Why? Because the word actually stands for something important in the history of electronic music, which is heavily shaped by cultural, political, and historical gravity.

“Rave” has a very specific history, and we distort it when we use it for everything. Raves were created in the late ’80s as a counterculture outside the club industry, rooted in early acid house, breakbeat, techno, and hardcore.

The raw, unpredictable heartbeat of underground dance music feels like it’s barely hanging on these days. Once a sanctuary for rebellion and pure, unfiltered sound—basements, squatted warehouses, secret gatherings where the only rule was to lose yourself in the music—the underground now seems choked by slick branding and corporate polish. What used to be a gritty, do-it-yourself realm is fast being replaced by mega-festivals and overproduced events that cater more to Instagram likes than to the soul of the scene.