Raising as many questions as he has hits, American producer Skrillex has become one of the most contentious figures in electronic music. Many feel that Skrillex should still be held accountable for the sins of his past. Afterall, unleashing the bastardised Frankenstein monster of dubstep and happy hardcore now known
A musician only releases one debut album. It is an understatement to say that it is a special moment in an artist’s creative development. Being a full-length body of work that requires a sizable investment of time, energy, and attention, releasing an album shows the public that an artist is
It seems that Vancouver ambient producer and composer Loscil is making a habit of starting each new year with a new, and breathtaking, body of work. Last year gave us The Sails, a collection of sound pieces designed specifically for dance, and the year before saw the tranquil and triumphant
ambient / Chillwave / Downtempo / Drone / experimental / neo-classic
In 2016, Clara Cappagali and Armand Bultheel happened upon the biggest hit of their careers so far. For a moment, it felt impossible to avoid the New Wave pulse of Prettiest Virgin on indie blogs and playlists, the song becoming a sleeper hit for left field tastemakers and the fortunate
For those introduced to Nene H during the cycle of her debut album, Ali, you may associate her most closely with a style of techno that takes hard hitting austerity, and stirs it up with atmospheric ambience rooted in cultural pathos and emotional gravitas. The blue-tinged world of Ali, a
Acid House / eurodance / hard techno / Industrial / Techno / trance
Pinpointing French producer Brodinski will likely land you somewhere between the grotesque body music of Gesaffelstien and the woozy stoner trap of Lil’ Wayne. Enamoured of both the sounds of street and club, Brodinski has been reinventing electronic music and hip-hop quietly for some time now, though less prolifically as
The past two years have seen German producer Bryan Müller, AKA Skee Mask, establish himself as a contemporary visionary in electronic music. His sound, which spans from vaporous manifestations of techno to minimal deconstructions of bass and breaks, gathers influences from leaders in club music over the past two decades
ambient / Bass / breaks and bass / experimental / Jungle / Minimal / minimal tech / Techno / UKG
I’d like to begin this year with an introduction. Hi, my name is Tazmé Pillay. Editor of The Playground. If you’ve read most of the reviews and think pieces that we do here, chances are you’ve read most of my work. Coming into the end of last year, I knew
If anyone over the past year can truly claim the title of ‘viral sensation,’ it’s the UK’s PinkPantheress. The alt-pop singer’s quick, energetic tracks may be programmed for the algorithm that thrust her into the cultural conversation, but it’s her undeniable talent that has made her a part of discourse.
Earlier this year, Australia’s Jordan Alexander, AKA Mall Grab, released his debut album. What I Breathe was largely an extended love letter to Alexander’s adopted home of London, pulling from influences of UKG, jungle, and rave. The album saw Alexander at a significant point of growth creatively, exploring new sounds
