MUSIC RELEASES
Synthwave Duo MKMO Drops Eerie Debut Album, “Agitprop”
London-based electronic music duo MKMO have dropped their debut album, the brooding retrowave record Agitprop. The album kicks off on a menacing note with “Pantheon of the Fallen,” a spacey instrumental that slithers with eerie pads. The sound design of the intro doubles as a siren song, leading its listeners through hypnotic soundscapes before a big space rock arrangement takes the fore. The twinkly “19 12” comes next, followed by the album’s titular track “Agitprop,” which launches with a rumbling, alarm-esque bass patch before transforming into a sinister synthwave jam. With punchy snares and a pulsing bass-line that sounds like it was plucked from a Blade soundtrack, the ominous ballad “Ederlezi” represents the e...
The Sponges Drip a Funky House Beat in “Jerry Brain”
Miami-based house duo The Sponges have returned to Box of Cats to deliver a swinging force of funk in their latest single, “Jerry Brain.” With their signature fusion of of 70s funk, acid-inspired bass, and cheeky sampling, The Sponges have been making waves in the electronic music scene. Following last month’s release of Sgt Slick’s “Melbourne ReCut” of their track “Gotta Move On,” “Jerry Brain” marks the duo’s first original release of the year, and much like the cover art, it’s a mosaic of colorful electronic textures. The track is dripping in electro house flair, with funky melodies that swirl around undercuts of crunchy brass and groovy samples. The result? A funky house banger that surges through your veins and would make any dance-flo...
Armin van Buuren Releases Vintage Trance Mix of Collaboration With Alesso, “Leave A Little Love”
Armin van Buuren has delivered a new progressive trance mix of his single with Alesso, “Leave A Little Love.” From the minute the original track was teased, fans were instantly excited to hear what the duo would sound like together, as it was their first collaborative project. Now, seemingly as a gift to his longtime listeners, van Buuren released the “Club Mix” of the song, a vintage trance rendition that falls more in line with A State of Trance than it does with traditional radio. It’s immediately apparent from the first few seconds of the song that it is a pretty significant departure from the more pop-friendly sound of the original. While the catchy lyrics are still in place, the vocals in the club mix are more of a compliment to the chugging progres...
Moore Kismet’s Latest, “Vendetta For Cupid” With TYGKO, Comes Paired With Two Surprise Tracks
With a debut album on the way and a critically acclaimed lead single under their belt, Moore Kismet has already had a major 2021. Still, the electronic music wunderkind returned March 12th for the release of not one, not two, but three new singles, out via Thrive Music. Kismet shines with these tracks, using their distinct approach to sound design to continue breaking away from traditional bass music. “Flight of the Superiority Complex” with liam ello is ethereal in its vocals and delicate with its drop. Meanwhile, “Shadow Soldier” with Lunamatic pulls from drum & bass for its percussion programming, overlaying it with an intricate web of vocals and sonics. “Vendetta For Cupid” with TYGKO, which is confirmed to appear on the forthcoming L...
Laces Fuses Dreamy Synths With Choppy Bass On Debut EP, “Field Fallacy XVI”
It’s not everyday that a funeral videographer makes the switch into electronic music. But for Melbourne-based Laces, who first released music in 2018, this pivot has given birth to forward-thinking fusions of euphoric, Porter Robinson-styled synths and choppy, Cashmere Cat-reminiscent percussion. With his latest six-track EP, Field Fallacy XVI, Laces builds upon this vision with newfound maturity. Completed during Melbourne’s second lockdown last fall, the project was released March 12th via NLV Records, Nina Las Vegas‘ imprint. The label has also supported Anna Lunoe, Kota Banks and UNIIQ3. From the rich soundscape of “Sunvocus” to the introspective subtlety of “Drop My Cell” with Darcy Baylis, Field Fallacy XVI easily m...
DETØX Drops Wobbly Debut EP, “Don’t Be Afraid”
Young bass music producer DETØX has stomped onto the electronic scene with his debut EP, Don’t Be Afraid. Don’t Be Afraid arrives by way of Producer Dojo, a prominent music production collective led by ill.Gates. Spanning five tracks, the EP is a song-cycle of wobbly bass music that delves into the darkest, wonkiest netherworlds of trap music. The record kicks off with its titular track, which kicks off with a rumbling bass patch before building into a mind-melting trap drop. “Far From Home” follows suit with a similarly maniacal drop that sounds as if it were plucked out of an alien rave. DETØX follows with “Too Damn Proper,” a screeching experimental bass tune, before unloading the relentless “Can’t Stop Now Me Now.̶...
