The focus on it isn’t huge here, Grime maintaining what makes him unique, but the familiar hi-hats serve as the foundation that Grime builds his dynamic soundscapes on to a successful degree, tracks where hip-hop artists show up some of the best here. RL Grime has always incorporated elements of trap music into his work, even before the huge boom in popularity of the genre, so he makes an easier transition than most in keeping his brand of EDM relevant to the musical conversation as the mid-2010s brostep wave dies out.
The transitions and clear album structure, as well, make the usually taxing task of listening to an EDM album, almost an hour straight of one-note dance tracks, much more engaging – though at 15 songs it still does fall victim to a few pitfalls of almost every electronic full-length. Most of these tracks are shell-shockingly heavy with bass and other dominant, flaring synths, and puts RL Grime in a category all on his own by sheer virtue of his ability to craft these tailor-made party tracks that still include a selection of sounds so distinctive and distracting.
Nova is his second full-length, following 2014’s Void, and runs through a high-energy and endlessly fun selection of different sounds and genres, recruiting a great selection of guests as well. Its hype has only swelled in the absence of information surrounding the album, leaving fans and blogs to speculate on their own.Electronic musician RL Grime, fluent in the sounds of future bass, drum ‘n’ bass, and of course grime, defies most EDM artists’ approach to drop a well thought out and cohesive project rather than sporadic singles. NOVA was preceded by a sold-tour that included stops in Australia, Los Angeles and New York. RL Grime’s uncompromising artistry has paid off. And in late 2017, he emerged with “Era,” a tour-de-force single that Billboard described as “exotic, massive, and fill-of-left-turns.” Its epic, cinematic sound announced a new era and an accompanying album: NOVA. His portfolio grew with an expanding list of collaborators that included Big Sean, Miguel and Skrillex. RL Grime stuck to his underground roots and limited his releases. It premiered as the #1 Electronic album in the United States and remained in that position for a month.Īt that point - with over 150 million plays, rave reviews and magazine covers, and sets at the biggest festivals in the world including Coachella & Lollapalooza - most artists would cash out.
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RL Grime first came to prominence as a New York-based teenager delivering monster, viral remixes of Chief Keef’s “Love Sosa” and Kanye West’s “Mercy.” He established himself as a unique artist in his space with a striking monochromatic aesthetic, a series of animated music videos, and an annual Halloween mix that has included drops from Goosebumps author RL Stine, comedian Hannibal Buress, and Tony Hawk.Īfter solidifying his fanbase with a few highly-regarded EPs, RL Grime independently released his first studio album, VOID, in 2014.
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