Harley Streten, aka Flume, has become a force to be reckoned with. Not only a leader in Australia but the international electronic music scene, he has continuously gone from strength to strength since his debut release. His sophomore album Skin took home an incredible eight ARIA Awards last week, and to celebrate, he’s now released a new EP, first announced a little earlier this year. The four song Skin Companion EP 1 gives us all new content, closer in style to his eponymous debut, which remains to be the fan favourite and breadwinner. Each song plays on the emotions of its listeners, and strips his production style of flash, gimmicks, and popular vocalists, and returns us to his original style with a newfound edge.
The first track on the EP, titled Trust, is an emotional journey we take with previous collaborator and Preatures frontwoman Isabella Manfredi. The two previously worked together on 2013’s The Greatest View, and have utilised their combined creative energy to create a spectacular atmospheric track that has become a favourite from the EP. In early 2016, he released a preview of some tracks that were set to appear on Skin, and this track, notably showing up around 3:20, did not make the final cut. Despite not being on the album, the missing sections of the preview may make an appearance yet. This highlight of the preview and EP give us an emotional, breathy journey through trust and missed opportunities for love.
Song two on Companion EP 1 is V, a quietly building track that starts out in a cacophony, but it’s short length leads us to a harmonic conclusion. It has a very nostalgic feel, and is much quieter and minimal in its experimentations.
The third track on the EP is Heater, which is another song that made its appearance before the Companion EP’s release. This track had been played out at many of Flume’s live sets accompanying his new live show and live set that he has used post Skin’s release. This is the most upbeat song on the album, quietly bubbling in to the drop that’s become something of a very ill-kept secret. it still surprises its listener, and all of its elements come together to build something honest and bright.
The EP concludes with track Quirk, which concludes our short musical journey. We resolve on a note of melancholy and hopefulness, in an expertly crafted and full-bodied ode to quirkiness, an expression of styles old and new. The somehow simplistic yet complex song makes the EP feel complete, gives us a conclusion but leaves us wanting more.
The gaps that Skin left behind were mostly smoothed over with this EP. While perhaps listeners shouldn’t have had to purchase 2 albums to collect aspects of Flume’s sound and capacities, this vinyl only release is actually well-crafted enough to be worth it.
Listen to the EP below:
For many Australians in university and school, it is time, or almost time, to break for the summer. Once those finals are done, you can finally relax and have a moment with fewer worries. For those of us not in school, we can use these songs to look forward to the weekend, or remind us to look forward to anything, really. Perhaps you are seeing this after or during the holidays, and need something to remind yourselves to breathe and smile through your relatives asking why you aren’t married yet. Either way, here’s a playlist to dance to and let out a mental sigh of relief.
1. Cashmere Cat – Throw Myself a Party ft. 2 Chains, Tory Lanez, and Starrah
You’re through what it is you were going through. And now it’s time to throw yourself a party. This incredible track was the second single off of Cashmere Cat’s upcoming project Wild Love, and promises great things coming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYl7_L8U28Y
2. Ryan Hemsworth – Burying the Sun
Whatever it was that you needed to bury, leave it behind. This song from Canadian producer Ryan Hemsworth is a beautiful journey, from it’s gentle softness to jumpy percussion, this odd yet beautiful song will help us bury our demons.
3. Yogi – Blow You Up ft. AlunaGeorge
This is a song purely designed to make you feel good. Yogi is known best for his harder works, such as the classic song Burial with Skrillex, Trollphace, and Pusha T, but this softer side made for a rather infectious beat.
4. EPROM and G Jones – Warrior
To contrast our last track, we have possibly some of the hardest, soul-crushing trap released this year. Eprom’s iconic subterranean bass sound and G Jones’ expertise birthed an absolute banger fit to make you feel like a warrior.
5. Nick Murphy – Fear Less
Nick Murphy, previously known as Chet Faker, released this as his first single on his project with a new name. This building intensity with the voice and production we all know and love bring us less fear and we look forward to what he’ll do next.
https://soundcloud.com/chet-faker/fear-less
6. Flosstradamus and TroyBoi – Soundclash
“A sound clash enough to heal ya” indeed. After America’s election and after a hard semester at school or day at work, we could all use some healing. The immediately recognizable trap styles of Flosstradamus and TroyBoi expertly mix to create something that’s become a staple in the sets and libraries of many.
