Case Study: The Spiritual World of Electronic Dance Music

Introduction:

Throughout history, music has been a very important aspect in many societal and cultural settings; particularly that of the spiritual or religious context. Each religion has a unique culture of its own and deep traditions intertwined with the musical world that they cannot be separated from. Among the modern society of today, little is taken seriously within emerging youth and young adult cultures, and the majority of music that is taken seriously as “religious” requires a traditionally religious perspective. However, the ever-growing phenomenon of the rave, a type of nightlong dance party mainly featuring electronic dance music (EDM), which has gained popularity in the late 20th century to today, has more spiritual aspects than one might see at the surface level. Throughout the last four months I have taken the time to research the many characteristics of this electronic dance music trend in an attempt to understand the intricacies of a relatively new culture surrounding the genre, as well as more specifically, establish how much (if any) merit this newfound form of spirituality may hold. Within the EDM culture there are many pieces that contribute to the spiritual facets; the features I have focused closely on in my research, due to the fact that they seemed to be the most significant aspects of the culture as a whole, are (1) communal relationships (2) personal relationships and (3) altered states of consciousness. What role does EDM play in each of the three presented areas? Following my research I ascertain that the emergence of electronic dance music provides a new platform of spiritual identity that the youth and young adults of today’s society can more easily connect to.

Role of the Researcher:

While EDM and the culture surrounding it is not a new phenomenon, I am new to the environment as an observer and researcher; therefore, my perspective is as an outsider looking in. Before beginning my research it was important for me to note my own personal biases, in order to prevent them from coming up to the best of my ability, or at least understand where they may have gotten in the way upon reflection. Prior to my exposure, I believed that electronic dance music in itself did not require much talent to create. As a musician, I found it hard to believe that simply manipulating technology could be seen as making music—how could pressing a few buttons to create imitations of other sounds compare to a live performance of drums, piano or violin? The only time I enjoyed electronic dance music was when I was in the mood to dance, it has never been a form of music that I would voluntarily listen to.

In addition to disregarding the music, I believed EDM performances were an excuse for young people to become intoxicated, experiment with drugs, and participate in sexual encounters. The entirety of my knowledge of the culture consisted of a video we watched in health class convincing us not to do drugs or partake in intercourse, and the Instagram posts of scantily clad, drugged up girls I didn’t like from high school. I had no reason to take this sensation seriously. Over the years, as I have acquired new friends, I have encountered a few that enjoy EDM and have a passion for participating in rave culture, so I decided to extend my repertoire and attempt to place value in something that felt so superficial to me. Despite these biases, I feel that I was able to accomplish my exploration successfully because I kept an open mind and tried not to let my preconceptions influence my examination of an entirely new culture.

Methodology:

An issue that plagued me in the commencement of my research was where to start. I knew little about the music and even less about the culture; how could I jump into this scene in the most effective way possible? I decided to start with general research on the topic, so I would not be entering the field blindly. I listened to EDM, collected data on what attending a rave was like, and determined what the “Dos and Don’ts” of these events were so my experience would run smoothly. Next, I moved from research to participant observation, during which I attended a rave. I tried to immerse myself as deeply into this society to gain as clear of an understanding as possible. I already had a close friend, Hillary, who was willing to include me in her plans to attend a rave with a group of friends that usually accompany her. It was helpful to have her guiding me through my first experience as I did not need to spend extensive time building rapport with other audience members, and this definitely made my involvement more genuine and effective. I have included a more in-depth interview on her experiences, as well as a shorter interview with another audience member that I met at the venue—it’s a little more difficult for lengthy discussions in the midst of all the action, but even the most intense ravers need a water break. During my observations I was able to gather field notes, as well as images, and have detailed a transcription of the musical performance, in an attempt to study how the electronic dance music contributes to the overall spiritual experience of the crowd and determine what aspects of the music impact their behavior in what ways. Overall, the data I was able to gather painted a strong picture for a beginner in this industry and provided me with new insight on a topic so foreign.

Background of EDM and Rave Culture:

In an attempt to further understand the complexities of the entire culture I will first provide background and detail of the history of electronic dance music itself; next I will factor in the history of rave culture. In showing how these two facets have grown and evolved over time I will finally bring you to the entire EDM culture of today and illustrate the society as I have experienced it.

Today’s rave DJs are skilled performers and would be considered artists, much like musicians. They mix electronic sounds, beats, and rhythms, often synchronizing the music to a laser program. Electronic dance music is a broad category of music used to describe any form of music that is produced technologically by a DJ for the purpose of dancing venues such as a club or rave. Under the EDM umbrella there are a number of different subgenres, such as, dub, techno, trance, house music, jungle, disco, post-disco, electro drum `n’ bass, garage, big beat etc. While the casual listener may not be able to differentiate between each category, a DJ or a well-versed raver would easily be able to distinguish one from another. Popular DJs have sold their music and performed live at the largest rave parties and clubs around the world. Rave organizers announce the appearance of famous DJs on their flyers and on social media to promote upcoming raves. However, the “rave” was not always a highly publicized event.

