By Sean Begin
After 12 years of producing and 18 as a DJ, it’s safe to say 42-year-old Kaskade (real name Ryan Raddon) has a hand on the EDM scene pulse. His eighth studio album “Atmosphere” released Sept. 10th, showcases a musicality missing in some of today’s EDM chart toppers.
“Atmosphere” is the follow up to 2011’s double album “Fire & Ice,” and showcases Kaskade’s roots in the deep house scene–a sound that defined his first few albums. Kaskade combines those roots with the big room sound popular today and his usual array of talented vocalists to fill the album with 13 tracks capable of bringing listeners to both highs and lows.
The opening song “Last Chance” features upcoming progressive house duo Project 46. Combining upbeat synths and dreamy vocals with a powerful yet submissive bass line, “Last Chance” displays Kaskade’s emotive songwriting that’s at home in a 300 person club or at a festival with 100,000 people.
“Why Ask Why” features Late Night Alumni, a Kaskade side project whose singer, Becky Jean Williams, has been providing Kaskade with vocals for years. That chemistry, along with Kaskade’s ability to intertwine vocals with driving melodies, produces a song filled with both loss and hope. Williams is also featured on the big room anthem “Feeling the Night,” whose escalating tempo builds up into a signature four-to-the-floor house beat sure to get any crowd moving.
The first of three air travel themed tracks “MIA to LAS” hearkens back to the days of Kaskade’s first album “It’s You, It’s Me.” Both cities are ones in which Kaskade performs regularly, and this song is the perfect deep house soundtrack to flights between the two metropolises.
“Take Your Mind Off,” with its Daft Punk-esque robotic vocals, offers a release from everyday bothers. The jazzy piano and subtle bass creates a welcoming environment for the listener, a place to forget about worries and just drift away for a few moments.
The title track “Atmosphere” was the first single off the album. The song features vocals by Kaskade himself, further displaying his musical ability beyond just producing and DJing and is perhaps the most anthemic song on the album, ripe for crowd involvement.
The final two songs are both relaxing, piano-driven ballads that are a perfect end to a remarkably down tempo album. “Floating” features frequent Kaskade vocalist, Haley, over a mellow yet atmospheric melody. “How It Is” employs simple piano and splashy snare work to provide a smooth sonic base for vocalist Debra Fotheringham.
In the end, “Atmosphere” is a perfect showcase of the skills that 18 years in the scene can produce. Kaskade’s ability to combine the sounds of EDM today with his deep house roots coincided with his masterful songwriting capabilities make “Atmosphere” one of the must-have EDM releases this year.
