The last Saturday of every month in Abuja has started taking its place as a night out for the enthusiasts and lovers of techno, house, and electronic dance music (EDM). Around 10:30 PM, a restaurant garden tucked away in Wuse comes alive under the moonlight, with diverse patrons socialising and immersing themselves into the unique vibe of the night, Motion then unfolds and brings with it a curated electric experience for its attendees.
Since gaining notoriety in Chicago and the 70s Black American underground scene, EDM and its subgenres have proven to be a cultural movement. Nigerians are no stranger to dance and electronic music. It has in fact, been an explorative part of our soundscape, as several Nigerian artists have experimented and fused EDM and its other subsets like House, Trap, and Dubstep with our homegrown Afrobeats.
Niniola, one of Nigeria’s Afro-House powerhouses, has mastered her sound and delivered hit songs tinged with variations of electronic and South African house music. In 2018, leading EDM group; Major Lazer, headlined a well received and one of a kind show at Hard Rock Cafe in Lagos. Following this performance, over the years 2018-2020, the group released multiple successful collaborations with Nigerian artistes including Wizkid, Burna Boy, Kizz Daniel, Ice Prince and Mr Eazi. Growing from these early beginnings, this genre and its subculture is now attaining rave popularity and undergoing a renaissance in contemporary Nigerian culture.
In 2022, a video of Afrobeats star, Adekunle Gold performing and thrilling the crowd to an EDM refix of his Davido assisted song High went viral. This performance at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark garnered a lot of attention and positive feedback and sent young Nigerians into a frenzy and was praised for his versatility. This reception reflects how modern day Afrobeat artists and the receiving audience, both at home and in the diaspora, are open to a cross over of experimental African sounds, charged with drum machines, synthesisers, and samples of popular hits. With the modern success of African music and the global platforming of African creatives, it is no surprise that this confluence of culture and music would lead to the growth of a new lifestyle among the youth .
Earlier this year, in May, Lady Donli tweeted about dropping a re-up of her 2023 album Pan African Rockstar. In the tweet which announcing the project release date, she also acknowledged the success of leading Nigerian electronic music raves and social events like Sweat It Out, Mainland House and Abuja’s own Motion.
A joint project with FäëM, Pan African Rockstar (The Pack Remixes) is a 7-track album featuring artists like Pierre Kwenders and Martinses. The House influenced project serves as an ode to the burgeoning African electronic music scene. Evident in the efforts and energy put into crafting the body of work, Donli spotlights the integration of EDM into the musical conditioning of the modern Nigerian. Her versatility was well enunciated on Comme ci comme ça and Hello Lady, both very catchy Afro EDM tunes with amazing replay value.
Nowadays, raves serve as an outlet for entertainment and socialisation. To attend to these motives, young Nigerians get creative and express themselves in ways they would shy away from on a regular weekday. From the hairstyles, to the multifarious clothing, flamboyant makeup and overall style and vibe of attendees, the EDM and rave ethos is now getting mainstream attention as a subcultural movement in Nigerian cities.
Abuja is no exception to the growing EDM culture. With the success of raves like Sweat It Out, Mainland House, Element House and Group Therapy in Lagos, and the resultant non conformists and queer friendly space these gatherings have created, Motion is championing a space in a similar disposition for all kinds of people who enjoy a night of escapism in the city of Abuja.
The order of the night at Motion is primarily dancing and mingling in a liberal environment, charged with electronic music and strobe lights. As the name implies, the aim of the music is to trigger movement and keep the bodies of its attendees; called Movers, in constant motion and gyration. The musical offerings at Motion include House, Afro house, Techno and Breakbeat and through this space, it is taking charge of spotlighting the sonic sommeliers of the Federal Capital Territory’s EDM scene
The monthly lineup regularly features performance sets by leading electronic and alternative disk jockeys in Abuja including; the bouncy, Afro infused set of resident DJ Adeyi, the electrifying vibes from Pastagoras, Vara and the thrilling set of DJ Matisco. Some dates also host guest DJs from cosmopolitan cities with an EDM following. This guest setlist has previously featured; Sounds of Ace, Calix, Cam and WE’RE ALL CHEMICALS from Lagos, Martinses from Toronto and others from Johannesburg and London.
Founded by DJ Adeyi and Desmond Etop, a multifaceted Nigerian creative, popularly known as Pastagoras, Motion is the brainchild and an offshoot of their creative endeavours and Pasta’s experience from working with brands and organising events. In this conversation with Culture Custodian, the DJ, producer and promoter reminisces about the beginnings of what constitutes now Motion.
So Pasta, what or when would you pinpoint as the starting point of MOTION ?
We started out as a bunch of young guys that just enjoyed the music and experimenting with sounds. It was not really about us making money or making music as a business endeavour, it just became a commercial success through consistency, support and the recognition of hard work being put in by a community of EDM lovers and daring creatives
As a creative, what would you say influenced your specific foray into EDM and House music?
It started off with me getting into Dubstep, I also got acquainted with a friend online and he sent some samples and tips to explore in the UK, from there, my world just opened up to the diversity of EDM music.
Reaching into more familiar terrain, Pasta also references how South Africa was also a turning point for his artistry process.
Listening to Afro House, Kwaito and Amapiano and a lot more South African music was also a big inspiration in creating a sound that’s quite African and homegrown and also experimental across the board
At what point did you start being involved in the growth of the electronic music scene of Abuja ?
I was in Lagos for a while but over the 2020 lockdown I returned to Abuja. I’d say that was the turning point because I had more time to explore more music and tinker with my craft. Coming back to Abuja, there wasn’t a big following of EDM lovers, it was mostly Zoe Zoe and some other DJs that played at House House House. After putting in hours and making our own mixes Adeyi and I were out to chill and play some of our latest mixes for a couple of our guys, and we later hosted a couple of private parties, but nothing major yet. Then as a collective, we threw a party in Abuja in Mambaah Cafe and had significant attendance and engagement. That day changed our direction and marked conception of what is now Motion.
Building up from 2020, till 2022 after society started opening up after the pandemic, Motion started popping as a monthly staple and started recording an increased and organic attendance and the gradual reception of EDM music as a social pastime of the Abuja nightlife. The liberal and non judgemental space that Motion creates has also enshrined it as a haven for all types of people and minority communities to escape into the thrill of the night.
When asked about his vision for Motion and it’s long term cultural significance, Pasta speaks on how it’s a good feeling to be at the frontline of that movement, and while aiming to be a leading brand in the Nigerian EDM space, Motion is still sticking to their core principles of community building and active goals of holding music workshops, to encourage further exploration and putting Abuja on the map
He also emphasized that they are all about creating an alternative space to party, and as entertainment providers, their aim is to curate a great and organic experience for the attendees of their events. Also, taking into consideration the fact that Nigerian culture is getting a lot of traction now, it’s only right that they platform the niche creatives doing their own thing either through music, fashion and lifestyle . At the end of the day, the goal is to build the local community and facilitate an environment in Abuja to blend the soundscape with the new sounds and aesthetics that they are exposed to through EDM.
Motion holds at The Garden at L’Epicure, Wuse II every last Saturday of the Month
Instagram @motionabuja
