Time for a Tuneup

What do a police officer, protective parents, and a ’90s rock song have in common? They’re all ways to break up a party. While police officers or parents may cause a visible scene, playing the wrong track is an equally effective, if more subtle, way to kill the mood.

From the regrettable “Barbie Girl” played at the Freshman Formal to the questionable playlist at “Sweet and Nasty,” Harvard’s party scene has seen more than its share of musical faux pas. The standard party features Lil Wayne, Ludacris, or even—heaven forbid—a Kelly Clarkson single. Almost no DJ, however, seems to play the kind of music that can actually get people’s feet moving—electronic dance music.

Electronic dance music, in its different forms—from techno, to house, to electro—has already taken over the club scene in Europe and the Mediterranean region. The world’s top clubs are concentrated in this area, and for good reason. The music played there supplies a unique beat that slowly builds up, tantalizing the senses, before erupting with euphoria, bringing together everybody in the crowd in musical rapture. Often the simple works best—a common theme in techno music, for example, is the repetition of a few lyrics, over and over, set against a continuous buildup of sound.

The best part of electronic dance music, though, is its versatility. It can satisfy a variety of different tastes, including either soft or hard beats and ranging in content from forbidden love stories to journeys of self-exploration. For math geeks, “Infinity 2008” by Guru Josh Project is sure to get you on your feet. Romantics should give “C’est Beau La Bourgeosie” by Discobitch a try. People into the Middle Eastern club scene will find a winner in Beirut Biloma’s “I Wanna Dance in Beirut.” And for those still in love with the ’70s, Bob Sinclair offers a whole new twist on that decade. Even movie buffs get a share with DJ Tiesto’s Titanic and Pirates of the Caribbean remixes.

It’s a shame that while Usher and Pink are household names, those with real talent like Tiesto, Paul van Dyke, and Armin van Buren remain unknown in the U.S. These musicians are the hottest names in techno in Europe, bringing to the dance scene more than just catchy rhymes and witty lyrics. As far as hit music goes, producers like Timbaland have proven that the beats make the song, and techno merely brings this idea to its logical apotheosis.

The unprecedented success the genre has met within Europe puts us to shame. And, beyond the music itself, it’s embarrassing that, while European DJs sample from musical traditions all over the world, America’s Top 40 often refuses to look beyond its own borders (resulting in infinite permutations of the same sugary mock-country tracks).

It’s time for the dance scene here to catch up—especially at Harvard, where parties leave a bit to be desired. Next time you find yourself awkwardly bobbing to the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” for the millionth time, ask the DJ to turn up the Tiesto.


Elias A. Shaaya ’12, a Crimson editorial writer, lives in Greenough Hall.