Blog

Can You Feel It – How Dance Music Conquered the World

In 2018, my wife and I watched a documentary that was so good that we ended up watching it twice. Can You Feel It – How Dance Music Conquered the World dives deep into the evolution of dance music (yes, I still call it that—a nod to my age!) through three perspectives: the music, the club, and the DJ.

Directed by James Giles and Nico Wasserman, this 3-part series is a masterclass in storytelling, mapping the journey of electronic music from its origins to its global dominance. The documentary struck a chord with me, especially when it explored the techno pioneers.

Hearing from artists like Jeff Mills, I couldn’t help but feel connected to their quiet, science-fiction-loving personalities. It’s fascinating how these quiet and reserved individuals created groundbreaking ‘noise’. That’s what I like about music – it’s best not to judge a book by its cover.

Quiet Geeks, Big Noise

I’ve heard these pioneers play before, but listening to them talk rather than perform made me realise that (us) quiet people love making noise! These early innovators were experimental, pushing boundaries with limited tools.

I wonder what they’d think of today’s world, where AI, competing DAWs and DJ software like DJ Studio, which is automating music programming and mixing, make it so easy to create. Are we genuinely innovating, or just standing on the shoulders of giants?

It is worth watching when next on iPlayer, I could only find the third episode, which is focused on the DJ:

Yo-Yoing Across the Atlantic

The series also does a great job of showing how dance music has yo-yoed between America and Britain.

It’s a fascinating cultural exchange from disco’s birth in the U.S. to the UK’s rave culture and back again with EDM’s rise. I’ve experienced this first-hand, having worked in Detroit and lived in New York. Comparing those scenes to London’s was an eye-opener. London felt more casual and friendly, whereas New York’s scene at the time carried an assumption: if you liked dance music, you were likely part of the LGBTQ+ community. I’m not, but I found it fascinating how music could be tied so strongly to identity.

Eventually, I gave up a free apartment in Manhattan and a paid job to return to London’s music scene. That’s a story for another time, but suffice it to say, London’s superior electonic scene (at the time!) won me back.

Getting back to the point, it’s like the UK was this small petri dish where American music and influence were thrown in, mixed with some political unrest and chemicals, and then shipped back to the U.S. once it was wild enough. We love to think we’re all conservative with our stiff upper lips, but just compare the electronic music scenes. Turns out we’re exactly that—crazy enough to make it work and then export it.

America’s Embrace

Fast forward to today, and it seems America has fully embraced electronic music in all its forms, with a market far bigger than the UK’s. But the journey wasn’t without its hiccups. One of my favourite moments in the documentary is how house and techno pioneers like Derrick May and Marshall Jefferson saw first-hand how we reacted to their music. At first, no one danced. Six months later, they had everyone going wild. Drugs played a role in fostering this free culture of expression, but music was always the driving force.

Check out this clip from the documentary about how rave culture came to the UK: How Rave Culture Came to the UK.

The Rise of the DJ

The documentary’s final part focuses on the DJ’s rise from the sideline act to centre stage. Norman Cook summed it up perfectly:

“There are two types of people in the world. Those who hear a record they like and play it repeatedly in their headphones. They’re called normal people.

Then there’s the other kind, who hear a record they like and have to play it to everybody else to enjoy it. They’re called DJs.”

Hearing from icons like David Guetta, Tiesto, and Moby, it’s clear how the DJ’s role has transformed. From Greg Wilson’s mixing demonstrations on The Tube to Paul Oakenfold’s legendary acid house nights, the DJ’s journey mirrors the evolution of the music itself.

Today, DJs are megastars, earning millions and influencing culture on a global scale. Yet, the isolated existence of touring life isn’t without its challenges, as highlighted by the tragic loss of Avicii.

Why It Matters Today

The themes of this documentary feel even more relevant now. In an age of AI and social media, where technology dominates creativity, it’s worth reflecting on the human connection that dance music fosters.

How do we keep the spirit of innovation alive when AI stops us from thinking? And how do we ensure the community vibe remains strong when social media algorithms increasingly mediate our connections and experiences?

Final Thoughts

Can You Feel It is a brilliant celebration of our continuously evolving subculture. It reminds us that while technology shapes electronic music, it’s the people who drive it forward—from the quiet geeks in their studios to the dancers on the floor.

I think it also balances well, starting with the quiet producers to the larger than life DJs. There’s a place in this industry for all of us, no matter your personality.

If you haven’t seen it yet, do yourself a favour and check it out. As Marshall Jefferson says, “You gotta have house music all night long.”