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“The worst and biggest clown wannabe DJ 🤮”

That was Sven Väth’s reaction under a recent Instagram clip showing Argy behind the decks, swinging his headphone cable during his set. A few days earlier, Väth had also commented “Clowns 🤡!!!” under another post featuring Anyma and several other artists from the current melodic techno circuit. As of today, neither Väth nor Argy has publicly explained that exchange, so everything beyond the comments themselves remains interpretation.

And that distinction matters. It is easy to focus on the insult: it was public, personal, unnecessarily aggressive and did very little to explain what Sven Väth was actually criticising. You can criticise the act without attacking the person.

But once we move past the wording, there is a much more interesting conversation underneath it. Because plenty of people understood immediately what they thought Väth was reacting to: not necessarily Argy himself, but a version of modern DJ culture where the booth has increasingly become a stage, the DJ increasingly becomes the visual centre of the night, and a moment can sometimes seem designed as much for the phone camera as for the people standing in front of the speakers.

Whether that interpretation reflects Väth’s exact intention, we cannot know until he says so. But the argument exists regardless of Sven Väth and it leads somewhere much bigger.

So What Does Underground Actually Mean?

The easy version goes something like this:

Small club = underground. Arena = mainstream.
Unknown DJ = underground. Famous DJ = mainstream.
Independent label = underground. Major production = mainstream.

Except electronic music stopped being that simple a long time ago.

And let's take Argy himself. It is tempting to present this story as an old-school legend attacking a product of the new generation. But Argy has been releasing music for more than two decades. His Unreliable Virgin EP came out on Väth’s own Cocoon Recordings in 2007. Even more interestingly, in a 2015 VICE interview Argy spoke about avoiding gimmicks and distractions in his work, putting the emphasis on music that would last instead.

Of course, that does not prove anything about Argy in 2026, but it simply makes the old-versus-new story much less convenient. And perhaps that is exactly the problem with the word “underground”. We use it as though everybody agrees on what it means.

But do they? Is underground about the number of people listening?

Imagine an artist making uncompromising music for 300 people every weekend. Then the same music reaches 3,000 people. Then 30,000.

At which number does it stop being underground? Is it the first festival headline slot? The first viral clip? The first million streams? The first big booking fee? The first arena?

And if absolutely nothing about the music changes while the audience gets bigger, what exactly changed: the art, or its reach?

argy sven vath.png

Can Success Make You Mainstream?

Commercial success clearly matters. And it would be strange to pretend that an artist operating inside a huge global touring machine exists in exactly the same context as someone running DIY parties for 150 people.

Because scale changes things and money change things. Also, professional teams, agents, sponsors, global festivals and marketing budgets change things. But they still do not tell us everything.

An artist can be globally successful while taking musical risks. On other hand, another artist can play to 100 people while obsessively chasing status, bookings and online attention.

Similarly, a tiny event can be driven by community, but it can also be driven by ego. A giant festival can feel impersonal, but it can also give somebody one of the most meaningful musical experiences of their life.

This is where “underground” starts looking less like a fixed category and more like several different things mixed together.

There is underground as scale: small audiences and limited visibility.

There is underground as infrastructure: independent labels, DIY promoters, alternative spaces and local networks.

There is underground as sound: music outside the dominant commercial language.

And then there is perhaps the most interesting version: underground as culture,
which translates to: community, curiosity, risk, participation, respect for the people making the records, a dancefloor that matters as much as the person behind the decks.

Of course, those things can overlap, but they do not always. Which means an artist could theoretically become mainstream in reach without completely abandoning underground values. And somebody else could look perfectly “underground” while treating the scene purely as a career ladder.

When the DJ Became the Show

There is another reason this debate keeps returning: The role of the DJ has changed.

For much of club culture, the records, the sound system and the dancefloor were the spectacle. The DJ selected and controlled the journey, of course, but did not always need to physically dominate the room.

Today, at the highest commercial level, electronic shows often borrow as much from concert culture as club culture: huge stages, LED walls, cinematic visuals, pyrotechnics, close-up cameras, fashion, choreographed production moments, thousands of phones waiting for the drop.

And artists themselves now have to exist far beyond the booth. They are musicians, performers, content creators and brands at the same time.

Anyma is probably the clearest example of how far this can go. His End of Genesys shows at Sphere turned electronic music into a large-scale audiovisual narrative, combining music, characters, technology and cinematic world-building. Anyma himself has openly described the visual side not as something separate from the music, but as a way of expanding the world around it and bringing his sound to audiences beyond the traditional electronic scene.

And that is important, because it complicates the argument again. Visual spectacle does not automatically mean musical emptiness, and social media does not automatically mean lack of artistic intention. A DJ dancing, performing or understanding how cameras work does not automatically make them less serious about music.

So, the harder question is one of balance: When does performance support the music? And when does the music start becoming background material for the performance? Does swinging a headphone cable actually hurt anybody’s experience?

Probably not by itself... but if DJs increasingly feel they need a recognisable gesture, outfit, breakdown, camera moment or viral clip to remain visible, then something more structural may be happening.

Then, the DJs are no longer simply performing to the dancefloor... they are also performing to the feed.

But Underground Can Become a Brand Too

Before the old-school side gets too comfortable, there is another problem. “Underground” has its own image too: black clothes, dark rooms, no cameras, vinyl, concrete, secret locations, lmited information, serious faces.

Those things may come from genuine culture, but they can also become marketing tools. There is nothing stopping somebody from carefully manufacturing an underground identity in exactly the same way another artist manufactures a superstar identity. Mystery and anti-commercialism can become branding. Even refusing branding can become branding. So authenticity cannot simply be measured by how dark the club is or how little an artist posts on Instagram.

And nostalgia deserves some resistance too. Many DJs now treated as symbols of underground culture became international stars themselves. They toured globally, appeared on major festival lineups, built labels, developed recognisable identities and made successful careers from music.

Of course, success itself cannot be the crime. Otherwise underground culture would have to reject almost anybody who becomes good enough, lucky enough or loved enough to grow beyond it.

But there is also an uncomfortable hypothetical: If Instagram, TikTok and today’s production technology had existed during the formative years of previous generations, would every underground legend have refused them?

We cannot know. And pretending we do is another form of nostalgia.

DVS1: What If We Are Asking the Wrong Question?

And this is where DVS1 becomes particularly relevant. Not because he provides the official definition of underground. Nobody does. But because he has spent years questioning what happens when the individual artist becomes more important than the ecosystem around them. His position is also more nuanced than simply “old school is good, modern culture is bad”.

Back in 2014, DVS1 was already writing about the tension between art and entertainment, phones, self-promotion and the changing behaviour of artists and audiences. But even then, he explicitly acknowledged that the past cannot simply be recreated and that every generation experiences culture differently.

More than a decade later, his criticism has become even more relevant to this particular conversation.

In a 2026 interview, DVS1 argued that young artists now face constant pressure around social-media presence, viral moments and visibility. Importantly, he also acknowledged his own privileged position: he built his career before social media became a requirement and understands that younger artists operate under completely different conditions.

Then comes the line that changes this entire debate: “Music - and art in general - should not be a competition”.

And we should think about that for a second, because the "underground vs mainstream" debate is usually discussed exactly like a competition.

Who is more authentic? Who deserves respect? Who understands the culture? Who sold out? Who stayed real? Who won?

And perhaps that mindset is part of the problem. DVS1’s alternative has consistently been community.

Specificaly, his Support. Organize. Sustain. (S.O.S.) initiative was created around strengthening artistic culture and discussion rather than simply expanding the music “industry”. His Wall of Sound projects physically shift attention away from the DJ and back toward the sound system and the room.

And then there was Aslice. DVS1 founded the platform around a very practical contradiction in electronic music: touring DJs can earn significant money playing records made by producers who receive very little from those performances. Aslice allowed DJs to voluntarily share part of their fee with the producers whose tracks they played. It eventually closed in 2024 after struggling to achieve enough adoption and financial sustainability. But before shutting down, it distributed more than $422,000 from DJs to over 27,000 producers.

But its closure almost makes the example more interesting. Because talking about community is easy, but building an economic system around it is much harder. And that takes us far beyond whether one DJ swings a headphone cable.

So… Who Wins?

Underground or Mainstream? Sven Väth or Argy?

Now the question starts to feel really strange once you zoom out far enough, right? Because maybe there are several different battles happening at once: There is the battle for attention, the battle for bookings, the battle between physical and digital culture, the tension between artistic expression and entertainment, the tension between community and individual ambition, the tension between keeping something culturally rooted and allowing it to grow.

So perhaps the most useful question is not whether underground or mainstream wins.

Instead, ask "what remains when the attention disappears?".

Does the music still matter? Did the night create a real connection between people? Are artists supporting the scenes that gave them somewhere to grow? Are the people making the records valued alongside the people playing them? Does the dancefloor still belong to the dancers, or has it gradually become a background for the DJ? And can somebody become successful without believing that success makes everybody around them a competitor?

