The more I look at MDL Beast, the more baffled I become. This blog has been writing extensively over the past two weeks about their Soundstorm festival, due to take place between December 16th and 19th. I’m still quite astonished that I’m seemingly the only person doing so – the dance music press once again failing to grasp the mantle on the question.
Well, it turns out that MDL Beast are holding another event this month – but this one involves less dancing and more talking. They’re holding the XP Music Conference between December 13th and 15th. Over three days, they’re going to hold discussions on how to help the music industry in the Middle East to evolve and grow in the future.
Exactly who’s going to be appearing on the bill remain a closely guarded secret, although some of the names on it have been sent to EDM House Network. And whilst the subject matter of how to grow the Middle Eastern music scene is undoubtedly a legitimate one, is there not a great contradiction at the heart of all this?
If you take a look at the Soundstorm lineup – and remember that both the conference and festival are run by the same people – you might notice something. You might notice that Carl Cox, for example, is a native of Oldham in Greater Manchester rather than Riyadh. Jeff Mills comes from Detroit, not Mecca. Or that deadmau5 isn’t from Medina, but rather from Niagara Falls in Ontario.
In other words, MDL Beast are going to spend three days listening to people talking about how the Middle East’s music should be appreciated much more, before then going to spend the next three days listening to mostly Western world DJs – who I suspect will be playing very little in the way of the local musical cuisine.
Funny how being government funded removes the ability to see blatant contradictions in your own movement, isn’t it?
