It always intrigues me to see the difference between those DJ’s turned musicians (or vice versa) who make it and those who don’t. There seem to be some common denominators, a common ground they share. Two come to mind right away, diversity and that intangible that evokes emotion from the listener. With his latest album, Strobelite Seduction, Kaskade proves that he not only belongs in this category but also has the staying power to last.
These two qualities became an obvious theme even as I began the opening track, “Move For Me.” This trance-tinged track as well as the latter, “I Remember,” provide a wonderful contrast, flexing both Kaskades’ and collaborator, Deadmau5‘s melodic muscles. Both tracks, which coincidentally begin with a pulsing, “Deadmau5-esque” synth melody, gently escort you into a head-nodding groove that leaves you wondering when exactly you began nodding in the first place. Don’t try to figure it out; it’s easier to just embrace it.
Proceeding through the disc, it’s quite easy to see the Chicago-born, San Francisco residents comfort in a variety of settings. While the majority of the disc plays to his obvious dance music strengths, it’s interesting to see the variety of four-to-the-floor styles. Take for instance the electro house stomper, “Step One Two,” which is easily the most overt club track. It plays quite nicely against the funkier, deep house grooves of “Back on You” and “I’ll Never Dream.” Mix in the loungey, “Borrowed Theme,” and soulful, “Your Love Is Black,” and we have here a great collection of songs that takes you to the lounge, then dance floor, the afterhours club and finally back to bed. Enjoy it. Seldom can you do that with one album.
With a HUGE success of a year that is only half over under his belt and the whole world, it seems, in his corner, Kaskade appears to have positioned himself to become an even bigger deal than he’s been thus far in his career. If you can imagine topping a Grammy nomination for the Dirty South remix of his track “Sorry” and the addition of “I Like the Way” to the “Sex and the City: The Movie” Motion Picture Soundtrack. I’m sure he’ll find a way though.
If you missed him at the Electric Daisy Carnival this past June, be sure to check out his sites for more dates:
