An essential new 30-minute documentary looking at the impact of Covid-19 on the DJ industry and the subsequent rise of streaming has premiered on Pioneer’s YouTube channel.
Distant Dancefloors talks to major acts from around the world, with DJs, as well as key behind-the-scenes figures talking about how the pandemic has affected them personally, the industry they love, and how streaming has offered hope to artists and audiences alike.
Put together by leading DJ equipment brand Pioneer, Distant Dancefloors has proved an instant hit, gathering nearly 50,000 views within days of being uploaded. As well being a fascinating look into how some of the world’s biggest globe-trotting DJs slowly realised that their lives were about to radically change, it’s an uplifting reflection on how, for all the uncertainty, the last few months have helped artists and other electronic music creatives take stock and replenish.
Check out Distant Dancefloors:
“Being put into this time now where we’re forced to stop and not tour so much and not create so much has enabled us to really look into our lives and perhaps why we started music in the first place,” explains psychotherapist and Babyshambles member Adam Ficek in the film, discussing some of the long-term positives of lockdown.
Elsewhere, Norman Cook enthuses about getting “back to basics” with DJing and does a set with Eats Everything from inside his car. “There’s been some amazing streams,” enthuses the latter about the phenomenon of DJs streaming their music live. “But you have to do something different. Everything’s got to have a bit of an angle.” This reflects a new challenge that the ever-resourceful, forward-thinking dance music industry is more than equal to.