Tribal Drift’s sound does not fit into any moulded form of trance, preferring to draw influences from worldwide music.  “Collective Journey”, their debut album enters with a ubiquitous didge, as the dull banging of a cow bell takes the listener to what feels like an African market.  Tribal Drift use a wide variety of instruments, from foraging gongs lurking within timeless Egyptian melodies to vertical bells, and cultivate a groove from it’s musical elements.  For them, trance is “an accessible form of music that is audience based, ie it allows people to focus on their own interpretation of the sounds, instead of forcing them to comply to a mass perspective”.  They continued on this theme of personal insight...  “The aborigine told us ‘dance is an initiation so, when you can dance don’t walk again, and when you can sing don’t talk again’.  When a journey beckons go with it, let go and enjoy and you might surprise yourself as to what’s lurking below the surface”.  

Presently, they are a four piece outfit, being Cyrung, Dougal, Andrew, and Peter, all having strong musical backgrounds.  Cyrung is the founding member, and is responsible for the mesmerising shadows cast by the didgeridoo - he tells us  “The instrument is 40,000 years old, and has an endless range of sounds and expressions. In years to come people will still be finding new ways to use it.  The didge’ is like the ultimate groove box (stand down the 303 !) and can flex it's way into any musical style.  It provides a scale that is identical to the song of whales and birds, so at our westernised clubs, raves and festivals it adds much needed warmth and a reminder of our roots with nature”.  Dougal contributes bass guitar and vocals with a contemporary dance feel, Andrew (who has played with such pre-eminent indie bands as the Clouds) on percussion, finally Peter infuses the keyboards/synth/samples which give the band it’s techno-shaman sound.  

Live, Tribal Drift are celebrated for their versatility, even appealing to a certain DJ at 2SM on a ‘world music’ tip, then getting psychotropic at their trance parties.  Compared to the album “The live sound is much more up front, with much more percussion and samples used.  Here the didge is used a lot more as a lead instrument”.  They have played dates all over, but cite the infamous dance tent at Britain’s Glastonbury festival as a standout “It was wicked , 5000 people going off in the sun, it could have been Australia with the summer temps hitting a high 25c. Everyone was freakin’ in blissfull abandon”.  Tribal Drift prefer the results of their live shows over a studio album, “We plan to record a live event due to the energy that is produced in the venue.  That vibe would be impossible to create in a stuffy room with the atmosphere of a phone box and no dance nutters.”  

Tribal Drift create a relaxing tapestry of sound, tracks which ease into your soul like they were meant to.  “The ancient sounds of the didge as well as the various percussion drums like the tabla, the birds, animals and insects that are sampled create a memory of times past. As people are so into the technology of today they need a reminder to put their feet back on the earth.” Go get some sand between your toes.  

Tribal Drift play the Harbourside Brasserie 15 Feb, Kinsellas on Mardi Gras night, and Regis in Bondi March 15th.