Away from the loud boom of clubs and discotheques, there is a new kind of noise that’s gaining popularity. For an outsider, it may appear as a group of youngsters swaying their hips to nothing but silence. There are three DJs playing music that could tear your eardrums apart, and make your heart explode, but to hear it, you got to put the headphones on.
The headphone parties, aka The Silent Noise Project, is gaining a foothold among partygoers in India. The concept, which emerged in the UK, after the local government began increasing restrictions on sound levels after 10 pm, has become a global phenomenon.
Similar rules in India, and a diminishing night culture in Goa led DJ and producer Justin Mason to bring the concept to India. The Silent Noise Party, which started at The Nepture Point in Palolem, South Goa in 2006, has now become a weekly event, with Neptune at its centre. Joining Goa are Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai where these headphone parties are organised occasionally. Justin, who was recently in Mumbai for the Smirnoff Silent Noise Party at Mehboob Studios, says their aim is to take the concept to small cities across the country.
“At first, even we were a bit skeptical about the headphones and how the audience would react to them, but we were proved wrong from the very start as it became obvious that everyone loved the idea. It was great to see hundreds of people plunged into the wireless world of silent noise, dancing away to their favourite DJ,” he says.
At the Mumbai event, joining Mason on the podium were DJ Breed and DJ Dan Booth, all of them performing simultaneously. The music is transmitted wirelessly to three different channels on these headsets, which can be accessed by the user. The headsets have a light that tells the listener what channel he/she is listening to. You can see and hear the DJ and the DJ can see from the audience, who is tuned into their channel. “The headset allows you to be in three rooms of music at the same time, choosing which channel or DJ to tune into. The atmosphere is electric,” says Mason, adding that this also promotes mild competition among the DJs to get the crowd to tune into their set.
Besides the music, there are several other attractions, like dancers and performers entertaining the visitors. And just in case you need to talk to a friend in the middle of a performance, you don’t have to shout at the top of your voice. All one needs to do is press the mute button or take the headsets off, to chat with your friends, before joining the party, by slipping your headsets back on.
Justin says that with increased restrictions on sound levels after 10 pm, the headphone parties have given partygoers the opportunity to enjoy music till the early hours, without creating any disturbance. “Every city in the world needs something new and exciting and although there will always be regular nightclubs and bars, Silent Noise just adds a different touch,” says the DJ.
Justin has been part of house music since its birth in the 1980s, through the Second Summer of Love (1988-89) in London, which saw the beginning of the unlicensed MDMA (Ecstasy)-fuelled rave parties, as well as guest appearances in Sundance and Raindance parties. He considers himself lucky to have been involved with the house music industry from a very young age and see it take shape and evolve into multiple sub-genres. “During the mid to late 80s, house music in the US and the UK, was simply house music. Now, we see lots of splinter genres like tech house, soulful, deep, progressive and DJs playing within these particular genres. House music has become global and it’s very big business.”
Justin works with a team of DJs and producers who are always working on their mixes and tracks, especially during the rainy season. “We have an independent record label called Studio 45 where we write, produce, mix and release tracks that you can download on Beatport and iTunes. I have seen many changes in the way music is produced, marketed and sold. I am still very passionate about all kinds of music, but you can rarely repeat some of the good times and the innovative music of the good old days!” he adds.