85. I’m A DJ – Sonic Animation

For me to recognise a good song, it must have 3 elements present. Number 1, the music itself must be either catchy, well played or adventurous. Number 2, the lyrics must be very good, and number 3, the performance of these two elements must be very good. In the case of I’m A DJ by Sonic Animation, all three elements are met too the most extreme level. The opening banter between two technoheads that leads into the riff is absolutely superb, and the riff itself is classic. I have actually listened to this riff for roughly an hour on repeat and managed not to get tired of it. This shows how good the riff is.

The lyrics of the song are also amazing. It is essentially a satirical view on the lifestyle of DJ’s, whom the band itself is comprised of. So you can instantly appreciate the point of view that the song takes. With such great lyrics as “‘Cause I’m a DJ, I’m a self indulgent git, if the record’s not from Germany, then it must be shit” and “I’m a DJ, my whole set sounds the same, you’re not allowed to speak to me, unless it’s about fame”, you can really appreciate the point of view that the band actually employs. It shows that they are not only self aware of the stereotypical DJ, but they are also fully aware of what is expected of them.

However, the band has, in the past (and prior to their breakup), gained recognition for their fantastic live performances which consisted of two fans being dressed in furry suits. This act in itself shows how different Sonic Animation attempted to be from other DJs, and that is something I completely respect. That is just one of the reasons why I despise techno music. The fact that DJs are never actively involved in their music and instead spend their ‘performance’ in a booth, bathing in their own superiority and delusions. But when a band like Sonic Animation is able to point this out in their own music and actually make an attempt to differentiate themselves from this stereotype, it has to be applauded.

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