Psych folk

Psych folk or Psychedelic folk is a music genre that originated in the 1960s through the blending of folk music and psychedelic

Psych folk or Psychedelic folk is a music genre that originated in the 1960s through the blending of folk music and psychedelic rock or pop. Psych folk generally favors acoustic instrumentation although it often incorporates other instrumentation. Chanting, early music and world music influences are often found in psych folk. Much like its rock counterpart, psychedelic folk is known for a peculiar, trance-like, and atmospheric sound. Its lyrics are often concerned with such subjects as the natural world, love and beauty and try to evoke a state of mind associated with the effects of psychedelic drugs. However, drug associations are not as important to psych folk as they are to psychedelic rock.

Early Incredible String Band, Pearls Before Swine, Donovan, Fairport Convention, Pentangle and T. Rex are all prominent early examples of psych folk bands. Notice that all of these musicians (except Pearls Before Swine) are from Britain, where psychedelic music often had a stronger folk element.