Electronic Music Dance party craze taking the Kenyan scene by storm

                               A DJ spinning at an EDM party Photo:Standard

Sex, drugs, alcohol and everything electronic are the main servings at these popular uptown shindigs. Forget all you saw in the Pombe Bhangi video; these are the real rocker, orgy parties, writes ESTHER MUCHENE

They may be not walking barefoot on broken glasses or drinking blood. It’s nothing devilish...but wait!

Sex orgies, smoke filled rooms and the sound of hard electronic guitars blaring as young party lovers fill themselves with liquor is not your usual rave treat. This is EDM, Electronic Dance Music... the Kenyan chapter.

It’s a quarter past nine when we arrive at a house tucked neatly into a cul-de-sac in one of the neighbourhoods in Karen. We have been invited to one of the monthly house party gigs. It’s been almost a year since these parties started and the craze has been catching on in many uptown neighbourhoods.

In here, it is an energy-filled private party with electronic music as the main attraction. Happening by the pool, young kids in swim suits and the latest trends dance away to the electrifying sounds as the strobe and neon lights create a ‘spacey’ kind of effect. The alcohol flows freely; it becomes evident that these are young kids doing a private thing. There are no older people, not even parents.

Besides alcohol, shisha and other substances are wafting through the air. Everyone is smoking and dancing. As it approaches midnight, the tempo is in overdrive and the party gets crazier and raunchier. The teens start making out casually in different spots. Everything is laid bare, and no one cares!

“Yah, you can say that,” Chris Kaigwa a member of Usual Suspekts, the group behind the popular but controversial video Pombe Bhangi weighs in with regard to whether the song is a true reflection of EDM parties.

“You will find guys mostly smoking ‘weed’ at such parties. Usually, there is a lot of alcohol and other drugs at EDM bashes. It’s very easy for a guy or a girl to get laid because they are totally intoxicated,” he says, chuckling.

“Pombe Bhangi is just one of our projects. As underground artistes, you have to make a statement, which we did. All this is happening,” Chris warns.

Popular with young kids in the middle and upper classes, EDM, an electronic music sub-genre that was adopted into the American club scene in 2010, is becoming the new party cool in Nairobi. Much of what happens at such EDM parties happens at most of the other private and uptown bashes, so the misconception that EDM is worse than the rest is creating a negative perception about the underground lifestyle.

But that’s not all that EDM is about. With newcomer artistes, DJs hyping the new sub-genre and even songs that are making it big in the international market, EDM is slowly carving its own niche on the local showbiz scene. In fact, EDM parties are now becoming a major craze among the youth, especially during school holidays.

“I personally do appreciate EDM but I don’t find it being appreciated as much out there. The popularity has diminished and it cannot be compared to what it was when it started. EDM is not an appreciated genre here in Kenya and as a result of this, most of the underground EDM bands, DJs and lovers lack recognition. Like in any other genre, this makes it quite difficult for an artiste or DJ to score a gig,” EDM DJ Bryce shares.

Sharing the same sentiment is Bass Assylum, a group made up of Wes and Benji - who began producing this creative genre of music early last year.

“Honestly, it’s not been that great. Most Kenyans think we are trying to imitate Western culture. Some are even surprised that we can produce quality tracks to international standards. Plus most of the experienced EDM DJs in the country aren’t willing to support us,” they say.

The lack of airplay is dealing a blow to EDM enthusiasts who are forced to remain underground.

“Many DJs play Avicii’s and Calvin Harris’ songs on radio and in clubs but forget that there are also local artistes who have produced good EDM tracks. Lack of exposure is a big problem. We rely on online presence through sites like Soundcloud and Facebook. As a female in EDM, it is hard to be taken seriously because most people believe it is male-dominated as most popular EDM artistes are male. Another challenge is that since I am female, I am expected to be raunchy in my lyrics and videos,” Sally, an upcoming EDM artiste remarks.

“It’s hard for Kenyans to absorb something new from their own country so it takes time to be known. But patience pays, it took us almost three years to be known,” Lectronica Circle reveal.

With little local support, talented EDM minds are taking their music to Europe and Australia where the market is more receptive.

“Our music is on international EDM charts like Beatport and Juno. Two of our songs, Chicken Pox and Shaka Zulu, were number three and four in Austria last year. In March last year, our track Rock the Bit**es was top 70 in Europe alongside huge artistes. Our track Chain Smoker was at number 56 in October. And we also have songs on iTunes,” David of the group Letronica shares.

The industry that is dominated by young people between the ages of 16 and 25 is not short of upcoming artistes and DJs who meet at house parties, private events like Daylight Insomnia and Jump Off and certain Nairobi clubs like the Loft and Ichonic on certain days.