From beats to brainwaves: We Become One is a love letter to club culture

We Become One is a new, groundbreaking documentary that delves into the transformative power of music. From packed dancefloors to sprawling festivals, this film illuminates how music transcends barriers, unites souls, and ignites a collective euphoria. Journey alongside DJ, producer and curator Kikelomo Oludemi as she embarks on a global quest to unravel music's universal language, exploring its profound neurological effects with leading scientists and iconic artists across the USA, Ghana, South Africa, Germany, the UK, and France.

Over in California, Oludemi engages with Daniel Levitin, a multifaceted expert who unveils the intricate dance of neurons synchronised to beats, triggering a cascade of electrifying brain chemistry. Meanwhile, neuroscientist Dr. Julia C. Basso unveils how shared music causes specific parts of the brain to be stimulated, fostering a profound sense of unity among diverse crowds. 

Meanwhile, when taking a closer look at the intersection of music and technology, DJ Dan Ghenacia reveals the Alpha Wave Experience, a sensory fusion of pulsating lights and hypnotic rhythms designed to entrain the mind into altered states.

At its core, We Become One celebrates music's ability to transcend boundaries and unify humanity in a symphony of shared experience. 

By the end of her journey, Oludemi shares with the viewer a greater understanding of what clubbing and shared musical experiences can do for us from a neurological, racial, gender, sexual orientation, spiritual, and human perspective.

In this interview, Oludemi talks about what she discovered about the profound power of music, why club spaces need to be protected, and how electronic music can help bridge sociological division on and off the dancefloor.

How long was We Become One in the making?

We've been working on it for over two years now, and there were a lot of adaptations, evolutions, iterations, and hurdles to overcome. It feels really good now that it’s out, although it’s nerve-wracking. 

I have a semi-fear of perception, so it was something I had to reckon with in terms of putting something out into the world for everyone to consume, but I'm really happy that it's out.

In We Become One, you delve into the profound impact music has on bringing people together. What first inspired you to embark on this journey?

The documentary’s two directors approached me to be a part of the project. The thing that sold it for me is I've always loved the interaction between music and science. I studied integrated engineering at university, and then I worked in tech for a while, and then slowly but surely, music started to take over my life. 

My last full-time job was working in music tech, where I worked with engineers to build DJ and music production products. I ended up starting my own radio station where I was getting more and more into teaching, producing music and talking about music, and slowly but surely, it took over. I have this general curiosity which drives my interest in science. 

I love to understand how things work. That was one of my motivations for studying engineering, and the opportunity to delve underneath the hood of something so significant in my life: understanding electronic music, understanding club culture, understanding what it is about the dance floor that brings people together, is something that I've experienced very personally. 

To be able to embark on this journey and connect with experts in all fields connected with club culture was a dream.

Throughout your travels, while making this documentary, you've encountered diverse cultures and communities united by music. Can you share a standout moment where you witnessed music transcend cultural and linguistic barriers?

It was cool to go to Detroit, specifically with it being such a significant city in electronic music culture, to witness the way that music has transformed the city, not just techno, which was born in Detroit, but also some other elements, like punk rock, house or pop. They all have had such a transformative effect on the city. 

I got to attend the Movement Festival, which is one of the longest-running festivals in the world. I saw this melting pot of so many different people. I saw people there with their children, people there from all different countries, different races, and different ages coming together and revelling. 

It was something beautiful to behold. In my DJ career, I had the chance to go to Kazakhstan last year and DJ there for the first time, and I had such an incredible experience. The community was so amazing, so kind, so welcoming. There were many language barriers, but that emphasised how music can connect.

What was it like when you did your first DJ set, post-COVID, and to feel that shared connection to a crowd again?

It was amazing, for sure. There was a sense of euphoria and a sense of connection. It was quite emotional to be able to commune in that way again. Something that the documentary highlights is how integral it is to our existence, whether it be in the super clubs, jazz halls, or pagan rituals. 

We've danced together for a millennium, and that is something that is at the core of our existence. It’s worth noting that dance floors and DJing changed after that period, and that was a little difficult to reconcile with in terms of the rise of social media and the role that it plays in club culture. 

There was also a massive boom in people becoming DJs, and I think that saturation also had its impact on the scene. But I was so happy to play to real people instead of a camera on Zoom.

