Experiencing Electronic Dance Floors

The musical attributes of electronic dance music (sub)genres are interconnected with various socio-aesthetic “vibes” rooted in the communal dance experience. While the dance floor is recognised as the “ground zero” of electronic dance music cultures, due to the irrational nature of the experience it is often described as a black box that short-circuits further analysis. This analytical obstacle can be overcome by acknowledging that this apparent void comes from an interaction of mediations that are applied in particular ways within the various genres and scenes, which draws attention to the media ecologies of electronic dance floors. This argument is explored through the comparative ethnographic research of the techno and psytrance scenes in Melbourne, Australia. The data collection is primarily focused on participant descriptions of the mediations of dance floors, incorporating sonic structures, chemical effects, environmental arrangements and partygoer interactions. This methodology is adopted to fit a broader theoretical scope: the empirically based exploration of Baudrillard’s media theory.