The British producer is marking a significant turning point in a music landscape where artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly prominent role
We shared our thoughts on this topic a few months ago and, perhaps, we were not entirely wrong. Artificial intelligence has become an integral part of everyday life, influencing virtually every industry, including music. We have always believed in preserving a space for genuine human creativity, ensuring that technology does not replace the very qualities that make art unique.
It is a view that many professionals across the industry have gradually embraced, and one that Gareth Emery has now chosen to turn into concrete action. A leading figure in the international trance scene for more than two decades, the British producer has announced the launch of Emotional Intelligence Records, a new label linked to the LSR/CITY project that will exclusively release music and artwork created by human beings.
The decision comes after a deep personal reflection on the impact of AI on the music industry. Although initially fascinated by the technology’s potential, Emery’s perspective changed when he discovered that some artificial intelligence models had been trained using his own music.
From that moment, he began questioning the future of the industry, envisioning a landscape populated by virtual artists, synthetic voices and algorithm-generated content. According to Emery, the danger lies in human-made music being overwhelmed by an almost limitless volume of artificial productions, while streaming platforms increasingly benefit from low-cost, easily replicable content.
However, the producer draws a clear distinction between two uses of artificial intelligence. On one hand, AI can serve as a valuable tool for artists, helping solve technical challenges and streamline creative workflows. On the other, it can be used to replace human creativity entirely. It is this latter scenario that concerns Emery the most.
For him, music is far more than a perfectly arranged sequence of notes. It is built on emotions, intuition, mistakes and unrepeatable moments. Those imperfections, he argues, are precisely what prove that a real person stands behind a piece of art.
This belief forms the foundation of Emotional Intelligence Records: a space where human creativity can continue to thrive at a time when much of the industry appears to be moving in the opposite direction. A refuge for artists and listeners who still believe that music is something far greater than the simple processing of data.
The first chapter of this new venture will be Burn It Down, the latest single from LSR/CITY, which is already available for pre-save. Emery understands that his is an uphill battle, particularly in an industry investing heavily in artificial intelligence, but he remains convinced that there are still people willing to defend the value of music created by human hands.