CLOCKWISE, ABOVE FROM LEFT. PHOTO: COURTESY OF Mad Decent; Dim Mak Records; Polydor; Interscope.Electric dance music is repetitive. There, we said it. It's brash and it's in your face, but it's rooted in a sonic history rich with escapism and community. Yes, it's been distilled to favor the drop over house beats that carry a crowd for hours on end, but it's still getting the people moving. And, Electric Daisy Carnival is where the die-hards and veterens come to show the first-timers how lush the scene really can be.
For what it's worth, the repetitiveness of it all can be a good thing. It gives DJs the freedom to remix crowd favorites into something new. You might be seeing a Zedd set and hear a Calvin Harris track. The crowd still goes wild for it because Harris' sounds miraculously blend with Zedd's. With that in mind, there are staples in the EDM scene that just have to be played or else a DJ runs the risk of a bad set. Ain't nobody in a sea of Day-Glo has time for a bad set. So, you might as well study up and memorize the beats before EDC arrives in Las Vegas on June 20. Consider this your pre-turn-up turn-up-function playlist. See you when you turn down.