Music of Goa refers to music from the state of

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

, on the west coast of

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. A wide variety of music genres are used in Goa ranging from Western art music to Indian classical music. Konkani music is also popular across this tiny state. Being a former territory of

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

, Goa has a dominant western musical scene with the use of instrument such as the

violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...

, drums,

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

and

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

. It has also produced a number of prominent musicians and singers for the world of

Indian music Owing to India's vastness and diversity, Indian music encompasses numerous genres in multiple varieties and forms which include classical music, folk (Bollywood), rock, and pop. It has a history spanning several millennia and developed ove ...

. Portuguese

Fado Fado (; "destiny, fate") is a music genre that can be traced to the 1820s in Lisbon, Portugal, but probably has much earlier origins. Fado historian and scholar Rui Vieira Nery states that "the only reliable information on the history of fado was ...

also has significance in Goa.

Lorna Cordeiro Lorna Cordeiro, (born 9 August 1944) also known as Lorna, is a Konkani singer from the coastal state of Goa, India, and is popularly known as the "Nightingale of Goa". Early and personal life Lorna was born in Bombay on 9 August 1944 to Ce ...

is a popular singer and is referred to as the ''"nightingale of Goa".'' She sings in both English and Konkani. Some of her popular oldies are ''Pisso,

Bebdo "Bebdo" is a traditional Goan Konkani song composed by Chris Perry and sung by Lorna. It was a part of the album ''Lorna - Unforgettable Hits.'' The song is about a drunkard husband who troubles his wife. Nike ad An international ad campaign b ...

, Red Rose, Tuzo mog'' and ''Noxibak Rodta.'' Other popular musicians and singers include Anthony Gonsalves (violinist),

António Fortunato de Figueiredo Maestro António Fortunato de Figueiredo ComSE (20 August 1903 – 1981) was a Goan conductor and violinist. He was India's first conductor of western classical music. Early life and education António Fortunato de Figueiredo was born in Naco ...

(conductor and violinist), Chris Perry (often called the king of Goan music),

Hema Sardesai Hema Sardesai, also known as Hemaa Sardesai, is an Indian playback singer and lyricist. Hema hails from the coastal state of Goa, in India, and was born in Mumbai. She shot to fame in 1997 with songs from movies like '' Sapnay, Biwi No. 1'' an ...

(playback singer),

Ian D'Sa Ian D'Sa is a Canadian guitarist and producer best known as a member of the rock band Billy Talent. Early life and career Ian was born in the suburb of Southall, London. He is of Goan background. His family moved to Canada when he was three ...

, (former guitarist of Canadian band Billy Talent, of Goan descent),

Remo Fernandes Luís Remo de Maria Bernardo Fernandes (born 8 May 1953) is a singer and musician from India with naturalized Portuguese citizenship. Known as a pioneer of Indian pop music, he performs pop/ rock/Indian fusion and is also a film playback singe ...

(musician and playback singer),

Kishori Amonkar Kishori Amonkar (10 April 1932 – 3 April 2017) was a leading Indian classical vocalist, belonging to the Jaipur ''gharana'', or a community of musicians sharing a distinctive musical style. She was a performer of the classical genre ' ...

(classical vocalist),

Dinanath Mangeshkar Deenanath Mangeshkar (; 29 December 1900 – 24 April 1942) was a well-known Marathi theatre actor, a Natya Sangeet musician and a Hindustani classical vocalist. He is also the father of well-known singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Meena ...

(dramatist and classical vocalist), and

Oliver Sean Oliver Sean (born Oliver Sean Alvares; 11 October 1979) is a singer-songwriter, based in England, United Kingdom. His brand of music is known for its Americana influence with acoustic rock, world and contemporary undertones. Born in Goa, Ind ...

(singer/songwriter). Goa has produced many performers of Indian classical music, such as the vocalist

Kesarbai Kerkar Kesarbai Kerkar (13 July 1892 – 16 September 1977) was an Indian classical vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. A protege of Ustad Alladiya Khan (1855–1946), the founder of the gharana, from age sixteen, she went on to become one of th ...

Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her con ...

and

Asha Bhosle Asha Bhosle (; Mangeshkar; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur and occasional actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian Cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in th ...

. Goan local bands are also known for their use of western music styles and are popular at both, public and private celebrations. Goa has become home to a style of Electronic music, the

Trance music Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged from the British new-age music scene and the early 1990s German techno and hardcore scenes. Trance music is characterized by a tempo generally lying between 135–150 beats per minut ...

