Are bass drops inevitable nowadays? Long gone are the brostep shenanigans of Skrillex with a herd of rising EDM munchkins shuffling through the unknown land. In this day and age, dubstep is a gimmick. It has led to countless parodies (including my personal favourite, “When Will The Bass Drop?”, a Saturday Night Live sketch) and has resulted in being the punchline of every electronica-related jab.
Ottawa festival goers can now make their summer plans a reality, as RBC’s Bluesfest has officially announced their line-up! With  Kanye West joining notable artists such as, Diplo & Skrillex, NAS, Iggy Azalea, Flight Distance, Keith Urban, Interpol, De La Soul, Edward Sharp & The Magnetic Zeros, The Gaslight Anthem, Paul Oakenfold, Marianas Trench, Lynard Skynard, Charles Bradley, The Tragically Hip, and Weird Al Jankovic, this years festival promises to give fans some of the best from every genre, past and present.
I remember the east coast, west coast feud; the massive event that changed hip hop forever with the deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. I’ve compared that beef to comic book story lines where they kill off main characters and spawn an alternate universe. We’re living in that alternate universe right now, where the anger and volatile nature of the feud is gone.
A combination of throbbing bass and ocean wind collide with my body. The starry night above is barricaded with exhilarating lasers and lights of every colour that dazzle the senses. My limbs surrender to the pounding electronic rhythm and move in time with each tune the DJ drops. With drinks in your hand and nothing but miles of sea ahead, the magnificent MSC Poesia ship takes you through Caribbean waters while the DJ takes you on a musical journey that you’ll never forget.
If someone asked about the best memory in your life, what would you say? Is it your wedding day? Graduating university? Scoring that dream job? Winning that championship game? For me, those experiences don’t even match up to the nirvana that is Tomorrowland. Feel the synthesizing beats and harmonies flow through your dancing limbs.
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.