lockdown in spring 2020 gave me the chance to find How about those mind-blowing, life-changing experiences
the time to realize this longterm-idea. that have shaped you and your sound?
In fact, I did not feel like creating one more new techno There wasn’t that one and only. But I have to admit that
or progressive project. I wanted to create a project which my visits to Fusion Festival had a big impact on me. That
distinguishes from others, a project with its own musical especially means that a positive and amazing fusion of
identity and a special sound. And what was more obvious, to different music styles, art, theater, dance and even cooper-
create music with my favorite synth: Rolands TB-3o3, which ative social behavior can become true. This experience
has been partially forgotten! ‘Piece Of Acid’ was born and encouraged me to move forward with my label ‘Digital
now it represents a modern way of Psychedelic Acid Techno. Diamonds’ and Psychedelic Techno in its varieties.
Who have your greatest teachers been, your greatest inspirations? Which one of your releases/tracks are the most character-
Who has had the greatest influence on your soundscapes? istic of your sounds or stand the closest to you for some
reason?
I started hearing Techno music in 1992 as a child. At the
time it wasn’t easy to get your favorite tunes. There was As you might know, ‘Piece Of Acid’ is a very fresh project. So
a weekly show called “Clubnight” on hr3, a famous and all tracks stand very close to me, haha…
commercial German radio station. DJs like Sven Väth, DJ
Dag, Marc Spoon and guests had the chance to frequently What projects are you involved in? (Or would love to experiment
present their 3-hour DJs sets. So I was curious every with?)
Saturday evening when they started to play… Their sets,
with a mixture of Trance, Techno and Acid, hit my taste. So As I explained, I am also part of ‘Alic’ and co-founder and
my favourite projects in that time had been AWeX, Nostrum, manager of the Psychedelic Techno Label ‘Digital Diamonds’
Emmanuel Top and DJ Misjah, to name a few. At the beginning
of 2000s I met Adam in Münster and we formed our project Who do you think are the most cutting-edge newest sound makers
Alic. Adam introduced me to the psychedelic scene and I in the scene?
quickly became a friend of Progessive Techtrance projects
like Sebastian Mullaert’s “Kooler”, Midimiliz or Trancefeld. I’m a big fan of Aleckat and for a while Mydä, Trilingo and
Unknown Concept. Their sound delivers dancefloor bombs
How has your sound, your taste in music developed with guarantee. Always a pleasure to play that stuff. But
throughout the years? there are many more good producers out there for sure.
The development of my productions has always been influ- Which artists remain the ultimate classics for you in the scene
enced by the technical possibilities. I never had much (or in music generally)?
budget to buy the big synths or fancy machines so I had
to improvise. I focused from the beginning on software For me a symbol of fuckin’ good Acid is of course Robert
producing. This meant that Tritons FastTracker was my Babicz aka Rob Acid. He delivers top notch sound for many
13
years. Same for Emmanuel Top, his music is up to date, even For the moment, it stands kind of still, caused by the virus.
if it is more than 20 years old. But not in the hearts of the community. I hope the scene can
be fully reactivated in all facets very soon.
Scene at home?
What are some of the greatest challenges you faced so far as
Here in Berlin you got all types of music scenes. Within the an artist or producer? How about the moments that you felt
psy-cosmos dark psychedelic trance and zenoneqesue are were the greatest rewards so far?
dominating the field. But in recent years the genres are
interbreeding more and more. You have festivals that are As a producer there are always the periods where you are
not limited to one genre, people appreciate that. So you can doubtful. That means in detail the question if you are good
have that typical Berghain sound together with slowbeats/ enough related to others. Or you produced a track and you
ketapop, deep/ progressive house and instrumental music or are so overloaded of previewing. But on the other hand it’s
hip hop acts at one party/ festival. Actually that typical always a big pleasure to hear other DJs playing your stuff.
Berlin sound was getting more trancy during the last This implies that you have made something right.
few years. However, as promoters have to restrict numbers
of visitors due to ‘Rona, entry is currently getting more Musically, what’s still on your bucket list?
expensive and music is getting rougher, faster...