. It is popular at the Electronic music festivals hosted yearly in Goa that attract people from over 50 countries. However, owing to the tourism peak around the Christmas-New year period, the festivals have either been cancelled or rescheduled on other dates.

Indigenous traditional music

The traditional Goan musical instruments include ''

dhol Dhol (IPA: ) can refer to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent. Its range of distribution in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan primarily includes nort ...

'', ''

mridanga The khol is a terracotta two-sided drum used in northern and eastern India for accompaniment with devotional music (''bhakti''). It is also known as a mridanga (<

tabla A tabla, bn, তবলা, prs, طبلا, gu, તબલા, hi, तबला, kn, ತಬಲಾ, ml, തബല, mr, तबला, ne, तबला, or, ତବଲା, ps, طبله, pa, ਤਬਲਾ, ta, தபலா, te, తబల� ...

'', '' ghumat'', ''

dholak The ''dholak'' is a two-headed hand drum, a folk percussion instrument. The instrument is about 45 cm in length and 27 cm in breadth and is widely used in '' qawwali'', '' kirtan'', ''lavani'' and '' bhangra''. The drum has two differ ...

'', '' kansallem'', '' mhadalem'', ''

shehnai The ''shehnai'' is a musical instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is made of wood, with a double reed at one end and a metal or wooden flared bell at the other end.tambura.'' The ghumat is an earthen-ware pot-like vessel made by Goan potters with openings on the two opposite sides, one large and the other small in diameter, with the middle portion much bulging outwards. On the larger opening with the edge conveniently moulded for the fitting, a wet skin of a lizard (lacerta ocelata), known in Konkani as sap or

gar Gars are members of the family Lepisosteidae, which are the only surviving members of the Ginglymodi, an ancient holosteian group of ray-finned fish, which first appeared during the Triassic, over 240 million years ago. Gars comprise seven livin ...

, is fully stretched to cover the whole surface of the opening. The ghumat is essential for Hindu festivals, some temple rituals like

Suvari Suvari or Süvari ( ota, سوارى; tr, Süvari, "cavalry", from Persian ''Sawār'') is a Turkish or Estonian surname. As a Turkish surname it means "cavalry soldier". It may refer to: * Adnan Suvari (1926-1991), Turkish football coach * Mena ...

vadan, bhivari and mando performances. A mhadalem is a cylindrical earthen vessel covered at both ends with the skin of a lizard and is mostly played by the Kunbis. The chowgudo consists of two ‘dhobe’ and ‘zil’ placed in a cross form, facing each other, and played with sticks held in both hands. ''Surpavo'' and ''konpavo'' are flutes of the

dhangar Dhangar is a herding caste of people found in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. They are referred as Gavli in southern Maharashtra, Goa and northern Karnataka, Golla in Andhra Pradesh and Karna ...

community of Goa. The ''surpavo'' is a long bamboo flute of the shepherds. The instrument is like a staff and is around 60–70 cm long. Its sound is described as being 'soft and sweet'. The ''konpavo'' is 20–30 cm long. Its tone is described as being 'bright and high-pitched'. It is played in the upright position and is made of bamboo with a reed. This instrument is said to calm aggressive or disturbed cattle. ''Surt'' (Konkani: सूर्त) is a long wooden tube fixed with a funnel shaped bell with three holes. It is used to accompany the

shehnai The ''shehnai'' is a musical instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is made of wood, with a double reed at one end and a metal or wooden flared bell at the other end.piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

, mandolin and

to Goa. Other instruments such as the drums,

and trumpet were also widely used. Schools in this period taught pupils at least one such instrument. It is said that ''Goans have music in their blood'', a statement further strengthened by the role music and dance plays in Goan culture. Popular folk dances such as the Portuguese Corridinho are still part of Catholic weddings. Konkani song may be classified in four groups: one which draws on the more pristine form in music and verse, as in the '' fugdi'' or the ''dhalo''; the second which blends western and native music but retains Konkani lyrics as in

deknni Deknni (also spelled dekni, dekṇi, dekhṇi) is a semi classical Goan dance form. The plural of dekṇi in Konkani remains the same. Overview One of the earliest which may be dated around 1869 is '' Kuxttoba'' in which he is called "heir to I ...

s; the third which blends native and western music as well as language as in dulpod; and the fourth which has a marked influence of western music and lyrics (in Konkani) with borrowed Portuguese words as in mando. As many as 35 types of Konkani Song have been classified. These include ''banvarh, deknni, dhalo, dulpod, duvalo,

fell A fell (from Old Norse ''fell'', ''fjall'', "mountain"Falk and Torp (2006:161).) is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain or moor-covered hill. The term is most often employed in Fennoscandia, Iceland, the Isle of Man, pa ...

