Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Drunken Dance 6
Drunken Dance 6
Drunken Dance 6
Till finds a close connection between African Possession Dance rituals and what he terms the Electronic Dance Music Cult (EDMC). To a similar extent, so does Sylvan, writing in our earlier source: White Soul. From the first time I was exposed to the idea that religiously derivative overtones of African trance music are present within western pop culture and functioning with the same basic purpose, I was interested in looking closer. I am taking the opportunity to do so with this essay.
I don't know about anyone else, but for me, the similarities are remarkable only because they are so very incidental.
Everybody's hands are "up," but I dont think that the similarity speaks to an association of intent. Till goes on to write that [r]aising ones hands was a sign of clubbers I spoke to of release, rapture, escape, ascension and ecstasy, as they reached upwards and outwards towards lights that came down from above the clubbers, framing their heads like a nimbus or halo, a signifier of divinity in religious art of the sacred or divine, all set within the heaven-like smoke machine generated clouds. (Till) Aside from the fact that the language that Till is using is a bit over-the-top - "heaven-like smoke machine?" - I think he is making a strong connection where, if there is one at all, the connection is tenuous.
Concluding Thoughts
There is not enough space here to describe all the differences, confusions and conflations of similarity that I discovered in the text. Drug-taking as social lubricant and as party favor is presented as if it has something in common with the Ghost Dance Religion. (It doesnt.) Ecstasy and MDMA are described as being essentially safe and that when young people overdose and die, it is because of a lack of education, poor drug-taking skills, and subpar manufacturing and processing. (Also, not true.) I found his entire section on the drug culture aspect of EMDCsunfortunate.
Once again, I think that Till missed the opportunity to focus on the small group of people for whom the EDMC scene is both implicitly and overtly a religious experience. The Boom Festival is an amazing example. Till mentions them as bringing together the latest in psychedelic audio and visuals, art instillations and workshops. A convergence of people, energy, information, and philosophies from around planet Earth and beyond (Till, quoting from the Boom Festival Website). These people are doing something that actually is reminiscent of religious dance. It is amazing! Honestly I want to go. For more information on Boom, click here. I thought it unfortunate that by conflating the drug-induced frenzy of the club scene with people who are engaged with house and EDM as a religious ritual, an essential difference was lost. The separation of religious experience with social party seems to be absent from Tills description. All we need do is compare the White Party with Boom and the fundamental spiritualism of the one and the core secularism of the other becomes apparent. At least it is apparent to me. Word Count; 1043