In this world, there are many types of music. For the genres, we have indie, pop, rock, hip hop, Jazz, EDM and so on. Have you ever wondered what EDM is? Some of us might not know what EDM is all about. It is the reality and fact that people cannot deny even though we live in the 21st century already.
EDM is short for Electronic Dance Music. It is a combination type of music mostly played during parties because of the fantastic beats. It includes electronic instruments and most of the beats will be repeated over and over but in a good way. When EDM is combined with pop songs, the carpooling thing gets into another level of fun. The type of music sometimes affects our feelings so that is one of many reasons I am in awe of EDM. Most of them are high in volume and give you zest in doing things. When I was searching for loud music to boost my spirit, I tried rock but unfortunately, it was too loud for my liking so I changed into EDM and it fitted well with me.
Listening to EDM is like swimming in the sea, you might feel afraid to dive in the water but the view is so mesmerizing and can leave you speechless. The music makes you feel the uniqueness of the instruments combined to produce a complete set of wonderful melody.
EDM is divided into three genres which are House Music, Techno Music, and Trance Music. The House Music gives off a warm sort of vibe and adds some positive feeling in the air. Techno Music is mostly about a mechanical kind of thing which gives a futuristic vibe. Lastly, Trance Music is a hypnotic genre of music to make the melody as the focus.
If you are searching for EDM music for the first time, I would like to recommend some of my favorite EDM DJs or their music. Based on most Top 10 or Top 20 EDM DJs, you will easily find Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Zedd, The Chainsmokers, Marshmello, Kygo, and the list go on. These DJs have their styles that represent their identities. There is this particular DJ that rarely found on a higher list but his music is a true art for me. He is Illenium.
Illenium’s music video or VEVO is not that famous but his music is something. I would like to recommend his music which is “Crawl Outta Love”, “Crashing” and “Good Things Fall Apart”. His music is good for a relaxed evening kind of setting as it gives out some sort of steady beats which is not too high and not too low.
Illenium released his music, Ashes, and he got his fame from there. It hit number 6 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart and number 19 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. He won Remix of the Year at the 2017 Electronic Music Awards for his “Say It” Flume remix and performed at the Electronic Music Awards show in the same year.
Let’s move to a very famous DJ currently, Martin Garrix, who is a Dutch DJ. His music, Animal, became famous when he was around eighteen which is quite outstanding. He is so passionate about his career and loves seeing others happy with his performance. He never gave up as he still did his performance even though his leg did not fully recover from an incident that occured. This tells a lot about his achievement as he is a determined person. He has also made collaborated with famous singers such as Bebe Rexha, Dua Lipa, Troye Sivan, and Bonn.
Did you know that Europe is where EDM grew bigger? Europe was already dancing in EDM when the US just woke up from their ignorance and developed their talents and then the DJs were born there after a while. That was when Calvin Harris did his collaboration with famous US singers namely Rihanna, Ellie Goulding, and Florence. Their songs took over the charts and Pop EDM was born.
How about Malaysia? I know that EDM is already grown among the youngsters in this country. Would you like to try it? Ask yourself and work for it because anything could happen. I wish you the best of luck.
Written by Anis Soya
Edited by Izzah Arrina
Cue that Electronic Dance Music!
With a bunch of music coming out each day, we tend to get overwhelmed by the options so let me help by breaking it down. A genre you truly can’t miss out on is EDM. A shorthand for electronic dance music, EDM is a staple for any party, festival or rave. EDM is the fountainhead of countless sub-genres like electro, techno, house, trance, drum and bass. These stylistic variations within the EDM genre is undeniably the reason why it has become so popular along with its widespread magnetism and minimalistic yet appealing qualities.
Sound has always been a big part in establishing a mood, may it be a party or just when you\’re lounging around the house, and EDM with its bass drops and catchy lyrics is the perfect pick me up. It’s also a great accompaniment for doing homework in the wee hours of the night (we’ve all been there). Let’s not forget if you are equipped with really good imagination, you can literally be transported to a whole other place, a happy place, if you may, with the rhythm and the rich melody, depending on the edm music you’re listening to. In my case, with a good bop I can legitimately feel like I\’m on top of the world. The music truly helps stimulate your imagination, especially if you’re feeling down or gloomy.
Generally, music is seen as an escape from the real world and also as a great way to express emotions or ideas. All the big names in EDM like Martin Garrix, Tiësto, Zedd and Steve Aoki all use their music as a tool to convey their innermost thoughts. They pride in having their music be a reflection of themselves albeit sometimes taking inspiration from the people around them or even each other! In 2004, Martin Garrix expressed an interest in becoming a DJ only after seeing the Dutch DJ Tiësto perform at that year\’s Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony in Athens.
Although EDM may not be the most widespread genre in Malaysia, it is still one of the more popular genres people tend to gravitate towards. There are even events that are specifically geared toward the EDM crowd like the NEON Countdown that was held in Port Dickson late last year. Its unique conceptualisation of combining UV paint with cool stage decorations creates a scene that you could only imagine in a sci-fi blockbuster movie. Other notable events are the Maya Music Festival in Thailand and the Sunburn Festival in India.
Our taste in music is heavily influenced by our upbringing and also our outlook on life which is why we all have such varying tastes in music. Luckily for us, the music industry is well saturated with talented and amazing artists all eager to share their music with the world. Hence, is EDM is your niche, own it and be proud! Don\’t forget to check out Nadi’s instagram stories for awesome recommendations of some well-known or obscure EDM gems.
Written by Nina
Edited by Izzah Arrina