5 Essential Music Docs to Watch
When it comes to great dance music, Ibiza Global Radio UAE has got you covered 24/7. If you’re planning a night in front of the TV, we can help there too with five essential music docs to watch. You’re welcome.
What We Started
What’s it about? Written and created by Bert Marcus and Cyrus Saidi, What We Started dives into how the dance music scene we know today evolved. The film compares and contrasts the very different career journeys of veteran DJ Carl Cox and EDM posterboy Martin Garrix.
Why should I watch it? While Cox and Garrix are the main focus, their stories are entwined with the evolution of house music. The film explains how house emerged from the disco scene, sparking the dance music phenomenon. It joins the dots between early illegal raves to the rise of superclubs and massive dance festivals. The changing art of DJing – from vinyl to USB – is also discussed, a raft of big name DJs and industry figures weighing in with their opinions. Richie Hawtin, Paul Oakenfold, Sasha, Afrojack, Louie Vega, Pete Tong, David Guetta and Steve Angello all feature. Keep your eye out for a rather curmudgeon Seth Troxler too. Although the producers came under fire for not including enough female voices, What We Started delivers a balanced look at the scene through the eyes of different generations. The soundtrack is pretty epic too, appealing to both old ravers and newbies.
Watch it on: Netflix
Why We DJ – Slaves To The Rhythm
What’s it about? Envy the life of international DJs? Away from the soaring highs of performing to adoring crowds, many DJs experience extreme lows. In this eye-opening documentary, DJs and industry professionals open up about the mental health issues that can come with the ‘dream job’.
Why should I watch it? Why We DJ – Slaves To The Rhythm is a bold step forward in recognising the mental health issues that often plague electronic music artists. Created by DJsounds.com, the film questions the impact of a DJ’s nomadic lifestyle on their mental health, relationships and wellbeing. Seth Troxler, Luciano, B.Traits and Ben Pearce open up about their own experiences with brutal honesty. They talk frankly about solitude, loneliness, crushing anxiety and constant pressure. The cameras also turn on managers, agents and industry insiders calling for more awareness around mental health issues in the dance music scene. This makes our essential music docs to watch list for looking beyond the glamour.
Watch it on: YouTube
Scratch
What’s it about? The art of turntablism, scratching, crate digging and hip-hop culture.
Why should I watch it? Directed by Doug Pray, Scratch captures the creative attitude that gave birth to the hip-hop movement. Pioneers Grand Wizard Theodore, Grand Master Flash, DJ Craze and more journey through key stages of hip-hop history. Accurately describing turntablism as a culture, the film puts the DJ front and centre as a musician and instrumentalist.
Watch it on: YouTube
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
What’s it about? A lesson in how not to be a promoter, Fyre unravels the tale behind the ill-fated ‘luxury festival’. And it reveals the fraudulent shenanigans that landed promoter Billy McFarland in jail.
Why should I watch it? Fyre documents how a festival dream crumbled into a nightmare. Granted, it’s hard to feel sympathy for the kids who bought tickets on the back of a dumb influencer campaign. But you will feel compassion for other unwitting victims swept along on a tide of empty promises. Car crash TV at its finest and so good we watched it twice. This will make you appreciate all the decent promoters who stage excellent – and safe – festivals.
Watch it on: Netflix
Modern Times – LTJ Bukem Documentary
What’s it about? Modern Times is an oldie these days but it’s still one of our essential music docs to watch. It captures the early stages of LTJ Bukem’s career as a touring jungle DJ and producer – and all that comes with it.
Why should I watch it? A proper throwback, this offers a nostalgic insight into the emerging jungle scene in the mid-’90s. It’s an endearing reminder of the DiY ethos that laid the foundations for today’s industry juggernaut. Keep your eyes peeled for a great scene on bootleg mixtapes. While Bukem is the talent, his manager Tony Fordham is the hilarious star here. Ignore the grainy footage and concentrate on the banter.
Watch it on: YouTube