Sound Strider was kind enough to sit down with us and chat about his new single “Psychedelic Ritual,” dancefloor culture, and his creative process in this exclusive interview.

You just released “Psychedelic Ritual” congrats! With so many releases under your belt, what do you hope fans take away from this single?

This is my first offering in almost 5 years so I’m hoping this will entice people to reconnect and stay tuned for new material which is coming soon.

Tell me about this mysterious-sounding guitar opening — how did you land on opening the song this way?

The intro was pure accident. The rest of the song evolved mostly out of live hardware jams. When I sat down to arrange I was scrolling through sample banks looking for some spooky pads or ambiance to use as an intro and I landed on this Kontakt guitar loop which I fell in love with. It wasn’t an obvious choice given the rest of the sonic palette but I just couldnt get it out of my head so I kept hacking away at it, re-recording and layering with live guitar and messing with FX until it worked.

In what ways did the Music Magic Medicine event in Berlin influence this single?

The event in Berlin was originally supposed to coincide with the release and there is a very real connection in that the vocal sample I used was from a speech by British occultist Julian Vayne who was one of my main collaborators at the Berlin event. More esoterically both the event and the single are focused on the same theme; namely altered states of consciousness realized on a dancefloor and the spiritual importance of rave culture.

Can you describe a moment within the song that you feel best encompasses that powerful transformative feeling you intended to convey to the listeners? Did you know the moment as soon as you came across it in creating the song?

Arguably the break which leads to the final bassline would be my pick. I hadn’t originally intended to go that way but it happened kind of accidentally as I was arranging and the moment felt powerful and surprising which is key to transformation.

You’ve been making music for over a decade, which is so impressive. How does “Psychedelic Ritual” differ from your previous works?

It’s the first song I’ve released after a significant pause in Sound Strider material so there’s definitely a lot of changes in the production process. It’s also the first time I’ve released a song alone instead of as part of an EP. This is following the realization that the industry has changed and nobody listens to albums anymore.

Can you discuss the specific techniques or effects used to create the energy that we hear throughout the song?

One of the main techniques I use involves recording multiple passes with an analog synthesizer. I record the same line or arpeggiator multiple times but each time tweaking various parameters live to get a bunch of different grooves going. I then stack them up and edit out the inconsistencies. This keeps the energy moving with live momentum and fun random discoveries.

This is an incredible dancefloor track. What role did the dancefloor play in shaping this song, if any?

I’m a bit of a dancefloor addict, so the dancefloor definitely played a significant role in shaping this song. The energy, the rhythm, and the desire to create something that would resonate with people on the dancefloor were all central to my creative process.

What message do you hope “Psychedelic Ritual” leaves on listeners?

I hope “Psychedelic Ritual” invites listeners to embrace altered states of consciousness through music, to let loose, and to experience a sense of transcendence on the dancefloor. It’s a sonic journey that I hope takes them to new and exciting places within themselves.

What’s next for you?

2024 promises to be another busy year. We will be hosting the second edition of MMM (Music Magic Medicine) at my studio/property in France in May, where we aim to create an even more immersive and transformative experience for participants. I also have more music in the works, with several releases planned throughout the year including some exciting collaborations with Zenizen, Sahara Dawn, Ryanosaurus and Ill Gates.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I’d like to express my gratitude to all the listeners and supporters who have joined me on this sonic exploration. Music has the power to transport us to different realms, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to share these experiences with you. Keep an ear out for the upcoming releases, and if you have the chance, come join us at MMM: The Rites of Spring for an unforgettable journey into sound and consciousness.

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