For the Love of Music

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With the boom of electronic music in America, since it had already taken over the world a while back, there are so many new fans of the music. I can't say I'm a veteran of the electronic music scene given I've only been in it for 3 years now. However I have grown to love this music more than anything and have witnessed the massive changes that have happened these short 3 years. It's been a blessing and a curse seeing the explosion of electronic music in America. I'm writing this purely based on what I've seen change over the years and because I don't want to see the music I love deteriorate.

I got into electronic music because I fell in love with it. Like anyone else I started out listening to more "mainstream" artists but as I got deeper into the music I discovered that there is so much more to explore and enjoy. This only made my love grow for this music and scene. My taste in electronic music evolved the deeper I explored. And that's my hope for anyone who starts listening to electronic music. I feel like today there are so many people who say they "love EDM" but really are only in it because it's now the cool thing. I remember showing people music by Deadmau5, Skrillex, Feed Me, and so on over 3 years ago and responding with "What the fuck is this shit?" And now those same people claim to be "EDM Fans." Don't get me wrong I love for people to discover and get into electronic music. But I want people to get into it because they love it not because it's the cool thing to do. It's frustrating to see how many bandwagon fans are in the electronic music scene. I'm not trying to be protective of this music because I love sharing it with others. However, I don't want people to have a closed mind and refuse to explore the music further. The biggest thing I hate hearing is "This song sucks. There's no drop." I want people to understand that electronic music is more than heavy bass and drops. It's about finding what you like personally and exploring those sounds deeper than what's at the surface. It's just frustrating to talk to someone who says they "love EDM" but can't even have a decent conversation about the music because all they know is David Guetta and Steve Aoki (not hating on them).

After going to Ultra this year, which was beyond amazing musically and visually, I've realized what the boom of electronic music means in terms of crowds. I cannot say enough how upsetting it was to see shirts with anything Molly related written on them. I'm not against people doing there own thing, but advocating or promoting drug use is by far the stupidest thing a person can do. This is exactly what gives our scene such a bad name. The frustrating part is that most of those people don't even appreciate the music and just want to get fucked up for fun, ruining it for the rest of us who truly love this music. When I say the boom of electronic music is a curse it's because it has attracted the wrong kind of people into the scene. I used to want electronic music to explode but if it means going to shows full of people with no idea what's going on I'd rather the music stay underground. I know every music scene has it's drug use and batch of bandwagon fans, but you can tell when people go to a show to experience the music or just to have an excuse to do drugs, drink, and have sex. Going to a show should be about the music and nothing else. I'm not against people using things to enhance their experience but the music should be the reason you go to a show or festival. It's starting to get frustrating going to a show with a crowd that has no love for the music. And going to a frat and sorority run university only adds to my frustration.

I guess what I'm trying to say is simply do it for the love of the music. If you're new into the scene don't feel like I'm hating on you. I love it when people discover this music and fall in love with it like I did. I want people to realize why I love this music so much. I don't expect people to love it as much as I do, but it would be nice if people appreciated it more as a work of art than as a reason to get crazy.  I love to see electronic music grow as long as the passion for the music is still there. I hope the trend of people getting into the music because "it's cool" and "everyone is doing it" changes soon. I hope there are people who feel my frustration. And to those who do it for the love and passion of the music I thank you. I'm sorry if I sound defensive or even cynical about this topic, but I truly don't want the scene to deteriorate or have a bad name because of foolish people. But whatever happens I will always stand by the side of Electronic Music. I do it for the love of Electronic Music.

Album Review: Dirty South's "Speed of Life"

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Dragan Roganović, better known as Dirty South, has been an electronic producer for a while now. He may not be as recognized as I think he should be but he puts out solid productions one after the other. Now he has released one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year. "Speed of Life" is a breath of fresh air for electronic music. With what was seeming like stagnation in the Progressive House genre, Dirty South has been able to set the bar higher for Progressive House producers. His album is made just to listen and enjoy each and every sound. If you're expecting an album full of festival style bangers then be ready to listen with an open mind. It's nice to see a Progressive House album full of fresh sounds rather than just bangers after bangers. Be prepared to be taken on a magical journey with "Speed of Life."