Beginning in Europe in the 1980s, the first “rave” was a secret, underground dance party—the location was kept confidential until the night of the event, and the guest lists were restricted to invitees and their friends only. The most notable music that emerged from this era was “acid house” music, which ruled the rave world. By the mid-late 80s, raves had outgrown most nightclubs and traveled across the United States. They became mainstream events, taking place in venues that could hold thousands of people, and the popular subgenres expanded greatly from acid house and house music, to others such as old school jungle, techno and electronica. It was at this point that the word “rave” became rather infamous, due to the fact that excessive drug use and public, casual sexual encounters were a normal part of the night.

Despite the clear shift from private underground parties to widely popularized, public events, and from acid house, to a much larger variety of subgenres of EDM, the rave culture has maintained similar characteristics throughout its existence. For example, dancing and drug use has always been a major way to enjoy raves for most of the audiences involved. Dancing at raves is essentially free-style to the beat of the music, but it provides a huge sense of community to all those involved. Similarly, it has been said by many ravers that drug use during a rave enhances the effects of the rave overall—music, visuals and dancing—which creates an even stronger communal identity. Today raves are a very controversial topic, and therefore EDM is often looked down upon as well; however, electronic dance music as an art form deserves validation and the culture surrounding it contains a lot more than meets the eye.

Ethnography:

Upon arrival at the venue, PlayStation Theatre in Times Square NYC, I was immediately overwhelmed with the excitement of the crowd, and Tchami’s main performance had not even begun yet—I wanted to arrive early enough to gain my bearings before being thrown into a highly exhilarated audience. There was music coming from the speakers surrounding us, so people were already dancing and enjoying themselves, but the DJ had not come on stage yet, so it was still fairly low-key. Normally, an unfamiliar atmosphere such as this would create an underlying feeling of anxiety in myself; however, everywhere I looked I was met with friendly people and smiling faces. As other ravers became more and more excited, their energy got me more and more excited as well. Once the set started I also began to understand why the phenomenon is so popular—the energy was so positive and carefree. The music itself was truly captivating. As shown in my transcription (see figure 1), the intensity of the music is almost exactly reciprocated by the intensity of the audience. In the beginning, the audience is slightly more intense than the music itself due to anticipation. As the musical intensity increases, so does that of the audience. At the peak of the intensity (when the bass drops) the crowd’s intensity is also at its peak, but as the musical intensity drops, the crowd’s intensity drops slightly faster due to fatigue or dehydration. When there is a break in intensity, some audience members take this opportunity to rest and get water.

During this time I had the opportunity to speak with a woman I met just before the set started, Anna (see full transcription below). Anna is an experienced raver who equates the feeling to “being given a million dollars”. As we discussed rave culture I was immediately inspired by her passion for EDM when she stated, “at an EDM event, you come ready; you’re there living and becoming reborn from the amazing music and atmosphere of the place and leave grateful for the experience”. I delved further into her views on “becoming reborn” and questioned her spiritual beliefs on the experience. Although she does not participate in the drug use that is common at most raves, she says the visual affects that accompany the music bring her into an altered state of consciousness and transports her “into another dimension and it makes [her] feel exuberant and alive”. As we resurfaced in the audience of the performance, I noticed that while the listeners’ personal energy rose and fell throughout the night, the overall energy of the entire crowd maintained an intensity that could not be compared to any other variety of musical performance. The stamina that I observed among ravers throughout the night was outstanding, and by the end of the performance, though everyone was clearly exhausted, it was obvious that their adrenaline was still surging as they exited.

Before the post-rave exhilaration wore off, I decided to conduct a more in depth interview with Hillary (see below). Hillary seemed to have many similar viewpoints as Anna in her perspective on the general culture and sense of community. The major themes that recurred throughout conversation between the two interviewees were that the atmosphere was positive and loving and the experience as a whole brings one into a state of “healing” in a sense—it makes their individual lives more meaningful.

Interview Transcription (Anna):

1) What was your first rave experience like?

My first experience at a rave was phenomenal. It was as if I was given a million dollars. The energy, the music, the people, the dancing, it completely blew me away and captivated me. I never knew what a rave was like and didn’t know what to expect but I was completely satisfied!

2) How has EDM culture shaped you as a person since then?

I wouldn’t say it changed my personality or even me as a person. However, EDM has become a huge part of my life. I make it an effort to try to go to almost every EDM event in NYC.

3) Do you experience altered states of consciousness?

When you’re drunk or high, it 100% makes the experience of raving so much better. I personally only drank ever while going to raves, and it makes you enjoy the music a million times more.

a. How does the use of drugs impact your experience?

I don’t take drugs.

b. How do the visual effects impact your experience?

The visual effects bring me into another dimension and it makes me feel exuberant and alive.

5) How does electronic dance music itself add to the experience and how is it different than attending a concert or festival of another type of music?

Going to an EDM event is so much different than attending a regular concert. At a concert you go leave and that’s it. At an EDM event, you come ready, your there living and becoming re-born from the amazing music and atmosphere of the place and leave grateful for the experience.

6) Do you experience any spiritual aspects during these events (spiritual connections with yourself or others)?

I feel love from everyone around me.

Interview Transcription (Hillary):

1)        What was your first rave experience like?

