Insights in Music and Culture
The Spiritual Roots of Electronic Dance Music (Part 2)
This article continues on from the Part 1 which describes the evolution of Electronic Dance Music’s (EDM) spiritual roots. Part 2 expands on this understanding, outlining the musical tropes that evolve from ritual, used within House music, and developed into modern EDM. These tropes are included within a philosophy for music creation and performance which aims for altered states, such as experiences of trance, ecstasy, and euphoria. This modern evolution comprises new music technologies, performance approaches, and sounds, incorporated within modern music events and festivals.
The Evolution of Consciousness Through Music
How can music help us uncover our highest potential? This article explores this question through the lens of Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Largely misrepresented, recent studies suggest that Maslow’s highest human value was not self-actualisation (an expression of personal potential and ego) but self-actualisation, an experience beyond the ego through peak experience and communion with others. Music contributes to these higher goals by offering access to higher states, such as ‘flow’ described by Milhaly Csikszentmihalyi. Musical flow states offer a way participate in higher human ideals, moving beyond selfishness, egotism, and conformity to contribute to the evolution of human potential, health, and development.
The Spiritual Quest of Art: Music as Symbol of Consciousness
What is the role of music and art in our society ? This article explores the different ways we create music and art, suggesting a distinction between utilitarian and symbolic art that has a powerful effect on culture. The article maintains that music created as symbol is an expression of the consciousness of the artist and culture, and provides greater benefit for the society because it enables the deep contemplation of universal archetypes that develop and evolve us and our communities.
