Psychic Dancehall: Derby’s New Experiment (Festival Review)

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On Saturday 22 March, two venues in Derby hosted the latest one-day festival to enter the Midlands – Psychic Dancehall. The event focused on electronic and experimental music, with a lineup full of a mixture of talent. From the middle of the day right through to the evening, the city was alive with vibrant noise that pushed the boat but also had a message to deliver.

TR^NKS

The day began at The Wardwick, an iconic building in the city that dates back to the 19th century. TR^NKS may have been the first act of the day, however they were able to draw a decent-sized crowd who were intently watching their powerful set.

The trio joined forces in 2022 after all coming from previous projects dating back to the nineties. They describe their sound as a techno-shoegaze crossover, and I think that the influence of shoegaze is very apparent in it. The drums and heavy bassline were strong when pieced together, and occasional vocals cut through the noise. A screen of visuals behind them, accompanied by strobe lights and special effects meant that even in the middle of the day an enchanting atmosphere could be created.

ZOLATEC

After TR^NKS finished their set, I moved over to the other venue for the remainder of the day. Certainly, Dubrek is one of the hidden gems of Derby. It provides a venue space, rehearsal rooms, and a place for artists of a variety of formats to do what they love.

ZOLATEC kicked off the music over at Dubrek. People packed the room, trying to peer through the door to see. Her influences were varied. From metal to dub to electronica, there really was so much to take away from her sound. However, she has mastered how to pull all of these noises together into a coherent and enjoyable piece. Her steelpan playing was incredible and I was impressed by the way she could flow it into an experimental track so effortlessly.

This independent artist is one to look out for. ZOLATEC derives her name from the words ‘Power from The Sun’ and commands a gracious stage presence. She obviously proves she has what it takes to make herself heard and appreciated by many. One of the highlights of this festival was the variety of the talent. Many of them are local to the Midlands and deserve the enthusiasm and energy they received from the crowd.

Debbie and the Sea of Fire

The festival dubbed a rehearsal space in Dubrek the Psychic Bunker for the day. It was quite small with no natural lighting, making it the ideal place for an artist who appreciates being able to use lights and visuals to further their artistry.

Debbie and the Sea of Fire was one of the acts that graced this small and unusual stage. People quickly filled the room for a mesmerising experience. Using a mixture of lasers and strobes combined with the lighting being dulled meant that the atmosphere was instantly shifted the minute you walked into the room. The projector behind Debbie displayed some dystopian AI-generated images that combined nicely with her sound. Furthermore, a lot of what I heard had a dark and sinister tone to it. This was one of the more further-afield experimental acts that I saw. It utilised features such as atonal composition and influences of glitch music to get her sound across.

The Silver Field

The final artist I’d like to highlight from my time at this exciting event is The Silver Field. I was lucky enough to get to the front and center of this set. Coral has self-built instruments and two LPs under her belt, proving her mastery in her craft. Besides this, her talent was obvious throughout her set.

The music smoothly transitioned through the performance, delivering more of an overall piece than a clear order of distinct songs. I liked how she was able to blend samples and tapes into her live vocals. It felt like watching art being created rather than just played. Her influences pulled from traditional folk and lyricism that reminded me of some soft-pop as well as psychedelic sounds that draw from the 20th-century influences right through to the present day. I’d definitely recommend checking her out, as I found her set a pleasant and thought-provoking experience. Even though I haven’t explored experimental music much, I could dive in.

I went into this event not really knowing what to expect and came away thoroughly impressed. The staff at both venues were professional and the event overall felt well-organised. The sound quality was good and the variation of artists spotlighted was exactly what these events should be. I genuinely hope to see this event put on again next year. We need more in the Midlands that showcases the exceptional talent that is often local and up-and-coming.

Psychic Dancehall is on Instagram and has its own website. Read more event reviews here and listen to more artists from the festival below.

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