By Owen Head and Kieran Hadfield - Two 17 year olds on work experience at the Ocelot. As the youngest members, we have been assigned the task of explaining to the rest of our team as well as Ocelot readers a concept that puzzles them, EDM.
Together, we have been able to break down this complicated universe of new vocabulary that may be completely alien to the parents and grandparents of these rave-bunnies. So with the help of this guide, you’ll know what to say when you hear your grandson ask where Molly is.
What is EDM?
It’s defined as a genre of music, made up of loads of sub-genres with stupid names. Each separate sub-genre of EDM or electronica as it is also known, is classified by the BPM (beats per minute) of the music. For example, House music is usually around 126-130 BPM where as Trap music is around 135-175 BPM. 
Dubstep Another sub-genre of EDM, is essentially the noise of transformers making love; the different tempo is controlled by the passion involved. In other words, heavy hitting bass-lines with a slower tempo than most of EDM at around 70 BPM in most ‘songs’. Trance Considered the apogee of intellectual music, Trance, as the name suggests, has a fairly psychedelic feel to it, but be careful, if you listen to too much of it, you will be ‘tranced out’, according to the intelligentsia of today. Acid Similar to Trance, is slightly more popular with Hippies because as the name would suggest, love is not the only thing being shared around. Molly (MDMA) and E’s (Ecstasy) are frequently taken to ‘enhance the musical experience’. This often results in what is referred to as ‘the rolling face’, as your head bounces uncontrollably to a repetitive beat, with your pupils larger than life. 
The academia that attend these ‘soirees’ are often referred to as ‘rave-bunnies’, as they hop and twerk to their heart’s content, in their bright neon clothing. You may also find them at these raves wearing the traditional ‘Kandi’ (chunky bracelets worn as a sign of respect) as they shuffle to these ‘filthy tracks’ and ‘bangers’. These are innovative terms used to describe their favourite songs. However, the most important thing to follow as a member of the EDM community is PLURNT (peace, love, unity, respect; now twerk). This motto transcends into the hearts and minds of the listeners, no more so than at the drop, a word assigned to the moment in a song when the tempo increases and the bass kicks in. We hope this guide has been informative to those of you who were in the dark about the light shows. Below is a further glossary explaining a few more terms that you may hear a ravester chanting. Glossary House - American-electro style, with electronic synths and percussion instruments. 125-130 BPM Techno – faster than House music (140 BPM) with a futuristic, funky beat. Electro – A type of House, generally upbeat and dance orientated. Drum ‘n’ Bass – Fastest form of EDM, characterised by very dark, heavy sounds, with lots of bass. Trap Music – Generally seen as a rap-style without the main vocals along with a Dubstep influence. Tempos range widely form 135-175 BPM. Rave - any gathering of people centred around listening to and dancing to electronic music, as played by a set of live DJs. Roadman – someone who tends to put their need to smoke weed above their education, and tend to hang around shady areas listening to EDM & Rap music through a speaker their mum got them on their last birthday. You can identify them by their typical tracksuit look, and their tendency to duck when police turn the corner. Filthy track/banger – Terms used by roadmen to describe a song they hold in high-regard. Twerk – The rhythmic movements of the gluteals, in a raised position, a dance move designed to cause sexual arousal, after its popularisation by Miley Cyrus. PLURNT – Stands for Peace, Love, Unity, Respect, Now Twerk. The motto used by Rave Bunnies and DJs to describe their lifestyle. E.g. “I live the PLURNT lyfe”. Drop – When the beat becomes faster and the music louder, in a normal song would be the final chorus. Kandi – A colourful chunky friendship bracelet, that people often give to each other at raves. Light shows – A dance using glow sticks or micro-lights often performed at raves.
