It’s been a period of everyone and their mother having an opinion on raving recently. With parties beginning to pop up around the country as things begin to ease, the words ‘selfish’, ‘disrespectful’ and ‘reckless’ are on the lips of everybody watching the news. There’s no doubt in my mind that 3000 strong raves at this point are far from a good idea, but it has had me wondering what role raves are going to play in the re-expansion of culture as we gradually depart from lockdown.
I’m sure you have seen the #LetTheMusicPlay call for help, highlighting just how badly live music is going to be hit if the government does not initiate some support. Regardless of the success of that movement, there will still be countless closures, the map of the country’s nightlife will become more and more sparse in its detail, and even before that, no matter how things go it will be a long while before clubs are open for business as they once were. Many talk about the dance music industry being over, and while this cynicism is well founded, I believe it overlooks the fact that dance and electronic music are intrinsically embedded within our lives, our society, our perception of the norm. The desire to party is not going to go away, and so rather than an abrupt halt, the closing of clubs leaves a vacuum for something else.
The 90s rave scene had a magic that could never be recreated in the years to come; obviously I was barely born, yet it's evidenced in the quality of sound and vast expanse of repertoire that lays a foundation for the UK scene. What was fundamentally fantastic about it, is that it came hand in hand with the need to dance within the societal circumstances; rave embodied the cultural momentum of the time. Something we have lacked since is that need, replaced by its much less impactful brother, want.
As such, I can’t help but wonder whether from the restrictions on our lives brought in by the pandemic, and the long-lasting effects it is sure to have, something new could be born. With raves being a more viable option than clubs for the foreseeable future, perhaps an organic nature will inevitably create something wonderful, and with it an injection into the excitement of new music. Not only that, but a fresh start. The political climate at the moment sees a demand more than ever for justice, for equality, for the systemic oppression that exists to be addressed now. Now, of all times, the birth of a new culture could reflect all of those feelings and carry them into our future.
It feels very sentimental to me, so for this post I thought I would talk about the emotive details in electronic music that really bring out my vulnerability on the dance floor. My favourite thing about music is how it makes people feel, and more specifically the unified connection we feel on the journey each track brings to the dance floor. Resident Advisor wrote an article on 'Dancefloor Epiphanies' once which this reminds me of, but I’m talking about something more general; the overarching techniques in music that, for me, really evoke something every time I hear them. Three ideas and three examples, let’s go:
#1 - Textures from Vocals
For decades, samples have allowed musicians to recontextualise sounds and completely change their message. This ranges far in its capabilities, from famous film quotes to turning everyday sounds into drum beats. One that I find uniquely beautiful is when a single voice is taken and turned into a thick, euphonic texture all of it’s own. It’s like weaving a detailed, delicate tapestry from a single thread, singing to your soul and bringing your hairs to stand on end. You can hear it in TSHA’s remix of Lianne La Havas’ ‘Can’t Fight’. As the first verse ends with the focus on the solo vocal, it transforms into a lush chord that is sustained across the chorus, created from that same chord. For further contrast, the vocal moves back in the mix as you are plunged into this mesmerising wonderland of euphony. As such, feelings of love, hope, and warm, patient happiness rise to the surface for me.
#2 - Drones
Dance music focuses on rapid movement and rhythms to get us moving endlessly through the night, and yet a motif I always find so powerfully moving is a single, sustained note across large parts if not the entire song. As your body dances, you close your eyes and that lone note holds onto your mind, transporting you far away, deep into your memories. Four Tet's remix of 'Opal' actually opens up with a drone of this kind, and across the track it moves in and out of focus, fluctuating in volume, but stays consistent inbetween the flurries of movement around it. In time, you can fixate a certain feeling to that note, and it can begin to mean so much more to you, everything you hear it out with others, or alone at home.
#3 - The Universality of the Amen Break
This is more something that represents so much about dance music. The Amen break has been sampled thousands of times, as I'm sure you've heard all over the internet and Mixmag likes to repost every few months. It's everywhere, but it's the very essence of the fact that it is everywhere that allows it to be so evocative. It reminds you instantly of the world you're in, of how much joy this music has brought you before, even if it's the first time hearing a track. It's a stamp that signals the same endeavour we are all on to share the best parts of humanity; empathy and understanding. A recent example I've experienced with it is Icarus' remix of 'Love To Go'. The break features right from the start, and the track builds to moments that are intensely moving, with the synth melodies dancing along the path laid out by those sharp beats all the way.
I could go on, but I'm conscious at how long this post already is. Here's a playlist update with some ravey vibes to get you in the mood. Stay safe as things ease, were a face covering, wash your hands and all that! xx
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