73: Dance music has entered its proteinmaxxed era
Summary
Tom and Chow open with a lighthearted debate on cooking confidence before discussing their recent AVA conference and upcoming 180 Studios event. The main focus is a critical analysis of the "Big Room" tech house scene, specifically the upcoming B4B featuring Prosper, Josh Baker, and Ketama. They dissect the genre's shift toward personality-driven, social media-first marketing, noting its conformist aesthetics and lack of humor compared to past eras. The episode concludes with a humorous look at Fish 56 Octagon's recent appearance at a gym event.
Topics discussed
The art of poaching an egg and trusting the science
Recap of the AVA London conference and No Tags live show
The allotment keeper pipeline and hoarding habits
Upcoming intimate listening session with NTS residents
Defining the B4B acronym and its economic implications
Analyzing the Prosper, Josh Baker, and Ketema B4B promo
Critiquing the humorless aesthetic of modern big room dance
The synchronized dance and Westlife comparisons
Identifying the members and their distinct styles
The commercial rise of Circo Loco and tech house
The predictability of their music and clip-friendly production
The meaning of underground vs commercial in dance music
Protein intake, masculinity, and the DJ setup
Personality-driven marketing and the role of social media
The clip economy and the decline of dub plate culture
Gender expression and the retrograde nature of the scene
Parallel universes and algorithmic echo chambers
Fitness New Year and the sad state of the gym
AG's side quests and the Joy Orbinson engagement bait
Listener submissions on what makes a festival a festival
Listen ad-free on Castria