So, the most interesting line may sit somewhere between using attention and becoming dependent on it, between building a career and building only a profile, between performing for the crowd and performing for the camera, between growing beyond the underground and forgetting what made it valuable in the first place.

Of course, that line will be different for different people, which is probably why this debate will never completely disappear. But if we need somebody to “win” this debate, we may already be looking at music from the "wrong" perspective, through exactly the competitive lens DVS1 is questioning.

And a scene does not really need a winner. It needs people willing to keep it alive.

Stay connected with dancetoday - follow us on social media for the latest stories, insights, and news shaping the electronic dance music world.

1d:T7507,

“The worst and biggest clown wannabe DJ 🤮”

Αυτή ήταν η αντίδραση του Sven Väth κάτω από ένα πρόσφατο Instagram clip που έδειχνε τον Argy πίσω από τα decks, να παίζει με το καλώδιο των ακουστικών του κατά τη διάρκεια του set του. Λίγες ημέρες νωρίτερα, ο Väth είχε σχολιάσει επίσης “Clowns 🤡!!!” κάτω από ένα άλλο post στο οποίο εμφανίζονταν ο Anyma και αρκετοί ακόμη καλλιτέχνες από τη σημερινή melodic techno σκηνή. Μέχρι σήμερα, ούτε ο Väth ούτε ο Argy έχουν εξηγήσει δημόσια τη συγκεκριμένη αντιπαράθεση, οπότε οτιδήποτε πέρα από τα ίδια τα σχόλια παραμένει ερμηνεία.

Και αυτή η διάκριση έχει σημασία. Είναι εύκολο να σταθούμε στην προσβολή: ήταν δημόσια, προσωπική, αχρείαστα επιθετική και δεν εξηγούσε σχεδόν καθόλου τι ακριβώς ήθελε να κριτικάρει ο Sven Väth. Διότι, μπορείς να κριτικάρεις μια πράξη χωρίς να επιτίθεσαι στο πρόσωπο.

Αν όμως αφήσουμε για λίγο στην άκρη τον τρόπο που εκφράστηκε, από πίσω υπάρχει μια πολύ πιο ενδιαφέρουσα συζήτηση. Γιατί αρκετοί κατάλαβαν αμέσως τι θεώρησαν ότι ενόχλησε τον Väth: όχι απαραίτητα ο ίδιος ο Argy, αλλά μια εκδοχή της σύγχρονης DJ κουλτούρας όπου το booth έχει μετατραπεί όλο και περισσότερο σε σκηνή, ο DJ γίνεται το οπτικό επίκεντρο της βραδιάς και μια στιγμή μπορεί κάποιες φορές να μοιάζει σχεδιασμένη τόσο για την κάμερα του κινητού όσο και για τον κόσμο που βρίσκεται μπροστά στα ηχεία.

Το αν αυτή η ερμηνεία αποτυπώνει πράγματι την πρόθεση του Väth δεν μπορούμε να το γνωρίζουμε μέχρι να τοποθετηθεί ο ίδιος. Η συζήτηση αυτή όμως υπάρχει ανεξάρτητα από τον Sven Väth, και οδηγεί σε κάτι πολύ μεγαλύτερο.

Τελικά, Τι Σημαίνει Underground;

Η εύκολη εκδοχή πάει κάπως έτσι:

Μικρό club = underground. Arena = mainstream.
Άγνωστος DJ = underground. Διάσημος DJ = mainstream.
Ανεξάρτητο label = underground. Μεγάλη παραγωγή = mainstream.

Μόνο που η ηλεκτρονική μουσική έχει πάψει εδώ και πολύ καιρό να είναι τόσο απλή.

Ας πάρουμε για παράδειγμα τον ίδιο τον Argy. Είναι εύκολο να παρουσιάσουμε αυτή την ιστορία ως έναν old-school θρύλο που επιτίθεται σε ένα προϊόν της νέας γενιάς... όμως ο Argy κυκλοφορεί μουσική εδώ και περισσότερες από δύο δεκαετίες. Το Unreliable Virgin EP κυκλοφόρησε μάλιστα το 2007 στην Cocoon Recordings του ίδιου του Sven Väth.

Ακόμη πιο ενδιαφέρον είναι ότι σε συνέντευξή του στο VICE το 2015, ο Argy είχε μιλήσει για την προσπάθειά του να αποφεύγει τους εντυπωσιασμούς, τα εφήμερα trends και τους περισπασμούς στη δουλειά του, δίνοντας έμφαση σε μουσική που θα μπορούσε να αντέξει στον χρόνο.

Φυσικά, αυτό δεν αποδεικνύει κάτι για τον Argy του 2026, αλλά κάνει την εύκολη αφήγηση «παλιός εναντίον νέου» πολύ λιγότερο βολική. Και ίσως αυτό ακριβώς να είναι το πρόβλημα με τη λέξη «underground». Τη χρησιμοποιούμε σαν να συμφωνούμε όλοι για το τι σημαίνει.

Συμφωνούμε όμως; Είναι underground κάτι απλώς επειδή το ακούει λίγος κόσμος;

Φανταστείτε έναν καλλιτέχνη που παίζει ασυμβίβαστη μουσική για 300 άτομα κάθε Σαββατοκύριακο. Στη συνέχεια, την ίδια ακριβώς μουσική αρχίζουν να την ακούν 3.000 άτομα. Μετά 30.000.

Σε ποιον αριθμό παύει να είναι underground; Στο πρώτο festival headline slot; Στο πρώτο viral βίντεο; Στο πρώτο εκατομμύριο streams; Στο πρώτο μεγάλο booking fee; Στην πρώτη arena;

Και αν δεν αλλάξει απολύτως τίποτα στη μουσική όσο μεγαλώνει το κοινό, τότε τι ακριβώς άλλαξε; Η τέχνη ή η απήχησή της;

argy sven vath.png

Μπορεί η Επιτυχία να σε Κάνει Mainstream;

Η εμπορική επιτυχία προφανώς παίζει ρόλο. Και θα ήταν παράλογο να προσποιούμαστε ότι ένας καλλιτέχνης που κινείται μέσα σε έναν τεράστιο παγκόσμιο μηχανισμό περιοδειών βρίσκεται στο ίδιο πλαίσιο με κάποιον που διοργανώνει DIY parties για 150 άτομα.

Διότι η κλίμακα αλλάζει τα πράγματα. Τα χρήματα επίσης. Όπως και οι επαγγελματικές ομάδες, οι agents, οι χορηγοί, τα παγκόσμια φεστιβάλ και τα μεγάλα marketing budgets.

Αλλά και πάλι, αυτά δεν μας λένε όλη την ιστορία.

Ένας καλλιτέχνης μπορεί να έχει τεράστια παγκόσμια επιτυχία και ταυτόχρονα να συνεχίζει να παίρνει μουσικά ρίσκα. Από την άλλη, κάποιος μπορεί να παίζει μπροστά σε 100 άτομα και να είναι απόλυτα απορροφημένος από το status, τα bookings και την online προσοχή.

Αντίστοιχα, ένα μικρό event μπορεί να χτίζεται γύρω από την κοινότητα, αλλά μπορεί εξίσου εύκολα να κινείται από το ego. Ένα τεράστιο φεστιβάλ μπορεί να μοιάζει απρόσωπο, αλλά μπορεί επίσης να χαρίσει σε κάποιον μία από τις πιο δυνατές μουσικές εμπειρίες της ζωής του.

Κάπου εδώ το «underground» αρχίζει να μοιάζει λιγότερο με μία συγκεκριμένη κατηγορία και περισσότερο με διαφορετικές έννοιες που έχουμε βάλει κάτω από την ίδια λέξη.

Υπάρχει το underground ως κλίμακα: μικρό κοινό και περιορισμένη προβολή.

Υπάρχει το underground ως υποδομή: ανεξάρτητα labels, DIY promoters, εναλλακτικοί χώροι και τοπικά δίκτυα.

Υπάρχει το underground ως ήχος: μουσική που κινείται έξω από την κυρίαρχη εμπορική γλώσσα.

Και υπάρχει ίσως η πιο ενδιαφέρουσα εκδοχή: το underground ως κουλτούρα,
το οποίο μεταφράζεται ως: κοινότητα, περιέργεια, ρίσκο, συμμετοχή, σεβασμός στους ανθρώπους που δημιουργούν τη μουσική, ένα dancefloor που έχει την ίδια σημασία με τον άνθρωπο πίσω από τα decks.

Φυσικά, όλα αυτά μπορούν να συνυπάρχουν, αλλά αυτό δεν συμβαίνει πάντα. Κάτι που σημαίνει ότι ένας καλλιτέχνης θα μπορούσε θεωρητικά να γίνει mainstream σε επίπεδο απήχησης χωρίς να εγκαταλείψει πλήρως τις underground αξίες του. Και κάποιος άλλος μπορεί να δείχνει απόλυτα «underground», ενώ στην πραγματικότητα αντιμετωπίζει τη σκηνή αποκλειστικά ως σκάλα για την καριέρα του.

