Robin Schulz

GOING EASY ON EDM

The ‘it’ song on top of several music charts in Europe is a bootleg mix called Waves by German electronic DJ and producer Robin Schulz. Yes, the song was originally recorded by Mr Probz.

Toppling singer-songwriters, pop and hip-hop legends who have dominated the charts in recent times, the rise of electronic dance music might raise a few eyebrows but hold on. It’s probably because EDM no longer means a song with beats per minute that go untz-untz-untz!

The new crop of EDM is about slow beats and relaxing sounds that build up to a big wave that lashes at you, swirls around your head and leaves you with a few lingering notes making the listening experience an incredibly easy one.

Did you ever expect to hear flute, xylophone, violin, guitar or wind chime interludes in EDM? Hushed words and tunes — sometimes ethereal and sometimes dark, sometimes melancholic and sometimes funky — the mood, the tone and the atmosphere minus brash and synthetic effects can transport the listener to a Zen-like space. In the car, on the flight, at work or after, this sort of EDM is not for the clubs but purely for listening pleasure.

The more the songs are sieved through different filters, the more depth they seem to gain and evoke a range of emotions and reactions. That probably explains Schulz’s success in Europe. Be it his number one song on the charts Waves or the German song Willst Du that you might not understand a word of or his instrumental mix of Rather Be.

Also, it explains why a devoted Sting, R.E.M or Lou Reed follower who would rather give an ear than let anyone play around with classics might make an exception for bootleg mixes and edits of a Shape of My Heart, Walk on the Wild Side or Losing My Religion.

These mixes kick in with subtle and quirky undertones and looped vocals that add a new backbone to old and existing songs, making you want to fall in love with these numbers all over again.

The EDM MIX

Original Mix: Self-explanatory, the creation released officially by the original artiste or the record label. Like: Klingande’s original mix of Jubel

Remix: A traditional remix is that in which the producer has access to the individual vocal, bass, melody tracks that go into an original song granted to them by the producer, artiste or record label before he puts his own spin on their song.

Like: Lana Del Rey’s Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)

Bootleg Mix: An artiste’s unofficial twist to an existing track, without the original artiste or label’s seal of approval. What makes bootlegged recordings exciting is the fresh twist to old singles or albums plucked out from the storage.

Like: Robin Schulz’s Shape of My Heart (bootleg version)

Mash-up: Mash-ups are made from taking two or more songs and then blending any or all elements together to create one seamless track. Mash-ups can throw up some of the most unexpected mixes. Can be a snapshot in musical time if an artiste can club songs spanning time, moods and genre.

Like: Wake Me Up and Save Tonight (JTKO mash-up)

Edit: An artiste tweaks an already existing track to fit their style. Maybe they’ll throw in a few cool-sounding samples, add some basslines and extend the build-up. The changes are more subtle than a remix and can even be blended in with other remixes.

Like: Empire of the Sun’s We Are The People (Flic Flac Edit)

Radio Edit: As most EDM tracks tend to be six or more minutes in length, radio edits make tracks more suitable for airplay. Intros and endings are edited out to isolate the main chunk. Vocal mixes usually double as radio mixes, as people always love a song to sing along with. They also tend to cut out the expletives.

Like: David Guetta and Avicii’s Sunshine (Radio Edit)

Extended Mix: A version of the original mix that is too long for radio play but what the producer would ideally like the track to be, with longer preludes, interludes and breaks.

Like: Avicii’s Levels (Extended Mix)

Club Mix: Here pop, rock or mainstream music is given the two-step pulse twist and dramatic build-ups aimed for the dance floor with more beats per minute. These adrenaline-infused mixes sit better on the DJ’s console at a nightclub or a party.

Like: Will.i.am Ft. Joan Sebastian’s Hey You (Club Mix)

Dub Mix: A stripped-down re-interpretation of the original mix that DJs often use as a tool. It can stick to the original elements or go off on a tangent but is recognisable in some way, using chunks of the original track or vocal add-ons for a different vibe.

Like: Foster The People’s Pumped Up Kicks (Dubstep Mix by Butch Clancy)

Progressive House Mix: A sub genre of House music and defined by atmospheric sounds with a strong melodic and electronic influence. Also, considered anti-rave.

Like: LCAW mix of London Grammar’s Darling Are You Gonna Leave Me.

Instrumental Mix: This is the original mix with the vocals removed. Rest remains the same. DJs tend to love this because it allows them to play around and layer other tracks over an instantly recognisable musical base.

Like: Daft Punk’s Get Lucky (Instrumental Mix)

Do you like EDM with slow beats? Tell t2@abp.in