Short answer: A slot at Fusion Festival.
Most memorable gigs, experiences?
What are your other passions in life?
I get goose flesh when I think of a small gig in Bremen
years ago. The DJs before us did not hit the taste of the Besides producing and label management I enjoy spending
crowd, it was lazy ass-shaking. Adam and me started playing as much time as possible with my children. It’s amazing to be
the decks b2b and it seemed that we hit the nerve of the part of their growth. I’m curious if they will enjoy making
audience and each other exactly… Bam!!! music in the future, too.
But there is again and again that magic moment, when you What are you working on at present? What are you looking
discover a few people on the dancefloor who totally get into forward to the most?
your sound, who understand what you wanna tell with the
set, who go on a ride with you and who trust that you will Currently, I have some drafts for new tracks in the
deliver. sequencer waiting to get finished. Stay tuned and thanks
for the interview! Check out: www.piece-of-acid.com.
What do you think about our scene (psychedelic gatherings
and community) and their role in our lives, if any:)?
14
part 1:
It contains our: conscience, moral sense (what’s right and
Great Spirit -
s
Psyche
rie what’s wrong), ethics, and integrity, the essence of our True
se Self. Each life has a soul’s purpose and reason for being.
o m Soul life gives depth and interiority to experience, imbues it
d
is - SELF - E with meaning. Soul Records the learnings of life’s experience
w L GO and is a vehicle for expressing spirit’s individuality from
-
o
ee
T
t
–
wh
ly
I
– –
flowing relationship. Soul is in relationship with desire, the
by d r s
– –
nizing the necessity of conscious development of Self.
2: rt
15
“A SAD SOUL CAN KILL YOU QUICKER, FAR QUICKER, THAN A GERM.” /JOHN STEINBECK/
16
“THE GROWTH OF AN AWARE EGO IS A DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONE IN THE EVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS. ”
The Wheel of Wisdom represents both a quaternity (the There is a distinction to be made between a conscious ego and an
horizontal plane of existence represented by the four unconscious ego. Many, if not most humans operate completely
directions) and a trinity (the vertical plane of existence, unconsciously; never asking: Who am I? With conscious ego
represented by the three vertical directions: Above, Below, development comes recognition of soul. “This occurs when ‘I’
and Center). The structure of the Wheel of Wisdom itself, becomes an object of self-conscious reflection. When ‘I’ am
and program we have developed is designed to support the separated from my actions, ‘I’ can stand back and reflect on
integrative process that Jung describes. ‘my’ actions.” Unless we can self-reflect, we cannot know soul
or develop in consciousness. The growth of an aware ego is
Individuation is the arduous task of becoming a true human a developmental milestone in the evolution of consciousness.
Being. We have begun ‘individuating’ when we begin to distin-
guish the ego from the True Self. We have a strong desire There is also a distinction to be made between a big ego
to know who we truly are and to consciously make choices which indicates mere hubris and a strong ego which indicates
that respond to the necessities of the True Self and not capability and perseverance. Someone with a big ego is
the ego desires. Becoming our True Self and realizing the inflating themselves to mask insecurity and actually has
Self are both like enlightenment, the fullest development of a weak ego. Someone with a weak ego can frequently partic-
consciousness possible. ipate in over indulgence of egoic desires, often addictions,
which prevent self-reflection and will development. Someone
Confucius had a similar idea about the True Self and taught with a strong ego is capable of hard work and accomplishment,
that humans were born with a blueprint of their True Self, without needing to draw undue attention to themselves for it.
containing a moral sense. He stated: “Being true to oneself
is the law of God. To try to be true to oneself is the law of We can consciously develop the free will to strengthen the
man, the moral law.” He felt that the life of the moral person ego, enabling us to develop a moral code to live by, and be
represented a universal moral order and the life of the disciplined enough to sustain it. Your will is not free if you
immoral person contradicted the universal moral order. For have no conscious control of it. Conscious will development
him: “Our moral self is our Truest Self and the highest devel- is like a muscle, the more you use it, more ego strength you
opment of our moral nature is to understand the workings of develop.
