“Language” is arguably Porter Robinson’s most acclaimed single to this day, hitting #1 on Beatport’s Top 100 Chart in mid-April. While the young and aspiring producer’s hit differs from his usual hard-hitting Electro, there is truly something magical and mesmerizing about “Language”, which was considered during the making of its music video. Featuring creatures from the presumed Hunger Games, an Atlantis nightclub/lightshow and a cross between King Kong and a super-chameleon, the video is undoubtedly beautifully crafted with a mesmerising scenery and effects that are perfectly synced to the beat of the song (Note: Atlantis nightclub). However, the story plot fails me as the settings constantly change from swimming underwater to falling from the sky with little to no connection. Overall it’s a very well-made video with stunning shots and an underlying message of facing your fears, but is unsuccessful at telling a story. If anyone has a clue as to who the big guy is and why he dies, please leave a comment; I’m curious.
German native Alex Ridha aka Boys Noize has flown a little under the radar for me in the past few months, but he has obviously been hard at work in the studio. Recently announcing the release of a new album on Rolling Stones, the German producer has given us a little sneak peek of what to expect with his track “What You Want”. Filled with similarities with his 2007 debut LP “Oi Oi Oi” Boys Noize provides us with a flashback of what the early days of modern electro was like, days where the likes of MSTRKRFTwere just starting to gain momentum. “What You Want” blends oldschool scratchy electro with deep thumping basslines, creating a perfect mix of old and new electro.
The start of the summer looks bright as Anton Zaslavski, better known as Zedd, releases his latest single “Spectrum”, featuring the unique vocals of Matthew Koma, most notable for his contribution for the yet unreleased vocal version of Alesso’s “Years”. Unlike the bass-blasting“Shave It” or the hard-hitting“Shotgun”, Anton takes on a more radio-friendly (in comparison) approach with “Spectrum”; nevertheless, the track still contains that “Zedd feel” to it, featuring funky electro house synths, signature greasy bassline, melodious build-ups and a satisfying, explosive drop. The good news don’t end here as “Spectrum” is the first single from his upcoming album! We’ll keep you updated as new information comes in; meanwhile, enjoy this anthem.
Also, an interesting observation: Ever since “Shave It”, all of Zedd’s original productions’ names start on the letter “S” (Shave it, Scorpion Move, Stars Come Out, Slam the Door, Shotgun, and now Spectrum). Now isn’t that neat
Everyone should know who Knife Party is by now – Pendulum’s Gareth Mgrillen and Rob Swire. Since winter of 2011, they have been laying down varieties of beats from dubstep to electro and everything in between. Songs like “Internet Friends” and “Antidote”, after released, have exploded onto the EDM scene, being played by every DJ from coast to coast. It was almost like their EP “100% No Modern Talking”couldn’t be beat. Then, they trumped it with their new release of “Rage Valley”. It is easy to say that they keep the wobble in Dubstep, but also mix that wobble with electro, giving Knife Party almost a genre of their own. Let’s break down the EP:
Centipede
Centipede was first shown off in Knife Party’s set in Ultra. It starts off as a documentary, but don’t be fooled. This song hits heavy and loud. May God have mercy on your speakers….
[Cheat Sheet 0:40, but the intro is priceless]
Rage Valley
Rage Valley begins like any other electro song, with hard bass and eerie synths. Then, the drop takes a drastic turn with even harder synths, with a 90s video game feel. If any of you have played any games with Captain Falcon, it sounds awfully like his theme song, doesn’t it? This song is my favorite of the bunch. Rage Valley is not only a crowd pleaser but a high energy song for any party. This is a must listen!
[Cheat Sheet 1:01]
Sleaze
Sleaze begins with an electro version of Jaws, and with a scary sound like that, you know it has to be massive. Then, the song breaks down into a decent Moombahcore song. In terms of Moombah, not too bad of a Knife Party song, but I would definitely not call it the strength of this album. But, if you like Moombah, you will definitely enjoy it.
[Cheat Sheet 0:35]
Bonfire
Finally, to my second favorite song of the bunch, Bonfire. Bonfire is a reggae song on steroids; boy is it massive. Knife Party combines wobbles to the max with the horns of reggae, and they couldn’t have conjured up a better combo. This song makes you want to definitely rage, and with a sound like this, it’s hard not to. Make sure to give it a listen.
[Cheat Sheet 0:33]
See if you can find your favorite, I sure found mine! With hits like these, it seems like Knife Party will be rocking the scenes for a while, and they don’t plan to go anywhere anytime soon.
Kaskadejust leaked his beautiful radio edit of Katy Perry’s ‘Wide Awake’. Be warned, the drop is not what you expect, don’t let the build up fool you! Kaskade is testing out his potential to new genres, meaning the mix is very different than his usual ‘harder’ stuff. It’s really nice to see how DJs try new styles, especially when they only get better!