7. Willow Beats – From Under the Ground
A bit of an indie flair from one of Australia’s best female-led electronic duos. Lead singer Kalyani’s vocals are reminiscent of a siren song, and this bouncy, almost hip-hop style beat blends well with this floating melodic voice.
8. Major Lazer – Night Riders ft. Travi$ Scott, 2 Chainz, Pusha T & Mad Cobra)
Major Lazer has become something of a worldwide force, and the song Lean On became the most streamed song on Spotify of all time. This song is a perfect way to blend electronic, reggae, and hip hop without outshining the vocalists, creating a song about getting what you want and having the best night ever with none of the cheesy.
9. RL Grime – Core (Djemba’s Selassie Bootleg)
Perhaps you’ve heard Core by RL Grime, or maybe you have and you didn’t know it. Now, not just anyone can remix one of the most iconic trap songs of all time, but Djemba Djemba, who’s done production for names like Sia, Chris Brown, and Alison Wonderland, did it successfully without removing any of the song’s original flair, and that flip near the end is an absolute killer.
https://soundcloud.com/djembadjemba/core-djembas-selassie-bootleg
10. Flume – Free
As the end to a playlist to a song about relief, we had to have the one song that makes us feel freest of all. This song is a release to bad energy, a new clarity or beginning from Australia’s own, who has had one of the biggest years of his life following the release of his sophomore album, Skin. Listen below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytgx9aiGHkU
This is a playlist meant for nothing but enjoyment, to get a taste of many genres and let go of our inhibitions and stressors for a half hour or so.
RL Grime, What So Not and Skrillex, three expert producers and leaders in the trap and electronic music world have had rumoured collaborations between some combination of them in the works as far back as 2013. RL Grime and What So Not last collaborated on the track Tell Me which debuted in early 2014. Now, the two have reunited, this time with additional collaborator Skrillex, to create Waiting, a trap and bass experiment for the ages. RL Grime premiered the song at the tail end of the 2016 edition of his annual Halloween mix. This year’s Halloween mix garnered quite a bit more attention than previous years, and brought with it various surprises, as the voice of Pharell Williams ushered us into the mix, as well as teasing listeners with a taste of some unreleased music. Listen to it here:
The single gets its official release on Thursday, but the three artists gave us a special preview of the song by creating a vague website that they each promoted on their social media sites. The website, http://w8-ing.com contains a one minute preview of the song atop a video advertising a phone number, which when called, plays the track in full, and gives it a retro sex-hotline feel. In 2015, Justin Bieber allowed fans to hear his cover of Hotline Bling using this same method, in that case quite literally allowing a hotline to bling. Soulja Boy also used this back in 2008, giving out a phone number that fans could call to leave messages which came as close as they could to quite literally, kissing him through the phone. It’s an interesting twist for a song to get pre-released in this way, and allows the duration of the song to be heard without giving everything away in full quality.
The full version of Waiting comes out on November 3rd. Listen to Tell Me below:
Electronic music is frankly becoming an oversaturated market. When the same tools are accessible to everyone, there is definitely a larger library of good music, but there is also just an exponentially larger library. A growing trend in recent releases is artists showing off their versatility, and not being limited to the confines of genre.
GTA, which stands for Good Times Ahead, is a duo comprised of Julio Mejia and Matt Toth. Their new self-titled album, Good Times Ahead, neglects to put itself in any genre box. Sure, it’s mostly electronic, but it has elements of trap, house, future bass, and many other genres that typically follow a certain structure and are associated with a different type of culture within the electronic world. With features by artists like Tinashe, Vince Staples, Tunji Ige, and Iamsu!, GTA have turned themselves into jacks of all trades, and the variety within their album as well as the expert execution of all of these different structures and genres in their music has propelled them forward to become a global force to be reckoned with.