On your travels, you interacted with experts like Daniel Levitin and Dr. Julia C. Basso, who discussed how music affects brain activity. How has their research reshaped your understanding of music's influence on human connection?

It reinforced things that I was already feeling, and it enabled me to connect with my craft differently. I'm quite embarrassed sometimes to admit that I'm a DJ. I do recognise that it has this social standing, and I've seen that impact me. 

But I also think there are certain stereotypes or perceptions that people can have of you when you work in nightlife, so I almost reformed my perception of my craft.

In what way?

Not to sound cheesy, but it mirrors ancient forms of shamanism in terms of being able to connect with so many people, not verbally, but through sound, and to be able to guide them on these journeys using music as a tool. I spent a lot of time in Brazil watching the impact of samba and seeing these gatherings of people galvanised by drum beats and music, and being surrounded by people dancing and singing together. 

I've seen how that heals, so being able to put that lens on what I do reconnected me with the craft, and it helped me see the potential of where we could go with it. 

Some of the scientists that we spoke to talked about the applications of their research in terms of using dancing as a form of pain relief or using it to treat postnatal depression in mothers. I would love to see wider society changing their perspectives and perceptions of club culture and seeing the potential for it to benefit us.

You met with the creator of the Alpha Wave Experience. Inspired by Brion Gysin’s Dream Machine, and backed by neuroscience, the experience uses a machine that combines flashing lights with music to create brain entrainment and induce people into different brain states, such as psychedelic or meditative ones. What was your experience with the Alpha Wave Experience and its use of light and sound to alter brain states?

I got to visit Lille to meet with Dan Ghenacia, who's also a DJ and the co-founder of the collective that brought about the Alpha Wave Experience. You sit on this massive doughnut, and there's this big ring of flashing light above you that flickers, and you're hearing all of these natural sounds. It's very immersive. 

As a result of the documentary, they were able to put this EEG (which stands for electroencephalography) machine on my head and measure the different brain states that my head was going into. It pushes you into these alpha and theta states, which are usually associated with rest, relaxation, and deep meditation. 

For me, it also highlighted things that I experienced on the dance floor, whether it's through strobe lights, or I've been to nights where the lighting was a work of art. It provided an understanding that this is why we connect so deeply with that, in conjunction with music.

At Oroko Radio and Vibrate Studios in Ghana, you explored how electronic music fosters societal unity. What insights did you gain about the role of music in bridging sociological divides?

I'm the co-founder of Oracle Radio, and at the time of the filming of the documentary, we were collaborating on this Boiler Room experience where we had got a bunch of DJs together from our community, and also some international DJs to come together. 

Accra's electronic music scene is going through an incredible rate of change at the moment, and to be able to apply all of this knowledge that I'd taken from this documentary, and apply it myself to this night was amazing. 

Seeing the night come together successfully, seeing people happy, and seeing people celebrating and being able to platform another side of West African music was amazing. It is one of the most beautiful community hubs, and time and time again, I'm constantly reminded of how music just brings people together.

We Become One touches on how music impacts the brain and well-being. What did you learn about music’s role in mental health, especially about the dance floor?

Music, and specifically the dance floor, facilitates this feeling of social salience, like when you're moving together in unison with people, driven by this beat and entertainment. Your body is releasing all of these chemicals in your brain: dopamine, serotonin, and endocannabinoids, and you are also using some of the patterns in music. 

For instance when you hear elements of repetition, or when the DJ plays with your emotion by using elements of surprise to play with your emotions. I do it in my sets all the time – whether it's playing elements of songs that people recognise for that familiarity, or bringing in elements of a new song – it's all playing with emotions. That combined enables people to feel super connected with one another. It makes people feel more open. 

There have been plenty of studies that have shown that as we're living in a world that feels more and more isolated, social salience and feeling connected are becoming more and more key. We're seeing an increase in depression and anxiety, and a lot of this is driven by feelings of disconnection. 

Human beings are social creatures. We're supposed to feel connected, so anything that can facilitate that connection, whether it be music or the dance floor, in my opinion, should be heralded.

There’s an undeniable joy that comes from dancing with others. What role do shared musical experiences play in combating loneliness and fostering community, especially in today’s hyper-digital world?

