Sara's Top 10 Queries about Psychedelic Starfish - an EP by PAN

I find myself in a unique position of being in the presence of Pan as Psychedelic Starfish was met with much love from the psytrance community...knowing, secretly, that I named the track.

SARA: 1. Hey Pan #14 on Beatport for Psychedelic Starfish today just 24 hours after release, how does that feel? PAN:

When I woke up today, I randomly took a look on the site just to see if it was ranking. I was beyond surprised. I guess that there really is a market for old school uplifting psytrance

SARA:

2. How long have you been producing and can you tell us a little bit about how that moment came about -- how you shifted from DJing other people's music to making your own?

PAN: I have only been at this for about three and a half years. So I am still very much learning the ins and outs. Thankfully, I have an awesome mentor who uses the production name of Mechanimal.

I started on this path after I had a major operation. I could barely walk, but I could sit in a studio chair and make music. I slowly wrapped my head around synthesizers and just melded together the music that I love. That is trance and psytrance.

SARA:

3. As a DJ, how do you choose tracks?

Share your process... How much time does it take you to find tracks you love enough to play in a big event…

PAN: Wow… choosing tracks. Well, first, I only buy stuff that is having it. Track selection at an event depends on the crowd. I can spend fifteen hours finding 5 tracks, other times I find 10 in 10 minutes.

SARA:

4. Who would you say are psytrance artists that influence or inspire you the most? PAN:

I hate when people talk about ‘the early stuff’ but here I am saying it. Early Pixel, Talamasca, Protonica, Perplex… as far as today’s artists. E-Clip, Sonic Species and Mechanimal

SARA:

5. We heard you were mentored by another familiar artist in the psytrance scene--- can you tell us about that relationship?

PAN: As I mentioned earlier. Nick Sagar-House aka Mechanimal, has given me a lot of tools and knowledge. I call him all the time with questions, and he always has the answer.

SARA:

6. Tell us about virus schmirus PAN: We were all stuck in lockdown and I felt that that it was all over-hyped (I can hear the protests already). But really, it was my way of saying ‘ no virus is going to stop me’.

SARA:

7. We know that "My Son" is quite a personal track. What can you share about it? PAN: I don’t really want to expound on it, but I lost my youngest son during the lockdown. But he is still with me in a way - we are all children of the stars.

SARA:

8. What can we expect from you in the next 12 months, covid considered?

PAN: Honestly, no one has any idea what the future holds for artists. I am releasing

another EP soon with 3 new tracks and I am really hoping to be out on the festival

circuit next summer. There was only one this year, Funny Moon Festival, and it was

amazing.

SARA:

9. A bit of lighthearted fun...Which of the 7 Deadly Sins are you most guilty of… PAN:

Ok… to be honest, I had to google what they were… but Lust

SARA:

10. In Fight Club Terms, who would you love to pick a fight with--- anyone at all, living or dead and why?

PAN: Do I have to? I really do prefer peace and love and all that hippy shit… But if I must, John Lennon, because he would agree with me and we’d have a beer.