“My soul is dying/We did everything wrong
This world somehow taught us how to sing
And my soul is fading away/But I know what pure grace is like. ”
“Fading” – swimming pole
I never expected such a deep admiration for a popular producer’s dance track. EDM (electronic dance music) is known for its technical production and vibrant beat drops. These days, however, the genre is filled with existential longing and a desire for transcendence.
Can dance music be more than just an escape? Is it also a place of radical embodiment and prayerful presence? Can Christ, through the DJ, speak to empty hearts seeking something greater?
It may seem unlikely, but EDM allows young people to put aside their pretense and be honest about their desires.
Theologian Paul Anleitner explains the changes in our current moment from postmodernism to metamodernism. People are tired of seeing the world in a pessimistic way. They trade despair for earnest sincerity, and cynicism for hope. Our current “metamodern” zeitgeist leans toward a less radically materialistic perspective. It offers a glimpse of the potential and true meaning behind the mundane. Our culture unconsciously seeks what C.S. Lewis called “deeper magic.”
Dance music may seem like an unlikely place for such existential themes. This is a well-known genre lost my body. People who attend raves, festivals, and EDM shows often ingest substances that they believe lead to transcendent musical experiences. This kind of escapism is synonymous with electronic music. However, escapism is not the only thing this genre can offer.
When I asked one Christian raver what drew him to EDM, he emphasized the sense of community and freedom. Even when sober, these fans enjoyed the communal joy and sense of belonging found in the EDM space. Rather than running away from his body, he felt free to dance by practicing being more fully present, participating in the music, and moving in connection with those around him. Such manifestation is a courageous act in an increasingly fragmented and digital world. Dancing, deeply attuned to the crescendos and dips of all music, is a common blessing from God.
Additionally, the lyrics of popular EDM songs aren’t as shallow and party-centric as you might expect. Oddly enough, the words I use to describe many EDM lyrics are: sad. Many EDM songs are ostensibly about the longing for a romantic connection. But even these words echo in our hearts the God-shaped space within all of us, the eternity that Ecclesiastes describes.
i need you at night
in the night i call you
I need you at night…
I can’t say it out loud, but my heart feels heavy.
All these quiet thoughts don’t let me rest…
Simple but aspirational Bunt. And Marou’s “i need you” It’s a psalm. Previous songs by the producer “cloud” (feat. Nate Traveler) begins with a prayer-like line: “You take care of me/When there’s no one else to lean on me/You give me air to breathe/I watch over you.” Some EDM songs are more explicitly spiritual. “Clara (It’s Dark at Night)” by Fred Again sample”the storm will passThe hymn, originally written in 1905, asserts, “Courage, my soul / And let us continue our journey / Though the night is dark / It won’t be long.”
More directly, an artist named Barry Can’t Swim translated the lyrics intodeadbeat gospel”:
our church is full of sinners in need of salvation
Pagans are ready to believe what we believe
I am the Minister of Sound…
If God were a DJ, we would pray for him to play some bass.
Similarly, Paris-based producer Swimming Paul lends introspective lyrics to shimmering beats. It’s almost unrealistic to imagine a crowd in a club screaming, “And when I say it, I’m born again.” (EDM isn’t the only electronic music genre that exhibits this emotional range. hyper pop and rage Sometimes we vacillate between hope and despair. )
It may seem unlikely, but EDM allows young people to put aside their pretense and be honest about their desires. It’s not a desire for dance, drugs, or even sex, but rather a strong yearning for meaning-making and interaction. The desire for deep communion is at the core of this genre’s subculture.
In my own story, EDM has always been associated with belonging and connection. I grew up during the height of EDM in the ’00s and ’10s. Skrillex soundtracked my high school angst. One boy showed off his gloves on his way home. It’s a show that uses fluorescent lights on your fingertips to light up in time with the music. It was the closest thing to feeling like someone’s muse hearing from another kid making beats on SoundCloud, “You inspired this remix.” Flux Pavilion’s remix of DJ Fresh’s “Gold Dust” started one of my closest friendships. Dubstep and melodic house were the common language.
Reflecting a decidedly metamodern direction, EDM is a place where nonchalance is abandoned in favor of serious expression. Young people are being honest about their most pressing needs. They may not have the answers, but they are asking the right questions. Here we are reminded of the oft-quoted words of Augustine: “You formed us for yourself, so our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.” EDM chronicles that restlessness, daring to hope that longing questions may finally be answered where they rest.
Source: Christ and Pop Culture – christandpopculture.com
