So . . . HOW Anti-SoundCloud Are You?
Drugs, alcohol, neon colors, hardly any clothes, more drugs . . . that’s what EDM is right? We hear it, we roll our eyes, and suddenly it becomes taboo.
But what exactly constitutes “electronic dance music” at all?
When we think of music we tip toe back to the earliest of ages, with the likes of The Beatles, Nirvana, Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys and beyond. However, how spooked would you be if you learned that the umbrella term of “electronic music” in general had existed even longer than all of these names? What if it was revealed that the “EDM” culture had formed long before The Beatles culture ever emerged?
That’s the case with these genres, in that although there is a greater “music culture” at large, there are niche cultures that separate a Beatles follower from an Candy Raver, and these differences and unique likes, characteristics, faiths, loyalties, norms, and gatherings distinct them into their own special units.
While electronic music traces back to the invention of the phonograph, vinyl, and the synthesizer (1876), the culture has a rich history as well. From so-called “Candy Ravers” who are notorious for their eccentric and erotic attire to today’s LA (and today’s blog focus) clubbers, the electronic music scene is most prominent as all of its carrying elements are integrated into the wider pop culture.
What defines “LA EDM culture” from the rest of it, you may ask?
Beginning in 2017, alternatives to frat parties, sketchy bars, and exclusive clubs starting arising, such as then intimate events Brownies & Lemonade, Space Yacht, Exchange, and many more. These alternatives consisted of a weekly themed series with a variety of DJ talent, and as this grew, so did the idea of a homogenized movement. Athletic sports clothing, colored hair, and the love for future bass ( . . . before the Chainsmokers ruined it . . .) were the beginnings of an underground scene within Los Angeles. For the night owls who wanted a lowkey and laidback venue to resort to, whilst listening to the most spontaneous mixes from their disk jokee friends, the culture of LA EDM came about. Not only that, but the music industry in general had flipped and catered to an industry centered around electronic music. Record companies, for example, had noted that SoundCloud was a means to finding music and was where most LA EDM-ers sourced their fresh finds and picks. A&R’s who spent the day in the office surfing through Internet music would suddenly show up for a slice of pizza at Space Yacht, and suddenly they understood that once their bomber jacket and music industry plug defined them, they were apart of the “hip” culture (may I add that there are now Anti Soundcloud SoundCloud bomber jackets???).
It has become much more than music, and it has become a reason why stereotypes of Los Angeles have grown, when in fact a smaller subculture of it formulated it. Fashion, status, events, aliases, food, and much more had surfaced out of the electronic music industry scene alas.