'' song, '' fughri, kunnbi'' song, ''launimm, mando, ovi, palnnam, talghari,

tiatr is a type of musical theatre popular in the state of Goa on the west coast of India as well as in Mumbai and with expatriate communities in the Middle East, United Kingdom and other cities where Konkani speakers have a considerable presence. The ...

'' song, '' zagor'' song and ''

zoti Zoti are wedding songs sung during the preparation of food during weddings in Goa, India. See also References

Indian styles of music {{music-genre-stub Goan music ...

''. The Christian hymns and Hindu religious songs are also characterized separately with the former related to contemporary western styles. * Banvarh is a mourning song, usually sung on the day of cremation by Hindus. *

Deknni Deknni (also spelled dekni, dekṇi, dekhṇi) is a semi classical Goan dance form. The plural of dekṇi in Konkani remains the same. Overview One of the earliest which may be dated around 1869 is '' Kuxttoba'' in which he is called "heir to I ...

is a song which originated in

Bardez ''Bardez'' ( kok, Bardes; pt, Bardes; IPA: ) is a ''taluka'' of the North Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. It was a ''concelho'' in the Portuguese State of India before 1961. Etymology The name is credited to the Saraswat Br ...

Ilhas Tiswadi ( pt, Ilhas de Goa, lit=Islands of Goa, or simply ''Ilhas'') is a Tehsil, sub-district in the district of North Goa district, North Goa, situated in the Indian coastal state of Goa. It is the largest and populous island of Goa situat ...

and

Salcete Salcete ( Konkani: ''Saxtti''/''Xaxtti''; pt, Salcette) is a sub-division of the district of South Goa, in the state of Goa, situated by the west coast of India. The Sal river and its backwaters dominate the landscape of Salcete. His ...

. * Dhalo is a wedding song. * Dulpod is a dance song with quick rhythm and themes from everyday Goan life. * Duvallo is a pregnancy song. *

Fell A fell (from Old Norse ''fell'', ''fjall'', "mountain"Falk and Torp (2006:161).) is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain or moor-covered hill. The term is most often employed in Fennoscandia, Iceland, the Isle of Man, pa ...

is folk drama with themes from Indian epics or Indian history. It is performed by wandering artists usually after the rains, which start in June and end in August or September. The ''fell'' song is a dance song. * Fughri is a dance song performed on religious occasions, particularly in honour of the deity

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...

. * The ''Kunnbi'', who are probably together with the ''Gaudde'' the oldest inhabitants of Goa, belong to the peasant strata. The kunnbi song is a dance song in the fughri style depicting their own life, but also protesting against exploitation and social discrimination in a subtle manner. * Launim is a song dealing with religious and legendary themes. * Mando is a dance song whose major theme is love, the minor ones being historical narratives, grievance against exploitation and social injustice, and political resistance during the Portuguese presence in Goa. * Ovi, which the Portuguese termed as versos, is a song with nuptial themes. It has the Sanskrit root ''vri'' which means “to choose, to select”. The ovi has three rhymed lines and one unrhymed. The former contain each three or four words and the fourth line one, two, and exceptionally three words. The number of syllables is nine for the rhymed lines and four or five for the last line. The early Portuguese Christian missionaries adopted the ovi-form for liturgical and devotional hymns. * Palnnam is a cradle song, a lullaby. * Talgarhi is a song of the Gaudde. The theatre song is sung during the stage play, mainly performed by wandering artists during the dry season. They entertain the public while touching on daily life, but also sing subtle satires on local politics and the shortcomings of Goans. * Zagor means “watch”. The zagor song is sung in kunnbi folk plays depicting their own life. They are usually staged at night. *

Zoti Zoti are wedding songs sung during the preparation of food during weddings in Goa, India. See also References

Indian styles of music {{music-genre-stub Goan music ...

is sung at nuptials. The Christian hymns and Hindu songs for the liturgy and popular devotions form an essential part of Goan daily life. It is common for passersby to hear people playing instruments in their houses during the evening hours.

Western traditional music

, a part of

since 1961, had been part of

for over 450 years and hence has closer connections with Western classical and

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fu ...

