As a backdrop to DJ ILSE’s radiOzora mix in the Parvati Series, you can now read his thoughts on and around our scene and the essence of psychedelicness. As you know – best read audioillustrated!

– In Germany you have had and still have a very big scene in nearly every genre, so it was easy for you to find your place in it, getting infected by the psychedelic virus all the way back in around ’91 so basically among the first and then you decided to start spreading your idea of psytrance… So you can guess my first question perhaps – what is your idea of psytrance? And how has it changed – if it has – throughout the years?

– My idea of psytrance usually is a mindbending experience that sucks you into a journey. Properly started and safety drops me back. If you open the door, it has to be closed again. The step inside can last a single track long as well as several hours. This idea hasn’t changed and I hope it never will. I am a multimusic lover and find psychedelics in many kinds of music. Psytrance is the kind of music that is able to tell me a story without any words. Sometimes I understand it, sometimes I do not.

– How have you seen the psychedelic virus evolving?

– If you meant it in general I think nowadays everybody wants to create a new genre. In every kind of music. It’s a usual evolution in music. I am coming from the EBM, Industrial and extreme Metal scene. These were the products of more moderate music. At some point artists try out new things, cause they are experimental or bored from what they listen to. Some become more extreme, some go into the smoother fields and others stop. In trance music it’s almost the same. Back in the years there was trance music. A little later it was daytime and nighttime music. Today we have so many genres that I tend to go back to trance music. We have a wider choice of electronic music, if this is an advantage for the quality, I will leave this undecided. The main point is: I like it or I don’t like it.

– Who’s doing real psychedelic now? Compared with let’s say where our scene is rooted in, 70’s psychedelicness budding on the shores of Goa.

– You want to have names? I’d prefer not to give names. Nature does real psychedelics!

– The Goa scene in question, have you been there, is it a second home to you like for so many of the Parvati family – and if yes, what effect has it had and has on you? How do you see it forming?

– Unfortunately I have never been to Goa. I was traveling through South America and Southeast Asia in the late 90’s. I have friends living in Goa for 20 years and some invite me every year. Somehow I have not managed yet to appear in Goa. So I can’t really give you personal impressions, I am just well informed.

– My friend and colleague, when I told him we would having this interview said, “did you know that ILSE has been in the scene just as long as the ‘Baba’ of Parvati, Giuseppe?” So tell us about the beginning of this beautiful friendship.

– Yes, I have been infected with this psychedelic virus for quit some time. I started Noise Poison Records with Highko, Iguana and Cosmo back in 2004. Through this I got into closer contact with the Parvati family and as a multimusic lover I had to realize that I am more the kind of Dj that likes to play the Parvati style stuff. I just asked Giuseppe, if he would mind having me as a label-Dj with this reason. Our heart beats on the same frequency if it’s about music and he agreed. The family has grown a little more. It’s the same with the music that has to spread this atmosphere. I think it was just an understanding in what we search in music. Giuseppe is a lover of psychedelic music as I am. That’s maybe the strong connection. And someday I am going to visit him in Goa.

– Parvati’s role in shaping the psytrance sound?

– I think Parvati Records is one of the labels that still holds the flag of psytrance high up in the sky and stands for this specific sound the world knows us for. All over the world the people in our scene know Parvati Records and can somehow relate it to a certain sound. From the beginning we are looking for new artists that spread this special atmosphere and driving groove. Lately we have released also some dub stuff that got quite a good response. Giuseppe and Betina live and breath this label and this way of life every second and constantly working hard for the label. Kind of family project. And this family is continuously growing. And as artists from Parvati appear all over the world at the main events I think we are doing quite a good job. We stand for a certain sound, maybe the next genre… parvatisound…

–Your sets are “usually dedicated to the nighttime acid-crowd”… What daytime stuff do you prefer yourself? What would you play during the day, if you had to?

– I try to cherish the dancefloor. The dancefloor for sure gives me the inspiration for my sets I play. That’s why I usually want to be at least one hour before my set at stage or around, to feel the energy. I am usually booked for the nighttime at festivals, so I play more stronger stuff. I can also play strong music during the day, if the dancefloor is ready for it. Sometimes it’s worth a try. There are festivals even asking for fast psychedelics at daytime. Others build a line up that contains different kinds of trance music. Call it daytime music. Every sound has its moment. I am very strongly focused on the psychedelics in music. Monotony can also be psychedelic. It’s about how you put it in shape. So if I played daytime at an event that is not focused on high-tech stuff all the time, you could expect a psychedelic trip in a moderate speed with my wish to make the people happy. I am captured by the stuff Zenon Records is bringing us and I would love to do such a set sometime at a bigger event. I did this a couple of times here in Hamburg at small clubs. I’ve already thought about going for it with another Dj-nick. Maybe you can expect this in the future.

– You have compiled the very successful BrainZcrew Trilogy compilations. Who’d be definitely in a future compilation of yours ?

– Thank you for the compliment. I have a couple of friends I usually ask first, if they want to contribute. Not because there are friends, but because I love their music. Besides them, I ask artists I like or have high expectations in their work. Furthermore, the trip on the disc has to be more or less coherent. I had to deny one or another track in the past, even ones I liked, but it did not fit in with the rest of the line up. So in the end it’s not about who… it’s about the music… it’s always about the music…

– Upcoming stuff in ILSE world?

– You never know. So far not much announced, but all a matter of negotiation. As I mentioned before, I might go for a different Dj-nick in order to play a different kind of music. I think if my son grew up a little more I would appear at more events. Maybe I’ll be starting another series on Parvati Records. For sure I will keep supporting our scene with my possibilities as much as possible as well as continue being a part of the Parvati family, supporting the label so that we can go on and on. Love & Light!