One of the things that has really been getting me exited recently isn’t the dope records I’ve been buying (they are awesome though, look for a record review post from me later this week!). It’s not any specific deejay sets I’ve heard. What has been getting me pumped is the quality people doing this music. I’ve been involved in a large number of underground music scenes locally and internationally via the web since the mid-90s, and I can’t remember a time when I felt like so many cool people were doing good things.
Having been involved with Drum and Bass from ’96-’00, it was always mystifying to me how some of those cats who were not really much of shit on the grand scale of things could carry around such huge egos. The “mnml” techno thing was obviously rife with douchebags with overpowered egos as well. But right now, it seems like this underground house/techno/whatever is a really fertile area both above ground, and below. Even better is that these people all seem to know each other, and interesting collaborations and working relationships are coming from it.
Unquestionably, the most positive things I have seen are in the US. We have always had a massive disadvantage because of our geography being so spreadout; even when house and techno were really blowing up, they were far more localized. “Rave” probably pushed more serious electronic/dance music in the US back YEARS in terms of evolution, but its effects have been wearing off long enough that house and techno are finally able to stand on their own again. And now we have the internet to help us bridge those physical distances both within the US and to Europe, Japan, and the rest of the world.
I wasn’t sure if it was just me noticing these things, but then I saw this in Out There A Minute’s interview with Martin Landsky (I must admit here that I know nothing about this guy’s music or anything like that!):
Being based in Berlin must have spoiled you a bit when it comes to musical input and underground spots to play. Which country & venue outside of Germany has inspired you the most lately, and why?
There are a lot of hot places around the globe, sometimes it´s just one club in a far out village that can surprise.
But the place that inspired me the most in the last years is definitely the States.
There is this kinda ‘new’ fresh scene, which is amazing. It´s all about small clubs and a well educated crowd, people that really do love the music, no bullshit. A good example that explains what I feel there is that the people scream at the right moments of a track, not in the obvious big break downs of a track but in the small intense parts of the music, the moments when a track makes me shiver too. When you play good music there and you are mixing well they follow you all the way, but if you fuck it up they will simply show it by their reactions. I have the feeling it´s less about hype there at the moment but more about the passion for music and clubbing.
Kinda the same feeling like it was ages ago here in Europe…
It’s funny because I use a very similar method of evaluating crowds, and it seems like people are really just “getting it” now moreso than anytime I can remember. And this is totally independent of any magazine, “scene”, or whatever might usually dictate how things go.
This all means one thing to me: if things are indeed all about WHO YOU KNOW, then right now there are plenty of the right kind of people out there doing good shit. It seems like that network is becoming larger and larger without sacrificing any quality! I know that I meet more people every single week, be it locally, nationally, or internationally, who are doing awesome work of some kind and who have enthusiasm, energy, and good ideas to contribute. I had been thinking that we were in something of a “golden age” for soulful house, techno, and disco, but now I think we are just entering into what could be an unprecedented era if everyone continues to work together and keep it underground with no compromises. There’s lots of work to be done, though, and that’s most definitely where my mind has been these past few months…
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I don’t know if we’re in a “golden age” of electronic dance music, I also don’t think what is currently happening is particularly “fresh.” However, I think the excitement that’s happening now is due to the hype dying down, weeding out those people who are in it for the hype which leaves the people who genuinely have passion for underground dance music. Right now, “rave” is practically dead, “electronica” is not being pushed as the next big thing, “nightclubbing” is not particularly popular right now, and there is no “superclub” or “big party” dictating what is hot in terms of dance music. Underground electronic dance music is not particularly hip right now. Since that is the case, there is less dance music dilettantes checking out the scene because it is the hip thing to do. Thus, the people who buy the records, go to the parties, and make the music really love it and they really get it.
It’s just a matter of weeding out all the dilettants.
well i disagree with you on a few points. i’m not sure how you can say things are not particularly “fresh” when some of the best music in years and years is coming out now.
but regardless of that, i definitely disagree with your assessment that “Underground electronic dance music is not particularly hip right now.” in fact, i think that it is becoming “hip” to like the real shit, and this is encouraging because of the lack of nonsensical narrative leading people to this. there is no XLR8R, there is no “Rave” culture. the people who are getting into and supporting it are doing it on a grassroots manner! this is a really good sign.
That’s my point, the people are doing “it on a grassroots manner” because they are the people who are currently doing it are people who either been doing it for years and have stuck to it because of love or they would have discovered it anyway and not due to it being the “in” thing to do or due to dance music being the “next big thing” thus they could make lots of money from it. When I say “underground dance music is not particularly ‘hip'” I’m saying there is not a lot of hype going on right now and dance music is doing its thing underground outside the eyes of “tastemakers” and thank heavens for that.
As for everything not being particularly “new,” I’m more or less saying that there is no media created genre pushing something as “new and fresh” as opposed to a simplication of stuff that’s already been done. Records coming out are basically House and Techno and not “Minimal” or some other genre. Even Dubstep, which been around for awhile is an evolution of Drum & Bass, Broken Beat, nuJazz, etc.
Basically, I’m saying that the music and scene is happening underground outside of the eyes of the hype machine, thus people are free to make good music without being influenced by whatever is trendy at the moment and partiers are free to party with people who truly enjoy the music as opposed to partying with those who want to be part of the “next big thing.”
It’s interesting to think through how much of these issues that you raise, particularly given the broad geography of the US (a point I totally with you on, having moved from the SF Bay Area to Chicago and now to New England since ’95, and having experience the range of styles played as a function of location), are colored by the ability to transmit high-quality music on the internets. To listen to samples of vinyl from the comfort of home before buying from the local shop (as was the case for me in Chicago) or from an internet-based store (as is the case for me now, in my little town), has been a huge factor in opening my ear up to new things.
Thinking back to the time when a huge commitment was involved in overcoming the genre limits of a regional selection of vinyl stock, as was the case in the Bay Area in the late 90s, to where we are now, where the world is on offer, I wonder if we can speak of a coherent US scene in a way that just wasn’t there before.
I remember working in an indie-rock record store in manhattan in the early 00s. All these industry types would come in and ask me what the latest “buzz” was in the music scene. This was around the time of the chemical brothers, air and other mainstreamers. Anyway, they invaded our clubs and took over our dancefloors, sitting there, texting and talking on their cellphones, inviting all their douchey friends to join in, effectively killing any vibe. But, since then they’ve moved on to something else, which is great.
I always think about what happened to disco after it lost it’s mainstream appeal… it got way better.
hey man – I totally agree. It feels great to go to the record store and see a ton of great shit on so many labels. I too have met artists and active listeners and there is much less ego going around. Its so refreshing. I agree there is something going on and its great! Thx for acknowledging it!
I also think that if you don’t think that there is new, fresh music out, then you are probably listening to a lot of funky house and minimal. I can barely keep up with all of the new shit (and reissues) coming out that its been tough on my wallet.
Thx again!
USA babee