We examine the growing role of image in what has traditionally been a faceless art.
Giant mouse heads, flamboyant tribal masks, or simply donning your favourite t-shirt; the fact is that in an age where the DJ has never been more visable, image plays an important part in the modern jocks performance. Some embrace it wholesale, arguably putting more thought behind how they look than how they sound, while for others it’s more of an inconvenience that people demand to see as well as hear their show.
Here, Defected’s Ben Lovett looks at the ever-changing role of image in the world of the DJ and speaks to some of the key players in the scene...
Earlier this year, veteran DJ-producer Andrew Weatherall talked to Defected about masking himself with hats, scarves and sunglasses. He was a young kid at the time facing his first ever photo-shoot and – far from creating a look – seeking to bury himself. Weatherall wanted to hide in the shadows. It’s a position that’s stayed with him ever since: “The extra attention doesn’t help me make the music I want.”
Ironically, today’s electronic stars are wearing masks to show off. Or at least help them project an image. In the case of SBTRKT, the dub-step, Chicago house-flecked alias of London-based music-maker Aaron Jerome, masks are there to facilitate anonymous performance: “[I’d] rather not talk about myself as a person, and let the music speak for itself.” But they are still being used to engage audiences and publicise.
Jerome (although it’s widely assumed that this is his real name, he will confirm neither this nor his age) works closely with designer and visual art director A Hidden Place to create SBTRKT’s signature headwear, a modern twist on the ceremonial masks from ancient native societies. “SBTRKT is very involved in the process; he is very visual. He would never wear a mask he doesn’t like” A Hidden Place explains. “I never set out to set him an image or identity, that’s something that came about more through the idea of his anonymity; the fact of wanting the focus to fall on the music and trying to avoid all the kind of tabloid-style music blogging. Ironically, it gave people something to write about and then eventually the identity became even more widely known... [it] just so happens to be a mask instead of a face.”
A Hidden Place’s working relationship with SBTRKT has grown stronger over time and whilst he has more control of the artistic process than before, it’s clear that the latter remains keen to help steer the direction of his identity. “Visually SBTRKT can now sort of leave it to me to design in a way that’s reflective of his tastes and influences” A Hidden Place confirms. “It’s great to be able to put something together and you already know that they are going to be into it. It’s a constant dialogue we’ve kept going that keeps evolving. It’s exciting to be able to work with someone like that.”
The fact of the matter is that in today’s light-speed, non-stop, fully digital-saturated industry a significant number of artists have been forced to consider ideas and activity beyond their music in order to secure it necessary standout – creative and financial. Music alone doesn’t always cut it.
It’s a reality that house, disco and soulful dance guru Dimitri From Paris sadly concedes. “My job as a DJ gets harder and harder. It’s much harder these days to push the music you know and love, and that your audience doesn’t,” he says. “Music is so accessible and people have a keener sense of what they want to hear, which means if you don’t play the recognised tracks you’re likely to disappear.”
He continues: “Today is a victory for convenience and the smartphone. People digest a lot of music via phone and download, and the quality is horrible but they’re content. They’re taking pictures of DJs wherever they go as well. That’s fine to a point but when the coverage goes too far outside of the club then the music is getting lost. DJs are becoming celebrities for the crowd.”
Dimitri has carefully embraced the idea of style and persona in order to protect and further his musical ambitions. “I am a container, a vessel for the music” he explains. “By cultivating an image I have been able to raise the profile of what I play. I’ve done it so that I don’t compromise my musical beliefs, I can’t play what I don’t believe in. But my image augments what I am about musically; that gives me my audience, and an opportunity to share the records that I love.”
Dimitri started to appreciate the power of image when he commandeered his first mix CD for Playboy back in 1999 – A Night At The Playboy Mansion. Further, similarly-styled Playboy compilations followed in 2002 (After The Playboy Mansion) and 2008 (Return To The Playboy Mansion), and have helped the artist maintain control of his unique disco-driven agenda.
“Playboy made sense to me” he reflects. “I liked their image and their idea of lifestyle; it was consistent with my own tastes. I didn’t need to compromise anything but had an opportunity to associate with some nice artwork and packaging... to play up my own sense of fashion and create a fun, cool persona that audiences would latch on to and unequivocally listen to.”
