Joel Zimmerman better known as deadmau5 has been in the limelight for quite a time now, be it for his exclusive ‘Coffee Run’ interviews or new production works. Joel has in the past talked about the current state of dance music, and now he took to Tumblr for his latest set of views about it. Before posting up on Tumblr, deadmau5 was tweeting and discussing over the topic that whether you can still be a straight-up DJ in today’s current dance music climate, regardless of your expertise. He tweeted “I think a label would sooner sign Martin Garrix for producing 1 ‘hit’ than DJ Sneak for a lifetime of playing records,” and Zimmerman also name-checks UK tech-house talent Nic Fanciulli as “the last DJ in his knowledge to make it as a DJ”; that is, the last DJ to make a name on the merits of his DJing alone.

Following on the topic he then took to his Tumblr page for a post entitled ‘My take on the current state of EDM’. He pointed out that he’s not having a “rant” with this post but just presenting his thoughts. In the post he summarized EDM into 3 parts: Product, art and execution and wrote “Some artists are all about the product… some are about the art…and some are about the execution…but more often than not, you’ll find the more successful artists finding their own balance between 2 or all 3.”

Read the complete post below:

I think EDM, as it stands now, can easily be summed up into 3 parts… Product, art and execution. And its really just a mater of how all 3 are balanced.

some artists are all about the product… some are about the art… and some are about the execution… but more often than not, you’ll find the more successful artists finding their own balance between 2 or all 3.

Product being what the people want or what works in the hype state of EDM as it is whatever month we’re in… or whatevers making the rounds on the allmighty hitmaker guideline of the beatport top 10. the “sick drops yo” for all the kids. the brand, the huge selling 3 note wonder track that “SOUNDS PHAT LOUD YO”  Art need not apply… im sure if all edm artists were so inclined, we’d all be able to shit out “HEY THIS KICK IS ALSO A BASSLINE” with one blip product until the cows come home, scare them off with some loud edgy shit, and then make more till they come back again. And im sure some do… and if they don’t theyll hire someone to do it. whatever.

of course you have the art, the “i dont give a fuck if it doesnt sell at all, this is what i want to do for fun / passion / props from the coolkid community / whatever.”  …. and execution being that awkward process of making the product… and running around to dem massive EDM raves all the kids are talking about these days to showcase their product / art… so they can sustain their art and or further execution.

so… im sure like any other genre of popular music today… you can either do what you want, do what you must, or do what you can.