Psytrance and the pleasures of ilinx: What happens on high BPM dancefloors

The other week I played at a party dedicated to high-energy psytrance with most dj’s playing 150 bpm and above.

“The fun starts at 152 bpm” as one of the organizers said.

So I jumped on the 150 bpm train and played a two-hour selection of relentless, pulse-pounding peak-time rollers that thrive at that tempo.

Listen at soundcloud.com/chriszka/oxytocin-playground

Psytrance and ilinx
Something very interesting happens on high BPM dancefloors, and there’s a word for it: Ilinx!

I have written an entire university thesis chapter diving into my theories on this, but here’s a short explanation:

The ilinx concept originates from game theory, referring to games of euphoria, dizziness and trance.

You bring yourself into the ilinx state through high speeds, rapid movements, spinning, falling, acceleration, intoxication. Think roller coasters, ferris wheels, surfing, skydiving, and dancing to very intense music surrounded by very intense visuals.

Ilinx is named after the Greek word for whirlpool, and Roger Caillois (the French sociologist introducing the word to game theory) describes ilinx as “an attempt to momentarily destroy the stability of perception” and a “desire for disorder[…] which is normally repressed”.

Keeping the balance
The human drive toward the pleasures of ilinx is easier to satisfy today than it was in 1958, when Caillois published his book:

States of ilinx can be found in many popular contemporary pastimes, from kitesurfing, PlayStation racing games and virtual reality simulators to the sensory rollercoasters of ice baths and saunas.

And on high bpm dance floors filled with sensory-challenging lights and sounds, urging you into the flow state.

And yes, high BPM is a factor here. Nothing wrong with the cool bliss of a 134 bpm techno set, but ilinx only happens when you approach the whirlpool:

You catch the bliss of ilinx in the fast-moving soundscape, and if the dj manages to keep the balance, you keep your balance, too, surfing the waves, and emerge from the set two hours later; sweaty, happy and completely pumped with endorphins and oxytocin.

Thanks to the Oxytocin crew for the event! (and to Jimmy Christensen for snapshot of me).