Imagine you have drunk good, bitter cocoa and your heart is open to this music. It is a journey of just over 1.5 hours into different spheres. Enjoy this flight from the very bottom to the top and back again.

Due to the fact that I come from the Trance and PsyTrance scene for 25 years and that has shaped me, you will notice my "stamp" in my Ecstatic Dance music collection. I hope you like it. More mixes will follow, and hopefully the possibilities to play on many various conscious dancefloors.

Cocoa Ceremony - Ecstatic Dance Wave

In this episode of A Path Unfolding, host Jesse Brede engages in a fascinating conversation with Ben Cantil, one half of the audio-visual duo Zebbler Encanti Experience (ZEE). They delve into Ben's artistic journey, including his education at Berklee College of Music, where he honed his skills in sound design and synthesizer techniques. Ben shares how his time at Berklee shaped his approach to music, ultimately leading him to explore the dance music scene after being inspired by the Burning Man community.

They discuss their creative process, emphasizing the synergy between sound and visuals. Ben describes how he and Zebbler work together, with Ben focusing on music production and Zebbler crafting the visuals, often rallying around innovative concepts that inspire both their audio and visual outputs. This collaborative spirit has led to the creation of memorable projects, including their acclaimed album "Synchorswim," which was particularly meaningful during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The discussion also touches on their experiences with Gravitas Recordings, their performances at festivals, and highlights their pioneering role in the audio-visual realm. Ben shares anecdotes about the vibrant creative community they are part of, including a humorous moment involving Zebbler's appearance on CNN during the infamous Aqua Teen Hunger Force incident.

Additionally, Ben reflects on his involvement with Shpongle, detailing how he was introduced to the project through Zebbler, who created the first Shpongletron, a groundbreaking projection-mapped touring rig. This connection further illustrates their deep ties within the electronic music community and their commitment to pushing artistic boundaries. The episode captures the essence of their journey as artists dedicated to innovation and exploration in music and visual art.

The discussion highlights their unique creative process, emphasizing the collaboration between Ben and Zebbler, where sound and visuals intertwine. Ben explains how their artistic relationship allows them to push boundaries, often rallying around innovative concepts that inspire both their audio and visual outputs.

The conversation also touches on the impact of AI in music production. Ben discusses how AI-generated music has become a significant topic in the industry, referencing various research papers and the contributions of data bots that have gained recognition in hackathons. He notes that many of these creators, often hackers rather than academics, have made substantial strides in the field, showcasing their work on platforms like YouTube.

Throughout the episode, Ben's insights into the evolving landscape of music, technology, and collaboration provide a rich narrative about the intersection of art and innovation, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of music and audio-visual experiences.

Chapters

00:00 Exploring the Intersection of Music and Visuals
06:58 Pushing Boundaries in Music
12:20 The Role of Education in the Music Industry
17:08 Finding Inspiration in Scotland
43:40 The Apple Cross Festival: Bringing the Community Together
51:32 Exploring New Sounds and Genres with DataMind Audio
01:05:20 The Potential of AI in Expanding Human Expression
01:19:19 Creating New Art Forms with AI and Human Creativity

Connect with Ben:

Website: https://encanti.com/
Combobulator Plugin: https://datamindaudio.ai/product/comb...
Instagram:   / encantimusic  

Connect with Zebbler Encanti Experience:

Website: https://zebblerencantiexperience.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1LJR8...
Instagram:   / zebblerencantiexperience  
SoundCloud:   / zebblerencantiexperience  


Credits:

Host: Jesse Brede -   / jesse.brede  
Video Editor - Dream:Freq Entertainment -   / dreamfreq_entertainment

Ben Cantil: Remixing Reality with Art, Innovation, and Music

live dj set of the above artists performing at sacred acre, Mix is very raw, Comments and feed back is always welcome!

BDL - Sacred Acre Mix - 08 - 31 - 24 - Alleycvt Lana Del Rey Peekabo Phyphr Moontricks

A Path Unfolding explores the journey of artists including their trials, triumphs, and lessons along the way. Jesse Brede hosts this deep dive into how to build a creative life. Our initial guests include Balkan Bump, ill.Gates, AHEE, Cloudchord, and Chad Cisneros of Tritonal.

DJ Merry:) from Dresden is a smiling force of creativity with over 25 years of deep roots in the PsyTrance scene. A true dance floor alchemist, he now weaves magic for conscious movers, curating musical journeys that spark connection and transcendence. His sets blend the hypnotic rhythms of electronic world music, the pulse of trance, and the infinite vibes of ecstatic dance, inviting you to lose yourself and find your flow in the boundless cosmos of sound!

* * *
Here is my background as a DJ
​
Since my early youth, I have been infected by the fever of electronic music. The legendary times of the nineties in East Germany shaped my musical taste. I was particularly hooked on GoaTrance and its culture back then. So I became a DJ - first with vinyl, then with CDs and now with USB sticks - and very quickly had a lot of gigs in Germany. I also found my passion for organizing parties and founded the collective “Insulin Productions” with friends, with whom we combined techno, PsyTrance and drum & bass at our parties.

​In 2001, the “Gaggalacka” was born, which was my small birthday open-air party for the first few years and grew more and more into a playful, family festival over the years. Since 2021, the next generation has taken over the festival and continues to organize it in their own way. Over the past two decades, I have lived my passion for creating compilations, DJing at various parties and festivals, and organizing events with every fiber of my body.

​My path to conscious dancefloors
​
After more than 25 years in the depths of the underground of the psytrance scene and a life between nights and festivals, the desire for personal development grew in me. I have always been fascinated by music that is suitable for conscious dancefloors - and many of these tracks have already found their place in my ChillOut sets over the years. But it wasn't until a few years ago that I discovered ecstatic dance and sober raves - events and ceremonies which you celebrate in a mindful and connected way. This is how I found my way to not only continue living my passion as a DJ and dancer, but to shape it as a healing path.

​Merry:) now as Ecstatic DJ
​
There are many musical interfaces to electronic and psychedelic music here, which I want to continue to live out passionately and with which I want to make dance floors happy. My own musical trance “stamp” will be unmistakable with my music collection, which has grown over the years and is constantly expanding. On the other hand, I love to create musical journeys - without limits - and to take the conscious dancefloor with me. Whether it's an ecstatic wave, a groovy downbeat set or even an euphoric techno/trance set - I'm looking forward to every opportunity that arises in the future, every encounter and every dancefloor, every cocoa ceremony and what can grow out of it...

For booking: merryspace@gmx.de

Follow me on ig: @BuddyDJLee
Spotify: 
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5UnVRFfr8EjeouikskfPvj?si=3nDZhttRSueJFC42O-8kdQ
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Z4OLk7KlFqUILWA0OLOA9?si=1-48XhP0T62z_5AkrkWXTA
Youtube:
https://youtube.com/channel/UCg3W4pCm3itYdLjzoEUGGKQ?si=GTUq846Nz3TmWzCi
https://youtube.com/channel/UCtfEcjks0C50357Zlp7JzGg?si=yJLjgAPD3YMI0E4f
Apple Music: 
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/hunsgraber/1775093874
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/buddydjlee/1775093825

New tracks tagged #zebbler