Smashing Electrons

At worst, electronic music is repetitive and uninspired; at best, it’s fresh, catchy, and extremely danceable. Familiar cadences provide a soundtrack for the audiences’ collective high or surprising mixes enliven the crowd. The audience of individuals bopping their heads on their personal cloud nine can be transformed by masterful DJs who provide the kiss that wakes sleeping beauty, reviving her with hip grinding moves and waving arms.

The major acts touted at Electron, Geneva’s 8^th annual festival of electronic music, represented the crème de la crème—Diplo, Caribou, Beardyman. Most everyone else was forgettable, even in the moment. Venues emptied and filled in response to quality or lack thereof, showing that despite the hour and possibly altered reality, the audience remained discerning. In true Francophone fashion, the revelers had a commitment to smoking not seen since the canton-wide ban came into effect in late 2009.

By Erika Anderson