Arcadian electrickery: locating 'Englishness' in England's psytrance culture and sonic aesthetic

Psychedelic Trance (psytrance) is a sub-genre within electronic dance music (EDM) that is notable for its longevity considering EDM mutates and evolves so rapidly. It has flourishing scenes worldwide and for many participants it constitutes a lifestyle and an integral part of their identity. Psytrance has been discussed in terms of its global and local expressions; this chapter seeks to explore how England as a local node reinterprets the culture of a global scene. Some key characteristics of English psytrance are discussed via types of national identity outlined by scholars like Martin Cloonan and a further attribute specific to English psytrance, a humorous psychedelic sensibility, is argued for.