Aha yes, this is how I think about music, via Bayard. There are different aspects that have their own value in exploring.

And it’s not just DJ/dance music, there’s a realm of electronic music that definitely involves melody, and experimentation… uniqueness.

I think this would probably be covered generally by the term “energy” in the sense that, there are many different kinds of energy, including melancholy, nervous, ecstatic, nostalgic, quirky, inventive … and good production can capture any of those.

Another thing this made me think about was rhythm, among other things, because I was listening to a song with a distinct lack of what most people would say was rhythm when I was reading the post. Rhythm needn’t be repetitive to be rhythmic. It can keep changing, but if each change and rhythm is discernable to the listener, there is rhythm and interest. And sometimes a rhythm emerges from nonrhythm, patterns from chaos. And sometimes there is no rhythm, changing or otherwise, but the sonic chaos is interesting enough in itself, the mind searches for its own patterns, and is enteretained.

ETC.