Many aspiring musicians have a notion that it is easy to make it in the realm of EDM. That notion is based on the idea that you just have to stick to the formula, pick up some beats that will have a massive draw to the dance floor and you're all set. Sure, if it was only that easy.
Of course, a formula has to be there, so do the beats, but to be inspired, inventive, and still make the audience rush to the dance floor needs extensive knowledge of the electronic and dance music, but also of some other music genres too.
Japanese DJ and producer Qrion just might be exactly the artist to combine all those beats and EDM formulas that work with quite a bit of inspiration, inventiveness, and extensive knowledge of music that goes beyond EDM. Her debut album ‘I Hope It Lasts Forever’, out now on all available platforms via Anjunadeep just might be the proof of that.
In most cases, EDM artists concentrate on the single format, and Qrion initially released three that shot her to prominence - ‘Your Love’, ‘11-11’, and ‘Proud’, all included here along with their extended remixes.
It is turning those singles along with other tracks that work and make a sensible whole that turn out to be a stumbling block for quite a few EDM artists. Making an EDM album that has a head and a tail and is not just a collection of singles is one of the hardest tasks in this genre of music.
And that is where Qrion really excels on 'I Hope It Lasts Forever.' From the opening run of the acoustic piano on 'Pitch Dark,' Qrion brings fresh tones and shows that her understanding of not only how EDM really works, but how to give it a real respectable place among music genres without solely relying on beats that drive the audience to the dance floor.
The proof of her real understanding of how to use elements like samples comes up to the fore in 'Proud' where she picks up on such a venerable classic that is The Impressions I'm So Proud' and turns it into a dance smasher.
This track also brings about why Qrion's debut album is more than just a singles collection. It seems that she was attempting to combine nostalgia and sentimentality with the cutting edge of beat elements EDM relies on at the moment and frankly, she has done a great job of it.
It is exactly that combination of old and new that makes ‘I Hope It Lasts Forever' not only an excellent EDM album but one that transcends the boundaries of a number of genres.
Catch Qrion on these dates:
Qrion Tour Dates
Nov 25 - Calgary, AB - Commonwealth
Nov 26 - Phoenix, AZ - Shady Park
Nov 27 - Denver, CO - Club Vinyl
Dec 3 - San Diego, CA - SPIN
Dec 10 - Washington, DC - Soundcheck
Dec 18 - San Francisco, CA - Audio