Όταν ο DJ Έγινε το Show

Υπάρχει ακόμη ένας λόγος που αυτή η συζήτηση επιστρέφει συνεχώς: Ο ρόλος του DJ έχει αλλάξει.

Για μεγάλο μέρος της ιστορίας της club κουλτούρας, το ίδιο το θέαμα ήταν η μουσική, το ηχοσύστημα και το dancefloor. Ο DJ επέλεγε τη μουσική και καθοδηγούσε το "ταξίδι", φυσικά, αλλά δεν χρειαζόταν πάντα να κυριαρχεί οπτικά στον χώρο.

Σήμερα, στο υψηλότερο εμπορικό επίπεδο, τα shows ηλεκτρονικής μουσικής δανείζονται σχεδόν όσα στοιχεία δανείζονται από την club κουλτούρα και από την κουλτούρα των συναυλιών: τεράστια stages, LED walls, κινηματογραφικά visuals, πυροτεχνήματα, close-up κάμερες, μόδα, χορογραφημένες στιγμές παραγωγής και χιλιάδες κινητά που περιμένουν το drop.

Και οι ίδιοι οι καλλιτέχνες πρέπει πλέον να υπάρχουν πολύ πέρα από το booth, καθώς είναι μουσικοί, performers, content creators και brands ταυτόχρονα.

Ο Anyma είναι ίσως το πιο χαρακτηριστικό παράδειγμα του πόσο μακριά μπορεί να φτάσει αυτή η εξέλιξη. Τα End of Genesys shows του στο Sphere μετέτρεψαν την ηλεκτρονική μουσική σε μια μεγάλης κλίμακας οπτικοακουστική αφήγηση, συνδυάζοντας μουσική, χαρακτήρες, τεχνολογία και κινηματογραφικό world-building. Ο ίδιος ο Anyma έχει περιγράψει το οπτικό κομμάτι όχι ως κάτι ξεχωριστό από τη μουσική, αλλά ως έναν τρόπο να επεκτείνει τον κόσμο γύρω από αυτή και να φέρει τον ήχο του σε κοινό πέρα από τα παραδοσιακά όρια της ηλεκτρονικής σκηνής.

Και αυτό έχει σημασία, γιατί περιπλέκει ξανά τη συζήτηση. Το οπτικό θέαμα δεν σημαίνει αυτόματα μουσική κενότητα, και τα social media δεν σημαίνουν αυτόματα έλλειψη καλλιτεχνικής πρόθεσης. Όπως επίσης και ένας DJ που χορεύει, κάνει performance ή καταλαβαίνει πώς λειτουργεί η κάμερα δεν γίνεται αυτομάτως λιγότερο σοβαρός απέναντι στη μουσική.

Οπότε η δυσκολότερη ερώτηση αφορά την ισορροπία: Πότε το performance υποστηρίζει τη μουσική; Και πότε η μουσική αρχίζει να γίνεται το background του performance; Το να παίζει ένας DJ με το καλώδιο των ακουστικών του χαλάει πραγματικά την εμπειρία κάποιου;

Πιθανότατα όχι από μόνο του… Αν όμως οι DJs αρχίζουν όλο και περισσότερο να αισθάνονται ότι χρειάζονται μια αναγνωρίσιμη κίνηση, ένα outfit, ένα breakdown, μια στιγμή για την κάμερα ή ένα viral clip για να παραμείνουν ορατοί, τότε ίσως συμβαίνει κάτι βαθύτερο.

Τότε οι DJs δεν παίζουν πλέον μόνο για το dancefloor. Παίζουν και για το feed.

Αλλά και το Underground Μπορεί να Γίνει Brand

Πριν όμως νιώσει πολύ άνετα η old-school πλευρά της συζήτησης, υπάρχει ακόμη ένα πρόβλημα. Και το «underground» έχει τη δική του εικόνα: μαύρα ρούχα, σκοτεινοί χώροι, καθόλου κάμερες, βινύλια, τσιμέντο, μυστικές τοποθεσίες, ελάχιστη πληροφορία, σοβαρά πρόσωπα.

Όλα αυτά μπορεί να προέρχονται από μια πραγματική κουλτούρα, μπορούν όμως εξίσου εύκολα να μετατραπούν σε εργαλεία marketing. Τίποτα δεν εμποδίζει κάποιον από το να κατασκευάσει προσεκτικά μια underground ταυτότητα με τον ίδιο τρόπο που ένας άλλος καλλιτέχνης κατασκευάζει μια superstar ταυτότητα.

Το μυστήριο και ο αντι-εμπορικός χαρακτήρας μπορούν να γίνουν branding. Ακόμη και η άρνηση του branding μπορεί να γίνει branding. Άρα η αυθεντικότητα δεν μπορεί να μετριέται απλώς από το πόσο σκοτεινό είναι ένα club ή από το πόσο λίγο ανεβάζει ένας καλλιτέχνης στο Instagram.

'Οπως και η νοσταλγία χρειάζεται επίσης λίγο "φρένο". Πολλοί DJs που σήμερα αντιμετωπίζονται ως σύμβολα της underground κουλτούρας έγιναν οι ίδιοι διεθνείς stars. Έκαναν παγκόσμιες περιοδείες, εμφανίζονταν σε μεγάλα festival lineups, δημιούργησαν labels, έχτισαν αναγνωρίσιμες ταυτότητες και έκαναν επιτυχημένες καριέρες μέσα από τη μουσική.

Φυσικά, η ίδια η επιτυχία δεν μπορεί να είναι το «έγκλημα». Γιατί τότε η underground κουλτούρα θα έπρεπε να απορρίπτει σχεδόν οποιονδήποτε γίνεται αρκετά καλός, αρκετά τυχερός ή αρκετά αγαπητός ώστε να ξεπεράσει τα όριά της.

Εδώ όμως υπάρχει και ένα άβολο υποθετικό ερώτημα: Αν το Instagram, το TikTok και η σημερινή τεχνολογία παραγωγής υπήρχαν στα πρώτα χρόνια των προηγούμενων γενεών, θα τα είχαν αρνηθεί όλοι οι underground legends;

Δεν μπορούμε να ξέρουμε. Και σίγουρα το να προσποιούμαστε ότι ξέρουμε είναι ακόμη μία μορφή νοσταλγίας.

DVS1: Μήπως Κάνουμε τη Λάθος Ερώτηση;

Και κάπου εδώ ο DVS1 γίνεται ιδιαίτερα relevant. Όχι επειδή μπορεί να μας δώσει τον επίσημο ορισμό του underground. Κανείς δεν μπορεί. Αλλά επειδή εδώ και χρόνια αμφισβητεί τι συμβαίνει όταν ο μεμονωμένος καλλιτέχνης γίνεται σημαντικότερος από ολόκληρο το οικοσύστημα γύρω του. Και η θέση του είναι πιο σύνθετη από ένα απλό «το old school είναι καλό, η σύγχρονη κουλτούρα είναι κακή».

Ήδη από το 2014, ο DVS1 έγραφε για την ένταση ανάμεσα στην τέχνη και το entertainment, τα κινητά, την αυτοπροβολή και τη μεταβαλλόμενη συμπεριφορά καλλιτεχνών και κοινού. Ακόμη και τότε όμως αναγνώριζε ξεκάθαρα ότι το παρελθόν δεν μπορεί απλώς να αναδημιουργηθεί και ότι κάθε γενιά βιώνει διαφορετικά την κουλτούρα.

Περισσότερο από μία δεκαετία αργότερα, η κριτική του μοιάζει ακόμη πιο σχετική με τη συγκεκριμένη συζήτηση. Σε συνέντευξή του το 2026, ο DVS1 μίλησε για τη συνεχή πίεση που αντιμετωπίζουν οι νέοι καλλιτέχνες γύρω από τα social media, τις viral στιγμές και τη διαρκή ανάγκη για visibility.

Και, φυσικά, αναγνώρισε και τη δική του προνομιακή θέση: έχτισε την καριέρα του πριν τα social media μετατραπούν ουσιαστικά σε απαίτηση και καταλαβαίνει ότι οι νεότεροι καλλιτέχνες λειτουργούν κάτω από εντελώς διαφορετικές συνθήκες.

Και μετά έρχεται η φράση που αλλάζει ολόκληρη τη συζήτηση: “Music - and art in general - should not be a competition.”. Δηλαδή, η μουσική - και η τέχνη γενικά - δεν πρέπει να είναι ένας διαγωνισμός.

Και αξίζει να σταθούμε λίγο σε αυτό, διότι το «underground vs mainstream» συνήθως συζητιέται ακριβώς σαν να είναι διαγωνισμός.

Ποιος είναι πιο αυθεντικός; Ποιος αξίζει περισσότερο σεβασμό; Ποιος καταλαβαίνει πραγματικά την κουλτούρα; Ποιος «ξεπουλήθηκε»; Ποιος έμεινε real; Ποιος κέρδισε;

Και ίσως αυτός ο τρόπος σκέψης να είναι μέρος του προβλήματος. Και η εναλλακτική που προτάσσει σταθερά ο DVS1 είναι η κοινότητα.

