Finding Freedom in the Digital Age
Marshmello is on a roll this month! Two weeks ago he released a video for ‘Flashback’, a song off his 2018 album Joytime II. Just last week he released a video for another Joytime II track, ‘Stars’. Today he released a video for the popular single featuring singer-songwriter Bastille titled, ‘Happier’.
Currently trending at #8 on YouTube, Marshmello is back with a video for ‘Stars’, the first song to appear on his Sophomore album Joytime II.
By now, many electronic music fans are probably aware of Porter Robinson’s latest project, Virtual Self. After shattering the foundation of EDM with the ‘Worlds’ tour, Porter Robinson is taking us further into his digital imaginings with his Virtual Self ‘Utopia’ tour. Virtual Self is a nostalgia-filled take on early 2000’s rave and Dance Dance Revolution music. He released a self-titled EP for Virtual Self at the end of November 2017. Porter Robinson continues with Japanese-style themes and animation that featured so prominently in ‘Worlds’.
![New Track Release [Posthumous]: Lil Peep & XXXTentacion – “Falling Down”](https://dijitalzen.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/lilpeepxxx.jpg?w=1218&h=548&crop=1)
A new track was uploaded today on recently deceased rapper Lil Peep’s YouTube channel called “Falling Down”, which also features recently deceased rapper XXXTentacion. Since Lil Peep’s death via overdose in November 2017 and XXXTentacion’s death via homicide in June 2018, both artists have seen a steady stream of posthumous releases.
During the dawn of rave music, it was common for producers to sample vocalists from popular songs and integrate them into their own beat in creative ways. The rave scene of the late ’80s to the early ’90s put more focus on the beat, and any vocals were intentionally blended into the background so as not to stand out as much. But the rave scene has since matured and Electronic Dance Music has reached levels of popularity and production unheard of in the earlier days. While glitchy vocal samples and fully instrumental tracks are still common, these days have seen the rise of talented vocalists who specialize in offering their voices over EDM tracks. Some vocalists are extremely prolific and feature on some of the biggest EDM anthems of the decade. Unfortunately, it often seems that these prominent voices don’t always receive the spotlight they deserve. More importantly, since EDM is a male-dominated scene (which is definitely changing) it seems as though females, in particular, have had a harder time receiving recognition for their work. Below is a list of some of the most prevalent female vocalists who have most likely featured on a song you love.
It’s been almost four years since Porter Robinson dropped his Worlds album and I still hear the ripples of its influence all across EDM today. In 2014, the then 21-year-old Porter Robinson switched the game up by abandoning his heavy-hitting DJ sets to instead chase video game and anime-infused nostalgia tunes. And to accompany his album, Porter Robinson’s vision for dance music was fully realized with his Worlds live tour. This groundbreaking album and tour completely changed the tone of EDM, and many up-and-coming artists today have found inspiration from the young producer.
Hopefully by now the many fans of Porter Robinson have caught on to his side project Virtual Self. The self-titled EP was released in November 2017 and has ignited the dance music scene with early 2000’s rave nostalgia. Almost every track has received remixes, and new artists are emerging who seem to have been inspired directly by Virtual Self. Today, Porter Robinson has released the official video for arguably the most popular track off the EP, ‘Ghost Voices’.
Alex Sholler a.k.a. Alison Wonderland is back from her happy place to deliver another single from her highly anticipated album Awake. And to accompany the new song, Alex has simultaneously released a video for as well.
The sisterly electronic duo Krewella just simultaneously released a song and video titled, ‘Alibi’. This marks the 5th song they’ve released since dropping their EP New World Pt. 1 in late 2017, which means Pt. 2 must be just around the corner! Krewella’s New World Tour appears to be drawing to an end. The new video is mostly comprised of tour footage with scenes of the sisters rapping and singing in various urban settings.