I think they're essential. These kinds of environments hark back to some of the very beginnings of our existence as a species. In the environment that we're living in right now, there is a lot of isolation and loneliness. I think it's a result of very unnatural circumstances. People engaging with the dance floor more and coming together is so key, and so much fun as well. 

There are many examples throughout history where we had opportunities for gathering, whether that would be in religious spaces, a church, people going to school together, people engaging more in bars and clubs, community activities, or after-school clubs. 

We're seeing declines in those activities all across the board. The dance hall plays a more vital role now than ever, to be able to combat a lot of the loneliness that we're seeing all around the world.

Clubs have historically been safe spaces for marginalised communities, yet we’re seeing more and more club closures. How do you think this impacts society and our ability to connect through music?

It provides fewer opportunities for connection. The role that clubs, bars and nightlife in general play is offering a unique set of conditions that facilitate connection, and if we're losing those, then we're losing more and more opportunities for connection. 

The unprecedented rate at which clubs are closing should be seen as a cause for concern. Certain initiatives are trying to tackle this. For instance, The Nightlife Taskforce, headed up by Sadiq Khan, is a group of people from across different factions of nightlife. 

That's a positive start, but I hope that people start to invest more and see the potential in the dance world, particularly with this documentary.

Did your journey through different club scenes highlight any key differences in how various cultures protect or neglect nightlife? Are there places getting it right that the rest of the world should look to?

I'm lucky enough to be based in Berlin, and there is something we have called here called the Berlin Club Commission. They are an advocacy group that also provides advice and training to numerous people across nightlife, whether it be clubs or nightlife workers. They do reports and release information to help guide people. Berlin recognises the importance of clubs. 

They are protected as cultural institutions, so they have the same kind of protection that a gallery, a museum or an opera house would have, and that includes tax benefits. There have been a lot of times when funding is offered for things like soundproofing or making it easier for clubs to coexist with residential spaces. That's something that can be emulated in other places. 

Berlin has a lot of tourism that is related to clubbing – a lot of people come specifically to Berlin to club. It's home to some of the most famous clubs in the world. I love to see that championed. I think some places are taking the right steps. But I have also been to places where it's going the other way. 

It's about changing perceptions of what club culture can offer the world. A lot of people associate it with hedonism, excess consumption and negativity, but it is a positive thing.

In many cities, we’ve seen political pressure and gentrification threaten club spaces. What do you think needs to happen to ensure club culture is preserved for future generations?

A change in perception of public perception is one. A lot of people aren't aware of club culture’s history and its impact on society as a whole. A lot more could be done to showcase that, whether it's through exhibitions, immersive experiences, or more content that denotes a lot of what's happened with club culture. 

Club culture has evolved dramatically over the past century. I would love to see more government advocacy and designation to have a scattering of what they call night czars around different cities, but they don't really do much. I think what they're missing is that connection with people who work in nightlife. 

Often, people are just completely disconnected from the scene, whereas the nighttime Association Task Force is made up of people who are all involved with club culture. That's a step in the right direction.

I would love to see more economic and scientific studies on what club culture can offer us if we understood more about the value that nightlife brings to the economy as well as to our health and the health of society as a whole. I think that could also help us in terms of advocacy. 

We've seen that a lot of the younger generation, Gen Z, are leaving clubs in droves; they're not going out as much anymore. So we need to look at ways where we can make nightlife more accessible because inflation makes it hard for people to be able to afford to go out. That could be subsidies, special curations, or funding, for example.

Berlin also has this day club tour in October, and historically the government has issued grants of over 10,000 euros to 10 different collectives, so 100,000 euros in total. Those kinds of initiatives are great to see, and they alleviate a lot of that pressure.

What do you hope that people take away from We Become One?

I hope that people take away just how imperative they are and how useful they have been in allowing people to connect. I hope the nightlife industry can start to think about ways we can evolve to keep up with the times and maintain the community that we have built over generations. 

I had a lot of friends, that after watching the documentary said that it made them want to go out the next weekend. I think that's nice that it ignited that spark and made people want to step out their door again, out of their comfort zone, and have a little boogie. 

Saying ‘taking clubbing more seriously’ sounds a bit weird, but I hope people recognise that it is something that is contributing to the way that we live as a community today.