[divider]Production[/divider]
RL Grime’s production signature has become wet 808s, pounding bass, epic french horns and euphoric synths. These elements combine to create both massive, dancefloor-ready hits and ambient, chill, emotional cuts. Valhalla is the pinnacle of what RL Grime does best as a producer. Valhalla features gigantic fast-paced drum breaks that introduce the song nicely before dropping into a meld of horns, percussion and bass that will smack you right in the face. It will undoubtedly find its way into many live sets to turn things up a notch.
Featured Track: RL Grime ft. Djemba Djemba- Valhalla
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=980LFcauDgU
[divider]Songwriting[/divider]
RL Grime’s progression as a songwriter over the years is apparent with his tendency to progressively provide variance as the song continues. A lot of his earlier tracks possessed builds and drops that were basically uniform throughout the entire song. RL has really honed in on the songwriting process for Void and it has made his music so unique that it is now hard to classify. To call RL Grime a “trap producer” is selling him short in many different ways. Golden State is a voyage within a voyage and an extremely pleasant sendoff to an incredible album. It is the epitome of a track that is hard to pigeonhole into a particular genre. Golden State is a stunning creation that provides a much brighter vibe than the rest of the album.
Featured Track: RL Grime- Golden State
[divider]Cohesion[/divider]
RL Grime’s entire Void project is incredibly cohesive, from the album’s sound to the artwork supplementing the music. Void delves into many different styles, yet keeps an ominous mood throughout its entirety. A story aesthetic is present as each track thrusts you more and more into a dark and futuristic world. Core‘s video shows helicopters of the future investigating a “void” in the ocean. RL Grime constructs his album in a way that sends you through a metaphorical, energetic and sometimes indescribable journey.
Featured Track: RL Grime- Core
[divider]Originality[/divider]
RL Grime does a fabulous job of maintaining his signature sound while also branching out into uncharted waters. With many debut albums, artists tend to stuff in as many collaborations as possible. RL Grime picks his spots with his features and does not rely on them. This shows his comfortability in being original with the music he is producing. RL Grime’s collaboration with Boys Noize’s Danger showcases a surprising deep house vibe with some trippy acid chords that are reminiscent of Trap on Acid. This exemplifies RL Grime’s ability to be experimental yet still incorporate the style and sound that made him popular. Julia is an awesome drum and bass song that is a definite departure for Henry Steinway but still features Henry’s crisp and wet 808s.
Featured Track: RL Grime- Julia
RL Grime released an upcoming Pacific Northwest leg of his Void Tour that is currently sweeping across North America. In late January, RL Grime will be playing in Vancouver B.C. on the 21st, Seattle on the 22nd, Spokane on the 23rd, Portland on the 24th, Eugene on the 25th and finally, Boise on the 28th. With all this love RL is showing us, we must show it back to him. We are enthralled here at Dance Music Northwest to party with RL Grime and witness his awesome live mixing skills.
RL Grime will be doing a Reddit AMA tomorrow, November 19th, so head over to r/iama to ask him any questions you have about Void, his production or just his life in general.
To listen to Void, simply click on the Spotify widget below or support RL Grime by purchasing the album on iTunes. Share your opinions of the album with us by following Dance Music Northwest on Twitter or by liking our Facebook page.
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