. Use of

Portuguese music Portuguese music includes many different styles and genres, as a result of its history. These can be broadly divided into classical music, traditional/folk music and popular music and all of them have produced internationally successful acts, wit ...

and other western music is popular specifically at most Catholic weddings and celebrations. Live bands are a celebratory feature at such weddings, sometimes substituted by a

Disc Jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile ...

instead. Over the centuries, indigenous Goan music was blended with European music, particularly that of

. Hence Goan music uses western styles, notes and musical instruments more significantly than regional Asian variants. The Goa Symphony Orchestra was founded by

in 1952 and the Goa Philharmonic Choir was founded by

Lourdino Barreto Father Lourdino Barreto (11 February 1938 – 24 January 1997) was an Indian musicologist and Catholic priest. He is considered one of Goa's greatest Western classical musicians. Education He studied at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred ...

. The Monte Music Festival hosted by Lisbon-headquartered Fundação Oriente, in partnership with the hotel Cidade de Goa is one of the premier cultural events on Goa’s crowded calendar. Every year, the three-day concert features both Indian and Western classical music along with dance performances held at the spectacularly situated Capela do Monte, high above the old capital of the Estado da India (former Portuguese state). The area is a

UNESCO world heritage site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

. The recently introduced annual two-day Ketevan World Sacred music festival offers music programs, courses and conferences with artists from several traditions around the world including Carnatic, Christian, Sufi, Hindustani, Jewish, Orthodox and many others. Artists like Santiango Girelli (orchestra conductor from Argentina), Rocio De Frutos (soprano from Spain) and Leo Rossi (violinist from Argentina) have participated in past events.

Tiatr

Another major attraction of the Goan music industry is the ''

Tiatr is a type of musical theatre popular in the state of Goa on the west coast of India as well as in Mumbai and with expatriate communities in the Middle East, United Kingdom and other cities where Konkani speakers have a considerable presence. The ...

'' derived from the Portuguese word '''teatro meaning ''theater.'' It is a type of musical theatre still very popular with Goans, resident in Goa or Bombay as well as with expatriates and resident communities in the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...

, London and other major western cities (where Konkani speakers have a considerable presence). The

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

s are performed in the Roman Konkani dialects and include music, dancing and singing. Tiatr performers are called ''tiatrists''. Songs integral to the plays are known as 'Kants'. Other songs, called ''kantaram'' are generally either comedic or based on topical, political and controversial issues that are interspersed through the performance. These musical interludes are independent of the main theme of the play. The songs are often satirical and unsparing of the politics and politicians of Goa. The music is provided by a live band including

keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

and drums. This century old theater industry in Goa still remains independent of government control and efforts to bring it under such control have met massive opposition from locals for fear of government regulation over content of political nature. File:Scene from a tiatr (a popular form of Konkani theatre) in Goa.JPG, A comic scene from a tiatr. File:Model of tiatr stage.JPG, Mobile Props that can be used on stage for various scenes. File:Tiatr posters at Ravindra Bhavan, South Goa.jpg, Posters of Tiatrs at a cultural center in Goa.

Konkani liturgical music and choirs

Goa has a rich heritage of Konkani

liturgical music Liturgical music originated as a part of religious ceremony, and includes a number of traditions, both ancient and modern. Liturgical music is well known as a part of Catholic Mass, the Anglican Holy Communion service (or Eucharist) and Evensong ...

and

hymns A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

. The standard

hymnal A hymnal or hymnary is a collection of hymns, usually in the form of a book, called a hymnbook (or hymn book). Hymnals are used in congregational singing. A hymnal may contain only hymn texts (normal for most hymnals for most centuries of Chr ...

of the

Archdiocese of Goa and Daman The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Goa and Daman ( la, Archidioecesis Goanae et Damanensis, gom, Gõy ani Damanv Mha-Dhormprant, pt, Arquidiocese de Goa e Damão) encompasses the Goa state and the Damaon territory in the Konkan r ...

is called '' Gaionancho Jhelo'' (Garland of hymns) and the diocese also brings out a periodical sheet music publication of Konkani liturgical hymns a called ''Devacheam Bhurgeanchim Gitam'' (Songs of God's children). As with the liturgy, the entire music of the Catholic church in Goa is in the Latin script. Con2008

Churches across Goa always maintain choirs. Like most Catholic churches worldwide, there are separate choirs for adults and children. Some historically significant seminaries also maintain choirs of their own. A notable one is the all-male seminarians of the '' Santa Cecilia Choir'' (Coro di Santa Cecilia), part of the over 400 year old

Rachol seminary The Rachol Seminary, also known today as Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol, is the diocesan major seminary of the Primatial Catholic Archdiocese of Goa and Daman in Rachol, Goa, India. Historical outline The edifice that presently houses the sem ...

