The term psychedelic is derived from the Ancient Greek words psuchē (ψυχή - psyche, "soul") and dēlōsē (δήλωση - "manifest"), translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly ordinary fetters. Psychedelic states are an array of experiences including changes of perception such as hallucinations, synesthesia, altered states of awareness or focused consciousness, variation in thought patterns, trance or hypnotic states, mystical states, and other mind alterations. These processes can lead some people to experience changes in mental operation defining their self identity (whether in momentary acuity or chronic development) different enough from their previous normal state that it can excite feelings of newly formed understanding ranging from revelation & enlightenment to the opposing polarity of confusion & psychosis. Psychedelic states may be elicited by various techniques, such as meditation, sensory stimulation or deprivation, and most commonly by the use of psychedelic substances. When these psychoactive substances are used for religious, shamanic, or spiritual purposes, they are termed entheogens.

Tim Hecker is an electronic musician and sound artist based in Montreal, Canada. Hecker previously recorded under the moniker Jetone, but has become better known internationally for his ambient recordings released through Kranky, Mille Plateaux, Alien8, Force Inc, Staalplaat, and Fat Cat under his own name.

Hecker is a producer of electronica, touring and producing under the name Jetone. He has performed extensively including festivals such as Sónar (Barcelona), MUTEK (Montreal), Impakt Festival (Utrecht), Victoriaville in (Quebec), IDEAL (Nantes), Vancouver New Music Festival (Vancouver), and club transmediale (Berlin).

In addition to touring with Godspeed You! Black Emperor and recording with the likes of Fly Pan Am, Hecker has also collaborated with Christof Migone, Martin Tétreault, and Aidan Baker. He has also contributed remixes to other artists, including Isis.

Hecker occasionally makes sound installations and has collaborated with visual artists such as Stan Douglas and Charles Stankievech .

Dr. Osamu Kitajima, also known by the pseudonym Justin Heathcliff, is a Japanese musician, producer, composer and multi‑instrumentalist.

Kitajima was already a successful composer of TV and advertising jingles, when a move to the UK in 1971 brought him in to contact with British folk and psychedelic rock. Inspired in particular by The Beatles, Tyrannousaurus Rex and Syd Barrett, he dubbed himself "Justin Heathcliff" (picked for its English-sounding quality) and issued his lone eponymous album. Released only in Japan, the album became highly prized in collector's circles for its good-natured idiosyncrasy and casual melodicism.

After this album, he dropped the pseudonym and in 1974 released his debut album under his own name, Benzaiten (Island Records). This instrumental electronic music album was melodically rich and can be defined as a mix of progressive rock and traditional Japanese music. The album also featured Haruomi Hosono and it utilized various electronic equipment such as a synthesizer, rhythm machine, electronic drums, electric guitars, and electric bass.