Their previous releases, appropriately entitled Death to Genres: Volumes 1 and 2, adopted this same philosophy, though still having their basis mostly in trap. With this mission still clearly in mind, their new album showcases this goal much more than their albums that were titled to do as much.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8ibQ9f3_lc
A surprising highlight of the past month has been the release of Zeds Dead‘s new album, Northern Lights. This album followed suit to GTA’s in that its sonic atmosphere stretched far, far beyond just electronic music, incorporating pop, rap, and drum and bass among others. Before you say it’s too EDM for you, the song Too Young featuring vocals by Pusha T and Rivers Cuomo mixes the boppy, 90s Weezer feel with the edge and vibey feel of Pusha T’s voice, all atop a soundtrack that utilises just enough of those haunting, hollow sounds, keeping it upbeat but still letting us know that it’s Zeds Dead. DNA with Jadakiss and Styles P was another single from the album that played with classic rap production in all the right ways. Me No Care was a personal favourite, and somehow mixing reggae-style vocals and drum and bass production delivered a really successful result.
As electronic music continues to grow and releases come on a constant basis, it seems that more artists are choosing to stay relevant by incorporating their own signature styles, and translating this into the ability to produce for nearly any genre. This adaptivity in some cases have allowed for growing success, and this may be something we continue to see within this world, hopefully executed with the skill and poise that both GTA and Zeds Dead have shown in their full-length works. These are just 2 recent popular examples of abandoning genre, and finding success because of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rSmYRfKOtg
Image: YouTube
On September 29, Sonny Moore, known to many as Skrillex, took to the Boiler Room for the first time. Playing the Boiler Room set is seen as something as a rite of passage and a career make-or-break point for many electronic artists. This set was something of an anomaly, due to Skrillex’s deep-seated establishment as one of the genre’s current (and probably future) top players.
Recess, which released in 2014, is the most recent full length album by the artist, though his collaboration with Diplo under the name Jack Ü, as well as singles such as Purple Lamborghini with Rick Ross for Suicide Squad, as well as his remix of Hundred Waters’ Show Me Love with Chance the Rapper have kept Skrillex in the spotlight. He also produced much of Justin Bieber’s album Purpose, as well as maintaining a leadership role within his independent record label, OWSLA.
As an artist who has played an active role in the electronic music scene, as well as quite literally propelling it to be what it is today, it’s no secret that he’s honed his music and mixing skills, as well as having expertly adapted to the times. The eclectic and varied mix includes songs from many current and popular genres, with songs new and old.
As well as playing many songs of his own creation, Skrillex gave a nod to his fellow OWSLA peers Getter, Josh Pan, and Mija, as well as giving hip-hop a shine with the inclusion of Schoolboy Q, Chief Keef, French Montana, and Meek Mill.
In today’s increasingly oversaturated electronic market, one has to demonstrate uniqueness, as well as abandon genre standards to create new and innovative things, and with this set amongst all of his new releases and projects, it seems that Skrillex has no problem doing just that.
Watch the official recording of the set here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRlLNfKYm8U
Image: Watchthedj
Since 2011, Decadence NYE held in downtown Denver, Colorado has been one of the largest music festivals in the southwest US. Its lineup and influence continues to grow, featuring world-class artists and all-new locations hosting different branches of the festival, which now has setups in Arizona and Utah, bringing with it more opportunities to grow, and bring dance culture to a region where it has been lacking in the past.
Round one of announcements of the Denver 2016 lineup definitely did not disappoint, and huge names such as Big Wild, Bob Moses, Disclosure, Kasbo, Keys N Krates, Marshmello, RL Grime vs. Baauer, and Zeds Dead. Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, round two brought about Bassnectar, our boy Flume, Griz, Phantoms, Snails, and EDM artists like Tiesto and Eric Prydz.
Between the chill and luxurious vibes of Bob Moses and Kasbo, to the once-in-a-lifetime RL Grime vs. Baauer set, to the trap/band feel of Keys and Krates, and can’t miss visual experiences from Bassnectar and Flume, there’s plenty of magic here for music fans of all types. Decadence NYE, the largest New Years Eve dance celebration, is well stocked with surprises in store and enjoyment to be had.
With more to join the lineup, and 2 days of great music and shelter from the December chill (at least, for the American audience), we couldn’t imagine a better way to bring in the new year.
More info can be found here, and tickets can be purchased here.
Image: Decadence NYE
Lido, aka LidoLido, aka Trippy Turtle, are all the product of Peder Losnegård, a Norwegian producer and rapper. Everything is a coming together, a gathering of works old and new, forming his full length debut.
