The DJs at the helm of the trance group Infected Mushroom are true masterminds.

      Although they remain relatively unknown to the American mainstream, Erez Aizen and Amit Duvdevani (Duvdev for short) have spent the past five years experimenting with and reshaping the psychedelic trance scene, often called psytrance or goa.

      More than that, this dynamic duo embodies a lithe, ever-evolving approach to creating versatile dance music, transcending the confines of their genre into brilliant innovation.

      The two Israeli natives, who are both classically trained musicians, met in 1996 and have since gained a loyal fan base around the world. Melding the styles of trance with hip-hop, Infected Mushroom have rocked the dance floor with their furious beats, sci-fi samplings and catchy vocal melodies - a rarity in the psytrance scene.

      In a nutshell, what Tom Morello does for the guitar, Infected Mushroom does for psytrance.

      According to Duvdev over a phone interview, versatility and variety are the key elements that help to distinguish Infected Mushroom's music on the crowded dance floor.

      "We have a certain sound because of the way we use special beats and sounds," says Duvdev, who admits that the group's Israeli heritage has minimal influence on their musical style. "The point we're trying to make is to have each album not sound the same."
      And nowhere is this point more taken than on their latest record IM The Supervisor. The duo puts their magical touch on the mainstream trance sound with jerky blips, wailing guitars and odd-but-beautiful vocal arrangements. Along with a heavy pumping beat, songs like "Cities Of The Future" and "Frog Machine" snake their way into your body and never let go.

      When discussing the process of writing the record, Duvdev explained that he and Erez have a near-symbiotic relationship in the studio to compliment their multi-layered music.

      "We don't have a role in the music [because] each track is something different," he said. "There are so many parts in the tracks, so we each come up with different layers. We try to bring some diversity in the songs and the album as a whole."

      And while IM The Supervisor is not sold in the US - "for stupid reasons" Duvdev says - Infected Mushroom recently discovered they had a loyal American following, supported through online disk sales and proofed by their first and highly successful US tour.

      "We try to [make music] super, super different. We want every album to go in a different direction," says Duvdev. "In the end, this is what I think bands should do."