It was amazing. It was a big rave at a warehouse. Girls and guys were dressed up and you can feel the excitement. There’s music pumping throughout the entire building and people everywhere.

2)        How has EDM culture shaped you as a person since then?

I’ve listened to more songs and been interested in the genre more.

3)        What is your favorite aspect of the culture as a whole?

The energy and the environment is so care-free and happy. Everyone is nice and making sure others are enjoying their time too.

4)        Do you experience altered states of consciousness?

a. How does the use of drugs impact your experience?

It’s impacted my experience since the drugs made me feel carefree and extremely happy. It was as if I was in a drunk state without the alcohol. I enjoyed the music and wanted to dance for hours.

b. How do the visual effects impact your experience?

At bigger raves the lights are amazing. There are laser lights in different colors and confetti that goes off based on the beat of the music.

5)        How does electronic dance music itself add to the experience and how is it different than attending a concert or festival of another type of music?

The music is definitely different since there are barely any words in a song. There are remixes and new songs DJs would release. The electronic part makes it so different from other music. I’ve never been to another concert other than a rave festivals or club raves, but I think that they are pretty similar besides the different music genre.

6)        What can you say about the audience in general—are people friendly, do they give you a sense of community, is it easy to meet new people, does your interaction with them add to your overall experience etc.

I’ve met so many new people at raves. People are very friendly and easy to talk too. Everyone that I’ve met have always asked if I was good. I’ve made friends who now label themselves as “rave buddies” and meet up at raves.

7)        Do you consider EDM events a hobby or a lifestyle?

I think of them more as a hobby because it’s not something I go to very often maybe twice or three times a semester. It’s an event I’ll attend if a good DJ is playing and I have free time.

Analysis:

Although the typical rave experience is not generally equated to that of a traditionally religious experience, an argument can be made based on my research and fieldwork that shows the spirituality of EDM culture. This is based on my knowledge of the basic community within a religious setting: a place of worship, a doctrine to live by, and feeling a particular devotion on both the communal and individual level. The location of the event is used as the place of worship, the doctrine is “Peace, Love, Unity, Respect”, also known as PLUR, and the way in which they devote themselves is reaching a state of ecstasy through energetic dancing and possibly drug and alcohol use. According to Scott Hutson in his article “The Rave: Spiritual Healing in Modern Western Subcultures” the spirituality of rave culture can be equated to that of the conversion to Evangelical Christianity in many ways due to the fact that they experience “raw, personal emotions of a spiritual nature, unstructured by the norms of the church…out of body experience, sometimes involving hallucinations that bring the convert closer to God…and healing and mental hygiene experienced after conversion”, which is similar to the experience of ravers.

Although, unlike most religions, the location is inconsistent, the slogan is underdeveloped in terms of theology and the devotion revolves around a party, it can still be characterized as spiritual, due to the altered states of consciousness experienced and the healing process that occurs. Even if a raver chooses not to partake in drug or alcohol use, flashing lights, dancing, and repetitive percussion have the ability to physiologically produce altered states of consciousness. In my participant observation, the laser lights that accompanied the music definitely had an effect on my mental processes and it is easy to see how one may be affected more deeply with things such as hallucinations, epileptic seizures (in some religions considered a gift) and other “unrelated to the stimulus, nonvisual sensations of kinesthetic and cutaneous varieties”. Similarly, dancing also has an impact on the state of consciousness of the raver because it causes things such as physical exhaustion, hyperventilation and vertigo. In many religious ceremonies, dancing is a prime element in expressing their spirituality and performing rituals. In addition to dancing, repetitive percussion is also a common form of entering a trance-like state during ceremonies. After experiencing all three of these aspects involved with EDM, it is not difficult to believe that someone so engrossed in these activities would experience altered states of consciousness—especially while using drugs meant to enhance their experience.

Despite the infamy surrounding the culture due to the encouragement of taking illegal drugs such as MDMA and acid, the audience was a lot more tame than I originally expected. Most people were very responsible in maintaining the level of intoxication desired while still being able to take care of themselves; if a raver did become highly inebriated, everyone around them would make it their responsibility to make sure that person was safe, whether they knew each other or not. The overall atmosphere was extremely caring and considerate, and the sense of community felt surprisingly reminiscent of time spent at church.

Conclusion:

Over the course of a few months I have been exposed to a type of music that I never expected to have the opportunity to study from an ethnomusicological perspective, let alone gain substantial insight from. Electronic dance music is an art form that is enjoyed throughout the world and the community surrounding it holds merit within the spiritual world. During my participant observation I was introduced to how EDM contributes to the spiritual connections of an individual and entire community through altered states of consciousness and learned how important certain types of music can be to a specific society. Additionally, I was proven wrong about the stereotypes due to drug use and partying and learned that many ravers value EDM music as sacred to their lifestyle. It is evident from my research, transcription, and interviews that aspects of the music, such as percussion and intensity have a huge mental impact on the ravers and each person leaves the experience feeling more positive about their life and mentally “cleansed”. Even though I may not ever personally attend a rave again, I know that the option is always available to me should I desire and I will be welcomed back into the community like an old friend.