”Sounds wholly or predominantly characterised by the emission of a succession of repetitive beats.”

That’s a quotation from the British Criminal Justice and Public Order Act in 1994. This wide-ranging Act effectively made it illegal to organise outdoor parties that played electronic dance music, which was defined in section 63(1)(b) in the United Kingdom. Nobody knew back then that Post-war Britain was trying to rebuilt itself on a wave of scientific and industrial breakthroughs. This period in the 60’was one of sweeping change and experimentation where art and culture participated in and reflected the wider social changes. In this atmosphere was born the Electronic Music Studios (EMS), a radical group of avant-garde electronic musicians who utilized technology and experimentation to compose a futuristic electronic sound-scape for the New Britain. I higly recommend the 27min. doc.’What The Future Sounded Like’ (VIDEO) or just go and see Kraftwerk (VIDEO) or Jean Michel Jarre (VIDEO). 25 years later a new generation of American, British, Dutch, Swedish, German and French DJs and producers are at the forefront of a global electronic dance music revolution. House music that originated in the American city of Chicago in the early 1980s. With developments in Detroit with it’s certain type of techno music. London’s Essential Mix and Progressive House sound. Frankfurt, Germany of what is regarded the birthplace of trance music in 1990’s. And recent developments in Berlin and Bristol with it’s Innervisions, Ostgut Ton, Tresor, Minus sound and Bristol’s cross-pollination of dubstep, house, and techno. Just like the Tulip story: “tulips are often associated with the Netherlands but the commercial cultivation of the flower actually began in the Ottoman Empire”, the Trance sound and electronic music sound in general is capitalised (VIDEO) by the Dutch where it’s dance scene has an annual turnover of €587 million and created global talents in the like of Armin van Buuren, Tiësto, Afrojack, Ferry Corsten, Hardwell, Sander van Doorn, Fedde le Grand, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Laidback Luke, Headhunterz and Nicky Romero. Dutch festival promotor ID&T which has been organizing dance festivals for 20 years got bought last week for 75 percent by SFX Entertainment for a $102 million deal in cash and stock. The biggest deal so far in the electronic music dance market. It will give SFX a major foothold on the global festival circuit as it tries to build a $1 billion media empire centered on Dance. To be continued…. Have Fun MIAMI (VIDEO) (Photo copyright Closer productions)