Psychedelic trance, also known as Goa trance, is a form of
electronic dance music that first emerged in the early- to
mid-nineties and is often attributed to having arisen from the need
for more psychedelic dance music for the outdoor beach parties in
Goa, India during that time period.
Classic (or "old school") Goa trance is often characterized by a
four-on-the-floor kick drum beat with offset hi-hats and a focus on
layers of gated synth lines, often interwoven with lead melodies in
the double harmonic scale. In addition, short voice samples
referring to aliens and drugs are not uncommon.
Psychedelic trance has since diverged into a great number of
sub-genres including progressive, dark, full-on, and many, many
more.