Gods (feat. Ruben Haze)

Dirty South starts out his album with "Gods," a softer, more beautiful Progressive song. Starting with a more mellow melody, "Gods" quickly picks up the beat into something unique. Ruben Haze's faint vocals in the background really provide a euphoric feeling. "Gods" most definitely sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Super Sounds

Probably one of my favorite songs from the album, "Super Sounds" starts out with a guitar like sound and moves to this sexy sounding guitar like riff. The more constant beat really makes this song into something you'll be bobbing your head to. The fact that this song doesn't have a huge drop but just a sexy beat really makes this song one of my favorites to groove to.

Until the End (feat. Joe Gil)

"Until the End" will have to be my favorite song from this album. Joe Gil's vocals just flow so well with Dirty South's sound. Like a good Progressive House song should, it provides that good feeling while listening to it. The unexpected drop makes this song fun to listen to. But Joe Gil really makes this song with his soothing voice and lovely lyrics. This is the Dirty South that I love.

Champions

"Champions" is probably the grungiest sounding song on the album. With the constant beat, this song is sure to make your body move. With a soft breakdown in the middle, this song builds back up to that grungy Progressive House sound. This song is definitely one of the grooviest on the album.

Sunrise

Living up to its name, "Sunrise" is an uplifting track. With a softer yet strong melody, this song is great to start your day with. As the tune progresses, Dirty South inserts what sounds like chopped up vocals to add to the uplifting feeling of the song. "Sunrise" shows the melodic side of Dirty South.

Your Heart (feat. Joe Gil)

The second song with Joe Gil's euphoric vocals, "Your Heart" is the typical Dirty South sound. With the combination of Joe Gil's voice and Dirty South's beautiful sound, this song is sure to give you a good feeling. Dirty South is able to make a big sound without having to throw in the typical drops we hear so much in electronic music today.

Reset

"Reset" is an interesting turn Dirty South takes in the album. You can hear the roots of Dirty South's sound in this song. It might just be me, but I kind of hear from about :45 to 1:10 the similar sound Dirty South uses in his remix of Miike Snow's Silvia. Nonetheless, you can feel Dirty South going back to his roots with this song. Ending the song with a slower melody filled with snare and kick drum sounds adds a nice touch to the song.

Something Like You (feat. Rudy)

"Something Like You" starts out with filtered vocals by Rudy and quickly drops into an uplifting beat. As the song breaks down you can hear what sounds like a guitar like rift with Rudy's filtered vocals once again. The lyrics about waiting for that someone special makes it an emotional song. The mixture of emotional vocals with an uplifting drop makes this song one you'll be listening to for in hope of finding that special someone.

Sunset

After a string of harder hitting, uplifting songs, Dirty South starts to bring his album to a close with "Sunset." Named "Sunset" for a reason, this track a beautiful, mellower track perfect for winding down an album or even your day. With a sensational melody, Dirty South shows his softer side with this track and his versatility as a producer.

Speed of Life

"Speed of Life," the song in which this album is named after, brings the album to a perfect close. This song sums up everything this album is about. Starting out with a slower, mellower melody and then moving into a more uplifting, big room sound this song captures all the different sounds used in the album. It shows what Dirty South wanted to get across with this album. Sometimes we just need slow down, sit back, and enjoy life before it all speeds by.

Overview

Dirty South changes the game with "Speed of Life." With the expectation nowadays for Progressive House songs to have a "sick drop," it's nice to see Dirty South show that Progressive House isn't all about the drops. Dirty South is able to make groovy songs, euphoric tunes, and big room electronic music without having to use the typical buildups and drops. You can see his versatility as a producer with all the different sounds he uses. The album had a pretty good flow to it though the sudden change between certain songs that sound quite different could throw you off. Overall Dirty South does a great job with his first full length album while staying true to his music. You can feel the emotions and passion Dirty South poured into "Speed of Life."

PLUR: More Than Just an Acronym

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"What the hell is PLUR?" was what I first thought when I heard that said. As I got deeper into the electronic music and rave scene, I finally found out what PLUR even stood for: Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect. Even though I finally found out what PLUR stood for, it still took me some time to fully grasp the meaning and concept of PLUR. I quickly learned though that PLUR was more than something ravers say, it's something we live by.

For me PLUR describes what the rave and electronic music culture is all about. a true raver and electronic music enthusiast may not proclaim PLUR, but they certainly show it and give off that so called "PLUR vibe." For me, PLUR has become a lifestyle not just a phrase. Every word in PLUR has a special meaning to me and the electronic music culture.

