Goa infused techno trend
Lately I’ve been getting really annoyed by this whole “Goa-infused techno” trend that’s taking over so many sets. I know some people love it, but for me it completely misses what makes good groovy techno actually work.
A lot of these tracks are overloaded with psychedelic arps, cheesy cosmic melodies, acidic high-frequency sounds and endless tension that never properly resolves. Instead of feeling hypnotic and driving, it just feels mentally exhausting and emotionally heavy. Almost depressive in a weird way.
What I personally love about proper techno is the groove, the rhythm, the physical movement, the repetition that locks you into a flow state. Good techno feels grounded, warm, confident and body-focused. You get pulled into the kick, the percussion and the groove.
But with a lot of this modern Goa/Psy influence, it feels like DJs are trying too hard to sound “trippy” or “spiritual,” while forgetting the core purpose of techno: making people move.
There’s just too much going on: nonstop arpeggios, sharp resonant synths, no breathing room, constant melodic tension, overcrowded arrangements. Instead of a deep groove, it becomes this anxious wall of sound that pulls you into your head instead of into your body.
Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I’d still take a stripped-back rolling groove with tension and space over this constant “look guys, I discovered psychedelics” soundtrack that’s infecting almost every techno set lately.