Lee Burridge is an electronic music icon whose organic style has enchanted dance floors across the world.
The dancefloor is a utopian place for many; there’s something about being immersed in hypnotic rhythms amidst a sea of fellow ravers with a shared mission of letting go that breeds openness and self-expression. You’ll find nary a dance music fan who hasn’t found friendship, or even love, while getting lost in the soundwaves.
Lee Burridge is intimately familiar with this unique phenomenon. In fact, it’s what drives him. For thirty years now, the pioneering DJ has travelled far and wide, spreading his house music gospel across the globe. Whether introducing electronic music culture to Hong Kong in the 90s, finding his way into the iconic Tyrant shows of the UK in the aughts, or touching Burning Man attendees, his ultimate goal has always been to instil a sense of connectedness within his audiences.
For the past decade, he’s been manifesting this mission through his own brand, All Day I Dream—which celebrates its official tenth birthday this year. What started as a humble day party on a Brooklyn rooftop has since blossomed into a veritable institution, with its distinctive aesthetic of natural elements and bright colours and penchant for melodious shades of house music grabbing international attention. All Day I Dream has made its way from the beaches of Greece to the iconic Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, touching down in Lebanon, Brazil, Dubai, Ibiza, and more along the way. The brand’s eponymous label has also grown to receive high acclaim, with notable acts like Roy Rosenfeld and Sébastien Léger signing highly lauded records onto it in recent year.
What makes All Day I Dream parties stand out the most, however, are their crowds. No matter the location, you’ll find a sea of friendly faces who are more than keen to bond under the sunny skies and wistful décor. Perhaps this comes from the brand’s close ties to the radically inclusive Burning Man culture—or even more likely, guests feed off the infectiously joyous energy of Lee himself.
While Lee never expects anything in return from fans, the good karma comes back regardless. Such was the case one fateful Miami Music Week…though with a bit of a twist. Read on as Lee recounts this moment of kindness:
“A long time ago at the Winter Music Conference in Miami I’d been out all night dancing and as I hadn’t intended on being out all night was ill prepared for the glaring, brilliant sunshine as I emerged from the club. A kindly fan approached and not only did he offer me his sunglasses which he placed on my face but he also pulled out twenty dollars and said he “loved my music so much” he “wanted to pay for my taxi”. I thought it was really sweet and after some protesting from me I agreed to let him pay the driver. As I got inside the taxi he uttered one last thing that sort of burst the kindness bubble he’d created. He said, “I love you Moby”
Funniness aside, these moments often surround Burridge, and we’re excited to witness them in person as the world reopens. In the meantime, you can let Tim Green sweep you to the clouds with ‘The Moss‘ EP, released on All Day I Dream this past weekend.
Photo credit: Christian Lamb