PEACE
After being in the scene for over two years, close to three now, I've been to more electronic music shows than I ever imagined I would be able to go to. I can honestly say I have never seen or been part of a physical or verbal conflict during any of the shows I've been to. This doesn't mean crazy stuff and fights don't happen, but they aren't a common thing to experience at a good show. This is where peace comes in the rave culture. Electronic music gives you that feeling of peace and good vibes. Whenever I go to a show I can be at relative peace that nothing crazy will happen. Of course I'm still alert of what's going on, but I know that as long as I'm peaceful with those around me I won't experience any problems. Sure you have the occasional assholes who don't know any songs besides "Levels" and only want to hook with girls while on drugs, but the overall people know what peace is all about. There is no room for verbal or physical violence in electronic music. All the true ravers and people who appreciate the music know this concept of peace. As for those that don't like to get along with others peacefully, well they don't belong in our scene.

LOVE
My favorite part about electronic music and the rave scene is the love that is felt. It really is an indescribable feeling when you feel that love. There's no judging, no discrimination, and no putting down of others. There is just love for each other and the music. It doesn't matter your skin color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or personal background, you're loved for who you are. This culture is beautiful because everyone is accepted and there are no outcasts or weirdos. The electronic music culture has become a place where society's outcasts can feel welcomed and loved. In fact, you gotta be a little weird and crazy to fully enjoy this culture and music. There's no fear of being judged or looked down upon by others. Love brings us together into one happy family. We can all be crazy and have fun together carefree, no fear of being seen as an outcast. I can truly say that the people I have come across in this scene are some of the nicest, most loving people I have ever met in my life. Electronic music has taught me to love people for who they are. Just as importantly, it showed me what it is like to be loved for who I am.

UNITY
With love comes unity. The wonderful thing about electronic music is that it brings all kinds of people together. I've met some of most amazing, loving people through this scene. It's no understatement when we say we are one big EDM family. Yes we may have our differing opinions when it comes to genre appreciation, but in the big picture we are united by the love we have for the music and each other. Everyone is your friend. You never feel alone or left out in this culture. I never thought I could feel so close to people I don't even know or will probably ever see again. As weird as it sounds, it is so beautiful knowing you're a part of something and can associate with all kinds of people so easily. It's truly unique how easy it is to make friends and relationships through this music. Hell, the majority of my close friends now I was able to meet through this music and now we go to every electronic music show together. So if you feel lonely when you first start adventuring into this scene, just know you have an entire EDM family ready to welcome you with open arms. The way people are united through electronic music is a magnificent phenomena.

RESPECT
Unity would not be able to take place without respect. I'm talking about respect for the culture, the music, and each other. You have to respect the culture and what it stands for. If you don't, things aren't going to go well for you. More importantly you have to respect the music itself. Sure a lot of electronic music is "let's just get crazy and have a good time" kind of music, but it is much more than that. You must learn to appreciate the music as an art than just something to get wild to. If you only listen to this music for the sole purpose to get crazy and do drugs then you don't have any business in our scene. There's so much more to electronic music than the "popular" stuff. I cannot express enough how much it irritates me to hear people complain at a show when the music being played isn't the Beatport top 40's EDM. I'm not saying you need to like every song you hear. There's plenty of songs I don't really enjoy. But you have to have an open mind and respect all music in the electronic world. This includes respecting the opinions of others on genre and artist preferences. People will always have different opinions and beliefs than you. Showing respect is the proper thing to do and really just the most simple way to get along with others. And that's why people get along so well in the electronic music scene. We have a respect for one another despite our differences. If you don't show respect don't expect to receive respect from others. Not that we won't still show PLUR, but we just won't take you seriously or want to be around you. Respect one another in the scene and you will see why it is so life changing to be part of it.

PLUR brings so many people together. We are all united by the peace we feel and the love we share that comes from respect for one another. Of course you have people in the scene who without a doubt love the culture and music but see PLUR as a childish acronym that little kandi ravers use. Though I respect their opinon, I don't think that's true, for me at least. I see the concept of PLUR as a life view and lifestyle not just when I'm at a show or rave but in my everyday life. PLUR has taught me to be at peace with myself, love others for who they are, how to unite with wonderful people, and to respect every person I encounter. It has changed the way I view life and the way I live it. I now strive to live the "PLUR Life" and spread this idea to others. Whether you think PLUR is just another childish acronym or you don't even like the electronic music scene, I think peace, love, unity, and respect are all things we should have in our lives and show to others. As for me, I'm just trying to change the world with that PLUR vibe.