Mine Eyes Have Seen Thy Salvation
A personal photozine created as part of a wider exploration into the parallels between the UK rave scene and religion, and more broadly what Mark Fisher calls “the slow cancellation of the future”. The project examines how the UK dance music scene’s obsession with its own history is influencing its future, with the zine aiming to outline the similarities between religious worship and the following of dance music as a pseudo-religion.
In this exploration, I reflect on the shift in dance music—from a revolutionary use of existing sounds to create something new, to a focus on reproducing the past. The project dives into how nostalgia for the golden era of UK dance music has led to a stagnation of innovation, with the industry’s attachment to its history leaving little room for the future. This stagnation is amplified by the effects of neo-liberalism, where the commodification of the new and the reduction of the welfare state have left little room for experimentation or the support of new forms.
In a post-internet era, where the past is more accessible than ever, there’s a growing preference for familiar, safe sounds, as the desire for originality and mysticism fades in favour of security and nostalgia.Role:Project LeadServices:Personal project
Print