Συγκεκριμένα, η πρωτοβουλία του Support. Organize. Sustain. (S.O.S.) δημιουργήθηκε γύρω από την ενίσχυση της καλλιτεχνικής κουλτούρας και του διαλόγου, αντί απλώς της διεύρυνσης της μουσικής «βιομηχανίας». Τα Wall of Sound projects του μεταφέρουν κυριολεκτικά την προσοχή μακριά από τον DJ και πίσω στη μουσική, στο ηχοσύστημα και στον ίδιο τον χώρο.

Και μετά υπήρξε το Aslice. Ο DVS1 δημιούργησε την πλατφόρμα γύρω από μια πολύ πρακτική αντίφαση της ηλεκτρονικής μουσικής: οι DJs που περιοδεύουν μπορούν να κερδίζουν σημαντικά ποσά παίζοντας μουσική που έχουν δημιουργήσει producers, οι οποίοι μπορεί να λαμβάνουν ελάχιστα από αυτές τις εμφανίσεις. Το Aslice έδινε στους DJs τη δυνατότητα να μοιράζονται εθελοντικά ένα μέρος της αμοιβής τους με τους producers των tracks που έπαιζαν. Τελικά έκλεισε το 2024, αφού δεν κατάφερε να πετύχει την απαιτούμενη υιοθέτηση και οικονομική βιωσιμότητα. Πριν κλείσει όμως, είχε διανείμει περισσότερα από 422.000 δολάρια από DJs σε πάνω από 27.000 producers.

Και ίσως το γεγονός ότι έκλεισε κάνει το παράδειγμα ακόμη πιο ενδιαφέρον. Γιατί είναι εύκολο να μιλάμε για community, αλλά είναι πολύ δυσκολότερο να χτίσουμε ένα οικονομικό σύστημα γύρω από αυτό.

Και κάπου εκεί έχουμε ήδη φτάσει πολύ πιο μακριά από το αν ένας DJ παίζει ή όχι με το καλώδιο των ακουστικών του.

Οπότε… Ποιος «Κερδίζει»;

Underground ή mainstream; Sven Väth ή Argy;

Τώρα το ερώτημα αυτό αρχίζει να ακούγεται πιο παράξενο όσο περισσότερο απομακρυνόμαστε από το αρχικό περιστατικό, σωστά; Διότι εδώ ίσως συμβαίνουν πολλές διαφορετικές «μάχες» ταυτόχρονα: η μάχη για την προσοχή, η μάχη για τα bookings, η σύγκρουση ανάμεσα στη φυσική και την ψηφιακή κουλτούρα, η ένταση ανάμεσα στην καλλιτεχνική έκφραση και το entertainment, ανάμεσα στην κοινότητα και την προσωπική φιλοδοξία, ανάμεσα στο να κρατήσεις κάτι πολιτισμικά ριζωμένο και στο να του επιτρέψεις να μεγαλώσει.

Ίσως λοιπόν η πιο χρήσιμη ερώτηση να μην είναι αν κερδίζει το underground ή το mainstream.

Αλλά: Τι μένει όταν εξαφανιστεί η προσοχή;

Εξακολουθεί η μουσική να έχει σημασία; Δημιούργησε η βραδιά μια πραγματική σύνδεση μεταξύ ανθρώπων; Στηρίζουν οι καλλιτέχνες τις σκηνές που τους έδωσαν χώρο να εξελιχθούν; Εκτιμώνται οι άνθρωποι που δημιουργούν τα κομμάτια όσο και εκείνοι που τα παίζουν; Το dancefloor εξακολουθεί να ανήκει στους ανθρώπους που χορεύουν ή έχει αρχίσει σταδιακά να γίνεται το background του DJ; Και μπορεί κάποιος να γίνει επιτυχημένος χωρίς να πιστεύει ότι η επιτυχία μετατρέπει όλους τους γύρω του σε ανταγωνιστές;

Ίσως λοιπόν η πιο ενδιαφέρουσα γραμμή να βρίσκεται κάπου ανάμεσα στο να χρησιμοποιείς την προσοχή και στο να εξαρτάσαι από αυτή, ανάμεσα στο να χτίζεις μια καριέρα και στο να χτίζεις μόνο ένα profile, ανάμεσα στο να παίζεις για το κοινό και στο να παίζεις για την κάμερα, ανάμεσα στο να μεγαλώνεις πέρα από το underground και στο να ξεχνάς τι ήταν αυτό που το έκανε σημαντικό εξαρχής.

Φυσικά, αυτή η γραμμή θα βρίσκεται σε διαφορετικό σημείο για τον καθένα, και μάλλον γι’ αυτό αυτή η συζήτηση δεν πρόκειται ποτέ να εξαφανιστεί εντελώς.

Αν όμως χρειαζόμαστε οπωσδήποτε κάποιον να «κερδίσει» αυτή τη συζήτηση, ίσως ήδη κοιτάμε τη μουσική από τη λάθος οπτική: μέσα από ακριβώς εκείνο το ανταγωνιστικό πρίσμα που αμφισβητεί ο DVS1.

Γιατί μια σκηνή δεν χρειάζεται πραγματικά έναν νικητή. Χρειάζεται ανθρώπους πρόθυμους να την κρατήσουν ζωντανή.

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1e:T17d1,

The countdown for one of the most anticipated electronic music events of the summer has officially begun. On Friday, July 3, Argy's NEWORLD will make its long awaited Greek debut at Petra Theater, with the Greek melodic techno star joining forces with ARTBAT for a night that is already generating significant buzz across both the local and international dance music community.

For those who have followed his journey, Argy's rise to the top has been years in the making. Despite becoming one of the most recognizable names in melodic techno over the past few years, Rhodes born producer has been active in electronic music for more than two decades. His career reached a defining turning point with his debut on Afterlife and the release of "Tataki" EP, a track that quickly became a global anthem and introduced Argy to an entirely new audience. Since then various releases & super hits like ''Aria'' & ''Voices In My Head'', on Afterlife, collaborations with the superstar of Melodic Techno Anyma, his reputation has skyrocketed leading to performances on the world's biggest stages & festival such as Tomorrowland & Ultra Miami and establishing him as one of the genre's true superstars.
Buenos Aires, that was special 👁️🇦🇷 (1).jpg

NEWORLD itself is far more than just a music project. It is a fully immersive audiovisual concept that combines music, storytelling, cutting edge visuals and large scale production into a single experience. Since its launch, the concept has travelled across the globe, consistently selling out venues while evolving into one of the most talked-about shows in contemporary electronic music. Its latest stop took place in Buenos Aires this past April, where Argy presented NEWORLD in front of more than 15,000 fans, further cementing its position as one of the most recognizable audiovisual experiences in the scene today.

Adding even more weight to the Athens debut is the presence of ARTBAT. The Ukrainian duo continues to rank among the biggest names in electronic music and recently shared the spotlight with Argy during a month long residency at Hï Ibiza throughout May, one of the most prestigious club residencies in the world. Their chemistry behind the decks has become well known to fans, making their reunion at Petra Theater one of the evening's most anticipated moments.

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What makes the Athens edition particularly special, however, is that this version of NEWORLD has been designed specifically for Petra Theater. According to information surrounding the production, the show's iconic "Eye" installation will be integrated directly within the theater itself, creating a setup unlike any previous NEWORLD edition. Organizers are preparing a bespoke production tailored to the venue, promising a visual experience that attendees have not seen before as part of the project.

Although not every aspect of the production has been officially revealed, strong rumors within the electronic music community suggest that the event could also feature a large scale drone show, further elevating the visual dimension of the evening. In addition, the event will operate with a fully cashless payment system through dedicated wristbands, a practice increasingly adopted by major international festivals and dance events.

argy 1.jpg

As for the lineup, the night is expected to begin with Greek producer Frankie LLuc, followed by MĪMĪ x FY, before ARTBAT and Argy take over.

As NEWORLD continues to expand its footprint across the global electronic music landscape, its Athens debut arrives with exceptionally high expectations. Between the unique setting of Petra Theater, a custom built production, the presence of ARTBAT, and Argy returning home with the most ambitious project of his career, all signs point to July 3 becoming one of the standout electronic music events of the year in Greece.

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1f:Tb5f,

The internationally acclaimed Greek DJ and electronic music producer Argy has officially announced the release date and full tracklist for his highly anticipated album ‘NEWORLD II’, marking an exciting new chapter in his career.

Following the success of his previous full-length album New World, released in 2024 and widely regarded as one of the most defining works in the modern melodic techno scene, Argy returns with a new project that promises to push his sonic boundaries even further.

NEWORLD II is set for release on January 30, 2026, and will feature collaborations with some of today’s most compelling names in electronic music. Artists such as Meduza, Omiki, and Son of Son appear on the album, delivering an eclectic blend of groove-driven rhythms, emotive melodies, and powerful club moments. The album consists of 15 tracks in total, showcasing the full spectrum of Argy’s sound and creative vision.

