The elusive and formally anonymous producer Zhu has released the first track Automatic featuring AlunaGeorge off his highly anticipated Genesis Series project. Characteristically slick in production, the pulsating synths and heavy beats form the framework for Aluna Francis to showcase her oddly childlike, but soothing, voice. Zhu himself (real name Steven Zhu) sings on the track, his soft and delicate voice carrying the song until a scintillating sax solo caps it all off.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh9afpUYVHI&w=560&h=315]
Having just unveiled his clandestine Generation Why website last week, Automatic is the first of many of the forecasted collaborations to come, with the project including Skrillex, A-Trak, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Gallant and more. During a Reddit AMA AlunaGeorge accidentally let slip about the upcoming single:
Yeah there is new music coming really soon… I worked with ZHU for his Genesis Series – it’s an awesome track called ‘Automatic.’ We have some BIG things planned for next week to kick it off, listen out for it on Wednesday!
The comment has since been deleted. However, those who have signed up to the Generation Why website received an email contain a clip of the new track, a music video done in the style of a black and white cartoon depicting a car chase. Below is a ripped version of the video, being ripped it’s a little lacking quality but still enjoyable nevertheless.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdXgQdsKBXY&w=560&h=315]
The enigmatic and beguiling artist Zhu is back after several months of silence – and he’s just as confusing as ever. The electronic music producer updated his Facebook profile picture two days ago, to reveal a picture for a new Genesis Series project, redirecting them to a jumble of words on the mysterious site GenerationWHY.com. The website simply asks for your email address and offers social media sharing buttons.
What seemed like random pattern of words turned out to actually be the names of several big artists. As far as we can tell, Zhu will be collaborating with these for what might me an album-sized project. Skrillex, Alunageorge, A-Trak, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Gallant, They, Vancouver Sleep Clinic, Keznamdi and Daniel Johns can be found in the letter matrix.
Although other information concerning the website seems to be scant, an album that would come out of these collaborations could be huge. Judging from the success of his biggest hit to date, the Grammy nominated Faded, the formerly anonymous artist could be onto something on a whole new scale.
The producer recently released a new track in a mix for Pete Tong on BBC Radio One, a 40-minute mix of featuring edits of his previous releases like Faded and Superfriends, as well as some Snoop Dog to finish it off. It includes a bunch of remixes and covers, including of The Weeknd’s Often and Outkast tracks Ms Jackson and ATLiens. Check that out here:
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/205688465″ params=”color=ff5500″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Zhu visited Australia for Listen Out 2014 – you can check the details of the 2015 event here, happening later this month.
On a stifling Summer evening in Sydney, hundreds of punters packed themselves into the sweaty confines of Oxford Art Factory in anticipation of seeing one act: Odesza. With local Charles Murdoch opening up before the duo made their entrance, the difference between this performance and their last was palpable. Odesza’s last visit, at the Metro Theatre alongside Kele and Hayden James back in June, was a sparsely populated affair. Not as many people knew who the Seattle-based duo, which was lucky for those who did, and got to slip to the front of the mosh with relative ease and plenty of elbow room to dance.
But since then, Odesza, comprising of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight, has taken off. Tonight was the first of two completely sold out shows, part of their mammoth international In Return World Tour.
Even Odesza themselves seemed to be in awe of their own success, shouting out at one point “Last time we were here no one knew who were were!” But now they had their own headline tour playing to a sold out crowd. The packed venue was heaving, with people even lining the entire ring of the upper level. Everyone was stoked to be there. Odesza was stoked to be there. You could tell from the very beginning, after exploding onto the stage with IPlayYouListen.
The crowd was momentarily taken off guard, before echoing Odesza’s gusto with ecstatic screams of excitement. The hypnotic power they opened up with carried through their entire performance, quickly whipping the crowd into a frenzy as they delivered an impossibly high energy set with tracks Koto and All We Need ft. Shy Girls, off their critically acclaimed 2014 album In Return (read our album review here.) The backdrop was a kaleidoscopic display of colours and images. The silhouettes of cacti were superimposed over a cityscape lit up at night, as bright lights pulsated in time to the beat.
One of the most entertaining things about Odesza is watching both Knight and Mills work in perfect harmony to deliver an incredible display of musical craftsmanship. In precise synchronicity, they turned the knobs and dials with the precision of a well-oiled machine, pumping out Sun Models and My Friends Never Die. Even when turned away from their decks and each other to play the drums, they were in time to each others’ rhythm. Their concentration was so complete that even a fan jumping up from the mosh, dancing between them gratuitously, couldn’t distract them from their performance.
Put your hands up for Seattle, I love that city
As the night progressed, the air became clogged with humidity. By the time Odesza launched into Say My Name, everyone was doused in sweat. Another fan managed to get up on stage, this time a girl, but was promptly escorted off stage by a disgruntled looking stage manager. It was by this time that the concert started to wind down and Odesza finished off with I Want You, before departing the stage much to the disappointment of the crowd. However, they reappeared shortly, reassuring everyone, “Of course we have more for you guys, come on!” before launching into their remixes of Zhu’s Faded and Slow Magic’s Waited 4 U.
And thus concluded a night of electronic awesomeness. I think it really signified an epochal moment for Odesza, demonstrated by the enthusiasm of every single person there. In a relatively short amount of time, they’ve managed to accrue a phenomenal level of success and the kind of recognition that normally takes years to achieve. But that is simply a testament to a pair enormously talented artists capitalising on their ability to produce incredible music.
Odesza will be playing another show at OAF on Thurs Jan 22. It’s sold out, but you can still buy tickets to their NO.SLEEP afterparty at Goodgod, alongside Juan (RUFUS) and more. Click here for more info and here to buy a ticket.
In the meantime, have a listen to their amazing second album In Return below.[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/50200154″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]