Summary

Unbeknownst to most, Electronic Dance Music (EDM) has spiritual roots. The article explores the beginnings of House music and its evolution into modern EDM. It argues that house music develops from African American and Latino sub-cultures who desired freedom of expression, connection with a higher power, and strengthening of ancestral ties to Africa and Latin America. Written in two-parts, this article outlines the philosophy of altered states and trance at the core of musical and technological advancements in EDM, leading to its modern cultural and contextual evolution.