From an outsider’s point of view Electronic dance music (EDM) concerts may just look like an excuse to wear neon and get wasted with friends, but fans of the genre and its subgenres know it is so, so much more. From David Guetta and Tiesto to Deadmau5 and Diplo, just what is it that makes these DJs some of the most innovative artists in the music business?
Critics point out that the shows lack musicianship and leave the job up to machines, but what they fail to notice is that EDM songs require DJs to use just as much artistry and human intervention as more conventional genres. It’s one thing to sample other artists’ songs, mix them together and change the beat for a new sound – what these artists do with the radio hooks they sample is entirely different. The great DJs masterfully distort and incorporate samples, head-splitting bass lines and syncopated or shuffled beats to give the well-known lyrics an entirely different meaning and feeling.
Artists like Avicii, Deadmau5 and the like have gotten a lot of flack for billing their up-front dance floor party thrills as concerts. What these critics fail to realize is that it’s not a performance as much as it is an experience. Since there are no seating restrictions or a performer to focus on during performances, audiences are free – encouraged even – to let their eyes wander away from the stage. HC campus correspondent and Michigan State student Lauren Kroll describes the atmosphere of these shows as “very blurred.” “Everyone is always moving, and people are dancing everywhere.” With DJs acting as puppet masters, the elaborate setup, lights and almost psychedelic party atmosphere take the spotlight. In other words, when you go to a house music concert, you’re not just watching a show – you’re part of it. Read on for the 5 techno artists you should know about right now.
Deadmau5
One artist who works with this idea is Deadmau5, who wears a large mouse head to deflect attention away from him and towards the music. Anyone who has been to one of this dubstep DJ’s concerts can tell you that his music grabs your full attention just as relentlessly as any group’s frontman could. Whereas traditional concerts envelop you with sight and sound, DJs like Deadmau5 lock concertgoers in with the sense of touch too, as you can literally feel the beats pulsing throughout songs. “The entire room throbs, and you can feel the enthusiasm of everyone present,” HC writer and Mount Holyoke student Madeline Harrington says. “I don’t think you get that same intensity and enjoyment at a concert where people are seated or even just standing watching.” Deadmau5 shows provide concertgoers with an energized, lighthearted experience. “There were around 50,000 in a field dancing and grooving to the music for two whole hours,” HC campus correspondent and Towson student Ali Pannoni says, describing her Deadmau5 concert experience. “The best part was that we got to dance and just be free without judgment for two hours.”
Avicii
Swedish DJ Tim Berg, also known as Avicii, is one of the newer artists on the house music scene. Avicii cleverly used music blogs as a platform for his early tracks, first writing and remixing songs in his bedroom and later leaking them online to gain a following. Best known for last year’s smash hit “Seek Bromance,” “Fade Into Darkness,” and his newest release, “Levels,” Avicii stands out with his emphasis on melodies and widespread appeal to fans of many different house music genres.
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Diplo
Wesley Pentz, Diplo, half of Major Lazer, or whatever you wish to call him, has his hand in almost every aspect of the EDM genre. After collaborating with the likes of M.I.A. (“Paper Planes”, anyone?) and running his own club and music collective (the influential Hollertronix), in 2006 the DJ and entrepreneur started his very own label, Mad Decent. As a DJ, Diplo’s best known hits include “Paper Planes” (on M.I.A.’s Piracy Funds Terrorism mix), and Major Lazer’s “Pon de Floor” (ft. VYBZ Kartel). “I am in love with every single beat he puts out,” says HC campus correspondent and CU-Boulder student Ali Chastain. “I also really like his tweets and how he makes his personality visible through social media.” So do we – @diplo is like a sneak peak into the jet-setting party lifestyle we mere followers can only dream of.
David Guetta
If there’s one DJ taking over mainstream radio right now, it’s producer and house music DJ David Guetta. You can blame this French DJ for a good number of the catchy club songs stuck in your head right now, as his latest megahits include “Sexy Bitch” (ft. Akon), “Without You” (ft. Usher) and “Where Them Girls At” (ft. Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida).
Tiesto
Any list of today’s top DJs would be remiss without a mention of the king of the trance scene, Tiesto. The Dutch DJ’s claim to fame comes from his remix single “Silence” (featuring Sarah McLachlan) from the 2000 album “Summerbreeze”. Although he’s been touring since the late 90s, Tiesto remains a fixture in the EDM scene by constantly opening himself up to new influences – newer sounds can be heard in his latest single, the high-energy house track “Maximum Crazy”. “In 1998 I was really a trance DJ,” Tiesto said in an interview with Club Zone, “but now I’ve traveled round the world so much, different influences have seeped in and I play a bit of everything. I think the only way forward for DJs now is to play a diverse mix of sounds.”
Do you like techno music? Who are your favorite techno artists? Leave a comment!