Here's the full tracklist for Argy's new Album "NEWORLD II" :

1. Argy & Omiki – DONA
2. Argy – Control
3. Argy & Omiki – Wind
4. Argy & TNY – Running
5. Argy & Ekko – Into The Deep
6. Argy & John Cala – Boom
7. Argy & Ovadia & Osher – Feel Alive
8. Argy & Adam Sellouk – Rage
9. Argy & Joshlane – Papito
10. Argy & Eli & Dani & Peki & Osher – Chasing Highs
11. Argy & PollyAnna & Meduza – Melodia
12. Argy & Solance – Alto
13. Argy & TNY – Duro
14. Argy & Omiki & Son of Son – Ritmo
15. Argy – Aria (Omiki Remix)

Fans can now pre-save NEWORLD II across all major streaming platforms, ensuring instant access the moment the album goes live. With Argy continuing to solidify his reputation as one of the most forward-thinking producers in contemporary electronic music, NEWORLD II is expected to stand out as one of the most notable album releases of 2026 for fans of the genre.

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20:T15ad,

You finish a track, A/B it against a reference on three pairs of headphones, and get a solid head nod from a producer friend. Ten minutes later, you’re scrolling Instagram, hear an unreleased ID that sounds impossibly good, and immediately conclude you’ve been faking it this whole time.

That feeling has a name, it came from a therapy office in Atlanta in 1978. Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes noticed a consistent pattern among high achieving individuals: despite clear evidence of their success, they were convinced they were frauds about to be exposed. They named it the "impostor phenomenon." They weren't writing about electronic music producers, but they might as well have been.

This isn't just late night studio fatigue, the music industry has quantified it.

73% of independent musicians report dealing with mental health challenges, according to a survey by distributor Record Union, with financial uncertainty and self doubt ranking as primary drivers.
The Association For Electronic Music (AFEM) formally included imposter syndrome alongside burnout and exhaustion in its industry mental health guide.
Beatport and AFEM’s report, Music Connects Us, surveyed roughly 140 established artists, including Kaskade, LOUISAHHH, Junior Sanchez, and Tom Middleton, who openly detailed their battles with isolation and severe self doubt.

If artists playing main stages still feel like they haven't "made it," the issue clearly isn't a lack of talent, it's structural.

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During a mental health panel at IMS Ibiza, AFEM’s health lead Tristan Hunt highlighted that electronic music is uniquely structured to breed self doubt. A few specific factors drive this:

No formal benchmark. A classical musician has grades, exams, and conservatory tiers that signal progress. A producer has a DAW, a pair of studio monitors, and their own judgment, which becomes increasingly unreliable at 2:00 AM.
Arbitrary feedback loops. Success is often tied to playlist placement, social media algorithms, or a crowd's reaction to a drop. Because these variables are out of your control, a great track can easily flop while a mediocre one goes viral, severing the link between effort and outcome.
Blurry attribution. Between ghost production, uncredited sample packs, complex co writing splits, and heavy reliance on templates, ownership in modern production is often ambiguous. When it’s hard to pinpoint where your contribution starts and ends, it’s even harder to internalize success.

When Pauline Clance first documented the phenomenon, her solution wasn't positive thinking or generic self help advice. The primary mechanism for breaking the loop is peer transparency talking openly with others experiencing the exact same thing.

That is why initiatives like AFEM’s guide matter. Hearing established artists explicitly articulate these feelings strips the mystery away.

Feeling like a fraud before a release isn't a personal flaw or a sign that you lack talent. It is a well documented psychological pattern colliding with an industry built on unpredictable metrics and vague credit. Recognizing the pattern won't instantly cure the anxiety, but it stops you from believing everything your brain tells you at 3:00 AM.

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21:T3395,

The people who made Ibiza culturally valuable were not seated behind velvet ropes, ordering bottles while watching the dancefloor from a protected distance. They were inside it, dancing for hours and creating the energy that transformed the island into a global symbol of club culture during the Balearic Beat era of the 1980s and 1990s.

Today, however, some of Ibiza’s most commercially valuable customers may be those who participate least in the experience that made the island famous. And that contradiction sits behind Bob Sinclar’s recent decision not to perform there during the current season.

Speaking during a livestream with French creator Joyca, Sinclar said he no longer recognised himself in what Ibiza had become. He described an increasingly expensive environment dominated by VIP tables, smartphones and spectacle, while the clubbers who built the island’s reputation were being forgotten.

“We go to the VIP, we forget the clubbers, and it is the clubbers who created the Ibiza trend,” he said. His criticism raises a larger question: what happens when a destination created by dancers begins designing its entire experience around spectators, status and spending power?

What Bob Sinclar Is Really Criticising

VIP areas are hardly new to Ibiza, and their existence alone does not explain Sinclar’s frustration. Commerce, exclusivity and celebrity have accompanied the island’s club culture through several eras, often existing alongside musically important parties and genuinely committed communities. The issue begins when premium hospitality stops being one part of the nightclub and becomes the organising principle behind it. The dancefloor then risks shifting from the purpose of the venue into the atmosphere provided for customers seated around it.

The French House music legend described modern Ibiza as increasingly resembling a show, with attention directed toward phones, visual production and the social value of being seen. He contrasted that environment with his own background in clubs, where he prefers playing for people who arrive with the intention of dancing. Smartphones are not solely responsible for this transformation, although they make its effects highly visible. They reflect a wider shift in which attending the event, documenting the moment and displaying access can sometimes become more important than surrendering to the music.

A crowd behaving primarily as spectators also changes the DJ’s role. Instead of responding to a room through tension, movement and musical risk, the artist faces pressure to deliver recognisable moments that can be captured, posted and understood immediately.

From Superstar Fees to VIP Tables

Sinclar’s comments also describe a cultural consequence of the economic pressure examined in dancetoday’s recent article on the possible superstar DJ "bubble". Rising costs at the top rarely remain contained inside private contracts between artists, agencies and promoters.

When internationally recognisable headliners command larger fees, venues must recover those costs alongside production, staffing, marketing and operational risk. Tickets become more expensive, drinks generate more pressure, and customers capable of purchasing premium tables become increasingly important to the entire business model. The venue is then encouraged to allocate its best sightlines, additional space and personalised service toward the highest spenders. Meanwhile, general-admission clubbers may pay more for an experience that feels increasingly crowded, restricted and secondary to the premium sections surrounding them.

This creates a self-reinforcing cycle. Expensive lineups require stronger revenues, stronger revenues demand premium customers, and premium pricing requires enough spectacle and name recognition to make the cost appear justified. The result is an electronic music bubble that can be seen beyond an artist’s booking fee. It becomes visible in the architecture of the club, the composition of its audience and the type of performance expected from the person behind the decks.

While Sinclar has participated in Ibiza’s headliner economy and benefited from the global system he now criticises, that does not make his observation hypocritical. Instead, it gives weight to a warning from someone who has watched the model develop from inside its most prominent booths.

When the Clubber Becomes the Background

Club culture depends upon participation in a way that most entertainment industries do not. The crowd is not simply watching a completed performance, because its movement, trust and emotional openness continually influence the direction taken by the DJ.

A powerful dancefloor gives an artist permission to move beyond predictable records and immediate gratification. It can transform a technically competent set into something unrepeatable, shaped through a continuous exchange between the booth and the people occupying the room.

However, that relationship weakens when the venue is organised primarily around premium observation points, phone-ready moments and visual production. The audience begins consuming a show rather than collectively determining what the night can become.

Apart from that, there is also a commercial paradox inside this arrangement. VIP customers may generate the largest direct revenue, but the experience sold to them still depends heavily on the atmosphere created by clubbers-dancers elsewhere in the venue.

The crowded floor supplies the energy, imagery and social proof that make the premium table desirable. Treat those dancers poorly for long enough, and the industry eventually damages the very environment it is charging others to observe.

Of course, this does not make every regular clubber culturally pure, or every wealthy visitor indifferent to music. So, the question is not who deserves moral superiority, but whose participation gives a nightclub its character, tension and reason to exist.

Ibiza Does Not Need to Go Backwards

None of this requires Ibiza to reject luxury, technology, ambitious production or commercial success. The island does not need to recreate an idealised past that was never entirely free from hierarchy, tourism or powerful financial interests.

However, it does need to protect the dancefloor as more than a densely packed general-admission zone beneath increasingly dominant VIP structures. Successful venues can offer premium experiences while preserving enough space, accessibility and attention for people who genuinely arrive to dance.

A healthier ecosystem would also support more varied ticket levels, smaller rooms and line-ups built around musical identity rather than depending continually on the most expensive names. Emerging and mid-level artists need environments where audiences can discover them before social visibility has already established their market value.

Clubbing has always evolved, but evolution should not automatically be confused with progress. A scene can become larger, more profitable and technologically impressive while simultaneously becoming less communal, less adventurous and less connected to the music supporting its entire economy.

Of course, Bob Sinclar’s decision will not reverse Ibiza’s direction, and his criticism does not represent every venue or party operating across the island. Music-led spaces still exist, committed clubbers still return, and meaningful nights continue beyond the most visible layer of Ibiza’s nightlife. Yet his warning deserves attention because the greatest danger is not simply that Ibiza becomes expensive or spectacular. The deeper danger appears when the people generating its atmosphere are treated as the customers offering the least value.

