Circuit Breakers: Trans Representation in Electronic Music

The ever-evolving genre is a hive of experimentation and welcomes all

Trans representation is slowly seeping into mainstream music. Don’t get me wrong, there is still an awful long way to go, particularly when it comes to non-binary and genderqueer representation. Although the world of pop is still very much cis-dominated, there is one section where trans people have flourished and that’s electronica. This subgenre has developed past pulsing EDM-embellished rhythms and has separated itself from dance melodies and club bass drops. The scope that is offered by electronic music is a hotbed for creativity and innovation, reinvention and modernisation. Samples can be mixed into varying sounds ranging from industrial to ambient, creating music that is beyond traditional. It’s no wonder that there has been an influx of trans music producers and artists in this genre, showing music as a safe haven for inclusion once again.

In the more general sphere, non-binary musicians, producers and DJs have been included in lists and directories alongside their female counterparts. We’ve Only Just Begun, a mini music festival held in Whelan’s, released a directory of Irish women and non-binary people involved in the music industry. The online index allows bookers and promoters to easily find performers and is a great example for showing how there are a plethora of female and non-binary acts producing fantastic music out there. Banding together to create a community has levelled the playing field that bit more.

A musician can shift from genre to genre over the course of their career and in electronic, it can be easy to slide from one style to another. India Jordan’s music has gone through a transformation alongside the non-binary artist. They have moved away from producing ambient and new age inspired tracks to more upbeat, house-inspired dance grooves. Growing up in Doncaster, their choices were limited in terms of gay clubs and spaces where freedom of expression was prioritised. It wasn’t until Jordan made their way to London that everything came into full colour focus.

Their DJ sets are a sleek mix of modern sample-riddled electronic and throwbacks to disco, dance and rave. In particular, their boiler room set is funky and masterful with perfect picks that sleekly flow into one another.

‘For You’, their latest six track EP is a joy to listen to. Jordan graces the cover, hand running through their hair, looking at themselves assuredly in the mirror of one of London’s LGBT venues, Dalston Superstore. The euphoric tracks are upbeat mixes of drum ’n’ bass and electronic with a hint of disco. Grabbing your attention from the outset, they pulsate with energy, building to satisfying peaks of sub bass and acid-y synths.

Remaining anonymous is a hard act to keep up now with the era of social media and what with stans being more hardworking than most government officials. Artists who usually use a pseudonym never appear in public and those who do such as Orville Peck maintain a certain air of mystery around them, but speculation is always around the corner.

SOPHIE’s identity was subject to scrutiny by those in the electronic music industry before officially coming out as trans. Despite this unneeded questioning, the Scottish artist has become a leader in experimental music. SOPHIE has racked up some impressive production credits including her iconic work on Charli XCX’s ‘Vroom Vroom’. Her influence has elevated XCX’s bubblegum pop to a hybrid of techno hyperdance.

Her debut album ‘Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-insides’ is the soundtrack Cyberpunk 2077 wishes it could have. ‘Immaterial’ has SOPHIE leaning more into her pop sensibilities but computerised filters on the vocals add an electronic edge. Transitioning in ‘Whole New World/Pretend World’, SOPHIE shows how impressive she is as a musician as she balances countless sounds and samples without it becoming too overcrowded. Spaceship emergency alarms are paired with a snarling throaty virtual animal who comes up against sugary 90s club vocals. The breakdown sounds like an alien battle, as the thundering sounds become warped yet remain rhythmically synchronised.

Looking a bit closer to home, the electronic and dance scene in Ireland has become more diverse but like the rest of the emerging scenes, the line-ups are very much top heavy with men. The work by the GASH Collective is fantastically refreshing. The group gives a platform to female and LGBTQ+ producers and DJs. Their latest release, GASHTRAX VOL. 1, treks across vast sonic landscapes and is a perfect introduction to a talented bunch who are leading the way in underground electronic and dance sound.

Based in Glasgow, Dublin native Roo Honeychild is leading the way in Irish-produced electronica. Part of the Club Comfort club night and Dublin Digital Radio, she has established herself as a talented DJ and producer. The October Trax mini-EP is two tracks of magnificence, both filled with exciting twists and turns. ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ is fantastic combining a dramatic women’s choir with jungle-inspired beats, industrial samples and hip-hop howls. ‘Boadaecia Days (Júk mix)’ begins as a rolling beat of vowels and takes a sharp right turn into Enya’s castle, using ‘Boadaecia’ to ground the track.

The whole sphere of electronic and dance is brilliantly expansive, a creative open space where rave, trance and techno can seep in and bounce off their bass heavy counterparts. It is fast becoming a genre where more and more trans people are becoming pioneers in its future. In a time when there needs to be more inclusivity and representation in the music industry, it might do pop, hip hop, rap, and indie good to look at their underground sibling. They need to take inspiration, be drivers of inclusivity and look at who they’re allowing at the top of their charts.

WORDS BY SOPHIA MCDONALD