Don’t Face the DJ
Illustration by Baran Forootan.
Presence, Respect, Love, and Community: the cultural pillars of electronic dance music are foundational to the philosophy of one of music’s most impactful genres. From its emergence out of the disco genre in the late ‘70s, EDM has always functioned as a way to bring people together and foster an intrinsic connection on the dancefloor. Synth, house, and electro music were next up throughout the ‘80s, as each subgenre became increasingly sophisticated thanks to advancements in music technology, drawing diverse crowds of music lovers to the same underground nightclubs across Europe. The ‘90s introduced the beginning of contemporary EDM with techno, hardcore, trance, plus drum and bass sounds breaking into the global mainstream. Since its cultivation, the genre has seen exponential growth - there are more EDM artists, more experimentation, more raving, and more listeners than ever.
As a self-proclaimed EDM connoisseur, I have a qualm with today’s scene: too many people at a set are just there to face the DJ.
Modern-day North American crowds at most EDM shows are seemingly less and less interested in being there for the music, the dancing, and the energy; they are all too focused on getting close enough to the booth to snap a pic and clip the DJ for their Instagram stories.
And do not get me wrong, capturing amazing moments with our phones is not such a bad thing, nor is sharing them, but when it seems like everyone’s main goal is to get a good enough video so much that they hardly spend a moment dancing with their friends, I myself have come to understand why people get kicked out of a club in Europe for recording the DJ.
The most unrivalled part of seeing a live EDM show is the sacred vitality felt throughout the venue, when everyone seems to be on the same page about why they are there. EDM music provides escapism, just as much as it forces presence; it builds a foundation for deep-rooted connection with people you know, just as much with those you don’t, and it makes you feel, in equal but opposite magnitudes, as light and loving as its sounds are hard. With the music’s focus on repetitive rhythms, strong, heavy basslines, and structured buildups, all paired with being in a room full of people dancing, EDM is made to be a “neurological event,” and not just something to simply party to.
Scientifically, EDM rewires one’s mind towards visceral joy and connection. Neural-rhythmic entrainment, the brain’s ability to “sync-up” with the music’s relentless 4/4 time signature and repetitiveness, all are associated with a sort of euphoria - your stresses fade, your focus sharpens, and your mood elevates. Additionally, EDM build-ups and drops are engineered to trigger dopamine release, giving listeners a peak moment of anticipation, followed by a beautifully satisfying release. When dancing in a crowd, surrendering to the synchronization of consciousness and movement transports everyone tapped in onto a higher vibrational plane that strengthens social bonds, feelings of trust, and surpasses the individual human experience.
We are all too lucky to live in a time when electronic dance music is everywhere, I just think we all have to start capitalizing on its magic a little bit more. Decreased attention spans, social media addictions, too much forward-thinking, whatever it is; there are way too many things working against us living in real-time and being appreciative of it all. I hope I have convinced you to allow yourself to experience the true power of electronic dance music - there is truly nothing better than the synergy felt between anywhere from two people, to thousands, when you are dancing around listening to someone on the decks. Sharing the highlight reel of your life is not connection, its performance; our lived experiences are oftentimes inadequately captured with our phones anyway, so why waste your time?
Stay present, be respectful, give love, embrace community, and, don’t face the DJ.