It’s clear just how much the music means to him. Does he ever wish that things could go back to how they were, when BPMs sounded louder than camera whirs and clicks? Does he miss having a scene shaped and judged solely by its grooves?
“Sadly, those days are more or less gone. DJs and producers can’t just be about music any longer” he stresses. “There are some great DJs out there, playing great music in shorts and flip-flops because that’s what they feel comfortable in, but I find it unfortunate they never get heard. I sometimes wish I could still hide in a dark corner of the club as in the beginning. I’ve always felt a little uncomfortable DJing, people staring at me and expecting some kind of show. I’m just there to play the music not pull rabbits out of hats! But the reality today is different, there has to be more. Ultimately, I don’t mind some focus on style as long as it’s appropriate and truly is an extension (or facet) of my personality. I still buy my bow-ties on eBay; I’m waiting on one in the post today. But it’s subtle stuff; a small piece of someone deep into their music.”
On the contrary, New Dehli artists Gaurav Malaker and Avinash Kumar, who perform together as live AV electronica duo BLOT (Basic Love Of Things), consider image an irrelevance. In their view, DJs and producers have a greater opportunity to stand out from clubland’s outwardly-obsessed crowd if they simply remain true to their musical and creative passions.
“I think we have moved into a time and space, globally, where what stands out as authentic style goes deeper than image and people can differentiate between branding for branding's sake and real identity” Malaker suggests. “We have never made a conscious attempt to stylize our performances or ourselves beyond what has happened naturally as a pursuit of sensorial ideas that excite us in some way - whether it’s through the music, visuals, scenography, communication design or thematic narratives. For us, it’s just important to be ourselves, and let our internal journeys lead the way to external style.”
Kumar adds: “The electronic music space is so crowded now, that artists consciously searching for fringe style and brand equity are fighting a losing battle. Style that's artistic, personal and not over-simplified can go a long way in establishing artists within the audience's head. People love the opportunity to create their own personal image of a musician, which is why we try and put out a lot of work across a lot of conceptual spaces and types of media. This makes us mean different things to different people.”
Fast-rising Spanish tech-house specialist Kramnik is another within the burgeoning electronic community who has abandoned conscious styling. He blames the rise of mainstream media in encouraging such relentless focus on appearance but does believes a fine distinction can be made between what he feels is frivolous DJ image and hard-working DJ brand.
“It’s obvious some people think there’s something magically musical about a DJ that looks like a homeless crack addict” he remarks. “And of course, some of the mainstream (dance) press is to blame for this. Dance music only makes sense when it remains underground and style-free. Otherwise it’s just pop music, where style matters more than content. On the other hand, I think the actual brand surrounding a DJ is absolutely vital, and it’s why I’ve upgraded my own logo through an online design contest on my site, and had competitions for the covers of my two new Dark Matters Remixes [Volume 1 & 2] releases.”
Dance music PR Sarah Favouritizm attempts, finally, to put the entire topic into perspective. “Style has always gone hand in hand with popular music culture and lifestyle trends. Image has always been important for artists; you’ve gotta stand out to get noticed. But it’s a tribal thing too; the masses want to dress like the acts that they love. I guess for a number of recent years, dance music culture has been accepting of just a bloke in a t-shirt playing decks instead of sporting a frilly shirt and wearing eye-liner. But the scene has matured like all music scenes do and now people are suddenly questioning the style thing. But it’s nothing new.”
If it isn’t, then it’s certainly more emphatic than at any previous point in clubland’s rich history. For many years, the dancing public has embraced all manner of vivid fashions and identities in the name of early hours, escape from reality, dancefloor hedonism. But now the music makers themselves, forced by the changing media, economic and social landscapes around them, are investigating explicit new ways to engage their audiences and culture, and questioning whether their existing routines are effective enough to keep them relevant in the future.
What poses will our heroes strike next?
Words: Ben Lovett
Dimitri From Paris Back In The House is out 27th October
Kramnik releases Dark Matters EP Remixes Vol 1(featuring remixes by Ben Sims and Hernan Cattaneo) on Kram Records on September 20
BLOT’s album Snafu is out now on Qilla Records
