The first Moods at Movement BBQ. Detroit, MI, 2022. Images courtesy Jordan Stanton.

Moods (2017-ongoing) is a network of nightlife workers, techno fans, and artists that platforms music outside of techno. We explore our community’s roots and origins to understand how music migrates from one geography and generation to another. We do this through monthly mixes, merchandise, and low-capacity events. Read our mission, value, and goal statement here, or view our archive on Substack.

Vision

We envision a world where the techno community is softer, kinder, slower, and more intentional with our stories and each other. We deserve space to discuss narratives that inspire us on and off the dance floor. We hang out during the day, we spin Motown, we share recipes, we show up, and we remind each other of our strongest elders and ancestors. There are no keepers of the gate; just keepers of stories.

This project can be made sustainable if Moods receives $113 a month in donations. We’re $50 away from making this a reality. Will you help us?

Become an Emotional Listener ($1/month)

Become an Emotional Caretaker ($4/month)

Become our Emotional Support ($20/month)

Impact (Seasons One (2018) through Six (2024))

  • Sustained support: after launching in 2017, we’ve platformed 60+ artists’ sonic origin since, totaling over 70 hours of music, 750+ songs, and 600+ musicians.

  • Global reach: 30,000+ listeners across six continents. That’s around 25,000 hours of music played through Moods—or 3 years of nonstop music across the globe.

  • Economic sustainability: we’ve distributed $18,514.70 to 70+ artists, event organizers, venue hosts, contributors, and curators. And through merchandise sales, monthly subscriptions through Drip (2018-2020) and Paypal subscriptions (2020-present), we’ve brought in over $20,901.59 in revenue to pay for mixes, curators, events, merchandise, and online hosting fees.

    • Season one: $670 disbursed 

    • Season two: $360 disbursed

    • Season three: $870 disbursed

    • Season four: $2497 disbursed

    • Season five: $4,529.13 disbursed

    • Season six: $7,095.32 disbursed

Moods at Movement 2023. Images courtesy Jordan Stanton.

Goals

  • Platform established and emerging artists, fans, musicians, and nightlife workers.

    • How is this done? Curating monthly mixes, designing merch, and hosting events.

  • Become a discovery tool and archival resource to better understand how music migrates from one geography and generation to another.

    • How is this done? Creating playlists to build narratives through music, reference and highlight past mixes and collaborations, make space for events that celebrate music outside of techno, talk to press and publish findings.

  • Center Detroit stories—the birthplace of techno—but extend our geographic lens.

    • How is this done? Curate, on average, three mixes a year from Detroit-based people; the remaining nine mixes can tell stories from other cities and countries.

Values

  • We pay everyone for their labor—visible or invisible.

  • We listen to everyone’s voice and taste equally. A seasoned DJ’s selections matter just as much as an eager fan with no experience playing or making music.

  • We are a corrective narrative force, ensuring Detroit, Black, Femme, Queer, Trans, and more marginalized voices have space to speak through our microphone.

  • Anyone who loves techno belongs here; or, gatekeeping is boring!

  • We reject racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, ageism, and classism.

  • We call in community members when friction happens and/or values are broken. Resolution is achieved through accountability meetings between Moods organizers and community members.

  • We invest time in elevating our complex musical heritage. If someone needs a year to make their mix, we give them a year.

Moods co-organizers for Season Six and Seven (from left to right): Miguel Cisne, Daniel Sharp, and Crystal Gause.

Team

2018: Daniel Sharp (curator, event organizer, Merch 01 designer)

2019: Daniel Sharp (curator, event organizer)

2020:

  • Daniel Sharp (curator, event organizer)

  • Crystal Gause (curator)

2021:

  • Daniel Sharp (curator, event organizer, Merch 02 designer)

  • Crystal Gause (curator, event organizer)

  • Miguel Cisne (curator)

  • Jamie Johnson (curator)

2022:

  • Daniel Sharp (curator, event organizer, Merch 03 designer)

  • Crystal Gause (curator, event organizer)

  • Miguel Cisne (curator, event organizer)

  • Jamie Johnson (curator, merchandise designer)

  • Laura Vicinanza (curator)

  • jack withers (curator)

2023 and 2024:

  • Daniel Sharp (founder, event organizer, Merch 04 designer)

  • Crystal Gause (curator, event organizer)

  • Miguel Cisne (curator, event organizer)

  • Fabiola Belaen (event co-curator)

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People

Moods is a network of nightlife workers, techno fans, and artists that platforms music outside of techno. We explore our community’s roots and origins to understand how music migrates from one geography and generation to another.