He has been steadily creating in the scene since 2011, and his sound has progressed exponentially, perhaps in part due to his longtime friendship and tutelage of fellow Norwegian producer Magnus August Høiberg, better known as Cashmere Cat, who was a great influence on Lido, progressing him past his early days.
This year has seen Lido remix Kanye West‘s entire Life Of Pablo album, as well as contributing to production on Chance the Rapper’s mixtape Coloring Book. His mainstream dabbles have been wildly successful thus far, also producing for the likes of Halsey, Banks and even our own Alison Wonderland.
The sound complexity and depth of Lido’s work has evolved greatly over the years. Having hones and refined his diverse talents, his new album is complex and intriguing.
Beginning with a breathy, chilling spoken intro, Lido lets us know that this album is his Catharsis, and this track provides us with an introduction into the soundscapes that can be experienced throughout. Much of this album had a very different feel from his other releases (in a good way), but as this introduction progresses, that signature, loud, stop-and-start sound pattern lets us know that the Lido we’ve always known is still here too.
Second track Murder was released before the album, along with a video created by Les Vandales. It’s “a depiction of the emotional turmoil that one goes through when you’re breaking up,” said Lido. Painting a portrait with simple sounds serves the track well, and transitions between hard and soft are reminiscent of an intimate journey through emotional distress. Watch the visually stunning video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmmR17J9p9s
“I would die if you would dye your hair” is a line that unfortunately doesn’t really allow you to take Dye seriously at first, although we’ll let it slide, considering that Cashmere Cat’s feature. The moral is, of course, a metaphor for someone unwilling to change bad habits or move to a new chapter in their life. The female vocals are particularly compelling, and the thundering bass that takes us through the midsection is rather godly, but I just can’t quite bring myself to enjoy this one over and over.
That said, it’s catchy in an unconventional way, drawing comparisons to Cashmere’s recent Trust Nobody with Selena Gomez and Tory Lanez. His unique productions translate well to pop, and this song is about the closest Everything ever comes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhe42ggoi_c
So Cold clocks in at just over two minutes, but it’s an absolute standout despite the short time. The track sees Lido taking is classic beat and pushing it deeper, overlaid by a twinkling melody. The words “I don’t lie yeah, I do lie,” are repeated on loop amidst a cacophony of rap verses, ice cold treble and that completely satisfying bassline.
Crazy is a bit of a resting point in the middle, giving us a moment to breathe while reflecting on preceding tracks. The vocals are pitched and mixed in a really strange way, and indeed it seems to make the listener feel a little crazy (I had a ‘is this a different song?’ moment at first). A truly beautiful, if heartbreaking listen, the forlorn break-up number uses melancholy piano to ruminate on letting go.
The juxtaposition of Lido’s outcry with the deeper “Falling Down” makes this track feel more substantial, with the childlike voices causing a chill. It precedes Citi Bike, which is a song that you definitely need an introduction to. I predict that this track will be a favourite for many, and is definitely a favourite of mine. The variation in production and vocalisation creates a class that represents anger, and is the hardest and most enjoyable rap track on the album. It moves from ear to ear, from high to low, a truly phenomenal track and listening experience.
It’s incredibly tough to follow Citi Bike, and Lido uses this point to quietly begin hitting the brakes. The album takes a softer turn, with jazzier balladic tracks from this point on. Only One featuring Jaden Smith is a solid follow-up, the most interesting slower song on the album. The echoed verses sound like they were recorded over the phone, and makes for almost Kaytranada-like vibes with some interesting, albeit somewhat out of place, comments on social justice mixed in with pining after lost love.
You Lost Your Keys is a quiet ballad about losing one’s way, and although it aims for emotional depth, it ultimately falls flat, feeling corny rather than heart-wrenching. Similarly, Angel starts out sounding heavenly, and the twinkling harp creates a lush atmosphere, but the overly dramatic thematic juxtaposition of heaven, hell, salvation etc. just ends up sounding silly.Although the production has interesting moments, this softer chunk of the album is its weakest link.