(''Seminário de Rachol)'' of Goa''.'' The choir has also been known to use a 16th-century restored pipe organ for its concerts. Most of the centuries-old churches in Goa feature these pipe organs, but few are known to use them now because of their upkeep. However, they still form part of the churches interior decor and in almost all instances are located in the nave above the main entrances facing the altar in the far end below.

Pop

In the area of Western music, there are several pop stars, among them

(born 1953). Goan popular music is generally sung in the

Konkani language Konkani () is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Konkani people, primarily in the Konkan region, along the western coast of India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages mentioned in the Indian Constitution, and the official language of ...

and English language. Another contributor to Goan music is the

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

-Goan band Goa Amigos, which has represented Goa at the largest South Asian festival in North America.

Electronic music

Goa has become a home for

electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroa ...

, especially a style called

Goa trance Goa trance is an electronic dance music style that originated in the early 1990s in the Indian state of Goa. Goa trance often has drone-like basslines, similar to the techno minimalism of 21st century psychedelic trance (psytrance). Psychedeli ...

. This genre began its evolution in the late 1960s, when hippies from the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and elsewhere turned Goa into a tourist destination. When tourism began to die out, a number of devotees stayed in the area, pursuing a specific style of

trance music Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged from the British new-age music scene and the early 1990s German techno and hardcore scenes. Trance music is characterized by a tempo generally lying between 135–150 beats per minut ...

. Early pioneers included Mark Allen, Goa Gil and Fred Disko.

Goa trance

Goa Trance (sometimes referred to as Goa or by the number 604) is a form of electronic music that developed around the same time as Trance music became popular in Europe. It originated during the late 1980s and early 1990s in the Indian state of Goa. Essentially, Trance music was pop culture's answer to the Goa Trance music scene on the beaches of Goa where the traveler's music scene has been famous since the time of the Beatles. Goa Trance enjoyed the greater part of its success from around 1994 -1998, and since then has dwindled significantly both in production and consumption, being replaced by its successor, Psychedelic Trance (also known as psytrance). Many of the original Goa Trance artists:

Hallucinogen Hallucinogens are a large, diverse class of psychoactive drugs that can produce altered states of consciousness characterized by major alterations in thought, mood, and perception as well as other changes. Most hallucinogens can be categorize ...

, Slinky Wizard, and

Total Eclipse An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ce ...

are still making music, but refer to their style of music simply as "PSY". TIP Records, Flying Rhino Records, Dragonfly Records, Transient Records, Phantasm Records, Symbiosis Records, Blue Room Released were all key players on the beach and in the scene. Goa Trance is closely related to the emergence of

Psytrance Psychedelic Trance, Psytrance or Psy is a subgenre of trance music characterized by arrangements of rhythms and layered melodies created by high tempo riffs. The genre offers variety in terms of mood, tempo, and style. Some examples include full ...

during the latter half of the 1990s and early 2000s, where the two genres mixed together. In popular culture, the distinction between the two genres often remains largely a matter of opinion (they are considered by some to be synonymous; others say that Psytrance is more "psychedelic/cybernetic" and that Goa Trance is more "organic", and still others maintain that there is a clear difference between the two). If anything, the styles are easier to differentiate in Central and Eastern Europe (e.g. Austria, Hungary, Romania) where Goa Trance parties are more popular than Psy-Trance parties - the opposite being true in the UK, Belgium and Germany. Psy Trance has a noticeably more aggressive bass line and Goa tends to avoid the triplet-style bass lines. Between them however, both psy- and Goa trance are sonically distinct from other forms of trance in both tonal quality, structure and feel. In many countries they are generally more underground and less commercial than other forms of trance, except for Brazil and Israel, which since the year of 2000 it became both countries most popular type of music for the general party scene. Top DJs from the UK and other parts of Western Europe fly to Goa for special parties, often on the beaches or in rice paddies. ''"Shorebar''" at Anjuna Beach in Northern Goa is traditionally seen as the birthplace and center of the Goan trance scene. File:Goa01.jpg, Decor for music settings in Goa. File:Vagator, Goa, India, Trance party in Goa, Psychedelic art.jpg, Trance party in Goa. File:Vagator, Goa, India, DJ playing trance music.jpg, DJ playing music. File:Live band performing at Martin's corner, Betal Patin, Goa.jpg, Live bands involving Karaoke are a regular feature at popular restaurants such as this one at Martin's corner (Goa).

References

External links

* {{Performing arts of Goa

Articles containing video clips