And we need to understand that electronic music can produce profit, luxury and global attention without turning its dancefloor into a secondary product. Clubbers do more than purchase admission... they create the energy, credibility and mythology that the industry eventually packages, promotes and sells.

So, Ibiza (and any other clubbing destination) may sell the view from the VIP table at any price, but without the people dancing below it, there will eventually be nothing worth watching...

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22:T2c93,

For over a decade, Thomas Bangalter hid behind a helmet. As one half of Daft Punk, the French electronic duo that rewrote the rules of dance music, he spent years performing as a robot, a character, a myth, a deliberate piece of fiction. Now, three years after the split, the man has re-emerged. And he's making one thing very clear: the robots are retired for good.

In a candid interview with The Times in June 2026, Bangalter was asked directly whether he and co-founder Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo would ever reunite. His answer was a single, unhesitating word: "No."

He elaborated with a sense of peace rather than bitterness. "I'm really happy that throughout our long run we were able to not screw it up. There are other things to explore. The history of music is made of fruitful partnerships and they usually last way shorter than the 28 year run that we had. It was great, but staying in character and not spoiling it became very difficult."

On the nature of Daft Punk itself, he was equally reflective: "It was almost performance art where you create these characters and blur the line between fiction and reality. I was one of the robots, but now I'm just a human without any superpowers." As for Guy-Manuel, Because Music founder Emmanuel de Buretel confirmed on French radio in late 2025 that his former partner is quietly working on a solo album, though no details have emerged since.

Bangalter's reemergence has been anything but a traditional comeback. It started in 2025 with a surprise DJ set at the closing of Paris's Centre Pompidou, his first in 16 years which set off a global buzz. "I think I was trying to come back as a human being in the simplest possible way, without making a spectacle of it," he told Rolling Stone.

In February 2026, he joined Fred Again for a back to back set at London's Alexandra Palace, his first UK appearance in 19 years. "They were going crazy at 7:30PM, only in the United Kingdom!" he said. Then in June, New York's The Lot Radio streamed a surprise 75 minute set featuring Aphex Twin, Burial, Boards of Canada and more. No helmet. No theatre. Just music.

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At the centre of Bangalter's new chapter is Mirage Ballet for 16 Dancers, released on 5th June 2026 via Erato/Warner Classics. The album is the score for a 60-minute contemporary ballet conceived with Belgian choreographer Damien Jalet and Japanese visual artist Kōhei Nawa, which premiered in Geneva in May 2025 and has since toured Europe to critical acclaim.

Eight tracks of electronic minimalism, it has nothing to do with dancefloors. Bangalter shaped the music over thousands of hours on a graphics tablet, treating sound as physical material to be sculpted. What he describes as finding "the line between where sound ends and music begins." It follows Mythologies (2023) and the Chiroptera soundtrack (2024), building a remarkable body of post-Daft Punk compositional work.

The guiding spirit behind Mirage is a name that will resonate with dance and classical music audiences: Iannis Xenakis.

For those less familiar, Xenakis was one of the most radical composers of the 20th century and his Greek identity was inseparable from his genius.

Born in 1922 in Romania to a wealthy Greek family, he grew up in Greece and studied architecture and engineering in Athens before fighting in the resistance against the Nazi occupation during World War II. Severely wounded and eventually sentenced to death for his political activities, he fled to Paris in 1947, where he worked as an assistant to the legendary architect Le Corbusier and designed the iconic Philips Pavilion for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair.

It was in Paris that he turned fully to music. His mentor Olivier Messiaen, rather than steer him toward conventional training, gave him defining advice: "You have the good fortune of being Greek, of being an architect, and having studied special mathematics. Take advantage of these things. Do them in your music."

Xenakis did exactly that. He pioneered stochastic music, compositions built on mathematical probability, the physics of sound masses, and architectural logic, treating music as an architect treats space. He was one of the first composers to use computers to generate music and developed the UPIC system, which translated graphic drawings directly into sound. By his death in Paris in 2001, he had received the Polar Music Prize and a UNESCO International Music Prize, with French President Jacques Chirac mourning: "France loses one of its most brilliant artists today."

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The link between the two artists is more than a passing reference. Like Xenakis, Bangalter is no longer interested in groove or melody as primary forces, he is interested in the texture, weight, and architecture of sound itself. "Finding the line between where sound ends and music begins is a good exploration," he has said.

For a generation that grew up treating Daft Punk as the pinnacle of electronic music, watching Bangalter align himself with one of the 20th century's most demanding avant-garde composers is a genuine provocation. It suggests someone not coasting on legacy, but actively pushing toward new territory.

The message across every interview and surprise appearance in 2026 is consistent: the Daft Punk legacy is intact precisely because it ended when it did. The reunion is not coming. The helmet stays on the shelf. And in its place, Thomas Bangalter is making art on his own terms, drawing a line from the Parisian dancefloors of the 1990s all the way back to a Greek composer who once turned mathematics into music, and sound itself into architecture.

The robots may be gone. But the human is only getting started.

Stay connected with dancetoday - follow us on social media or join our Discord community for the latest stories, insights, and news shaping the electronic dance music world.

23:T46e2,

A few years ago, hearing that a major electronic music artist was charging six figures for a festival appearance would have sounded extraordinary.

Today, it barely raises an eyebrow. Lineups are becoming more expensive. Tickets are becoming more expensive. Production is becoming more expensive. Travel, hotels, staging, security, insurance, hospitality and marketing are all becoming more expensive too. Meanwhile, many independent promoters, clubs and festivals are struggling more than ever.

So, where is all the money going?

After our recent look at Coachella, mega-festival economics and the business machine behind large-scale music events, this question feels even more urgent. Electronic music is no longer a niche culture operating in warehouses, basements and small clubs. It is now a global entertainment economy, connected to tourism, luxury hospitality, sponsorship, social media, streaming and city branding.

On paper, that growth should be good news. More money should mean more opportunities, better productions, stronger scenes and healthier careers for artists. However, the reality is more complicated, because the money does not always move evenly through the ecosystem.

Increasingly, it appears to concentrate around a small group of global headliners.

And that leads to a difficult but necessary question: Have DJ fees reached a point where they are starting to damage the ecosystem that created those artists in the first place?

The great inflation of DJ fees

Nobody should pretend that artists do not deserve to be paid well. DJs and producers spend years building their sound, audience, catalogue, touring schedule and brand. Many survived years of uncertain income before reaching international demand, while the pandemic reminded everyone how fragile live music can be.

So, higher fees are not automatically a problem. The problem begins when fee inflation becomes disconnected from the health of the wider scene.

A recent example made this conversation feel even more real. In a clip circulated from a recent interview, global Afro/Latin house DJ and producer HUGEL was reported as saying that his booking fee can now range somewhere between $200,000 and $750,000 per show, depending on the booking, market and context.

This is not mentioned here to target HUGEL personally. Most artists do not publicly reveal their fees, and booking numbers are usually private, flexible and dependent on many factors. For that reason, this article is not about naming and blaming specific artists.

However, when a publicly discussed example reaches that level, it becomes useful as a cultural signal. It shows how far the upper end of the market has moved, especially in a genre where many of today’s superstars were built through clubs, communities and scenes that could never afford those numbers. Because once figures like these become part of the conversation, they do not stay isolated. They influence expectations, reshape negotiations and create psychological benchmarks for promoters, agents and even artists far below that level.

According to industry reporting, top-tier artist fees have risen dramatically in recent years, especially after the return of live events. The post-lockdown boom created huge demand for clubbing, festivals and international touring, while promoters rushed to rebuild calendars and audiences rushed to experience music together again.

At the same time, the number of truly bankable headliners remained limited. When thousands of festivals, clubs and promoters compete for the same small pool of names, the market naturally pushes fees upwards. If one artist can sell thousands of tickets almost immediately, that artist becomes more than a performer. They become a financial safety mechanism.

For promoters, a superstar booking can feel like insurance. It helps sell tickets, attract sponsors, create social media momentum and give the event a clear marketing hook.

However, this also creates a feedback loop. The more promoters rely on the same headliners, the more powerful those headliners become. The more powerful they become, the higher their fees rise. The higher their fees rise, the more promoters need to charge fans, reduce risk elsewhere, or build the entire event around a few recognizable names.

Meanwhile, mid-level and emerging artists can get trapped in a strange position. Some see the top of the market exploding and adjust their expectations upwards. Others remain underpaid, even while the industry around them looks richer than ever.

That is not a healthy sign.

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The Middle East effect

One of the most discussed forces behind this shift is the rise of high-spending entertainment markets, especially in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and other regional destinations have invested heavily in live entertainment, major festivals, cultural tourism and luxury event experiences. Riyadh’s Soundstorm is one of the most visible examples, presenting enormous productions, international headliners and crowds at a scale that few regions could have imagined a decade ago.

