ARGUABLY THE WORLD’S LATEST ISM, “Turntablism” is just one of the cutting-edge music terms you will pick up while flipping through Ambrosia: About a Culture. What is a sample? Track? Set? What is garage? Trance? What does a DJ really do? James Cummins’ Ambrosia answers all of these questions, and more. General but comprehensive, it’s a guide to one of the largest global cultural movements, electronica.
Cummins has produced a pertinent work. Its central topic is electronica music and rave-party culture, a movement that has been around for more than 20 years, though really began making itself heard in the last 10. Considering the presence of electronica in event listings, commercials, on radio and the shelves of music retailers, it’s clear that electronica culture should be taken seriously. Moreover, considering how well it fits with 21st century global technological, urban and multicultural developments, electronica may be here to stay, and might eventually hold sway.
Despite the years of its forceful presence, electronica inspired surprisingly little writing, unless we count hostile claims concerning the alleged threat this new culture presents to youth, mostly in connection to illegal drugs. Serious studies are lacking; so is scholarly interest. Ambrosia identifies this vacuum, but is less interested in filling the void than in giving the public a nudge, making a case that electronica deserves as much attention and respect as do other art forms.
Discussing the general unpopularity of electronica, Cummins tries to address its most likely cause: ignorance. By pinpointing its beginnings, indicating names and dates, he makes electronica traceable and knowable. By defining its vernacular, the business behind it, and details surrounding rave events, he clarifies its structure. By reviewing the history of human musical and festive spirit, he connects electronica to global cultural roots. By explaining attitudes of those involved, he reveals its inner logic. And, with a detailed exploration of the drug problem, he convincingly dispels the myth that has compromised electronica’s reputation since its inception.
Ambrosia is a good read, well-balanced and interesting, a fine general study. The specific arguments, however, need more detailed investigation. For example, Cummins attempts to give electronica a strong historical legacy; he roots it in phenomena of festival, dance and music, adorning the new art form with a musical and cultural “lineage” that makes its rise a natural step forward in human artistic expression. These conclusions might hold up to scholarly scrutiny, but in Cummins’ work, they amount to little more than interesting ideas.
Ambrosia is based mainly on dozens of interviews with DJs and producers as well as professionals and experts in other music genres. With its personal tone and relaxed referencing, Ambrosia reads best as a well-organized think-piece.
Cummins advances a forceful invitation to take the electronica culture seriously. Like a knight, he rides for artistic justice, his spear defending the noble maiden that the global village has mistakenly called a witch; her innovative spirit, beauty, and ability to entrance masses, he says, make her a genius.
Danijel Matijevic leads the History Section of The Panoptique Review, and lists history and creative writing as his favorite domains. A Serbian refugee from Croatia, he has made Montreal his home while attending a graduate program in History at McGill University.
