Antidote Magazine | The Remedy is Diversity

When one thinks singer-songwriter, an image is immediate in many listener’s minds; introspective, usually serious, men or women with powerful vocals that sit at a piano or with an acoustic guitar, bearing their souls. As electronic, dance and other digital music continues to become a staple in mainstream music, elements of dub and electronic are finding its way into the genre of singer-songwriters.

Charli XCX has brought us some sweet and dark pop this year, from “I Love It” to “You’re the One.” So it’s only fitting that on Halloween we get another treat from the indie-darling of sugary, but poison-filled, treats. Here Charli collaborates with Brooke Candy, an up and coming rapper/tumblr starlette.

Diplo knows how to make a fine-ass mix, any objections? Didn’t think so. So, without further adieu, may I introduce you to the 3 hours BBC Halloween Mix Diplo whipped up, including a number of great tracks and 16 Three 6 Mafia tracks to finish off what will hopefully be a frightening and fantastic night.

[media url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORVz_qeKgvg” width=”690″ height=”380″] First up, The Weeknd’s “Rolling Stone.” The Weeknd has already proven to be a master of image and marketing, he tells you only what he deems worthy of sharing with you. Here, he provides his face and all that it can reveal while emoting a song like “Rolling Stone.”

Sky Ferreira is a difficult woman to explain to those who don’t know her… yet. She is practically a veteran of some fashion cliques, indie circles, hipsters, etc. A model, a singer, an actress in a new film by Grant Singer titled “IRL,” and the list goes on. While many 20 year old vocalists would jump for the chance to work with an A-list producer or co-writer, Ferreira has already worked with some of the best.

Goulding covers “High for This” by the Weeknd as a bonus track on Halcyon, a fitting choice due to Goulding’s own aspirations for a dark emotional album with glistening, intoxicating, and original sonics. She is successful for the most part, although never reaching the heights of the Weeknd. Ellie forms a dramatic and thought-out sophomore album that takes the listener on a somewhat depressing path through a glorious soundscape.