Last week, OUSA hosted its annual Future DJ competition at U-Bar. The comp platformed some of Dunedin's future DJ stars, welcoming electronic music punters and every breatha who loves drum and bass. But with only one of the top three DJs playing DnB, it seems there’s been a shift in the local electronic music scene.
Over the past five to ten years, Dunedin student culture has been ruled by the wobbles of Drum and Bass – from Castle Street parties to the 3am battlers in halls of residence. Yet, the Future DJ competition has chosen not to overindulge in this history, with prior champions all having a sound void of DnB. This year's DJ comp winner ROO is not a Drum and Bass DJ, with her sound focusing more on hard hitting energetic funk.
Radio One’s Programme Director Fi Carr was one of the judges at the competition. Speaking to their judging calls, they told Critic they would love to hear DJs explore more variety of genres, widening the sound of the city. “Like any DJ competition, the OUSA DJ competition helps platform DJs learning and progressing, and gives them a solid crowd to perform [to] on a proper stage,” said Fi.
There was still plenty of DnB, said Fi, but they added, “It was nice to see people playing different styles [...] and I think that shows that in Dunedin there are a lot of DJs very excited to mix [...] it's cool to see.”
To the DnB die-hards, fret not. Fi argued that the emergence of new sounds would not diminish the cultural relevance of doof, saying, “It's nice to see different electronic music around Ōtepoti in various venues and communities […] There is a natural divide from the historic guitar-sound and the student party scene and I hope to see a more diversified community and also openness with every bubble to trying new things.”
One student Critic spoke to, Jack, said that DnB has “been around forever” and that he didn’t reckon it was going anywhere, despite what the judging of the comp might suggest. He did, however, admit that “it’s always nice to have some house from time to time, and highlight more than just the one genre."