Wellness has long been a controversial topic in the dance music community. It can summon images of prohibitive privilege—New Age religion, organic produce and those with excess time and money to partake in self-optimization—rather than individuals fighting for survival, which is the reality for many cash-strapped independent artists and players in a largely DIY milieu. Electronic music culture is often associated with escapism, at times veering into self-destruction, with undue attention paid to the height of the moment rather than recovery and ongoing equilibrium. But against the backdrop of a new year and the devastating ways that Covid-19 has changed our respective lifestyles, the oft-romanticized hedonism of our culture is no longer sustainable. Wellness is due for a reexamination, with a focus on accessibility. Throughout January, Resident Advisor will be bridging these two seemingly disparate fields with articles and virtual programming across our platform.

"Dance Floor Epiphanies," sets the tone for the month. Curated by Taylor Bratches, the series of testimonies from various RA readers reveals poignant accounts of how partying has functioned as a form of therapy. Among the contributors, Bratches writes of repairing her fraught relationship with her recently-transitioned father: "I left my mind, allowing my head to roll back and my racing thoughts to subside… which is what dancing is so good for. Entering the body. Reclaiming it." Trauma can ravage the body, and this somatic reclamation is what holistic health practitioner and music journalist Bianca Giulione explores in her article on dance movement therapy, a practice of integrating physical motions with emotional release to improve mental wellbeing. Are there ways revellers can consciously incorporate these exercises when going out?

Giulione also pens a how-to manual, supported by interviews with touring veteran Madam X and health coach Flavia Deuchler, on fueling up for multi-hour marathons and easing turbulent comedowns in "The Ultimate Raver's Diet." Unbeknownst to many, a majority of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine (which are affected by MDMA and cocaine) are stored in the gut, meaning food has as much impact on modulating mood as drugs. Features Editor Maya-Róisín Slater carries this theme forward in her article investigating the relationship between psychedelics and dance music, and the trend of increased use during the pandemic.

On RA’s audio side, Martha Pazienti Caidan, Head of Podcasts, invites Belgian producer SKY H1, who recently released her album Azure, to interpret wellness through a meditative ambient mix. Meanwhile, Exchange host Vanessa Maria interviews artists coping with performance anxiety for the next episode of the Black Minds Matter podcast collaboration on January 27. For audiences keen for a more interactive education, there will be a Zoom gathering by multi-instrumentalist and laughter meditation practitioner Laraaji on January 20, as well as a panel curated by Ecology of Care to explore rest for marginalized communities on January 24.

At the end of 2021, I reflected on the electronic music community within the context of the global mental health crisis. Through my research, I found that while anxiety and depression can feel like personal struggles, they are often the byproducts of larger systemic issues: social disconnection, job insecurity and discrimination. In fact, wellness is criticized for being a bandage solution for these societal ills, transferring the burden of responsibility from institutions to individuals, as if all it takes to be a balanced person is a religious yoga regimen. And yet, I still see wellness as a universal right. It is attending to the body and mind to the best of one's abilities. Sometimes implementing the simplest, most mundane practices, like drinking ginger tea after the function, reminds us of the small ways we can show up for ourselves in spite of the chaos. Transformation, after all, is rarely one sweeping action, but an accumulation of small choices we make over time.

All of the aforementioned content offerings were created with the intention of providing pathways to betterment in the new year and beyond. As we slip into 2022, let yourself brim with fresh hopes and choose to feel good.