Posted by Scott Willats

The three amigos are back at it again — but this time around, it’s to deliver their swan song.

We still don’t know exactly why Swedish House Mafia have decided to call it quits, but the fact that all three members are gearing up to pursue their solo careers suggests it may be a while before we see the Scandinavian dons together again. For now, they’re embarking on their “break-up tour,” and dropping a few new tracks that you can count on hearing again in a few years time, when they play the inevitable reunion shows.

Whether you think this split is a promotional stunt or the real deal, you can’t deny that these guys have been as important to EDM as any DJ in the history of the genre. They helped put EDM at the front and centre of the public consciousness, and established themselves as international icons. They were one of the first acts to make me feel truly starstruck when I encountered them in Ibiza. There has always been a special aura around this trio, and it will be sad to see them go their separate ways.

Still, you knew they wouldn’t part without some proper goodbye gifts. Their latest release, “Don’t You Worry Child” is as reassuring as the title promises. It’s the sound that’s synonymous with their name, with those enrapturing vocals the whole world loves to hear. This is only a radio rip, but it’s well worth the listen until the official release comes along.

As good as these guys are as individual performers (Axwell, for me, standing head and shoulders above Ingrosso and Angello), I can’t help but wonder if they’ve taken for granted the special quality they share as a trio. Granted, their image and profile have taken a bit of a dip with the emergence of North America’s new wave of superstar DJs — but make no mistake, you still want to be at a SHM concert.

OK, so it’s not like The Beatles are breaking up, but it does draw a little tear. This is the end of an era.

Swedish House Mafia – Don’t You Worry Child: LISTEN TO IT HERE

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Posted by Scott Willats

This week we celebrate a young artist known to many as, simply, “the Prodigy.” In anticipation of a rager of a show slated for this Friday at Toronto’s Sound Academy (which two lucky members of bpm Nation will be catching for free!), we delve into the work of  Porter Robinson, the 19-year-old North Carolina native who is leading the next wave of emerging EDM artists into glory.

Ever since he dropped “Say My Name” in 2010, PR has compelled attention, standing out even in a field as overcrowded as EDM. Sure, “Get Brain” and “Leaving” had been released earlier, and both were heavy tunes in their own right. But “Say My Name” was something different, something epochal. For a kid of just 17 to take a sample, produce such dramatic strings, and blend it with such a heavy bassline: it was unimaginable.

Don’t discount those earlier tracks, though. “Leaving” was a tantalizing preview of Porter’s abilities, proving that he knows how to blend beats and vocals to perfection. Meanwhile, “Get Brain” showcased his knack for taking a small sample and making it giant-sized. And here’s the rub: while your favorite producers are creating these kinds of sounds in studios with 15-foot Legacy consoles, Porter was doing it on a laptop in his bedroom.

Porter Robinson – Leaving: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Porter Robinson – Get Brain: LISTEN TO IT HERE

2010, then, was a big year for Porter Robinson — and he was just getting started. We’ll have more on his subsequent releases tomorrow, as we prep for his Sound Academy Show this Friday.  CLICK HERE FOR INFO AND TICKETS.

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