Entangled in a web of bass frequencies, I have isolated my world within an army of techno lovers. All
dancing. Everything is blurry, and I am unable to see who is near. The stroboscope starts sending rapid
flashes of white light, changing my blurred vision to a black and white filter. All I see are the
silhouettes of the dancing people. Between every flash, their posture changes. The stroboscopes took the
fluidity of my vision away. The temporal lobe, a part of my brain that oversees my eyes can’t keep up
with all the input.
The tempo of the music sets my heart rate, and the DJ is playing all out. My limbs are making repetitive
movements, and everyone else seems to dance with me. The music commands us— we’re all subjugated to the
same beat and forming a synchronized movement. That’s probably why we feel so connected as we march
through the night. An army of lost souls. Drunk or drugged and dancing on delusional melodies, we all
march forth purposely.
I close my eyes as the strobes become too intense. With my eyes closed, my brain relaxes momentarily, but
my body is unable to withstand the pounding waves. Then, the leading synths evaporate, giving space and
time for our bodies to recuperate. The bass slowly fades out.
Collectively, we slow down, except for a couple of people, with beats that still echo in their minds.
While the dark sounds are hypnotizing our brains, our bodies keep anticipating the next beat. We feel —
but we cannot explain. I open my eyes again. The lights have dimmed along with the music. Both humans and
machines seem to take a rest in harmony. I look around and see mostly young people. Some of them
laughing, others chatting.
I see a couple kissing next to me. Others are in pure ecstasy with their eyes closed and hands raised in
the air. As if they vow themselves to an unknown greater force. The music is slowly gaining momentum and
building up.
A moment of silence before the endless kicks start pounding again. This tiny moment makes me realize I’m
alone. I can’t see any of my friends and the sense of being surrounded by strangers strikes a spike of
anxiety within me. Then, the bass drum starts kicking and the sum of everyone's experience squashes down
my momentary feeling of despair. I am dancing with the crowd, laughing together, taking drugs together.
With these existential beings, I feel sane, in a hidden basement in the slums of Pyongyang, North Korea.