Tell Me How To Feel is the album’s epic finale. It recounts many of the thematic and rhythmic ideas we heard throughout the album, topped by a nonsensical vocal loop that is somehow incredibly enchanting. This is a letting go of past loves, a perfect conclusion with its waxing and waning textures, sending us off with an emotional “what if everything’s not everything?”
Although some aspects ultimately fell flat, overall this is a stunning, well designed album, and a really impressive debut from the prolific producer and collaborator. It manages to balance that fine line between experimental and digestible, full of unique styles and surprises while staying true to the Lido we’ve come to know and love. Everything is refined, diverse, and masterfully produced, one of this year’s best within that hip-hop-electronic crossover niche.
Lido will be embarking on a short North American tour starting next month. Dates below:
Image: Michael Vera Cruz
In 2016, every genre is starting to blend into one another. You’ve got indie bands adopting electronic elements, you’ve got pop music incorporating blues, rock, rap, you’ve got hip-hop utilising jazz and gospel more than ever.
One of the best cross-genre blends comes from the marriage of hip-hop and electronic music. Solid rhymes can sound incredible atop slick production and collaboration between these artists can create something really remarkable.
Here’s some of our favourites.
1. Baauer – Kung Fu ft. Pusha T & Future
Harry Bauer Rodrigues, better known as Baauer, was always heavily influenced by hip-hop in many of his early works, including a Jay-Z feature on 2013’s Higher. His production skill and its applicability to rap is no secret, as his debut full-length album Aa (pronounced Double-A) has four rap tracks, including features by Pusha T, Future, M.I.A., G-Dragon, TT the Artist, Leikeli47 and Novelist. Kung Fu is one of the singles released prior to the album’s release, and it remained one of the album’s best moments. The sampling just serves to showcase the rappers’ verses, and it makes you feel as if every beat is in exactly the right place. Listen below:
2. RL Grime – Kingpin ft. Big Sean
As instrumental trap continues to rise in popularity, it’s no surprise that the genre, strongly rooted and based off of hip-hop production, would feature rap vocals. Much of the work that RL Grime has put out has had these roots, and some of his songs (Core, for example) have become iconic to the point where you just about can’t hear a trap set without his influence. Big Sean takes the spotlight on this one, and this eerie lead in leads us to verses brimming with power, and make it so you can’t help but feel like a kingpin.
The Mura Masa remix gets an honourable mention on this one. The subterranean bass and tropical feel mixed with Mura Masa’s unique sampling create a wholly new atmosphere.
3. THEY. – Motley Crue
This track is a bit different from the others, as THEY., a duo comprised of L.A. natives Drew and Dante, both vocalise and produce their own music. They blend electronic, R&B, hip-hop, soul, and whatever genre you can think up to realise their vision and create truly unique music. Motley Crue references classic rock and makes for a soulful and enchanting track that just makes you want to cruise down Sunset Boulevard.
4. Flume – Lose It ft. Vic Mensa
It’s definitely been Flume’s year, and he is definitely no stranger to hip-hop production. His debut album featured collaborators Freddie Gibbs and T-Shirt, and as Flume grows his following his list of collaborators for his 2016 album Skin he’s definitely broken into the popular scene, with collaborators like Vince Staples, Allan Kingdom, and Raekwon. Lose It has the wonky and captivating vibes that Flume is known for, and when Vic Mensa screams “Lose It,” you can’t help but to lose it right alongside him.
5. Zhu – Hold Up, Wait a Minute ft. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Trombone Shawty
Zhu’s production is always top-notch, and this is absolutely no exception. This song from 2015’s Genesis Series EP utilizes electric guitars, saxophones, the epic trombone work from Trombone Shawty, and of course the vocals of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony coupled with Zhu himself create for a jazzy and utterly unique song that is sure to win you back the AUX cord. Read our more in-depth analysis here and listen below.
6. Moody Good – Hotplate ft. Knytro
Moody Good is a classic example of dubstep and how it can be utilised to convey completely different emotions and styles. The sampling on Hotplate creates for a classic environment with incredible verses, and an infectious vibe that transitions between the softer and harder sounds of this type of electronic music perfectly.
