Every week, Time Travel conjures the ghosts of techno-futures past with selections from the dustiest corners of the WWW.
The Shamen - Move Any MountainThe early years of rave music were all about unhindered idealism, positivity, and ambiguously ethnic sci-fi babes. Way back in the 90s, our motto was "dance music will change the world"—and nobody took that idea more seriously than The Shamen. Their massive popularity led them toward a rave-pop crossover that paved the way for groups like Utah Saints and The Prodigy. The band's roots in psychedelic rock informed their utopian outlook and their hippie spirit shines through in dope rap lines about "one vision, one nation, one tribe." Also, padded wet suits?Ahead of their time in both their sound and philosophy, The Shamen reigned over the world of plant psychedelics, eco-consciousness and all-night dance parties. Being proper techno-citizens they maintained their own website in the earliest days of the Internet. Founded in 1995, the site was a virtual community and resource on shamanic literature, where founding member Colin Angus shared software he wrote that turned DNA sequences into MIDI information.Despite releasing two of early rave music's defining albums, Entact and Boss Drum, The Shamen's later pop success alienated underground fans. With the dawning of the new millenium, and the subsequent backlash against rave's drug-related excess, the band ultimately took the plunge from ultra-hip to passé.