Sometimes when you hear a particular song or lyric you are immediately transported back in time and can clearly remember how you were feeling and what you were doing at that particular moment or point in life. A certain song can evoke vivid memories from times past, whether it was the summer you fell in love for the first time, the song you played on repeat through a horrible breakup or the song that would become the theme from a bachelor or bachelorette weekend that you’ll never forget. The role of music in self-reflection is indeed powerful and unmatched.
This concept was highlighted sneak peek screening of an upcoming documentary release called the Global Groove Network (GGN). The film, directed by fellow YP Courtney James, explores how music shapes identity. It examines the young adult years, and how you meet and bond with the people in your life through the communal experience of music. For today’s young professionals, this could be everything from a nostalgic acoustic guitar jam session around a campfire (Tragically Hip, anyone?) to large-scale music festivals like Coachella, Burning Man or this week’s Digital Dreams.
Telling a strong story about community, the Global Grove Network was six years in the making. James narrates the film, reflecting on his life and how the electronic music scene in the 90s shaped him through the friends he met and shared the rave revolution within Toronto at that time. Whether you are an avid electronic music fan or not, the documentary provides incredible insight on the electronic music scene (as well as the other music genres) through his eyes as the perspectives from some of the top global electronic music talent (over 60 DJs, including the likes of Pete Tong, Sander Kleinenberg and DJ Dan) who participated in the film. The documentary manages to successfully demonstrate how people are moved by the power of music and highlights its affect on us as a society and in defining periods in our lives.
Global Groove Network also conveys how the tribal unity that dance music promotes has a positive message and encourages people of all races and religions to unite together with the common understanding that sometimes you need to get lost in music. It reveals how global dance music can be without the use of a lyrical message; instead, it allows people to go beyond verbal communication and discover that sense of connection through the power of primal sensibilities of the senses. The idea of eye contact and body movement connecting people placated through this tribal beat is something revealed to be exceptionally powerful and unique.
With the increased influence of electronic music on popular music in the past year, and the relevance of dance music in recent years with the big time success of artists such Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Benny Benassi and Skrillex topping the charts and producing music for the biggest pop acts globally, the release of The Global Groove Network (GGN) comes at an interesting time. The power of the bass beat has never been so evident throughout the world, as well as in Toronto this summer, with huge festivals such as Digital Dreams, Identity, and VELD filling up the summer concert listings. These festivals have also been embraced with big sponsorship dollars from companies like Rogers and numerous liquor and energy drinks are hoping to capitalize on these young adults gone temporarily wild.
Stay tuned as we reveal more of the power of this music as well as other genres with an exclusive interview with the director of Global Groove Network as he preps for his film festival tour that begins in the fall and carries into 2013. Through the coming months we will bring you the lowdown on upcoming screenings at special venues throughout the city as well as your chance to score FREE tickets to upcoming screenings.
The film has made us want to delve a little more deeply in to what we as young adults consider the soundtrack to our lives. We’re asking Notable readers: what’s your soundtrack? We want to hear what music shaped your life and left undeniable impressions or memories of summers past, from summer camp to your first concert or rave. At the end of the summer, we will reveal our top 50 tracks selected as we compile the ultimate soundtrack for Labour Day Weekend that defines what summer means for the YP. Which tracks changed your life and have the power to transport you back to that special summer? Let us know in the comments section below or Tweet us @NotableCA.
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