EDM visuals are a major part of what makes a show successful, memorable, and original. If you have gone to any concert you have experienced the large LED screens with visuals that grab your attention throughout the concert. Have you ever wondered who made these visuals or how they were created? Since 2012 the Electron/Dance music (EDM) genre has been climbing the charts and becoming more popular.EDM is special in the sense that a major part of what makes the show a success depends on the visuals. Even though the DJ is controlling the music and what visuals they play with them, there are behind the scenes artists that created these visuals.
One DJ in particular who’s visuals are consistently talked about are Excisions, real name Jeff Abel. He is one of the only DJ’s to also be a “video jockey” as well. According to the Oxford dictionary, a video jokey is, “a person who introduces and plays music videos for a broadcast, party, or other entertainment”. The visuals at an EDM concert are pre-recorded so that the DJ can then choose which visual to use with what music they are playing. The DJ has control over the colors and certain effects of the visuals so that they can be customized during the show. By Excision being his own “video jockey” it allows him to have more control in what his visuals look like and is why his sets are far superior from others.
The programming that Excision uses to create these pre-recorded visuals is explained by Josh Upton who is also a “video jockey”. PJ Fronsdahl from edm.com interviewed Josh Upton about what it’s like to be a visual jockey. During this interview Upton explains that in order to create these visuals that are used during the sets, the artists must have an understanding of media software. Upton also explains that the software that is used allows them to upload clips, visuals, logos, illustrations, and animations that are then formed into a video for a specific DJ to use. In order to successfully create a visual, the artist must create smooth transitions. The artist also needs to be able envision what their visuals will look like on massive LED screens. Clarity and expansion need to be taken into account during the creation process.
As an artist Excision is known for intensely colored graphics, fireworks, smoke, and strobe lights. He uses special programming that helps map the visuals for specific songs. Even though all of the visuals are pre-recorded, Excision creates each visual that you see beforehand. One of Excisions most talked about tours is Lost Lands. This yearly tour has multiple stages, camping sites, food courts, etc. Excisions has taken his artistic skills to a new level thanks to technological advances. At his 2019 show he introduced the 360-degree Cavern of Illusions. The 360-degree Cavern of Illusions was created by artist Android Jones. Essentially, this cave is a half sphere that is completely covered in LED screens. The individuals are then able to inside the sphere and be surrounding by whatever is played on the screen.
Even though I have personally been unable to attend the Lost Lands tour due to COVID, I have been able to watch several recordings of his work on YouTube. Even before the concert starts the opening logo visual immediately makes you feel as if you are moving with the visual. This is due to the neon colors, sounds, and use of different angles.
Each visual that Excisions uses is incredibly detailed and vibrant. One graphic by excision to the song, The Wonky Song, shows how detailed and colorful his work is.In the beginning of the visual playing he used bright purples and pinks to create a beautiful sky which has high contrast with the luscious, vivid green trees. When the DJ booth is looks like a stone structure with glowing blue lights coming from within. While the graphic is playing white fluffy bunnies and bright orange butterflies appear. The visual also moves in and out as if you were running through the forest. As the song plays the sky turns dark blue and it starts raining. All the forest animals are running through the rain and suddenly a massive T-Rex appears.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, art is “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power”. EDM visuals are a form of art even if it is not the stereotype of what art is supposed to look like. The visuals that each individual creates are an expression of creativity. When viewing the visuals that Excision has created you can see the amount of creativity, planning, expression, and detail that has gone into creating just one image. When watching the Lost Lands concert, you can see the mass amount of people there. That is why the visuals that are on the screens need to be so dynamic and pleasing for the viewer so that even the people all the way in the back can experience the same thing the people up front are.
