RPM

Happiness Amplified - Single

Artist: 
Above & Beyond
Label: 
Anjunabeats

I remember a time where EDM, or songs that drew influence from it, rocked the Hot 100. Each track had a degree of wholesomeness or nostalgia that made them to die for. A number of new DJs wanted a piece of the action, and the lemons that made lemonade ended up running dry. Instead of expanding upon the signature sound, various artists decided to replicate it. The lyrics also became more mundane and sometimes nonsensical. Once rap began to retake the charts, EDM had to be put down (even the catalog on iTunes isn't as busy as it once was).

Sounds Like: 
Armin van Buuren
Sounds Like: 
Markus Schulz
Name: 
Nick Ramos
Date Reviewed: 
11/07/2018

SO HIGH feat. EMMA LANFORD

Artist: 
MARTEN HØRGER x MAXIMONO
Label: 
Self-Produced

I’m going to be completely honest with y’all; I don’t think I’ve been this disappointed in something straight out of the gate like I was with Maximono. I wasn’t told ahead of time that this was club music, and went in expecting something a bit more, well, interesting?

Sounds Like: 
Generic club trash
Name: 
Chris Ewing
Date Reviewed: 
11/07/2018

Drift Away - Single

Artist: 
Neo Noir
Label: 
AntiFragile Music

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you mixed Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek", or Bon Iver's "715 - CRΣΣKS", with instrumentation similar to The Chainsmokers' "Paris"? I'll admit it, neither have I. However, the small music collective Neo Noir (think of it like BROCKHAMPTON) has offered their answer to this unlikely question, with their single "Drift Away".

Sounds Like: 
Imogen Heap
Sounds Like: 
CAZZETTE
Sounds Like: 
Bon Iver
Name: 
Nick Ramos
Date Reviewed: 
10/17/2018

Duke of Weird EP

Artist: 
Renato Cohen
Label: 
Sincopat

In my opinion, after Justice abandoned the sound that they created for their Grammy nominated debut album, Cross, it seemed like they left an empty space that no one has been able to fill. After 11 years of waiting, I think that a possible contender has come along to fill that void. Renato Cohen's new EP, Duke of Weird, establishes the Brazilian DJ as someone to look out for.

Sounds Like: 
Justice
Sounds Like: 
deadmau5
Sounds Like: 
Hot Chip
Name: 
Nick Ramos
Date Reviewed: 
09/25/2018

Places We Don't Know

Artist: 
Kasbo
Label: 
Foreign Family Collective/Counter Records

All I gotta say is this album by Kasbo is all you need for a bad day or for a great day. It's very versatile and is downright beautiful and a blessing to your ears. It has everything you could ever want or need in a RPM album by the Foreign Family Collective. It's got good beats here and there, I gotta admit there are some cases where the beats and lyrics in some songs sound a little mainstream, but you might not think so. Give it a listen and see if you like it. 

Sounds Like: 
Odesza
Sounds Like: 
Whethan
Name: 
Sommer Yazzie
Date Reviewed: 
04/25/2018

Celebrate Life

Artist: 
Elaquent
Label: 
Urbnet

This album is super chill. It has the same vibes as lo-fi hip hop, but with more of an electronic touch to it. I liked the contrast in "Celebrate Life!", where the higher pitched, busier sounds are contrasted with the lower, slower beats. Most of the tracks have the same, steady underlying beat that is characteristic of a lot of lo-fi hip hop tracks. "No. 540" is more jazzy, but it incorporates an electronic, video game-like vibe as well.

Sounds Like: 
Evil Needle
Name: 
Nicole Kim
Date Reviewed: 
04/23/2018

High Praise Edits, Vol. 1

Artist: 
Books
Label: 
XVI Records

This album by Books only has two tracks, "In the Groove" and "Passage of Time." I'm not a huge fan of funk, but i found this album to be pretty catchy. The introduction of "In the Groove" sounds like "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke and the track continues with an upbeat, funky beat with short vocals sprinkled throughout. "Passage of Time" is the slower and more relaxed track of the two, accompanied by classic instrumentals. Both tracks are around 6-7 minutes, but the changes in tempo keep them from getting too boring.

Sounds Like: 
Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke
Name: 
Nicole Kim
Date Reviewed: 
04/23/2018

Many Words - Single

Artist: 
DROELOE
Label: 
bitbird

Back in January, DROELOE released a single called "Backbone", a dance track that mixed minimalist beats with a complex chorus, and delivered a "tough love" message. Now DROELOE is back with "Many Words", a new single that takes their music in a different direction than their previous effort, and shows that they are not held down by only one style.

Sounds Like: 
San Holo
Sounds Like: 
WRLD
Name: 
Nick Ramos
Date Reviewed: 
04/18/2018

Song For Alpha

Artist: 
Daniel Avery
Label: 
Mute Records

Remember that movie Tron? The one with Jeff Bridges? It had a lot of electronic music by Daft Punk? This album is just like that. The majority of the songs on this album could be the musical score of some movie, it has that vibe to it. Also, it would be ideal music for video games. Some songs have beats that are on a continuous loop and it kind of sounded repetitive because the songs are long, but you might like it. They are nice beats and dreamy beats. Recommend if you want something to listen to to help you fall asleep.

Sounds Like: 
Tron: Legacy Soundtrack by Daft Punk
Name: 
Sommer Yazzie
Date Reviewed: 
04/18/2018

Well Mannered Frivolity

Artist: 
Jean Tonique
Label: 
TONIQUE Records - Grand Musique Management

Look out, French house! There is a brand new artist in town, and his name is Jean Tonique. On his debut album, the oxymoronically titled Well Mannered Frivolity, Tonique pushes the previously mentioned genre to its limits by taking different approaches to crafting his sound, and blending in other genres along the way. The result is a record that is enjoyable, and conveys a good deal of emotion.

Sounds Like: 
Daft Punk
Sounds Like: 
Justice
Sounds Like: 
Soul II Soul
Name: 
Nick Ramos
Date Reviewed: 
04/10/2018
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