dark psy
what it is
Dark psytrance (killer psytrance, dark psy, horror trance, horror psy, black trance) is a darker, faster and more distorted form of psychedelic trance music, with tempo ranges usually from 145 to 180 BPM. Originating in Russia and Germany, the style has recently expanded to other countries worldwide. Characteristics Dark psytrance generally does not use vocals, though sampling is common, with speech and other kind of samples usually being taken from different kind of movies (especially horror or sci-fi movies), or occasionally from other tracks.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make dark psy a playlist
turn these 15 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is dark psy?
Dark psytrance (killer psytrance, dark psy, horror trance, horror psy, black trance) is a darker, faster and more distorted form of psychedelic trance music, with tempo ranges usually from 145 to 180 BPM. Originating in Russia and Germany, the style has recently expanded to other countries worldwide. Characteristics Dark psytrance generally does not use vocals, though sampling is common, with speech and other kind of samples usually being taken from different kind of movies (especially horror or sci-fi movies), or occasionally from other tracks.
What are good dark psy albums to start with?
Try Sigilweaver by Ghreg on Earth, DISTORTED SHIRE: Mind Distortion System, DarkShiRe+Amigos by Various Artists, See You There! by Parus, and Waves From Inner Space by Kindzadza.
Who are some women making dark psy?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/dark-psy/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making dark psy, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-21