Edm is gaining more and more popularity among music lovers. With various remixes, such as this amazing Rick & Morty remix, exposure seems to be exponential. Even churches are getting in on the scene. EDM is an ever expanding umbrella for a whole list of genres. Wikipedia currently lists over 150 different genres and subgenres. With so much selection, how do you even know where to start? Well, the simple answer is that there is no good place to start. Everyone’s taste varies widely, and when it comes to EDM there are a lot of love them or hate them genres.
For individuals who loved 80’s music perhaps you’d be into synthpop, or nu disco, while people who like to mosh may be more drawn to the heavy drops of dubstep, or drum and bass. Because of this, I recommend checking out what’s new to make a bold Summer 2018 track list.
Future trap
This is a collision of future bass and trap music, a natural combination with future bass’ use of trap-like drop kicks and rapid hi-hats. Future trap allows for a soft combination of classic hip-hop beats with synth elements. A perfect example of this is the artist Nightizm. He delivers slow build ups, classic 90’s hip-hop beats, and big horns all wrapped in a chillwave background. From Ontario, Nightizm is definitely an artist to keep an eye on.
Moving to the other end of the spectrum is an artist called Aero Chord, also known as Alex Vlastaras. His music has been described as high-energy anthemic trap. Aero Chord is a must for anyone looking for unique drops that’ll keep you moving. Alex Vlastaras, though a newcomer in a sense, is seen as one of the finest trap producers currently.
Aero Chord’s new song “Shadows” is primed to be a chill summer night anthem.
Glitch n jazz
Taking a cue from glitch hop music, this genre blends the idea of glitch music with jazz. The music in this genre moves seamlessly to classic jazz melodies with overtones of synth, to the classic glitch elements of chopping, repeating, and skipping.
For those who enjoy heavier glitch influences I would recommend the artist Nate Harrell and his fun, up-beat tune called “Jazz Candy."
If you’d prefer a more jazz heavy artist for this genre, I’d recommend Ramzoid. His song “Contact Juggling” starts with the classic jazz piano, before throwing completely funky drops at you. In an article with NEST HQ Ramzoid describes his start when he first mixed jazz chords and saw-waves. He had found his own unique style. It’ll be very interesting to see what the future holds for new subgenres under glitch.
Moombahton
Moombahton is a mash-up of dance house with reggaeton. The beats are thick and spread out, with rave-y synthesizer beats that will energize any crowd.
Pioneered by Dave Nada in 2009, he helped garner a wider crowd for this genre. Though not called moombahton, there is a long history of mixing latin artists and electronica. An interesting example of this is Stefan Nixdorf’s “Megalomania." With a slow reggaeton-infused beginning, they slowly incorporate the electronic elements, letting it take over for a moment, before dropping into an even mix of the two.
Labeled under moombahcore, a more dubstep-heavy version of the moombahton genre, Urbanstep & Extra Terra released a monstrous track titled “Interstellar." The classic reggaeton beat opens, and is quickly joined by the dance beat. What follows is an intense mash-up that perfectly captures what a mix of reggaeton and hard electronic can do. This genre will hopefully see an uptick during the summer months. Reggaeton is already a perfect daytime beat to dance to, so this genre would be the perfect addition to any summer 2018 track list.
