What We Started stages two actors in the electronic dance music scene as its protagonists: the young DJ and producer Martin Garrix and the legendary techno and house DJ Carl Cox. The film spans the years from the early days of disco to the heydays of electronic music in the 2010s. In a chronological setting, it starts with New York discotheques, Chicago House, and Detroit Techno, splattering to the UK and Spain in the 1980s, then following some major events and places in the US and Europe in the following years.
The “disco” movement is told in the film as a two-phased phenomenon. Its initial dawn is followed by a decline in which the disco culture was attacked (Disco Demolition Night, 1997) and seen as comical. There was also tension and attack from the rock’n roll fans. But the disco revives after a couple of years.
The Chicago House (Frankie Knuckles, Chip E.) and Detroit Techno (Richie Hawtin, Jeff Mills, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins) mark the beginning of a new era for DJs. It was also the time house and techno became international. The narrative jumps to the UK in the 1980s, mentioning the major DJs (Pete Tong, Trevor Fung, Paul Oakenfold) who went after the innovators in the U.S.
Some iconic moments of EDM are exemplified by the Amnesia Club in Ibiza, Spain, in 1987. And The BPM Festival, where Carl Cox played in 2015 during his residency. His iconic farewell to his residency in 2016 is marked by his 10-hour final performance, which is also shown in the film.
Switching back to Martin Garrix: Growing up with music at an early age, Martin signed his first record at 14 years old as an already experienced music producer. He is one of the young prodigies in the electronic music world who grew up with music while growing up. His grow-up story is mixed with discussions of the artisanal aspects of DJing, where the late DJs present pre-prepared DJ sets and mix them with USB records. The criticizers of this performance see the craft of being a DJ mixing live with the records and accuse the others who put more emphasis on music selection instead of live performance.
In the late 1980s, clubbing became exclusive in the UK, and The Haçienda in Manchester rose up in the rave scene. Hidden parties and the new youth culture bursting around Europe ring the bell of a second summer of love, a new punk moment. Electronic music and EDM settles the discussion around art vs. popular music. Carl Cox shocks Berlin. The “underground” becomes a debatable word: all the places are underground compared to others. What’s not changed is that the people like the DROP.
