Liam O’Dell: Why EDM became the genre of choice for me as a Deaf music lover (BSL)

I want to share a realisation I’ve had recently, and explore it a little. In talking to peers it seems so many of them had a period in their teenage years where they fully embraced the emo aesthetic and/or popular rock bands. I’m talking about groups like Panic! At The Disco, Twenty One Pilots and My Chemical Romance, for example.

I never once indulged myself in this particular genre or style. I can certainly respect it now as a 25-year-old, not least in terms of the complex drum fills present on so many tracks, but my childhood and adolescence was shaped by the world of electronic music. Avicii, David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia were some of the names present in my song library, and while many people my age in the 2010s were hooked on loud and proud rock, I was drawn to the more introverted, intimate and intricate nature of computer-generated chords.

Only now, however, am I starting to think about the part my deafness may have played in that decision.

It should have been obvious to me. So many club classics I connected with had little to no lyrics, musical words I couldn’t hear as a casual Deaf listener listening to generic songs on the radio, at discos or university club nights. As I write this particular paragraph, I have the iconic melody of Faithless’ “Insomnia” rattling around in my head. The tunes – like many other tracks from the genre – stick out far more than the words.

Not to mention the fact that this type of music is often rich in heavy bass notes and beats which are a joy to experience as vibrations from speakers in packed indoor venues. Lyrics may be more profound in any other song, but with electronic music, they are always building up to a beat drop, and it couldn’t be any more obvious. So many songs follow the formula of a steady drum beat, doubling and then quadrupling before a brief pause and a more intense melody and bass combo.

As a Deaf music fan, it’s a clear musical ‘bookmark’ to look out for. As an autistic listener, it’s a routine and predictability I’ve come to absolutely love. No wonder deaf raves have become such a cultural phenomenon in the Deaf community, catching the attention of the mainstream press, too.

I don’t see my specific interest in electronic music as a damning stain on other genres and their flowery, love-filled lyrics, either. Alongside EDM (that’s electronic dance music), I’m partial to some alternative music, keep an eye on the world of pop and very much enjoy listening to the indie artists which are still floating underneath the radar.

Do I think more musicians should provide lyric videos for their music, though? Absolutely, and with the introduction of Spotify’s lyrics feature, for example (which, in fairness, appears on a lot of tracks on the streaming service these days), it’s really about time artists considered the many ways in which listeners can engage with their music – not just on the dancefloor.

Photo: Ollie Cole.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.