ILLENIUM Joins Forces With iann dior for “First Time”
On March 2nd, ILLENIUM teased on the Clubhouse app that a collaboration with Platinum singer, songwriter, and rapper iann dior was on the way. Shortly after the announcement, the crossover electronic artist surprised several lucky fans by hand-delivering USBs with 10-second audio snippets of the song. Following the mass excitement and high anticipation over the span of less than two weeks, their “First Time” collaboration has officially landed on 12Tone Music. dior’s rock-influenced vocals powerfully guide fans through ILLENIUM’s melodic bass soundscapes as he sings about feeling indescribably in tune with a stranger. It’s a special chemistry that rarely comes around but is instantly relatable to those who have experienced an instant connection befor...
Vindata Release Intoxicating Summertime Jam “Already Home” With Maurice Moore and JoiStaRR
After remaining relatively quiet in 2020, Vindata are determined to make 2021 their year. In January, the Los Angeles-based duo released the first two tracks from their forthcoming album, “Good 4 Me” and “Union.” Today, they’ve delivered their latest single “Already Home” via Monstercat. “Already Home” brings an upbeat summertime feel that works as the perfect transition from winter to spring. Maurice Moore and JoiStaRR lend their voices, creating a unique back and forth dynamic that floats effortlessly atop Vindata’s fluttery, laid-back production. The duo has found a clear voice for their album, only making the prospect of its release even more exciting. “Already Home” is the third single from Vindat...
Album Review: Take a Genre-Defying Sonic Journey Through CharlestheFirst’s “Solus”
A week since it hit streaming platforms, CharlestheFirst’s latest album, Solus, has led his fans on a reflective music journey. The new LP, which marks the virtuosic producer’s third album and first full-length release since 2019’s No Dimmer EP, unveils the next chapter of his saga through a 13-track sonic exploration of emotive sounds, beats and storytelling. Solus, meaning “alone or unaccompanied”, is a personal look into the artists’ mind and imagination, illustrating a journey of overcoming challenges through a lush haven of symphonic sound design. “This is a story of the lone journey, a pilgrimage to places previously unknown, CharlestheFirst said in a press statement. “A time of challenges that represent growth, and finally looking one’s true self in the mirror. A st...
Space Laces Breaks Silence with Awe-Inspiring Vaultage 003 Mix
Bass music virtuoso Space Laces has kept things relatively quiet as of late. His last release, “Rumble” (with Excision), landed on Never Say Die in 2018, and his “Vaultage mix” series saw its second installment arrive in September 2019. It’s been radio silence since then, but Space Laces recently took to Twitter to tease something big: As fans began buzzing over what was to come, Space Laces announced that the third installment of Vaultage was finally set to arrive, and now it’s here at last. Vaultage 003 is chock-full of enticing and all-original bass sounds, ranging from experimental to bass house, dubstep and beyond in the new 20-minute mix. “Bird Alert,” the track featured in the Twitter teaser, sits right in the middle of pipi...
Au5 and HALIENE Pair Up for Masterful Single “Was It You”
Taking us across a cosmic journey, New Jersey-based producer Au5 has teamed up with Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter HALIENE to produce a sky-high melodic bass track called “Was It You.” The production follows his latest masterful collaboration with Tritonal and Dylan Matthew, “Happy Where We Are,” and his recent single “Anywhere,” in which he partnered up with prominent bass music duo SLANDER. “Was It You” takes listeners through the highs and lows of emotive bass music, with deep basslines and warm synths layered underneath an ethereal topline from HALIENE. Her distinctly dreamy sound is accompanied by Au5’s signature production style, making “Was It You” a must-listen. With his unique melodic sound ...
Wuki’s Debut Album is “Part Rave, Part Circus, Part Amusement Park, and Part Art Installation”
Just one year ago, Wuki was prepping for the 2020 Grammy Awards, for which his flip of Miley Cyrus‘ “Mother’s Daughter” earned a nomination for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. The most pressing matter on his mind was picking out a suit. “I’m living it up right now,” he told EDM.com last January. That reality now feels miles away, but the pandemic hasn’t kept Wuki from staying sharp in the studio. March 12th saw the official release of his debut album, WukiWorld, via HARD Recs. In fact, the pre-pandemic vision for the release was built around an IRL WukiWorld, which Wuki described as “part rave, part circus, part amusement park, and part art installation,” to EDM.com. “Upon entering, you would be ...