God.” The moral law is inescapable (you really can’t get away
with anything immoral, there are always consequences sooner CONCLUSION
or later) and the moral person unceasingly cultivates their
True Self or moral being. He said: “One who learns to be their These descriptions are by no means complete. They are
True Self is one who finds out what is good and holds on to it.” designed to give you a beginning understanding of the
topics and assist you in becoming aware of how they operate
in your life. They all usually operate on an unconscious
level and require the work of self-reflection to bring them
EG into conscious awareness.
O
The world seems to be going crazy these days, and appears to
be getting crazier. The Wheel of Wisdom program is designed
to inspire you to become a more conscious human being. With
The ego has been much maligned, and in especially in
a spiritual practice (i.e., regular meditation, yoga, etc.), you
so-called ‘spiritual’ circles, the ego is to be eliminated
can ground, calm, and center yourself, enabling you to take
or annihilated. This notion comes from not fully under-
intelligent action in the face of chaos.
standing the necessity of having an ego to function in the
world. An ego is the experience of oneself as a center of
Bless you on your journey.
willing, desiring, reflecting, and acting. It emerges as we
begin to separate ourselves from our experience, environment,
and others. Separation is the foundation of ego development. REFERENCES
ego we can stand back and observe ourselves and objectify The Search for Meaning:
Dennis Ford,
A Short History, Berkeley: University of
California Press, 2007.
our experience. We can separate the knower from the known
C.G. Jung,
and the subject from the object. Our ego is the center of our The Psychology of the Transference,
from the Collected Works of C.G. Jung,
field of consciousness and the subject of all our personal vol. 16, Bollingen Series XX; Trans. R.F.C. Hull, Princeton: Princeton
University Press,
first paperback print, 1969, 1974, 1992.
acts of consciousness.
Confucius,
The Sayings of Confucius, Translated by Leonard A. Lyall, NY:
Longmans, Green & Co.; e-book copy: Public Domain Books: 2009.
C.G. Jung,
The Basic Writings of C.G. Jung, Edited and with an Introduction by
Violet S. de Lazslo, NY: Random House, The Modern Library, 1959, 352.
17
“ THERE IS SOUL IN EVERYTHING, WE LIVE IN A SENTIENT, ANIMATED UNIVERSE. ”
“THE WAY WE SEE THE
WORLD SHAPES THE
WAY WE TREAT IT. IF A
MOUNTAIN IS A DEITY,
NOT A PILE OF ORE; IF
A RIVER IS ONE OF THE
VEINS OF THE LAND, NOT
POTENTIAL IRRIGATION
WATER; IF A FOREST
IS A SACRED GROVE,
NOT TIMBER; IF OTHER
SPECIES ARE BIOLOGICAL
KIN, NOT RESOURCES; OR
IF THE PLANET IS OUR
MOTHER, NOT AN OPPOR-
TUNITY -- THEN WE
WILL TREAT EACH OTHER
WITH GREATER RESPECT.
THUS IS THE CHALLENGE,
TO LOOK AT THE WORLD
FROM A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE.”
/DAVID SUZUKI/
18
RAJA RAM
INISCENCES
So each year we went, each year for Jan/ Feb/ March/ Party Just wanted to add, on that first night of the Goa party I
Time... and it was virtually non stop. We never found out who heard a track that ripped me apart... blew me away... and had
paid for all the gear, the speaks and amps and all of that. me running to the dance floor. When I asked who it was, I
Somehow money was ploughed back in and the parties lacked was told it was Dick Trevor from the Green Nuns... Who wrote
for nothing, and each year The Infinity Project made more it...was it “Conflict” or the other one? “ Anyways, I danced
tracks. I think 50 or so, and hearing them played at max like madman, and later, a few days later, I ran into him,
peakage high dosage and with one’s friends... had got to be and he told men the track which had been spoken for was now
the best buzz ever. But then I went too far... I had a monster free, and I almost died, and we got it on TIP Records... was it
party at my house and got carted off to jail... a Good God “Megalactic Cloud”? Remind me... One of the most blasting of
GAOL in GOA... but that’s another story. all the psychedelic pioneers... Thank you Dick...
