Electronic music is heating up Memphis, and some University ofMemphis students are key players in the movement.
Miles Kondylas, U of M music industry student, returned from anextended stay in the United Kingdom last semester and started totake a closer look at the dance scene in Memphis.
Kondylas started MEMO, Memphis Electronic Music Organization, inJanuary in an effort to centralize many of the voices and artistsin Memphis' electronic music community.
"I'm trying to bring all of these resources together so we canpresent a united front when dealing with the large summer outdoorfestivals," said Kondylas.
He has sent proposals to both Memphis in May and Bonaroofestivals in an effort to try to bring electronic music to themasses.
Kondylas said he would like to see a tent devoted to electronicartists and DJs at the Beale Street Music Festival.
"It's interesting here in Memphis," said Kondylas, who isoriginally from Philadelphia. "Memphis is more live act oriented,and a lot of clubs aren't used to this sort of thing."
The electronic music scene is not new to Memphis, but it isgaining momentum with the recent openings of Vortex and Senses, twoclubs focused on showcasing DJs and other electronic artists.
"Those places just opened up," said Kondylas. "This is anemerging scene, and people are being very receptive to it."
However, the lack of venues in Memphis that are willing tosupport electronic artists is a problem in furthering exposure,said Chad White, U of M student and DJ at WUMR.
"Urban sprawl has kept Memphis from having an urban musicscene," White said. "I catch a lot of flack here because therearen't a lot of establishments that will let you play cutting edgemusic."
However, White defends fellow artists and promoters againstcriticisms that there isn't an electronic music scene here. "TheMemphis scene isn't dead. It's experiencing a birth."
White said there is a kind of Memphis sound among electronicartists, but this sound has developed out of the lack of localrecord production.
"DJs are not making records here. The Memphis sound is a mix ofrecords they're pulling from all over the world," said White."We're putting the soul into electronic music. Gospel, jazz,R&B -- we use all of those elements."
Both White and Kondylas said they are getting local exposurethrough shows at local clubs.
Kondylas, whose DJ name is Epicenter, has been involved in aweekly Friday show with his cohort Patrick Feld, DJ namePatinthehat, at Vortex.
In addition to his Monday night WUMR radio show and extensivemusic production, Chad White, known as Mr. White, and SeanO'Danieils are hosting a show at Melange March 12.
"This is a furthering of ideas, and it will always progressbecause technology is always progressing," White said. "I want tomake music that moves people."
Kondylas is optimistic about putting the Memphis scene on themap.
"I want to help promote the artists here in town," Kondylassaid. "It's about exposing what we have here to other parts of thecountry."
He said he enjoys the production aspect of events as much asgetting behind the turntables.
"To be able to create these experiences in Memphis has been areal gift," Kondylas said.