But it would be too simple, and unfair, to say that the Middle East is responsible for rising DJ fees. Because the reality is wider than that. Fees are also increasing because of post-pandemic demand, inflation, festival competition, social media hype, production standards, travel costs, agent leverage and the growing celebrity economy around electronic music.

However, high-budget markets do influence global expectations. When a promoter in one part of the world can pay significantly more than the normal market rate, that number does not disappear after the show. It enters future negotiations, it becomes a reference point and part of the artist’s perceived value.

This is known as fee anchoring. If an artist, agent or management team knows that one market can pay a premium, another promoter may be told that this is now the new level. Even if that second promoter operates in a smaller country, with lower purchasing power and less sponsorship money, the comparison has already been created.

Of course, this does not mean every artist suddenly charges the same everywhere. Good agents understand different markets and serious artists understand long-term relationships. Many still adjust fees depending on the city, promoter, venue, context and cultural value of the booking.

But the psychological effect remains. Once the top of the market moves upward, the middle often tries to follow. Some mid-level artists begin asking for fees that local scenes cannot realistically sustain. Some smaller promoters stretch their budgets because they fear losing relevance. Some fans end up paying more, without always receiving a meaningfully better cultural experience.

And that is where the bubble starts to become visible. Not when artists get paid well, but when everyone begins pricing themselves according to a market that only a few regions, brands and mega-promoters can actually afford.

Who really pays the price?

In the end, the cost does not stay inside the booking contract. It moves outward.

Promoters feel it first. They commit to expensive artists months before knowing whether tickets will sell. They pay deposits, flights, hotels, production, marketing, security, insurance, venue costs and local taxes. If sales slow down, there is very little room to breathe.

For independent promoters, one expensive booking can define the entire event. If it works, it may create momentum. If it fails, it can damage cash flow for months. In smaller markets, it can even kill a promoter’s willingness to take creative risks.

Festivals face a similar problem. When too much of the budget goes to a few headline names, less money remains for the rest of the lineup, stage design, local talent, community programming, fair crew pay, sustainability measures and audience experience. The poster may look stronger at the top, but the cultural depth underneath can become thinner.

Fans pay too, because there is no magic place where these costs disappear. Higher artist fees usually contribute to higher ticket prices. Then come service fees, transport, accommodation, food, drinks and time away from work. For many young people, students and lower-income fans, the total cost of attending a festival or major club event is becoming harder to justify.

And this matters deeply for electronic music. Rave culture was never supposed to be a luxury product available only to those with enough disposable income. Of course, big shows cost money, and quality production should be respected. But when dance music becomes too expensive, it slowly loses part of its social function. It becomes less accessible, less spontaneous, less community-driven, and more like a status symbol than a shared cultural ritual.

Emerging artists also suffer from this structure. If promoters need to spend aggressively on one or two famous names, they often become more conservative with the rest of the lineup. That means fewer opportunities for local DJs, fewer experimental bookings and less space for artists who are building something slowly.

So, the scene becomes more top-heavy. A few names become bigger than ever, while the middle becomes more fragile and the grassroots become more exposed.

Is there a better path for electronic music?

The answer cannot be “pay artists less”. That would be lazy, unfair and unrealistic. Artists deserve fair compensation, especially in a streaming economy where recorded music often does not pay enough. Touring remains one of the few areas where many artists can build sustainable income.

So, the goal should not be to make artists cheaper.

The goal should be to make the ecosystem healthier.

Promoters can help by building events around identity, not only headliners. A strong concept, a trusted crowd, good sound, thoughtful curation and consistent community can create value that does not depend entirely on one superstar name.

Festivals can help by balancing major bookings with deeper programming.

Local scenes can help by supporting residents, collectives and artists before they become fashionable. Fans can help by showing up for discovery, not only for the names they already know from Instagram, TikTok or festival posters.

Artists can help too. The biggest names have power, and power always comes with cultural responsibility. Some may choose to adjust fees for smaller scenes, support local openers, play special club shows, or invest back into the communities that gave them their first platforms.

That does not mean every artist must become a charity. It simply means that electronic music has always been more than a transaction.

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I personally believe in the same philosophy. Supporting the scene should be done in a fair, balanced, sustainable way. For me the growth of electronic music isn’t just about how big an event becomes or how quickly a brand expands but whether the entire ecosystem can continue to thrive, remain accessible and create opportunities for everyone involved.

This means respecting the artists, the promoters, the local scenes, and the fans. It means that every collaboration, every coverage, every community initiative, and every outreach effort must serve something greater than the immediate result. Because if all of us involved in the scene only think about today, then we risk weakening the tomorrow we all want to see.

From my perspective, this is the point worth protecting. I understand why artists charge what the market is willing to pay. No artist should be blamed for maximizing the value of their work, especially after years of uncertainty in a difficult industry.

However, every ecosystem has a point where short-term success can begin undermining long-term sustainability.

If promoters cannot survive, there are fewer stages. If clubs close, there are fewer entry points. If tickets become too expensive, fewer fans can participate. If lineups become too concentrated, fewer artists can grow. And if the culture becomes too dependent on celebrity demand, electronic music risks forgetting the very thing that made it powerful in the first place.

Electronic music was built through communities before it became an industry. It was built in small rooms, illegal spaces, local clubs, record shops, radio shows, afterhours, warehouses, basements and dancefloors where nobody cared about VIP tables or headline fees. People cared about sound, connection, release and belonging.

So, the question is not whether superstar DJs deserve their fees. Some probably do. Some probably do not. Most of us will never know the full business reality behind each booking, and pretending otherwise would be dishonest.

The real question is whether the scene can continue growing without losing the balance that made it special.

Stay connected with dancetoday - follow us on social media or join our Discord community for the latest stories, insights, and news shaping the electronic dance music world.

24:T269a,

Zamna x Primer has officially revealed the first names for its 2026 edition and it's looking like one of the strongest & most promising lineups the festival has put together in years.

First things first, this year's edition is a special collaboration with Zamna, the globally recognised brand that started in Tulum, Mexico and has since expanded to destinations around the world. The festival returns to OAKA on September 4th and 5th, with two stages operating across both days: the Helios Stage and the Lunar Stage.

For Greece, this collaboration is more important than it might initially seem. It puts Athens under the spotlight of one of the most recognisable festival brands in electronic music and further strengthens the city's position as a growing dance music destination. Looking at the lineups announced so far for other Zamna editions around the world, it's fair to say that Athens has been given one of the strongest combinations of artists outside of Tulum itself.

Over the years, Primer has established itself as Greece's biggest dance music festival. Names such as Tiësto, Steve Angello, Eric Prydz, Martin Garrix, David Guetta, DJ Snake, Armin van Buuren, Alesso have all performed in Athens through the festival. For many Greek dance music fans, seeing artists of that calibre locally once felt almost impossible.

For 2026, Primer isn't slowing down. The first phase of the lineup includes Axwell (Swedish House Mafia), MRAK (Tale Of Us), Armand van Helden, Stephan Bodzin, Bedouin, Adam Ten, Omiki, with additional artists still to be announced.

Axwell

This is arguably one of the most significant bookings Primer has ever made. While some may gravitate towards bigger streaming numbers or newer trends, true dance music fans understand what Axwell represents. In terms of legacy, influence and pure quality this is historic for Greek's dance scene.

Axwell will return to Athens after more than a decade, bringing with him one of the most influential catalogues in dance music history. Whether through Swedish House Mafia, Axwell /\ Ingrosso or his solo career, his records have helped define multiple generations of electronic music fans.

From classics like "One", "Don't You Worry Child", "Greyhound" and "Moth To A Flame", ''More Than You Know'', ''Sun Is Shining'' to solo anthems such as the grammy nominated ''In My Mind'', or ''Resurrection'' to "I Found U", "Feel The Vibe", "Watch The Sunrise", and "Tell Me Why", very few artists have remained as relevant across so many different eras of dance music.

With Swedish House Mafia currently preparing their second studio album after ''Paradise Again'', & Ax ready to release one of the hottest IDs in the coming days, plenty of new music expected in the following months, there's a good chance we will get to hear some fresh material when Axwell takes the stage at OAKA.

MRAK

Known as one half of Tale Of Us and co-founder of Afterlife, Carmine Conte has spent the last few years building MRAK into a project with its own identity.

Unlike a traditional DJ set, MRAK performances are usually presented in a live format, combining synthesizers, Ableton and original productions to create a much more immersive experience. His sound remains darker and more introspective than what many people associate with the current melodic techno scene, with a strong focus on unreleased music and live performance.

With a debut solo album currently in the works, MRAK arrives at Primer at a particularly interesting moment in his career. For now his album date has not been confirmed yet. His sets in general are filled with unreleased tracks.

Armand Van Helden

He needs no introduction to anyone who's spent time in house music.

Over the last three decades, he has produced some of the genre's most recognisable records, including "You Don't Know Me", "I Want Your Soul", "The Funk Phenomena" and, alongside A-Trak as Duck Sauce, the global hit "Barbra Streisand".