19
Road sign at Pumpui, O.Z.O.R.A.
BELOW: “The Original Freak”, 8-Finger Eddie in the mid-70s, “Psychedelic trance music and culture (psyculture) is explored
photo by Anders Tillman (aka Missing Inka, one of the first as a culture of exodus rooted in the seasonal dance party
Goa DJs, arriving there in Feb 1970), published in Graham culture evolving in Goa, India, over the 1970s/1980s, and
St John’s article: “Seasoned Exodus: The Exile Mosaic of revealing a heterogeneous exile sensibility shaping Goa
Psyculture” in Dancecult in 2012. trance and psyculture from the 1990s/2000s. That is, diverse
transgressive and transcendent expatriations would shape
the music and aesthetics of Goa/psytrance. Thus, resisting
circumscription under singular heuristic formulas, Goa
trance and its progeny are shown to be internally diverse.
This freak mosaic was seasoned by expatriates and bohemians
in exile from many countries, experienced in world cosmo-
politan conurbations, with the seasonal DJ-led trance dance
culture of Goa absorbing innovations in EDM productions,
performance and aesthetics throughout the 1980s before the
Goa sound and subsequent festival culture emerged in the
mid-1990s. Rooted in an experimental freak community host
to the conscious realisation and ecstatic abandonment of the
self, psyculture is heir to this diverse exile experience.”
20
Prophet’s
The
be linked to what time you arrive at the festival. This year
we arrived on the last two days of the festival, so my first
How about back the first time? What was your first experience?
You mentioned flavour. Would you say it has some fire to it?
MUD AND DIRT of a week to come out of this experience. Re-energized and
inspired in many ways.
The Ozorian Chambok House brings you the foremost thinkers I guess, obviously being a Hungarian festival that is infused
and artists through its carefully curated lecture series. The with Hungarian culture in ways which other events are not,
Ozorian Prophet caught the vibeologiest of the psychedelic that makes it very unique. But it is also transnational. It
culture just before his presentation on the festival site. is part of the Goa traveller culture. That is why what you
experienced in Kathmandu resonates with this, and for some
The topic of your lecture last year was The Global Tribe & Spiritual people, with Goa. In the last 20 -30 years the people tried to
Technologies. From a bit different perspective this time it is going capture Goa, its spirit, what it meant, to caputre the vibe of
to be Remixticism: Psychedelic Electronica and Mystical Experience. one season and compress it into a week. Burn is a very good
Where do you think a truly value-creating remix (be it literature, example of that, so is O.Z.O.R.A., attempting to capture – and
music, film, etc) starts in this age of general copy+paste? package in a way – the Goa vibe. The seasonal vibe of Goa.
It also has other elements in terms of celebrating, it’s a
My interest here is generally that which I refer to as pagan-sytle festival. It has obviously more of this element
psychedelic fiction or psy-fi, the dedication to sampling than, say these travelling events because of the European
vocal fragments from popular cultural sources that are a pagan roots present here. It has an Irish feel to it. It’s a very
component of the media-ecology of the optimal psychedelic unique festival.
vibe. Film, TV, games and other media sources reanimated
for the interactive theatre of the dancefloor by producers/
DJs, are designed to evoke, expose, burlesque non-ordinary “THERE IS SOMETHING FASCINATING
states of consciousness. My presentation offers a journey ABOUT PEOPLE TO COAT THEMWSELVES
through psy-fi, so we’ll be dropping a range of psychoactive WITH MUD, AND FEEL THAT THEY ARE
compounds that have been sampled and mixed into the sonics COATED WITH SOMETHING THAT IS…
of psyculture and entheonica. VENERATED AND SACRED. IT IS VERY
EARTHY. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE
What was your first thought when you arrived to O.Z.O.R.A.? The SPROUTING OUT OF THE EARTH, YOU’RE
first impression. GETTING BACK TO, YOU KNOW, SOME
SORT OF PREVIOUS STATE.”
