Photo Gallery | Group pushes electronic music to better community

The evolving music community has a new collective on a mission to bring new beats to the bluesy Bluff City.

Referred to as Spoiler Alert, this effort is a producer collective promoting sounds from far out and in Memphis.

Producer Charles Gray works with eight other producers who keep a watchful eye on the modern day growth of electronic music.

"I feel that the music is trying to prevail. We want to give exhibition to a lot of music out there. It's something cool enough to promote. (But) that's not just about electronic music, it's about new ideas," said Gray.

Gray said these new ideas generated through music are meant to inspire other artists and musicians.

He also believes many people would enjoy the new sounds brought to, what the group said is, Memphis' aging music town.

"Memphis has a very rich history in culture. Sometimes the new norms get discouraged," said Gray.

Gray respects the city's strong folk vessel, but believes that underground music has much more to offer.

Spoiler Alert is about creating awareness in the Mid-South, and globally, for new electronic music that some people would not know about otherwise.

Gray's fellow producer Thomas Kelty said social media and the collective's blog has played a big role in sharing , and learning about new music.

"The way the Internet is used , we can directly tell all our friends in Memphis (about an event). I am able to collectively distribute (information)," said Kelty.  

And thanks to the power of the Internet, music enthusiasts outside of Memphis can read their blog or listen to their  mixtapes.

In the world of electronic music, a mixtape is more than a CD you can burn a few songs on, or a cassette from your high school sweetheart.

It takes hours to produce, and comes along with tedious edits and evaluating.

But for Kelty and Gray, it's something they enjoy – to say the least.

They said their production sessions are similar to how some guys will get together to watch football on Sunday afternoons.

"We came together to particularly work on a Halloween mixtape. For a while we did parties featuring the music," said Gray recalling how the group came together.

It started out as friends gathering to listen to music, then putting tracks together became a weekly trend.

"Our show on Halloween really changed our focus. It stopped being about us,  and more on the music," said Gray.

Now, the group is more serious than ever, and wants to push as much music as they can into the community.

Kelty strongly believes that by promoting electronic music – which thrives in cities like New York and Tokyo – and playing it in shows, it can improve the Memphis economy by bringing more people into the city.

The group plans to hit new venues in the Mid-South. The collective has played different shows in Oxford and Midtown.

"(We just want to) really reinforce, more and more, for people to come out into the music," said Gray.

The group is working to plan an event in March, but that is tentative. However, you can like them on Facebook and get the latest on their music here.

A new mixtape from Spoiler Alert will be out February 28, you can look for it on thier website here.