His sets usually move between classic house, disco, French house and funk influenced sounds, mixing old school energy with a modern approach. For younger fans, this is a chance to see one of the artists who helped shape house music as we know it today. A lot of today's house DJs you see have influenced by him.

Stephan Bodzin

Long before melodic techno became one of the dominant sounds in electronic music through labels and projects like Afterlife, Stephan Bodzin was already helping shape the genre.

The German producer built his reputation through emotional melodies, powerful analogue synths and a cinematic approach to techno that has influenced countless artists over the years.

Unlike a traditional DJ set, Bodzin performs live using synthesizers and custom hardware, allowing him to manipulate and reshape his music in real time. Tracks such as "Singularity", "Healing" and "Falcon" have become staples of his performances. His sets are largely built around his own productions.

Adam Ten, Bedouin & Omiki

Adam Ten has quickly become one of the most talked-about names in the underground house scene. His blend of deep house, minimal grooves and Middle Eastern influences has earned support from artists such as Keinemusik and Black Coffee, while recent releases continue to push his profile higher. If you're into groovy, deeper sounds rather than big festival drops, Adam Ten should definitely be on your radar. His latest single ''I Never Knew'' was released on the legendary label Defected.

Bedouin bring a different flavour to the lineup. The duo of Tamer Malki and Rami Abousabe are known for combining organic house, melodic elements and Middle Eastern influences into sets that focus more on atmosphere and groove than peak time energy. Out of all the names announced so far, this booking feels particularly aligned with Zamna's identity and audience.

Finally, there's Omiki. Returning to Primer for a second appearance, after 2024 when he appeared as a guest beside ARGY to play together his powerful Rmx of the huge ‘Aria. His sound is between psytrance and melodic electronic music, combining powerful basslines with emotional melodies. Fans of artists such as ARGY will likely find plenty to enjoy in his sound. His sets are energetic, uplifting and designed for large festival stages.

Final Thoughts

One thing worth remembering is that Greece is still a relatively small market when it comes to electronic music. While the genre has existed here for years, the last three to four years have marked a significant shift, with more people discovering dance music and more international events choosing Athens as a destination.

That growth is exciting, but it also comes with challenges. Booking world class artists isn't easy, especially when promoters and festivals are competing with countries like Belgium, the Netherlands or Germany, where electronic music has been part of the culture for decades and audiences are much larger. That's why festivals like Primer deserve credit for continuing to invest in the scene and bringing names that, not long ago, many Greek fans could only dream of seeing locally.

The reality is that the more the audience grows, the more opportunities there will be for bigger events, stronger lineups and even more international attention in Greece in general. And judging by the direction things are moving, we're definitely heading the right way.

Next phase lineup is coming within 10 days!

Stay connected with dancetoday - follow us on social media or join our Discord community for the latest stories, insights, and news shaping the electronic dance music world.

25:T2a54,

Rezz just pulled out of everything. Red Rocks. Tomorrowland. Breakaway. Beyond Wonderland. All of it. Gone.

In a statement posted to Instagram, Isabelle Rezazadeh, one of electronic music's most beloved artists, was brutally honest: "The past few months my body forced me to stop. For 15 years, I was fully focused as an artist traveling the world, but wounds began to scrape at me until I became the most physically sick I've ever been."

It's a statement that should hit every fan hard. Not because Rezz is gone, she isn't, and she'll be back but because of how familiar it sounds.

Five artists. Fourteen months. The same message.

Jauz. Timmy Trumpet. Chris Martinez. ChaseWest. And now Rezz. All of them, at different moments, saying some version of the same thing: I need to stop.

In December 2025, Timmy Trumpet announced he was stepping away from the stage for the first time in his career. "This has been the toughest year of my life," he wrote. He didn't overexplain. He didn't need to. Anyone who has seen his schedule understands. Seven shows in nine days across seven different countries, as he himself once described a typical stretch on the road.

These aren't isolated incidents. They are a pattern.

And the pattern started in the most devastating way possible with Avicii.

Avicii warned everyone. He retired from touring in 2016, writing openly: "I have too little left for the life of a real person behind the artist." He played up to 250 shows a year at the height of his career. He struggled with anxiety, addiction, and a body that was physically breaking down. He tried to stop. He was pressured to continue.

He died at 28.

His family's statement after his passing was one of the most heartbreaking indictments of an industry ever put into words: "Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress."

According to research cited by Help Musicians UK, people working in the music industry are three times more likely to suffer mental health issues than the general public. And yet the machine kept moving. The schedules kept filling. The tours kept being booked.

100+ shows a year. 150+ flights. No real breaks. For many artists, that's simply the job. And for a long time, the industry treated it as normal.

Pete Tong, speaking at the International Music Summit in Ibiza, put it plainly: "In my 40 years of being around this world, I can't think of a single person who has achieved success who hasn't paid a personal price via health, relationships, divorce, broken homes, addiction, depression, and anxiety."

The life of a touring DJ sounds glamorous on the outside, festival headlines, private flights, crowds of thousands losing themselves to your music. But the reality underneath is relentless jet lag, chronic sleep deprivation, the disorientation of being somewhere different every 48 hours, and a culture that has historically treated saying "no" as a career risk rather than a basic act of self-preservation.

And unlike other performers, DJs are often expected to show up night after night in environments where the entire culture revolves around substances. The industry has long glorified excess as part of the brand. For artists who are already exhausted, isolated, or struggling, that environment is not just unhealthy, it's dangerous.

The story isn't only dark. Some artists have found a way to do this sustainably, and their examples matter.

Kaskade has been active in dance music for over 20 years. In a recent interview with DJ Life Magazine, he was asked what decisions were pivotal to his longevity. His answer was simple: "It's a boring, but crucial decision I made to prioritize my health. This industry is built to break you... I've had to stay healthy by kicking things out of my life that don't work for me. I don't drink; I don't do drugs. I surf and I do yoga. I soak up sun when I can and say 'no' to things when I don't have the bandwidth for them."

He's been sober his entire life. He credits that choice, made early, as the reason he's still standing after more than two decades.

Illenium has spoken openly about looking up to Kaskade as a sober role model in an industry that often makes sobriety feel like a risk. Calvin Harris, Chris Lake, and Kai Wachi are among other artists now openly discussing their own decisions to step back from the party culture that so often comes with the territory.

Armin van Buuren, shaken by Avicii's death, gave up alcohol, started therapy, and began meditating daily. "I realised that in 10 years, I'll remember the camping trip, but I probably won't remember all the festivals," he said. That shift in perspective is something the industry is slowly learning to value.

There are signs of genuine change. Some major festivals have begun incorporating wellness zones where artists and attendees can decompress. Several management companies now provide mental health resources for their rosters. The Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) has made artist wellbeing a formal priority.

But awareness and action are different things. Booking agents still fill calendars. Labels still set expectations. The economic incentives of the touring machine haven't changed as fast as the conversation has.

What has changed is that artists are speaking up loudly, publicly, without apology. Rezz's statement is the latest in a growing body of testimony from people at the top of the industry saying: this is not sustainable, and we are not going to pretend otherwise anymore.

That matters. Because every time a major artist says it, it gets a little easier for the next one to say it too.

There's something the dance music community needs to sit with: the artists we love are not machines. They are people who are often more sensitive, more anxious, and more susceptible to burnout than they appear on stage. The same emotional depth that makes their music move us is the same quality that makes the lifestyle hardest to sustain.

Rezz will heal. Timmy Trumpet is already performing again, talking about 2026 as a new chapter. The music will continue.

But the least we can do is stop treating burnout as a personal failure and start treating it as a systemic one. Start listening when artists say they need to stop. Stop filling the calendar before the human being inside it has had time to breathe.

The dancefloor will wait. The music will be better for it.

Stay connected with dancetoday - follow us on social media or join our Discord community for the latest stories, insights, and news shaping the electronic dance music world.

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A year later, I discovered FL Studio and began experimenting with music production, which opened up a whole new creative world for me. Over time, I explored other instruments and expanded my musical taste, moving from classical music into electronic and other genres. This gave me a strong foundation in music theory, which I now combine with my passion for music production. My journey eventually led me to the University of Athens, where I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in Music Technology. ","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"text":"","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"text":"Over the years, I have co-produced and assisted artists on hundreds of tracks, some of which have been critically acclaimed in the field. ","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"text":"","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"text":"Beyond my own work, I deeply value the role of community in music. 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I began decoding dance music before I could even name it… and that curiosity never left. I’ve been a selector since the late 2000s, drawn to long-form, storytelling sets that gently flow between house, techno, and space-infused underground sounds.","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"text":"","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"text":"Alongside my academic path - MEng in Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering, MSc in Engineering Business Management, and an ongoing PhD in Computer Science - I’ve always believed in building bridges between disciplines and people. That mindset led me to co-found Nibiru Mission, a space-inspired record label and creative platform, and to launch SIR KRIS, my personal DJ/producer project.","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"text":"","type":"text"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"text":"That’s also why I’m part of dancetoday: because I believe in real connection, beyond trends, algorithms, and hype. 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