7. Clams Casino – All Nite ft. Vince Staples
We enter with these wobbly synths that make the whole song feel like its of a colder temperature. Michael Volpe, the man behind Clams Casino, utilises classic hip-hop production style while adding unconventional and compelling sampling to create unparalleled soundscapes. His debut album 32 Levels had many surprising features, and Vince Staples’ verses contribute to his created dark environment. The blending of styles is highly effective on this release that just isn’t quite like any other.
8. Rustie – Attak ft. Danny Brown
In a conversation about rap and electronic joining forces, this modern classic is often referenced, and has definitely made its impact for doing just that. This toy-like instrumental contrasts the unique grit of Brown’s voice, and when the bass hits, it’s hard to not get up and dance.
9. GTA & What So Not – Feel It ft. Tunji Ige
Australia native Chris Emerson, also known as What So Not, and American duo Julio Mejia and Matt Toth, also known as GTA, joined forces in creating a song that is oh-so summery with the perfect vibe for any situation. This absolutely cinematic song compels you from the first line, and Tunji Ige’s verses give the perfect edge that keep you hooked. The song is featured as a closing bonus track to What So Not’s Divide and Conquer EP, and will be featured on GTA’s upcoming EP.
https://soundcloud.com/wearegta/gta-what-so-not-ft-tunji-ige-feel-it
10. Ty Dolla $ign – Stand For (prod. Diplo)
A shameless inclusion of one of my favourite songs. The samples create an experience that can best be described as ethereal. Ty Dolla $ign delivers verses in his signature style over globally renowned producer Diplo’s production, it creates something like magic. Diplo later utilised this beat for another song, titled Long Way Home, that was created to marry hip-hop production to create an alternative song, which features Grizzly Bear’s Edward Droste and Vampire Weekend’s Rostam. This same overall song structure was used to create two completely different soundscapes, and they both marry their respective genres effortlessly, which I will include as another honourable mention of sorts. Listen to both below:
This list is ever-expanding, and collaborations that cross genres are very prevalent in music now. In 2014, many producers were remixing alternative songs, and today it seems that hip-hop and rap is doing it’s time in the electronic and alternative spotlight. These collaborations all do what they promise, and marry genres for a wholly enjoyable experience.
Image: YouTube
Producer Harry Bauer Rodrigues, aka Baauer, knows a thing or two about global travel. As a child, he lived all over the world, spending time in England and Germany, as well as the US, and a multi-racial upbringing taught him to appreciate travel and global culture of all types.
This is especially apparent in his new Beats 1 Radio show, Studio B, which shares a name with a previous Las Vegas residency. His bi-weekly show is set to feature a different country every week, and focus on a different aspect of global music.
His premiere show featured an hour-long set from Tropkillaz, a Brazilian duo who spotlighted their Latin flair during their appearance on the show. Baauer also premiered a new single, entitled How Can You Tell When It’s Done? featuring artist CZ. This experimental and industrial banger is available worldwide for free, linked below.
This week’s show is to feature DJ N*g*afox, a DJ hailing from Portugal who will bring his unique style to the table. Baauer is a leader and innovator in the trap genre, and his album Aa has been called one of the best albums of 2016. We can’t wait to see what he’ll do next.
Listen to the show on Beats 1.
Image: livemusicblog.com
Josh Pan is probably best known for his work with X&G on Platinum, an infectious, loud, and utterly dance-able single. His identity remains somewhat shrouded in secrecy (a rumour briefly went around that he was a collection of 20 producers), but the dark and meditative quality of his music caught the eye of OWSLA founder Skrillex, who recently signed the artist. On September 23, OWSLA held a “Platinum” pop-up shop for the artist, and the music video was released just a day before and can be watched below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R5nG4LRVbE
The video features a cast of dancers, masked drummers and plenty of metal on things you wouldn’t expect. The jumpy and sudden nature of the videography perfectly accompanies the industrial and gritty vibe held by the track itself.
Since its January release, Josh Pan’s Platinum has been played in nearly every OWSLA Radio show, a bi-weekly showcase of the artists on the label as well as standout releases. OWSLA celebrated the fifth anniversary of its very first release on September 18, and the episode of OWSLA Radio that airs September 24 will feature a look into the label’s past, as well as showcase artists that it has assisted and been assisted by in their paths to stardom.
You can listen here on Beats 1 and stream anytime on Apple Music.
Image: Nest HQ