The War of Dance Music

EDM and the Underground Music Scene

Perhaps too much has already been said for there ever to be a ceasefire between the extremes of dance music, from Seth Troxler’s claim that EDM is ‘sonic ear-rape’, to Len Faki’s idea of the eternal techno ‘zeitgeist’, the ravaging, yet entirely cynical ‘war of dance music’ needs to be laid bare.

Having recently discovered the pleasures of the underground music scene (that being, one assumes due to the lack of a definitive boundary, the sounds of techno and a spectrum of deeper, acidic, house music) I myself am perhaps completely incoherent with the views of the many who have lived and loved the three-decade old culture which surrounds the music.

However, through experiencing the sounds, the sets, and the people of the underground scene, I completely cohere to Chicago DJ Hieroglyphic Being’s notion that the ‘culture of music made you want to reach out for more, go out there and learn more about life, it’s a unifying social instrument’. Subsequently, I have given myself and my thoughts over to the perilous thudding that is techno music. It has become an infatuation, altering my thoughts, my attitude, and life as a whole, a completely unexpected yet enthralling adventure. Joseph Capriati could never have been more true when he said , ‘techno is not just music, it is a culture.’

The very name, ‘underground’, is a tribute to the discrete nature of the locations, environments and on occasion, history of where the music is played. Albeit, underground is an extremely vague labelling, but nonetheless, it is perfect for the darker, rebellious feel that the sounds emit.

In contrast, most people find themselves unwittingly aware of the hugely popular EDM Djs that clog the mainstay radio stations and attract a certain variety of people, but it is the pretentious attitude garnered largely from the underground music scene which causes issues. Admittedly, many of the EDM Djs are corporate, global brands which bring in huge commercial rewards, but fair play to them right? They’ve made the most of their opportunities and reaped the hefty benefits. No one can argue that the productions of the likes of Calvin Harris and Steve Aoki entertain millions of people all around the globe, engineering unforgettable experiences and giving people a good fucking time. These listeners, these ravers, these carefree hedonistic humans are only trying to have the best time possible, all to the music they deem amazing. These people don’t give a shit about how easily or artificially the track was put together, if it sounds good and makes them want to dance, then who really cares?

Well, some Djs care a lot, most notably Seth Troxler, who views EDM as a disgusting entity destroying music culture, and everyone is entitled to their own view, but why bother? Because at times, raw musical purity and talent is overshadowed and shunned by labels who lack character, lack identity, and lack authenticity; labels which purposefully seek to gorge on the commercial cake that is EDM. It has been the situation since techno’s very inception in the mid 80s, and it is rearing its ugly head most recently with EDM, and has seen Detroit - the doting mother city of our beloved beats - detach itself from the USA as artists and producers are forced to export their sounds to a welcoming Europe, solely due to label ignorance and subsequently a lack of interest in the American market.

The best example of this is the musical don that is Jeff Mills, a true musical genius who has continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible within techno and beyond, combining the authenticity of vinyl with the digital realm, then adding film, classical music and orchestras to create overwhelming showcases of musical emotion (the guy even has a residency at Le Louvre, I mean come on, even the Mona Lisa gets her share of techno). During the early years of Underground Resistance (the founding fathers of techno) Mills recognised that there was simply no recognition by anyone in America for Detroit’s contribution to music, and still today, with techno having surpassed Motown’s output and influence in Mills’ opinion, people in America choose EDM and Detroit, as has been the case for decades, is shunned into the shadows. However, Mills isn’t against EDM, like Ricardo Villalobos said, ‘I can’t condemn EDM or cheesy pop music if the people democraticallly chose thats what they want, it belongs to them.' Mills however, feels America lacks the unique, exciting culture that techno brings with it, a culture which Europe adopted along with the Djs themselves, essentially spawning a bitterness from many Detroit Djs towards EDM culture, Troxler for example. Put it this way, Detroit is the Bethlehem of techno, where its founding principles and ideas were conceived, and Berlin is Jerusalem, the hub, the centre, the epitome of techno’s culture.

However, it is a strong notion that EDM is purely another fad which will come and go, whilst the ever-present, enduring legacy of underground music will continue forthright. Len Faki, long-term resident at the techno Mecca that is the

Berghain, recognised the struggles of techno come the turn of the millenium, with it also experiencing the ‘jump on the band-wagon’ culture, ‘the euphoria was so big that growth went way too fast, everyone started to do techno parties and not always in the best way, often with a lack of ideas, which was not good for its development’ (somewhat reminiscent of the waterfall of ‘Deep House’ parties being put on everywhere today, with complete ignorance of what a real, Chicago-jazz inspired deep house track is). Despite this however, Faki identifies with, ‘the artists who shaped and redefined the sound’, a seemingly constant characteristic of techno, its ability to generate artists and producers who have visions and ideas which take techno from one phase to the next, keeping the underground an exciting, ever-changing, mysterious place to explore – think back to Mills performing in Le Louvre or composing in the Rembrandt Museum – continually pushing, continually creating, techno outliving its weak contemporaries.

Further vocalists against EDM include Chicago’s house veteran Derrick Carter, talking to FACT Magazine he argued, ‘its hard to care about a popularity game that’s based on kids at their computer clicking links, I like people who know what they’re doing, and you can go and see them and know that they know what they’re doing…there is always going to be a lot of different factions in a musical community, people that want to sit on the floor and listen to chill house – majestic people. I stand for things that have soul and vision and points of view and attempt to maybe push the envelope, something clever, that has power.’ Carter epitomises what the ‘war of dance music’ is mainly focussed on, the principle of talent; true DJs who know their shit versus the pretenders who throw cakes in people’s faces and sell-out, but yet again, if they do well out of it, then leave it to happen, disassociate yourself and carry on, vocal Djs only feed the notion of an underground scene riddled with pretentiousness, it doesn’t do anyone any favours. Mills on the other hand, down-to-the-bone recognises that there is nothing to be gained from attitudes like that of Carter. If you’re involved within the sphere of techno and its surrounding genres, then you know EDM just ‘isn’t quite the mastery and community underground music is, and it never will be’.

As long as artists and producers stick with Theo Parrish’s attitude and don’t let ‘convenience replace artistry’, then underground music will continue to flourish, grow, and re-invent itself without losing touch of its heritage. Recent criticisms from the likes of Levon Vincent, claiming techno has become ‘boring’, are way off the mark and far too sweeping to be taken seriously, delve Levon, delve into the chasm of up-and-coming techno DJs and prove yourself wrong.

At the end of the day, its the take-no-shit attitude which sets aside underground music from the rest, it is an eternal culture, but one which doesn’t need individual Djs thinking they represent us all when they publicly condemn EDM. Underground music is an ever-present, silent heartbeat of global nightlife. Let the cakes be thrown without retaliation, let EDM quietly fade into extinction and let America catch up in their own time

and the culture of the underground music scene will quietly continue, unprejudiced and unbroken, for those who have experienced it just know, they just know. I repeat a line I read in a recent review of Jeff Mills’ set in London. Long live Jeff Mills. Long Live Jeff Mills.

#music #techno #EDM #house #berghain #Dancemusic