There were no queues (laughs). Becasue I’ve been here when
there was hell at the gates, five years ago…. but it may all
21
You named O.Z.O.R.A. a Central European festival. Do you think there music scene focus on psytrance and, you know, high bpms and
is an element of more untamed energies involved? forget about the other kind of music that has been part of
this culture since the very beginning which is hosted here
Yes, definitely I see it in, for instance the mud. Peope in a fine way. The Chill is probably… I mean it’s world class.
embrace the mud here in a way that I do not see in other
trance festivals. As an anthropolgist, there is something that I feel that the secret heart of the whole event, that the secret
interests me. Dirt suddenly becomes magic; is transformed, heroes of the whole event still is Pumpui. When I arrived I felt that
whereas in other contexts you would not touch it. You would these guys are living and breathing it. What would you say about
be… dirty. Mud and dirt become sacred. You are also talking them?
about a place, an area that is regarded as sacred. There is
something fascinating about people to coat themwselves with I haven’t been a lot in Pumpui, I am only here for one day
mud, and feel that they are coated with something that is… this time around. Of course, it has different kind of music,
venerated and sacred. It is very earthy. You feel like you are electrotrance for example…. It is different, quirky. It is
sprouting out of the earth, you’re getting back to, you know, great to see that O.Z.O.R.A. has branched out and is accommo-
some sort of previous state. dating various types of music from the scene.
Yes. I love the music there and the building is like a beehive,
this crazy beehive that really starts humming. It carries
a legacy of that chill vibe from the Goa period of the late
Seventies and the Eighties. Dr. Graham St. John is an Australian anthropologist of event-cultures, techno-tribes, freak
media, and weird religion. Among his books are Global Tribe: Technology, Spirituality and
You know, downtempo and ambient musics have been evident Psytrance (Equinox, 2012), described by Erik Davis as “the definitive book on what has become,
right from the beginning. People, when talking about this from the perspective of planetary spiritual culture, the most resonant music scene of our
transhuman century”, and Technomad: Global Raving Countercultures (2009).
22
KALIFER
DJ
AKA SOLEYE
HADRA ALTERVISION RECORDS
TOP
tracks from the last years . Enjoy !
Kalifer.
TEN
3 LAB’S CLOUD - SUSPENDED MICROGRANULES (ALTAR RECORDS)
BEN CODA
IBOGA/IBOGATECH
KATAMII
TEN
PUMPUI
TOP 2
1 BECAUSE OF ART – ESSENCE [ALKAANE]
POLYMOD – CYCLES [ALKAANE]
DJ
3 HEXAGON – SHIMMER [CONFORCE]
23
24
DJ
NEUTRON
MAHARETTA RECORDS
2
1 FREEDOM FIGHTERS - DRUMVILLE (STEREO SOCIETY) TOP
TEN
SOUNDAHOLIX - LET’S ROLL FEAT. SONIC SPECIES (FUTURE MUSIC)
3 GMS, DICKSTER, AJJA - GOTHIC AS A BRICK (NANO)
PHOBOS
LOONEY MOON RECORDS
7 OUT WORLD & CIRCUS BENT & BATTOUSAI - CAN YOU FEEL IT (BELIEVE LAB)
8 EARTHWORM & SHRED’ER - CREEPY STORY (UNRELEASED)
9 DRIBBLE - SILVER PUNCH (LOONEY MOON RECORDS)
10 DIKSHA - SHIVAYA (KARMATEC RECORDS)
DJ TSUBI
TEN
SANGOMA RECORDS/RADIOZORA.FM
A varied selection of my
favourite tracks, released in
the past 2-3 month, which well
defines the musical spectrum
that I like to move along in my
TOP
DJ sets.
DJ
3 GANDHABBA - BOMBING FOR PEACE (REVERSIBLE RECORDS)
25
ENDNOTE: RE/VISIT DIM PAN’s FULL ALBUM 4 more monochrome beauty:)
“Do you know how you can “Tell him about your
make god laugh...?” plans...” (...)
26